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First Time in Forever (Puffin Island Book 1) Kindle Edition
Windswept, isolated and ruggedly beautiful, Puffin Island is a haven for day-trippers and daydreamers alike. But this charming community has a way of bringing people together in the most unexpected ways
It's been a summer of firsts for Emily Donovan. From becoming a stand-in mom to her niece, Lizzy, to arriving on Puffin Island, her life has become virtually unrecognizable. Between desperately safeguarding Lizzy and her overwhelming fear of the oceanwhich surrounds her everywhere she goes!Emily has lost count of the number of "just breathe" pep talks she's given herself. And that's before charismatic local yacht club owner Ryan Cooper kisses her
Ryan knows all about secrets. And it's clear that newcomer Emilywith her haunted eyes and the little girl she won't let out of her sightis hiding from something besides the crazy chemistry between them. So Ryan decides he's going to make it his personal mission to help her unwind and enjoy the sparks! But can Puffin Island work its magic on Emily and get her to take the biggest leap of trust of allputting her heart in someone else's hands?
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherHQN Books
- Publication dateFebruary 24, 2015
- File size671 KB
Editorial Reviews
Review
Sarah Morgan continues to hang out on my autobuy list, and each book of hers that I discover is a treat..." Sarah Wendell from Smart Bitches, Trashy Books on DOUKAKIS'S APPRENTICE
"Sarah Morgan puts the magic in Christmas."-Now Magazine
'I absolutely loved it.' Dear Author on Sleigh Bells in the Snow
This touching Christmas tale will draw tears of sorrow and joy, remaining a reader favorite for years to come." Starred Review Publisher's Weekly of SLEIGH BELLS
"Morgan's brilliant talent never ceases to amaze."-Romantic Times
Morgan is a magician with words..' RT Book Reviews on THE FORBIDDEN FERRARA
Sarah Morgan crafts a tale that is sheer magic.' Fresh Fiction on SLEIGH BELLS
one of the best novellas I've read this year...A perfect blend of sexual tension, laugh out loud scenes and romance." Smexy Books on RIPPED
'If Morgan continues to write believable characters like this that deal with real-life issues and manage to find love, I will be happy to read anything else she writes.' All About Romance Desert Island Keeper Review for Suddenly Last Summer
About the Author
Described as 'a magician with words' by Romantic Times, she has sold over 13 million copies of her books around the globe and won 2 prestigious RITA® Awards from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family. Find out more at sarahmorgan.com
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Emily Donovan hated the sea.
She stopped the car at the top of the hill and turned off the headlights. Darkness wrapped itself around her, smothering her like a heavy blanket. She was used to the city, with its shimmering skyline and the dazzle of lights that turned night into day. Here, on this craggy island in coastal Maine, there was only the moon and the stars. No crowds, no car horns, no high-rise buildings. Nothing but wave-pounded cliffs, the shriek of gulls and the smell of the ocean.
She would have drugged herself on the short ferry crossing if it hadn't been for the child strapped into the seat in the back of the car.
The little girl's eyes were still closed, her head tilted to one side and her arms locked in a stranglehold around a battered teddy bear. Emily retrieved her phone and opened the car door quietly.
Please don't wake up.
She walked a few steps away from the car and dialed. The call went to voice mail.
"Brittany? Hope you're having a good time in Greece. Just wanted to let you know I've arrived. Thanks again for letting me use the cottage. I'm really
I'm" Grateful. That was the word she was looking for. Grateful. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I'm panicking. What the hell am I doing here? There's water everywhere and I hate water. This is Well, it's hard." She glanced toward the sleeping child and lowered her voice. "She wanted to get out of the car on the ferry, but I kept her strapped in because there was no way I was doing that. That scary harbor guy with the big eyebrows probably thinks I'm insane, by the way, so you'd better pretend you don't know me next time you're home. I'll stay until tomorrow because there's no choice, but then I'm taking the first ferry out of here. I'm going somewhere else. Somewhere landlocked like like Wyoming or Nebraska."
As she ended the call the breeze lifted her hair, and she could smell salt and sea in the air.
She dialed again, a different number this time, and felt a rush of relief as the call was answered and she heard Skylar's breathy voice.
"Skylar Tempest."
"Sky? It's me."
"Em? What's happening? This isn't your number."
"I changed my cell phone."
"You're worried someone might trace the call? Holy crap, this is exciting."
"It's not exciting. It's a nightmare."
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I want to throw up, but I know I won't because I haven't eaten for two days. The only thing in my stomach is a knot of nervous tension."
"Have the press tracked you down?"
"I don't think so. I paid cash for everything and drove from New York." She glanced back at the road, but there was only darkness. "How do people live like this? I feel like a criminal. I've never hidden from anyone in my life before."
"Have you been switching cars to confuse them? Did you dye your hair purple and buy a pair of glasses?"
"No. Have you been drinking?"
"I watch a lot of movies. You can't trust anyone. You need a disguise. Something that will help you blend in."
"I will never blend in anywhere with a coastline. I'll be the one wearing a life jacket in the middle of Main Street."
"You're going to be fine." Skylar's extrafirm tone suggested she wasn't at all convinced by what she was saying.
"I'm leaving first thing tomorrow."
"You can't do that! We agreed the cottage would be the safest place to hide. No one is going to notice you on an island crowded with tourists. It's a dream place for a vacation."
