Category: giveaway

18 Wheels of Science Fiction: A Long Haul into the Fantastic Genre: Science Fiction Anthology with Stories by Eric Miller, editor, John DeChancie, Del Howison, Bond Elam, Lisa Morton, Paul Carlson, Janet Joyce Holden, Michael Bailey, Carla Robinson, Jeff Seeman, Kate Jonez, Gary Phillips, Lucio Rodriguez, Terry Bisson, Eric Miller, Edward M. Erdelac, Michael Paul Gonzalez, Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, Sean Patrick Traver

“…Definitely fun.” –Analog Science Fiction and Fact Take a trip through the imaginations of 18 visionary writers as they explore the future of trucking in this new science fiction anthology! There’s something for every genre fiction fan in this follow-up to the hit “18 wheels of Horror – a Trailer Full of Trucking Terrors.” From the back cover: An alien fuel additive shows just how fast a big rig can go… A disembodied driver wages war on self-driving trucks… A haul through time takes an unexpected turn… Reality shatters for a trucker using an experimental delivery device… Stargazing gives an overweight driver a new lease on life… A young girl risks her life to hitch a ride out of an apocalyptic wasteland… The highways of the universe will never be the same! THE WRECKERS by JOHN DECHANCIE “The Wreckers” is a continuation of DeChancie’s highly popular “Skyways” trucking Science Fiction novel series, in which legendary driver Jake McGraw (now an AI) and his son Sammy find new adventures on the mysterious skyway between worlds. SPEED TRAP by JEFF SEEMAN In “Speed Trap,” a chicken hauler’s misfit co-driver buys an exotic alien fuel additive at a truck stop, and the two find out just how fast their Big Rig will go. THIN ICE by BOND ELAM In “Thin Ice,” A trucker running mineral ore on an ice planet gets caught in a rebellion, and learns a terrible secret about her past that affects not only hers and her beloved daughter’s lives, but threatens humanity itself. Q-BITS by LUCIO RODRIGUEZ A trucker’s reality fractures in “Q-Bits” due to an experimental quantum delivery device, and has to make a choice that could re-unite him with his son, or take him to a unknown future. I, TRUCK by GARY PHILLIPS “I, Truck” features an unemployed trucker who signs up for an experimental driving program, but a cyber-attack by hackers turns him into an revenge-fueled ghost in the machine. OVER FLAT MOUNTAIN by TERRY BISSON In the classic SF story “Over Flat Mountain,” which appeared in OMNI Magazine, a trucker helps out a young hitchhiker as they travel over the miles-high mountain that an apocalyptic seismic event has thrust through the heart of America. WHEELS OF WRATH by JANET JOYCE HOLDEN In “Wheels of Wrath,” a breakdown stops the massive train carrying hundreds of trucks through the blasted wasteland of middle America, and a group of drivers discover a secret that could change the world—if it doesn’t get them killed first. SHOTGUN SEAT by PAUL CARLSON In “Shotgun Seat,” a trucker and his new trainee learn to cope with the robot drivers that threaten to take over human jobs—and who also yearn for freedom. JOB NO. 34264 by LISA MORTON “Job #34264” features two truckers who travel back through time to find water for a droughtriddled future, but encounter a time paradox threatens to destroy everything they know. ESSENTIAL OILS by MICHAEL BAILEY In “Essential Oils,” a trucker hauling tankers full of essential oils deep into the Arctic tries to find out what the Canadian government is doing with the odd cargo. BIG RIG, BIG RIP by ALVARO ZINOS-AMARO The pilot of a long-haul space cargo carrier in “Big Rig, Big Rip” flies through a hidden wormhole and winds up thousands of light years from home. Scared and lost, he struggles to find a way back to his family. A FLICKER OF BRIGHT LIGHT by DEL HOWISON “A Flicker of Bright Light,” is about a young girl living in an apocalyptic wasteland, who risks her life to stow away on a truck that could carry her to freedom. HIT/RUN by EDWARD M. ERDELAC In “Hit/Run,” a trucker runs from two mysterious men who are chasing him years after he committed a hit and run accident. But things are far from what they seem… EVERYTHING LOOKS SO SMALL by CARLA ROBINSON An overweight trucker in “Everything Looks so Small” gets a new lease on life thanks to the fantastic things he sees while looking at the stars. SILENT PASSENGER by KATE JONEZ In “Silent Passenger,” a driver on her last run finds the experimental technology propelling her truck has somehow brought back a ghost from her past. INDICA ASTERION & THE WIZARD OF OZYMANIDAS by SEAN PATRICK TRAVER In “Indica Asterion & The Wizard of Ozymandias,” a trucker falls afoul of a government agent when he tries to smuggle contraband alien technology, and his fugitive sister in-law works to save him with a seemingly magical interdimensional artifact. HUMAN, TRAFFICKING by MICHAEL PAUL GONZALES “Human, Trafficking” is about a trucker who signs his life—and body-—away when he goes to work for a high-tech autonomous trucking company. DRIVE by ERIC MILLER “Drive” follows the Greatest Driver Alive as he takes a tanker full of volatile rocket fuel through gang-war torn Los Angeles, and nothing, not bullets, bombs, or bad luck, will stop him from delivering his incendiary cargo. Add to Goodreads Amazon * B&N * Kobo

