Real life, with its greatest hurts and grandest dreams, is the basis of Circle of Friends, Just Off Main, a deeply engaging fiction series for real women of all walks, heartily written by actress Jennifer O'Neill. Book two, A Winter of Wonders, reveals even more of the dynamics between at-odds sisters Lauren and Irene, the troublesome budding romance between Irene's teenage daughter and basketball star Trace, the hardscrabble times of Trace's widowed mom Stephanie, and life after breast cancer surgery for Stephanie's prayer group friend Eleanor. In this wintry season of the faith journey, there are moments of coldness as well as merciful warmth. While some characters wonder what drama could possibly unfold next, others marvel at the wonders of God's grace.