Quotes from Susan Wiggs

Love comes into your life in its own time, not when you're ready.

Having a mind that cannot stay quiet, I've never been able to meditate without going stir-crazy. But give me a ball of dough and the not-so-distant dream of a piping hot cherry tart with a beautiful lattice-weave top and a generous sprinkling of confectioners sugar, and a feeling of serenity washes over me. My mind instantly hushes. ---Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan

They tumbled out of the van, eager to explore the docks. There were brown pelicans and sea lions, anemones and barnacles clinging to the planks and pilings, and silver flashes of schooling minnows in the shallows.

The human spirit could brave anything so long as there was some better future to believe in.

Luck, Nana made a tsking sound. That kind of thinking is naive. A monumental love and a great marriage don't simply happen, like winning the lottery. You have to build it and nurture it, and quite often, it's hard work.

She realized that no matter how old she got or how far she traveled, she would never stop needing her mom. Now, staring her in the face, was the possibility of a loss so devastating Sonnet didn't see how she could survive it.

Never let anyone tell you that food isn't a kind of love. Yet

But life had a way of interfering with one's plans. Things popped up unexpectedly, and suddenly a carefully plotted route had to be recalculated.

Although she knew her mom was right about kids getting different treatment for doing the same thing

Through this. Through to where? Where did you end up when you got through something? What happened at the end of through? Was it a destination? Or another open door? An escape hatch?

Gran was gone. She had passed quietly one night in springtime, and Annie's world shifted on its axis. The pain of this grief was like nothing she had ever felt before.

Although it seemed impossible to find joy in the depths of her grief, Annie sensed that this was what Gran had been trying to tell her all along. She finally understood. This hurt she felt was the price of loving with her whole heart. But having Gran in her life had been worth every moment of pain.

They shared a look, and Tess felt a wave of emotion. How quickly she'd found an affinity with Isabel, a woman so unlike her, they might have been from different species. Only a short time ago they had been strangers. Now she couldn't imagine not knowing Isabel, her guileless and fragile sister. They shared a birthday, they shared their father's DNA, but the bond now ran deeper than that; it ran as deep as blood and secrets.

a broken heart doesn't care how the love got lost.

In time, the grief turned into a dull ache with occasional flares of agony. It was like a fading bruise Annie forgot about until she bumped into a memory. Gran. It was the little moments that pierced most sharply, the remembrance of a smile, a gesture, a soft-voiced phrase.

The Next Go-To Spot. The tender brisket, with a crust as perfect as praline candy, will make you want to brave the rush-hour traffic just to sample it. The sauces are smooth as silk and layered with infusions of spice. Rather than being an afterthought, the sides deserve a life of their own. Margot Salton is a sorceress, wielding her unique mastery over wood and smoke and fire . "Wow," Margot said. "That's a damn love letter. Thanks, sugarman74.

This job made it possible for you to stay home all day and draw pictures.

Precision in language was the key to clarity. Specificity

Cream Cheese Icing 1 package cream cheese, softened 1/ 2 cup pure unsalted butter, softened 1 box powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Chopped pecans and coconut Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add butter and sugar, then stir in vanilla and beat until smooth. Frost cooled cake in pan or in layers. Top with chopped pecans and coconut. Serve with good strong coffee, or espresso if you have the equipment.

Refusing to feel hurt also meant she numbed herself to joy, but the sacrifice was worth it.

This whole place started as a dream. I never told you this, but my dreams started here, too. The first time I came to this place, I was able to imagine some sort of life for myself that didn't completely suck. That was huge for me. I can't tell you how huge.

Jeez, Uncle Sean—" "Jeez

Having a father who worked at SHAPE was a wonderful opportunity for Sonnet, who would be serving at NATO as an intern.

Listen, Sarah," he said. "We have to deal with this. Just...take it easy. We'll talk about it some more tonight.