Southern drawls & y'alls. Come fall in love in the Heart of Vallantine!Known as the strong, level-headed one in their besties trio, Dorothy Wilson has not been feeling very tough lately. Her "Bookish Belles" are in the finishing stages of remodeling the historical library and converting part of it into a bookshop. It's been a dream of theirs since the residents of Vallantine had given them the nickname in their youth. She should be more excited. Instead, old insecurities keep surfacing every time she encounters her devastatingly handsome former teenage crush. It's difficult to avoid him in a small town. Harder yet since he's now on the board overseeing renovations. Though he may have been kind back then and not part of the mean crowd, he's still a silent reminder of the overweight, naïve girl who secretly hoped he would like her in return. But all of a sudden, it's almost as if he's seeing her in a different light, and she's not certain it's wise to risk her heart for a man on the rebound or who just decided to open his eyes.Forest Truman has sworn off the female species. They are nothing but a lick of trouble, especially his ex-wife, who thinks the sun rises just to hear her crow. And being Mr. Nice Guy has gotten him nowhere except heartache and loss of respect from his hometown. Or worse, pity. Determined to start fresh, he dives into Dorothy's project and his job at the bank by way of a distraction. Yet, the more time he spends with her, the more he realizes she's a lot like the woman he's been searching for all along. The kind he just didn't think existed. A true partner in love and life. Funny, smart, and attractive, she's been right under his nose. But for some strange reason, no one in Vallantine seems to think he'd date her, including Dorothy herself. The odds, paired with her stubbornness, aren't working in his favor the slightest. He considers himself a patient man, so he'll just prove them all wrong.Fans of Sweet Magnolias by Sherryl Woods and Virgin River by Robyn Carr will enjoy Heart of Vallantine. Kelly Moran is an international best-selling & award-winning romance author of enchanting ever-afters. She is a RITA Finalist, RONE Award-Winner, Catherine Award-Winner, a Readers' Choice Finalist, an Award of Excellence Finalist, and a Holt Medallion Finalist, plus she earned one of the "10 Best Reads" and "Must Reads" by USA TODAY. She has foreign translation rights in Germany (where she is a Spiegel bestseller), the Czech Republic, Romania, and the Netherlands. She's been known to say she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her and there's always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself. Her interests include: scary movies, all kinds of art, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet coffee junkie and chocoholic, but don't tell anyone. She's originally from Wisconsin, but resides in South Carolina with her significant other, her three sons, a cat, and a dog. She loves connecting with her readers. Welcome to Vallantine, Georgia, where the only thing sweeter than the Belle Peaches we're famous for are the patrons. On your visit, be sure to check out our main square. There're over 45 locally-owned independent shops along the old-world cobblestone streets. Take a riverboat dinner cruise at sunset or a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic district. Enjoy a walking tour of the Vallantine Cemetery or Peach Park and stroll among the hundred-year-old oak trees teeming with Spanish moss. You can even view parts of the original library, still standing. If you're so inclined, before you do depart, go say hello to Miss Katie-the first Belle Peach tree ever planted in town, named after the one and only Katherine Vallantine, town founder. It's legend around these parts that doing so will bring you good luck and a lifetime of love. She's also been known to grant a wish or two if she's in the mood.Y'all come back now, you hear!̃

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