Change of Heart (28 page)
Brian held a small ceremony in the apartment There was no minister. He knew what Sharlie thought of funerals, could imagine her wry smile, the slight shake of her head.
“The funeral's for us,” he said to Walter. “She would have thought we were nuts.”
Brian's father arrived that afternoon. He gave his son a white china pitcher in the shape of a cow, intended as a wedding present that he thought would amuse Sharlie. Brian began to cry when he opened the gift.
“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it,” John Morgan said gruffly. “Better throw it away.” He reached for it, but Brian held on to it tightly.
“No. I want it. Thank you.” He smiled apologetically at his father and led him into the living room to be introduced.
There were only a few of themâWalter and Margaret and Mary MacDonald and Ramón Rodriguez (Brian couldn't bring himself to invite Diller, or even Barbara Kaye). Brian read some of the poetry Sharlie had been particularly moved byâYeats, John Donne, Emily Dickinson. For himself, he read Elizabeth Barrett Browning, all the time imagining Sharlie's amused face just behind his shoulder.
They drank wine and talked quietly together, and even laughed a little. Then everyone left, and Brian, surprised to find himself glad to be alone, sat among the dirty wineglasses and bouquets of carefully cheerful flowers and let the room go dark.
I feel enormous gratitude to many people for enÂcouraging me to write, but in particular: Robert Cenedella; Ann Loring; Bridget Potter; my agent, Peter Lampack; my editor, Linda Grey; and Loring Mandel, without whom I cannot imagine having become a writer at all. My special thanks go also to Dr. Robert Lewy for his invaluable medical informaÂtion and to my long-suffering friends and family, especially Barry.
An undeniable talent is coaxed into the spotlight in a witty and tender romance from
New York Times
bestselling author Sally Mandel.
“With wit and wisdom, Sally Mandel illuminates our deepest hopes and secret fears, showing us what matters most.” - Deborah Smith, author of
The Stone Flower Garden
Bess Stallone is brash and bold, until she is placed center stage. A self-taught musical prodigy from the rough side of Long Island, the only thing Bess has in common with her Julliard classmates is her passion for classical music, and her extraordinary skill on the piano. A skill that crumbles under the weight of self-doubt when she plays for an audience.
Virtuoso David Montagnier is drawn to Bess' wild talent, and gives her the opportunity she's been waiting for to escape her blue-collar existence. He holds the key to Bess' dreams â and surprisingly, she may hold the key to his â if she will surrender to the music and believe in love.
A poignant and provocative romance about a remarkable leap of faith.
“A novel of soaring spirit, steadfast love, and the willingness to reach for dreams ⦠A wonderful book ⦠filled with hope and faith.” - Luanne Rice, author of
The Lemon Orchard
Anna Bolles is a born athlete whose life was irrevocably changed after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis five years ago. Anna fills her days with the vibrancy of life in New York City, teaching at a private school, but shutting the door on any possible romance. Until Joe Malone enters her life.
A businessman, pilot, and amateur photographer, Joe Malone has it all â except happiness. He sees far more in Anna than just her MS diagnosis, and takes Anna on a roller coaster of love, hope, and hanging on.
Dissatisfied in her life, a housewife returns to the passion she had put aside, and discovers a new one as well.
“A living, breathing portrait of a truly contemporary woman ⦠a lovely read.” Barbara Taylor Bradford, author of
Secrets from the Past
and
A Woman of Substance
After seventeen years of marriage, Maggie Hollander should have it all. Her husband, Matthew, still loves her deeply, and two irrepressible children complete the picture-perfect family in their elegant New York apartment. But at thirty-eight, Maggie has questions about herself that grow deeper and more disturbing. Once a promising artist, she decides to return to art class in search of answers. It is there that she meets a sculptor who rekindles her talent, and her passion. David Golden will expose Maggie to a tenderness that is as liberating as it is dangerous, and will carry her toward an unforeseen choice.
An unlikely romance struggles in the face of dueling dreams, from New York Times bestselling author Sally Mandel.
“Mandel has a gift for true and incisive dialogue; she searches her characters probingly and captures them in a phrase precisely. These are people to enjoy and even to love.” -
Publisher's Weekly
Headstrong and beautiful Quinn Mallory makes the impulsive decision to offer herself as the first prize in a college contest. Will Ingraham applies in verse, and wins the prize. Their personalities couldn't be more different, but a true love blossoms between them that, they believe, will last forever. Until Quinn's dreams of a career in the big city collide with Will's longing for a quiet life together in his Idaho homeâleaving Quinn to choose between the life she wants and the man she loves, and neither choice feeling like the right one.
The triumphant return of
New York Times
bestselling author Sally Mandel presents an intimate multigenerational portrait of the troubles and triumphs of a 20th century family.
Lily Adams is the animating spirit of those around her, even in her twilight years. Perhaps none is more touched by her presence than her granddaughter, Amy, whom Lily saves from a teenage crisis. The family saga of three generations of the Adams clan is filled with crises of identity and the pains of romance, with Lily's presence profoundly felt throughout.
Take Me Back
focuses precisely, poignantly, and sometimes painfully, on the spaces between us, emphasizing the impact we can have on the lives of those around us, even in the mere echo of ourselves after we have gone.
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