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FLORIDA WEDDINGS
By Lynn Coleman, Kristy Dykes, and Kathleen E. Kovach
These fast-paced, simmering Florida romances are the perfect read while relaxing on the beach or reclining on the couch. Here you'll encounter the stories of three very different women. Renee Austin, accused of crimes she didn't commit, finds her relationship and reputation in jeopardy. Jeris Waldron and her wounded heart seem unprepared to take on a readymade family. Bethany Hamilton, haunted by death and loss, cannot seem to escape her past, no matter where she hides. Do these three females have the faith and the fortitude to follow their hearts under the Floridian sun?
My story in this compilation is
Merely Players. When a dolphin trainer is reunited with her first love, now an A-list actor, she masks her emotions while making him jump through hoops to win back her affections. All the world's a stage and all people are merely players, but God is the director. Buy it at
Amazon! Buy it at
Barbour Publishing!
REVIEWS:
Something I thought made this book a strong romance is that the relationship between hero/heroine had depth. It wasn't trite or contrived. You could believe in their emotions and pull for them as a couple because Kathy dug deeper than surface attraction or circumstances to take the reader more fully into each of the character's persona--both who they were and why they were that way. Sometimes romance novels, especially short ones, leave me feeling flat because the characters and relationship between them are flat--predictable and shallow. It takes some hard work and deep knowledge of your characters to make them full and real in short word counts, but I think Kathy's book shows why it is worth it. She also made the spiritual element central to the story. It was genuine and relational. To be blunt, I've read some books where the spiritual elements felt contrived to me, like the author was trying to show that the character did all the right things and therefore her spirituality was real. I prefer characters who have an honest relationship with God and where the spiritual elements are natural and a part of the character's interior world. I have little patience with stories where the character's spiritual side feels tacked on to make the character look "good".
Another thing that made her book interesting, is her research was thorough and included two worlds most of us aren't familiar with. Readers get to go behind the scenes with dolphin trainers and with movie makers & stars. I know that is one of the things that first pricked Heartsong's interest--the fact that the heroine was a dolphin trainer. That gave Kathy an edge right away because the editors said they had a lot of book proposals where the heroines are teachers, etc., but a dolphin trainer was something unique. ~
Paula Moldenhauer*****
This is a fresh voice. Kathleen's first novel. It's a bit different with the unlikely hero lead a superstar actor. The spiritual message is strong and well done. ~
Mary Connealy*****
Reading this Heartsong novel was like delving into a delectable dessert. Delicious. The romantic element was fabulous...every reader's fantasy. Who wouldn't want a hot Hollywood movie star to be in love with them? I enjoyed every minute of this savory romance. ~
Edgy Inspirational Author
