started dreaming of Edenbrooke five years ago, when I didn’t have the first idea of how to write a novel. The fact that Marianne’s story has made it this far is the fulfillment of my wildest dreams. I owe my eternal gratitude to the many people who have helped make it happen.

First, I want to thank the team at Shadow Mountain for falling in love with my story and providing such a wonderful home for it. In particular, I wish to thank Heidi Taylor and Chris Schoebinger for their vision and encouragement. Lisa Mangum is a fabulous editor and a genuinely nice person. Heather Ward created the gorgeous cover.

I couldn’t ask for a better agent than Laurie McLean. She wows me every day with her brilliance, her contagious optimism, and her dedication to making great things happen.

I have to thank my best friend and husband, Fred. If I know anything about real love, I have learned it from and with him. He has been a constant support to me and has believed in me in my hours of self-doubt and disappointment. I am so happy to have him at my side and that we can celebrate our dreams coming true together.

My children—Adah, David, Sarah, and Jacob—are some of my favorite people to hang out with. They bring me great joy, and, at the end of the day, remind me that family is more important than books.

I want to thank my parents, Frank and Ruth Clawson, for letting me grow up with my nose in a book and for teaching me to work hard. I’m thankful for my sisters, Kristi, Jenny, and Audrey, for laughing, telling stories, staying up late, and watching girl movies. I’m grateful that Nick joined the family and taught my kids how cool a skateboarder and biker could be.

I want to give a special shout-out to some of my extended family from the Donaldson side: Christine, Jinjer, Jennie, Sarah, Emma, Heather, Louise, Johanna, Joan, and Lavina. I love you all. (I love the Donaldson boys, too, but this is a girl’s book.) Thanks to the Clawson clan, the Hinmon clan, the Donaldson clan, and the Hofheins clan for being interested in my dreams and applauding my successes. A girl couldn’t ask for a better extended family.

I owe a very special thank you to my friend Jaime Mormann. She went to England with me, dreamed with me, talked through writer’s block with me, edited with me, and loved accents with me. Through every up and down, I knew I could call her and she would either laugh or rant or rejoice with me, as needed. I feel richly blessed to have such a devoted and talented friend.

I am indebted to my fellow writers for their help and feedback: Julie Dixon, Pam Anderton, Ally Condie, Erin Summerill, and Jessie Humphries. I want to thank every friend, neighbor, and relative who helped watch my kids so I could write. You are too numerous to list here, but you are listed in my heart! I am also grateful for Tracy McCormick Jackson, who introduced me to and encouraged me to love the Regency period. It has changed my life.

Last, but certainly not least, I must acknowledge that I could not have written this book without God’s help and His generous gifts. I hope that He is pleased.