Title: Piece of My Heart
Author: Sydney Logan
Genre: Contemporary Western Romance
Release Date: July 26, 2019
Release Date: July 26, 2019
Blurb
They say true love never fades.
I’ve spent the last decade, and a fortune in paint,
making sure of it.
Amber Tucker never
dreamed she’d return to Cedar Grove, but when she finally finds the courage to
leave her abusive husband, she knows her old hometown is her only option.
Desperate for a new life, Amber takes her ten-year-old son and moves in with
her aunt. She prays for a fresh start while hoping to avoid her childhood
sweetheart—the man whose heart she broke nearly a decade ago.
Noah Murphy has
spent the last ten years trying to forget Amber Tucker. He’s had a hard time
letting go—as evidenced by the big red heart on his farm’s grain silo. Noah
painted it when he was sixteen and crazy in love, and every spring, he gives
the heart a fresh coat of paint. It’s all he has left—the only reminder that
Amber was real.
That is, until she
returns to Cedar Grove.
When her husband
comes calling, Amber knows she has to break the cycle of abuse, once and for
all. But, when she takes matters into her own hands, can Noah protect her from
the consequences of her actions? Or, will he lose her all over again?
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Excerpt
I walk into the barn
with every intention of looking for the horse, but my feet have other ideas,
and suddenly, I find myself standing at the rickety old ladder that leads up to
the hayloft.
Swallowing
nervously, I slide my hand along the wood.
How many times
did I climb this ladder?
I give it a little
shake and decide it’s sturdy enough.
Then I climb.
Slowly.
The last thing I
want to do is fall.
Or drop the wine.
That would be a tragedy.
I make it to the
top, and as soon as I do, a tidal wave of emotions and memories wash over me.
Staggering to the nearest bale of hay, I sit down and close my eyes.
Our hayloft was
sacred. It was where Noah kissed me for the first time. One year later, it was
where we lost our virginity. For more than two years it was our hiding
place—our little sanctuary from the nosy eyes of the world.
Something in the corner
of the loft catches my eye. Its royal blue and white—our high school colors—and
I know it’s our blanket. We tried to remember to lay it down every time, but it
didn’t matter. When you’re naked, hay manages to find its way into places where
hay just shouldn’t be found.
I sigh deeply and
lean my head back, lifting the bottle to my lips. It’s fruity and cool and does
nothing but conjure more memories.
His gentle hands. My
soft moans. Our heated kisses.
They play like a
symphony in my head.
As promised, the
storm moves in. The wind howls and the downpour rattles the roof. As the
thunder rolls above my head, the barn lights start to dance.
But I’m not afraid.
This is home.
Through the thunder,
I hear Noah’s voice calling my name, followed by the sound of hooves.
Crap.
I sneak a glance
over the side of the loft, just in time to spot Noah as he leads Midnight
inside, talking quietly to her as he guides her to the stall. He’s soaked and
cursing the storm.
I close my eyes and
curse my own stupidity.
“Her car's still
here, but she's not in the office . . .”
I can hear the
concern in his voice, and it breaks me. I can’t let him worry, no matter how
embarrassing this is going to be.
And make no mistake.
It’s gonna be awkward.
Leaning over, I take
a deep breath and look down. He’s standing just below the loft, his face turned
toward the open barn doors.
“Noah . . . I’m up
here.”
He freezes, spins
around, and looks up.
“Amber?”
“Umm . . .
hi.”
“What are you doing
up there?”
I hold up the bottle
of strawberry wine and tell him the truth.
“Reminiscing.”
Noah’s shoulders
sag, and he bows his head. I hold my breath while he looks out at the storm.
Then, he lifts his eyes to meet mine once again.
"Want some
company?"
Author Bio
Sydney Logan writes heartfelt stories that feature strong
women and the men who love them. In addition to her novels, she has penned
several short stories and is a contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul. She is
a Netflix junkie, music lover, and a Vol for Life. Sydney and her husband make
their home in beautiful East Tennessee.
