Promises to Keep

by Nan Rossiter

  “Rossiter’s second novel is an intimate portrayal of a family in crisis, with good character development and a bucolic setting.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  MORE THAN YOU KNOW

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  Bestselling author Nan Rossiter weaves a poignant, empowering novel in which three sisters gather to celebrate their mother’s life—and find new inspiration for living their own.

  Losing their father on the night Beryl Graham was born could have torn her family apart. Instead, it knitted them together. Under their mother’s steady guidance, Beryl and her older sisters, Isak and Rumer, shared a childhood filled with happiness. But now Mia Graham has passed away after battling Alzheimer’s, and her three daughters return to their New Hampshire home to say good-bye.

  Swept up in memories and funeral preparations, the sisters catch up on one another’s lives. Rumer and Isak have both known recent heartache, while Beryl has given up hope of marriage. But surprising revelations abound, especially when they uncover Mia’s handwritten memoir. In it are secrets they never guessed at: clandestine romance, passionate dreams, joy, and guilt. And, as Beryl, Rumer, and Isak face a future without her, they realize it’s never too late to heed a mother’s lessons—about taking chances, keeping faith, and loving in spite of the risks.

  “A gripping story of three sisters, of love lost and found, and of a family’s journey from grief to triumph. A sure winner.”

  —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author

  “Rossiter’s patient, deliberate pacing makes this one a perfect bedtime read.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “Rossiter’s writing style is compelling. The setup of the novel provides a number of passages that tug at the reader’s heartstrings, and the situations evoke realistic compassion.”

  —Houston News

  UNDER A SUMMER SKY

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  Bestselling author Nan Rossiter transports readers to Cape Cod with a warm, compelling story of family, new beginnings, and finding the courage to love honestly and well.

  The old Cape Cod house that Laney Coleman shares with her minister husband, Noah, and their five boys is usually brimming with cheerful chaos. There’s nothing fancy about the ancient kitchen or the wooden floors scuffed by the constant parade of activity and the clicking claws of their two Labrador retrievers. It’s a place to savor the sea breeze wafting through the windows, or sip coffee on the porch before another hectic day begins. This summer, life promises to be even busier than usual, because Noah’s younger brother, Micah, wants to hold his upcoming wedding on their property.

  Although thrilled that Micah has found happiness after past heartache, Laney is apprehensive about having her home turned upside down. She has other concerns, too—her youngest son is being bullied at school, and Noah’s father is not the robust patriarch he once was, in mind or body. As the bride’s and groom’s large, close-knit families gather, there will be joyful celebration but also unexpected sorrows and revelations, and a chance to store up a lifetime of memories during the fleeting, precious days of summer.

  “The setting, with its sea breeze and quaint charm, is immediately inviting, adding to the overall sense of familiarity that the author so beautifully evokes. . . . [T]o read this book is to feel like you’ve come home.”

  —John Valeri, Hartford Books Examiner

  NANTUCKET

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  From bestselling author Nan Rossiter comes a tender, moving story of rekindled passion, set amidst the timeless beauty of Nantucket.

  More than twenty-five years ago, Liam Tate and Acadia McCormick Knox fell in love. It was summer on Nantucket, and seventeen-year-old Liam knew that wealthy, college-bound Cadie was way out of the league of a local boy who restored boats for a living. Yet the two became inseparable, seizing every chance to slip away in Liam’s runabout to secluded spots, far from the world that was trying to keep them apart. After Cadie returned home to New York and discovered she was pregnant, her parents crushed any hope of communicating with the boy she’d left behind. Unanswered letters and calls couldn’t change Liam’s heart, but over the years he’s settled into a simple, solitary life in his rambling beachfront house. Now he’s learned that Cadie is returning to Nantucket for the opening of her son’s art show. Over a weekend of revelations and poignant memories, Cadie and Liam have an opportunity to confront the difference time can make, the truths that never alter, and the bittersweet second chances that arrive just in time to steer a heart back home.

  “There are moments of pure gold in the story that will undoubtedly touch readers’ hearts. With wonderful characters and a charming idyllic setting, Nantucket does pack an emotional wallop along the lines of a good Kristan Higgins book.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  FIREFLY SUMMER

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  Bestselling author Nan Rossiter’s touching new novel reunites four sisters at their childhood vacation spot on Cape Cod—where they uncover the truth about a past tragedy to find their future as a family.

  The close-knit Quinn siblings enjoyed the kind of idyllic childhood that seems made for greeting cards, spending each summer at Whit’s End, the family’s home on Cape Cod. Then comes the summer of 1964, warm and lush after a rainy spring—perfect firefly weather. Sisters Birdie, Remy, Sailor, Piper, and their brother, Easton, delight in catching the insects in mason jars to make blinking lanterns. Until, one terrible night, tragedy strikes.

  Decades later, the sisters have carved out separate lives on the Cape. Through love and heartbreak, health issues, raising children, and caring for their aging parents, they have supported each other, rarely mentioning their deep childhood loss. But one evening, as they congregate at Whit’s End to watch the sunset, the gathering fireflies elicit memories of that long-ago night, and a tumult of regrets, guilt, and secrets tumbles out.

