Author Guest Post
Heroes
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. They can be firefighters, military, police, or anyone that lays their life on the line to protect others.
Then there are personal heroes. Maybe someone's parents, a sibling. Someone you look up to. There could be young heroes that go above and beyond to make something special for someone else.
Then of course, there are the romance heroes we love to read about in books!
Let me introduce my latest hero. His name is Hunter Beckman. He wouldn't agree, but Hunter is a hero, and I mean that in more ways than he's the hero of my book.
Hunter is Rebecca Lange's hero.
Becca is the heroine of A Masterpiece of Our Love. And why is Hunter her hero? See, when they were kids, Hunter and Becca went through a tragic loss. They were two young survivors of a plane crash that left them orphaned. Hunter saved Becca - pulled her from the water, brought her to dry land and he was her protector for five days alone until they were found.
Fast forward twenty years, and Hunter is still her hero. He never gave up, he never walked away. Becca suffers from long term traumatic brain injuries. Now, she still lives as normal as she can, but there are times where things don't work out in her favor. She lived with guardians that held her back. Becca had a long road ahead of her, and when doctors and her grandparents dubbed her a lost cause, Hunter didn't. He's always found a way to keep her going.
Sometimes when we think of heroes, we tend to think of the ones that are more obvious. But to one person, a hero could be as simple as the person who brings a smile to their face every day. The person that takes care of someone that may be unable to do it themselves. The word hero has a different meaning for everyone. For me, a hero is a person that takes the time to give. Takes the time to do something for someone else, no questions asked and never asks for anything in return. They do it out of the goodness of their own heart.
My own real life heroes in my heart have a big inspiration and role in this book.
What does a hero mean to you, and who are some of your heroes?
Thanks for letting me drop by!
About The Author
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A Masterpiece Of Our Love by Nikki Lynn Barrett
Book 1: The Masterpiece Trilogy
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: March 17, 2014
Format: Paperback - 398 pages
Kindle - 1602 KB
Nook - 2 MB
ISBN: 978-1499195354
ASIN: B00J2QO8Y2
BNID: 2940149365722
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
BUY THE BOOK: A Masterpiece Of Our Love
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.
Book Description:
Eight-year-old Becca and twelve-year-old Hunter cling to each other and life after surviving a plane crash which stole their families.
Two Souls Seeking Love.
Each year, from the time she was old enough to travel on her own, Becca met up with Hunter on the island that altered their lives forever.
Until he stopped showing.
Her constant. Her link to the past. Gone in the blink of an eye.
Two Lives Bound by Secret.
Suffering more heartbreak, Hunter returns to the one place he’s always sought comfort, the island where he and Becca met. It was the place that stole from him, and in the same instance gave to him. He hasn't been back or spoken to Becca in four years.
Though he’s sure she must hate him for disappearing, Hunter discovers the girl gone, now a woman in her place. Hunter is determined to prove to Becca he isn’t the same twelve-year-old boy of yesteryear.
But someone isn't happy about their reunion...
Strange things begin happening. Letters start showing up in their hotel rooms and at home with cryptic messages.
Two Broken Hearts Heal as One.
With the mystery unsolved, Hunter convinces Becca to spend the remainder of the summer back home with him, both for safety and to give them a chance to discover the adults they’ve now become.
Will love get a chance to blossom, or will the past come back and tear the masterpiece of their love apart once and for all?
Book Excerpt:
"I'll come down with you," she responded quickly. Loose strands of her hair tickled her nose, and she pushed them away. Hunter hadn't stopped looking her over. His gaze swept over her, focusing somewhere low. Was he looking at her legs to see if her knees were swollen? When it rained, she had the worst pain flare-ups. So far, she'd fared somewhat lucky, but if asked, she wouldn't deny they did hurt. Becca put a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eye. "I'm fine, Hunter. I know you're looking to see how my knees are." She shot him a smile to let him know she appreciated his concern.
His eyes narrowed before he let out a laugh. "I think you know me a little too well." He threw her comment from earlier back at her. "You know I worry about you," he said gently.
"And you know I appreciate it." A gust of wind blew across the marina, spraying droplets of ocean water upon unsuspecting tourists. "Looks like we're in for another windy and possibly stormy day. How about we go and clean up, then find out about that boat before another storm rolls in."
Hunter turned toward the water for a moment before nodding. "Sounds like a plan. Why don't we meet at the main entrance in a half hour. Is that enough time to freshen up?"
"More than enough." They made their way back to Range's. Becca couldn't wait to get out of these clothes and into something cleaner. She had to charge her phone and check for messages, too. As the inn came into her line of view, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"I echo that sentiment." Hunter chuckled. "What a night." They entered Range's and headed for the elevator. As the doors enclosed them in the small space, he turned to her again. Gently touching her face, Hunter inched closer. "Bec, I feel like we should talk about that kiss. That's the second time we've kissed and this year, I don't want to walk away without talking about it."
So that was still bothering him. And second kiss? So he did remember what happened four years ago. Well, shoot! She felt the heat rush to her face. She was so not ready to talk about this yet.
"It was just a kiss," she said softly. "We were caught up in the moment." Just a kiss? Oh, that was the wrong way to describe it. Hunter's kiss was on another level of amazing. She didn't know how to put it into words. She could get lost in a kiss like that under an umbrella in the rain. Or standing by the ocean while the sun set as the chilly waves danced around their feet.
Just like that, the room filled with an unseen energy charge between her and Hunter. What was that all about? She melted inside as his lips parted. What stopped her from kissing him again was the elevator. It jerked to a stop, signaling the arrival on her floor. The doors pulled apart.