**scroll through the slideshow to find out more about the authors!!**https://albumizr.com/a/eB3x

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive content and a giveaway!a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Double D Ranch A Fortuna, Texas Novel Book 1 by Rochelle Bradley Genre: Romantic Comedy

Longhorns and lingerie… Much to the chagrin of foreman Josiah, Jessie Davidson wants a romance reduction. But the Double D Ranch hides a secret. Since inheriting the property, Jessie kept her grandmother’s hoard concealed, but now she’s found the courage to purge the unwanted items: steamy novels, thousands of them. Romance has to go! Donating the books is a good thing, right? Not when coupled with a dare. The dare spirals out of control. The ante is upped when caches of the spicy books, left in barber shops, pool halls, and pubs, challenge others to join the fad. A perverted prankster runs amok playing on the town’s fantasies. Book clubs are formed. Plots acted out. In a town saturated with romance, Jessie finds her love life underdeveloped. Keep Jessie safe. It’s the promise Josiah Barnes made to Jessie’s dying grandmother. He aims to honor it, even if it means protecting Jessie from himself. Failing her in the past has him on high alert when the Double D becomes ground zero for the arousal avalanche sweeping the town. As a full-support, silent partner, Josiah will do anything to augment the Double D. But when Jessie starts selling handmade lingerie, keeping his hands to himself is easier said than done… Will she shelve happily ever after like a rejected novel, or open her heart and start a new chapter? Goodreads * Amazon

Plumb Twisted A Fortuna, Texas Novel Book 2

Karaoke and Kidnapping… Piper McCracken needs a fresh start. Her father’s death, a failed engagement, and her ex-fiancé-turned-stalker prompt her to make a bold leap . . . from the Windy City to Fortuna, Texas. Piper feels ready to take on small town life—that is, until she’s erroneously proclaimed a shy cowboy’s mail-order bride. Hired as a personal assistant to Jessie Barnes, Piper becomes much more: friend, beta tester, and . . . intimate apparel model? With a three-legged cat, fake news, drunken karaoke, romance novel obsessed men, a cocky old lady, and a perverted town prankster, Piper finds Fortuna plumb twisted. All Cole Dart really needs is his family and job working at the Big Deal ranch. After surviving cancer, his life is like a pair of broken-in boots. Comfortable. He doesn’t want the complication of a relationship now. Or ever. But when Piper’s stalker catches up to her, Cole’s protective instincts kick into high gear and he’s determined to step between her and danger, no matter the cost. When a tornado rips through town, Cole’s home is strewn across the county, can Piper help him pick up the pieces and find happily ever after or will the stalker tear them apart forever? Goodreads * Amazon

