Monday, March 30, 2015

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? March 30, 2015


Hello! Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? This weekly meme, hosted by Book Journey, is where we share what we have read this past week and what our plans are for the upcoming week. It’s a great way to see what others are reading and to discover books to add to your own To Be Read list. You never know where that next great read may come from!

Click on the book image to read more on Goodreads. 

What I'm currently reading/listening to

The Marrying Type
by Laura Chapman
Just starting this one - my stop on it's tour will be April 7th

The Dream Lover: A Novel of George Sand
by Elizabeth Berg
Had to put this one aside temporarily to focus on an upcoming tour book.

Miramont's Ghost
by Elizabeth Hall (audio-book)

What I recently finish reading

The Lovers (Virtual Arcana #6)
by Karen Amanda Hooper
It's over. For now. I want more! 

Nameless Night
by G.M. Ford 
Very good standalone mystery. I enjoyed it.

Closed Hearts (Mindjack Trilogy #2) 
by Susan Kaye Quinn (audio-book)
Love this series!

What I think I'll read next

The Godforsaken Daughter
by Christina McKenna
Reading for an upcoming tour. 

I love my reading world!
What's going on in your reading world this week?


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Sunday, March 29, 2015

New Release: Protect This by Cami Checketts

New Release! 


Protect This 
by Cami Checketts

This is the prequel to the Tenderness and Terror series. 

It's available now for only $.99 at the following vendors:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Scribd | Inktera

With five female college students on the missing persons’ list, and the perpetrator still at large, Natasha is nervous about dating anyone. But, it’s hard to say no to Tony, the hot graduate assistant she’s been drooling over all semester. Too bad she’s not sure who to trust and all the men around her feel more like suspects than heroes. When Natasha gets into trouble and the man that should have been the safest…turns out to be her worst nightmare, Natasha has no choice but to fight for her life and the man she almost gave up.


Will protecting children throughout the world cost Natasha her own family?

Devastated by the loss of her brother, Natasha Senecot works to expose the dangers of Matthew Chrysler's violent video games, succeeding in bankrupting and humiliating him.

Chrysler retaliates and sends a hit man after her. Natasha is forced to fake her own death to protect her children, but after witnessing another tragedy, Natasha won't hide any longer.

In a race against time, can Natasha expose Matthew Chrysler before his assassin murders her family and shatters her world?

What people are saying about Blog This
"Cami Checketts is a genius! She writes about topics that aren't widely discussed, in and out of books, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards.I sat down in the library and started reading this book, just for a little while. Three hours later the book was finished and I was regretting reading in such an open environment without at least 20 packets of tissues handy. There are so many emotions in this book, so many different layers of love and bravery and hope and I loved every moment of it!" ~~ Myra, Blogger, Pieces of Whimsy


Some men are beyond redemption. Alex is one of them.

After Alex Chakhota was blackmailed and manipulated into becoming a hit man to protect his sister, serving time as the FBI's assassin doesn't do much to ease his conscience. His next assignment brings him face to face with Brittany, a beautiful woman that believes he's more than the killer he's been made into. The road to redemption is long for someone with a blackened soul, and with lives hanging in the balance, Alex has a short deadline.

Detective Scott Bentley's days of law enforcement are behind him. When he's asked to host agents at his secluded ranch for an FBI sting operation, Scott cannot refuse. Ivy McMahon shows up with the team, and Scott gets more than he signed up for. Not only can she hack into the any computer system, she's found a way into Scott's heart. The trouble is that she's in protective custody and when the job ends, she'll disappear. Is redemption possible for those whose lives are scarred by the past?

Is redemption possible for those who lives are scarred by the past? With danger crowding close, not even love may have a chance to redeem before it's too late.

