What would you do with a second chance at life? Sarah Talbot thought she’d never see another birthday. But against all odds, she beat the illness that could have killed her, reopened her bedding shop, Cloud Nine, and vowed to make the most of a fresh start that few are given. With Thanksgiving approaching, Sarah charters a small plane to take her to Elk Island, a remote spot off the rugged Maine coast where she spent some of her happiest days and where she hopes to reunite with the two most important people in her life. She arrives on the island with pilot Will Burke, a kindred spirit with whom Sarah forges a bond that will give them the courage to confront the past and have faith in the future…no matter how uncertain. Once Sarah thought happy endings occurred only in books; now she believes they can happen for anyone. And as she and Will grow closer, and something unexpectedly real blossoms between them, she has him believing it, too. But is believing it enough? Is even love enough? Can real life be lived on cloud nine? In this stunning novel, New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice tells a story you will cherish, peopled with indelible characters whose challenges are your own. "Immensely moving...Tender and heartbreaking."—Iris Johansen "A tightly paced story that is hard to put down...Rice's message remains a powerful one: the strength of precious family ties can ultimately set things right."— Publishers Weekly "One of those rare reading experiences that we always hope for when cracking the cover of a book...A joy."— Library Journal "Luanne Rice touches the deepest, most tender corners of the heart."—Tami Hoag, author of Ashes to Ashes "Elegant...Rice hooks the reader on the first page."— The Hartford Courant "Warm, sweet, and deeply touching...a novel filled with poignant emotion and the fine, soft twist of elegant storytelling...a heartfelt look inside the workings of ordinary yet extraordinary lives."—Deborah Smith, author of When Venus Fell "A celebration of family and the healing power of love. Poignant and powerful...one of those rare books which refreshes and renews the landscape of women's fiction for a new generation of readers."…—Jayne Ann Krentz, author of Sharp Edges Luanne Rice is the author, most recently, of Last Kiss and Light of the Moon , among many other New York Times bestsellers. She lives in New York City and on the Connecticut shore. Another autumn had come to Fort Cromwell, New York, and Sarah Talbot was there to see it. She sat on the front porch of her small white house, drinking apple cinnamon tea, wondering what to do next. The college kids next door were washing their car. Spray from the hose misted her face. Wrapped in a red plaid blanket, she tilted her face to the sun, and imagined the drops were saltwater and she was home on Elk Island. A blue sedan drove slowly down the street. It looked municipal, as if it might belong to an undercover police officer or street inspector. FORT CROMWELL VNA was stenciled on the side, and when it parked in Sarah's driveway, a small, trim woman in a white coat climbed out. Sarah smiled to see her. "What are you doing here?" Sarah asked. "That's a fine greeting," the visiting nurse said. "I thought you were done with me," Sarah said. Holding her blanket with one hand, she used the other to unconsciously ruffle her closely shorn white hair. "Done with you? My daughter would kill me. Besides, do you think that's how I treat my friends?" "I'm your patient, Meg," Sarah said, smiling. "Were, Sarah. Were. We're here to take you for a ride." "A ride? Where--" Sarah began. Glancing at the car, she noticed Mimi in the backseat. "Happy birthday, Sarah," Meg said, bending down to hug her. Sarah reached up. She put her arms around the visiting nurse and smelled her citrus-scented shampoo. Meg's pockets jangled with keys, pens, and a stethoscope. A colorful plastic teddy bear was pinned to her lapel, just above her name tag. Sarah could feel by the new padding between her bones and Meg's skin that she was putting on weight. The hug felt good, and she bit her lip. "How did you know?" Sarah asked when they pulled apart. Today was her thirty-seventh birthday. She was having a quiet day: no party, no cards or calls from home. In the car's back window Mimi was waving with one hand, trying to paste up a bright pink sign with the other. In silver glitter she had written MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY! "I read your chart," Meg said, grinning. "Come on." Will Burke stood in the hangar, his head under the hood of the Piper Aztec. Fall was his biggest season. He needed all three of the planes he owned serviced and ready to fly. The lake region was a tourist destination, with all the cider mills and foliage trails. He operated fifteen-minute aerial tours, especially popular during the Fort Cromwell Fair. The end of October brought parents' weekends at two area colleges, with scheduled flights back and forth to New York, s