More Than a Fantasy A Fortuna, Texas Novel Book 3

Book 3 in the Fortuna, Texas series. One night changed everything… Finally content single, second grade teacher Kelly Greene doesn’t need a man screwing up her life, even a sexy cop like Ben. All she needs is her rechargeable double A batteries. Operation: Win Kelly. For Officer Ben Moore repairing a creepy Victorian house, a workplace dalliance, and camping au naturel are beyond his comfort zone. Ben schemes to bring Kelly’s fantasies alive, but in Fortuna, Texas, where men read romance and cosplay is second nature, it’s hard to keep their rendezvous hidden from gossipmongers and, more importantly, her match- making momma. When danger threatens Fortuna Elementary, Ben is assigned a case that keeps thrusting them together, Kelly has a helluva time ignoring her heart—let alone her girly bits. Ben holds the key to the handcuffs but Kelly must decide if he also holds the key to her heart. Goodreads * Amazon

Municipal Liaisons A Fortuna, Texas Novel Book 4

Book 4 in the romantic comedy Fortuna, Texas series. She aspired to renew the town; he desired to revive her love life… Who’d have thought Michaela Arschfick would like Texas? Particularly some Podunk town with the mighty Fire Ant as its mascot. But from first glance, Fortuna captivates Michaela. With most of the residents, primarily men, keeping their noses glued to the pages of romance novels, they don’t notice Fortuna needs a makeover. Michaela takes on the challenge of opening the eyes of City Hall to Fortuna’s potential. The longer she stays in the cozy town the more it feels like home, especially with the sexy, young mayor giving her VIP treatment. After his wife died in a flash flood, the mayor of Fortuna, Texas, Jasen Delay, delved into work. Two years later, he’s still wearing the placating smile, but when a vanload of unban consultants visit the town… a beauty catches his eye. Determined to keep their relationship professional, Jasen and Michaela must stymie their blossoming feelings and focus on revitalizing Fortuna’s downtown. A nosy newspaper reporter, a perverted prankster, and sightings of Jasen’s wife’s ghost have Michaela second guessing her choice to stay. Jasen will do anything to keep Michaela in town. Fortuna needs her but, more importantly, Jasen needs her. With Jasen’s help, can Michaela wade through small town bureaucracy, solve the mystery of the canyon ghost, and learn to trust to her heart? Goodreads * AmazonBook Trailerhttps://youtu.be/Tbvv0H9bGUA

Rochelle puts an artistic spin on everything she does but there are two things she fails at miserably: 1. Cooking (seriously, she can burn water) 2. Sewing (buttons immediately fall back off) She loves baking and makes a mean BTS (Better than Sex) cake. When in observation mode she is quiet, however, her mouth is usually open with an encouraging glass-is-half- full pun or, quite possibly, her foot. She is a Bearcat, a Buckeye, an interior decorator, and fluent in sarcasm. In 2008, when her youngest entered Kindergarten, she decided to get the stories out of her head. Midway through her first novel, hurricane Ike (yes, a hurricane in Ohio) rendered the laptop useless with a nine-day power outage. She didn’t give up, but continued to pursue her dream. Every November Rochelle takes on the challenge of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo.org) where she endeavors to write 50,000 words in thirty days. You can often hear her cheering the Dayton area Wrimos (those who join her in this crazy pursuit). Rochelle shares her home with a big black cat, an itty-bitty orange tiger kitty, her daughter, her son, and her Prince. She loves to connect with readers. You can find her on Facebook (search for Author Rochelle Bradley), Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Visit Rochelle’s website to sign up for her newsletter to keep up to date about future novels and book signings (RochelleBradley.com). Website * Facebook * Facebook Group * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

