Letters from Peaceful Lane

February 11, 2019
Dailey’s middling contemporary set in Branson, Mo., invites a third person into Allison and Burke Caldwell’s marriage: his deceased wife, Kate. Six years into Allison and Burke’s marriage, Allison is still treated as a trophy wife by Burke’s friends and resented by her college-age stepdaughter, Brianna. Her coping ability is further reduced after Burke is hospitalized following a car crash. Burke admits that his business is failing and he’s been a negligent husband, and he urges Allison to divorce him, but Allison hardly considers that option, even when Burke calls out for Kate in his sleep. Instead, Allison’s discovery of Kate’s old letters to Burke help her to realize that their marriage wasn’t perfect either, which sparks Allison’s interest in better understanding what caused the increasingly suspicious crash. Dailey sensitively writes about the difficulties faced by a young second wife trying to find her place among her husband’s established relationships. Most of Burke and Allison’s exchanges are stressful and combative, making it hard to see what makes them click as a couple, and their love story is secondary even to a subplot about Brianna finding love of her own. Though the novel is billed as a romance, Dailey focuses on Allison’s growth in a way that will feel familiar to readers of women’s fiction, who are the best audience for this lukewarm story. Agent: Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Agency.

March 1, 2019
Allison is struggling to find her place in the established life of her new husband, Burke, and his 19-year-old daughter, Brianna. Burke's friends constantly compare Allison to his beloved late wife, Kate, and Brianna sees her stepmother as the wicked witch of the west. After a terrible car accident, Burke is left helpless in the hospital, and his company is in turmoil. During this crisis, Allison stumbles upon letters from Kate, which she reads in the hope of gaining insight and finding a way to create a happy future with Burke. Can Allison rise to the challenge, find her place with this stubborn man, and keep her new family together? Dailey gives readers a steadily paced novel showcasing the harsh realities that many second marriages undergo. The detailed character development shines through the somewhat convoluted plot, adding nuance to the contemporary romance. Fans of Susan Wiggs and Debbie Macomber will enjoy the third in Dailey's New Americana series, which emphasizes that family struggles can be overcome, and love will always prevail.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)