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.

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
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cmcewenwriter/
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.
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.
It is pretty amazing at how easily some people can forgive while others hold onto grudges for a long time. I'm new to this series but it sounds very interesting, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletethebigbluewall77 (AT) gmail (DOT) com
I've found over the years that I don't have as much trouble forgiving as I do forgetting. I still struggle with holding grudges but thankfully with age comes a little more wisdom about these things.
ReplyDeletelinda dot henderson70 at yahoo dot com
Home Free sounds so good! And that cover is not bad to look at too :) Please enter me in case this giveaway is opened internationally. Good luck, everyone!
ReplyDeleteI agree that holding a grudge can does harm the spirit. The forgetting part is harder.
ReplyDeletejtcgc at yahoo dot com
last year my whole family was feuding at the holidays...we've all forgiven each other but i can't seem to forget it. can't wait to read this. aelinderman@sbcglobal.net
ReplyDeleteCongrats on this latest release! In the past I have held grudges... now I try to let go of my anger and let the negative feelings rest as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new book! It seems that it is hard to forgive but even harder to forget!
ReplyDeleteahui89 at hotmail dot com
interesting topic
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
It takes a while to get me mad...and then takes a while for me to forgive! I try to let it go but sometimes it's difficult :)
ReplyDeleteGoldgirl149 at hotmail dot com
I have to admit that I too am pretty bad at forgiving ... especially if it's someone who I really cared about that hurt me, but I also have never been placed in a situation where the one who did me wrong actually apologized on their own either. If an apology is given, it was like pulling teeth to get it. I'm not sure if I would have been more forgiving if a sincere apology had been given from the beginning or not.
ReplyDeleteI did love Arch and believe he deserved forgiveness in this book though! :)
** Don't enter me, already read and loved them all **
Already following you everywhere :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on new release :)
ReplyDeleteHome Free sounds good,and the cover is great!
Thank you for the great excerpt and great opportunity to win such a wondeful book gif :)
bubacka07(at)outlook(dot)com