“You ready?” Jessie hesitated, embarrassed about the collection Grandma left. She led B.J.
up the hardwood stairs to the second floor. The scent of his musky cologne preceded him.
B.J. smirked. “Born that way.”
“I doubt it.” Her hand gripped the metal doorknob. When she’d inherited the Double D Ranch
from her grandparents, the cache in the upstairs bedroom came as a complete shock. She took
a deep breath and closed her eyes, steeling herself for his reaction. The area behind the door
once housed Grandma’s sewing room but now…
The mess was as awe-inspiring as it was overwhelming, which had been why she enlisted the
help of the reluctantly altruistic B.J.
“Well?” he grunted, crossing his arms as he waited. A hard worker, the thirty-two-year-old
man had caught her eye a year ago with a smile that lit his face. The smile disappeared,
however, when his wife left him for another man. Now the handsome man scowled as a hobby.
Her hesitant fingers tightened around the smooth knob, slowly her wrist shifted, and the latch
popped. The door opened a crack. “You ready?” she repeated, taking another deep breath.
He shifted his feet with impatience. “Already said I was.”
Words could do little to describe the mess or the enormity of it. It wasn’t the worst thing she’d
ever encountered but Jessie found it embarrassing, nonetheless.
She could’ve had a cleaning party with her best friends, Kelly and Mona, but they’d heckle her
to hell and back with what they’d find, plus the whole town would find out in no time. She didn’t
want her grandma’s neurotic obsession, the Davidson version of the skeleton in the closet, to
become known.
Then there was Josiah. He’d keep the secret. But being confined with the cowboy made it
hard for Jessie to breathe. Her father trusted B.J. and laboring beside a stranger would be
easier than dealing with the funny feelings bumping elbows with Josiah caused.
No, B.J. was her only option.
She swallowed then pushed the door open. The hinges creaked, filling the silence.
B.J. blinked twice. “What the hell?”
Books–thousands and thousands of paperback books, all romance novels–were stacked in
neat rows from floor to ceiling. The bedroom was full save for a three by three space on the
floor. It was a dark closet with book wallpaper. To say her grandmother had loved to read was
an understatement.
B.J. pushed on the stacks a few times but nothing moved, it was solid. He whistled low.
The confounded man stood with hands on hips staring at the twelve-foot ceiling line. “How am
I going to reach the top?”
“I planned ahead, knowing you weren’t ten feet high.” Jessie retrieved a four-foot step stool
from behind the door. She unfolded it and he climbed up. In the hallway, a stack of plastic
storage totes waited to be filled. She retrieved one and placed it next to the base of the ladder.
Many of the books had worn spines and dog-eared pages. Memories of Grandma flitted to
mind. When Jessie was in elementary school she’d climbed into her grandma’s warm lap and
asked, “Why do you read them?”
Grandma’s eyes had crinkled as she smiled. “Love, child. They are filled with love. Everyone
wants to live happily ever after. Someday, Jessie, you’ll find it too.” She’d tweaked Jessie’s nose
then tickled her.
“Hey, Jessie,” B.J. spoke, startling her. He glanced down from the ladder. “You’re gonna need
more tubs. What the hell kind of books are these, anyway?” He stared at the cover of a scantily
clad woman leaning against a bare chested man in leather pants. “Werewolves in Heat?”
“Grandma had a thing for romance novels.” Jessie shrugged, feeling her face heat.
“Honey, it was more than a thing. She hoarded the damn books.”
B.J. was right. One stack near the wall held one hundred and forty books. Some stacks had
thinner books, equaling more
Jessie was grateful for the longhorn cattle ranch her grandparents left her, even if it hid her
grandmother’s secret. Her grandparents each died within a year and her breath hitched thinking
about them. Josiah had worked for her grandpa Don but stayed on as foreman when she
inherited.
As if on cue, Josiah’s sun-kissed face peeked around the corner. The dusty tip of his boot and
a stray piece of hay sent her mind reeling to the night he’d found her crying in the hayloft. The
memory of his lips on her neck sent a shiver down her spine.

He pointed to B.J. who reached for more books, and mouthed, “You okay?”
Her heart tripped when she gazed into his curious eyes framed with a brow etched with
concern. She gave a thumbs up then waved him off, slightly annoyed yet comforted he was
checking on her.

Amazon GC 20 and a wire wrapped pendant Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Forsaken by Luna Black Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Mason and Lilly came from two different worlds, and their union resulted in their deaths… but not before they brought their baby girl into the world. Now, their daughter, Jocelynn, must learn to survive in a world that sees her as an abomination. Will she ever find her place in the world, or is she destined to remain an outcast? Add to Goodreads * Buy Link

“I started writing when I was in elementary school. I struggled for the most part due to my dyslexia, and people often told me that I would never be a good writer. They told me to give up, but I refused. I gave it everything I had. At one point, I won a young author’s award, and I continued writing as I got older. I recently had three short stories published and a fourth accepted for an anthology scheduled for release on March 1st. My biggest goal with my writing is that others might resonate with my characters and that my stories might empower them in some way and give them the courage to keep going, even when life gets them down. While not all stories have happy endings or see the characters take a positive path, they do typically follow the theme of acceptance — acceptance of who you are as a person and who you want to be — and the moment where one decides to stand up for themselves.” Facebook * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

ebook and amazon gift card (25) Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adventures of Death, Reincarnation and Annihilation by Francis H. Powell Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Scifi Short Stories