"I'd better go," she muttered, tearing her gaze away from his face. She whirled and bolted, unsure of what to make of the tension she'd just felt. It wasn't the bad kind, not at all. It was the I-want-to-do-something-crazy-with-you kind.
Before the doors closed, she heard Hunter's quiet words. "It was more than just a kiss."
Back in her room, she leaned against the closed door and sank to the floor, touching her lips as if she could feel Hunter's still on them from yesterday. His voice echoed inside her head with his last comment. Yes, it was more than just a kiss.
For the past twenty years, Hunter had been her friend and mentor. On many occasions, he had been her protector and voice of reason. He was the one who knew her weakness and fears, yet still loved her despite them.
Four years ago, something changed. And this year, it seemed to evolve. She had to push it out of her mind when he fell out of contact. She'd left it alone.
Until now. Could it be they were both overly sensitive at making it through another storm ravaged accident and they were having mixed feelings, or could it be so much more?
His eyes narrowed before he let out a laugh. "I think you know me a little too well." He threw her comment from earlier back at her. "You know I worry about you," he said gently.
"And you know I appreciate it." A gust of wind blew across the marina, spraying droplets of ocean water upon unsuspecting tourists. "Looks like we're in for another windy and possibly stormy day. How about we go and clean up, then find out about that boat before another storm rolls in."
Hunter turned toward the water for a moment before nodding. "Sounds like a plan. Why don't we meet at the main entrance in a half hour. Is that enough time to freshen up?"
"More than enough." They made their way back to Range's. Becca couldn't wait to get out of these clothes and into something cleaner. She had to charge her phone and check for messages, too. As the inn came into her line of view, she couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"I echo that sentiment." Hunter chuckled. "What a night." They entered Range's and headed for the elevator. As the doors enclosed them in the small space, he turned to her again. Gently touching her face, Hunter inched closer. "Bec, I feel like we should talk about that kiss. That's the second time we've kissed and this year, I don't want to walk away without talking about it."
So that was still bothering him. And second kiss? So he did remember what happened four years ago. Well, shoot! She felt the heat rush to her face. She was so not ready to talk about this yet.
"It was just a kiss," she said softly. "We were caught up in the moment." Just a kiss? Oh, that was the wrong way to describe it. Hunter's kiss was on another level of amazing. She didn't know how to put it into words. She could get lost in a kiss like that under an umbrella in the rain. Or standing by the ocean while the sun set as the chilly waves danced around their feet.
Just like that, the room filled with an unseen energy charge between her and Hunter. What was that all about? She melted inside as his lips parted. What stopped her from kissing him again was the elevator. It jerked to a stop, signaling the arrival on her floor. The doors pulled apart.
"I'd better go," she muttered, tearing her gaze away from his face. She whirled and bolted, unsure of what to make of the tension she'd just felt. It wasn't the bad kind, not at all. It was the I-want-to-do-something-crazy-with-you kind.
Before the doors closed, she heard Hunter's quiet words. "It was more than just a kiss."
Back in her room, she leaned against the closed door and sank to the floor, touching her lips as if she could feel Hunter's still on them from yesterday. His voice echoed inside her head with his last comment. Yes, it was more than just a kiss.
For the past twenty years, Hunter had been her friend and mentor. On many occasions, he had been her protector and voice of reason. He was the one who knew her weakness and fears, yet still loved her despite them.
Four years ago, something changed. And this year, it seemed to evolve. She had to push it out of her mind when he fell out of contact. She'd left it alone.
Until now. Could it be they were both overly sensitive at making it through another storm ravaged accident and they were having mixed feelings, or could it be so much more?
My Book Review:
In A Masterpiece Of Our Love, the first book in The Masterpiece Trilogy, author Nikki Lynn Barrett weaves an intriguing romantic suspense tale that follows the relationship of two young people brought together by a horrible tragedy that forges a connection and an unbreakable bond between them.
Twelve year old Hunter Beckman and eight year old Becca Lange are the sole survivors of a plane crash that tragically took the lives of their families. Their strong connection and bond formed a special friendship that they shared over a span of twenty years, as they annually returned to the island that forever altered their lives, until the past four years when Hunter suddenly stopped coming to the island. When Hunter shows up on the island the following year, they easily rekindle their comfortable friendship, but as they have grown into adulthood, they are no longer able to deny the intimate feelings that they have for each other. As Hunter and Becca try to heal and find love, someone doesn't want them together, and threatens to undermine their blossoming relationship.
A Masterpiece Of Our Love is an emotional story filled with tragedy, love, struggle, secrets, passion, mystery, and suspense. Author Nikki Lynn Barrett easily draws the reader into Hunter and Becca's love story as they struggle to deal with the tragedy and its aftermath that forever changed their lives. The attention to detail, the haunting flashbacks to their tragic past, mixed with the intriguing twists and turns surrounding the mystery and suspense of the stalker, keeps the reader guessing what will happen next. I loved how the author develops Hunter and Becca's blossoming relationship with drama and emotion, while interweaving it with the mystery of the stalker, it kept me engaged and turning the pages ... but alas, the author leaves the reader wanting more as the story ends with a cliffhanger, enticing them to eagerly await the continuation of the story in the next book in the trilogy.
RATING: 4 STARS
Virtual Book Tour Event
Tour Schedule:
September 2 – Books Reviews and More by Dee – Review
September 3 – Chick Lit Goddess – Excerpt
September 3 - Jersey Girl Book Reviews – Review, Guest Post & Excerpt
September 4 – Relatively Yours - Guest Post
September 5 – Julie Valerie’s Book Blog – Guest Post
September 8 – Reading in Black and White – Review
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for taking part of my tour and for your review!
ReplyDeleteHi Nikki! Thank you for the opportunity to host your virtual book tour event. :)
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