Blurb:
Michael DeCara came home from the Vietnam War a wounded man, both physically and emotionally. He tried putting his life back together, but found civilian life difficult after all he'd experienced in Nam. Raising his young daughter, Vanessa, by himself after his wife left, he found it difficult to commit to one job or one woman for any length of time. Then he met a young woman who made him feel good about himself again and who fell in love with Vanessa as well. But then a life-changing event occurred and he had to choose between his past and the present. He chose to leave without a word to the young woman, believing he was doing what was best for her. Now, years later, she has walked back into his life and he believes they may have a second chance at love-except she hates him and he doesn't understand why.
Danielle Westerly fell in love when she was only eighteen and her heart was broken when he left her without a word. Her heartache was increased when she made a fateful decision that would alter her future, and she blamed him for her loss. Years later, she is single and has built up a successful career when she accidently runs into the man who was responsible for her past pain. Yet, their chemistry is undeniable. Can Dani give up her anger and let go of the pain of the past and fall in love again with the man she has hated all these years?
Dani and Michael share a journey of heartache, loss and painful memories that threaten to keep them apart. Can they break past these and finally find love again?
EXCERPT:
The silence was unbearable for both sides. As Dani continued standing by the door, Michael turned and walked over to the patio doors. Thunder rolled across the sky and lightning zapped in the distance. "That's some storm you're having here," he commented.
"You didn't come here to talk about the weather, did you?"
"No." Michael faced Dani. "I came to talk about us."
"Us?" Dani screeched, padding across the carpet and stopping only inches from Miguel. "What do you mean by 'us'? There is no us!"
"I mean the 'us' we used to be. The friends we could still be if you'd only let me."
Dani crossed her arms. "Why?"
"Because I remember the girl you once were. The girl I cared very much about. And I still believe that under all that hostility, I'd like the woman you've become." Michael's eyes softened as he looked into Dani's, but hers only glared back at him.
"The girl you knew is gone forever," she told him icily. "Thanks to you. And there's nothing left of her to revive. So just let it go."
"What do you mean 'thanks to you'? What did I do to make you hate me so much? All I ever did was love you."
Dani's head flew back and she laughed haughtily. "Yeah, me and every other girl who worked at the diner and God knows how many others. Did you think I was so stupid I didn't know?"
Michael studied Dani's face. "Is that why you hate me?"
Review Rating: 4 LIGHTNING BOLTS
REVIEW: Memories is a second chance story. The hero is one you would call wounded, in both the physical and emotional sense. He's come back from the Vietnam war a different man and faces obstacles now as a regular civilian. He had a new chance at love, but even then he couldn't stay, and went on with his life, until that woman enters his life again.
This story is full of emotion, wonderful description, and a powerful plot. The complexity of the characters and their situations. I found myself very connected to Michael and Dani as their journey is only just beginning.
The ending is a bit predicable, but I still enjoyed the ride with the things I never saw coming along the way. Memories is a well written story that kept me going until the end. Kudos to Ms. Sletten on a job well done.
Author Bio:
Deanna Lynn Sletten is a novelist who writes women's fiction and has also written one middle-grade fiction action/adventure novel. Her novels include Memories, Widow, Virgin, Whore and Outlaw Heroes.She started her writing career as a freelance writer for parenting publications in the early 1990s and transitioned to writing for blogs and websites until she made the jump to novelist. Deanna is married and has two grown children. When not writing, Deanna enjoys walking the trails around her northern Minnesota home with her beautiful Australian Shepherd.
Connect with Deanna!
Twitter: @DeannaLSletten
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Deanna-Lynn-Sletten/e/B00683SQYK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
This looks like a wonderful and powerfully emotional book, I'd love to read it. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather - Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Hope you have a chance to read Memories. :-)
DeleteThanks for being in the tour!
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki,
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a host on my book blog tour and for the lovely review of Memories. What a great blog! So happy to be a part of it. :-)
Thanks for the excerpt and review! This sounds like a book I would enjoy reading
ReplyDelete