town of Dandridge, Tennessee, on the edge of the Great Smoky Mountains, Lin Stepp's sweet and touching story follows the unlikely romantic attraction between two characters with nothing in common but an undeniable zing.

Samantha King, nationally known storm chaser with Weather First, is covering a hurricane hitting the Florida Panhandle when a sign slams into her, tossing her over a wall and into the pounding surf. Accidents demand recovery and Samantha reluctantly heads to her Aunt Dixie's in Dandridge, Tennessee, for a needed rest. The only plus, besides time with Dixie, is sharing time with her sister Andrea's children, taken in years ago by Ford and Laura McDaniel when Andrea and her husband were killed. Samantha has spent little time with the children over the years, due to her demanding work schedule, but she is purposed to get to know the children better while in Dandridge.

Ford McDaniel, with a busy veterinary practice and part ownership in his family's lakeside resort, often wonders how in the world he ended up with eight children on his own. Yes, he and Laura agreed, as godparents to their best friends, Andrea and Adam Bradley, that if anything ever happened to them they'd raise their kids, but who imagined that scenario would ever occur? Still, he and Laura seemed to manage okay until Laura died, shattering his world and leaving him with eight small children to raise on his own. Now Andrea's celebrated sister Samantha is in town for a while and it's hard for Ford not to resent her carefree life-or to ignore his attraction to her, a relationship he clearly knows can only go nowhere.

PRAISE FOR LIN STEPP'S SMOKY MOUNTAIN BOOKS:

"Lin Stepp brings vibrancy and authentic detail to this breathtaking mountain setting like no one else can. In her genuine Southern voice, she populates real world small towns with fictional, complex, engaging characters who possess warm hearts and strong family ties." - Cleveland Daily Banner Review

"A lovely story about having a second chance at love ... one of those books you can't put down." - Night Owl Reviews

"Stepp has a wonderful ability to take you back to your own youth with her characters and storytelling." - RT Book Reviews

"A riveting read of romance with plenty of humor." - Midwest Review