A second chance with a first love and a home town...Kelly Long drove away from Anthracite Springs, West Virginia the day of his high school graduation, leaving everything behind – his accent, his group of friends, and his first love. After fifteen years building a career in California, he’s called back to where he swore he would never return. The reason? His beloved uncle’s farmhouse that Kelly swears he’ll never live in. Just as soon as he can flip it, he’s hightailing it back to a real city where things actually happen. Sam Burns sprinted back home to Anthracite Springs the second she had her college degree, determined to use her big-city education to make her small town better. Sure, the mills are shut down, the coal mines aren’t producing, and most visitors are journalists who write sob stories about poor Appalachians. Sure, she’ll have to work two jobs to do so. But she believes in her town, unlike some people—most notably her high school sweetheart, Kelly, who ditched her and their town the minute he graduated. Kelly’s quick flip turns out to be more complicated when he finds the residents of Anthracite Springs don’t trust him – he’s an outsider now. Sam should hate him, but she’s never been able to resist an underdog. A deal is struck – in exchange for much-needed advice on a downtown redevelopment plan, Sam will help Kelly’s reputation. Through their work, Kelly reconsiders his prejudice towards the town and Sam reconsiders her grudge towards Kelly. As their lives intertwine further, Kelly finds himself falling in love with more than just Anthracite Springs and Sam finds herself falling in love with the idea of a future that involves Kelly. But Kelly made his feelings on staying in Anthracite Springs clear and Sam’s future has to include her town…

Publication Year: 2024