Joy of Today

The best things come in pairs—or so the saying goes

For twin sisters Heidi and Shelly Lakanen, the summer of 1994 in the lakeside town of Nicolet, Michigan, promises sun-drenched days and the comfort of their unshakable bond. Heidi, pragmatic and ambitious, is focused on medical school, leaving little space for distractions, especially the romantic kind. Shelly is a free-spirited dreamer who lives for the moment and turns heads wherever she goes. Though opposites in every way, the twins have always made more sense together than apart—until Steven Davis rents their family’s upstairs apartment, and for the first time they could lose what they’ve always had. 

Leaving a rootless past behind, Steven arrives in Nicolet searching for more than a place to stay. He’s searching for home. The warmth of the Lakanen family draws him in, and as he’s welcomed into their world, he discovers a sense of belonging he never thought possible. But as his connection with each sister deepens, he must decide whether to follow his heart, knowing it could break one of theirs.

As the summer unfolds, long-held dreams are tested, loyalties shift, and all three of them will have to choose what they’re willing to risk.

Escape into a warm story about family bonds and first loves.

Contains minimal, mild language.

Charlotte Everhart writes closed-door women’s fiction set in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Joy of Today is book one in her Nicolet series.