Escape to the cozy Irish village of Ballydara, where you'll discover the strength of family bonds, a warm community, and enduring love... In this heartfelt, deeply romantic novel, Kerry McCormack, a young Dublin wife and mother, longs to trade her office job for a simpler life. At 33, she has an outwardly successful marriage to steady, quiet Stephen. A devoted father to her son, he's had an abiding passion for her since the first time he saw her. Yet after a recent, shattering loss, Kerry and Stephen have grown apart. Immersed in his high-powered career to bury his grief, Stephen struggles with his secret fear that he'll never be the love of her life. And Kerry's lifelong dream to live in the country, and flee her predictable city routine, is only creating more tension between them. When Kerry gets the chance to visit a lovely little farm, she anticipates an idyllic country holiday. Instead, her marriage--and everything she knows about herself--is turned upside down. As the winter holidays approach, Kerry will risk everything to give her family a second chance—but can she and Stephen recapture the passion they once shared in time for Christmas? Susan Colleen Browne's Village of Ballydara series, set in a quaint little Irish village, features warmhearted, feel-good novels about love, friendship and family! “The Hopeful Romantic was a pleasure to read for its engaging characters, its authenticity, and its unforgettable moments…a poignant and sometimes humorous, old-fashioned romantic story.” —Chanticleer Reviews