Need You Now

In this deeply moving contemporary, courage and introspection merge in two characters’ journeys to overcoming the sins of their fathers and the walls around their own hearts. Brandon Evans has unsuccessfully spent years trying to help the citizens of Gracely, Colo., a dying mining town that he feels he ruined by exposing the shady business dealings of his father and their mining company. PR consultant Lilly Preston thinks her most challenging task will be to convince a reluctant town to open up to Brandon’s mountain adventure tour business. She’s distressed to realize she’s attracted to Brandon; the women in her life all met disaster at the hands of rich and powerful men, and she’s terrified of a similar fate. After Brandon and Lilly share an intense night that leads to Lilly becoming pregnant, both must decide how to work through the mistakes of their parents and claim their chance at happiness. The protagonists are refreshingly willing to be up front about their feelings and listen to each other, and readers will want to revisit their story often. Agent: Helen Breitwieser, Cornerstone Literary. (June)