Finding Josie

When Nick Roberts returns to Middleton for the funeral of an old friend, he is haunted by memories of his first love, Josie, and is determined to find her. But where is she now, and how might she have changed with the years, especially after the weird circumstances in which they parted. Finding Josie becomes Nick's obsession, but where will his search lead him? To a new romance, or to love's final disappointment? And where, he wonders. for starters, will the search even begin?

With a focus squarely on the Midwest, Wendy Bilen pieces together the history of her grandmother, Josie Broadhead, born in 1911 and raised on the North Dakota prairie. Josie married a Wisconsin farmer and moved to a large dairy farm outside La Crosse; along the way she began taking in people in need of a home: ". . . beggars and drunks and children of drunks, mentally ill children and children with mentally ill parents. Brothers and cousins and sisters and in-laws and strangers." By taking on these challenges that no one else wanted, Josie left an almost mythical legacy. Years after Josie's death, Bilen embarks on a journey to unearth Josie's story and quickly realizes that the search is about her, too. As she discovers her grandmother's complicated nature ("a woman proud and humble, loving and unaffectionate, strict and visionary, joyful and troubled, a woman held together by contradictions like an arch and its capstone"), she learns much about herself and her own choices. And as she breathes life into Josie and her family, friends, and neighbors, the author evokes a powerful sense of place of small towns and farms, of prairie, of Josie's home, all of which feel both fresh and satisfyingly familiar. Much more than mere memoir or family history, this dual story about Bilen's journey illuminates the surprising ways our lives intersect with our ancestors'. An extraordinary story about a seemingly ordinary woman, Finding Josie will inspire readers to explore their own family history in their own way.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the deadliest one of all? It's an antique mirror that can reveal secrets...or tarnish the truth. And for struggling artist Laura Sutherland, buying it is only the first step into a dark maze of lies, manipulation—and murder. It brings Peter Kilbourne into her life and makes her the prime suspect in his fatal stabbing. Determined to clear her name—and uncover Peter's reason for wanting the mirror back—Laura will breach the iron gates of the Kilbourne estate. There she will find that each family member has something to hide. Which one of them looks in the mirror and sees the reflection of a killer? And which one will choose Laura to be the next to die? From the Paperback edition.

A doctor for the White River Wolves, Josie Bennett is devoted to her pack and her calling to heal those in need. Then one fateful night changes everything. As an enforcer for the Shifter Council, Ryker Kain has pledged himself to the council and dedicated his life to serving and protecting its members. Ryker and Josie cross paths when Ryker is sent to track down a rogue wolf pack that has kidnapped and terrorized a young female fox shifter. Unable to fight the mate bond, they surrender to the undeniable desire between them. When Ryker must leave to complete his mission, will the passion that brought them together be enough to fight the ties that threaten to tear them apart? Dawn Sullivan’s RARE Series and White River Wolves Series are intertwined, and meant to be read in the following order: Nico’s Heart (RARE) Phoenix’s Fate (RARE) Josie’s Miracle (White River Wolves) Trace’s Temptation (RARE) Slade’s Desire (White River Wolves) Saving Storm (RARE) Angel’s Destiny (RARE) Janie’s Salvation (White River Wolves) Sable's Fire (White River Wolves)

I wrote this book because I identify with Josie in so many ways and wanted to show that in spite of betrayal and broken trust, relationships and families can be healed and restored. Reconciliation is possible even though it may not be easy to accomplish. Lies can be forgiven and love can bloom within the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father. I hope this story will help others struggling with these issues and many more. I love Josie and hope readers will as well.

Born eight days apart, Billy Peal and Josie West were first cousins but a great deal more like siblings. Billy’s mother Mary, whom all the West boys called "Baby Sister," was younger sister to Josie's father, one of a set of twin boys. After the death of his father in the Vietnam War, Billy was taken under the wings of his mother's three brothers and his maternal grandparents who all lived together on the family ranch. Josie and Billy referred to themselves as twins with different parents. The actual twins, Tim and Jim West, were rodeo enthusiasts, the first a steer wrestler and the latter a calf roper. Billy and Josie shared their enthusiasm and Billy participated in bronco riding, steer wrestling and calf roping while Josie became a serious barrel racer. Still, Billy was always a gentleman. Josie, however, could outride, outshoot, and outcuss any of the boys around her and gave her dad a run for his money as well. This was a constant source of contention between her parents, roughshod rodeo rider Tim and Jim the epitome of a perfect lady. A complication in Billy's life was his parents' history. William Peal and Mary West had married in secret. William was in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M College and not supposed to be married, Soon, though, Mary was pregnant and the relationship was hard to hide. William's conniving stepmother, Alice Peal, saw an opportunity and launched a smear campaign to discredit the couple, casting doubt and shame upon their "secret marriage," and trying to convince Billy’s paternal grandfather, bank president and mayor of the small town of Westerly, Texas, to cut Billy out of any inheritance. Life gets pretty interesting with Alice Peal at the head of anything and everything in Westerley.

A devoted wife and mother of three, Lois Meade cleans houses in the quaint village of Long Farnden. When a local spinster is murdered, Lois finds herself poking around her clients' houses for clues. But her quest for the killer will uncover some surprising secrets about this seemingly peaceful village-and put her family in mortal danger.