NEW RELEASE
Heart Like Mine - Amy Hatvany (2013)
Grace has never wanted children but she is happy living with restaurateur Victor, who has shared custody of his two children. But just as Victor proposes and they prepare to tell the children that Grace will be a permanent fixture in their lives, his ex-wife Kelli dies suddenly. Can Grace handle being more than the occasional stepmom and how does she deal with teenager Ava, who certainly doesn't want her father's girlfriend stepping into her beloved mother's shoes? Told from the viewpoints of Grace, Ava and Kelli, this is an emotional story of blended families, grief and secrets. Ava's story is particularly moving, as she relates having to care for her emotionally troubled mother, and finds out there is more to her mother's past than she expected.
Heart Like Mine, by Amy Hatvany, is about a woman whose life is turned upside down when her fiance suddenly becomes a full-time father. The summary says: "Thirty-six-year-old Grace McAllister never longed for children. But when she meets Victor Hansen, a handsome, charismatic divorced restaurateur who is father to Max and Ava, Grace decides that, for the right man, she could learn to be an excellent part-time stepmom. After all, the kids live with their mother, Kelli. How hard could it be? At thirteen, Ava Hansen is mature beyond her years. Since her parents' divorce, she has been the one taking care of her emotionally unstable mother and her little brother - she pays the bills, does the laundry, and never complains because she loves her mama more than anyone. And while her father's new girlfriend is nice enough, Ava still holds out hope that her parents will get back together and that they'll be a family again. But only days after Victor and Grace get engaged, Kelli dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances - and soon, Grace and Ava discover there was much more to Kelli's life than either ever knew. Narrated by Grace and Ava in the present with flashbacks into Kelli's troubled past, Heart Like Mine is a poignant and hopeful portrait about womanhood, love, and the challenges of family life." Heart Like Mine is out in March.