Lucinda Sue Crosby

When a mysterious man named Matthew appears in the small Iowa town of Lost Nation, his sudden arrival raises questions about his past. Quiet with an apparent taste for rum, Matthew makes it clear he doesn’t want to make friends. He isn’t too pleased to be dropped off at Home Farm where the independent and eccentric Francesca doesn’t accept bad manners or booze binges. Matthew doesn’t want to form personal ties and intends to move on as soon as his damaged leg from a recent plane crash heals. But a series of events draw him into reluctant relationships: One with the feisty Francesca, the second with her 10-year-old granddaughter Sarah. In spite of her own reservations, Francesca finds herself falling for this brooding pilot but his past looms between the pair and what neither knows is that Sarah, Francesca’s 10-year-old granddaughter, has encountered a stranger of her own … leading to a climatic confrontation that will put her and her grandmother’s life in danger. Those that enjoy family sagas or family drama will also embrace this story There are plenty of eccentric characters, including Francesca who is quirky and full of secrets – she keeps the town gossips busy. There are some dramatic family dynamics that cause tension and uneasiness at times. Because the story is told through the wide-eyed 10-year-old Sarah, this romance mystery is humorous at times.