I Left My Heart In San Francisco

'I Left My Heart' by Debbie Macomber is a clean contemporary romance. It has two stories, 'A Friend or Two' and 'No Competition'.

In ‘A Friend or Two’, Elizabeth Wainwright grew up on the East Coast in luxury. But ever since her mother died two years ago, she has felt restless. She had been closer to her mother than either her father or her older brother. She returns from Europe to overhear a conversion between her father and his mother. She then decides to head to San Francisco. While there she makes friends and gets a job. Then a stranger walks into the café where she is working and starts paying attention to her. Who is Andrew Breed really? Secrets surround him. Can she trust him with her heart, her life, and her secrets?

I could write more about this story, but I would give away too much of the story.

In ‘No Competition’, Carrie Lockett is a painter. She paints California landscapes and excellent portraits. Carrie is very reclusive though. Her friend Elizabeth Brandon, who owns and operates Dove’s Gallery, tries to push her toward various guys. But Carrie won’t even look at any man, let alone think of dating anyone. She has a secret which she has kept from Elizabeth. She has a twin sister named Camille, who is not identical to her. When people compare the two of them, they always see Camille as the beautiful one. This has always made Carrie compare herself to her sister, which makes her feel like the plain sister of the two. And any guy she has brought home to show her family, they take one look at Camille and forget about Carrie. She has given up finding any man who would truly see her and not fall for Camille.

Shayne Reynolds is an architect and he is truly impressed by Carrie’s pictures. He has asked Elizabeth to call him whenever Carrie brings a new painting in. Shayne has tried to get Elizabeth to convince Carrie to meet him, but she continues to refuse. What is it about this woman that draws him? Clearly she wants nothing to do with him. So why does he continue to try when he should move on to another woman, one who will return his interest?

Both of these stories are great.