Hometown Girl by Margaret Watson

Hometown Girl

To escape from her hometown, Claire Kendall had to leave her past - and her sister - behind.

Now her sister's sudden death has Claire going home to confront her past and her orphaned nephew - who blames her for saving herself and not her mother. Complicating matters is Tucker Hall, a man who seems to have a genius for getting in the way when it comes to parenting Nick.

Claire knows she'll be happy only once the town of Monroe is a speck in her rearview mirror, but she can't go before Nick is ready. In the meantime, she'll have to se a lot of Tucker and hope that he doesn't give her any reason to stay.

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RITA Finalist

After the death of her sister, Claire Kendal returns to her hometown to take responsibility for her teenage nephew, Nick. She wants to return to Chicago as soon as possible and leave the past, with its bitter memories of abuse, behind her, but Nick is encouraged to stay in town by high school football coach Tucker Hall. When Claire meets Tucker, she begins to think she wouldn't mind being a Hometown Girl (4.5). Margaret Watson's vivid characters and touching story are a delight.

—Christine Merrill