Thomas's fourth Honey Creek romance (after Dinner on Primrose Hill) captures the charm of a small Texas town as its residents discover love. Melody Avendale, 17, is tired of her professor parents controlling every aspect of her life and rebels with a secret boyfriend, Michael Alderton. Meanwhile, down on his luck McCoy Mason arrives in Honey Creek following an accident that left him with a broken leg and a broken heart and works to rebuild his life. Elsewhere, 60-something Charles Winston III decides to finally propose marriage to his special lady friend, proving that it is never too late to take a chance on love. And, in the strongest thread, restaurateur Jessica Ann "Jam" Mackenzie encounters a mysterious man walking out of the creek near her café. The "mud man" is Sergeant Tucson Smith, in town to help his brother, the sheriff, investigate a crime. After Jam helps Tucson get cleaned up, the pair spend an unforgettably tender night together. The story lines are united by the characters' love of Honey Creek and the feeling of community. Through this immersive, mosaic romance, Thomas illuminates the ways ordinary lives can be transformed by the simple kindness of others. Agent: Gail Fortune, Talbot Fortune Agency. (May)