SECOND CHANCE FOR LOVE by Ginni Conquest is a second chance contemporary romance with just a touch of suspense. It is a quick read with an emotionally satisfying story that kept me turning the pages right up to the HEA.
Rebecca Forrester has been in a world of grey and just going through the motions of her life for the last year since the devastating car wreck that took the love of her life from her.
One night she lays down and an unexpected visitor tells her she needs to be open to change in her heart and life. She wakes with a new determination and willingness to accept change and moves to the vacation town of her youth to open her own bakery.
James Collinson is a successful businessman and single father. He has been focused on his business and son and not looked for any type of permanent relationship since his ex-wife walked out on them ten years ago. When he notices the beautiful woman watching his fleet of fishing boats returning from sea, he is drawn to introduce himself.
Could James be the man that Rebecca was told to be open to? Is there a second chance for both to find love again?
This short book is packed with so many emotions. You feel for Rebecca and her loss, but it quickly moves on to her hope for a new life and the major changes she makes. The secondary characters are fully fleshed and add to Rebecca’s life of change. I must mention there is a wonderful pitbull written into the story. (Love my pitties!) She and James have an instant attraction, but I believe the author does a good job of slowing it down and making the pace more believable. The sex scenes are steamy, but I do not feel they are gratuitous. The added suspense in the story was well done and realistic, but I wish it had been a little more integrated throughout. It almost felt like I was reading a romance and then a romantic suspense. Overall, this is a story you will want to grab for a one sitting, satisfactory second chance contemporary romance read.
I recommend this standalone emotional romance read!
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About the Author
Born in New Jersey, Ginni Conquest found her love of writing romance two years ago. With a bit of intrigue, scandal, conflict and love, Ginni loves creating these sweet and sexy stories with hotness added in. “I love my characters,” says Ms. Conquest, “and I am so happy when my readers embrace them as well. Like all of us, my heroines and heroes are struggling to cope with life challenges, character flaws, past experiences, painful memories and all the other aspects of life that can make happiness seem elusive.”
Ms. Conquest is a clever storyteller who delivers. Her character development, intrigue and scenes of unbridled passion keep the reader wanting more and hoping for that happy ending that is sealed with a kiss. The passion and courtship with enchanting storytelling is ever-present. Readers can be assured that they will have to read to the final pages to find out exactly how the romance will end…or begin.
For 2021, Ginni will be at TNT/NYC, Romanticon, Lay All Your Books on Me and Books by the Bridge
It is my turn to share my Feature Post and Book Review on the Blog Tour for Terri Blackstock’s new Christian contemporary second chance romance SMOKE SCREEN. Realistic characters with a mystery subplot made this an entertaining and intriguing read.
Below you will find a book synopsis, an excerpt from the book, my book review and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
***
Book Synopsis
One father was murdered, and another convicted of his death. All because their children fell in love.
Nate Beckett has spent his life fighting wildfires instead of the lies and rumors that drove him from his Colorado home town. His mother begs him to come to Carlisle now that his father has been released from prison, but it isn’t until he’s sidelined by an injury that he’s forced to return and face his past. But that means facing Brenna too.
Fourteen years ago, Nate was in love with the preacher’s daughter. When Pastor Strickland discovered Brenna had defied him to sneak out with Nate, the fight between Strickland and Nate’s drunken dad was loud—and very public. Strickland was found murdered later that night, and everyone accused Roy Beckett. When the church burned down, people assumed it was Nate getting even for his father’s conviction. He let the rumors fly and left Carlisle without looking back.
Now, Brenna is stunned to learn that the man convicted of murdering her father has been pardoned. The events of that night set her life on a bad course, and she’s dealing with a brutal custody battle with her ex and his new wife where he’s using lies and his family’s money to sway the judge. She’s barely hanging on, and she’s turned to alcohol to cope. Shame and fear consume her.
As they deal with the present—including new information about that fateful night and a wildfire that’s threatening their town—their past keeps igniting. Nate is the steady force Brenna has so desperately needed. But she’ll have to learn to trust him again first.
***
Excerpt
I woke up in a blinding bright room, my clothes off and something clamped to my face. I tried to reach it, but I couldn’t bend my right arm, and my hand stung. An IV was taped to my other hand, but I moved carefully and touched the thing over my face.