What if the human race was considered irrelevant and then each being was just uploaded then locked away on hard drives called “brain pods” ? What if a sub species was to come into fruition, then the human race turned on it, hunted it down before trying to annihilate it? Imagine you found out you were an ancient soul, who is reunited with another being from your former life? Set in different times in a variety of settings and time periods, the past, the present and the future, the book explores the inevitable unknown that lies before us all “death”. Death can arrive in a multitude of forms. Each part of the book explores different themes. There are characters who following their demises have to face up to their lurid pasts. There are some who face annihilation and others who are in a crazy pursuit of world destruction. We are living in an age in which it appears that the doomsday clock is ticking ever faster, as we teeter over the edge of world destruction. The book aims to contain some ironic twists. Even as young children we build up nightmare visions of what death involves. The reader is often left to distinguish between what is real and what is not, as stories reside within stories and the storytellers can never be fully trusted. Not all the book is doom and gloom, there are Elsa Grun’s bizarre encounters with men and Shellys’ hapless husband Arnie. From secluded beach houses, to obscure motels, to visions of heaven, which takes the form of the Hotel Paradiso, to the world of the future death is always a wild adventure. Add to GoodreadsAmazon * B&N

Born in 1961, in Reading, England Francis H Powell attended Art Schools, receiving a degree in painting and an MA in printmaking. In 1995, Powell moved to Austria, teaching English as a foreign language while pursuing his varied artistic interests adding music and writing. He currently lives in Brittany, France writing both prose and poetry. Powell has published short stories in the magazine, “Rat Mort” and other works on the internet site “Multi-dimensions.” His two published books are Flight of Destiny and Adventures of Death, Reincarnation and Annihilation Website * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

THE MASTER’S HOUSE
Part one

The strange goings on in the life of Amos Toft.
We had found her face down on the sand, as the tide closed in. The moon shed silvery light
and there was a soft gentle off shore breeze that glanced our faces. We’d run out of our house, having
seen torch light. They had left as quickly as they had arrived. There were sounds of horses, leaving at
speed, shadowy figures, hooded, dressed like soldiers, soon fading into the horizon. We presumed she
was dead and were relieved when she spluttered and coughed and fought for breath.
“Let’s get her inside” my wife said urgently. She was totally naked and had no possessions.
“Are you all right?” I demanded. She did not respond. I repeated myself again, there was just the
sound of her heavy labored breathing.
“She appears in terrible shock” my wife said, as we helped her up. We draped one of her arms over
my wife’s shoulders while I propped the other. We struggled along the sand and then headed towards
our small house, which looked over the large bay.
“What’s your name?” I asked, expecting by now she was in some kind of condition to speak. Again no
response, her eyes were fixed on the ground, she made no attempt to speak.
We got her back to the house and sat her down on a couch.
What had happened? Why had she been left naked on the sand, as the tide came in?
What was going through her mind? My wife got a towel and offered it to her to clean her and cover
her naked body.
“She will have to stay the night, it is late, at least she will be safe here,” my wife said before searching
for some clothes. I hardly dared not look at her. She was evidently young, very beautiful, with long
flaxen hair that cascaded down her back.
“Water” I asked, “do you want some water?” Again there was no response, she did not
even look at the glass of water, her eyes never veering away from the ground, as if she was locked in a
trance. My wife returned holding a white night dress. It was far from a perfect fit, the woman was far
taller and a different shape from my wife.