What people are saying about Redeem This
"This book was so good I couldn't put it down. I was fun to see so many characters from the first book, Blog This. I suggest you read that one first....by the end of the first book you start to like Alex. Yet, you want to hate him for all he has done. This book is really his redemption. You fall in love with all the characters even Alex. It is fast paced excitement the whole way through and such a great story! I was glad to see both Scott and Alex get the chance for love that they didn't get in the first one. Cami is one of my favorite Authors and once again she writes a really great book!" ~~ Julia Lance, Reviewer, Book Reviewing Rocks
"I cannot tell you how excited I was to read this book! Cami Checketts is one of my favorite authors. She knows how to write romantic suspense and I am always so drawn in by her books. I usually steam roll right through them because I cannot put them down. Redeem This grabbed me from the very beginning. The suspense is there from the very first chapter. There is a fantastic balance of suspense and character/relationship building. I could not put this book down!\ 
Alex. Oy. Here's a guy that will make your heart squeeze. Honest. He is seeking redemption. Forgiveness. Acceptance. He's strong, handsome and yes, a bit dangerous. I'm telling you, heart SQUEEZE. 
One of the other things I love about not only this book but all of Cami's books is that they are clean. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the no swearing/no sexual content. 
Redeem This is the sequel to Blog This. If you haven't read Blog This yet, you really need to! Not only is it a fantastic book, it must be read before reading Redeem This." ~~ Aimee, Reviewer - Getting Your Read On.

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Memory House by Bette Lee Crosby and a Giveaway!

 

The Memory House

Memory House by Bette Lee Crosby
Kindle Edition, 178 pages
Expected publication: April 14th 2015 by Bent Pine Publishing

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A MEMORY TO OUTLIVE ITS OWNER?

Ophelia Browne knows the answer is yes. She knows because she’s been granted the unique gift of finding and caring for those forgotten memories. But now she’s nearing ninety, and Browne women seldom live beyond ninety. 

Before time runs out Ophelia must find a successor. Someone who can take hold of the gifts and keep the memories from fading. 

When broken-hearted Annie Cross shows up on the doorstep of The Memory House Bed and Breakfast, Ophelia knows she is the one. The two women forge a bond of friendship as they sip magical dandelion tea and share stories. When Annie starts to sense the memories Ophelia is delighted, but then a thread of violence begins to unravel and Ophelia fears things have gone too far. 


You can pre-order Memory House for only $.99!!


My thoughts about Memory House ~~ 

I have loved every single one of Bette's books and Memory House took me back to some of the settings in those wonderful stories and let me reconnect with the great characters that I have come to love. 

What an interesting idea, that memories are stored, but sometimes forgotten, and that there is a memory keeper who finds and cares for those memories. 
'Good memories attach themselves to an inanimate object and stay there until the right person comes along. When they find a soul that welcomes them, those memories live again.'
Ophelia is getting up there in years and is searching for someone to take over the task for her. 
'If death comes before she finds a replacement, the memories might be lost forever.'
Along comes Annie Cross and she just might be the person for the job. 
'... she was hoping to forget; little did she know this trip would be the start of remembering.'  
Bette writes very beautiful and magical stories that are woven together to create a wonderful world that I never want to leave. I know when I sit down to read one of her books that I am going to be transported to a place filled with gentle, caring people; people and places that I haved loved before, as well and meeting new people and discovering new places.  

About the author


Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby shares the storytelling charm of her Southern Mama in tales that are both heartrending and heartwarming. She is best known for her creation of characters that readers find unforgettable.

Passing through Perfect is Crosby’s tenth novel and the third book in the Wyattsville Series that began with the USA Today Bestseller Spare Change. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win another twenty literary awards, including the Royal Palm Literary Award, the Reviewer’s Choice Award, the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal and the 2014 Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal.

Connect with Bette



I love Bette's books and I want to share this one. I will gift someone a Kindle copy of this wonderful book so you can read it on it's release day, April 14. 



