By The Book

Happy release day to Lara Van Hulzen. Her latest contemporary romance, A Love Worth Waiting For, is now available!

About The Book

Sadie Woods leads a structured life, and she likes it that way. As owner of her family’s antique store in the town where she grew up, she is surrounded by history. The past is full of intrigue and rich memories, while the present has bills piling up, her aunt battling breast cancer, and a future full of unknowns that have her grasping for hope.

Former professional football star James Larsen just wants a quiet life for himself and his teenage daughter, Maddie. Being Deputy Sheriff in the town he calls home is just right. In the wake of his wife’s death, he’s able to heal without too much attention, and life has become a comfortable routine he appreciates.

When Sadie’s shop is supposedly broken into, and James is the police officer called to the scene, the faded memories of attending high school together stir a connection neither of them is prepared for. While Sadie is knee-deep in trying to save her store, James is hesitant to let another woman into his and his daughter’s lives.

Both hesitant to trust, Sadie and James must brave a path that includes believing there is a love worth waiting for.

Excerpt

As Sadie made her way down the bleachers and along the field level, she scanned the crowd. Not seeing James, she realized he may have joined the team in the locker room. Taking one last look around, she spotted him walking around behind the grandstands, his hands in his pockets and his head down.

She followed, finding him all alone, leaning his back against a wall behind the bleachers.

“Hey, you.” She walked up beside him and copied his stance, the two of them looking out through a tall chain link fence into the parking lot.

“Hey.”

“You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

She nodded but said nothing.

They stood there for a few minutes, not saying anything. If he needed to talk, he would. Sadie just wanted to be near him. Let him know he wasn’t alone. The announcer’s voice echoed in the night as he introduced the first float of the evening done by the freshman class.

James ran a hand through his hair and pushed away from the wall. He turned and faced Sadie. “I know I should be grateful. I’ve always had such strong support from this community. But…” He kicked the dirt with the toe of his boot.

Sadie waited for him to continue.

“But they don’t know the truth.”

“And what is the truth?”

He shook his head. “I’m not the superstar they think I am. I’m not the Golden Boy with the perfect life, the perfect career the way they imagine.”

“None of us has anything perfect,” Sadie offered with a shrug.

He looked down at the ground. “It’s just not the whole story.”

“I don’t know the whole story, James. But I think it’s pretty easy to know you.”

His eyes met hers.

“This town celebrates your accomplishments as a football player, yes,” she continued. “And it’s okay to soak that in. You had a great career.”

He looked away, then back at her again, his frown carrying the weight of whatever was bothering him.

“But I don’t think anyone expects you to be a perfect person with a perfect life.”

He took a deep breath in and let it out. “It sure feels that way sometimes.”

She pushed away from the wall and stepped over to him, taking his hands in hers. “I’m sure there have been people in your life who wanted to be in your life because of your success. But there are plenty of people who want to be in your life because of the person you are. The man you are.”

His lips formed a small smile at that, but it didn’t last. “Like I said, there’s more to the story.”

“I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

“You are. But I gotta be honest, talking isn’t what I want to do right now.” He let go of her hands and cupped her face in his.

The music and noise of the night faded into the background as he placed his lips on hers. The first time in the passageway, there’d been an urgency to his kiss, almost a need for him to be as close to her as possible to know she was okay. This time, it was a slow, searing intensity between them that warmed her all the way to her toes. Her arms wrapped around his waist, her body sinking into his as if she were made to be there.

Sadie lost all track of time or rational thought, her mind only able to focus on being held by James, as if there was no one else in the entire world she was meant to kiss but him.

When he pulled away and placed his forehead on hers, they were both breathless.

“It’s official. I definitely love to do that more than talk,” James said.

Sadie laughed, her breath a cloud in the cold air.

The announcer came over the loudspeaker to announce the presentation of the float for the sophomore class.

James smiled down at Sadie, her face still cradled in his hands. “As much as I hate to say it—and I mean really hate to say it—I need to go.” He kissed her forehead. “Maddie will kill me if I don’t see the float she helped work on all week.”

Sadie nodded. “I understand.”

James stepped back, taking her hands in his. “Thank you for coming to find me.”

“You’re welcome. I’m here any time you ever want to…talk.”

He laughed at that and then kissed her gloved hands and then her cheek. “A very

tempting offer, Sadie. I hope you mean it.”

Oh, she meant it. If she wasn’t falling for James Larsen before, she certainly was now.

“I mean it.”

“Good.” With that, he took her hand and walked her back to the stadium, the two of them parting ways as he headed to the field and she into the stands.

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON

NOOK

ITUNES

KOBO

SMASHWORDS

About The Author

Writing stories since she was a young girl, Lara Van Hulzen’s dream of being a novelist became a reality with her Men of Honor series. An avid reader, she worked as a book reviewer for 18 years with various organizations. She has a BA in Journalism and a Masters of Divinity in Chaplaincy. Lara loves tea, baseball and living in Idaho with her husband and Great Dane.

CONNECT WITH LARA

http://www.laramvanhulzen.com

https://linktr.ee/laravanhulzen

Tags: contemporary romance fiction, Lara Van Hulzen