Maybe This Time - Ann Roth

Shock of her life...

It's a lot to process. Rose Shafer's husband of less than two years asks for a divorce, walks out, and says he's selling the house she's called home since the wedding. Then, as he leaves town to move in with the new love of his life, he asks Rose to stay in the house and supervise the carpenter he's hired to do renovations for the sale! Rent-free, as if that makes up for his despicable behavior.

Imagine contractor Kenny Martin's surprise when he unlocks the door to the house and finds a beautiful woman fighting back tears brought on by her husband's upsetting announcement. The man who hired him never mentioned a wife.

He sympathizes with Rose, who's reeling over what her rotten spouse has pulled. She unloads on Kenny, who'd rather not get involved. He's finally moved past his own miserable divorce and is thinking about dating again. Besides, he recently opened his own construction company, and he has enough on his plate.

As livid as Rose is, she can't help but notice that Kenny is attractive. Not that it matters. She's done with marriage and family. She's never wanted kids anyway. No more depending on a man for income or anything. She's going to finish her degree in interior design and build her own business.

But with Kenny and his crew showing up to work on the house five days a week, they see each other often. Soon, their reluctant collaboration turns to friendship, and then becomes something more.

Can love happen when two people moving in different directions and fighting for different dreams find themselves in a head-on collision of their own desires?