Synopsis

Is there hope for this love between friends?

Pamela Hayes is a smart, successful business owner with a supportive family and a thriving bakery. She should be the happiest girl in the world. But she can’t shake the melancholy that accompanies every conversation she has with her best friend, Mark. Pamela doesn’t know how much longer she can hide her true feelings.

Why can’t Mark see how perfect they would be together? She would make a much better girlfriend than the one he currently has. Pamela prays he’ll come to his senses soon and realize he’s with the wrong girl. But when her dream comes true, it isn’t the fantasy she had envisioned.

There is trouble in paradise from the start, and all the red flags she’s been ignoring are starting to threaten her confidence…and her relationship with Mark. She’ll have to rely on family and her faith in God to help her secure the hope she so desperately needs.

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Excerpt

Motes reflected in the sunlight that beamed through an eastern bedroom window. Background noise filtered past closed doors. Turning over in bed onto her stomach, Pamela Hayes yanked a beige satin comforter off the floor with one hand. That same hand then tossed a navy-blue neck pillow upon the bed. Footsteps on the other side of the door grabbed her attention.

Mom’s on her Saturday-morning prowl. Five, four, three, two, one …

Anna Hayes’s head poked inside her daughter’s bedroom. Hallway lighting bathed her trim figure in artificial brightness. “Morning, babe. Touching base before I go.” Her warm gaze surveyed the tousled bed. “From the tangled cover, it looks like you had a rough night.”

With a hand covering her yawn, Pamela shook her head and turned onto her side. “Just my normal Friday night tug-of-war. It’s my preferred method of winding down.”

Anna’s soft laugh sounded like music. “Any special plans today?”

Leaning on her elbow, Pamela rested her face on spread fingers as she gazed at her mother. Forty-eight-year-old Anna wore desert-green ankle boots, cropped white pants, and an oversized olive-green sweater. A brown suede bag hung over her shoulder.

“You look like a dream, Mom. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d think you were going out with someone special.”

Laughter flitted through slightly parted lips. “I’m late. Give me a quick rundown on your activities for today.”

Oh boy. I had hoped she wouldn’t ask. Better mention my afternoon expedition last.

“Shopping for a spring wardrobe around noon. My jeans are tatty. And then, shooting the rapids.”

The door opened wider as Anna grasped the doorknob. “Water rafting somewhere near South Town?”

“Oklahoma City. The spring season begins today. It’s safe, Mom. Stop frowning.”

“I’m sure they take safety precautions. But promise to be extra careful. I can do without mental pictures of my twenty-five-year-old daughter drowning.”

Pamela flopped onto her back. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you. I love surrender whenever I hear it.” Anna checked her watch. “I’ll be out late. Don’t hesitate to call if you need me.”

After those parting words, her mother floated out of the house. Her all-day Saturday excursions had begun late last year. A seeming whim had developed into a lengthy pattern.

After the front door lock clicked, a sleepy Pamela hid her head beneath the sheets and immediately fell back to sleep.

Review

Pamela and Mark might be best friends, but are they right for each other? Or is it just Pamela’s desire? There is a whirlwind relationship culminating in their wedding, but it doesn’t take long after the honeymoon (like the same day!) to realize that there might be issues. Communication will have to be worked on if this relationship will work.

I wasn’t wild about Mark at first. He was very self-involved, and it was evident when he knew nothing about Pamela’s business and interests. It doesn’t take too much for him to realize that he is going to have to step up his game and get to know his wife. Pamela ran away from their issues from the start instead of staying and talking to Mark about it, despite their list of relationship “rules.” Granted, she only ran away for a few hours, and I can understand her desire to take a breather to think about the situation. However, that is a bad precedent to start at the beginning of a marriage.

Things do settle down, and we see them work through many issues and situations to strengthen their relationship or at least give the appearance of becoming a stronger couple. I don’t know if they ever truly resolve their issues to my satisfaction, but this isn’t my relationship or how I would handle things, and I know that everyone has their own approach to dealing with issues.

There are a few surprises along the way, and I like that Pamela is growing her business with Mark’s help. Although, I felt like he was trying to take it over at times. I know he has the experience and was trying to be helpful, but I think he could have gone about it differently.

There are family issues to deal with as well. Mark isn’t fond of his parents. Pamela is torn between her divorced parents. I think this helps us to understand why Mark and Pamela approach situations the way that they do.

Overall, we give this book 4 paws up.

About the Author

E. C. Jackson began her writing career with the full-length play Pajama Party. Thirty-one years later, she adapted the play into Pajama Party: The Story, a companion book to the second book in the five-book standalone Hope series.

Jackson’s favorite pastime is reading fiction. She enjoys taking the journey along with the characters in the books. That also led to her unorthodox approach to story writing. Her vision for each book she writes is to immerse readers into the storyline so they become connected with each character.

“The Write Way: A Real Slice of Life” is the slogan on her Facebook author page. She feels that if every person reading her books feels connected to the characters, her job is done.

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