The Lucky Shamrock

PRAISE FOR CAROLYN BROWN Hummingbird Lane “Brown’s (The Daydream Cabin) gentle story of a woman finding strength within a tight-knit community has just a touch of romance at the end. Recommended for readers who enjoy heartwarming stories about women overcoming obstacles.” —Library Journal Miss Janie’s Girls “[A] heartfelt tale of familial love and self-acceptance.” —Publishers Weekly “Heartfelt moments and family drama collide in this saga about sisters.” —Woman’s World The Banty House “Brown throws together a colorful cast of characters to excellent effect and maximum charm in this small-town contemporary romance . . . This first-rate romance will delight readers young and old.” —Publishers Weekly The Family Journal HOLT MEDALLION FINALIST “Reading a Carolyn Brown book is like coming home again.” —Harlequin Junkie (top pick) The Empty Nesters “A delightful journey of hope and healing.” —Woman’s World “The story is full of emotion . . . and the joy of friendship and family. Carolyn Brown is known for her strong, loving characters, and this book is full of them.” —Harlequin Junkie “Carolyn Brown takes us back to small-town Texas with a story about women, friendships, love, loss, and hope for the future.” —Storeybook Reviews “Ms. Brown has fast become one of my favorite authors!” —Romance Junkies The Perfect Dress “Fans of Brown will swoon for this sweet contemporary, which skillfully pairs a shy small-town bridal shop owner and a softhearted car dealership owner . . . The expected but welcomed happily ever after for all involved will make readers of all ages sigh with satisfaction.” —Publishers Weekly “Carolyn Brown writes the best comfort-for-the-soul, heartwarming stories, and she never disappoints . . . You won’t go wrong with The Perfect Dress!” —Harlequin Junkie The Magnolia Inn “The author does a first-rate job of depicting the devastating stages of grief, provides a simple but appealing plot with a sympathetic hero and heroine and a cast of lovable supporting characters, and wraps it all up with a happily ever after to cheer for.” —Publishers Weekly “The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown is a feel-good story about friendship, fighting your demons, and finding love, and maybe just a little bit of magic.” —Harlequin Junkie “Chock-full of Carolyn Brown’s signature country charm, The Magnolia Inn is a sweet and heartwarming story of two people trying to make the most of their lives, even when they have no idea what exactly is at stake.” —Fresh Fiction Small Town Rumors “Carolyn Brown is a master at writing warm, complex characters who find their way into your heart.” —Harlequin Junkie The Sometimes Sisters “Carolyn Brown continues her streak of winning, heartfelt novels with The Sometimes Sisters, a story of estranged sisters and frustrated romance.” —All About Romance “This is an amazing feel-good story that will make you wish you were a part of this amazing family.” —Harlequin Junkie (top pick) ALSO BY CAROLYN BROWN CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES The Devine Doughnut Shop The Sandcastle Hurricane Riverbend Reunion The Bluebonnet Battle The Sunshine Club The Hope Chest Hummingbird Lane The Daydream Cabin Miss Janie’s Girls The Banty House The Family Journal The Empty Nesters The Perfect Dress The Magnolia Inn Small Town Rumors The Sometimes Sisters The Strawberry Hearts Diner The Lilac Bouquet The Barefoot Summer The Lullaby Sky The Wedding Pearls The Yellow Rose Beauty Shop The Ladies’ Room Hidden Secrets Long, Hot Texas Summer Daisies in the Canyon Trouble in Paradise CONTEMPORARY SERIES The Broken Roads Series To Trust To Commit To Believe To Dream To Hope Three Magic Words Trilogy A Forever Thing In Shining Whatever Life After Wife HISTORICAL ROMANCE The Black Swan Trilogy Pushin’ Up Daisies From Thin Air Come High Water The Drifters & Dreamers Trilogy Morning Glory Sweet Tilly Evening Star The Love’s Valley Series Choices Absolution Chances Redemption Promises This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Otherwise, any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Text copyright © 2023 by Carolyn Brown All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher. Published by Montlake, Seattle www.apub.com Amazon, the Amazon logo, and Montlake are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc., or its affiliates. ISBN-13: 9781542038607 (paperback) ISBN-13: 9781542038614 (digital) Cover design by Leah Jacobs-Gordon Cover image: © Evrymmnt / Getty © Creative Stock Studio/Shutterstock; © Artman96/Shutterstock; © lkpro/Shutterstock; © NicholasGeraldinePhotos/Shutterstock This book is for my cousins, Keith and Cindy Harvill and Tommy and Becky Edwards Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Epilogue Dear Readers . . . About the Author Chapter One No, no, no!” Taryn slapped the steering wheel with each word. Nana Irene hadn’t said anything about bringing her two cousins, Jorja and Anna Rose, back to Shamrock for the summer. But right there, parked in front of the flower shop, were Jorja’s car, with its “Honk If You Love Jesus” bumper sticker, and Anna Rose’s truck, with its own statement to the world stuck to the back window: “Forget the Blarney Stone. Kiss a Cowboy.” Taryn jerked her phone off the dash holder in her SUV and called her grandmother. “Are you there yet?” Irene asked. “I’m here, but I’m not sure I’m even going in,” Taryn answered. Irene laughed. “Suck it up, buttercup. You’ll be so busy that you’ll be glad for their help. I’ve put Clinton McEntire on the payroll as a full-time employee, too. It’ll take all four of you to keep up with the weddings and funerals this summer, on top of the small jobs.” “Can I live in the upstairs apartment?” Taryn asked. “Nope, I gave that space to Clinton last