An oxygen mask. I tried to sit up. “What happened?”
T-bird came to my bedside, a sheen of smoky sweat still soiling his face. “Nate, lie back, man.”
“The fire,” I said. “Need to get back. My men.”
“They’re still there. Making progress. But you’re not going anywhere near a fire for a month or so.”
I took the mask off and coughed a little, but managed to catch my breath. “A month?”
“Yep. Second degree burns on 20 percent of your body. Some of the burns are deep.”
It came back to me, the event that had gotten me here.
“The family. Were they injured?”
“Not a scratch or burn. Turns out it was a U.S. Senator from Kansas. He says you’re a hero.”
“You know I had no choice. They were in the path—”
“Take the praise where you can get it, man. We don’t get that much.”
I looked at my right side. My right arm was bandaged, and so was my side and down my right leg to the point where my boots had stopped the flames. Second degree wasn’t so bad, I told myself. Third degree would have been brutal. I’d be able to leave the hospital soon. I’d heal.
“I won’t need a month,” I said.
“Yes, you will. They can’t let you go back. Doctor’s orders. You’re grounded until he releases you.”
I managed to sit up, but it was a bad idea. The burns pulling on my skin reminded me why I shouldn’t. “I can’t be grounded during fire season. Are you crazy? I need to be there. You don’t have enough men as it is.”
“Sorry, Nate. It is what it is. Why don’t you go home to Carlisle for a while? Take it easy.”
Go home? Pop had just been pardoned, and he and my mom were trying to navigate the reunion. Though she would love to have me home, I didn’t know if I was up to it. My father could be challenging, and fourteen years of prison hadn’t done him any favors.
SMOKE SCREEN by Terri Blackstock is her new standalone Christian second chance romance. This is an entertaining and intriguing easy-to-read romance with realistic characters and a mystery subplot.
Fourteen years ago, while in high school, Brenna Strickland, the pastor’s daughter and Nate Beckett, the son of the town drunk fell in love. When Brenna was found to be defying her father and sneaking out to meet Nate, Pastor Strickland confronted Nate’s father in the local bar. It was very loud and very public. The pastor was later found killed in this car and Nate’s father was accused and sent to prison. When the church burned down, not long after, Nate was rumored to have set it because he left town the next day, but he was never charged.
Nate has spent his life as a hotshot fighting wildfires. After being burned while rescuing a family from a wildfire, Nate is put on leave just as his father is coming home after being pardoned by the governor. His mother asks him to come home and he decides to return to face his father and his past.
Brenna is now divorced with two children and living across the street from Nate’s brother. Brenna is in the middle of a brutal custody battle and has lost her faith. She uses alcohol to cope when her children are with their father and his new wife. She is shocked to learn of Nate’s father’s pardon and does not know what to do with her feelings of guilt and anger.
Nate reconnects with Brenna and they easily fall back into their old feelings. Nate wants to help Brenna get over her need for alcohol, fight for her children and find her faith again. When new information on the pastor’s murder surfaces and an arsonist sets wildfires that threaten their town, Nate and Brenna must rely on each other, fight for the truth and be willing to believe in a future together.
I loved Nate and how he turned his life around. He is definitely BBF material and his life as a hotshot was interesting. I felt terrible and frustrated with Brenna. She was a great mother, but her alcohol abuse, while realistic, left me so frustrated. She was giving up and not fighting for her children until Nate showed her how. I was also not aware of the author’s previous books and that this book was a Christian romance, which I would not have read if I had known and I would have missed out on a good story.
The mystery from the past of the pastor’s murder and the church arson where both written and integrated well into the story and tied to the present day wildfire and Brenna’s custody battle. The solution was easy to figure out, but still satisfying.
Overall, I recommend this second chance romance.
***
Author’s Bio
Terri Blackstock has sold over seven million books worldwide and is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author. She is the award-winning author of Intervention, Vicious Cycle, and Downfall, as well as such series as Cape Refuge, Newpointe 911, the SunCoast Chronicles, and the Restoration Series.
