Lonely and overcome with grief after a painful loss in his past, Adam Westmore walks the ocean’s edge in solitude.
Forced to marry a depraved foreign prince, a desperate Evelyn Waye believes she has no choice but to throw herself from the jagged cliffs into the crashing surf below.
When Adam sees the enchanting woman in terrible danger, he rescues her from death and brings her back to his humble cottage. Hesitant to reveal his true identity as a distinguished lord, he nonetheless offers to protect her. And she needs protection, for the prince will find her—and harm her.
Evelyn wants to trust the handsome stranger who saved her life, but her cursed beauty has made her suspicious of all men . . . even one whose kindness disarms her, whose gentle touch inspires passion within her.
Soon Adam and Evelyn are consumed by desire . . . a dangerous desire that puts their very lives in peril.
Expectancy
I’m turning the big 3-0 on Friday. Funny how that number just sneaked up on me. There were so many things I wanted to do before the age of thirty. Did I accomplish my goals? Well, we’ll just have to crack open the time capsule to find out.
You see, a week ago I attended my high school reunion. It was a casual affair; old friends getting together at a restaurant. And then out came the folded sheets of paper, stained with age. The time capsule! Some of us squealed with delight to see it again. Some of us scratched our heads, wondering: the what? But everyone had a good laugh in the end, as we perused the predications we had made about ourselves as teenagers.
Here’s how my predication looked:
I’d be married to a professor who rides a motorcycle at night.
Er … I’m still working on that one.
I’d be working as a high school teacher.
Boy, was I waaaay off on that one.
I’d have a dog for a pet.
Which perplexes me, since I’m afraid of dogs.
And I’d be riding a motorcycle.
To match my future hubby’s, of course.
I’d be living in a castle.
Because I just love the thought of dusting over a hundred rooms and having an electric bill in the six figure range (on a high school teacher’s salary, no less!).
Life has a way of zigzagging and not turning out the way you expected; it happened to me.
Writing fiction was not the career choice I had envisioned for myself all those years ago, however it is the only occupation I can imagine having now.
The characters in my upcoming book TOO DANGEROUS TO DESIRE (Avon Books, August 2008 ) believe they are destined to lead solitary and joyless lives. Both characters are about to discover life has a way of zigzagging and not turning out the way one expected.
What do you expect out of life? Do you have it? Are you happy you didn’t get it (like me!)?
*****Post a comment for your chance to win an autographed copy of TOO DANGEROUS TO DESIRE*****
Hi, Alexandra! Congrats on your new release! Can’t wait to read it.
I expected to be married and have kids … and I am and do. However, I also expected to be a sports broadcaster and am glad I’m not. I happy with how my life turned and is still turning out. 🙂
Welcome, Alexandra!
I’m discovering that I’m weird… I didn’t have plans or detailed point-by-bullet-point goals.
I am happy where I am now, and amazed at how things seem to fall in place when I look back at all the seemingly disconnected detours I’ve taken.
Best of luck with the release!
Hey there Alexandra! Congrats on another release! I’m really looking forward it, as I do all of your books.
It has been so long since I had life expectations that to be honest I don’t really know if they came true. I mean, the basic ones did — married with children. And I’m pretty sure that in school I didn’t dream of becoming a paralegal — what kid would! But life has a funny way of working things out. Who knows what the future holds
Oh, I just remembered one thing I thought I would do — become an Olympic diving champion. Nope, that didn’t come true.
Oops — silly me — Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Alexandra, love your name btw, my baby girl’s middle name is Alexandria(I spelled it a bit closer to my maiden name and how many people would misspell it). Happy Birthday!
As for my life, well in HS I expected to stay in my small hometown, to marry the guy I was engaged to, to live a house or so down from my cousins, and to be a Vet or something doing with graphics.
Thankfully, I didn’t marry my boyfriend, instead I married a man from another town(who I adore and love dearly) we got married 1yr and 10days after the day we met. We moved to his hometown, we have 2 kids and I don’t work. I get to be a stayathome mom. Which was always my dream, but I never thought would be a reality.
So I am VERY VERY happy with how life turned out for me.
You know there’s a song by Van Zant that says “if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans”. LOL Well that’s what I truly believe.
Now my “dream” rather than plan is to be a published author.
Great sounding story btw.
What do you think was the biggest crossroad you came to in life so far? (Within the writing world mostly)
hugs,
WendyK
Wow, your book sounds wonderful. Just the little blurb really got my interest. I love the cover, too. The cover is sexy, beautiful, and shows a vulnerability in each character. Very nicely done.
I guess I am where I expected to be at this stage in my life. I married, had kids, and became a teacher. I am just not happy with the aging process…you know, the wrinkles and added weight!
awww…that’s such a touching blurb. Sounds like a great story!
I try to spend life enjoying the small things and I’m happier than I ever expected to be. My career choice when I was young was a stewardess. Today, I hate to travel alone and also wait on people. lol Fortunately, that didn’t come to be true.
I love the sound of this story! 😀 Hmmm… my plans, I can say they did not work out for me either… not married yet, no kids yet, did not go into the field I originally wanted… time just flying by me!
Thank you for the warm welcome everyone (and the birthday wishes). 🙂 It’s such fun reading all your expectations: what turned out the way you wanted, what didn’t.
