Welcome to Harmony
Table of Contents
PRAISE FOR
REWRITING MONDAY
“Jodi Thomas again delivers a delightful, character-driven tale of modern Texas. . . . Heartwarming, heart-tugging, and just plain good reading.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Thomas seamlessly weaves past and present into a gripping novel of contemporary romantic suspense, as Pepper begins to appreciate the accomplishments of previous generations and to enjoy true friendship and a sense of belonging for the first time in her life.”
—Booklist
“[Jodi Thomas] paints beautiful pictures with her words, creates characters that are so real you feel as though they’re standing next to you, and she has a deliciously wry sense of humor. . . . I enjoyed this book from page one until the end—and thoroughly recommend it.”
—Romance Novel TV
“If reading a new book is like opening a box of chocolates, then I got the one with cherry inside—my favorite—when I read
Rewriting Monday. . . .
This is quite a rich story with touching characters that seem real and behave like real people. . . . I loved it.”
—The Book Smugglers
PRAISE FOR
TWISTED CREEK
“
Twisted Creek
will weave its way around the reader’s heart. Compelling and beautifully written, it is exactly the kind of heart-wrenching, emotional story one has come to expect from Jodi Thomas.”
—Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times bestselling author
“Jodi Thomas is a masterful storyteller. She grabs your attention on the first page, captures your heart, and then makes you sad when it is time to bid her wonderful characters farewell. You can count on Jodi Thomas to give you a satisfying and memorable read.
Twisted Creek
is absolutely delightful.”
—Catherine Anderson, New York Times bestselling author
“Thomas sketches a slow, sweet surrender, keeping the tension building to a rewarding resolution in this unsentimental, homespun romance.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Twisted Creek
is a wonderful, character-driven tale that tells just what a family can be, even if it’s made up of a bunch of lonely friends . . . Romance blooms slowly, but for two nearly lost souls, it’s rewarding when it does . . . As usual, Jodi Thomas kept me up way later than normal!
Twisted Creek
could be anywhere, but Ms. Thomas makes it uniquely Texan with her wonderful characters and great dialogue. This is another thought-provoking novel to add to your Jodi Thomas collection.”
—Romance Reviews Today
“Romantic suspense and sweet women’s fiction are an unlikely combination, but in
Twisted Creek
, veteran storyteller Jodi Thomas makes the pairing work quite well. Allie’s love for her aging grandmother is sensitively portrayed, while her blossoming relationship with Luke simmers unforgettably in the background. This is a moving story about overcoming hardship and bitterness and about being brave enough to make a happy ending—no matter what it takes.”—
Romance Junkies
Titles by Jodi Thomas
WELCOME TO HARMONY
REWRITING MONDAY
TWISTED CREEK
THE LONE TEXAN
TALL, DARK, AND TEXAN
TEXAS PRINCESS
TEXAS RAIN
THE TEXAN’S REWARD
A TEXAN’S LUCK
WHEN A TEXAN GAMBLES
THE TEXAN’S WAGER
TO WED IN TEXAS
TO KISS A TEXAN
THE TENDER TEXAN
PRAIRIE SONG
THE TEXAN AND THE LADY
TO TAME A TEXAN’S HEART
FOREVER IN TEXAS
EXAS LOVE SONG
TWO TEXAS HEARTS
THE TEXAN’S TOUCH
TWILIGHT IN TEXAS
THE TEXAN’S DREAM
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
WELCOME TO HARMONY
A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with the author
PRINTING HISTORY
Berkley mass-market edition / June 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Jodi Koumalats.
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eISBN : 978-1-101-18803-3
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JANUARY 2006
A SLIVER OF A CRESCENT MOON ROSE OVER THE FARMHOUSE Stella and Bob McNabb leased five miles outside Harmony, Texas. Stella sat up in bed as if she’d heard a cannon.
Bob tugged off his headphones, flipped on the reading light, and waited. He hadn’t been asleep, but Stella always insisted they go to bed together, so most nights he plugged in to a ball game on the radio and listened while she wiggled herself to sleep.
“I’ve had a vision,” she announced. “A terrible vision, all black smoke and fire.”
In the forty years they’d been married, she’d had a hundred visions and as far as he knew none of them had come true. “Now, Stella, just because you play the fortune-teller at the 4-H fair once a year doesn’t make you psychic. The vision’s probably tied to the three enchiladas you had for supper.”
She glared at him, and he couldn’t help but think she was one woman who definitely looked better with makeup on. Lots of makeup.
“But I saw it, Bob. Some strange kind of storm’s coming. A big one. The kind of storm that shatters lives.”
He patted her hand. “Don’t you worry about a storm. We could use the rain.”
She turned away from him and wiggled back down into the covers. “I got Gypsy blood in me on my mother’s side and I know things. We better get ready, ’cause trouble’s coming.”
“All right, hon, I’ll stay awake and worry. You go back to sleep.” He put on his headphones and stared out the open window at the cloudless sky, knowing nothing much ever happened in Harmony, Texas. Odds were, nothing ever would.