NOTORIOUS IN A KILT (Hot Scots #5) by Anna Durand is a
smokin’ hot contemporary second chance romance. This entire series of sexy
Scottish brothers and cousins is easy to read and entertaining. Each book can
be read as a standalone although it was fun to read them in order and watch how
each meets their perfect American mate.
Rae Everhart fell in love with her college professor. With
only one month to go before graduation, they could not wait. They were both
adults and only had one night of passion before the jealousy of others tore
them apart. Her lover disappeared leaving Rae with so many unanswered questions
and a daughter to raise alone.
Iain MacTaggart thought he was saving Rae by leaving her. He
knows nothing about his daughter and has quite the reputation since returning
to his home in Scotland. Since he can’t have the one woman he loves, he sleeps
with many others. He never promises them anything except a good time.
Thirteen years later on Rae’s sheep ranch in Texas, Iain
comes marching back into Rae’s life. He
is willing to do anything to win her trust back, but he still has secrets that
could break them apart once again. Can Rae trust Iain with not only her heart,
but her daughter’s heart also?
This is the book I have been waiting for! Iain was a
secondary character in other books in this series and I always wanted to know why
at fifty he was still not settled. You knew there were secrets and this book
tells all. Both Rae and Iain suffered and yet rebuilt their lives as best they
could. They had to be together though in the end for this HEA to satisfy. Iain
is extremely hot and Rae is the perfect strong and resilient heroine. Beside
the reignited romance, you also get blackmail, misunderstandings and a bumpy
road to happiness. The sex in this book is explicit and hot as in this whole
series.
I really enjoyed this story and was very happy to finally
find out more about Iain. This is a great second chance romance and one of my
favorite in this series to date.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
Below is the Feature Post for Adriana Locke’s new book TUMBLE (Dogwood Lane #1). This is the start of a new contemporary romance series set in the small town of Dogwood Lane, TN. Also included in this post is a message from the title’s hero, an excerpt, my book review, the author’s info and social media and a Rafflecopter giveaway for you.
This first book in the series is a second chance romance and also introduces several secondary characters that I am looking forward to reading about in their own books in the future. Good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway and enjoy!
***
Guest
Post: Spend a Morning with Dane Madden, The Hero of TUMBLE
I looked in the mirror this morning to shave. As I lifted the razor to my cheek, I saw a little scar that sits just to the side of my right eye. It’s not something most people would ever notice. Hell, I don’t notice it every day. But the light caught it just right and suddenly it was all I could see.
I’m Dane Madden, the carpenter, not Dane Madden the philosopher, so why I stood there for a good five minutes remembering the night I got that scar is beyond me. But I did. I thought about how the barbed wire caught my skin and ripped the flesh and how Neely Kimber’s face filled with so much concern I was kind of glad I was bleeding.
She and I were inseparable back then. From the moment she opened the door and our eyes locked, there was a bond between us that grew stronger. We went from finding ways to bump into each other, to hanging out with a group of friends, to dating in the sincerest way. She wasn’t just a girl. Neely wasn’t a pretty face I wanted on my arm, or in my bed as things evolved, like many of the guys I knew back then labeled their girlfriends. She was more than that to me—my best friend. My confidant when things with Dad went sour. My trusty right hand that bailed my ass out of more trouble than I was worth.
The night my eye was cut, she remembered to go back and get my hat so it wouldn’t be found the next day. Had she not done picked up the evidence, the farmer whose cows my friends and I had been trying to tip (terrible idea, if you’re wondering) would’ve been able to track the mess in his field to me and my friends.
Dogwood Lane is a small town. Word gets around easy enough without trying. Then there was the night my brother Matt, our friend Penn, and I went corning around Halloween. That’s another terrible idea, if you’re wondering, and involves throwing shucked corn at cars passing by. Let’s just say a certain driver in an oversized pick-up truck didn’t appreciate the sentiment. After being chased on foot to the outskirts of town, we had to hide in a chicken coop until Neely could come get us. Despite my antics, she was there. She might’ve laughed at me or pointed out how stupid we were, but she took my worst right along with my best.
Our lives were entwined by shenanigans, stories, and so much love. Damn, I loved her. I didn’t know where she stopped and I started. I didn’t want to know. She was the best thing in my life. She made me better. And that was the ruination of us because I couldn’t bear to think I would make her life worse.
