Category: Romance Publisher: Books We Love Ltd.
Type: Fiction
Pages: 142
Copyright: Sept 25, 2014
ISBN-13: 9781771453073
Price: $3.99 (eBook)
Sam fell in love with Mac when she was still a child and he a teenager. A special bond formed between them. By the time Sam reached seventeen she was in love with her hero, but one awful night he betrayed that love and Sam was unable to forgive him.
Sam fell in love with Mac at first sight when she was still a child and he a teenage boy, almost but not quite a man. A special bond formed between them, fuelled by their mutual love of animals—especially horses. As each matured, that bond threatened to move beyond the limits of friendship. By the time Sam reached her 17th birthday she was desperately in love with him, her shining hero. But one awful night Mac betrayed that love and Sam was unable to find it in her heart to forgive him. By the time the truth was revealed they had both moved on with their lives, and Sam’s pride prevented her from forgiving Mac; threatened to ensure her a lonely future.
Beneath Southern Skies series is contemporary romances set in Australia. Lonely Pride is set in Tasmanai.
Excerpt
Her whole body quivered and time seemed suspended as the noise about her disappeared. Spontaneously her arms lifted as if in readiness of flinging herself into the cradle of his embrace. Pulling herself up sharply she clenched her fists, nearly cracking the glasses she still held.
He looked as cool as a mountain spring in a lightweight short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts while she began to perspire freely. Her throat dried up like a cinder as he drawled in that once loved and always remembered voice, “Hello Sam, how are you?”
An expression flashed across his velvety brown eyes so swiftly it was gone before she had time to grasp its meaning. His ruthless assessment of her stripped away the veneer of sophistication garnered in the past four years, making her feel vulnerable and almost naked. Hadn’t he always been able to see past her defenses to see the real woman beneath?
“What are you doing here?” she asked with a harshness she knew was downright rude, as he bent to pick up the small case that sat by her legs. His eyes turned cold and impersonal. She knew she sounded bitter and reproachful. It was a struggle to stop her hands shaking as she made to take the bag from him. His smile held no warmth as he stepped aside with a small shake of the head.
“What happened to hello and how are you, among the other inanities that usually accompany a greeting,” he asked in such a brittle tone she flinched. Cupping her elbow in a palm he propelled her across the hall. “I take it you do have other luggage?” His brows rose as he led her to the baggage carousel.
“Of course. I was about to collect it,” she snapped.
“In answer to your question, I’m here because your mother wasn’t feeling the best. I was coming into the city anyway so offered to pick you up.” He stared at the few remaining pieces of luggage going round on the platform, while Sam tried to gain some of her lost equilibrium, wishing devoutly she could run from this man whose presence dragged up so many memories; memories that wrenched at her heart until it became an agony.
“What do you mean, Mum’s not the best?” Sam ran her tongue over parched lips. By no means short, even with high heels, she had to lift her head to meet his eyes.
“She has just lost a husband in a horrific car smash.” The scorn in his remark made her cringe. His sensuous mouth, set in a grim line, depicted disgust and disdain for her. Sam’s heart bled. “We all know you hated the sight of Robert, but even you can’t be so unfeeling you can’t understand why Barbara is quite ill with grief.”
“That’s not fair!” Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall in front of this man. “I didn’t hate him and it’s cruel to say I did.”
Bending to retrieve her suitcase, she was pushed gently out of the way, and he picked it up with ease. She was forced to nearly trot to keep up with him as he strode out of the hall, one suitcase in each hand.
Once she’d been prepared to lay down her life for this man, who now treated her as if she was something that had crawled out of a sewer. For one moment of madness she wanted to laugh and beg him to slow down as she would have done years ago. But it only needed a glance at his set profile to assure her the time for jokes between them was long past. He hated her.
Professional Reviews
Brett Scott The Romance Studio
“I was supposed to take the book on vacation with me, but I made the mistake of starting it and couldn’t stop until I finished–but then Tricia McGill is one of my favorite authors. She grabbed me from the beginning…emotional sparks were so real I felt the tension. I encountered an amazing range of emotions reading this book as
I recalled my own childhood crushes, my broken hearts, the agony of losing someone I loved, and the joy of knowing real love. I enjoyed the ‘sex’ scenes that left enough to the imagination that I could personalize them for myself.
Tricia McGill has an astounding way with words. Once you read her books, you’ll become a avid fan.”
Donna Fallen Angels Reviews
“Ms. McGill has written very real characters. You can relate to them and the problems they are dealing with. She has created a world that is believable. I love the scene of Mac telling Sam how he feels and she finally realizes what she felt all those years ago was that she hadn't wanted to grow up. She had wanted everything to stay the same. Ms. McGill tells a story that touches your heart.”
Melinda Stanners Novelspot
“This is a satisfying tale of misunderstanding, trust and true love, with a subsidiary message on the importance of home, family, and finding where you belong.
