The Coldwater Warm Hearts Club

A jaded woman returns home, discovering the magnetism of love and a small town’s compassionate charm, in Eddings’s strong debut. Entrepreneur Lacy Evans was ruined after her business partner (who was also her boyfriend) absconded with client funds. Lacy has cut a deal so she won’t be prosecuted for the loss, but she’s homeless, penniless, and in debt to loan sharks. Reluctantly, she leaves Boston and returns to her hometown, Coldwater Cove, Okla., to lie low for a while. Wounded warrior Jake Tyler, owner of the Green Apple Grill, greets Lacy’s return with a warm embrace and a personal agenda. Since Jake’s return from Afghanistan with a prosthetic leg, he has not had a meaningful relationship with a woman, and he intends to change that. As Jake sets out to woo Lacy, each of their planned outings has a hiccup that enlivens and challenges their alluring attraction to each other. Over time, Lacy becomes more appreciative of Coldwater’s quirkiness, and returning to her Boston life seems less appealing. Then a dramatic event pushes the couple to their limits. Sensitive handling of Jake’s PTSD makes this sweet romance even sweeter. The heart-tugging scenes, stellar characters, captivating secondary story lines, and small-town charisma will whet readers’ appetites for a return visit to Coldwater. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency. (Oct.)