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Saturday, March 28, 2015

Book Spotlight and a Giveaway! The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santos


I have sooooo many books! I have a ton of print books and probably even more e-books. The Book Spotlight feature that I will be posting every Saturday is a way for me to clear my shelves and to share some of the books I have. There are a lot of different reasons that I might be letting some of my books go, the biggest one is that we recently moved and I discovered how many books I really do have. This feature is a way for my to cull my collection and to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy them.

The book that I am featuring this week is one that I have already read and absolutely LOVE! You can read my thoughts here. I discovered in our move that I had two copies of this wonderful book. How does that happen? I am keeping one (cause I love it that much) and letting one of them go so someone else can love it too.  

Good luck and be sure to stop back next week!


The Roots of the Olive Tree

The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santos
Paperback, 320 pages
Published August 10th 2012 by Harper Collins

Five generations of firstborn Keller women live in the same house on an olive grove in secluded northern California. Matriarch Anna is 112 and trying to be the oldest woman in the world-and succeeding heartily. Her daughter Bets, granddaughter Callie, great-granddaughter Deb, and great-great granddaughter Erin are also defying longevity norms. 

When a geneticist comes to study the women at the same time Erin announces she is pregnant with a firstborn boy, the Kellers′ roots are shaken wide open. Told in the third-person perspective of each of the women, the story and mystery of their existence is revealed in compulsive prose and compassionate drive. 


About the author


Courtney Miller Santo teaches creative writing to college students and lives in Memphis with her husband, two children, and retired racing greyhound.

Connect with Courtney 





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Friday, March 27, 2015

Cover Reveal: Saving Marilee by Annette K. Larsen and a Giveaway!

Saving Marilee 
by Annette K. Larsen

Kindle-Cover-1

Coming May 1, 2015 

Marriage wasn’t bliss—not for Marilee. Instead of finding contentment with the handsome son of a sovereign duke, she found betrayal and neglect. And fear. A fear that finally lifts when her husband dies, freeing her from his domineering hand. But freedom alone can't give her peace, and she must battle to regain her love for life, rebuild her happiness, and reclaim the ability to trust. When her charming neighbor intrudes on her quiet life, offering his friendship (and a dog, of all things), she must determine whether his interest is genuine, whether he is a friend or foe, and whether he deserves the fragile bit of trust she has managed to scrape together.

Preorder on Amazon

add to goodreads

Annette

I was born in Utah, part of a crazy, fun family of nine. I grew up in Flagstaff, AZ and St. Louis, MO before striking out on my own college adventure in Virginia. I decided to try my hand at writing novels after I was married and living in Idaho. I write clean romance because it’s my favorite genre, but often difficult to find.

I have Charlotte Brontë to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally, a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to face the reality of sacrificing what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but in the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it.

I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.



Cover Reveal Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/8/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.





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Cover Reveal: Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson, Pre-Order Sale, and an Excerpt!


Discovering April

Discovering April by Sheena Hutchinson 
Publication date: April 27th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

April Landau thinks she has everything she’s ever wanted. Her high school sweetheart, a house she can’t afford, her bipolar tabby cat, and she’s all set to begin her Junior year of college. Just when she least expects it, her life gets thrown for a loop. When things between her and her long time boyfriend unravel, she becomes stuck in a downward spiral of emotion. Finally, opening her eyes to the fact that she may have given up more than she ever could have imagined in this relationship. She finds herself struggling to keep her head above water.

Enter April’s next door neighbor— Jared Hoffman. He’s her complete opposite. A high school drop out who was forced to take over his parent’s business after their untimely death. It’s no surprise this tragedy affected him greatly, causing him to recede almost completely from society.
But he has one secret. A secret he’s been carrying around for years.

What happens when their worlds collide? Can an old friendship be the one thing that brings these two back to life?

A new adult love story filled with drama, sex, death, and the complications of all of the above.


Pre-order from Amazon


SALE ALERT
Discovering April will be on Pre-Order sale for $0.99 until 5/1/2015

Starting 4/27/2015 The Seraphina Series will also be on sale until 5/1 in honor of April’s release! 