  Poignant yet hopeful, Firefly Summer is an uplifting story of the resilience of sisterhood and the bright glimpses of joy and solace that, like fireflies after rain, can follow even the deepest heartaches.

  SUMMER DANCE

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  Winner of the 2018 Nancy Pearl Book Award

  Bestselling author Nan Rossiter brings together characters from her acclaimed novel Nantucket in a powerful, heartwarming love story that bridges past and present.

  When Liam Tate was seven years old, his Uncle Cooper opened his heart and his Nantucket home to the boy. In the intervening decades, Liam has found both love and loss on the island and, since learning that he has a son, Levi, a new kind of happiness. Yet one piece of his family history remains elusive—the long-ago romance between his uncle and Sally Adams. Now Sally makes a revelation that sets the whole town abuzz: she’s publishing a book about what happened during the summer when she and Cooper first met, painting a picture so vivid it feels like yesterday.

  In 1969, recently discharged veteran Winston Ellis Cooper III landed on Nantucket with only a duffel bag and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. He found a sparsely furnished beach cottage, about as far from Vietnam as he could get. But even here, Cooper couldn’t withdraw from the world entirely—especially once his eyes met Sally’s in the flickering lights of a summer dance. The effects of that fiery affair can still be felt decades later. As the story unfolds, there are new lessons for all to learn about life’s triumphs and heartaches, and about loving enough to let go.

  PROMISES OF THE HEART

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  Can the course that they’ve set for the future handle a slight detour . . . ?

  Macey and Ben Samuelson have much to be thankful for: great friends, a beautiful—if high-maintenance—Victorian house on idyllic Tybee Island, and a rock-solid marriage. The only thing missing is what they want the most. After her fifth miscarriage in six years, Macey worries that the family they’ve always dreamed of might be out of reach. Her sister suggests adoption, but Macey and Ben aren’t interested in pursuing that path . . . until a three-legged golden retriever named Keeper wags his way in
to their home and their hearts.

  Harper Wheaton just got kicked out of another foster home and it won’t be the last if she keeps losing her temper. She’s not sure why she gets mad; maybe because no family seems to want a nine-year-old girl with a heart condition. She loves her caseworker, Cora, but knows that staying with her forever isn’t an option. Will she ever find a family to call her own?

  As a physician’s assistant, Macey meets lots of kids. Harper Wheaton’s a tough one, but Macey knows the little girl has already struggled more than most. It gets Macey and Ben thinking about all the children who need homes. Then Harper goes missing, and one thing is suddenly crystal clear: life is complicated—but love doesn’t have to be.

  “A multileveled, beautifully written story that will glow in readers’ hearts long after the last page is turned.”

  —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author

  Reading Group Guide

  MAEVE AND GAGE HAVE BOTH KEPT long-held secrets about events that have shaped their lives, and even though they happened long ago, Maeve feels their unwillingness to be forthcoming with each other has put a wall between them. Why does she feel this way?

  GAGE STOICALLY INTERNALIZE HIS heartaches. How does this affect his outlook on life and his ability to move forward?

  MASON SEEMS UNWILLING TO commit to a promise his mom wants him to keep. Why is this? When did you figure out what the promise is?

  MAEVE HAS A WONDERFULLY UPBEAT personality that all the old folks at Willow Pond seem to love. How do they respond to her? Who is your favorite character there and why?

  HOW DOES THE DEATH OF THE FOX foreshadow the future?

  GAGE IS VERY ANGRY WHEN HE learns about Mason. Is his reaction justified or over the top?

  GAGE AND MASON BOTH DEAL WITH the pending loss of a parent. How do their responses differ?

  WHEN MASON LOSES HIS MOM, HIS grief is overwhelming. When Gage loses his dad, he feels numb and empty. Why do you think this is? How do they each come to terms with their loss and move on? In what way(s) does Mason honor his mom?

  MAEVE IS CRUSHED WHEN GAGE breaks off their relationship. She prays for guidance. How does she receive it? Have you ever received God’s guidance through a friend or mentor?

  GAGE FINISHES HIS PENCIL DRAWING of his grandfather (Dutch) and enters it in a contest. How does this symbolize his willingness to take a chance as well as the resiliency of human nature? How does the resulting opportunity show that life often comes full circle?

  WHEN GAGE AND MAEVE HEAD home after the funeral, they stop in amazement and wonder to watch the cows standing solemnly under the ancient oak tree. Do you think the animals understand what has happened?

  THROUGHOUT THE BOOK, MANY promises are made and kept. What are some of them?

  Praise for Nan Rossiter

  “Sinking into a Nan Rossiter book is like coming home.”

  —Robyn Carr, New York Times bestselling author, on Promises of the Heart

  “A gripping story of three sisters, of love lost and found, and a family’s journey from grief to triumph. A sure winner.”

