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N. N. Light
Feb 23, 20225 min read

Lost Among the Tide by @TammyTsonis is a Love and Romance Festival pick #womensfiction #giveaway



Title: Lost Among the Tide


Author: Tammy B. Tsonis


Genre: Women’s Fiction, Romantic Fiction


Book Blurb:

A New England Seaside Town has more than one surprise for Rebecca. As she searches for self-discovery, she learns that there are only two constants in life - family and the call of the ocean. Rebecca Reid is a successful woman whose perfectly planned life leaves her questioning her romantic relationship and her future. After a visit with her grandmother, Helen Simas, whom she holds a special bond with since childhood, she’s left revisiting her choices and reasons for leaving home. Through Helen’s stories, Rebecca learns about her family history, the purpose of life, and the unbreakable bonds we share with family. Will Rebecca find the answers she needs in the same City by the Sea that captivated the hearts of her family decades before?


Excerpt:


I stared at the poem, speechless. His beautiful words tore like blades through my heart. I never truly realized the depth of his feelings. I had walked away from a great man who loved me regardless of my faults, doubts, and insecurities. I was his inspiration and his misery. In that moment, I hated myself for what I had done to him.


"I fell in love with you the first time I saw you walking through the door in science class". He let out a long sigh, as if holding his breath for an eternity under a pool of icy water. "You walked into the room, wide-eyed with those beautiful brown eyes and long dark hair tucked behind your ears. You always did that when you were nervous. The more time I spent with you, the more I wanted to make you laugh and smile. Your face would light up, and your eyes would sparkle at my lame jokes". He chuckled at the memory for a moment, and then a trace of misery filled his voice once more. "All the while I hoped you would somehow read those feelings in my eyes, in my words, or even when I silently watched you sketching. I was too stupid and scared to tell you how I felt. For a kid who was good with words, I just couldn't say them out loud to you. I meant to give you the poem the day you left. It was the only way I knew to explain my feelings. I knew it was my last change, but you were so excited to start your adventure, I just couldn't ruin it for you, even if I had the slimmest chance of changing your mind. It was too far fetched. The day I saw you again, everything came rushing back. I was that same lame kid who wasn't brave enough to tell you I loved you.


I felt broken like a glass dropped from a skyscraper, whose pieces were left to shatter aimlessly across the road. "I'm so sorry." I shook my head in self-disgust. I couldn't believe I'd been so blind to the one person who was there for me completely. It had become a habit of mine to miss out on what was right in front of me. I had chosen Robert – someone who had me guessing his true feelings for me – over a man who continued to love me for years.


I looked at his gentle eyes and a memory came back, like a bolt of lightening in a quiet midnight sky. Kent had indeed tried to reveal his feelings, and in one climatic moment he tried to kiss me. I couldn't believe I had locked that memory far away in my mind until then. It flooded back in detail…


A few months before I left for college, Kent and I had gone to the movies together. After the show, he insisted on walking me to my car even though he never had before. We talked about the movie we'd seen and I joked, half serious, that he would've written a better screenplay, if given the chance. He gave me the same half smile he always gave every time I paid him a compliment. He stood in front of me, with his hands in his pocket as I fumbled through my purse for my keys. Nervously, he kicked the tiny gravel pebbles, making a crackling sound that mimicked the heavy chirping of the crickets. I smiled at him, and with a slight hesitation he moved closer, his eyes closing and his lips heading towards mine. My back tensed in surprise, and my body arched the opposite way. He opened his eyes for a second, noticing my reaction. He then quickly turned and headed the other way without a word. We never spoke about what happened that night, even though we had the chance countless times before I left. It was as if nothing had happened, as if it was just a meaningless scene deleted from a movie whose audience would never know of its existence.


"Do you remember that night at the movies?" I asked. "I wonder what would've happened if I'd let you kiss me." I caught myself saying out loud.


"I remember. I don't think it matters now." He looked down, kicking the tiny pebbles that lay in front of his feet, just like he'd done that night. I could see the younger version of him in spite of the changed appearance. He was the sarcastic artist and dreamer I always knew him to be.


"Can we go back for just a moment?" I asked selfishly.


Without a word, he leaned over towards me the same way he did so long ago. I stood still in anticipation, free of hesitation this time around. I could hear the sound of my own breath growing faster as he got closer. His lips gently brushed mine at first, like the flutter of a butterfly's wings teasing a flower as it gently landed on its delicate petals. As his lips became intertwined with mine, I felt his breath melt throughout my body.


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What’s your favorite part about being a romance author?


I enjoy writing romance because love and the search for love is a universal theme. To be loved and to love in return is a special experience in life that we often remember fondly, if we’ve experienced it or look forward to it, if we haven’t already. Writing about this experience helps me connect with readers and offer them a temporary escape to relive their own experience through fictional characters.


Here’s my tip to add romance to your love life:


Adding romance to your life begins with truly knowing and loving yourself first. Once you pass this hurdle, you can understand the type of person that will complete you. You need to be open and connect with your partner beyond mere attraction in order to have a strong, long-term relationship.


Giveaway –


One lucky reader will win a $75 Amazon US or Canada gift card



Open internationally. You must have a valid Amazon US or Amazon CA account to win.

Runs February 1 – 28


Drawing will be held on March 1.



Author Biography:


I'm a writer, mother to two boys, and a military spouse. I was born in Bari, Italy, and migrated to Chicago, IL with my parents when I was 6 months old. I've lived in the Chicagoland area most of my life, until I married in 2010, and set sail for military life with my husband. I graduated from Dominican University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Italian, and a minor in Communications. I moved back to Chicago in 2019 and currently reside in Park Ridge with our two cats. When I’m not writing, I enjoy photography and travel.


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