“Put it on” said my wife, holding out the night dress. The woman took it slowly and slipped it on. I
explained to my wife that I had tried to offer water; my wife suggested perhaps she was hungry. My
wife said softly “Food, do you want food?” There was again no reply to this latest offer.
“Perhaps she has had an accident” said my wife with a sigh, “perhaps she just wants to sleep, she has
been traveling possibly on a tiring journey.”
“What naked!” I said dubiously.
“Yes that is a bit unusual” agreed my wife, adding, “and those men on horses holding torches, who
were they?”
“I have no idea,” I replied, “but to leave a naked woman on an empty beach, is not normal!”
My wife turned to the young woman, with a face of desperation in search of some kind of response.
“Can you explain, who you are, what you are doing here, who those men were?”
I added, some words of comfort “you are safe here with us, we won’t hurt you.”
The young girl was doubled up on the couch, her arms tightly holding her legs, posing as if she was
protecting herself.
Her head did not even turn in either the direction of my wife or me. Was she deaf or mute? Or perhaps
she came from foreign lands.
My wife realizing our efforts to aid the girl were fruitless said,
“I suggest we leave her and let her sleep, perhaps in the morning she will be ready to speak.”
My wife got some blankets and we left the young woman still in the same position, presuming at some
point she would settle down and get some sleep. I bolted the front door and blew out the candles,
leaving the room shrouded in darkness.
Both my wife and I called out a cordial “goodnight” as we went upstairs to settle down for the night.
We felt assured that the young woman would not take flight in the middle of the night.
After all we lived in such a remote place. This was our choice. We did not want too much contact with
other people. We were self-contained, in our rather insular world. We had a field at the back of the
house, where we kept a few farm animals, goats, pigs, and chickens, we grew a lot of vegetables, other
than this the sea provided for most of our needs. We rarely strayed from our home, sometimes we

would take our cart and buy things at the market of the nearest town. We had lived in this remote
house for about ten years.
It had belonged to my parents. They were relatively rich and used this house as a kind of
summer retreat. I recall spending a number of idyllic summers there, until tragedy struck when my
father never came back from a fishing trip, having been swept away into a raging sea. My mother
never recovered from this and her love for this house, turned to bitterness.

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway! a Rafflecopter giveaway

An Unexpected Kind Kind Series Book 1 by Angela K Parker Genre: Contemporary Romance

Bradley I used to think that love was for the weak. It was not something that would ever tie me down. Until I learned the truth behind my resistance. When I let down my guard, I wasn’t expecting to find love. Samantha’s voice called for my attention before I ever met her. Now my heart is in need. My heart wants her. And I will do whatever it takes to make it happen. Samantha All I ever wanted was to be loved. Until love crushed my heart into a million pieces. I built a wall tough enough that no one could ever get that close again. But Bradley isn’t just anyone. I’m not prepared for all that he is. He’s searching for something that I don’t think I can give. The more I try to deny him the harder it becomes. He’s going to tear my wall down. And I’m torn because… I wasn’t looking for love. Love found me. ***This novel contains mature content*****Only .99 cents!!**Add to GoodreadsAmazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read

A Callous Kind Kind Series Book 2

“Everyone that enters your life is there for a purpose, and if you’re lucky, you find the one that changes everything. The way you laugh. The way you think. The way you love.” –Angela K Parker Bradley Sam is my one. When I met her, I knew that she would change everything. Our love was all-consuming. I thought it was unbreakable. We were happy, content, and making plans for our future. I should’ve known better than to make plans. They always fall apart when I least expect it. Things happen beyond my control. Mistakes are made that are hard to accept, and the love that I feel falls prey to mistrust. Samantha Brad is my yellow. I’ve been comforted in the blanket of our love from the moment I let him in. It was stupid of me to think that nothing would change. I thought that if I ignored the problem, it would go away, but it didn’t. It stalked me, lurking in the distance for a chance to strike. Now everything that Brad and I have built is crumbling, and I don’t know if there is anything that I can do to stop it. **On Sale for only $1.99 Feb 19th – 29th !!**Add to GoodreadsAmazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read

A Forgiving Kind Kind Series Book 3

Bradley Learning to live with betrayal can prove to be a difficult task. Being able to trust again, can be even harder. Sam and I have both made mistakes. We’ve both been hurt by the ones we love, but we’ve never hurt each other until now. I know that nothing could ever change my feelings for her. I know that she is meant for me. What I don’t know is how to move past the deception, but I’m doing everything within my power to try. Samantha My blind participation in a daring act could possibly cost me everything. I’ve been over it countless times. I’ve asked myself, why did I let it happen? How could I be so naive? I’ve hurt Brad in the worst way and I don’t know how to fix it. A visit from an old friend does nothing to help matters. It only makes my uncertainty that much stronger, but I refuse to give up on us. I won’t let this be the end. Add to GoodreadsAmazon * Apple * B&N * Google * Kobo * Books2Read