WendyK, love that quote from Van Zant. Best of luck to you in your writing endeavors. It all started out as a dream for me, too. The biggest crossroad I had to overcome was finding my voices. I needed two: a creative voice that intrigued readers and a professional one that appealed to agents/editors.
And I’m glad the cover art and blurb is so appealing. Thanks for posting everyone.
Keep those stories coming.
Cheers!
Hi Alexandra,
Happy early birthday! Hm… I think I’m in the earlier/earlyish part of life… so I’m still figuring things out. I never had “plans” per se – but I joked with friends in college I was going to marry a doctor. (This is funny because I have horrible luck with doctors and… I’m afraid I rather dislike them. Strongly. I’ve been misdiagnosed, prescribed the wrong medication, the list goes on.) Still, the majority of my friends are in med school, so who knows.
I’ve pretty much always wanted to be a lawyer (God only knows why) – and I’m about to start my third year of law school, so I guess that’s something. Otherwise, when I was 4 I wanted to be a tight rope walker. (Good thing my parents didn’t encourage that because I actually have a near phobia of heights.) Also, a marine biologist. I like biology well enough, but can’t stand chemistry, and have never taken Physics in my life. Hopefully, everything does work out.
Of course, borrowing from your list… I’d love to live in a castle some day, provided it’s in good repair and has been relatively modernized.
I can’t say I ever had plans in life I just took life as it came. I have been married for 23 years and have one 18 year old son. I have not worked in a while but I do enjoy staying at home. I worked when my son was young but the past few year every where I worked closed. Like I said I take life as it comes. I believe all things happen for a reason, so maybe it is not meant for me to work.
I imagined a different life but I am very happy with what and where I am now. 🙂
Hi Alexandra,
Congrats on your new release. I’m still working on finding out what it is I want to do. I guess the ultimate goal is to be happy, but happiness is subjective. I’ll know when I achieve it.
Hi Alexandra,
I think the castle sounds great in theory, probably a little drafty in reality. My life turned out different than I envisioned in general but I did want two children and I had two so one part came out as planned.
Firstly have a very Happy Birthday
I can’t wait to read this book I have all of your books and they are on my keeper shelf I have loved everyone of them.
I always wanted to be a housewife and mother I am a mother of 4 children I have 2 grandchildren and another 2 on the way I love it the only thing is I am working still which I really didn’t want to do but we all need money to live on I truly wish we could live on love alone LOL
Have Fun
Helen
I wanted to be married and have kids and I am happy that happened but I had hoped it would happen earlier in my life.
More great stories! Thanks for sharing everyone. And I think you hit the nail on the head with that point about hapiness, Cyclops.
I’m off on what I thought. I never thought I’d be working part time due to wanting to have flexible with care of my kidlets.
I am happy with where I am. I was lucky not to have to work full time and spend time in my kidlet’s schools.
I think that I’ve had a mix of expectations come to pass and other that thankfully haven’t! Like some other commenters, I’m grateful for my family, but I’m not using my college degree, which is actually also a good thing 🙂 It’s funny how sometimes what you think you want isn’t what is best for your life in the longer run.
Hope you have a wonderful birthday and the fulfillment of many dreams 🙂
Happy early birthday! My only expactations were to be married to a great person & be a mom. Which is what happened.
The new book sounds great btw.
Happy Birthday, Alexandra! I never really had any particular expections, just dealt with whatever life threw at me along the way, some good, some not so good, but overall good.
Thank you again for all the birthday wishes. I’m glad to hear life is great for so many of you (expected or not!) 🙂
I wanted to be a wife and mother and I am.
Happy Birthday, Alexandra!
Happy Birthday, Alexandra!
I’m living my life plans…married with kids. 🙂
I also had a 30th birthday sneak up on me a couple of years ago. Although my hubby would say that I didn’t handle it so well, I now just tell him that every pound I’ve gained and wrinkle that had exponentially reproduced just reminds me of the wonderful life that I’ve had so far regardless of what I may have planned in high school.
But I will admit, after an occassional bad day, I do tend to blame a particularly unflattering wrinkle on him, and I definately blame those extra pounds on my children:)
I just take lif one day at a time so that I won’t be disappointed. So far I’m happy.
Hi Alexandra,
Happy Birthday and congrats on your release!
My life is what I wished for, a wonderful husband (been married 28 years ) and two daughters, living in a small town with friendly people, working part time in the library. Yes, I’m so happy I’m not a lawyer…
What fun listening to so many interesting stories. Thanks for sharing everyone. 🙂
Well…I will be honest. My life did not turn out like I thought it would….so far. I wanted to find my true love (haven’t yet). I really wanted to have 2 or 3 kids and haven’t had any and won’t at this point at least not by blood. I wanted a real home that I could fix up just the way I wanted and I have never owned a home…still in a rental. I thought things might be a bit more exciting than they have been,but, well…not so much. But one thing I can say is I still have a pretty ok life..I do want more..but I know I have lots to be thankful for and I have worked very hard for what I do have. I have been blessed with wonderful friends too. But my life isn’t over yet and there is much yet to be. I can’t wait.
I love your positive attitude, Terri.