Book excerpt: The Abalone Shell Recently divorced Hope St. Cloud is in need of a fresh perspective, and she knows exactly where to find it—at her family’s cottage in Sea Glass Cove. Here, she and her daughter will be able to find a new rhythm with just the two of them. She isn’t prepared for the tantalizing attraction to local gallery owner and widower Owen McKinney. It’s been three years since the accident that stole all Owen held dear. When Hope and her adorable daughter stroll into his gallery, he finds in them all the joy and adventure he lost. Could this be a second chance at happiness or is her divorce too fresh? A sign straight from his past reminds him that he’s still alive and that this new love is worth fighting for. The Driftwood Promise From a young age, Erin McKinney has been taught that there’s only one man she can rely on—her older brother. The rest just aren’t worth the trouble. But Gideon St. Cloud might be the man to show her that good men still exist. He certainly made quite an impression the last time he was in town. Returning to Sea Glass Cove to cool off in the middle of a heated custody battle for his son, Gideon knows he should ignore his curiosity about Erin, but he can’t get her out of his head. In the shelter of her driftwood forts, he’ll find out why she distrusts men… and discover how he can prove he isn’t like the men who hurt her.