Loren Fairchild longs for children, but is barren. At a cottage in Carlisle, UK, she puts her divorce behind her and begins a new life. She learns that in 1947 the former owner's wife disappeared. The same week, according to local gossip, her husband took up with a dark-headed harlot. One morning, a simple minded woman appears and triggers events that change Loren's life forever.

Miles Chapeau misses the wife, the mother of his two children, he'd known before the war. When he returned from WWII in 1945 she'd been hurt in an air raid and now has the mind of a child. He loves her and would never forsake his duty, but misses the intimate side of marriage and a woman to share his life. One day she disappears and his existence is turned upside down.

REVIEW

Review: Wow, what a page turner. I was shocked how much I truly enjoyed this book. Not that I thought Ms. LaRoque's book was going to be bad, but I just didn't think that a book with this page length (kinda short) could be this detailed. Linda was able to put the entire story into a perfect little package. There were no frivolous words, or scenes. Only perfect symmetry and lovable characters. I will tell you the first page made me want to reach through my computer screen and throttle someone, but hey, she caught me with the first sentence.

Reviewed by: Tami

EXCERPT

She squinted at him. “Chapeau, Miles Chapeau. Your wife disappeared in 1947 and you took up with a dark headed harlot.”

He staggered back. What the hell was she talking about? “Yes, my wife did disappear yesterday morning. Do you know where she is? Have you seen her?” He moved close to the bed and bent down, face next to hers. “If you know tell me. She has the mind of a six-year-old and needs constant supervision.”

She patted the hand he didn’t realize grasped her arm. A jolt of energy shot through him. “She’s fine, Mr. Chapeau, just fine. Yesterday she wandered onto my property. She scared poor Molly to death.” She laughed. “Snuck up behind her and grabbed her in a hug. When Molly screamed, the blonde lady laughed and laughed.”

Miles didn’t know whether to believe her or not. The woman she described definitely acted like Miriam.

The patient waved her hand. “I feel kinda drunk.” She shook her finger at Constable Jones. “No more of those drugs, you hear?”

The Constable shrugged. “We have to do whatever the doctor orders, Mrs. Fairchild.”

“Bullshit. Man doesn’t know one end of a horse from the other.” She grabbed Miles shirt front and pulled him closer. He breathed in her scent and didn’t like his body’s reaction. He didn’t like her vulgar mouth either. “Shhh, listen. Constable Sanders had her taken to a hospital for observation. Don’t you worry now; they’ll take good care of her in 2007.”