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THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHEN GREGG and Darla Sue left for a two-week honeymoon in Virginia Beach, Ida and Annie stood on the front porch waving goodbye. When their car was gone from sight, Annie looked up at Ida and grinned. “I did it. I got another wish come true.”
“You mean getting Gregg for your daddy?”
Annie nodded. “Uh huh. Now there’s something else I’m wishing for.”
“Another wish?” Ida said, sounding surprised.
Again, Annie nodded. “This time, I’m wishing for a baby sister.”
Ida gave a big round laugh. It rolled up from her stomach and filled the air with the sound of happiness.
“I wouldn’t be one bit surprised if you got that wish,” she said. “Not one bit surprised.”
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A note from the Publisher…
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A HOME IN HOPEFUL
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Other books by Bette Lee Crosby
Emily Gone
Click here to read an excerpt
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The Magnolia Grove Series
The Summer of New Beginnings
A Year of Extraordinary Moments
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The Wyattsville Series
Spare Change
Jubilee’s Journey
Passing Through Perfect
The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd
Beyond the Carousel
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The Memory House Series
Memory House
The Loft
What the Heart Remembers
Baby Girl
Silver Threads
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Serendipity Series
The Twelfth Child
Previously Loved Treasures
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Stand-Alone Titles
Cracks in the Sidewalk
What Matters Most
Wishing for Wonderful
Blueberry Hill
Life in the Land of IS
Leilani’s Gift
Find all of Bette Lee’s books on Amazon and her website.
Acknowledgments
When a reader holds a finished book in hand, they see only the face of the author, but in truth, many people contribute to the successful making of a novel. Even the most skilled storyteller is only as good as the people who support her. I am fortunate to have an advisory team that willingly reads through every draft, unflinchingly tells me where I have gone wrong, and then shows up with wine and a homemade cake to help me find my way to a new and more beautiful storyline. No words could ever express how grateful I am for my Port St. Lucie Posse, Joanne Bliven, Kathy Foslien, Lynn Ontiveros, and Trudy Southe. Such amazing friends are a blessing beyond belief.
I am equally blessed in knowing Ekta Garg, a superb editor, and extremely talented author, who somehow manages to catch my mistakes without ever losing sight of my voice. Ekta’s attention to detail constantly pushes me to go deeper into the story and I believe I am better because of this challenge.
Thank you also to Amy Atwell and the team at Author E.M.S. They are like the proverbial Fire Department, always there to help put out the fires. Thank you, Amy, for turning my manuscripts into beautifully formatted pages and for being so wonderfully organized and dependable.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Sue Baker for reminding me of the Miracle on 34th Street quote that appears in the front of this book, and also to the gals of the BFF Clubhouse (Bette’s Friends & Fans). Any author who has such loyal fans is truly blessed.
Lastly, I am thankful beyond words for my husband Dick, who puts up with my crazy hours, irrational thinking, and late or non-existent dinners. I could not be who I am without him for he is and will always be my sweetheart and greatest blessing.
About the Author
AWARD-WINNING NOVELIST BETTE LEE CROSBY brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance. “Storytelling is in my blood”, Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in almost everything I write.”
A USA Today bestselling author, Crosby has twenty-two published novels, including Spare Change and the Wyattsville series. She has been the recipient of the Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal, Reviewer’s Choice Award, FPA President’s Book Award and International Book Award, among many others. Her 2016 novel, Baby Girl, was named Best Chick Lit of the Year by Huffington Post. Her 2018 novel The Summer of New Beginnings, published by Lake Union, took First Place in the Royal Palm Literary Award for Women’s Fiction and was a runner-up for book of the year. Her 2019 release, Emily, Gone was a winner of the Benjamin Franklin Literary Award.
Crosby currently lives on the East Coast of Florida with her husband and a feisty Bichon Frise who is supposedly her muse.
To learn more about Bette Lee, visit her website at: https://betteleecrosby.com
