ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to offer my heartfelt gratitude for all those who have contributed to this book.

Kindnesses and professional generosity have been extended by: Susanna Kearsley, Lauren Willig, Robyn Carr, Benjamin Dreyer, Erica Monroe, Delilah Dawson, Holly Faur, Ali Trotta, Christine Rose Elle, Alan Bradley, Paula Breen, the Writerspace team, and Dr. Rory Schwan.

Most particularly, I owe a tremendous debt to Blake Leyers for her skill and support in shepherding this project through the early days and its many incarnations.

Many thanks to my former home, MIRA/Harlequin, and to my new publishing family at Penguin/NAL. Particular thanks to Kara Welsh, Craig Burke, Claire Zion, Leslie Schwartz, Diana Kirkland, and Sharon Gamboa for an exceptionally warm welcome. I am especially grateful to Daniel Lagin, Colleen Reinhart, and Anthony Ramondo for their extraordinary efforts to make this book as beautiful as I imagined it could be. For her innumerable gifts and peerless skill, my editor, Ellen Edwards, deserves all the praise and thanks I can offer.

What I owe my parents, my daughter, and most especially my husband can never be expressed, much less repaid.

As ever, many thanks to the readers, booksellers, librarians, and lovers of books who share their enthusiasm.