Seeing her again after all these years lit a fire inside me that I didn’t think was possible. I haven’t felt this burn since the day I walked off her porch having broken her heart. I want to talk to her, touch her, hold her and I can’t do any of it. Even though so much of our lives were built together, our memories from the easiest time of our lives shared, we aren’t those people anymore. And it’s all my fault.
***
Tumble
Excerpt
Splat!
The sound of the hammer crushing my thumb—swung with more force
than was necessary, to boot—ricochets across the front lawn. The tool falls
from my hand, striking against the sawhorse, and flips into the soft grass with
a gentle thud.
“Son of a…!” My hand shakes, the top of my thumb threatening to
explode. I tilt my head to the sky and try to find some peace in the clouds.
I come up empty. “Matt!” I call to my younger brother. “I’m taking
ten.”
He nods from halfway up the ladder leaned against the side of the
house.
Wrapping my good hand around my thumb, I head toward my truck.
Sounds of construction ring out behind me. It’s usually music to my ears, the
lifeblood of the Madden name. But each cut of a sawblade, buzz of a power
drill, and swing of a hammer feels like a distraction this morning. I have a
throbbing thumb to show for it.
Beads of sweat cluster along my forehead. I remove my hat with my
good hand and run the back of my forearm along my brow.
“Damn it.” Everything feels sticky. Mildly irritating. And the
progress on the project that usually energizes me has failed me epically this
morning. I just don’t want to be here. Not that I have a better place to be. Quite
frankly, I have a lot of places I shouldn’t be, and with Neely, or thinking
about Neely, is one of them.
I would’ve recognized her anywhere. Same gray eyes that glimmer
like she’s about to tell you a secret. Full lips that spread into a smile so
infectious you can’t help but feel your own mouth following suit. The hint of
floral perfume, the golden hair that may as well be silk, and the aura about
her that’s just as strong as the day she left Dogwood Lane and me—it’s all the
same. It’s like time forgot to age her. She somehow has become more beautiful,
sexier, stronger.
The world hates me. I’ve postulated this for a long time, but it’s
obvious today.
The tailgate of my truck lowers. Scooping a handful of ice from
the cooler in the bed into a bandanna, I wrap it around my injured digit. The
relief lasts only a few moments.
“What are you doing down here?” Penn rests his forearms over the
side of the truck, the tattoos carved in his skin like mini masterpieces on
full display. He eyes my makeshift bandage. “What happened to you?”
“Hammer,” I groan, adjusting the ice.
“That’s interesting.”
“How you figure?”
“Never knew you to hit yourself with a hammer before. I find that
interesting.”
“If that’s interesting, you need a hobby. Or you could work like
I’m paying you to do . . .”
“I have a hobby, thank you, and you should’ve seen her last
night,” he says, smacking his lips together. “Lord Almighty, she’s a—”
“Penn.”
“Yeah?”
The tip of my finger sticks out of the bandanna. It’s bright red
and hot to the touch despite the ice packed around it. “All your escapades
really sound the same at this point.”
“Is that jealousy I hear?” He cups his hand to his ear. “I thought
so. Not my fault you’re in a dry spell.”
Leaning against the truck, I look at him. “Jealousy isn’t how I’d
describe it. But if that makes ya feel good, go for it.”
“My hobby makes me
feel good.” He moves his lips around, like he’s fighting the next words trying
to pop out. He does this when he knows he shouldn’t say something but can’t
quite convince himself not to. “From the looks of you, I’d say you’re more than
jealous. I’d say you’re . . . tempted.”
My tongue presses on the roof of my mouth. “Tempted to what?”
He leans against the truck, too, the gold St. Christopher’s medal
he’s worn since elementary school clamoring against the side. The corners of
his lips nearly touch the corners of his eyes. He knows.
“Word travels fast, huh?” I say, prodding around to see if my
guess is right.
He slow blinks. Twice.
“What?” I ask.
“That’s all you have to say about Neely being back in town? ‘Word
travels fast.’ What’s wrong with you?”
We don’t have time for that conversation.
I sigh. “What do you want me to say?”
“I’d love to have been a fly on the wall for that little run-in.”
