Denim and Diamonds by Debbie Macomber (1997, Paperback, Reissue)

I love Debbie Macomber books and this one is no exception. This one is a story about a woman who leaves her hometown to follow her dreams. She quickly learns that it's earier said than done. After three years in L.A. she finds herself pregnant. She doesn't marry the father but instead finds out from the doctors that she has a hole in her heart.
Now she, Letty, returns home to her brother and former boyfriend. Letty hopes to forge a relationship with her daughter and brother. This way if something happens to her, at least her daughter has someone she can turn too. Letty prolongs telling her brother and Chase, her former boyfriend about her heart until one day she passes out working in the garden. The doctor tells her that she can no longer put off the surgery. She finally tells her brother and Chase. Chase, who still has feelings for her asks her to marry him. She agrees and she has the surgery, everything turns out okay with the operation. Now, her marriage is suffering. Chase refuses to make love to her for fear he will hurt her. After many weeks of trying to get him to finally make her his bride, she suceeds. He still has fears. He fears that she will run away back to L.A. again, as she did in the past. Letty has to convince him that she is here to stay. In the end she does exactly that.
It is a wonderful story about the feelings that one can have when they know that they could lose the one person in the world that means so much to you. I loved this story with all the fears and doubts that it entells. I also think that if you read this one before you read Wyoming kid, they both make more sense.
I can relate to this story because three years ago my husband donated a kidney to his sister. I am telling you that was the longest day of my life. They wouldn't let me see him. I spent 21 hours in the hospital and only saw my husband maybe 5 times all day. When they did let me see him, it was for only 5 minutes at a time. He was so bruised and horrible looking, I had to control myself and not cry in front of him. It is so hard to see the one you love looking like that on a table in front of you, not knowing if they will live or die.
Luckily he and his sister made it out of there just fine. They are both healthy now. This story brought tears to my eyes when I thought of that experience in my life. I never want to go through anything like that again. I am very glad that he was able to save her life but he means so much more to me than she ever will.
If you ever get the opportunity to read this story, please take it. It really moved me and I'm sure it will do the same for you.