Romantic Suspense
Thirty-four year old Vicki Laramie must learn to trust before she can love, but she might die trying.
While Vicki’s children grapple with the death of their father -- a man whom she’s successfully fabricated as loving, a lie her rebellious teenager recognizes -- she must find a way to support her family and find a role model for her boys. She never intends to fall for Staff Sergeant Chase, her best friend’s son, who suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). She’d much rather choose a safer man to love, but her children have a voice in the decision she makes. With two deaths to deal with, a suitor after her money, a rebellious son, and Sergeant Chase’s repeated attacks, she can only hope to survive the danger she faces. If she doesn’t, her children will be left without either parent.
Excerpt:
Why him? I needed help; I even needed a rescuer, but not him. I found myself welcoming his presence in spite of the clenching fear in my stomach. My mind spiraled around the possibilities. Would I freeze to death? Would he attack me? Would I survive? I must get home to my children.
"Kelly! What're you doing out here?" My breathing came out hard.
"I don't know," he drawled. His words formed ghostly shapes in the freezing night air. "Do you want a ride or do you really plan to run home?"
I looked down the road in both directions hoping for a second pair of headlights. I found none.
Run.
The fact of my standing on ice and snow escaped me for the moment. I anchored my foot for take-off and slipped, going to my knees. Kelly moved fast, I didn't see him open the Jeep's door before he grasped my arm, lifting me to my feet.
"You okay? You went down pretty hard." He propelled me to the passenger's side. Numb feet measured each jarring step around the front of the Jeep. Why had he come looking for me? The possibility of his not looking for me in particular, but anyone -- anyone alone, screamed across my thoughts.
Afraid of a cold death at the side of the road, my thoughts stalled. He'd proven himself faster than I. I shook his hand off to climb in and settled myself as close to the door as possible. He walked around the front of the Jeep, his footsteps sure on the icy surface.
"Have to admire your spunk," he said climbing in.
Author Bio:
Shaunna Gonzales has toyed with writing since her teenage years but has only written in earnest since 2005. In an effort to give DARK DAYS OF PROMISE an authentic feel she endeavored to include some experiences of veterans she knows and could often be found discussing the realities of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in their lives and how it could honestly be shared in this project. On the evening of this books first promotion, she realized that the scope of PTSD reaches deep into the core of our society and includes infants, children, housewives, the working and unemployed as well as veterans; in short, all of us. In an effort to treat this subject fairly, Ms. Gonzales has altered her writing course from "romance with a twist" to helping our society, sufferers and innocents alike to becoming aware. It is more than those who experience the violence, more than the victims who experience this debilitating disease that are affected. It is their families, the bystander of violent crime and all of us who dare to care for and love them. Shaunna currently resides in the Seattle, Washington area, with her husband, and their younger children.
Reviews/Notices/Awards:
"Written in the first person, this is an engaging romance, a story of family, and of life involving military personnel....""...This is a winning and uplifting contemporary romance! ~ InD'Tale magazine
As I read Mrs. Gonzales novel, I felt as IF she was writing it about me and my life. I can relate to all three main characters. I found myself wondering when she had been able to glean so much information and bring it all together in such a way as it riveted me until I finished reading her novel. ShaunnaThis is a very good read! ~ T.Jaymes, Army veteran
Why did Shaunna writ DARK DAYS OF PROMISE?
It is my hope that readers will become more aware of PTSD. It effects more than the veterans and their families, as well as those who love them. It isn't unusual for me to be talking with someone and get this "Oh, they are dealing with Post Traumatic Stress" this way or that way. As far as I have learned, PTSD comes from intense stress, such as battle and other potentially fatal situations as well as highly stressful situations in civilian life. Some deal with PTSD with faith and prayers on the one hand while others use counseling and sometimes drugs to manage the disorder. It is my hope to continue to gather personal stories that individuals are willing to allow me to draw from for future novels as well.
Purchase Links:
Amazon (including Kindle). http://is.gd/wkb63w
Desert Breeze Publishing. http://is.gd/8IbjVE
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