Book Title: Mirrored Reflections by J.F. Ridgley Category: Adult Fiction (18+) , 418 pages Genre: Christian Romance Publisher: R Pride Publishing Release date: December 2022 Content Rating: PG-13 +M. This is a Christian Romance, no sex. two hot kisses. Lots of trauma but a happy ending. There is a language warning: Chad’s debridement is painful, being a burn survivor is painful and the story is about also about sexual trafficking.
Book Description:
“I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU”– Hebrews 13:5
Opposites attract and Chad and Sierra are that.
Chad is destroyed on the outside by a suicide bomber while Sierra is broken on the inside by human trafficking. They are each other’s reflection of who they are – beautiful but ravaged by life.
Chad Michaels, an Afghan vet, comes home to a suicide bomber who destroys not only his family but the man he was. Now, he must deal with life as a burn victim — as a monster. But Sierra sees what a beautiful man Chad truly is.
Not all wounds are flesh. Many are inside one’s soul where Sierra Smith’s scars run deep. Yet, Chad sees the innocence that Sierra fails to see. Kidnapped at the early age of six, Sierra was raised to become a high-end prostitute who now dreams of becoming a nurse…someone who helps heal people not service them. But her past relentlessly haunts her.
Sierra and Chad are determined to help each other heal from their traumas – whatever it takes. And, somehow, with God’s help, they will survive to see a brighter day.
JF Ridgley is the author of eight novels and short stories set in ancient Rome and three contemporary romance novels. She loves researching history and writing fiction based on real stories of real people. She also loves to write contemporary romance because the ancient Roman saying of ‘Live. Love. Laugh.’ is just as true today.
I am excited to have Quint Emm Ellis sharing her thoughts about being a writer.
Starting out in the world of writing is such an exciting
adventure. As a self-publisher, it’s been quite the learning curve in every
arena. It’s also been an amazing opportunity to connect with new friends and
fans of stories that I’ve come to love myself.
“For Better & For Worse” is the third installment in my latest
series “The
Sisterhood of the Tiny House Revolution”. This series peeks into the intertwining love stories of four ladies who’ve
become fast-friends and have fallen for the men helping them achieve their
dreams. I’ve always appreciated the fact that many of our own tales overlap
with that of another, most times in ways in which we are unaware. In this
series, I hoped to allude to that reality; that an integral aspect of one
person’s love story could show up as a barely noted absence in someone else’s.
In the final installment of this series, I intend to continue that, hopefully
subtle, trend.
My latest novel, “For Better & For Worse” is a second-chance
love story featuring two people who were faced with difficult realizations and
difficult choices. This is my second novel boasting a “Second Chance” theme,
and I was pleased to have an opportunity to explore this fun dynamic. My
favorite part of the book is when the two ex-love birds reminisce about their
past; but do so in a manner that was rather fun for me to orchestrate.
We all have a beginning to the many stories that make up our
lives. I look forward to looking back, one day, and enjoying the journey that
transformed me from a reader to a reader and an author.
For Better & For Worse by Quint Emm Ellis
GENRE: Christian Romance
BLURB
These
ex-lovebirds are busy building a nest for one. But can she be convinced to make
room for him, too?
Despite attending the same congregation and
university, Ashe and Stephen’s circles had never seemed to cross.
One class project changed everything…for the
better; until secrecy and youthful indiscretion pulled them apart.
Will an unexpectant reunion in their adult years
allow Ashe and Stephen to rewrite a history riddled with regret and
heartbreaking choices?
EXCERPT
“It’s open,
Dear. Come on in. We’re all in the backyard,” she heard an unfamiliar woman’s
voice say over the doorbell’s integrated camera and intercom system.
“Oh,” she
responded, bending down a bit to look into the camera as she resettled the pan
in both hands. Unsure if the ghost that’d just occupied the device was still
there, she decided to err on the side of caution and manners. “Thank you.”
Rebalancing her
offering on one hand, she wrapped her free hand around the cool, metal door
knob. The scent of bar-b-que, the sound of laughter and an overwhelming sense
of home and comfort greeted her as she took her first steps inside the cozy
home. Her shoulders relaxed as she continued to follow the sounds of something
sizzling on the grill and of voices that felt both familiar and foreign.
“Ashe?”
Though Ashe
paused, the hairs on her skin slowly stood on end.
That didn’t
sound like Josiah or Liam. And yet, she recognized that man’s voice from
somewhere. She tilted her head to one side, blinking through a fog of memory.
“Ashe,” the
voice insisted.
Recognition
rippled down Ashe’s spine; she knew who was standing just a few feet behind
her.
And if she
could have just kept walking, she would have; but her body betrayed her—
turning of its own volition to meet the source.
The world
became dull except for the man who carefully stood from his chair, tossing his
book upon the seat’s cushion before striding toward Ashe. He stood in sharp
contrast against the scenery that seemed to have become a blur. When he
stopped, he was so close she could catch a faint whiff of soap intertwined with
a husky, sweet aroma.
He changed
colognes, came the wayward thought in Ashe’s mind.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
“If there’s a
book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write
it.”
–
Toni Morrison
Quint Emm Ellis enjoys penning plots
centering around unabashedly nerdy, introverted, cinnamon-roll mantic,
passionate, fallible women who happen to be black, who happen to be Christian,
and who happen to love an uplifting and, possibly, inspirational story.
She enjoys listening to audio books,
watching movies, finding great deals and spoiling her cat and dog rotten. Her
dream is to be able to walk around in loose pajama pants all day and geek out
while mastering niche crafts like music production, film editing and electro
etching.