Title: ECHOES OF LOVE
Author: N. Christine Samuelson
Genre: Contemporary Romance - mystical
Book Blurb:
What if the mysteries of your life began before you were born, and echo into your future?
Carson and Cody are haunted by their pasts with memories and repetition of tragedy and loss but also by great love that echoes through lifetimes into their present lives. Their futures are fated unless they face and conquer past mistakes and have the courage to live out their eternal bond of love. But how do they move forward after losses so devastating they believe love isn’t possible? What makes their lives worth living?
Carson, an artist from Santa Fe moves to Montana to begin a new life. But an unexpected encounter brings her into conflict with Cody, an architect and ranch manager from Wyoming. The immediate power and beauty of their connection is as spectacular as the landscapes they walk through, but just as fated, unpredictable and complex.
Their seemingly unresolvable conflicts span geography and time, from the tangible beauty of the American West through an elusive journey echoing over hundreds of years and two continents. Even with best intentions, nothing is guaranteed except one thing, and only they can discover it.
Praise for Echoes of Love:
“Another Amazing Book. Once again, this author has written a stunningly vivid and captivating book, stories intertwined with past, present and future. I love her use of dialogue and descriptors.” – Amazon reviewer
“A book that touches on … unfinished business, incomplete love and unfulfilled vows. Beautifully written and delivered; the imagery is very vivid. – Amazon reviewer
“Absolutely AMAZING! I don’t think I have ever got so worked up about a book before.” - Booksprout reviewer
“…an amazing book! The chemistry between the characters is off the hook! The storyline is amazing! I love it, I just love it!” – Amazon reviewer
Excerpt:
Cody couldn’t believe how her presence captivated him. Look at her. Not too much of either extreme—a real woman’s body, the kind with strength to weather anything. Her bright green eyes were just as he’d imagined the night he met her, and her auburn hair caught the light and wind. Everything about her worked for him, especially her voice and manner. The sound of her voice had been buried somewhere in his memory. He didn’t understand it, but he didn’t need to. The attraction was not purely physical, it was so much more but it was nothing he could specifically name or figure out. And it walked straight up to his front porch. I’m in trouble now.
****
The exterior of Cody’s cabin looked almost as Carson had envisioned. Her senses reeled from the great natural splendor outside, and the human splendor waiting for her inside. Getting out of the car and heading up the walk, her nerves jangled. Scanning the yard, front porch and windows, there was no sign of Cody and she muttered, “Nice of him to come out to greet me.” By the time she reached the steps, he made his appearance, held the door open and smiled, looking shy and uncomfortable. “Hey, Carson. Did you have any trouble finding it?”
“No. Your directions were good.”
“Well, come on in, make yourself at home.”
Stepping inside, Carson did a double-take. She could swear she’d seen this house before. It enveloped her like a warm comforter on a cold night, as if saying, ‘Welcome home. I’ve been waiting a long time—it’s wonderful to have you back.’
She fit in and felt at ease with the earthy colors, the textures of the fabrics and wood. The scents of home—pine, coffee, a wood fire—were close to her heart. They threw her equilibrium off, causing her to wonder how she could feel so immediately comfortable in a house she’d never seen before. Life became more unpredictable by the hour in this rugged, wild country she visited. She looked at Cody, who returned her incredulous gaze.
Even he saw how she belonged in the space, as if an original mold had cast her form in it and waited empty for her return to fill it up. He tried to act with indifference in the room where they stood, his room in his home where her energy occupied it like it was hers. Cody began shutting down emotionally, recalling the image of her he’d seen the night before together with this experience. It was hard for him to fathom, let alone her staying there for any length of time.
Carson perceived him taking a step back in his energy toward her, a prediction of how the visit would go and she was almost sorry she’d come. But, she resolved, I’m here now. I might as well enjoy the beauty of the place and the day. I’ll give him space to feel comfortable, we’ll have a good time, and everything will be just fine.
“Make yourself at home, grab a chair,” he said. “Care for some coffee?”
“Sure. It smells good. You know, everything smells good here—the wood fire, your house. I love the scent of pine trees in the air. Everything is so alive with nothing to diminish it or crowd it or kill it. You can smell life in the air all around you. I love that.”