Starting 5/1 Discovering April will be enrolled in Kindle Unlimited 

EXCERPT

My head is still pounding when my eyes flutter open the next day. My brain is throbbing inside my skull and I punch the pillow underneath me, scaring Jinx out of his slumber. He meows in protest before hopping off the bed. Looking around, I’m in my bed. How did I get here? I groan in pain as I prop my pillows up and lean my head back against them. It’s then that I feel the eyes on me. Tilting my head straight again, I glance out my window. My eyes lock with those big brown eyes of Jared’s across the way. He looks down to his phone and back up again. My phone chimes with an incoming text.
 
“UGHHH!” I moan, blindly reaching for it. It slips a few times before I grasp it between my fingers and look down to read.

How are you feeling?

Closing one eye, I text back, Like someone ran over me with a truck, then backed up and ran me over again.

Lowering my phone, I watch as he smiles from my text and disappears from view. I’m trying to piece last night back together; it’s like a fragmented mirror that has shattered all over the corners of my mind. I remember laughing with Ro about her sexual conquests and then I remember red and blue lights and… Jared. Starting to feel hot, I throw the covers off of me and lay like a starfish, trying to get my mind to focus. Glancing down, I notice I’m wearing my pajamas. Before I can process any further, the door to my room creaks open. Jared walks in with a cup of water and a closed fist.

“How did you get in?!” I yelp, trying to sit up in bed, and pulling the covers back over my braless tank top.

“I left the back door open when I left last night,” he informs me as he opens his fist to show me he brought a hand full of Advil.

“You brought me home last night?” I rub my head before reaching for the pills and water.

“Yup, after you called me to pick you up from the police station.”

“I WAS WHERE?!” I scream as water comes spraying out of my mouth.

“Police station. Apparently, you popped a guy in the face.” He smirks.

I squint my eyes, vaguely remembering the heavyset guy that tried grabbing my ass in front of the bar.

“Whoa!” I have to lean my head back against my pillows when the information begins to become too much for me. “If you took me home, how did I get into pajamas?!”

The smile that crosses Jared’s face is a mixture of a blush and a sly smirk that makes my insides twist with anticipation and excitement. “Jared…”

“That… you did on your own. I had nothing to do with that!” He holds his hands up in surrender.

“What? I just stripped in front of you!”

“Well, once you got your shirt off, there was really no stopping you…” he teases and my eyes widen in embarrassment.

“Oh my God!” I slump down, pulling the covers back up to my face. “Did we… ya know…” I mutter, completely mortified now.

“Uh, that would be a no.”

"Oh, thank God!” I sigh.

“Thanks a lot!” He comes to his feet now, turning to look out the window.

“Not like that, it’s just … I don’t like to do things I’m not conscious for.”

“Yea, completely plastered girls that get arrested and throw up in bushes are really sexy!” His voice drips with sarcasm.

“I threw up?!” This just gets better and better.

“Twice.”

“Twice?” I’m mortified, staring at his amused face.

“Well, after the first time I thought maybe you needed something to eat.”

“Oh no…”

“Yeah… I’ve never seen someone eat a Big Mac that fast before…” He stares at the wall as if remembering my weak moment.

“Oh my God!” I groan, throwing the covers over my entire body. I curl up in a fetal position, planning to never come out again. The room grows silent. It’s starting to get hard to breathe under the sheets when I feel the mattress by my feet cave slightly.

“Come on, it’s not that bad. We all have our moments.” He pats my feet through the sheets.

“Just when I think I’ve reached rock bottom, things just seem to drops out from under me and I’m at an all new low!” I roll over, trying to pull the covers with me, but Jared’s weight prevents it. My head comes peeking out as I roll over, facing away from him.

“April, I think I just determined your major.”

“What?” I curiously twist to look at him again.

“Drama. You’re such an actress. Now, put your big girl panties on and get up!”

