When an out-of-state developer wants to drain Fairy Pond-a beloved piece of Acorn Hill's past-and put in a gas station, a storm of protest rises up in Acorn Hill. But while most residents are opposed to destroying the idyllic spot, some businesspeople are in favor of the added commerce a gas station would bring. With the town divided, Mayor Lloyd Tynan is having a hard time keeping everyone happy, but when the stress starts to affect his health, the...

Now, in this collection of interconnected short stories, Jennifer Haigh returns to the vividly imagined world of Bakerton, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town rocked by decades of painful transition. From its heyday during two World Wars through its slow decline, Bakerton is a town that refuses to give up gracefully, binding--sometimes cruelly - succeeding generations to the place that made them.

"As the long days of autumn linger, the Howard sisters are ready to try new things. Louise heads out west to a music camp, and though she is skeptical, she ends up learning a new style of piano playing. Jane decides to try cooking for a whole new audience--kids--and Alice finds some old photo albums and embarks on a project that will shed new light on their family history."--P. [4] of cover.

A group of veterans checks into the inn and teach the sisters about loyalty and sacrifice. It's time to bring out the old patriotic spirit when three lively World War II vets check in at Grace Chapel Inn and march in the annual Veterans Day parade. However, another guest, Gulf War veteran Nathan Delhomme, suffers from guilt for surviving the war when his friend didn't make it. Can Alice help this troubled young man march proudly in memory of his friend?...

At their charming bed-and-breakfast, Louise, Alice, and Jane look forward to a quiet holiday, but when a group of travelers seek shelter from a blizzard on Christmas Eve, their difficult guests put a damper on their plans.

"When an unusual guest arrives at Grace Chapel Inn, Alice does her best to make her comfortable, not in one of the guest rooms but in the laundry. Another visitor stirs up a competitive reaction in Jane, whose crushing defeat in Scrabble sets off a quest to even the score in an ancient game. And when an old letter brings a forgotten piece of Acorn Hill's history to light, Louise, with the help of an old-timer, undertakes a search for the truth..."...

A collection of ten short stories by Alice Elliott Dark.