  —Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author, on More than You Know

  “Eloquent and surprising. . . . I love this story of faith, love, and the lasting bonds of family.”

  —Ann Leary on The Gin & Chowder Club

  “A multileveled, beautifully written story that will glow in readers’ hearts long after the last page is turned.”

  —Kristan Higgins, New York Times bestselling author, on Promises of the Heart

  “Full of family, friends, and faith, Rossiter’s novel depicts a couple and a community who may sometimes struggle but ultimately find the positives in life. Readers who enjoy Lisa Wingate and Melody Carlson will enjoy the depiction of a southern beach hamlet where love and family thrive.”

  —Booklist on Promises of the Heart

  “With a winning cast of characters and compelling plot, Nan Rossiter’s Promises of the Heart is a story that will warm your heart, lift your spirits, and renew your faith in humanity and the hope of happy endings.”

  —Marie Bostwick, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author

  “Another trademark Nan Rossiter story, crafted with the tools that sustain us: heart, hope, and family! A touching novel that explores the meaning of faith and family as one couple’s search to complete their home merges with one child’s need of a lifesaving second chance. Once again, Nan Rossiter weaves together a multilayered tale of the endurance of love and a reminder that the things we most wish for can come true, if we’re open to receiving them in unexpected ways. These characters stayed with me long after the last page was turned!”

  —Hannah McKinnon, author of The View from Here

  “An intimate portrayal of a family in crisis, with good character development and a bucolic setting.”

  —Publishers Weekly on Words Get in the Way

  “Nostalgic and tender . . . [The Gin & Chowder Club] summons the passion of first love, the pain of first loss, and the unbreakable bonds of family that help us survive both.”

  —Marie Bostwick, New York Times bestselling author

  “The setting, with its sea breeze and quaint charm, is immediately inviting, adding to the overall sense of familiarity that the author so beautifully evokes. . . . To read this book is to feel like you’ve come home.”

  —Hartford Books Examiner on Summer Dance

  “Rossiter accurately captures the nature of life’s fleeting passage and offers a meditation on the need to capture and hold on to every precious moment.”

  —Connecticut Muse on Under a Summer Sky

  “I am never disappointed with Nan Rossiter’s wonderful tales and her ability to include the love of animals. The delicious recipes included are just a plus in Under a Summer Sky. It’s refreshing to read a story of this caliber and be left with contentment and faith in the lasting bonds of family.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “This captivating and emotional novel tells a heartwarming story about love lost and found, family secrets, and a lot of truth. The author’s true grit and honesty are a real eye-opener, and readers will enjoy the different time frames of flashbacks and future casts between the siblings and how they have grown. When tragedy strikes, we’re not quite sure what happens in between; it takes more than several factors to digest everything. But, the four very different sisters are now well past their fifties, and it’s amazing that their memories remain, as if the good ole days in Cape Cod just happened yesterday. This is the perfect book club pick.”

  —RT Book Reviews (starred review) on Firefly Summer

  “Real and touching . . . Firefly Summer makes a charming, ideal summer read.”

  —The Recorder

  “Nan Rossiter is at the peak of her storytelling abilities with Under a Summer Sky, which is told with the kind of compassion, grace, and wisdom that is nearly unrivaled in contemporary fiction.”

  —Examiner.com

  “Rossiter examines the effects of war, loss, and secrets in this coming-of-age book-within-a-book. There cannot be triumph without failure, or happiness without tragedy. Steadily paced and with a protagonist one can only root for, this is a great read for summer at the pool or beach. Fans of Elin Hildebrand and Nancy Thayer will enjoy this Nantucket tale.”

  —Booklist on Nantucket

  “There are moments of pure gold in a story that will touch readers’ hearts. With wonderful characters and a charming idyllic setting, Nantucket does pack an emotional wallop along the lines of a good Kristan Higgins book.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Rossiter returns to the characters from her novel Nantucket in this coming-of-age story. Sally Ryan, the proud owner of Nantucket coffee shop Cuppa Joe, is publishing a book about her life story. As readers learn, Sally had a very unremarkable childhood, living with her widowed father in Medford, Mass. Her life forever changes when she meets Drew McIntyre, gets pregnant, and marries him at a young age. Fearful of Dr
ew and encumbered by Catholic guilt (she believes her miscarriage resulted from one of her misdeeds), Sally believes that the marriage can’t be dissolved. She travels to Nantucket, finds a place to stay, and begins working at a local coffee shop. After meeting Coop, a Vietnam vet, Sally enjoys their close friendship, which evolves into an on-again, off-again romance they try to keep secret. While the story of Sally’s life is a page-turner, it’s the manner in which she is finally able to reconcile her faith with her relationship with Coop that will resonate.”

  —Publishers Weekly on Summer Dance

  Also by Nan Rossiter

  Promises of the Heart

  Summer Dance

  Firefly Summer

  Nantucket

  Under a Summer Sky

  More Than You Know

  Words Get in the Way

  The Gin & Chowder Club

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  PROMISES TO KEEP. Copyright © 2021 by Nan Rossiter. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.