As One Marriage Begins,
Five Others Are Put to the Test.

Drawn to Lakeside Inn from a variety of locations as diverse as they are, Elizabeth Anderson, Suzette Burke, Ingrid Campbell, Margaret Simpson, and Laura Fairbanks–the bride’s aunt, family friend, bridesmaid, grandmother of the bride, and sister of the groom–seemingly share little more than their collective joy for the couple marrying at the mountain resort. During the course of one unforgettable day, however, each woman reaches a point of reckoning in her own most intimate relationship.

As their stories unfold, the women of necessity turn to one another–upholding each other through the pain of postpartum depression, doubts about an upcoming wedding, the discovery of a husband’s affair, reflections on the ups and downs of life as a war bride, and plans to end a 25-year marriage. Through it all, their connection with one another deepens and grows, as does their understanding of themselves and of the healing power of love, perseverance, and friendship.

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Melody Carlson is the author of numerous titles, including Finding Alice and Crystal Lies. Her best-selling novel, Homeward, won the Rita Award from Romance Writers of America. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, make their home in Central Oregon.

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