Penn snickers. “Did you stutter around like I imagine? Or did you not manage to
say an entire sentence?”
Working my jaw back and forth, I point a finger his way. “You
better stop while you’re ahead.”
He reads me correctly, and his animation drops a notch. “Really, though.
How’d it go? But before you answer that, let me toss out there that I heard
sparks were flying all over the diner so hot Claire had to call the fire
department.”
I shake my head. “Shut up.”
“Just telling you what I heard.”
“The firemen were there to order food, you idiot.”
He thinks he’s onto something. There’s a glee in his face that
means only one thing: it’s going to be a long day around here.
“So, what happened?” he asks, resting his arms over the truck bed.
“You know, sometimes I think you should’ve been a girl with all
the gossiping you do.”
“This isn’t gossip,” he contends. “This is Neely-freaking-Kimber,
man. Every memory I have of my entire adolescence has her in it. She bailed me
out of jail when I was too scared to call my dad and you and Matt were passed
out on moonshine. Remember that?”
My chuckle is so hard, it causes my thumb to throb. “I forgot
about that. She was pissed.”
“Neely came through, though. God, I miss her.”
Those last words echo through my mind.
I have shoved her out of my head for the last few years. Took over
Dad’s business, took care of my business. Trudged forward without her because
that was the only choice I had. I hardly even think about her anymore unless
someone brings her up in conversation.
So why do I itch to crawl into the truck and hunt her down?
***
My Book Review
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
TUMBLE (Dogwood Lane #1) by Adriana Locke is a second chance
contemporary romance that is the first book in a new series set in the small
town of Dogwood Lane, TN. The hero and heroine have some issues that are still
as fresh today, 10 years later, as they were when the heroine left town for
college and then on to New York City to work in sports publishing.
Neely Kimber was on track to achieve her dream job until she
was cheated out of a promotion. She quit and returned home to Dogwood Lane and
her childhood home to lick her wounds and regroup. She is happy to be home with
her mom until she runs into the boy, now man, who broke her heart and is the
main reason she stayed away for so long.
Dane Madden knows he is the reason Neely has stayed away. He
hurt her in the worst possible way, but it gave him his daughter, Mia so he
cannot regret it. Now she is back in town and she ends up helping at the gym
were Dane’s daughter is a junior gymnast. Even though Dane knows Neely is only
home for a short time, he cannot stop himself from pursuing her and letting her
get close to Mia.
Is a career in New York City really what this small town
girl’s heart really wants? Can the past be forgiven and this couple become a
family?
I have to say that I was having some difficulty in the first
few chapters liking Neely, UNTIL I found out what Dane had done. I felt that
Ms. Locke’s handling of all the strong emotions is well written and realistic. There
is only one sex scene not behind-closed-doors and it is not overly explicit.
The secondary characters are all entertaining and I am
looking forward to reading their stories in future books in this series.
***
About the Book
Title: Tumble
Author: Adriana Locke
Release Date: February 26, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
After being burned by her dream job in New
York City, sports journalist Neely Kimber suddenly finds herself jobless and
paying a long-overdue visit to her hometown in Tennessee. Her plan? Relax,
reset, and head back up the corporate ladder. There’s just one unexpected step.
Neely’s back in Dogwood Lane for barely a day when she sees the man she ran
from nine years ago: the bad boy next door who was her first kiss, her first
love, and her first heartbreak.
Devoted single
dad Dane Madden knows he hurt Neely in the worst way. He’s got a lot to make up
for. And as passionate as their reconnection is, it’s a lot to hope for. Having
her back in his arms feels so right. But falling in love all over again with a
woman who wants to live a world away is bound to go so wrong.
What’s it going to take for Neely to give him—and Dogwood Lane—just one more chance?
***
Author Biography
USA Today bestselling
author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly
obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys dreamed up by other authors,
she decided to create her own. She is the author of Tumble, the
first novel in her Dogwood Lane series; the Exception series; the Gibson
Brothers series; and the Landry Family series.
She resides in
the Midwest with her husband, her sons, two dogs, two cats, and a bird. She
spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and
cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice, and there’s always a
piece of candy in her pocket. Besides cinnamon gummy bears, boxing, and random
quotes, her next favorite thing is chatting with readers. She’d love to hear
from you! Look for her at www.adrianalocke.com.
