Free Romance Book “Devon’s Dream”

Are you on the lookout for a clean contemporary romance to read? Next week you can download my free romance book “Devon’s Dream” from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Devons-Dream-Anne-Ashby-ebook/dp/B00466HRU0/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8. It will be free from 2-6 May so you have plenty of time to load it onto your e-reader.

If you enjoy reading ‘secret baby’ stories, you’re sure to love this one. The ‘baby’ – now 12 years old – play a major role in getting her parents together. She begins by tricking her unsuspecting father into believing she is not his daughter. Then the idea of getting her parents together occurs and she begins scheming. Later, with the aid of extended family members, she corralled her injured mother into staying at the home of her former lover.

“Devon’s Dream” is probably my favourite of all my stories. Then I’m a sucker for the secret baby romance theme. I also love to read of developing family relationships within a romance book. Having other relationships beyond the protagonist and antagonist, ie. between secondary characters, gives a romance more substance I always feel. There are so many little side relationships in this story one might think it would overshadow the romance but I can assure you this isn’t the case. The connection between Devon and Rick is always at the forefront. But for the first time, Trix (the ‘baby’) has to contend with meeting her father, grandparents, an aunt and a half brother. All while her mother lies fighting for her life in intensive care. Its a very stressful time for everyone.

Here’s an example of one of the secondary character relationship interplays from “Devon’s Dream”.

This one is between Rick’s parents.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” The words were quiet and deadly calm. They sent a shiver down Jim’s back despite heat from the blazing sun.

“Ah-ha,” he whispered to his co-conspirator as he continued to shackle the sail into place. “Here’s trouble.”

“Not for me, I don’t think,” Trix whispered back. “It’s you she’s glaring at.”

Jim kept his head down. “She look mad?”

“I reckon.”

Sucking in a deep breath Jim slowly stood up and turned to face his wife. His lips twitched as he realized she still looked magnificent in a temper. After over forty years together there wasn’t much call for Grace to lose her temper with him anymore.

His smile widened. More’s the pity, he thought as he left the two windsurfing boards and approached her. Making up has always been so spectacular. “We…ahh…didn’t expect you back quite so soon.”

“Obviously.” Graces lips were thin and her eyes burned as they snapped from him to the boards on the beach and back.

Jim’s bare chest puffed out. She was just as beautiful as the day they met. “Trix is going to show me how to windsurf.”

“Over my dead body.” Hands now planted firmly on her hips, she presented a force to be reckoned with.

Jim openly winked over his shoulder at Trix. “You finish getting them ready, darling. I need to talk to your Nana for a moment.”

He stepped up the bank to stand on the lawn beside Grace. As her mouth opened–to argue with him–he grasped her arms and kissed her hard. When she tried to talk as his lips left hers, he kissed her again, perhaps more passionately than he’d done in a long time. His body stirred inside the wetsuit. He glanced toward their granddaughter readying the boards and prayed the hardened rubber would hide any evidence from Trix.

He smiled down at the changing gleam in his wife’s eyes. He kissed her again, pulling her close to let her know how turned on he was. “I’m going windsurfing.” He cleared his throat. “As soon as I can decently turn around I’m joining our granddaughter for a lesson. Okay”

“But-“

He shook his head. “Relax. I feel fine.” A hand slipped between them to readjust the discomfort inside his suit. “Or I will be in a minute or two.” He grinned. “My adrenaline is pumping. I feel great.”

He ran his hand across her cheek. “I can’t sit around waiting to die, Grace. If doing some of these things I should have done years ago brings it on faster, well at least I’ll have enjoyed my time.”

He clutched her and stared into worried eyes. “There’s so much living I haven’t done. I want to climb mountains, and scuba dive, and maybe even jump out of an aeroplane. I want to walk along tropical beaches at sunset with you by my side and make love to you on a deserted beach with the waves crashing over us.

“Please don’t give up on the idea of us doing all those things and more. Finding Trix has shown me something important. There are other wonderful things out there-not nearly as wonderful as a new granddaughter of course-but things we might never know about if we don’t look.”

He brushed his lips across hers. “I promise I’ll listen if my heart plays up but I’m going to start living. And right now I want to windsurf.”

He watched a myriad of emotions race across Grace’s face. He hated the worry his health caused her. “Please support me, darling. We’ve still a lot of fun to have. I’m not ready to pack it in yet.”

“I just worry so much,” Grace’s voice broke. “Living without you wouldn’t be any kind of life I’d want.”

Jim hugged her tight. He knew every new venture he tried would probably evoke argument from her. But she now understood his feelings, just as he understood her concern.

“All this exercise will probably tire me out,” he murmured before jumping down onto the beach. “I promise I’ll have a long rest this afternoon before Davey gets home.”

As he approached Trix, he asked, “Debbie’s taking you to see your mother today, isn’t she?”

Jim winked at his wife across Trix’s nodding head. “She’s picking me up at one-thirty.”

“Good.” Jim rubbed his hands together. Some time out in the fresh air getting exercise-then the opportunity for some different sport altogether.

The blush warming Grace’s face and her smiling suggestion she’d ‘best get the vegetables ready for dinner’ caused him a resurgence of discomfort inside the tight wetsuit.

It was barely eleven o’clock. They were both on the same wavelength…planning for a long rest this afternoon.