Releasing next week (and just in time to kick off your summer reading) is the updated version of Candia Terry’s Home Sweet Home.ย This novella is guaranteed to pull at the heart strings.
*****
Home Sweet Home
A Sweet, Texas Novella
byย Candis Terry
Releasing May 19th, 2015
(Re-Issue with Additional Content)
Avon Impulse
Blurb:
Before Candis Terryโs wild Wilder brothers met their matches, a soldier gets a homecoming in Sweet, Texas.
HEโS GIVEN UPโฆ
Army Ranger, Lieutenant Aiden Marshall, fought in some of the most hellish corners on earth and survived. Those closest to him, did not. When he returns home to Sweet, Texas, he believes heโs broken and has lost everything-including his soul. The only fair thing he can do is tell the woman whoโs patiently waited for him to come home-to move on with her life-without him.
BUT SHE NEVER WILL
Sassy waitress Paige Walker has no intention of walking away from the man of her dreams. He gave his all for his country and served with honor. Now itโs time to pull him from the darkness and give him hope. With a heap of love, the help of the entire town, and a tail-wagging companion, Paige makes sure her hero knows thereโs no place like home sweet home.
From author Candia Terry:ย “The inspiration for HOME SWEET HOME came from an article Iโd read about a soldier who been forced to leave the pup heโd rescued in Afghanistan because it wasnโt allowed to bring the animal back to the U.S. In writing the story I realized that rescue animals are a huge part of the romances I write. Since Iโm prone to rescue four-legged friends in my personal life I thought that maybe I could help in a bigger way. When I started looking into rescue centers I was overwhelmed by not only the number of animals in need but the generosity of the volunteers who often nurse these animals back to health so they can be adopted. The love and loyalty of an animal is unconditional and Iโd like to see them have the opportunity to be loved right back. I know I canโt help them all, but I hope these donations will help as many as possible.”
Link to Follow Tour: http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/03/home-sweet-home-sweet-texas-novella-by.html
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24951868-home-sweet-home?from_search=true
Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/113447-sweet-texas
Buy Links: Amazonย |ย B & Nย |ย iTunesย |ย Koboย |ย Publisher
*****
Excerpt:
โWhen did you get home? Why didnโt your brother tell me? How long will you be home? Do you want something to eat? Of course you do. Dumb question. Scratch that.โ
Aiden couldnโt help but smile as Paige fired off a volley of questions, then finished them off with a random thought.
Just like old times.
Sheโd always been that girl.
The one who had a million things going on all at once and tried to keep them all in order inside her head. At times, she came off a bit scrambled even though, for the most part, she had it more together than anyone heโd ever met. Aiden knew she saw every day as a gift. She saw life as something priceless that should be hit at full speed and explored twenty-four hours a day.
When theyโd been together, heโd managed to keep her in bed for several of those hours a day just to show her that a lot could be accomplished in a prone position too. But even then, between making love, sheโd come up with a list of half a dozen things she wanted to do that day, next week, or a year down the road. Theyโd done a hell of a lot of exploring in those days, and even if he hadnโt been able to keep up with her eagerness on the calendar, he managed to keep her enthusiasm busy in other ways.
โA few days ago,โ he said, answering her first question, then followed up with the rest. โBen didnโt tell you because he didnโt know. And yes, Iโd love a Diablo burger, a double order of sweet-potato fries, and a marshmallow Snickers milk shake.โ
It didnโt take a rocket scientist to know immediately that she was hurt because heโd taken so long to come see her. By rights, she should have been first on his list. And she would have been, but he had obligations to visit Bobbyโs and Billyโs folks. And after those visits, he had barely been able to look at himself in the mirror.
The wounded look in her eye disappeared, and her smile reappeared. Apparently, she realized too why he hadnโt come to see her first.
โAwww. Your favorite foods.โ She shifted her weight from one sexy hip to the other. โIโll bet youโve been craving those for a long time.โ
Heโd been craving her too, but that kind of thinking had to stop.
โPretty much since I boarded the plane for Afghanistan and left American soil.โ Funny how the moment you knew you couldnโt have something, you wanted it even more.
โWell, the wait is over. You sit right there, and Iโll have Bud put your order on a rail.โ Her tennis shoes squeaked as she turned and rushed off into the kitchen.
With all day in front of him and nothing to do, Aiden could watch her through the order window, excitedly gesturing with her hands while she spoke with Bud. Still, he couldnโt help wonder out loud โฆ โA rail?โ
The old man with the bald head next to him nodded and grinned. โSheโs puttinโ theย hurry upย on it for you.โ
โOh.โ
Guilt wrapped around Aidenโs throat and gave a hard squeeze. The faster Paige moved, the sooner heโd have to deliver the news. She looked so damned happy to see him, he hated to burst her bubble. Hated to hurt her in any way. But it had to be done. No matter how badly he might think he wanted it to be otherwise.
โFor a man whoโs got a pretty woman like that scurrying around to make time to be with him, you sure got a grim look on your puss.โ
The man sitting next to him, Chester Banks, was well into his eighties. Heโd had more ex-wives than Disneyland had rides. Over the years, his nose had grown, and his eyes had sunk. He probably weighed all of a hundred pounds soaking wet, was bowlegged, and wore his Wranglers so starched, his arthritic knees could barely bend. But Chester had no qualms whatsoever about chasing the ladies who were at least six decades younger.
โProbably matches whatโs inside my head,โ Aiden verified.
โOh?โ A scraggly gray brow lifted, and a smile broke across Chesterโs wrinkled lips. โSo youโre saying the lovely Paige is up for grabs?โ
*****
Review:
I think I vaguely remember the For Love and Honor Anthology from back in 2012 and I kinda even remember Aiden & Paige (which I think speaks well for Ms Terry if I can remember a novella in a collection from 3 years ago). There have been quite a few Sweet, Texas stories since then but since this is a re-release of the novella that kicked it off I think it is a fantastic place for new readers to start.
Paige has an amazingly huge heart, lots of patience and understanding, and the love and tenacity to keep waiting for a man who didnโt really do a lot to keep her hoping. It wasnโt that he didnโt love her, he just didnโt want to have her wait for a soldier who might not come back โฆ silly man. Paige understands that having given her heart that it is better to embrace that love and hope for his safe return. While heโs gone, she lives her life but holds onto that love โ sending him letters and packages, and planning for their hoped-for future.
Aiden has seen a lot as a Ranger and lost his two best friends. Heโs feeling the weight of everything heโs been thru and doesnโt believe he deserves Paigeโs love. Luckily for him, she isnโt giving up on them or going to let him give up on himself. As he spends time in Sweet, especially with her, Aiden slowly starts to embrace life again. And with the support of the town behind them, he might just learn to let himself love again as well.
Terryโs writing is wonderfully smooth โ it moves fast and keeps you turning pages. Since this is a novella it didnโt take long to get to the HEA, but the ride was definitely a good one. We get to be there as Aiden struggles and Paigeโs wisdom has her supporting him every way she can. Itโs a story as sweet as the town it is set in and I think that youโll find yourself ready for return trips (and lucky for you there are about a ยฝ dozen books just waiting for you).
*****
Author Info:
Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. Sheโs experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.
Author Links: Websiteย |ย Facebookย |ย Twitterย |ย Goodreads
*****
Giveaway:
Avon is hosting a Tour Wide Giveaway forย a Printย Sweet, TX series backlist including: ANYTHING BUT SWEET, SWEETEST MISTAKE, SOMETHING SWEETER, and SWEET SURPRISE
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c8677/
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