A SEASON TO DANCE by Rebecca Heflin is a small town contemporary second chance romance with characters that evoke all of your emotions from high to low and vivid writing that makes you believe you are dancing right along with the heroine. This story is a standalone, but I hope the author will follow the secondary characters in the future.
Olivia James has the work ethic, talent and natural abilities that few dancers are blessed with. She left small town Georgia for a meteoric career in the Joffrey Ballet. After six years as a prima ballerina she has a possible career ending Achilles injury. As she rehabs, her mother dies and she has to return home for her funeral and possibly run into the one boy she has never been able to get over even seventeen years after leaving.
Zach Ryder has risen to Chief of Police in his hometown over the past seventeen years. Even as it broke his heart, he knew Olivia was destined for greatness and would not stop her from leaving all those years ago.Now with Olivia back in town, he does not know if this beautiful woman leaves again if his heart will survive a second departure.
Living in a small town Olivia and Zach cannot help but run into each other. The sparks have never been there with anyone else over all these years. It is apparent to everyone that they still love each other, but will the past repeat itself? Will Olivia stay or go?
Olivia and Zach are wonderful main characters. Zach is mature, supportive, kind and sexy. His father and the whole town are important to him. Olivia has had an amazing career and fame, but now she has to face some life-changing decisions. The secondary plotline of Olivia’s difficulties with her mother’s decisions throughout her life and death adds to the emotional punch. I felt the author wrote this complicated mother-daughter relationship realistically and wove it seamlessly into Olivia’s decisions in regards to her future. The sex scenes are hot, but not drawn out or overly explicit.
I can highly recommend this romance. Olivia’s love of dance shines through and the dance scenes are written with a true knowledge and love of ballet by this author. I found this story very difficult to put down.
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
Hi everyone! I have a new Feature Post and Book Review for you today. Below you will find Jamie Beck’s guest piece on her heroine for her upcoming title The Memory of You, an excerpt from the book, my book review and author info. You will also find a Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post.
I hope you love this book as much as I did. I feel it is a great start to this new series. I am looking forward to Steffi’s friends stories, also. Good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Meet Steffi Lockwood the Heroine from Jamie Beck’s The Memory of You
Thank you so much for inviting me to talk about Sanctuary Sound, I’m Steffi Lockwood. I admit, it is strange to be back in my sleepy hometown after spending so much of my youth wanting to escape to something bigger and, in my mind, better. But life in Hartford didn’t live up to my dreams. I wouldn’t say I left because I got attacked, but it was a wake-up call for all the ways that life wasn’t really making me happy. One night while watching my favorite HGTV show, I got inspired to quit my construction job and return home to start my own home renovation business with my childhood friend, Claire, a designer.
While I enjoy the quiet beauty of our small coastal Connecticut town and am happy to reconnect with Claire, my dad, and my brother Ben, my homecoming isn’t all roses and sunshine. Although my mom died long ago, I can’t help but miss her when I’m at my dad’s house on Lilac Lane. I’m also dealing with some kind of brain fog, most likely from the many concussions I’ve suffered, including the last one I got when attacked. Then there’s the rift between Claire and our other dear friend, Peyton. We used to call ourselves the Lilac Lane League and were the closest of friends. I really relied on that sisterhood (having only brothers, myself). Now I’m trying to remain neutral, but that’s not easy when I have to live and work with Claire, and she’s still brokenhearted because her ex ran off with Peyton. But the biggest regret that follows me around town has to do with memories of Ryan Quinn, my high school sweetheart—the greatest guy in the world that I was dumb enough to ghost in college.
Like I mentioned, when I was younger, I thought I wanted a bigger life. I didn’t want to be like my mom, who married and died young without ever seeing anything of the world. I wanted adventure, and to get that, I had to break free from town and from Ryan. Fast- forward to now, when his mom just hired me to convert her porch to a family room. I didn’t know she needed to expand her house because Ryan’s marriage imploded and he’s just returned from Boston with his young daughter, Emmy. Let me tell you, ours was not a pleasant reunion. I did my best to apologize and be polite, but there’s only so much shaming I can take before I push back. Still, I’m not the same young girl I was back then and I’d love a chance to make amends with Ryan. His daughter is a real spitfire who makes me laugh, too.
