Eternity
Springs, #11
by Emily March
Publication Date 4th April 2016
St Martin’s Press
Genre: Romance
A beautifully crafted second chance at your
first love romance that will tug at your heart, tickle your tear ducts, and massage
your funny. I had a delightful read with times of sorry, tears, and laughs getting to see Lori and chase reunite again. This was my first read from Emily March and I found something that would bring me back again.
Loir has her heart set on the world she knows
and Chase had his set on the world yet to be discovered. Their first crack at
love and HEA was not what was expect but the second chance has something
promising in store for them both.
For those of you new to Eternity Springs come
on in and see the real deal and for those of you returning you will find what
you have been missing since Heartsongs
Cottage. Chase and Lori finally gets
their chance to make a romance in the making happen for themselves.
**This
ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**
Eternity
Springs series:
A Callahan Carol – Eternity
Springs, #0.5
Angel’s Rest – Eternity
Springs, #1
Hummingbird Lake – Eternity
Springs, #2
Heartache Falls – Eternity
Springs, #3
Mistletoe Mine – Eternity
Springs, #4
Lovers Leap – Eternity
Springs, #5
Reflection Point – Eternity
Springs, #6
Miracle Road – Eternity
Springs, #7
Dreamweaver Trail – Eternity
Springs, #8
Teardrop Lane – Eternity
Springs, #9
Heartsong Cottage – Eternity
Springs, #10
Reunion Pass – Eternity
Springs, #11
Christmas in Eternity Springs – expected holiday release 2016
BLURB
IT’S NEVER TOO
LATE TO HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART.
Six years ago, Chase Timberlake bought an
engagement ring for his high school sweetheart Lori Reese. Then...life
happened. Chase’s adventure photography career took off, Lori’s dream of
getting into veterinary school came true, and their happily ever after never
came to pass.
When Chase’s
jet-setting life takes a tragic turn, he returns to Eternity Springs a damaged
man. Who better to help mend his spirit than the woman who has dedicated her
life to healing broken wings? Long summer days spent together rekindles the
love that never died and Chase dares to dream of a future he’d thought lost.But
Lori can’t help but wonder whether this high-flying man really wants a
small-town girl with roots sunk deep into the Colorado Rockies. Can she and
Chase turn back the hands of time and pick up where they left off—and give
forever a chance?
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SIX YEARS EARLIER
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS
Lori Reese awoke to the sensation of teeth nibbling that sweet spot on
her neck that invariably made her shiver. “Mmm…” She groaned as she opened her
eyes. Her gaze sought her bedside clock and dismay washed through her. “I have
class in fifteen minutes.”
“Skip it.” Chase Timberlake’s husky voice rumbled against her ear.
Lori instinctively arched against the big hand that traced a slow caress
across the naked curve of her hip. They’d fallen into her bed within twenty
minutes of his arrival for a long weekend visit, his second in as many weeks,
and she was in no hurry to leave it. Unfortunately, staying in bed wasn’t an
option. “It’s my anatomy and physiology class. I can’t skip it.”
“Sure you can. I’ll teach you everything you need to know about
anatomy.” He nipped at her earlobe and added, “I’m an expert.”
“Chase,” she protested, even as she suppressed a smile. “That’s a
terrible line.”
Swiping the rough pad of his thumb across the sensitive flesh of her
nipple, he asked, “Are you calling me a liar?”
“No.” She groaned.
He rolled her beneath him and his brown eyes gleamed wickedly as he
challenged, “Be daring, be bold.” He stroked her lower lip with the tip of his
tongue. “Be bad.”
“You are bad enough for both of us.”
“It’s a talent of mine,” he quipped. “I practice.”
Yet, “bad” wasn’t the proper term for Chase, Lori knew. He was actually
very good at what he did, though what he did wasn’t ordinary. Despite having
earned his business degree from the University of Colorado, Chase continued to
work at what had been his summer job—guiding white-water rafting trips from
April through October on the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. Rafting had become
his obsession. He had a bucket list of rivers he wanted to raft in his
lifetime, and Lori had no doubt that he’d ride each one. Off-season, he led
backcountry skiing tours for an outfitter out of Durango. He claimed that he
was still trying to decide what to do when he grew up.
In contrast, Lori had known what she wanted to be since a school field
trip to the veterinary clinic in Creede, Colorado, in the third grade. Due to
the brutally competitive nature of vet school admissions, she didn’t dare spend
the entire afternoon rolling between the sheets with Chase. She braced her
hands against his chest. “I’m not the ‘bad’ type. I’m responsible and boring.”
