Sugared Florets and Bayonets

Minerva, Ohio, 1919

The mortar rounds and trenches of the Great War echo in Joe Conley's head. Returned a hero, he is a great thespian. Inside, an imposter lurks. His heart ripped from his ribcage by the savage, brutal gallantry of battle. He no longer fits into his charmed life.

Sally Smith, the village's curious introvert, has mastered the art of self-reliance. To supplement her paltry income, she applies her gardening skills to her advantage, selling sugared flower petals to the local bakery, caf? and mercantile to decorate cakes and teas. While locals gladly accept her beautiful floral creations, they keep her at arms-length, unwilling to forget or forgive her family's past.

As school cohorts, Sally and Joe despised one another. With childhood put to bed, the war hero, a changeling by circumstance, discovers a friendship without demands. And Sally, finally, feels the comfort of companionship.

With the summer heat rising and their friendship blooming, Joe and Sally fall under society's scrutiny. Can they weather the storm of small-town rumors, or will they succumb to the pressure? Can either truly put aside their past?