Forgiveness

With: Claire McEwen

Congratulations to "Linda H.", the winner in Claire's giveaway. Thank you to all who participated!

How often do we hear the phrase ‘forgive and forget’ tossed around?  It seems like such a good idea.  If we don’t forgive someone, our own resentment and hurt can erode our spirit.

But frankly, I’ve always found forgiveness challenging.  I am amazed when I read articles about people forgiving someone who hurt them in some terrible way. To me these people seem to have forgiveness superpowers, while I’m still trying to work on forgiving the small stuff!

That’s why it was such a challenge, and such a learning experience, to write my new book, Home Free.  This is the third book in my Sierra Legacy series, and it’s all about forgiveness. Both the hero and heroine are struggling to forgive themselves for choices they made.  The hero’s siblings aren’t sure they can forgive him for all the wrong he did when he was young.  

When I started writing this book, I worried that it might be depressing to tell a story where so many people had so much to forgive. But Home Free turned into a very fun experience and a surprisingly lighthearted story.  Because forgiveness is part of healing old wounds, and healing is such a happy thing.  Working through regret and past wrongs, and moving on, is a joyful thing.  And so my hero and heroine had me laughing and smiling, and they left me feeling warm and hopeful inside.

I hope you’ll pick up a copy of Home Free.  Although it is the third book in the series, each book can be read on it’s own, and in any order.

Giveaway:

To celebrate my new book, I’m giving away the first two books in the series! And along with them, a pretty mug and some chocolates, perfect for getting cozy and reading romance.

Thank you for joining me to celebrate the release of Home Free! I am thrilled to send this book off into the world!

HOME FREE

His first taste of freedom was only the beginning… 

Arch Hoffman has paid for his crimes. All he wants is to come home to rural California and start over. He's not looking to be a hero when he rescues a wedding cake from hitting the dirt at the ranch next door. But culinary artist Mandy Allen's irresistible smile makes him glad to save the day—and thankful that they're neighbors. 

Mandy's just the distraction Arch needs. Her sweet voice quiets the memories that threaten his chance to be a better man, and he's determined to help her confront her fears. But the past is its own prison, and even love might not be enough to set them free.

Excerpt:

This excerpt is when the hero, Arch Hoffman, walks into his family home for the first time in over a decade, and confronts the ghosts of his past.

         He stayed there a few minutes, listening to the silence left in the wake of her truck. Silence laced with a touch of hope.

Autumn evenings lost their warmth quickly here in the mountains. After watching a few more stars emerge, Arch walked back to the house, grabbed his duffel bag and let himself in the kitchen door.

Inside he stopped, taking in the neatly scrubbed countertops, the faded linoleum. He moved on into the living room, recognizing the familiar furniture, the scarred, paneled walls, everything even older and more run-down than he remembered it. It was clean, though, which it had never been when they were young. Clean, but still a gut job.

A clock ticked in the hall. Other than that there was just thick, musty silence. For ten years he’d lived and slept with the sounds of hundreds of men clinging to him like dirt that he couldn’t wash off. He’d craved silence during nights surrounded by their moans and snores. But now the quiet closed over him and all the emptiness was almost overwhelming.

He was being an idiot. Quiet was just that. Quiet. He should be happy to finally have a chance to experience it. He’d get used to it—and to everything else about life after jail.

He didn’t feel ready to go upstairs, but exhaustion was hitting. He’d hitchhiked the past couple of days up from Los Angeles, sleeping rough. He needed a shower and bed.

He grabbed his duffel and climbed the rickety wooden stairs to face the past lurking in his childhood bedroom. The sagging mattress and the iron bed frame just as he’d left them. Beyond the bed, the window opened out over the porch roof. He’d climbed out of it just about every night when he was a kid, so ready to grow up fast and raise hell.

His bag landed on the bed with a hollow thump. He wished he could talk to the kid he’d been. Grip him by the belt and pull him back inside. Give him a good shaking and a glimpse into what his future would hold. Scare him straight.

Arch shook his head to clear the regret making his vision swim. No wishing could undo what had been done. No wishing could give him back the ten years he’d spent surviving behind bars. All he could do was leave that trouble-hungry boy in the past. All he could do was take what he’d learned and use it to finally become a man.

Social Media Links:

Website:  http://www.clairemcewen.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/CMcEwen.writer/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/ClaireMcEwen1

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Author Bio:

Claire McEwen lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier.  Her books feature strong heroes and heroines who take emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-afters.  When not dreaming up new stories, she can be found digging in her garden with a lot of enthusiasm but, unfortunately, no green thumb.  She loves discovering flea-market treasures, walking on the beach, dancing, traveling and reading, of course! 

Giveaway ends 11:59pm EST November 3rd. Please supply your email in the post. You may use spaces or full text for security. (ex. jsmith at gmail dot com) If you do not wish to supply your email, or have trouble posting, please email maureen@JustContemporaryRomance.com with a subject title of JCR GIVEAWAY to be entered in the current giveaway.