“Not true. Responsible, yes. Boring? Never. You, Lori my love, are as
exciting as Class VI rapids. As exhilarating as backcountry skiing.” He dipped
his head and licked the valley between her breasts. “As thrilling as
skydiving.”
His lips trailed lower and weakened Lori’s resistance. She tried once
more. “The professor gives pop quizzes.”
“I can do that. For twenty points, name this part.” He slid inside her,
stretching her, filling her.
“Mr. Happy.”
“Half credit. Mr. Happy is too … perky.”
“No fair. It fits.” She rolled her hips and sighed. “He’s perennially
perky.”
“Okay, three-quarter credit, then. Full credit goes to Hammer of Thor.
Now, quit arguing and let’s get to the pop part of this quiz.”
Lori was late to class. Very late. And sure enough, she walked in on a
quiz. Her stomach sank and she swallowed a groan as she took her seat, hoping
that today’s lecture had been about something she’d already studied.
She scored a seventeen and left the classroom fighting back tears. She
wanted to blame Chase, but she knew that wouldn’t be fair. He hadn’t tied her
to the bed.
Though he’d offered to try it if she thought that was something she’d
like.
The hot, muggy south-central Texas weather didn’t improve her mood as
she trudged across the campus toward the student center where she had arranged
to meet Chase. She was so angry at herself. Chase Timberlake could tempt an
angel to sin when his eyes took on that adventurous gleam and he flashed that
wicked grin. And she was certainly no angel.
But she was a serious student. Hadn’t she learned the importance of
education firsthand while watching her single mother struggle? Wasn’t she
determined not to repeat her mom’s mistake of letting hormones and a hot guy
change the course she’d plotted for her life? So why the heck had she thrown
all her good intentions out the window this afternoon at the first touch of his
oh-so-talented lips?
“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.” Muttering softly, she rehearsed what she
needed to say to him. “You’ve graduated. I still have years of college and
professional school ahead of me. I can’t skip classes. I can’t neglect my study
time. I have goals. I must always be on top of my game. Otherwise, I won’t get
into vet school and if I don’t get into vet school…” Sudden tears flooded her
eyes at the thought. She hurriedly wiped them away when she heard her roommate
call her name.
“OMG, Lori,” Molly Stapleton said. “I finally met your hunk. He’s so
hot!”
Lori’s lips fluttered with a smile. “You’ve been to the apartment?”
“I forgot my history textbook. Chase was coming out of the shower
wearing nothing but your fluffy pink towel. I told him pink was a good color
for him. Makes a lovely contrast to his brown eyes. Though I admit I had a hard
time tearing my stare away from his shoulders. Holy cow, Lori. He’s built like
a god.”
“Rafting is a physical occupation. All that paddling.”
“Well, all I can say is…” Molly gave her auburn hair a toss and winked.
“Row, row, row your boat.”
Lori couldn’t help but laugh. “Better not let your Andrew hear you talk
like that.”
Molly waved off the concern. “A little jealousy won’t hurt him. I’m
shallow that way. Besides, I haven’t been feeling it for Andrew lately.”
“I knew it,” Lori declared. “You’re interested in that guy who chatted
you up at the post office the other day, aren’t you? Your old boyfriend. What’s
his name? Jimmy?”
“Charlie. Charlie Malone.”
Recognizing the note of interest in her friend’s voice, Lori deduced
that she’d seen the last of ol’ Andrew.
The roommates parted ways as Molly headed for a bus stop and Lori
continued on to the student center. Entering the building, she made her way to
the flag room where she and Chase had arranged to meet. She glanced around,
didn’t see him, and decided to check the coffee shop. No Chase.
The return route to the flag room took her past the art gallery where,
to her surprise, she spied him speaking animatedly with a man and woman. She
glanced at the exhibit poster propped on a display easel beside the door and
read: “Adventures in Photography by George Overstreet, Class of 1979. Artist
reception five P.M.”
The university regularly hosted special exhibits on football weekends,
so she wasn’t surprised to see a special event in the gallery. Nor was she
surprised that the word “adventure” had pulled Chase in. It was the one thing
Lori feared she couldn’t compete with where her lover was concerned.