Cody had his back to her while he fixed two mugs of coffee. He listened carefully to every word, and when she spoke of the air and the aliveness of things, he realized there was something special about her, maybe not to everyone but to him. This feeling caught him off guard, rattling him. She certainly did that a lot without even knowing it, without even trying.
He carried the mugs in quivering hands to the table where she sat. “I love it, too. That’s why I built my cabin here.”
She stirred milk into the coffee, pretending to focus on it rather than him. “This is a great place. How long have you had it?”
“About ten years. I bought the land first then built the cabin a little at a time. It’s still not finished, as you can see.”
“I wouldn’t have known if weren’t for that pile of Legos out front.”
Cody guffawed. “You’re too much,” he said, while thinking, You’re just perfect.
Laughing with him, she joked, “Well, don’t just stand there, give me a tour.”
“My, you are demanding, aren’t you?”
“No, just very interested.” She waited two beats watching him sweat it out. “In your house, I mean.”
…Smiles never left their faces as he walked her through the downstairs first, then upstairs for just a peek of his bedroom, but she spotted the deck and headed straight for it. Carson flung the French doors open wide, walked onto the deck and scanned the view. Breathing the air in deep, she opened her arms wide to embrace the sky and the vista, sighing with pleasure.
Watching her on the deck, with her coffee mug on the railing and how she physically appreciated the surroundings was like looking in a mirror. Cody saw himself in his morning ritual and felt exactly the way she did in those few precious minutes. How does she know? he wondered. How the heck does she know how I feel?
Simply by being herself, Carson sparked recognition in Cody of how alike they were. After taking it all in, she turned and caught him staring at her from the top of the stairs and walked toward him. “That is one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen.”
“Me, too.” Except for you.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
SALE: ebook $2.99 for a limited time
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B07KPJ68K6
Barnes/Noble (Nook): www.barnesandnoble.com/w/1129748289
Books-A-Million (Print only): https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Echoes-Love/N-Christine-Samuelson/9781543950649?id=7489532086395
It’s a brand-new year, full of possibilities. Did you make any resolutions/goals for 2024? If so, please share one.
Write more, be more positive, have faith, love more.
Why is your featured book a must-read in 2024?
Echoes of Love keeps readers turning the pages with an unusual plot, mystery involving generations of time, a unique love story, and plot twists that keep you wondering what’s really going on with the two main characters. The story spans a hundred years’ time and bonds of love and loss so strong they still echo into their lives in present day.
A man and woman, Cody and Carson, are fatefully, highly attracted to each other for reasons they can’t explain. They move through a complex love/hate/fear relationship loaded with mysterious events, emotions, secrets from the past affecting their inability to love and move forward in life.
The story reaches through time and life, where their present-day obstacles and fears are illuminated by past events. Will they have the courage to understand and fight for love and relationship, or succumb to fear and an abyss of unsurmountable challenges?
Amplifying the drama is the beauty and power of the land and seasons through the exquisite settings of the Rocky Mountain American west and northwest. Readers won’t be disappointed with following the extraordinary journey of Carson and Cody’s lives and love.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon gift card
Open internationally.
Runs January 1 – 31, 2024
Drawing will be held on February 1, 2024.
Author Biography:
Christine writes contemporary novels of love, life and relationships involving the eternal bonds that transform lives and transcend time, death, and place. Creativity and writing have long been part of her award-winning careers in graphic design, advertising and newspapers. In writing fiction, she explores the joys and triumphs, the tragic and magic of life and love that readers relate to.
Her characters are realistic, fresh and relevant with stories that include mystery and some mysticism. They are written in a unique voice and partially influenced by life experience which inspires the diverse settings, characters, and authentic storylines of her novels.
Living in coastal South Carolina, Christine finds the land and sea are constant sources of inspiration. She hopes readers will be inspired to look at life and love through a different lens and realize that no matter their circumstances, we all share similar stories in our lives and hearts.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.NChristineSamuelson.com
Facebook Author Page: www.facebook.com/nchristinesamuelsonauthor/
Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/N.-Christine-Samuelson/e/B07B8VT9BB
Instagram: www.instagram.com/nchristine7711/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ncsamuelson