He can't stay. She can't leave. Luke Rawley lives aboard Midnight, a classic wooden sailboat, in St. Anne's Island, Georgia. Secretly preparing to sail around the world, he'll let nothing stop him from fulfilling this dream with Kevin, his 18-year-old son. With years of sobriety bringing hope and stability to Luke's life, he's ready to set sail. Until he meets Geneva... Having spent years avoiding emotional entanglements, he hires Geneva on the spot to cater Midnight's sunset cruises-and be his hostess, too. She's a big threat to his heart, and even knows her way around sailboats, but he's determined not to allow her to jeopardize the goal that has given meaning to his life. Geneva Saint returns to her beloved St. Anne's Island, leaving her unfaithful husband behind. Back home to stay, she's determined to heal old wounds. Geneva vows to help her brother's troubled family, including her teenage nieces, Malory and Lila, and her sister-in-law whose health is deteriorating fast. Establishing her one-woman catering company on St. Anne's is all Geneva needs to complete her St. Anne's life. Until she encounters Luke... Geneva recognizes a restless spirit when she sees one and sensing Luke has bigger plans than running lunch and sunset cruises, she fights falling for her tall, lanky boss, who also makes her laugh. Sooner or later, she knows she'll end up watching Luke sail away without her. Where will that leave her? Abandoned once more. Alone. Especially since her efforts to help her family have hurt more than helped. Kevin and Malory, both magnets for trouble, trigger family entanglements and expose a few secrets, too. But it's 13-year-old Lila, committed to doing whatever it takes to heal her mother who has secret plans of her own and shows the adults in her life and her older sister what a dose of courage can do. With the future on the line, Luke is jolted into facing the truth about his dreams while Geneva asks herself if she can ever trust anyone again who claims her heart.
Born and raised in Chicago, one of Virginia's earliest memories was writing her name on a peach-colored index card and being rewarded with her very own library card. Her family's weekly treks to the library in her city neighborhood rooted her life in a love of books and reading. She began her writing career when she moved to the coast of Maine with her own family, soon breaking in to magazines with articles about sailing/cruising, family living, and children's literature. Virginia entered the book publishing arena with coauthored books on medical topics and soon became a ghostwriter/editor for doctors, therapists, business leaders, professional speakers, and many others who had a story to tell. Virginia has written over 100 books for her clients, including 12 titles for Alan R. Hirsch, MD., a neurologist-psychiatrist and developer of Sensa, the popular weight loss program. Her coauthored books include, The Oxygen Revolution (Hatherleigh, third update, 2012), with Paul Harch, MD, a pioneer in the field of hyperbaric medicine; Option Trading in Your Spare Time (Sourcebooks) with Wendy Kirkland, an expert in option trading; 52 Ways to Bring More Humor, Hugs, and Hope into Your Life, with professional speaker, Greg Risberg, MSW, CSP. In 2011, she and a friend and colleague, Lynda McDaniel, cofounded The Book Catalysts, a book writing coaching service that also offers webinars and tools for writers. Since she likes nothing more than hanging out with other writers, Virginia belongs to the Authors Guild and the Romance Writers of America, along with several of its affiliate chapters. A three-time Golden Heart finalist, Virginia's manuscripts have been chosen as finalists in many contests and she's also won a few. Virginia has two grown children, and enjoys being a grandmother, too. She currently calls Green Bay, Wisconsin home, but has been fortunate to have lived in six states and U.S.V.I. When asked about the themes that emerge in her fiction, Virginia says she likes to explore the various ways we create families, plus her books always focus on hope, healing, and plenty of second chances. Island Healing is the first book in her St. Anne's Island series.
