The Hometown Hero Returns

The Hometown Hero Returns
Julianna Morris

He could still put her heart in a tailspin…When Luke McCade returns to Divine after a long absence, Nicki Johansson realizes that she may have lost the bad clothes and haircut, but it's hard to shake an old crush. Especially when she's never forgotten the first kiss he gave her. Nicki doesn't want to fall for the former high school football star, but how can she not when he's devoted to his ailing grandfather, is successful, thoughtful and still annoyingly sexy! Once they'd seemed to move in different leagues. But now…. Well, a newly confident Nicki vows to use her sweet kisses to show Luke there's no place like home!

He was the last person Nicki wanted to see.

If she didn’t owe so much to his grandfather, she wouldn’t be within a mile of Luke McCade ever again. But she did like and admire his grandfather. She’d do almost anything for Professor McCade. Even face Luke and all the memories he represented.

And then his broad shoulders filled the front door.

Despite her resolve, her pulse hammered in her throat.

If anything, he was more gorgeous than ever; small crinkles at the corners of his eyes and a few strands of silver in his black hair made him look solid and dependable. He’d come back to help his grandfather, showing that he wasn’t as selfish as she’d always thought.

A flutter of alarm skirted her mind. No. She couldn’t afford to think anything positive about him. Luke had put her in a tailspin when they were younger; she wouldn’t let that happen this time.

Dear Reader,

This month seems to be all about change. Just as our heroines are about to have some fabulous makeovers, Silhouette Romance will be undergoing some changes over the next months that we believe will make this classic line even more relevant to your challenging lives. Of course, you’ll still find some of your favorite SR authors and favorite themes, but look for some new names, more international settings and even more emotional reads.

Over the next few months the company is also focusing attention on the new direction and package for Mills & Boon Romance. We believe that the blend of authors and stories coming in that line will thrill readers and satisfy every emotion.

Just like our heroines, my responsibilities will be changing, as I will be working on Mills & Boon NEXT. Please know how much I have enjoyed sharing these heartwarming, aspirational reads with you.

With all best wishes,

Ann Leslie Tuttle

Associate Senior Editor

The Hometown Hero Returns

Julianna Morris

www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)

For caregivers everywhere.

You make a special difference in the world.

Books by Julianna Morris

Silhouette Romance

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The Hometown Hero Returns #1829

JULIANNA MORRIS

has an offbeat sense of humor, which frequently gets her into trouble. She is often accused of being curious about everything. Her interests range from oceanography and photography to traveling, antiquing, walking on the beach and reading science fiction.

Julianna loves cats of all shapes and sizes. Her family’s most recent feline companion is named Merlin, and like his namesake, Merlin is an alchemist—she says he can transform the house into a disaster area in nothing flat. And since he shares the premises with a writer, it’s interesting to note that he’s particularly fond of knocking books on the floor.

Julianna happily reports meeting Mr. Right. Together they are working on a dream of building a shoreline home in the Great Lakes area.

Dear Reader,

I come from a large family and have watched grandparents, great-aunts and other loved ones go through difficult times. It isn’t easy to see someone you love changing due to age or illness, but there can be many reasons for those changes. I believe it’s important to keep asking questions, and one of those questions should be about depression.

Depression is an illness that can be treated. Through personal experience I’ve seen that it can resemble other conditions, or it may not be diagnosed at all—remember that “Uncle Joe” may act quite differently at the doctor’s office than he does at home. I’ve seen it, and I’ve seen how a doctor can have a hard time seeing the changes a family has observed. I’ve also seen how asking questions, talking things out and getting treatment can make a world of difference.

While the recovery of the hero’s grandfather in my story is probably faster than would normally occur, I hope that reading this novel and hearing a little about my own experiences will help someone out there. You are not alone.

As a small side note, the artist who painted my hero’s great-grandmother is fictional. However, the other artists mentioned in the story are real. Artists such as Alfred Sisley and Mary Cassatt were gifted Impressionists. More about their work can be learned at the library or on the Internet.

My best wishes go with you and yours.

Julianna Morris