The Ultimate Sun, Sand & Second Chances Collection (Paperback)

She's single, out of a job, and has a week to decide what to do with her life.

He lost his fiancé to a fatal accident while serving in the coast guard.

Will a chance encounter lead Clara and Mike to find love?

Clara’s boss, Joan Russell, was a wealthy owner of a beachfront mansion, who recently passed away. Joan’s estranged family members have stepped in, eager to collect their inheritance and dismiss Clara of her duties.

With the clock winding down, will Clara find a job and make a new life for herself on Solomons Island? Will a chance encounter with Mike lead her to meet the man of her dreams? Or will Clara have to do the unthinkable and return home to a family who barely cares for her existence?

This women’s divorce fiction book will definitely leave you wanting more! If you love women's fiction and clean romance, this series is for you. Embark on a journey of new beginnings and pick up your copy today!

 Meg Carter gazed at the wedding cake assortment displayed on the table. She and her fiancée, John, tested several pieces when it finally hit her. They were getting nowhere with making a decision about the cake, wedding favors, or anything for that matter, and the wedding was less than sixty days away.

Surrounded by the Ritz Carlton-like glam of Manhattan with wait staff at one’s beck and call was more his thing. But she went along with it, holding her own, being well groomed by working in the hotel industry. 

“I’m so confused,” Meg moaned, seeking direction from the wedding planner.

Trish winked at her. “It’s not your fault. They’re all delicious. Besides, being undecided is completely normal. How about you two cleanse your palate with a glass of water and talk it over. There’s no rush. Take all the time you need.”

Once Trish left, Meg laid her fork down and slid her hand over John’s. “I’m sorry, babe. I imagined this being a lot easier. Honestly, I feel like we should just go with the chocolate cake and call it a day. Anything to get past all the decision making, and just be done with it.”

John loosened his tie completely and backed away from the table. “I disagree.”

Meg slumped in her chair, staring beyond him to the streetlights of midtown Manhattan. Although accustomed to the hustle and bustle of a big city, she was known for her easy-going personality, faith-filled and lighthearted temperament. She had a New York edge to her when the situation called for it. But overall, she was patient and supportive. Relationship-wise, she’d remained by John’s side, stretching their engagement out for three years, while his travel for work came first. She waited so long to be married, mainly due to never quite finding the right one until now. Most importantly, she loved him, and sometimes that’s the kind of sacrifice one made for love. At least, she thought it was.

Meg perked up, nudging him on the arm. “You can decide. I don’t care what we have for dessert. The most important thing to me is that we’re finally getting married, John. Cake or no cake, that’s what matters most, right?” 

He glanced at his polished shoes. “That’s the part I’m struggling with, Meg. This is such a huge deal. We shouldn’t want to carelessly rush past all the decision making, just so we can get on with the wedding. How we make decisions today is an indicator of how we’ll make decisions for the rest of our lives together. That’s rather important, don’t you think?”  

“Of course, but, in the grand scheme of things, it’s just cake,” she mumbled. 

“I’m just calling it like I see it. I think our problems stretch far beyond sampling wedding cake and altering the guest list. We’re not on the same page about anything, Meg.”

“That’s not fair. I’ve always been supportive of you even when we didn’t see eye-to-eye. We’ve successfully made plenty of decisions in the past. It’s almost as if you’re looking for a problem. I just think you’re tired. Maybe we should put this off until the weekend. “Meg folded the napkin on her lap and gathered her purse.

 “I’m seeing someone else,” he said, fumbling over his words while clearing his throat.

She knew she heard his voice audibly uttering something, but surely he didn’t say those words. Anything but those dreaded words.

“What did you say?” 

Again, sounding as if something was stuck in his throat, he repeated, “I said, I’m seeing someone else.”

Stunned at the audacity and nerve, she froze. “I see. You didn’t think to mention this before now? “Meg clenched hard enough to feel her nails digging into her skin. She noticed as John got up and paced near the window. Probably a safe move on his part. She wasn’t violent, but her blood was boiling in the most unusual way.

“I’ve been trying to find a way to bring it up. A couple of weeks ago I even went as far as thinking maybe I should break it off,” he explained.

“Uh, ya think?”

“Hear me out, Meg. At the end of the day, it all comes back to one thing. We’re disconnected, and we have been for a very long time. We’re not the same people we were when we first met. We both want different things out of life.”

Still stunned, she said, “Interesting… who is she?”

“It doesn’t matter. Look, you’re a great woman, Meg. I know someday you’re going to make some lucky guy very happy —”

She tilted her head, still in total disbelief as John continued to talk. 

“You’ve always lived your life according to good values and principles, and I admire you for that. I just don’t know that I want a family, or a nice house and a white picket fence. The typical American dream may not be for me anymore.”

Meg’s mouth dropped open. “You said you wanted all of those things when we first met. Has our whole relationship been one big lie?”

He walked over to her chair and took her by the hands. “No. It hasn’t been. I’d be a fool to sit here and try to blame all of this on you. I’m the one who’s changed, not you. Sadly, I picked a really bad time to tell you. I don’t know what I want out of life anymore. I question so many things, including whether or not I want to stay in my career field, whether I ever want kids. I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore.”

She removed her hands from his and lowered her voice. 

“John, after all these years, the least you could’ve done was be upfront with me. We could’ve figured this out. Now I’m supposed to sit here and believe it was some sort of pre-mid-life crisis that led you to another woman? Please! Give me a break.”

Just then, Trish entered the room holding another tray. “I think I have a solution you’re both going to love,” she said, with a grin that quickly dissipated once she saw their faces.

Meg stood up, keeping her eyes locked on John’s the entire time. “Trish… John and I would like to thank you for your time and hard work. Unfortunately, the wedding is being called off. As it turns out, deciding which cake we want on our wedding day was the least of our problems. Maintaining a monogamous and trustworthy relationship is the far greater issue here, isn’t that right, John?” 

He held his head down and didn’t respond.

“Exactly,” she grunted.

Then, she glanced down at the three-carat ring he once proudly presented to her. She was sure the cost was peanuts to him in comparison to what he was worth. He was born and bred in a family of financial bigwigs with silver spoons handed down through the generations. The ring probably didn’t even begin to put a dent in his bank account when he bought it. Either way, since it was hers, she’d find a way to put it to good use, because giving it back wouldn’t be an option.

“I could stand here and go on about how wrong you are for this. But it would be a waste of time. Just see to it that you cover all costs associated with canceling the wedding. And— see to it that you never dial my number again.” 

With a hair toss, Meg swung around, catching a glimpse of a pitcher filled with water. She knew it wasn’t right, but she was overcome with the urge to pick it up and submerge him, the same way he haphazardly submerged her with grief. 

Before she could think straight, the deed had been done. John’s hands were outstretched as he looked down at his clothes that were dripping wet. As he stood with his mouth wide open, she confidently dug her heels into the plush carpet and exited the room.