BLURB:
The past is never far behind.
Senia
Loato’s life has been needled by disappointment, and the wounds that fester go
beyond skin deep. She is certain if she puts miles between her and her tainted
past, she will somehow outrun it. When she’s offered the chance to leave her
island home of Mintang to become an au pair for three boys in Germany, she
takes the opportunity to start running.
In
Germany, she meets Miina, another au pair. What builds between them is a
life-defining friendship, one they will risk everything for.
And soon, they’ll be asked nothing
less.
When
Miina is betrayed and left stranded, Senia stands by her, risking much more
than just her stay in Germany. She also stands to lose rich, handsome,
turquoise-eyed Roman Dorenwald, the first man she has allowed into her heart.
But they’re risks worth taking.
Eventually,
Senia makes a sacrifice that catapults her back to her past, where she’s forced
to draw back the curtain and discover the shocking truth of her history.
Can
she confront her nightmares, reach deep into her soul, and forgive those who
have hurt her? Or is it easier to just keep running?
EXCERPT
My muscles tensed up again, and I
smoothed the tablecloth, gave myself time to respond. How much could I tell
him? If he had read my CV, he'd know I'd worked at the orphanage, but not that
I'd also lived there. Did I want him to know? I raised my eyes. Why not?
"I grew up in an orphanage, where I later worked as well, for two years. I
never met my biological parents." Why not just leave out the whole
adoption part? It would only call for more questions and complicate things.
To my surprise, Roman squeezed my
hand, just for a second, but the warmth from his grip remained with me.
"I'm sorry to hear that. That explains it. I used to wonder why you had
this sad look in your eyes all the time."
I glanced away. "I do?" I
whispered. But then, how would I know? Whatever look I had in my eyes, I'd
lived with all my life. I wouldn't know if it was sad or not.
"Senia," Roman drew his
chair closer to the table, "please look at me. It's nothing to be ashamed
of. I can't even begin to imagine how it would be, growing up without my
parents, even if they can be too controlling sometimes."
I allowed my glance to meet his again.
"Well, having never met mine has made it easier to live without
them."
The waiter placed our food in front of
us, halting our conversation. The aroma of Roman's roasted pork in gravy and
that of my beef and pork mingled in the air between us before teasing my
nostrils. So easy for the aromas to do—nothing in the air to stop them from
embracing. Unlike Roman and I. Between us stood many possible complications
that could send a potential relationship toppling before it even started.
About the author:
Liz
Grace Davis grew up in Angola, Namibia, South Africa, and Germany. She now
lives with her husband and daughter in Vienna, Austria.
Her
travels offered her the opportunity to gather interesting material, from both
her own experiences and those of others. She is a firm believer that memories,
both good and bad, are worth cherishing because they lead us to be the people
we are today.
As
a result, Liz enjoys breathing new life into some of those experiences, and
sprinkling them with snippets born of her imagination, to write fiction. Her aim
as a writer is to both thrill and inspire readers. The genres she enjoys
writing are as diverse as the books she reads.
Liz is the author of Chocolate Aftertaste, Honeysuckle
and Jasmine, and Tangi’s Teardrops
Contact info:
