Darby Lane and Russell Gunn had been inseparable friends from their early years in the Horseshoe, their wonderful Baton Rouge neighborhood, all the way through to graduate school dreams and beyond. Then the unthinkable happens: a tragic accident takes Russ's life, and Darby's world is shattered.

Her long journey to healing takes hold as Darby begins to see Russ's brother Ben through new eyes. Suddenly love blooms in the place of grief and Darby faces the challenge of reuniting Ben with his estranged father— if they can get through the conniving schemes of Ben's social climber stepmother. Like the custom dollhouses Darby creates with tender care and patience, she begins to understand that loss can build new life—and love truly can conquer anything.

Fern Michaels is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of Family Blessings , the #1 New York Times bestseller The Nosy Neighbor , Pretty Woman , Crown Jewel, The Real Deal, Late Bloomer, Trading Places, No Place Like Home, Kentucky Sunrise, Plain Jane , and dozens of other novels. There are more than seventy million copies of her books in print. She lives in South Carolina. Visit her website at www. fernmichaels, com.

Laural Merlington has performed and directed for 30 years in regional theatres throughout the country. She has recorded over 100 audiobooks, including many by Fern Michaels as well as classic titles such as Wuthering Heights , Moll Flanders , and Portrait of a Lady . Laural is the recipient of several AudioFile Magazine Earphone Awards , In addition to her extensive theater and voiceover work, Laural teaches college in her home state of Michigan,