Splendid Chaos by Dave Cenker

There’s a secret to success. Be ready for your opportunity when it arrives. Drew Stratton has spent his adult life pursuing one thing: acceptance from his father. As an attorney at the family firm in Texas, every move Drew makes must pass the critical judgment of Lyle Stratton. When finally presented with a high-profile case to prove himself, fate intervenes. A hurricane approaches the east coast. An unexpected phone call arrives from the mother who abandoned him as a child. It sends Drew’s well-planned life spiraling out of control. He faces an impossible choice: Seize the opportunity to impress a tough-love father who has always been there for him? Or rescue a mother shrouded in secrets who disappeared when he needed her most? The secrets we keep often hide the most important part of ourselves. Maria Caldwell runs Pigeon Grove’s coffee shop in north Georgia since her parents retired to Florida. Longing to explore her passion for flowers, Maria is drowning in espresso and self-doubt that has influenced every decision she’s made since high school. When an out-of-town, hotshot attorney arrives at the most inopportune time, Maria sees him as another city dweller invading her hometown. Everything changes when she develops an unexpected connection with him, spoken through their mutual appreciation for the language of flowers. Through her budding relationship with Drew, Maria discovers something she thought was lost long ago: trust in herself. All her wildest dreams could come true, if only she embraces vulnerability and the splendid chaos life has thrown her way. We all have secrets. Who we trust with them might just set us free.