Book excerpt: A delightful puzzle of a romance from the New York Times–bestselling author who “knows the human heart and its immense capacity to love and to believe” (Observer-Reporter, Washington, Pennsylvania). When crossword puzzle creator Leah Gates loses her Manhattan apartment, her friend, Victoria Lesser, offers her a place to stay. Sure, it’s a remote cabin in middle-of-nowhere, New Hampshire, but it’s a lifesaver for Leah. There’s no reason for her to question Victoria’s generosity—until she arrives during a rainstorm to find the small lodge burned down and in ruins. With nowhere else to turn, Leah makes her way to the closest neighbor, an outdoorsman named Garrick Rodenhiser. Far from being a grizzly, old mountain man, Garrick is extraordinarily handsome—and kind enough to take in a bedraggled stranger for the night. Before long, the two independent, solitary souls find themselves entwined in each other’s lives and . . . not hating it, even when they realize they’re just pawns in one of Victoria’s matchmaking games. Still, there are secrets to be spilled that might bring their cozy confinement to an end—and stop their fresh start in its tracks . . . Praise for Barbara Delinsky “One of today’s quintessential authors of contemporary fiction . . . Delinsky is a joy to read . . . Women’s fiction at its very finest.” —Romantic Times “[An author] of sensitivity and style.” —Publishers Weekly “When you care enough to read the very best, the name of Barbara Delinsky should come immediately to mind . . . One of the few writers . . . who still writes a great love story, Ms. Delinsky is truly an author for all seasons.” —Rave Reviews