Maddy lives a hard life, working as a waitress at the Monte Rio Cafe in a town on California's Russian River. Abandoned by her mother when she was a teenager, she is nonetheless grateful for the cabin where she lives-and for Cheryl, the older waitress who watches over her while Maddy anticipates the birth of her baby. Then Maddy goes into labor prematurely and loses her precious baby, a loss almost more than any young woman can bear. Soon after Maddy discovers a tiny infant in the dumpster behind the cafe, keeps the baby, and names her Judith. Maddy takes the money in her tip jar and moves to the Bay Area, where she can study to become a nurse, to be better than the things her momma said about her. But how can Maddy take care of little Judith, work and go to school?
Author Biography
Fascinated by broken-hearted couples and atypical families, Patricia weaves engaging tales of men and women who create cohesive families where love reigns supreme. She sprinkles her books with intriguing characters who struggle to find balance in life after tragedy. Whether an unwed teenager, desperate widow, abandoned father, or a couple who stray from their marital vows, her characters form relationships impacted by their desire to create a family. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Patricia attended St. Mary's College in Moraga, California, where she studied Psychology and Spanish. She spent her junior year abroad at the University of Madrid then transferred to UC Santa Barbara where she received her B.A. in Spanish. She went on to get a Master's degree in Education at Oregon State University. Patricia lives with her husband and two children in Alameda, across the bay from San Francisco, along with two very large chocolate labs named Annabella and Jack, and a rescue terrier mix, Shay Dog. Oh, and she also takes care of her daughter's guinea pig, Lucifer. When she's not writing or spending time with her family, Patricia enjoys riding her Friesian horse Maximus, who lives in the Oakland hills with a million dollar view.
