Sand Castles

WINNING A LOTTERY ... who hasn't dreamed of it? Wendy Hodene, for one. She has always been one of those people for whom just enough is plenty. She's married to a charmer, has a young son she loves, and lives close to family in a small New England house that her great-grandfather built. True, she'd love to have room for a three-cushion couch (and of course more closet space), but all in all, she's happy with her life. Happy, until her husband Jim goes and wins a lottery, upending every reassuring aspect of Wendy's existence. The man she thought she was married to for a decade turns out to be someone else entirely; the house she thought she wanted renovated turns into a stress-inducing pile of dust and demolition; the son who once desired nothing more than a new video game now wants a big new house on the beach; and the mysterious contractor who shows up among the crew on a fine June morning turns out to be a man who's both able and willing to destroy all that Wendy holds dear. Zack Tompkins has better things to do than to knock down walls and put in floor joists, but his fragile and heartbroken sister Zina is convinced that the lottery winner whose photo she's seen in a newspaper is the man who once married and then abandoned her. It doesn't take long after he's signed on as crew in the Hodene renovation for Zack to see that Zina was right. His choice then becomes all too clear: wound his sister, or tear apart a family. As dreams and schemes are washed away like sand castles from an incoming tide, one truth remains: some hearts, not fully broken, can mend and still be whole again. REVIEWS "Well-drawn, sympathetic characters, exceptional writing, and an intriguing premise that puts a new spin on a classic plot combine to produce a riveting story of selfishness, betrayal, and love that readers will find hard to put down. Stockenberg is a RITA Award-winning author and is noted for her compelling, emotionally involving stories." --Library Journal "A powerful suspense thriller ... the characters are a superb group, especially the key foursome. The plot is filled with twists and turns ... fans of taut thrillers with a romance will want to read this strong intrigue." --Harriet Klausner, Bookbrowser "Moral dilemmas abound in this intriguing and compelling tale." --Booklist "A beautiful story filled with imagination, complexity, and sweet love, SAND CASTLES had plot twists that had me tearing through the pages to find out what happened next. A keeper and a must-have for all lovers of romance." --The Word on Romance "Antoinette Stockenberg is a consummate storyteller, and SAND CASTLES is another example of how well she has mastered her craft. The author is in top-notch form. The characterizations are wonderfully drawn and believable in their actions and reactions. There are enough plot twists and turns to keep a reader highly interested. A sure-fire winner and highly recommended reading!" --NewAndUsedBooks.com "Antoinette Stockenberg continues to display an immense talent for creating powerful and gripping dramas that give readers the full range of human emotions." --Romantic Times "This book was wonderful! In fact, I was so caught up in the story, I forgot to analyze anything. Twists, good dialogue and a question to answer at the end .... Kudos ... an excellent read. --Old Book Barn Gazette