Chase’s back was to her when she stepped into the room, so he didn’t
notice her arrival. Lori studied the couple who were the focus of her
boyfriend’s attention. The man was in his fifties, she guessed, with snowy,
disheveled hair and a beard that needed trimming. He wore a sport coat with
elbow patches, a checked bow tie, and dress boots that shone. A character, Lori
decided.
The woman was the type whom Lori always found intimidating. Petite with
sable-colored hair piled artfully atop her head, she was beautiful and quite a
bit younger than her companion—near to her mom’s age, Lori guessed—but with that
rich, classy look that reminded her of Chase’s mother, Ali. She wore a little
black dress, pearls, and an air of sophistication that Lori couldn’t pull off
on a bet with a thousand-dollar budget. Moving closer, she heard Chase say, “…
somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit. After seeing your photographs, I
definitely want to go there.”
“My husband’s photography is spectacular,” the woman said, looping her
arm through her companion’s. “You must see the rainbow he captured above
Kalambo Falls on the border of Tanzania and Zambia. It’s on this wall.”
Lori hung back and eavesdropped as Chase admired the photo in question
and quizzed the photographer about cameras and lenses and lighting and filters.
Photography was a new hobby of his, and this exhibit had certainly captured his
interest. She’d seldom heard this much animation in his tone.
Curiously, a wave of unease washed over her at the realization.
The trio moved from photo to photo, and Chase’s attention remained
focused on the art. Lori tugged her phone from the pocket of her jeans and
checked the time. Almost half an hour now past the time they’d arranged to
meet. He was totally and completely distracted, and Lori found herself growing
annoyed. Her boyfriend needed to have more respect for her time.
Abruptly, she turned and left the gallery without making her presence
known and took a seat near the entrance to the flag room. She’d give him five
more minutes—ten at the most—then she was outta here.
He showed up in eight, a sheepish grin on his face, his dark eyes
gleaming with excitement. “Sorry, sweetheart. I got talking to the guy in the
art gallery. Have you seen his photographs? They’re fascinating. He has the
coolest job ever. He travels around the world taking action photographs of
people participating in extreme sports. He just returned from Bali and guess
what? He has a home and studio in Vail. He’s invited me to go see it.”
Chase babbled on enthusiastically for a few moments until he finally
noticed that Lori wasn’t saying much at all. His voice trailed off, and he
gazed at her a long minute. “What’s wrong, Glitterbug?”
“I don’t know. What could possibly be wrong?” she snapped. “I love to
stand around twiddling my thumbs waiting for my boyfriend to remember I exist
after I skipped class to have sex with him. And it was only one little quiz. So
what if I made a seventeen? It’s better than a seven.”
His eyes widened, realization dawned, and then he grimaced and gave her
a hug. “Yikes. I’m sorry, Lori. My fault. Coming in a day early was a bad idea.
I was just so anxious to see you. I miss you so much when we’re apart. October
first can’t get here fast enough.”
Lori shut her eyes, torn in two completely opposite directions as so
often happened where Chase was concerned. When she’d first gone off to college,
they’d agreed to date other people. They both anticipated a friendly end to
their romance. Instead, dating others only proved the adage that absence makes
the heart grow fonder, and last summer, they declared themselves exclusive once
again—though they’d yet to share the news with their respective families.
She’d been thrilled when he announced his intention to find a job in
College Station at the end of the rafting season. Maintaining a long-distance
relationship was difficult. She missed him terribly, too, when they were apart.
But at the same time, having him around complicated her life in ways she
hadn’t anticipated. Having him around produced seventeens on A&P quizzes.
Her temper faded, replaced with despair. As wetness flooded her eyes, she
abruptly shoved to her feet. “I need to walk.”
He followed her, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. Lori
charted a course across the older section of campus toward her very favorite
spot, a bench beneath the spreading branches of a huge live oak known as the
Century Tree. Seated, she gripped the bench with both hands and stared at the
green, sun-dappled grass in front of her.
“It’s not your fault, Chase. I’m a big girl. I’m responsible for the
decisions I make, the actions I take—good and bad.” She drew in a deep breath,
then exhaled in a rush. “I have no willpower when you are around. I can’t say
no to you. I don’t want to say no, but I need to say no. You know?”
“I know.” He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles.
She drew a deep breath, then exhaled in a rush. “I don’t think you
should move to College Station.”
Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers
Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the
critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a
"master of delightful banter," and her heartwarming, emotionally
charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly,
Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America.Author Links:
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