Keep in touch with Sydney by signing up for her newsletter!
Keep in touch with Sydney by signing up for her newsletter!
Author Links
Giveaway
Exclusive Excerpt:
It felt good to be writing songs again—even if he was the only one who might ever hear them.
Well, he and Jolie.
When Corbin let it slip that he’d been writing, Jolie begged him to bring his guitar to the river the next afternoon.
“The fall leaves are beautiful,” Corbin said, gazing at the mountains in the distance.
“They are. And you’re stalling.”
He couldn’t deny it. Corbin had never been one to be nervous about sharing new songs, but for some reason, this seemed different. Important. Meaningful. Maybe because the inspiration for these songs was sitting right in front of him, with her long hair in a braid and her green eyes bright with excitement as she eagerly awaited whatever he was about to play for her.
But that wasn’t the only reason he was nervous.
“I have a confession to make, Jolie.”
She crossed her legs in front of her. “Okay.”
“These songs . . . they’re the most I’ve ever written . . . while sober.”
Jolie nodded in understanding.
“I mean, there’s a very good chance they’ll suck. I just want you to be prepared. And I want you to be honest if they are.”
“They won’t suck.”
“How do you know?”
“Because they won’t.”
Corbin sighed heavily and pulled his guitar out of its case. Her faith unnerved him, maybe because he was used to letting everyone down. The very last thing he ever wanted to do was disappoint her.
Jolie must’ve sensed his anxiety, because before he placed his fingers on the strings, she gently reached for his hand.
“Don’t be nervous. It’s just me.”
Corbin smiled and squeezed her hand. She had no way of knowing it, but these days, it was her opinion that mattered most.
Taking a deep breath, he attached the capo to the neck of the guitar and strummed a few strings to make sure it was in tune.
Then he started to sing.
One song effortlessly flowed into the next, with Corbin’s soft tenor voice echoing across the water. He kept his eyes closed or on his guitar the entire time, too afraid to see Jolie’s reaction to the music. It was only when he played the final note in his last song that he finally allowed himself a glance at the beautiful woman sitting in front of him.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I know they’re rough,” he said, his voice shaking slightly as he placed his guitar back in the case. “I’m still struggling with the bridge in that last one. My fault, since I wrote it that way. I was thinking maybe I should cut it out completely or—”
“Corbin—”
“And in the first song . . . the chorus needs some work. I’m thinking maybe trying it in a different key or something. I don’t know.”
“Corbin James, shut up and listen to me.”
He took a steadying breath and gazed at her.
“I loved them,” she said softly.
“Yeah?”
“Every single word. Every single note.”
Corbin lifted his hand and trailed his fingers along her cheek, wiping her tears away. He heard her breath hitch in her throat as he leaned closer. He knew it was risky. Kissing her could ruin everything before it even had the chance to turn into something . . . something that might be incredible and wonderful and life changing.
It was a chance he had to take.
Not kissing her simply wasn’t an option.
Not anymore.
Jolie’s eyes fluttered closed as he cupped her cheek, letting his nose glide against hers. With a quiet sigh, her lips parted in silent invitation, and he couldn’t help but smile when he felt her tremble against him.
“This could change everything,” Corbin whispered, kissing the hollow just below her ear.
“I hope so.”
Their arms wrapped around each other, and Corbin buried his face against her neck, inhaling deeply and drowning in her sweet scent. She moaned softly, and it was that moan that finally broke him.
Corbin had every intention of kissing her gently, but her moan, combined with her hands pulling him impossibly closer, sent his body into overdrive, and they both groaned when his mouth hungrily captured hers. Frantic and sweet. Frenzied and tender. With quiet sighs and gentle whispers and warm arms that held each other tight, they laid back against the autumn grass and kissed until the sun disappeared behind the mountains.
