RAINSHADOW ROAD

A little romance and a little magic make for a surprising page turner as a glass artist falls for a vintner on an island in the Puget Sound.

It comes as quite a shock when Kevin tells Lucy their relationship is over. It’s even worse when he tells her she needs to quickly move out as his new girlfriend will be moving in. And then devastating when he confesses that the new girlfriend is her younger sister Alice. Criminal, but all of a piece—ever since a childhood bout of meningitis left her fragile, Alice has always gotten her way; her parents spoiled her into a beautiful, unbearable young woman. Reeling from the news, Lucy takes a walk on the beach and runs into Sam Nolan, a handsome, rakish grape grower and confirmed bachelor. The two strike up a saucy friendship but agree that anything more would be disastrous given Lucy’s recent breakup and Sam’s admittedly cynical perspective on all things love. Sam’s romantic skepticism has deep roots: his parents were the town drunks, raging and embarrassing to their four children, creating in each a fatalism that encourages superficial relationships. The exception is Holly, Sam’s niece who he and his brother Mark are raising after the death of their sister. The three live in a rambling Victorian attached to Sam’s vineyard and soon enough (due to an accident that leaves her leg temporarily immobile) Lucy moves in. They both resist the sexual energy but then confess their deepest secrets: Lucy can convert glass into living things (like fireflies) and Sam can will plants to grow. Will Sam admit he’s in love with Lucy? Will Kevin and Alice really marry? Will Lucy take the art grant in New York or stay pining for Sam? Happily, everyone gets exactly what they deserve.

Strengthened by characters with depth and something interesting to say, this winning first installment in a trilogy is sure to thrill fans of modern romantic fiction.