Angela K. Parker is a country girl with a big heart. She grew up in Greeleyville, SC where she graduated from C.E. Murray High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Finance from Limestone College in Gaffney, SC. Her passions include reading, writing, music and she loves spending time with her family. When she’s not engaged in any of the above, she’s knitting or catching up on the latest movies. She’s always had a very active imagination. Now she’s putting it to good use. Website * Facebook Page * Facebook Group * Twitter * Instagram * Pinterest * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads * Newsletter * Linktree * Books2Read

Samantha

Seeing Brad brought forth a rush of mixed feelings. He said all of the right things, but I
couldn’t bring myself to forgive so easily. I know Brad. I know what he said is true, but it
doesn’t change the fact that he kept something huge from me. Two weeks and he never
mentioned it. I sympathize with why he did it, but there was another way. There is always
another way. He should’ve come to me. If he doesn’t trust me with his judgment, then what will
we become?
I nearly shattered when he left, but I couldn’t be around him and think straight at the same
time. I needed him gone so that I could process my thoughts.
Minutes later, I sit on the edge of the bed, pick up the note that he left, and read it.
“When you’re ready, I’ll be here. For as long as it takes. Aspen Hotel.”
I run my fingers across the small piece of paper. Brad hasn’t lost his touch with words. I
look up when I hear a soft knock on my room door. I ignore it, hoping that they will go away.
The knock sounds again.
“Grace. It’s me. Lacy. Can I come in?”
I want to sulk, and cry, and wallow in my own self-pity. I want to force out tears that I’ve
been holding back. I don’t want to talk, but it may be just the thing that I need.
I sigh. “Come in.”
Lacy peeks her head around the door. She comes in and closes it behind her when I nod.
She walks over and sits next to me.
“I saw Bradley leaving. Is he coming back?” She asks.
“No. He rented a room at the Aspen.”
“Oh. I see.”
I turn to meet her concerned eyes. She wants to know why my eyes aren’t smiling.
“Something is clearly on your mind. Would you like to talk about it?” She asks.
I contemplate spilling my guts and telling her everything. Every sordid detail.
“Can I ask you a personal question Lacy?”
“Sure. Anything, Grace.”
“What would you do if Robert kept something important from you because he feared it
would break you two apart?”

Lacy gives me a strange look and straightens beside me. Her hand instinctively finds her
belly.
“Well.” She thinks. “I guess it would depend on the secret.” She pauses again. “I would
have to decide if the hurt he caused outweighed my love for him, or if it’s something that I could
move past and forgive.”
I look away and ponder over her answer. What Brad did, it hurt, but it wasn’t enough to
make me cry. I could definitely move past it, but forgiveness is not an easy thing. He of all
people should know that.
A gentle hand settles on my knee.
“Grace?” Lacy questions. “Do you still love him?”
My response is immediate and unfiltered. “I do. With all of my heart.”
“Then go to him. Talk this out. Don’t let it fester. It will only bring more doubt. Love may
not always be enough, but sometimes it is. Sometimes it’s strong enough to see you through the
bad times, the mistakes, and betrayal. Sometimes it’s enough.”
I stare at her wondering how I got so lucky. I let her words play through my mind.
Lacy continues. “I’m not telling you to forgive him.” She pats my knee once. She glances
into the bathroom and smiles. “He bought you Sunflowers for goodness sake. Have you ever
known any guy who buys sunflowers? I’m guessing it has meaning.” Her brows raise
inquisitively.
I shrug and smile sheepishly. “It’s sort of our thing,” I say.
“That has to be worth something, right?”
“Do you know how much I love you, Lacy?” I ask, changing the subject. Lacy always gives
the best advice, but I don’t know if I’m ready to confront Brad again so soon.

$10 Amazon Gift Card Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!a Rafflecopter giveaway