A Fresh Restart by Chelsea Falin
Josette Miller and Walker Anderson grew up together in small-town, Dade City, Florida. Inseparable during their youth, Josette dreamed of growing up and moving away. When she left ten years ago, Josette didn’t know how Walker really felt about her.
But Dade City just wasn’t the same without Josette, and Walker left shortly after, regretting he’d never told her how he felt.
In a twist of fate, Josette and Walker find themselves moving home within months of each other. They aren’t kids anymore, and the attraction this time around is mutual. Maybe a “Fresh Restart” is just what they needed to get their happily ever after.
Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/102028-77823.cloudwaysapps.com/jqxysxqutc/public_html/wp-content/themes/megashopNEW/inc/theme-functions.php on line 1233
Description
Find more from this author on:
Amazon
GoodReads
Facebook
TwitterAbout the author:
Chelsea Falin is the independent author of 26 titles in the young adult, romance, and nonfiction genres. She studied towards her bachelors in English with a minor in media analysis at Arizona State University. Chelsea works as a freelance content marketing specialist during the day, and writes obsessively at any given chance. A single mother of two, Chelsea's hobbies include reading, writing, hiking, cooking, and photography.
What inspired you to write your book?
I've been on a romance writing kick lately, so I knew that I wanted to write something short and sweet in the romance genre. (My hot and steamy romance is in the editing process!) This was my second foray into the romance genre, with my first (I Found My Heart in West Virginia) being published years ago. I was also feeling homesick at the time, so I decided to write the romance based in my hometown. The characters sprang to life as people I could visualize having grown up with there.
Here is a short sample from the book:
Walker stretched his back. As his arms reached high up over his head and slightly back, he let out a great sigh. It’d been a long day already, and the sun was only reaching it’s noon zenith. He sighed.
“Son? Where are you at?” Walker could hear his father’s voice from near the front of the old home. He walked towards the sound slowly, ready to sit a minute. He only needed a minute.
“Here, Daddy. What’s up?” His father shook his head and his gray hair reflected sunlight.
“Do you ever stop working?” Walker smirked as he father chuckled. “I know there’s a lot to do, but it doesn’t all have to be done in a week.”
“Yeah, I know it doesn’t. I just want to get it done. It’ll be hanging over my head if I don’t.” Walker sighed as he looked at the property and house. He shook his head in a way he knew was an exact imitation of his father. “Still so much to do…” The house hadn’t even been touched yet. After half a week of ten-hour days, the yard only looked slightly better.
“Yeah, I know.” Walker watched his Daddy’s face grimace. “It’s a damn shame, really. This place used to be so nice. You remember?”
Walker smiled. “Yeah, Daddy, I do.”
Walker thought about the many weekends he’d spent here growing up. His grandparents had always kept the property maintained and the home sparkling, no matter that it had always been no more than a small two-room shack they’d built on over the years. Walker snorted as he thought about how he and his little brother Dusty had snuck over that dilapidated fence in the back to go play with the Miller kids. Suddenly, he laughed out loud so hard tears ran down his face.
His father was looking at him with an eyebrow raised. “What’s so funny, son? You getting loopy from heat exhaustion or something?”
Walker shook his head. “Daddy, do you remember when Rose was brand new and she came home? Dusty and I tried to sneak her over the fence to show the Miller kids?” Walker choked on his laughter. “The look on Momma’s face! My God! I’ll never forget that!”
Daddy started laughing, too. “I don’t know what the hell y’all were thinking, but I should of known then your sister would have more sense than any of y’all.”
“Hey, whose making all that racket?” A stern voice called out from behind them.
Walker turned, his body tensing through his shoulders as it did when he was frightened or angry. He wasn’t sure which he felt right now. Walker listened to the sound of clumping boots for a long minute before a Chestnut brown head moved towards them, stray hairs flying everywhere. Bright green eyes glinted mischievously in a darkly tanned face sitting above a tall, lanky body.
