Tied Up in Heartstrings (Heartstrings, #1)
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Blurb:
I thought my life would forever be defined by tragedy.
The happily ever after I thought I had, ended prematurely and painfully.
My daughter and I were stuck in a fog of self-preservation, afraid to believe that there wasn’t more pain waiting for us in the ‘real world’.
Just the thought of allowing myself to embrace happiness and take a risk in order to feel that all-consuming love again is terrifying.
And I’m not sure I would be able to survive if it all went away again.
But… what choice do I have when I’m tied up in these heartstrings?
I could cut the ties and run.
Or I could take a chance on someone that my heart once yearned for and hope that he knows how to untangle the fear that holds my heart hostage.
EXCERPT
Alexis
(18 months ago)
Jed designed this home especially for us—every detail. Until
recently, I’ve loved
everything about living here for the past five years. Now I’m drowning in the memories and details hiding in
each crevice and having the memories crash into me at every corner is too much.
I’m just waiting for the massive undertow
of these constant reminders to drag me under. This house might have once been
my dream home, but it’s not anymore.
Now I’m suffocating in it.
Who builds their picture-perfect dream house as their very first
home? It’s not normal, but
being the perfectionist Jed was, he couldn’t
have it any other way. He strived to give us everything one could ever want or
wish for, but it was at the expense of sacrificing time with Sierra and me to
provide it. He wasn’t wired to reject
us in any way, except with the most important thing either of us wanted—his
presence. If only he could’ve been satisfied
with a simpler life. We would’ve been happier
with less if it meant having him around more.
He’d proudly tell us
he was working hard so he could lay the moon and stars at our feet, and we
always had the best of everything, even if I didn’t need that. For Jed, it didn’t matter. He thought we deserved the best and
never settled for less. I didn’t understand, but
in his eyes, the image of the materialistic wealth he worked so hard for
somehow signified his love, commitment, and loyalty to his family. Plus, the
approval from outsiders mattered to him, and accolades drove him even harder.
His career was an obsession, measuring his success with every
step up the corporate ladder, but it was never enough. Maybe if he weren’t hyper focused on that ambition, he’d be here now? We could still be an ‘us’—whole and complete.
I round the corner to the kitchen to find my brother and his wife
sitting at the farm table talking softly to one another while the others mingle
in the adjoining family room. Jason’s
posture changes as soon he notices me step into the room, and Kate whispers
something to him as they both attempt to hide their exhaustion and worried
expressions. Why fake it anymore, but whatever makes them feel better. My
sister-in-law jumps up, extending her arm out to embrace me, and my brother is
quickly beside her as I approach her open arms.
“What’s up, babe? Are
you hungry?” Kate asks a little too hopeful as I
step into her hold. I shake my head before resting it momentarily on her
shoulder then pull away slowly.
“You should probably eat something. Do you want to take a nap
or rest for a bit? You haven’t slept in days,
and the house will be cleared out soon.” Jason prattles franticly, barely
taking a breath between each question that is really more of a suggestion.
I’m not sure what
he’s thinking, though; none of it makes
sense realistically. Who could possibly casually eat and sleep while their
entire world is crumbling around them? I’m
being buried alive with the guilt amongst the rubble of that plane crash, and I’m somehow supposed to take care of my
health while I dig for my life. The idea is insane!
The emotional roller coaster from the fluctuations of sadness,
anger, and fear are overwhelming, and it’s
taking a toll, making me an extra-bitchy crazy person. As long as I’m getting plenty of rest and eating a
proper diet, I suppose anything goes. Nonsense.
Frustrated, I take a deep breath, and although trembling, I find
my voice. “Jason, I need to leave and get out of this town for a little
while. Can you help me figure out a plan?” I
plead.
Despite being a seriously overprotective older brother growing
up, he has always been my white knight—saving the day whether I want him to
not. I’m habitually resistant to his
overbearing tendencies and try to avoid directly asking for his help, but
today, I’m grateful for
his presence in dealing with this nightmare. I’ll
gladly accept his control freak tendencies in exchange, especially since I’d rather escape it.
For the past eleven days, I’ve
risen from the bed every morning, hoping after another sleepless night that
this is just a nightmare that will fade with the light of day, but it hasn’t. Each passing day, the nightmare
becomes more and more real, leaving me a weak and incredibly vulnerable version
of myself. I’ve fought tooth
and nail for a long time to prove to my brother I could be self-sufficient and
make my own decisions. He finally accepted that I was filled with pride, but
this changes everything. I need him more now than ever before.
Getting back to anything normal with this giant hole inside my
chest feels impossible. I’m empty, and I
have no idea how to fix it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mending Heartstrings (Heartstrings, #2)
Pre-order for .99 cents! Coming June 27
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Blurb:
Just when my life seemed manageable, I’m thrown radically off course by “the one”.
“The one” I wasn’t expecting.
“The one” I never knew I wanted.
“The one” who single handedly holds the key to the tattered lock safeguarding my heart.
Letting someone into my protected sanctuary will only serve one purpose - intentional infliction of pain and heartache… and I’m positive I’m not capable of handling that.
New Rules:
1. Avoid LOVE at all costs.
2. No complications.
3. I will not become ‘dick’matized by the hotshot guitarist. It was only a no-strings attached weekend.
4. The lyrics he writes may seem magical, but it’s a façade. Lyrics can’t mend broken heartstrings – no matter how strong my heart swells with his words.
Phantom Heartstrings (Heartstrings, #3)
Pre-order for .99 cents! Coming July 4
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Blurb:
Love comes easy to some.
It came easy to me.
Loving him was never an issue.
Appreciating him was as easy as breathing.
Years of living a life of what others viewed as perfection gave me the security I thought was most valuable.
My marriage to Drake is symbolic of what others fight for, yet living in the glass house of perfection is the biggest challenge of my life.
Life isn’t always what it seems.
People change.
Everyone has demons they fight and fighting them in secret to avoid letting others down takes its toll.
Love came easy, but maintaining it is a whole different game. I thought the happily ever after would be the end of the story. That wasn’t the case. There’s so much more. It’s only so long before the glass house of perfection is clouded with buried secrets.
Can we overcome this and get back to a place of true happiness, or will I always feel like I’m perfecting my acting skills to save face?
Can I ever find the ending to this fairy tale life I wanted so desperately?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Felicia Lynn, author of The Learning Curve series and Heartstrings series, is a transplanted Florida girl, born and raised, who lives just north of Atlanta, GA. She spends most of her days holed up in a cozy chair with her laptop, writing about the characters that live in her head. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her hanging out with her family and friends or interacting with her readers and fellow book lovers on social media! She loves traveling, reading, live music, baseball, good food and great company.
Felicia writes contemporary romance and co-wrote The List, a mystery/suspense book she collaborated on with professional poker player, Chris Bell.
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