Whatever happens with Ryan, I know I can take care of myself and make a success of this business, especially once this stuff with my memory heals. If I can also help my friends repair their relationship and win Ryan’s forgiveness, too, I’m going to try. At the very least, I can be the kind of friend to his daughter, Emmy, that his mom was to me when I needed one. Wish me luck!
***
The Memory of You Excerpt
“I do understand, Emmy. Better than you think.” Steffi took the partially folded tarp and snapped its final fold on her own, then crouched to Emmy’s eye level. “I wasn’t much older than you when my mom died. I missed her so much it felt like the whole world turned into a dark black hole. Most days I wanted to jump right through that hole and follow her to heaven. I was so angry that she left me like that, even though she couldn’t help it. But I kept all those feelings tight inside, like a ball right here.” Steffi pointed at Emmy’s stomach. “Holding all that stuff inside hurt, but it made me feel strong. It seemed better than crying, for sure. Then a girl named Claire moved in across the street. She was very sweet and sporty, and I liked her right away. I was lucky because she was patient with my moods. And at the end of our street was another girl our age, Peyton. Peyton was popular, but it turns out she was kind of lonely, too, for other reasons.
“Anyway, somehow that summer we all started spending time together. We gave ourselves a name—the Lilac Lane League—and we started a journal, because Peyton liked to write. We wrote down our dreams and the things that made us mad, and the things that made us laugh. Our crushes, first kisses, all that stuff. Little by little, that knot in my stomach unwound because my friends made me less lonely. That’s how I know the fastest way to feel better is to make a new friend.”
“You’re my new friend.” Emmy’s voice sounded small and shaky.
“I am your friend, but you also need a friend your age. I know you miss your old gang, but try to make one new friend here, too. I promise there are nice girls. I grew up here, after all, and I’m nice.” Steffi smiled and brushed some of Emmy’s curls off her face.
Ryan decided to enter the conversation now, before Emmy broke down in front of Steffi or put her in a more difficult situation. He exited through the kitchen door and crossed the partially framed porch to get to the yard. “Hey there, ladies.”
Emmy snapped her gaze at him, and he saw the panic in her eyes. His daughter’s fear of him speared his chest like a sword. He’d failed at his marriage, and his daughter was paying the highest price. He couldn’t fail her, too. He dropped to his knees and opened his arms. She flew into them in a heartbeat.
He hugged her and swayed, like he’d done when she was so much younger. Steffi quietly retrieved her toolbox and took it to her van.
“Emmy?” Ryan asked once they were alone. “I’m sorry this is such a hard time for you. I want to help you, but I don’t always have all the answers. I do know one thing, though. You can’t call people names and expect to make friends.”
She cried against his chest, each tear falling like acid raining on his heart. “Oh, sweetie, it’ll be okay. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to apologize and try to learn from it.”
“You always say that,” she muttered into his shirt.
“Because it’s the truest thing I know.” He kissed her head.
“So why can’t you and Mom apologize and make up?”
He hadn’t expected that question, although maybe he should have. “It’s not that simple.”
“You always say that, too.”
If a conversation with her took this much work at this age, he could barely imagine dealing with her in her teens. “You’re all dirty from helping Steffi. How ’bout you go inside and clean up before dinner? I need to talk to Steffi for a second. Then I’ll come in, and we can figure out how to apologize to Katie Winston.”
Emmy nodded while swiping her arm under her runny nose. “Okay.”
She wandered into the house just as Steffi came back from the van to get the rest of her personal things. He stood to speak with her. “I heard part of what you said to Emmy.”
“I know you don’t want me to speak for you, but I just—”
“It’s okay. Thank you for making her feel like she can confide in you. I should’ve listened to you the other day.” He crossed his arms and blew out a long breath. “I’m in over my head doing this on my own.”
“You’re not on your own. You’ve got your parents. But even if you were, I know you can do it. She loves you. She wants to make you happy and proud.”
He nodded, although he knew he was screwing it all up.
“Well, I’d better take off. Benny’s expecting me for another training run.”