“Damnit, Gunner!”
Gunner laughed as he reached Walker and gave him a tight one-armed hug, slapping him on the back. “I heard you were back in town, you old rascal. Couldn’t quite believe it until I heard all of that hee-hawing. I’d know that laugh anywhere.”
Walker shook his head. “Yeah, I’m back in town. I’m fixing this old place up, actually.”
Gunner raised an eyebrow, “Oh yeah?”
“Mhmm.”
Gunner glanced at his daddy. “Hi, Mr. Anderson. How are you?” Gunner reached out and shook the older man’s hand.
“I’m just fine, Gunner. Thanks for asking.” Daddy sighed. “I’m actually going to head home. It was nice seeing you… and, Walker, be sure to make it home for supper. You know your Momma will pitch a fit if you don’t.” Gunner smiled and nodded in response.
Gunner grinned, eyes twinkling even more mischievously than usual. “Know who else is back in town?” Walker shook his head. “Josette.”
Walker grinned stupidly, despite his best efforts not to. “Oh yeah? How long is she stayin’ this time?”
“Permanently.” Gunner continued, “Momma left her and Charlene the house, and Josette only just decided to stick around. Take care of things. Said she needed another fresh start, even if it was in an old place.”
Walker smiled, then his face grew serious. “Gunner, I’m really sorry to hear about your Momma. It’s a damn shame.”
Gunner smiled, but his eyes weren’t quite in it. “It’s alright, Walker. We all knew it was coming. It’s just a miracle she made it this long, so I thank God for that.”
Walker nodded and slapped his old friend on the shoulder. “You need anything, just let me know. I’ll be here every day until this place gets cleaned up.”
Gunner nodded. “You know, I don’t have a lot of free time but I could swing by here this weekend and help you get a jump on things. Lilly is taking the kids up to her parents for the day, and you know I like to stay busy.”
Walker nodded. “I would really appreciate it, if you’ve got the time. I haven’t even cleared the damn property yet.” Walker looked at the giant dumpster sitting at the front of the property, nearly filled. “Need to call and get that thing replaced.” He snorted. “I’d normally pitch a fit at having to drop another $200 on it, but all the junk metal hauls I’ve pulled away from here have more than covered that already.” Three days and six junk metal loads. How could a half acre hold so much trash?
Gunner nodded. “I hear you. I haven’t been back here in a long time, but I’d heard people started dumping their trash here after that big storm. You checked the house yet?”
Walker shrugged. “I’ve checked it. There’s more trash inside, but no way I could really haul anything out until I’ve got a path cleared around it at least. Nearly got that.”
“How’s the foundation? You gonna be able to fix it up or you gonna have to tear it down?”
Walker sighed. “The foundation is good. But the rest of the structure sure isn’t. I’ll have to tear it down, but I plan to build right on the old foundation. Wish I didn’t have to do that, but there really isn’t any choice.”
Gunner nodded. “Well, I have a few quick errands to run early Saturday morning, but I’ll be here right after. Should be about ten, but no later than eleven.”
“I really appreciate it.”
Gunner nodded. “Oh, and Walker, make sure you stop by and say hello to my sister. She’ll throw a hissy if you don’t.”
Walker grinned sideways. It’d been a long time since he’d seen Josette. While he wasn’t still infatuated with her like he was when a child, the memory of those feelings drew a hint of color to his face.
Gunner winked at him and strode off without another word. Walker would get over to say hello to Josette as soon as he cleared the house and the yard immediately around it. Right now he needed to call about replacing that big dumpster.
Related products
-
Sunspots by Karen S. Bell @KarenSueBell
Sunspots follows the healing journey of a young woman thrown into the horror of losing a spouse. It is a story of loss and redemption and the ghosts that haunt our lives and our houses. A love story, a romance, and a mystery of sorts, Sunspots, is above all an exploration into the psyche and emotional arc of the MC and it follows no formula.
