Good Morning, Gentle Readers!
This morning I am sharing one of my own little gems. BENTLEY SQUARE is part of the Time After Time series, but the books do not need to be read in any order. The premise of the series is a pair of reincarnated lovers keep finding each other in different times, places, ages, and circumstances. The theme is "Everything changes. Only love remains the same."
Have a super day!
Hugs,
Carol
Book Description:
Strangers meet on the train. She, a beautiful, wealthy businesswoman. He, a down on his luck office manager. They have nothing in common. And yet, they are drawn to each other with an undeniable hypnotic magnetism. This is the story of Rebecca Robbins, daughter of one of the wealthiest men in the country and Mark Ramsay, a down-on-his-luck ad agency office manager, a man shrouded in dark mystery and hiding in the shadows from death squads and international intrigue.
Excerpt:
Wednesday night Jon was
waiting outside Bentley Square at eight o’clock. He opened the car door for her.
“Okay, my dear, where
would you like to have dinner? The Yacht
Club? The Bostonian? The Long Island Steak House? Or the little Italian restaurant we went to
for our first date? What’s it called?”
“Bella Luna. Yes!”
“Phew! Good.
I only made reservations at those four restaurants. The Bella Luna, it is,” he said. They were there in minutes. A valet parked the car.
“Reservation for Jonathan
Benson.”
“Right this way, Mr.
Benson.” They sat at one of the tables
by the window.
“Thank you for the
beautiful flowers, Jonathan. Pink
sweetheart roses are my favorite.”
“So I heard. But I really think you’re more of the tiger
lily type.” She chose to ignore the
tiger reference, and stick to the lilies.
“Lilies are nice, but
their fragrance is a little too strong for me.
I also love those little pale blue wildflowers that only bloom in the
springtime in wet areas, bluettes I think they’re called, just four petals,
yellow throat, and a blue that’s almost lavender. They’re a mossy, grassy plant. Tiny. I
just love those. But you can’t buy them
in a flower shop. You have to go out for
a walk in the field or the park in mid May after a rain and take your
chances. They only bloom for about two
weeks a year, unless they have an unhappy encounter with a lawn mower. That doesn’t kill the plant, but it lops off
all their beautiful little flower heads.
My mother and I used to go to the park and pick them when I was a little
girl. They’re sweet, simple, and unaware
of their beauty. They’re happy little flowers.”
“You can thank me
right here,” he pointed to his cheek, not listening to a word she said. She leaned in and gave him a little peck on
the cheek. Jon grabbed her hand and
kissed it and moved in to kiss her just as she turned, so he ended up kissing
her cheek, lingering softly for a moment.
He held on to her hand.
“Becca, I’m sorry I
had to subject you to my horrible father.
He was disgusting. I promise I’ll
keep him away from you as much as I can.”
“Thank you,” she
nodded.
Mark watched from
across the street. He leaned back
against the building. He told himself he
was happy she was in a relationship. He
didn’t want her to be alone. He told
himself that handsome, rich guy, Benson, was good for her. But why did she have to KISS him? Why did it feel so horrible to witness it? Why did this hurt so much? He remembered the way she held on to his
hand, like she didn’t want to let him go, the way she looked at him like she
was seeing into his very soul, the way she smiled at him and made him blush,
the way she stared at his lower lip. Oh,
Mark, you dumb shit, what did you think was going to happen? One magical, electrifying touch. One wonderful chance meeting at the diner. And then what? Skipping through fields of beautiful wildflowers
in the sunshine, under the bluest sky, hand in hand with her in a fever of
happiness forever? He sighed. Go home, Mark, and get a grip, he said to
himself, you’ve always known happy endings aren’t for you. Mark went home.
Link:
Review:
Amazon.com 5 star review C. R
"I think this was a great choice of book. It has real romance, not erotic romance novel type, and mystery and intrigue. It was well written and enjoyable. I passed time easily enjoying this book, and appreciating the fresh voice of an author who isn't drawn to sex filled romance, and overly hyped hunky heroes. This book has the elements of a good story, and something that sticks with you even after you close the book! Great choice! :)
