THE
CHAPELS ON THE HILLS
by
Virginia McCullough
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
When
tragedy struck, Sonia and Aaron’s reason to be together seemed to
slip away, along with the love they once shared. Both believe they’ll
find closure at an event dedicating a music pavilion to their son,
allowing them to say a final goodbye and freeing them to commit to
new relationships. But instead of finding peace, memories of the life
they shared with their son, Matt, stir up unexpected feelings,
prompting them to relive both sweet and painful times of their shared
memories of the life they shared…
And
they can’t forget Matt’s special gift…
By
age five, Matt’s cello teacher declared him a child prodigy. But
life with a prodigy can become complicated and even strains Aaron and
Sonia’s marriage. Sonia is forced to balance her commitment to Matt
and his music with running Chapel’s Botanical Garden, a business
she created to save Aaron’s family’s land. Aaron’s law practice
leads him to high-profile cases all over the country. Aaron is
concerned about music dominating Matt’s childhood, but he
eventually understands his son’s gift is already leading him to a
life far away from their home in Lady’s River, Wisconsin.
When
Matt is taken from them unexpectedly, Aaron and Sonia turn in
different directions, eventually going their separate ways. It seems
to be working…or is it? For Sonia and Aaron, only a trip through
the past will allow them to redeem the future—perhaps even find a
shared future again.
Excerpt
Sonia
switched back and forth between two cable news stations and an old
made-for TV movie she’d seen a couple of times, determined to stay
upright and awake. When sleepiness overtook her, she’d head to bed.
No more dozing off in the den. This catch-as-catch-can lifestyle
she’d sunk into after coming back from Pearson Pond had begun to
embarrass her.
First,
she’d call the painter in the morning. Even if she reconnected with
Ben—maybe even began planning a future with him—she’d still
need to fix up the house before she could sell it. And the den was as
good a place to start as any.
She
picked at the fraying fabric on the arm of the couch. No wonder she
felt off balance. She spent most of her time at home in a room she
last painted a sophisticated pale gray. But time had darkened the
walls, and now they looked drab and sad, begging for new life, like
the whole house had the day she first stood in the living room
imagining herself living there.
She and
Aaron had poured their new-found passion into the house, discovering
each other and reveling in the miracle that they’d fallen in love.
No more
ancient history. Move on. Maybe selling the place was the only way to
make a fresh start. What was she hanging on to it for, anyway? She
wouldn’t want to live in it with Ben. No, the house belonged to her
old life.
Studying
the walls in the den, she settled on replacing the gray with a
brighter ivory, with the far wall painted in a butterscotch yellow
for contrast. Then she’d hang the paintings she’d bought at
various art exhibits at the garden over the last few years. Too
distracted to decide where to hang them, she’d stashed them in the
attic for safekeeping.
Sonia
left the couch and knelt on the rug in front of the shelves. Before
she could change her mind, she scooped up a row of paperbacks and
spread them out in front of her. She needed two piles, one for the
keepers and one for the giveaways.
No
lingering allowed. If she let the memories grab hold of her, she’d
hear echoes of Aaron teasing her about her gritty murder mysteries.
But even as she sorted, little snippets popped into her mind and she
couldn’t order them back into their hiding places.
She sat
back on her heels and recalled the day, only a week or two before
Matt was born, when she’d flopped into the easy chair to read.
She’d ended up resting the open book across her swollen belly and
dozed, opening her eyes when she’d felt Aaron’s lips on her
forehead. “Having sweet dreams?” he’d asked, holding up the
book and pointing to the bloody knife on the cover.
She
smiled at the memory of his amused eyes.
“Enough
of that,” she said out loud. Distracting herself by gathering up a
second armful of books, she quickly tossed them into one pile or the
other.
AUTHOR
Bio and Links:
Bestselling
author Virginia McCullough’s fiction titles include Amber Light,
Greta's Grace, Island Healing, Book 1 of her St. Anne's Island
Series, and The Chapels on the Hill. The Jacks of Her Heart, which
releases in May 2015, offers a lighter take on romance in middle-age.
Her novels offer hope, healing, and plenty of second chances—and
her characters always share some fun and laughter along the way, too.
A
lifelong writer, Virginia has written over 100 books as a ghostwriter
or coauthor. Her clients include well-known doctors, lawyers,
professional speakers, and individuals with a story to tell. She’s
come to see that her nonfiction work also offers readers hope and
healing. Virginia coauthored (w/Lynda McDaniel) Write Your Book Now
and Storytelling Toolkit, both available on amazon.com. She currently
lives in Wisconsin. Visit Virginia online:
Website:
http://www.virginiamccullough.com/
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/VEMcCullough
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ReplyDeleteThis looks like a wonderful springtime story of love and romance. Thanks!
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