Tournesol

At fifteen, Lacee Moreau falls in love with Garrett Graham, a self-absorbed young man riddled with self-doubt. He sees her as a savior. She sees him as everything. Their romance builds, only to be shattered by Lacee's mother, Claudine.

Widely viewed as a broken woman by the residents of the Midwest town the Moreau's call home, French-born Claudine hides a heart-wrenching secret-a secret that led to her unwilling immigration to America with a man she never loved.

Despite Claudine's interference, marriages, abuse, and tragedy, Lacee continues to cross paths with Garrett throughout the coming years, only to have their love denied time and again. And while Lacee grows and matures, Garrett remains the same needy boy who values support and validation above love.

With Claudine's passing, Lacee will discover the truth about her past and her identity-a revelation that demands she take action. Doing so will mean risking happiness. Or finding it after a lifetime of adversity and regret.

Comparable in theme to Sue Miller's "The Senator's Wife," "Tournesol" is the latest novel from Ann Gray, author of "Noah's Place" and "Kangaroo Pilot, An Uncommon Journey Home."