I stare at him for a second; did he just say what I think he said? He waits about two seconds before getting up and opening a drawer to my dresser. “Are they in here? Nope!” He closes it and opens another.

“STOP!” I scream, stumbling out of bed, horrified.

“How ‘bout this one?”

“Okay! Okay! I’m up!” I slam the drawer closed just in time to save myself further embarrassment when Jared eyes my plain old undergarments. I sigh when the pounding in my head launches my stomach into action and I collapse onto the corner of the bed.

“You okay?”

“I refuse to puke again!” I respond, taking another deep breath. “Jared…”

“Yea…”

“I could use some donuts.”

“Okay.” He pauses for a few seconds, looking down at his feet before adding, “I’ll be outside then.”
And he leaves me alone in my room.

About the author


Sheena is a born and raised New Yorker, even her writing can’t hide her hard sarcasm. She claims destiny lead her to writing again. She constantly strives to be a positive role model and write stories that empower and inspire.
 
Sheena always roots for the underdog, believes in love at first sight, and that everyone should have their happily ever after. While God is currently writing her love story she continues to put all her time into her writing as she is constantly getting new inspiration. 

For more on Sheena and her books visit her website www.SheenaHutchinson.com.

Connect with Sheena





 

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Thursday, March 26, 2015

On Tour: The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos and a Giveaway!


The Precious One

The Precious One by Marisa de los Santos
Paperback, 368 pages
Publication date: March 24th 2015 by William Morrow & Company

From the bestselling author of Belong to Me, Love Walked In, and Falling Together comes a captivating novel about friendship, family, second chances, and the redemptive power of love.

In all her life, Eustacia “Taisy” Cleary has given her heart to only three men: her first love, Ben Ransom; her twin brother, Marcus; and Wilson Cleary — professor, inventor, philanderer, self-made millionaire, brilliant man, breathtaking jerk: her father.

Seventeen years ago, Wilson ditched his first family for Caroline, a beautiful young sculptor. In all that time, Taisy’s family has seen Wilson, Caroline, and their daughter Willow only once. 

Why then, is Wilson calling Taisy now, inviting her for an extended visit, encouraging her to meet her pretty sister — a teenager who views her with jealousy, mistrust, and grudging admiration? Why, now, does Wilson want Taisy to help him write his memoir?

Told in alternating voices — Taisy’s strong, unsparing observations and Willow’s naive, heartbreakingly earnest yearnings — The Precious One is an unforgettable novel of family secrets, lost love, and dangerous obsession, a captivating tale with the deep characterization, piercing emotional resonance, and heartfelt insight that are the hallmarks of Marisa de los Santos’s beloved works. 


Purchase The Precious One 


My thoughts about The Precious One ~~ 

I read another one of Marisa's books, Falling Together, and just absolutely fell in love with her writing. I have been so excited to read her newest novel. And The Precious One is such a great read.

This story is about Taisy and Willow, half-sisters who have only seen each other once in their lives. We learn about each of them as they tell their stories in alternating chapters of the book. Taisy's father left when she was a teenager and let me tell you, he was not an easy man to live with. But when he calls out of the blue and wants Taisy to write his life story, she travels to see him. But she is not the same, meek young girl he left behind. She is now a strong woman who can stand up to her father.

