Something New

Book excerpt: How do you recover from loss and heartbreaking disappointment? Gwen never thought she’d be raising her three young grandchildren alone as a single parent. One minute she’s looking forward to early retirement and traveling with her husband. The next, her whole life is irrevocably changed. Now she’s drowning in financial worries, doubts about her ability to care for her grandkids, and sheer exhaustion. She desperately needs to do . . . something. Then she discovers the charming Second Chance Shop. Its quirky, warm-hearted owner Madeline needs a friend almost as badly as Gwen does—and offers a job just when Gwen needs it most. All that would be more than enough change for Gwen, but life seems insistent on growth and more growth—something the gardener in her would appreciate, except that it’s so painful. Nonetheless, she is determined to deal with her ongoing grief and to weed out her self-doubts and fear, so she can build a new future for her and her grandkids. When a handsome—and younger—single dad mistakes her for someone who might be interested in romance of all things, she has to laugh. He is so barking up the wrong tree. Or is he? Can Gwen find the bravery, strength, and renewed optimism to let herself hope for—and pursue—something new? If you enjoy emotionally compelling stories about family relationships, women’s friendships, romance for women over forty, and the pets who bring us so much joy, you’re going to love USA Today bestselling author Ev Bishop’s The Second Chance Shop, a brand-new small-town contemporary romance series about overcoming heartbreak, starting over later in life, and finding home again. . . .