THAT ONE SUMMER by Author Madelaide James

 

Notes From a Romantic’s Heart is excited to welcome good friend and author Maddie James, writing as Madelaide James, to the blog. Madelaide’s new release, That One Summer, is the first book in her new Tuckaway Bay Series.

Genre: Women’s Fiction/Romance

 

About the Book

 

Lia Langston left Tuckaway Bay twenty years ago, leaving behind an attractive job offer and the young man she’d fallen in love with that summer. The breakup hurt them both, but she was expected back home in Chicago where a new job was waiting, one her father had pulled strings to help her land. While Lia wasn’t thrilled with the idea of jumping from beach life into Corporate America, as a new college graduate, she knew the family expectations.

She meanders through life—marriage, a child, divorce, career—yet there is one constant. She never misses a summer trip back to the beach with her college girlfriends. By the time beach week rolls around each year, she is more than ready to shake off her troubles, unwind, and unplug with the girls. And every summer, Lia wonders if she might run into Zach Allen again.

She doesn’t.

Then Zach steps back into her life, catching her totally off guard. Suddenly, Lia must face the twenty-year-old consequences of her leaving. Will this be the year to make amends with the young man she left behind?

 

Read an Excerpt

 

Lia reached for Grace’s hand. “Oh, Aunt Grace….”

But she waved Lia off. “Now, see what you did? You left, and I had to go on and live to be an old crabby woman, still running this inn. But I’m tired now, and well….”

She sat back in her seat and closed her eyes. Lia watched the older woman as she drifted off to sleep. Suddenly tired too, she relaxed against the sofa back and closed her eyes.

Waves crashing against the shore outside filtered through the silence, and Lia suddenly felt a bit of peace as her mind drifted.

“You broke him. You know that, don’t you?”

Lia shook herself. Aunt Grace stared at her, leaning forward in her wicker chair. “I’m sorry. I think I may have gotten lost in a daydream.”

“Or memories?”

“Perhaps. Yes.”

Grace nodded, as if she understood exactly what Lia meant. “You broke his heart, girl. Please don’t break it again.”

Her gaze caught Grace’s and held. “I would never do that,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to back then.”

“I hope not.”

“Aunt Grace.” Lia scooted closer to the edge of her seat. “I loved him. I wanted to be with him, but he and I didn’t want the same things and the timing was all off. I had pressure from my parents to get back to Chicago and job offers were waiting there. I was young and confused and….”

Grace put up a hand. “You’ve had twenty years to think about it, Lia. That’s all that matters, and I hope you have. Did you make the right decision? Who knows? But the past is the past. What’s important now, is what you do next.”

Suddenly, Ron’s voice was in Lia’s ear. What have we been doing for the past six years, Lia, if we are not moving this relationship forward?

And Alice’s. I know the primary reason your marriage failed was because Grant wasn’t Zach. And it’s why you and Ron haven’t married, too.

Had she been shoving away the truth all these years because she was trying to make a life out of a years-old mistake?

“I have to go.” Lia stood, looking down at Grace.

“Do what you think best, dear.”

“Can I get an Uber out here?”

Grace nodded. “Damn newfangled technology that I don’t understand—but yes, so they tell me.”

Lia was grateful. “I’m sorry to leave so abruptly. Please tell Zach I’ll see him later.” She turned and headed for the door.

“Lia?”

She turned back. “Yes?”

“Is that all you want me to tell him?”

Nodding, she said, “Yes. He’ll understand. I have some things to figure out and I need to do it alone.” Then she rushed back and gave Grace a hug. “Thanks for being hard on me. I could always count on you to not pull punches. Thank you for opening my eyes.”

Grace squeezed her hand. “Go figure out your life, Lia. It’s the only one you have.”

 

Meet the Author

 

Madelaide James is the women’s fiction pen name for bestselling romance author Maddie James.

While Maddie dabbles with cowboys and small town happily-ever-afters, Madelaide explores the complicated relationship journeys of women and their lives, loves, friends, and families, and tackles those problems through story. She figures she’s lived long enough to bring some of her own life experiences into the mix.

Maddie has published over 50 romance titles worldwide. Affaire de Coeur says, “James shows a special talent for traditional romance,” and RT Book Reviews claims, “James deftly combines romance and suspense, so hop on for an exhilarating ride.”

 

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It’s been my pleasure hosting Madelaide James (aka Maddie James) today. Please come back again soon for more authors, books, and even a few giveaways.

 

Nancy