Keepsake

Book excerpt: Readers who enjoy Barbara Freethy, Nora Roberts and the classics of Mary Stewart will savor this intensely emotional story of family, betrayal and redemption, set in a quaint town in New England. KEEPSAKE. It's not a hand-made quilt, or an ivory pin, or a pretty small box for treasures .... It's the name of a postcard-perfect town in Connecticut. From its quaint gazebo to its white-steepled church and village green, Keepsake is the kind of place most would love to call home. It's home to Olivia Bennett, the town princess who has a charming shop there. It was home once to Quinn Leary, the son of her family's gardener: Quinn fled as a teenager with his father who was accused of a murder he didn't commit. And Keepsake is home, still, to someone with mayhem on his mind. When Quinn returns after an absence of seventeen years, he has one desire: to prove his father's innocence. It's not until he sees his childhood school rival, now a grown woman, that he realizes he harbors another but equally passionate desire--and that the two are tragically at odds. Editorial Reviews "Gloriously alive with fresh writing and an intriguing story, KEEPSAKE goes straight to the heart with its tale of love lost and found and a seventeen-year-old murder that screams to be solved. When you've got it, flaunt it, and KEEPSAKE has it all: passion, mystery, suspense, and characters that instantly endear. A standing ovation for Antoinette Stockenberg." --Under the Covers "I highly recommend KEEPSAKE; this book will keep you reading well into the night, with a story line that moves along at a very entertaining warp speed. Antoinette Stockenberg has written some of the smartest, sassiest, and sexiest contemporary romances around." --The Romance Reader One of the top ten romances of the year. --Amazon.com "Antoinette Stockenberg's writing is fresh and memorable, a voice to be reckoned with. She pulls out all the stops with hot, sizzling love scenes as well as some real heartbreakers that make you reach for the hankie box. First rate!" --Belles and Beaux of Romance "Antoinette Stockenberg is one hell of a writer. KEEPSAKE lives up to its name: it's a keeper. The story is fast-paced and reflects a small New England town as few books do. Olivia is a warm, intelligent heroine, and everyone will jump for joy after reading about Quinn." --Harriet Klausner "Ms. Stockenberg does a stellar job in this absorbing story that probes deep into the painful heart of a small community. KEEPSAKE is a keeper." 4 1/2 stars --Romantic Times "A briskly paced, exhilarating story that's impossible to put down. Don't miss this book; it's her best one yet." --Old Book Barn Gazette