Demons of past mistakes haunt her. Mistakes of past demons haunt him. Strangers cross paths every day. Moments are shared with a smile — the opening of a door, a nod of hello, or help with directions. Most don’t listen to that quiet intuition telling them that something different can be found in this stranger. There is connection and understanding in their eyes. There is truth in their smile. There is an entire life waiting to live. What happens if that intuition isn’t ignored and strangers begin to listen?
It happens every day, someone, somewhere, chooses to listen, and love begins.
This is the story of two strangers who made that choice.
Haunted by the passing of her sister and believing she was the catalyst to cause it, Hannah Anderson lives a walking death. Afraid to embrace life and burdened by guilt, she refuses to accept more than just getting through every day. She believes she doesn’t deserve happiness.
Consumed by anxieties and self-depreciation from childhood, Wynn Hawthorne shelters himself from the world. Content to live behind his camera and within the quotes that comfort him, he avoids people. He holds himself back from experiences because people always disappoint.
Together they learn that their pasts do not define them and that forgiveness is the hardest thing in the world to accept.
After I calmed, I took a quick breath and standing from the stool, I pushed my way toward the side exit. As I opened the door and breathed the cool night air, my sanity began to return. I needed to leave before I lost this grip. I didn’t want to have a freak out moment in front of her. I didn’t understand why I was concerned as to what a stranger thought of me. I didn’t know her name and I never heard the sound of her voice, but fear for her opinion of me occupied my thoughts.
I stepped into the alley and turning away from a group smoking, I headed toward the street where I parked my bike. I approached a dark part of the alley where two figures hid in the shadows of a doorway. As I drew closer to them, I heard moaning and heavy breathing. I kept my head lowered as not to bring attention to myself and avoid eye contact.
I envied these people. I envied their ability to use the night air in such a primal way. I tried to keep my eyes forward as I walked past, but my voyeuristic nature of humanity caused me to turn toward the two entwined figures. A girl had her back pressed against a door with a guy encased between her long legs around his waist. Any normal person might continue on their way and give them their privacy, but I was never normal.
He buried his head in her chest as he pounded her against the door and I envisioned medieval times and a ramrod breaking through gates. I took in her crossed ankles behind his back and followed them up her body until I reached her eyes. My breath paused as I met her eyes watching me. The girl I watched most of the night, the girl I saw in Petra’s store, the girl I tried to hold the door for, bench girl, now pulled her lower lip into her mouth in pleasure as her eyes held mine.
She didn’t turn away from me in embarrassment as I expected. She didn’t tell the guy between her legs I was there either. I wanted to continue walking away, but I lost the ability to move my feet in her gaze. They held me fast as I wanted to understand the contrasting emotions running through me.
My once calm breathing now quickened again, but for far better reasons. The man between her legs vanished as we held each other’s gaze. I should be turning in disgust, as that was my usual reaction. Her eyes dropped to my physical reaction and embarrassment filled me. But as the abyss in her eyes consumed me, I found the embarrassment dwindling. I focused on her eyes and what they held.
She was breaking and this was part of her downward spiral. She was trying to be this person. What had driven her to this place? For the briefest moment embarrassment was in her expression as well. I wanted to throw the tattooed douche off her and pull her from the alley away from this place; away from the garbage on the ground surrounding his feet; away from the pain in her eyes. It was a foreign reaction and the longer I stared into her eyes, the harder it was to fight. I wanted to shield her from herself. I wanted to protect her from whatever it was that caused her to make the decision to be with this random guy in a dark, dirty, alley.
This is the story of how mine found me.
I have always loved books and I always wanted to write. But for many years, life took hold and I left it to the sidelines. Then at the end of 2012, I decided to remember what I always wanted to do as a little girl. I decided that I was not going to just have the idea of writing a book in the back of my thoughts anymore, I was going to sit at the keyboard and bleed…just as Hemingway said. Only, he said typewriter, because computers didn’t exist in his time.
2013 was spent at that keyboard and in May 2014 I published my first book.
penance. a love story was an amazing journey for me to write and out of it has come more stories. A whole world has come from this one story of two individuals finding each other and finding themselves in the process. I am excited to share the stories of other members of The Böhme as well.
The Böhme Series has grown from penance. a love story and the more I think of the group of artists, the more I think of people I have known in my life and the readers that are attracted to the Böhme stories.
There are bohemians in each of us, just as their are stories in each of us. If you have found your way here, I thank you for reading this far. You are already proving to be a bohemian. Thank you, schatz.
jodi marinich says
book sounds great.cant wait to read
DJ Sakata says
looks exactly like the kind of book I like to read
Debbie Talbot says
I’m very intrigued.
exbuffalo2001 says
That has to be one of the best blurbs I have read about a book ~ it strays from the norm….makes you want to read the book 🙂
Heather says
I am intrigued! Love the blurb and this is one of those covers that would make me click over and put the book on my TBR without even needing a giveaway. 🙂
elena k says
I really like the blurb of this book and I love the teasers!
Sue H. Mtz says
Intrigued. Thanks
Debbie Jensen says
Great review. This really sounds good.
Tracy Werner says
I love the unique sound of the story…the teasers are great. Thanks for the chance to win!
Jeanne says
Romance is my favorite genre. After reading the excerpt it left me wanting to know more. Thanks for the chance to win a wonderful book.
Tina McClay says
The excerpt was intriguing, loved it actually. Thanks for the giveaway!
mrsmac19 says
Looks great! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
Diana Doan says
Yes, very intrigued! Looking forward to reading it!!
catlover415 says
Yes, definitely intrigued! Thanks for the tease! LOL
Lori Moore says
I’d love to read this
Natasha says
sounds really good!
Rhonda Anderson-Pease says
This is the first time I’ve seen this book, I am very intrigued.
Kristy Petree says
I’m intrigued! Thanks for this giveaway. 🙂
Stephanie Fredrick says
I am very intrigued. The book sounds wonderful, definitely added to my TBR.
bebopin128 says
Very intrigued!!! on the TBR list!!!
Irma Jurejevčič says
Haven’ had a chance to read it, yet…
Alexandra A says
So excited to read it! 🙂
Stacy says
Yes, very intrigued!! I can’t wait to read it!!
maggie steele says
Love the cover.
Maria Theresa Santos says
Yes
Gina H says
I love these type of books, where 2 broken people find the ability to heal within each other! Thanks for the giveaway!
Anna Kidd says
Thanks for the giveaway! This sounds great! (:
Betul E. says
Read it already loved it!!
Terri S says
Putting on my “To Read” list. Thank you for sharing.