Welcome to Wishful, California, where the air is mountain clean, the people are small-town friendly and the wide-open spaces are perfect for a woman wanting to reinvent herself.

THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART

There was a time when Dr. Emma Sinclair wanted to challenge herself, sharpen her medical skills by plunging into the relentless pace of a New York City ER. But she was younger then. Now she's not that much older, but at least she's wise enough to jump at the chance to run her father's clinic for a summer in the Sierra Nevadas. Here she treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. She also contends with patients like Stone Wilder, laid-back and well-aware of his good looks--and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. And Emma loathes him. Partly because she can't resist his smile and the gleam in his eyes . . .

As co-owner of Wilder Adventures and Expeditions, Stone knows when he sees a fish out of water. He also knows how to put it back in the water. When he tries to help Emma loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. He never bargained for a much more intimate encounter. Still, Emma's sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here--in this town, in his life. Convincing her is a challenge he was born to take . . .

"Jill Shalvis sweeps you away."
--Cherry Adair