Sea Glass Summer

Liasson’s soul-stirring second Seashell Harbor romance (after Coming Home to Seashell Harbor) sees widow Kit Blakemore rebuilding a life for herself and her son, Ollie. Two years after her husband, Carson, an Air Force fighter pilot, was killed in action, Kit knows she needs to emerge from her grief. The heaviest weight on her shoulders is the crumbling beachfront house that Carson bought, but never got around to refurbishing. Now Kit hopes to fix up the property to sell. Carson’s best friend, Alex de la Cruz, offers to help, and though Kit refuses, believing that the grumpy Alex has never much liked her, Alex shows up anyway. Making sure Carson’s wife and son are set for their future is the least Alex can do to assuage his own grief and survivor’s guilt. There’s just one problem: he doesn’t want Kit knowing how much he’s always secretly loved her. Through shared grief, healing, and home renovations, these two grow closer and come to realize how right they are for each other. It’s a familiar setup, but Liasson brings great emotion and a sense of immediacy to the love story that will hook readers regardless. The result is a sweet, sensitive charmer. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary. (July)