The Story Behind the Story of Love Begins

Whether parents can no longer provide a safe home or need temporary assistance or children have been removed by the state, thousands of children in America are living in foster care. When I wrote A Tender Reed, the precursor to the Tender Blessings series, in 2005 I only knew one family involved in foster care. Since then I’ve met dozens. Several families in my church have started fostering kids over the last decade. Even people in my own family have taken on the role of raising the children of nieces, nephews, cousins, or grandchildren.

About Love Begins, the first book in the Tender Blessings Series:

"If I wasn't such a good Christian, you'd be in an orphanage somewhere, young lady."

Abandoned by their parents, Michelle Hurley and her kid sister Nicole are reminded every day their livelihood depends on a grandmother who never wanted them. Nearly twenty years later, Michelle has accepted the fact she isn't worthy of the love she so desperately needed as a child.

Her comfortable, albeit lonely, existence comes crashing down around her the morning Nicole abandons her two young children under Michelle's lilac bushes. Michelle doesn't want to be responsible for fixing Nicole's mistakes. Again. Nor does she want to admit she may be just like the grandmother she can't forgive.

When as old boyfriend re-enters her life, Michelle is reminded nothing has worked out the way she hoped it would. Kyle Swann also makes her realize shutting her heart against the world could be the worst mistake she ever made.

This thought-provoking contemporary romance examines the changing dynamics of family relationships and issues. Infused with honesty and humor, it will capture the hearts of readers who love children, understand their challenges and appreciate the many definitions of family.

The Tender Blessings Series was originally published as a trade paperback entitled A Tender Reed. The story was a huge success with readers and reviewers alike, but they wanted more. I received emails, calls, and questions at events asking when they could expect Book Two. Readers also let me know they wanted more romance. Don't we all!

I went to work enlarging the story and spending more time on Michelle's lackluster love life. It didn't take long to realize there were two books here—hence the Tender Blessings series.

The biggest compliment you could ever pay a writer is by posting an honest review for her book. Grab your FREE copy of Love Begins by Tuesday, Oct. 4 at midnight EST and consider placing a review on Amazon. Then get the sequel A Little Goodbye.