Book excerpt: Verna Lind expects Christmas of 1952 to be the best holiday she's had since the war ended. But as she's leaving the bank, a frigid wind off Lake Erie catches her hard-earned Christmas club savings, whisking the bills into the busy streets of downtown Cleveland and devastating her plans. Strangers come to her aid, though no one anticipates the power of their chance encounter or the seeds of happiness Verna's lost money will sow. From Barbara Hinske, best-selling author of the Rosemont series, comes this heartwarming Christmas tale celebrating the generosity of the human spirit and the irresistible pull of love -- an instant holiday classic for admirers of It's a Wonderful Life and The Gift of the Magi.