Snapshot:
“One can never be, and should never be, smug about life,” says Aurora Goldberg. An aspiring New York actress who has never realized her dreams, Aurora keeps herself afloat by doing odd temp jobs where her rich fantasy life helps her get through the day. Aurora sees the world through the lens of characters in literature and film and these fictionalizations are woven into her interpretation of reality. On one of her temp assignments she meets Jake Stein, a man who could “charm the skin off a snake” and she decides to follow her destiny as his wife in Austin, Texas. But Jake’s sudden death after two short years disintegrates her world and Aurora must reevaluate her life and let go of a love that has become an obsession.
Sunspots takes the reader on a journey of high emotion as Aurora uncovers Jake’s secret life and her own internal conflicts as she matures to self-awareness. Narrated by Aurora, the novel’s tone vacillates from irreverent humor to solemnity as she relates her previous life with Jake and her present challenges. The title refers to the solar maximum which became the backdrop for Aurora’s conception when her hippy parents went to Canada to observe the Aurora Borealis. In name and in spirit, Aurora is connected to the observable and unobservable energy around us.
With the help of friends, family, and the ghost of Viola Parker (her home’s original owner), Aurora accepts her fate and the secrets revealed about Jake’s true character. She realizes that in this life she will finally break the cycle of pain caused by her love for this man, Jake Stein, through the centuries.
Embedded in the novel is the question of the afterlife and paranormal events abound. The incidents are left vague enough so the reader is not certain if they are external events witnessed by Aurora or exist only in her own mind. My approach to the extraordinary has always been with keen interest and skepticism. Just as we cannot see unaided that at the quantum level solid objects consist of vast spaces and swirling particles, so too, we define our human existence with only our limited five senses, three dimensional orientation, and our perceived space/time continuum. So then, what can one say with any certainty is reality?
Black & White by Erol Rashit
A young man, Igor, adopts as his mother a middle aged woman, Sylvia, after meeting her in a café, each having come from the nearby cemetery. He had been visiting his mother’s grave; she, her son’s. In taking it upon himself to investigate the death of Sylvia’s son, Igor soon finds himself confronting racists. Sylvia is black; Igor is white. The deeper he delves, the more intricately embroiled he becomes and the more he becomes the focus of a police investigation himself.
Alongside the surface interplay of the characters, Igor remains preoccupied with an inquiry into the nature of existence. Within the field of human activity, notions of ‘good and bad’ and ‘pleasure and pain’ are perhaps bound to prevail, but the essence of existence must precede such differentiation. The presence of suffering in the world should not be taken as proof that the world cannot be perfect. A photograph consisting only of black or only of white would probably seem pretty boring. A world consisting only of good or only of bad would perhaps be comparable to such a photograph. Each extreme acquires its significance by being in juxtaposition with its opposite. Happiness does not result from the elimination of suffering; rather, happiness may ensue when the realm of pleasure and pain has been transcended.
One aspect of the title, Black & White, relates to issues of race. Another aspect relates to Igor’s ability in violent situations to interpret matters in black and white terms. However, it is as a general phrase covering all dualities that the title derives its primary import. The use of the ampersand character in the title imitates its usage by photographers when referring to ‘black & white’ images, and is intended to denote a synthesis of the individual terms into a unitary whole.
The book includes some brief passages depicting scenes of polyamorous sex (pleasure) and homicidal violence (pain).
Fate Interrupted by Kaitlyn Cross @KaitlynCross6
Dean Jacobs is one of Milwaukee’s hottest eligible bachelors and in no mood to settle down, until she comes along. Evy, however, is focused on opening a new dessert bar with her sister but Dean won’t take no for an answer. She finally gives in to the want in her gut and – much to her surprise – discovers he isn’t the player she thought he was. Just when things turn into a fairytale sent from above, Dean’s past comes back to haunt him. The only question is: will it make them stronger, or rip them apart?