Willow is Wilson's young daughter in his new family and she has not had an easy life. But it is all she has ever known so she accepts things the way they are. That is, until her father suffers a heart attack and she has to start attending the local high school. Then she sees what she has been missing.
'But I knew the deeper reason for the caveat, the one that was behind every decision her made, and that was that he wanted to keep me safe and uncorrupted forever, keep me from turning out like the Others, the Earlier Ones, because he loved me more than anyone in the world. He never said this, not in so many words, but he didn't have to. I knew.'
The story focuses on Taisy and Willow. We watch them as they get to know each other and try to make this 'new' family model work. Then the author goes and throws in a past love relationship of Taisy's and there is a whole lot of emotion and angst all around.
'To employ a cliché, what I learned is that in order to have a silver lining, you need clouds, and my new life had plenty of those, clouds upon clouds upon clouds.'
The Precious One is a beautifully written story about family, love, secrets, finding oneself, and strength. There is such emotion and growth of these characters and this story was a delight to read. The characters were flawed but real, just like in real life. I loved some and wanted to throttle others. I love it when authors can make me feel so strongly about their characters. You will definitely want read The Precious One! I highly recommend it.
'None of them mattered, none. I stood in the back of the library, drawing myself upright, easing my shoulders back, reminding myself of the truth I had so recently learned: nothing can touch you, not guilt or fear or sisters who are not sisters; no one can hurt you, not enemies or loneliness or friends who stop being friends when other people show up; you can rise above anything, anything, everything when you are in love.'
About the author


Marisa de los Santos was a poet for a very long time, with an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and a Ph.D. from the University of Houston. Her first book, FROM THE BONES OUT, a collection of poems, was published in 2000.

She and her husband, writer David Teague, lived in Center City, Philadelphia for a number of years before moving to Wilmington, Delaware in spring of 2003. That summer, Marisa began writing what would become her first novel LOVE WALKED IN (Dutton, 2006). LOVE WALKED IN was translated into fourteen languages, was optioned by Paramount pictures, and was a trade paperback bestseller. William Morrow published her second novel BELONG TO ME in April 2008, and it was an instant New York Times Bestseller.

Marisa, David, and their two children, Charles and Annabel, live in Wilmington, where Marisa takes as many ballet classes as she can, volunteers at her kids' school, and is working on her third novel.

Connect with Marisa

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Visit other stops on the TLC Book Tour





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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Book Blast: The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley, Trailer, Excerpt, and Tour Giveaway!


The Calm After the Storm 

The Calm After the Storm by Mya O'Malley
Print and e-book, 212 pages
Published February 23rd 2015 by TouchPoint Press

Can true love shine through the darkest storm?

The storm of the century raged through the northeast, causing destruction and despair, millions were left without power and hope. Weeks later, countless people were still devastated by the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, Emma Riley among them.

Determined she didn’t need the help of a man, Emma was convinced that she could brave the aftermath of the storm on her own. That is, until Jake came into her life.

After having suffered heartbreak and embarrassment, Jake Mack, a utility foreman, volunteered to travel north from small town, Georgia to assist with the aftermath of the storm. Jake was decidedly done with women. But he didn’t count on meeting Emma or falling in love so quickly. Can he trust this woman or will his past get in the way and ruin the relationship with the one woman he truly loves?


Trailer



Excerpt

Jake and his crew had now been in the suburbs of New York for a few days. His first thought upon entering this area was his surprise at the devastation. Sure, he had heard about the destruction on the news and had seen footage of the aftermath of Sandy, but it still hadn’t prepared him for the actual sight of Sandy’s rage. Telephone poles were down, trees were snapped in two, and houses were completed destroyed by the storm. Seeing all the destruction only strengthened Jake’s resolve that it had been the right thing to come. He felt proud to be able to help out and be a part of the solution to the horrible aftermath of this disaster.

As the day was wrapping up. Jake and Chris met up with some of their crew in the next town to finish one more area before calling it quits. The chill in the air was something that Jake had prepared for, but was not accustomed to. Clutching the new flannel he had purchased right before his trip, he put it on over his thermal shirt. Thankful for his thermos filled with hot coffee, Jake grabbed it but quickly tossed it aside.

“Come on, Chris! I asked you to stop drinking my coffee. Now there’s none left,” he said as he shook his head, irritated at his friend.

Chris looked up at his boss sheepishly. “Sorry, man. I didn’t sleep well last night. I needed some caffeine.”

“Well, that makes two of us.”

