The Widow’s Guide to Second Chances

Pepper (Karaoke Chemistry) shines in this equally steamy and heartfelt contemporary, the first of her Guided to Love series. After Devon’s firefighter husband, Jason, dies in the line of duty, she bolts from their tiny hometown of Talladega, Ala., reasoning that “staying in one place and opening my heart only brought heartache.” Five years later, now in her 30s, she’s headed home because her late grandmother’s will stipulates that her beautiful historical home will go to Devon only if she resides there for six months. Otherwise, it will be donated to her grandmother’s archnemesis on the town historical society. Devon doesn’t know it, but her grandmother is trying to give fate a nudge, pushing Devon into the arms of local paramedic Aaron Joseph. Aaron’s had a crush on Devon forever, but he and his two firefighter brothers are hometown boys all the way, and Devon is most likely going to run again when the six months are up. Pepper does a fine job of portraying the complex emotions of a widow falling for a new man, and Aaron proves a similarly nuanced and vulnerable hero, having been abandoned by his mother and a string of girlfriends. Romance readers looking for sweet stories of love after loss will be hooked. (Self-published)