“You guys are disciplined. I haven’t had a chance to get in a good workout in three months. Pretty soon I’m going to be too soft.” He patted his gut. Granted, he was still pretty fit. He could probably keep up with Steffi for a few miles, anyhow.
“I’m sure your mom would watch Emmy if you need to hit the gym or the mean streets of Sanctuary Sound.” She tipped her head, grinning. “My brother might even like some male company now and then. He gets sick of my singing.”
Ryan laughed. “Well, you were good at a lot of things, but singing wasn’t one of them.”
“You didn’t used to complain.” She hit his arm.
He grew quiet for a second, remembering the many times he’d listened to her terrible rendition of Lifehouse’s “You and Me” in the car or on the patio. “No, I never did mind those private concerts.”
The air between them turned sweet and thick with fond memories. Holding hands, soccer footwork challenges, the first time he’d copped a feel, and the light in her eyes when he had. The images almost made him want to take hold of her hand again; his heart beat with that hot desire like it had at seventeen.
“Dad!” Emmy called from the door, breaking the spell.
“You’d better go,” Steffi said with a wistful smile before she turned and walked back to her car.
He watched her go and waited … waited … Just before she got to her van, she peeked over her shoulder at him again, and everything seemed a little bit brighter.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE MEMORY OF YOU (Sanctuary Sound Book 1) by Jamie Beck is a second chance contemporary romance and so much more. Besides a well written romance, life is very messy around both the H/h with close friends, family and major life issues pulling them in all directions.
Stefanie Lockwood returns to her hometown of Sanctuary Sound after a brutal attack has left her with memory lapses which she brushes off as something time will heal. Steffi is a carpenter by trade and starts a company with one of her two longtime friends who is a designer. Their remodeling business is just starting to take-off, when Steffi gets a job offer from the mother of her long ago ex-boyfriend. Steffi has many regrets about how she left Ryan.
Ryan Quinn is a public defender who is not surprised when his wife leaves their marriage for a rich man, but he is extremely angry over her abandonment of their nine year old daughter, Emmy. Until the finances are settled in the divorce, Ryan moves back to his childhood home with his daughter. He is shocked and angry to find that his mother has hired Steffi to work on an addition to their home. Coming home with all of the emotions of a failed marriage and a little girl who is not accepting the changes in their lives, he is now faced with his first love who destroyed his heart.
Steffi wants a second chance with Ryan. Ryan is not sure that is possible as he protects his heart and Emmy from being hurt once again.
This romance is realistically written. It is a slow transition from anger to forgiveness. Steffi is not only dealing with her renewed feelings for Ryan, but she very much likes Emmy and understands that Ryan is trying to protect her from being hurt by Steffi because he does not yet trust her. She is also having more frequent periods of triggered amnesia episodes that could put herself and others in danger. Ryan is dealing with his renewed feelings for Steffi, but trust is a major issue. He also has to deal with his daughter’s feelings over the divorce and her wanting her parents to get back together. There is a lot going on in this book, but I feel Ms. Beck realistically handles all of the issues. All of the characters are multi-dimensional and interesting.
I am looking forward to continuing this series. Steffi’s friends have stories to be told that I cannot wait to read, also.
***
About the Book
Title: The Memory of You
Author: Jamie Beck
Release Date: October 30, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Sanctuary Sound, Book 1
Summary
Steffi Lockwood has survived more than most. Recovering from an assault, she returns to her coastal Connecticut hometown to rebuild her life the best way she knows how: with her hands. But starting a remodeling business with one longtime friend puts her in the middle of a rift with another. Worse, being hired by her ex-boyfriend’s mother forces her to confront old regrets.
Public defender Ryan Quinn wasn’t shocked when his wife left him, but he was floored when she abandoned their daughter. With his finances up in the air, the newly single dad returns to his childhood home in Sanctuary Sound. The last person he expects, or wants, to see working on his family house is Steffi Lockwood—his first love who shattered his heart.
Although Steffi and Ryan are different people now, dormant feelings rekindle. But when Steffi’s secrets begins to surface, will it bring them together…or tear them apart for good?
***
Author Biography
National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than one million copies. She’s a 2017 Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking as well as hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can learn more about her on her website, www.jamiebeck.com, which includes a fun “Extras” page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
