Claire Maloney is the youngest daughter of one of the two leading families in Dunderry, Georgia. Somehow or other, Claire is related to just about every individual in the town. She knows who she is and is secure with her place in the town. Roan Sullivan is the son of the town drunkard. He has been abused and neglected but has somehow managed to maintain a core of goodness, despite the dirty exterior. Claire and Roan first cross paths when she is five and he is ten, during St. Patrick's Day parade. Then begins a relationship that nurtures both the kids and it is almost certain that Roan will become a part of their family. But he suddenly disappears leaving everyone clueless and Claire heart-broken. The story moves twenty years forward and we see Roan coming back in Claire's life when she is going through a crisis. The two now face the tough realities of the present and must triumph over them before claiming their love for each other. A gripping novel that talks about the trials and tribulations of love and ends on a happily ever after note.
