Love & Lies

"Author Ann Hymes has written an intriguing novel full of reflection and promise ... The writing in this book is well-crafted. The inclusion of poetry and music lyrics adds an enlightening element to the plot. Although the story included many scenes from the past, they were interwoven so smoothly that the tale was always easy to follow. Each character is interesting in unique ways. "
- D. Lloyd, Readers' Favorite, 5-Star Review

In her private memoir, Theresa Alston Crandall reflects on family secrets she has held for forty years. Her duplicity has created a life of uneven rewards as she begins to hear footsteps from the past sneaking up on her. Is it too late to start over? Revealing the truth of her missteps would shatter the present and demand answers to painful questions. She has betrayed her husband and sons, causing them to be unsuspecting players in her orchestrated deception.

Theresa spends time at Whimsy Towers, the oceanfront home she inherited from a grandmother she never knew. Poetry, parties, good food, and gratitude fill the summer days, allowing Theresa to maintain a careful charade. Whimsy Towers holds her secrets, until her safety from exposure gradually unravels.

The mysterious death of her son requires Theresa to confront a host of unresolved problems, a twisted accumulation of love and lies. From Cape Cod to Alexandria, Virginia, and St. Michaels, Maryland, new relationships develop. Through losing and finding love, she redefines family.

Ann Hymes is a retired real estate broker and mother of two grown daughters.  She has a B.A. in English from Mills College and an M.A. in English from Washington College.  Her published work includes creative nonfiction.  Love & Lies is the sequel to Shadow of Whimsy: A Cape Cod Love Story.  An active international volunteer, including service in the Peace Corps in Korea, Ann lives in Laguna Hills, California.