Something strange was going on in Lily Dale. Marena Jacobs went there to search for the only man she would ever love. The secret she uncovered was the key to an adventure she never dreamed possible. True love never dies.
Marena Jacobs is involved in a car accident that very well should have taken her life if not for the intervention of otherworldly forces. She has thrown herself into her work to ease the pain, but she just can’t forget the past. Divorced from her childhood sweetheart, Ben, she never expected to be looking for love at her age. If not for finding an odd heart-shaped stone, she doesn’t know if she would even be here at all. The stone carries a message, even though your heart is broken, you can love again.
After waking from a coma, Marena has a long road to recovery. Looking for a change of scenery, she becomes a caretaker for a friend's home when the original house sitter failed to appear.
When the arrival of David Martin - the person originally hired to care for the house - Marena's life gets a bit more complicated.
No sooner than her new relationship begins it ends abruptly.
She ends up in Lily Dale, New York searching for the blind man she has become to love. Trouble is, someone else there does not want her to find him. Is she brave enough to keep on looking? You will believe true love never dies.
Excerpt
First, a blue jeaned leg with a black harness boot comes through the window and the other, soon after. “I’m coming in, don’t be afraid!” A deep voice bellowed. A man, maybe in his early forties, straightens up in front of the curtains, and I don’t think I have ever seen anyone that tall in person before. He has to be six-foot eight or nine at least with long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. He’s wearing a chambray shirt neatly tucked into his jeans. He stands there quietly, in a long black overcoat and dark sunglasses. Just who has climbed in my window? He turns his head as if he’s scanning the room.
“Could you manage to not look just yet, please? I’m in the tub.” I try to grab the towel but can’t reach it, so I just cross my arms across my chest. My face has to be red as a beet.
“Don’t worry, I can’t see you,” he says calmly. “Well, I’m right here in front of you. Hard to miss my red face,” I snap. “Honest, I can’t see you, I’m blind.”
I almost laugh, but I don’t. “Who are you?” “David Martin. I’m two days late, I was supposed to be here Thursday, but the
train had some mechanical problems which caused a delay.” I recalled, after a few seconds, that Selena said earlier the person never showed
up who was supposed to stay here. What was his name, oh darn...it’s Martin. “Oh... well,” I stutter. Mortified, I wonder what I’m going to do. Things like this
always happen to me. “What’s your problem here, maybe I can help?” He takes a few steps closer. “Are you really blind?” I ask, unsure. “Well, see if this will help you decide. He pulls out one of those folded, walking
canes. When he whistles, a small, brown, Cocker Spaniel dog, jumps instantly, through the window.
“Meet Bradley, my official Seeing Eye dog, and this is my walking cane,” he smiles. He uses it to walk closer to me sweeping from left to right. He manages to avoid objects in his path, and he stops just a few feet away. Not a bad looking fellow, just intimidating, I think to myself.
My mind starts racing, and suddenly, I wanted to get out of this situation before it got any worse.
I realize I can stay in the tub all night, or get on with the evening, and ask him to help me. I swallow my pride. I become flustered but I try to sound calm.
“It’s nice to meet you David. I seem to be stuck in the tub. I’ve been in an accident, and my knee hasn’t quite healed yet. Could you help me out?”
“I’ll try.”
I’m glad if I had to be stuck in an embarrassing predicament, that it’s a blind man who has come to my rescue. The absurdity of the situation puts a blush on my face. Before I could dwell on it too much, he comes over and lifts me out of the tub, into his arms. I’m getting him wet, but he doesn’t seem to mind. As he holds me, his eyes never once look towards my face, or down at my body. Despite the fact, he seems unaffected by my nakedness; my body chooses to respond against my will. A flush of excitement takes me by surprise. He is incredibly strong and the most masculine type of male I’d seen in a long time.
Professional Reviews
a Very Unconventional Love Story
I'll admit to not being particularly religious upfront, but this romantic tale even caused me to question my own beliefs regarding the existence of angels. To those who know the pragmatist in me, that's a big deal!
Stylishly written, the author, succeeds in bringing together a couple, a divorced woman in her forties, and a sightless man in his sixties, engaged in a love affair that not only transcends their age differences, but life and death, itself. Not only did she make it believable; she had me rooting for this unlikely pair to overcome the massive forces confronting them. On a personal note, as a man in his sixties, I liked the novelty of the older ages of the characters. After all, who says romance is just for the young.
Ms. East showed a remarkable command of characterization, evident in the way she brings the primary players to life through the use of dialogue, descriptive narrative, and scene settings.
I also appreciated the subtlety of the "Angel" component. While certainly important to the story, it never felt as if it took over the plot, as supernatural beings often do in recent books of that genre. The book was still about real people, in real situations.
Ultimately, I judge books on how well they give me escape from my everyday life. In that, this book succeeded admirably, transporting me to another world and introducing me to characters that will be in my thoughts long after I turned the last page.
a Romantic Suspenceful Sweet Story
This has been one of the most amazing books I have read in years. I read it in five days for a reason. It is unconventional and stays in your heart and head.
Main character Marena Jacobs has had her heartbroken by an unfaithful husband, she ends up getting in a car accident. When she gets brought back to life, a man stands at her door. A sightless man in his sixties who wants to love her.
After I read this book, I smiled for days. I particularly liked that it didn't focus on "love for the young," like many writers do. Love is for all ages. The beautifully written and handcrafted story is worth a read.
stays In Your Heart
Have you ever read a book that caused you to cheer and cry at the same time? Have you ever gotten so involved with the characters in a book that you feel as if they are real? And have you ever finished a book and felt like mourning because it was over? That's the way I felt when I read Radiance: Love After Death.
When Marena Jacobs is involved in a car accident that very well should have taken her life if not for the intervention of otherworldly forces, the divorcee realizes how incomplete her life has become since her divorce. She has thrown herself into her work to ease the pain but that is not living.
After waking from a coma, Marena has a long road to recovery left. Looking for a change of scenery, she becomes a caretaker for a friend's home when the original house sitter failed to appear. When the arrival of David Martin - the person originally hired to care for the house - Marena's life gets a little more interesting and a lot fuller.
Radiance: Love After Death is a story that will make you believe in destiny and that love can conquer all. It is a novel that will long remain in my heart and memory.
A touching, loving and spirtual insight of the dying process, filled with peace, smiles and starting on their journey, taking me with them as far as I could go, returning back with something I didn't have before. Will be out early in 2010..on Kindle
The FBI Inspector (380 pages) is a collection of 25 short fiction crime novellas involving the law enforcement services of FBI Inspector Joe Giralo along with his three government agents, Sal Velardi, Arthur Orsi and Dan Blachford.
