A Better Man

Witty repartee brightens the melancholy mood in Terry’s new Sunshine Creek Vineyard series. NHL player Jordan Kincaid has lived a life most people dream of. He’s played hard, partied hard, and traveled the country—but he’s done it at the expense of time with his close-knit family. When his parents are killed, he takes responsibility for his teenage sister, Nicole, whom he barely knows. When Jordan finds out she’s struggling in school, he turns to Lucy Diamond, her teacher, for help. Growing up, nerdy and shy Lucy couldn’t believe it when high school jock Jordan asked her to the graduation dance. She finally agreed to go only to have him stand her up. Lucy decides to put her feelings aside and help him, and Jordan seizes the opportunity to make amends. While working together to help his sister, he realizes the things that attracted him to Lucy long ago have only gotten better. A mystery involving a thief and the attention-grabbing secondary characters of this delightful, tender-hearted romp will keep readers anticipating the sequel. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Mar.)