Somewhere Along the Way

Thomas's follow-up to Welcome to Harmony is an absorbing return to a colorful cast of characters in a small Texas town. Seventeen-year-old Reagan Truman's life consists of balancing shifts at the local diner with finishing high school and caring for her aging uncle. She forms an unlikely friendship with Gabe Leary, a reclusive war veteran and diner regular. When he saves Reagan's life one snowy night, he is unwittingly thrust into the local spotlight–and the role of Reagan's guardian angel. Gabe's burgeoning attraction to local attorney Liz Matheson is further forcing him to reevaluate his self-imposed exile. Meanwhile, Liz is dead set on proving to her family and friends that she can thrive on her own, yet she can't deny her feelings for Gabe. The residents of Harmony enjoy non-stop action, but Thomas never sacrifices character for plot. From Gabe's boisterous army buddy Denver Sims to Martha Q, the seven-times-married proprietress of the local B&B, the multitude of supporting characters who populate Thomas's tale are not just distinctive but memorable. (Nov.)