Public Attraction: The Complete Trilogy by Sophia Moore
Emma Turrell is just a small town girl with a loser boyfriend.
That all changes when she meets one of the world’s biggest movie stars.
But their relationship isn’t easy. Paul Thatcher will challenge everything about the way she sees the world, love, and sex.
Desire can’t wait for privacy. Neither should you.
This book is intended for mature audiences only, due to intense sexual scenes and graphic descriptions. Themes are for adults only.
———–
Public Attraction is perfect for those who seek:
Books like Fifty Shades of Grey or 50 Shades of Grey
Books like Bared To You
Books like Beautiful Disaster
Books like Fifty Shades of Grey and Bared To You (yes, both!)
Books Like This Man
It’s a story of public sex, private love, and the place where the two meet.
If you love E.L. James, Sylvia Day, Sylvain Reynard, or any of today’s top contemporary romance authors, you’re ready to meet Sophia Moore.
It’s clear: Public Attraction is what to read after 50 Shades of Grey, what to read after Bared to You, and what to read when you’re ready for a steamy night in.
Come Find Me by Travis Neighbor Ward
In the tradition of the greatest love stories of our time, COME FIND ME tells a poignant tale of how true love can survive time and war, and push people to confront unthinkable choices.
At twenty-six Jessica Wilson believes her future is laid out. Her father and brother-in-law both died in war, and now she’s helping to care for her mother and her sister’s children. She’s also managing a wildlife rescue center in the Georgia mountains, where she met her wealthy Canadian fiancé, Blake McCormack, a rancher. Everything seems perfect. So why is it that she breaks into a sweat whenever she pictures Blake announcing their engagement at his parent’s annual rodeo?
Jessica is doing a good job of ignoring her doubts until Mark Fripp, the boy she fell in love with ten years ago, shows up on his motorcycle to fulfill his mother’s dying wish. What really happened when he disappeared from her life? What secret is he hiding for fear that she won’t accept him for who he is? And will she still be able to move forward with the life she has planned, even after she knows the trut
Whistlin’ Dixie by Maggie Adams
A man on a mission….
Mackenzie Coalson was determined to rebuild his hometown after a devastating flood left it in ruins. He has no time for a relationship and all the romantic junk that goes with it. He has a vandal to catch and no sweet smelling bundle of femininity is going to sway him.
A woman protecting her family…..
Dixie Harris charged into the county sheriff’s office with a sassy sway and a smart mouth, eager to give the sheriff, and anyone else, a piece of her mind. When she locks horns with the devil himself, in the form of Mac Coalson, she quickly learns he has a temper to rival hers, even if he’s the living epitome of her sexual fantasies.
When the two unite to catch a potential murderer, it’s in everyone’s best interest to keep it, “business only”. But that’s hard to do when their combined attraction is volatile enough to burn down the town.
Second Chance Grill by Christine Nolfi @christinenolfi
Dr. Mary Chance needs a sabbatical from medicine to grieve the loss of her closest friend. But when she inherits a struggling restaurant in Liberty, Ohio she isn’t prepared for Blossom Perini. Mary can’t resist falling for the precocious preteen—or the girl’s father. The bond they forge will transform all their lives and set in motion an outpouring of love that spreads across America.
Welcome back to Liberty, where the women surrounding the town’s only restaurant are as charming as they are eccentric.
Second Chance Grill is the prequel to Treasure Me, 2012 Next Generation Indie Awards Finalist, which The Midwest Book Review calls “A riveting read for those who enjoy adventure fiction, highly recommended.”
The Reunion by Marina Martindale
Gillian Matthews is becoming famous in the art world. All her hard work has finally paid off and her paintings are being sold in several prestigious art galleries. Gillian expected her opening night at a Denver gallery to go flawlessly, but her perfect evening was disrupted when a man from her past suddenly appeared. Her long lost true love. The one man she never forgot, never got over, and never expected to ever see again. Has he come to wish her well? Or is his motive less than pure?
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.