“Annie giggled again. She couldn’t seem to stop herself. And when she did, the most incredible thing happened. Alex’s grin vanished, and after gazing down at her for what seemed to her several endless seconds, he got tears in his eyes. “Thank you,” he said. Only that, just a simple “thank you.” But to Annie, those were the two most wonderful words she’d ever seen spoken, and they meant more to her than a thousand others might have. With them, he told her a wealth of things, namely that he had meant everything he’d said to her in the attic, that he not only wouldn’t punish her for making noise, but that he wanted her to.”

“Only you would ask. All anyone has to do is look in your eyes to see your heart shining through, and it's a warm heart, to boot. I think Hattie has made the perfect choice"Chloe felt as if she'd just gotten a telephone hug.”

“And if you ever - and I do mean ever - try to leave me, I’m goin’ with you.”

“Falling in love doesn't always lead to heartbreak, honey. With the right man, it can be a one-way ticket to paradise.”

“Bad things happen, Mathew. We can't see them coming, and there's often nothing we can do to prevent them. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't all live life to its fullest.”

“We are like guests on this Earth, either we get to be nice or we get to be bad”

“Mother's Eden: Does your Matthew... Well, does he make you feel as if he just handed you a handful of Stars?Eden: He make me feel as if he handed me the moon as well, Mama. Maybe the whole universe.”

“A ghost from her past, part of a world to which she no longer belonged but had never stopped missing.”

“Annie giggled again. She couldn’t seem to stop herself. And when she did, the most incredible thing happened. Alex’s grin vanished, and after gazing down at her for what seemed to her several endless seconds, he got tears in his eyes. “Thank you,” he said. Only that, just a simple “thank you.” But to Annie, those were the two most wonderful words she’d ever seen spoken, and they meant more to her than a thousand others might have. With them, he told her a wealth of things, namely that he had meant everything he’d said to her in the attic, that he not only wouldn’t punish her for making noise, but that he wanted her to.”

“Do you think courage means being fearless? Or daring? Courage, real courage, is taking three steps when it terrifies you.”

“I strike fear into you because I am a man?""It isn't funny.""I do not laugh. It is a sad thing, yes, that your husband is a man. A very terrible thing.”