Family Ties — Sarah Bates

Summer vacation has just begun and Caroline Mackenzie is excited about it. Her plans were simple; there will be work, of course, in her mom's floral shop, lazy days at the beach with her friends…and hopefully a summer romance.She has known Adam Stevens all of her life, but with the six years age difference between them she has never allowed herself to think beyond friendship with him. But now that she is older they find themselves wanting to explore the possibility of becoming more.As her summer progresses, more perfect than she ever could have planned, a stranger from her mom's past returns, and changes her life forever. While dealing with the aftermath of having her own personal world turned upside down, an accident occurs that rocks the lives of many Stevens Island families. Faced with the possibility of losing someone she loves, Caroline realizes the strength and importance of all family ties.