Three Wishes

A magical near-death experience charms a woman's life in this heartwarming novel from popular romance writer Delinsky (Together Alone; A Woman's Place; etc.). Bree Miller is content with her tranquil, solitary existence in picturesque Panama, Vt., until she is struck by a speeding Jeep. Waking in her hospital bed, she recalls the comfort of a bright light and a voice that sent her back from the land of the dead with a gift: she may have three wishes before she dies again. As she recovers, Bree finds she is no longer alone; beside her is Tom Gates, the man responsible for the accident. A successful lawyer who became a bestselling novelist, Tom has fled the New York glamour world to reconnect with his own lost soul. As Bree and Tom discover love and contentment, Bree can't help but wonder if the spiritual light and her promised wishes are real. Delinsky's prose is spare, controlled and poignant as she evokes the simplicity and joys of small-town life with the sugary finish of a Norman Rockwell scene. While the heart of the book is a love story, Delinsky manages to avoid romantic slush--and she capably balances her narrative on the tightrope between spirituality and earthly love. 150,000 first printing; foreign rights sold in U.K., France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands; Literary Guild alternate; Reader's Digest Condensed Book selection. (Sept.)