They rode until they approached the utility pole that needed attention. Jake and Chris were among the first to arrive and got busy setting up for the job. Within minutes, the rest of the assigned crew trickled in. The workers were now familiar with the details and routine of this job, so for the most part they worked in silence, focused on getting this last job done so that they could grab some dinner and hit the sheets. It was cold and dark, the night chill settling in upon them. Jake supervised and helped his crew perform their individual duties as quickly as possible. As they were just about wrapping things up, Jake headed over to Steve, one of the older guys directing traffic. He looked frail and tired.

“Hey, Steve. I got this. Why don’t you call it a night, huh? We’ll meet you at the hotel for some dinner.”

“Nah, Jake, we’re almost done here. I’m good,” Steve said as he looked up at Jake with glaring dark circles under his eyes.

“Steve, go. I’m serious. Get in a hot shower and we’ll meet up for dinner. Boss’ orders. Now go and take Andy with you,” Jake gestured toward another man on the crew who looked like he was ready for bed.

Shrugging his shoulders, Steve made his way to one of the smaller utility trucks, calling for his co-worker to join him. Jake took over the responsibility of directing traffic, slowing people down and stopping cars when necessary. Yawning, he waved a small SUV along, noticing that the approaching driver was slowing down, much more than necessary. Jake squinted his eyes to get a better look. The car came to a stop when Jake stepped up to it and its window rolled down. Looking back at Jake was a woman who appeared pretty, even in the diminished light. Wait, scratch that—she was stunning, with long, wavy hair and piercing eyes. His heart faltered just a bit.

“Hi. I wanted to thank you guys for all of the hard work that you’ve been doing. We really appreciate you guys coming up here. I think I speak for everyone,” she said as she smiled widely. Her smile hitched his breath ever so slightly. Jake smiled back. This was certainly a change. Since he had been in this area, some people waved, some people smiled, others remained with their eyes straight ahead, but nobody had yet offered any thanks verbally. So different from the Southern hospitality way of life where he grew up, Jake mused.

Here it was different, the pace of life was much faster. People always seemed to be in a rush, and they minded their own business for the most part. Sure, being so close to the big city must be nice and the landscape was quite beautiful at times, but he didn’t think this lifestyle was something he could ever get used to. It seemed too stressful, too impersonal. He would be glad to be back home when his job was finished.

The woman leaned over and offered Jake a box of donuts, disposable coffee cups, and a box of hot coffee. Jake was impressed.

“Thank you, that was very thoughtful!” Jake gushed, thrilled at the idea of hot coffee. He thought he felt warmth spread across his cheeks despite the chill in the air.

The woman stared back and smiled at Jake for a minute and then set her eyes on the road ahead. She waved as she pulled away.

“Wait!” Jake called out. “Wait, what was your name?” But the words were lost. The mysterious woman with the coffee and donuts was long gone.

“Guys!” he called out as his crew worked on cleaning up for the night. “Guys! Our guardian angel just appeared, and she brought coffee!”

The coffee and donuts were gladly received, but the idea that someone would go out of their way to show a random act of kindness truly touched Jake. He felt the warm liquid slide down his throat and knew that he would always remember the woman’s thoughtfulness. Who was he kidding? That woman’s beautiful face was what he would most remember. He just wished that he had gotten her name.

Calm after the storm

About the author

Mya Omalley

Mya O’Malley was born and raised in the suburbs of New York City, where she currently lives with her husband, daughter and three step-daughters. The family also consists of two boxers, named Destiny and Dolce, and a ragdoll cat named Colby. Mya earned an undergraduate degree in special education and a graduate degree in reading and literacy. She works as a special education teacher and enjoys making a difference in the lives of her students.

Mya’s passion is writing; she has been creating stories and poetry since she was a child. She spends her free time reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She is a romantic at heart and loves to create stories with unforgettable characters. Mya likes to travel and has visited several Caribbean Islands, Mexico, and Costa Rica. She is currently working on her sixth novel.

Connect with Mya



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