Jackie Donovan is about to turn thirty and she still has not realized her two life-long goals: to be married to her soul mate and to own and operate a bed and breakfast at the old Bailey House. When she interviews Davis Erickson, a local Outer Banks real estate agent, for a magazine article, Jackie finds a charming, handsome bachelor who also happens to be the owner of the Bailey House. She shares her interest of the property with him, and they begin seeing each other. When Davis decides that Jackie has the right passion for the Bailey House, he offers her a rent-to-buy option. The catch is that she and Minnie, her best friend, must agree to run it exactly as his grandparents, the Baileys, had. The two women had been fond of the Baileys and are happy to continue their traditions, such as serving their special lemon cookies.
Just when Jackie begins to think that her situation is too good to be true, she realizes that it is. She catches Davis cheating on her, and her close friend, Buck, gives Jackie evidence that Davis is a dead-beat landlord. She enlists the help of her devoted family members, friends, and co-workers to expose Davis’s crimes. He quickly cowers at the threat of a damaged reputation and agrees to properly fix up the house. At last, just a few months after turning thirty, Jackie finds herself falling in love with Buck and the proprietor of the newly reopened Bailey House.
Check this title’s availability in the UNC-Chapel Hill Library catalog.
