KENNA SLOANE is running for her life. It’s the day after her eighteenth birthday and she’s escaping from the oppression and pain at the cruel hands of her stepfather and controlling mother.
An independent old soul, yet still innocent and inexperienced to the ways of the world, Kenna sets out on her own determined to bury her painful past while living with the family of her best friend and receiving minimal help from her elderly uncle – the only positive male influence during her childhood.
Kenna distracts herself with an occasional boy toy, whose sole purpose is to numb her of any feelings from her past, because the last thing this career-focused girl wants is a relationship. That is, until she’s set up with twenty-two-year-old Santa Monica cop DONOVAN ALEXANDER. It doesn’t help he’s built like a Roman Gladiator, awakening the sleeping butterflies she’s worked so hard to contain, but the feelings he stirs within her – that he can see straight into her injured soul, knowing what she needs from him to win her sheltered heart – terrifies, yet excites her at the same time.
The sort of damsel this modern-day knight in blue has been born to protect and serve, Donovan carefully pursues Kenna, sensing the need to tread lightly or she may shut down and run away. With each date they learn they have more in common than they thought – they are both trying to make right in the world that which they could not do within their own family.
Kenna surrenders to Donovan’s advances and their raw physical attraction is intense with unfolding sexual experimentation, but she still battles with the deepening emotional connection, afraid to submit control of her heart. Even with the revelation of Donovan’s own secrete burden, Kenna can’t level her walls to this kindred injured soul. She fears she is too broken for this perfect man and his TV-like family.
Donovan introduces Kenna to his exciting, but dangerous world as a rookie cop and she begins to fall helplessly in love with this commanding, but tender, witty man, and his supportive family, changing her beliefs about men to her core. Can Kenna release her heart to Donovan, surrendering her internal need to control, and walk with him in the healing light of unconditional true love before peril strikes?
A wonderful story of finding your knight in shinning amour.
Kenna’s childhood was abusive. As soon as she could she ran for her life. Living with her best friend, she puts up walls to protect herself. Until that is, she meets Donovan. Donovan is a gorgeous cop. Kenna feels so safe with Donovan, the walls start to fall away. Donovan has issues of his own, but with Kenna’s help, he begins to heal. The love that blossoms between them is sweet. When they finally make love…..le sigh……
Read this book and just watch two people realize about themselves and fall in love. 4 Hearts!
Kenna’s childhood was abusive. As soon as she could she ran for her life. Living with her best friend, she puts up walls to protect herself. Until that is, she meets Donovan. Donovan is a gorgeous cop. Kenna feels so safe with Donovan, the walls start to fall away. Donovan has issues of his own, but with Kenna’s help, he begins to heal. The love that blossoms between them is sweet. When they finally make love…..le sigh……
Read this book and just watch two people realize about themselves and fall in love. 4 Hearts!
They say for authors to write what they know. My novels are inspired by events in my own life. I truly relive my experiences twice through the lives of the characters I create. Not only do I relate to their thoughts and feelings, I have lived many of them.
When I sat down to write a love story inspired by my real-life first love as a tribute to our very own fairytale romance, I never thought a book would be the end result, but 80,000 words later that’s exactly what I had. I wanted to express in words what his love means to me and how it changed me as a person, never to see or experience life the same.
My goal was to capture the essence of true love through an intriguing story and create rich, life-like characters to speak of the emotions I felt when falling in love for the first time. One chapter turned into two, and those, plus twenty-two more became a book. Once I realized my goal of writing a book was going to come to fruition, I wished to share my story with the world, to inspire others to believe in true love and happily-ever-after’s. Choosing our milestone anniversary as its publication date, I planned to self-publish my completed novel for my husband’s gift. What better way to tell the man of your dreams how much you truly love him, then sharing it with the world.
I admit I have always gravitated toward love stories and happily-ever-after’s, forever chasing the first love dragon. There’s nothing like the witty banter between characters, fueling their physical attraction, and the anticipation of their first kiss. Add in the push and pull from the couple’s sexual tension and the world trying to tear them apart, and you have a recipe for an exciting, steamy romance. Place the couple in interesting locations, living adventures most only dream of and the journey propels you forward through the pages. Sprinkle in danger for both the hero and heroine to combat and the courage and strength of the characters shine through.
Because I’m not a writer by training, I worked with writing critique groups to fine tune my manuscript before the planned release date of summer, 2014. As a fluke, not expecting any response, I submitted my completed manuscript to a publishing house, and a week later I was offered a contract.
It’s midnight, the day after my eighteenth birthday, and I’m escaping from my life of oppression and pain. With only the fear of being caught and dragged back to my cell of a life, I’m shortening the gap between what I know and the undiscovered world ahead.
The August air whips across my face and through the loose strands of my pulled-back hair. My internal will to survive, fueled by adrenaline, propels me forward into the night with no feeling of cold or discomfort. The wind stings my eyes and they begin to tear, blurring my vision as I sprint along the walking path between the condos and boat slips in the Marina, one foot in front of the other pounding the pavement. Thump, thump, thump. The same beat of my excited heart.
After two blocks I realize they’re not chasing after me. I slow to a fast walk, scanning the area ahead and behind me. My chest is heaving as I try to catch my breath and regain my thoughts, but I’m not tired. I could run for miles if I need to, and I will fight tonight to protect myself and my freedom.
I sweep the area one more time before ducking into the shadows of the next condo complex. Catching my breath, I lean against the wall of the entrance, pull out my pay-as-you-go cell phone, and call Danielle and her mom—my lifeline, my ride to freedom. This is it. I pace nervously under the cover of night, still on high alert, and wait for the transportation to my new life. Pumped from the adrenaline surge, my thoughts are spinning and making me dizzy, but assuredly I won’t be coming back here anytime soon, if ever.
