Scarred by her mother’s betrayal, Brittany Iverson left home half a lifetime ago for the promise of California, with its vibrant, cosmopolitan lesbian community. She wouldn’t go back to Kentucky for a million dollars. But several million? That’s a different kettle of fish. All Britt has to do is help resurrect her father’s failing business so they can sell it to the highest bidder.
Thanks to a college softball scholarship, Ninah Faust escaped her upbringing as well, leaving eastern Kentucky’s impoverished coal country for the quaint small town of Leland. Now a high school history teacher, she enjoys a laid back lifestyle, a close-knit circle of lesbian friends, and the Longdogs, Leland’s minor league baseball team. Ninah knows better than to fall for newcomer Britt, whose plan is to get in, get rich, and get out. Britt knows better too, since the last thing she needs is a girlfriend in Kentucky. But fall they do—so which one will give up her perfect life for the other?
The Lucky Ones marks a return to the idyllic hamlet of Leland, Kentucky, where you’re sure to run into the town’s most prominent lesbian couple—Justine Hall and Carly Griffin, from The House on Sandstone.
FROM THE AUTHOR
"About eighteen months ago, I read a story in the Washington Post about Mitchell Gold, cofounder of the eponymous furniture line. Gold is a gay man living in rural North Carolina, where his furniture factory is the county's largest employer, and where churches set the standard for social norms. Those who work for Gold describe him as a decent, caring man who pays them well and generously lends a hand to employees in need. Though they like and respect Gold, many do not approve of his marriage to a man. I attended high school in a very similar town only two counties over, and Gold's story felt familiar; i.e., that sense of isolation that comes from being queer in a place dominated by conservative churches. Much of what I write celebrates lesbians living out and proud in communities where homophobia is the exception, not the rule. Real life isn't like that for everyone. With The Lucky Ones, I wanted to examine issues facing lesbians in rural America in the age of MAGA hats and protests over same-sex marriage. It seemed the perfect way to revisit Leland, KY, the fictional community I created years ago for The House on Sandstone. Britt and Ninah are the central characters in this new book, but it was great fun to look in on Carly and Justine and make sure they got their 'happily ever after.'"
—KG MacGregor
NetGalley
B. Harmon - This is a story about love, and not just romantic love. It is about the love of family, friends, and yes, even a love of a community. This is also a tale of hope. For me, this is a feel good story, one that made me feel happy at the end. It is well-written, with a vibrant setting, well-developed characters, both main and secondary, and a story that left me with that feeling of hope.
Kathleen –
A visit back to Leland and Justine and Carly…with an amazing cast of new characters to make it even better. This one touches on the darker side of living authentically in our current climate of hatred, bigotry, and homophobia. Still, KG keeps it sweet and honest against the backdrop of fear that so many of us live in…especially in the south. And the message of the power of love and forgiveness is always there, making this book another must read.