"It's not a dream place when the sight of water makes you hyperventilate."
"You're not going to do that. You're going to breathe in the sea air and relax."
"I don't need to be here. This whole thing is an over-reaction. No one is looking for me."
"You're the half sister of one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, and you're guardian to her child. If that little fact gets out, the whole press pack will be hunting you. You need somewhere to hide, and Puffin Island is perfect."
Emily shivered under a cold drench of panic. "Why would they know about me? Lana spent her entire life pretending I don't exist." And that had suited her perfectly. At no point had she aspired to be caught in the beam of Lana's spotlight. Emily was fiercely private.
Lana, on the other hand, had demanded attention from the day she was born.
It occurred to Emily that her half sister would have enjoyed the fact she was still making headlines even though it had been over a month since the plane crash that had killed her and the man reputed to have been her lover.
"Journalists can find out anything. This is like a plot for a movie."
"No, it isn't! It's my life. I don't want it ripped open and exposed for the world to see and I don't" Emily broke off and then said the words aloud for the first time. "I don't want to be responsible for a child." Memories from the past drifted from the dark corners of her brain like smoke under a closed door. "I can't be."
It wasn't fair to the girl.
And it wasn't fair to her.
Why had Lana done this to her? Was it malice? Lack of thought? Some twisted desire to seek revenge for a childhood where they'd shared nothing except living space?
"I know you think that, and I understand your reasons, but you can do this. You have to. Right now you're all she has."
"I shouldn't be all anyone has. That's a raw deal. I shouldn't be looking after a child for five minutes, let alone the whole summer."
No matter that in her old life people deferred to her, recognized her expertise and valued her judgment; in this she was incompetent. She had no qualifications that equipped her for this role. Her childhood had been about surviving. About learning to nurture herself and protect herself while she lived with a mother who was mostly absentsometimes physically, always emotionally. And after she'd left home, her life had been about studying and working long, punishing hours to silence men determined to prove she was less than they were.
And now here she was, thrown into a life where what she'd learned counted for nothing. A life that required the one set of skills she knew she didn't possess. She didn't know how to be this. She didn't know how to do this. And she'd never had ambitions to do it. It felt like an injustice to find herself in a situation she'd worked hard to avoid all her life.
Beads of sweat formed on her forehead, and she heard Skylar's voice through a mist of anxiety.
"If having her stops you thinking that, this will turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to you. You weren't to blame for what happened when you were a child, Em."
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Doesn't change the fact you weren't to blame. And you don't need to talk about it because the way you feel is evident in the way you've chosen to live your life."
Emily glanced back at the child sleeping in the car. "I can't take care of her. I can't be what she needs."
"You mean you don't want to be."
"My life is adult-focused. I work sixteen-hour days and have business lunches."
"Your life sucks. I've been telling you that for a long time."
"I liked my life! I want it back."
"That was the life where you were working like a machine and living with a man with the emotional compass of a rock?"
"I liked my job. I knew what I was doing. I was competent. And Neil and I may not have had a grand passion, but we shared a lot of interests."
"Name one."
"I We liked eating out."
"That's not an interest. That's an indication that you were both too tired to cook."
"We both enjoyed reading."
"Wow, that must have made the bedroom an exciting place."
Emily struggled to come up with something else and failed. "Why are we talking about Neil? That's over. My whole life now revolves around a six-year-old girl. There is a pair of fairy wings in her bag. I don't know anything about fairy wings."
Her childhood had been a barren desert, an exercise in endurance rather than growth, with no room for anything as fragile and destructible as gossamer-thin fairy wings.
"I have a vivid memory of being six. I wanted to be a ballerina."
Emily stared straight ahead, remembering how she'd felt at the age of six. Broken. Even after she'd eventually stuck herself back together, she'd known she wasn't the same.
"I'm mad at Lana. I'm mad at her for dying and for putting me in this position. How screwed up is that?"
"It's not screwed up. It's human. What do you expect, Em? You haven't spoken to Lana in over a decade" Skylar broke off, and Emily heard voices in the background.
"Do you have company? Did I catch you at a bad time?"
"Richard and I are off to a fund-raiser at The Plaza, but he can wait."
From what she knew of Richard's ruthless political ambitions and impatient nature, Emily doubted he'd be prepared to wait. She could imagine Skylar, her blond hair secured in an elegant twist on top of her head, her narrow body sheathed in a breathtaking designer creation. She suspected Richard's attraction to Sky lay in her family's powerful connections rather than her sunny optimism or her beauty. "I shouldn't have called you. I tried Brittany, but she's not answering. She's still on that archaeological dig in Crete. I guess it's the middle of the night over there."
"She seems to be having a good time. Did you see her Facebook update? She's up to her elbows in dirt and hot Greek men. She's working with that lovely ceramics expert, Lily, who gave me all those ideas for my latest collection. And if you hadn't called me I would have called you. I've been so worried. First Neil dumped you, then you had to leave your job, and now this! They say trouble comes in threes."
Emily eyed the child, still sleeping in the car. "I wish the third thing had been a broken toaster."
"You're going through a bad time, but you have to remember that everything happens for a reason. For a start, it has stopped you wallowing in bed eating cereal from the box. You needed a focus and now you have one."
"I didn't need a dependent six-year-old who dresses in pink and wears fairy wings."
"Wait a minute" There was a pause and then the sound of a door clicking. "Richard is talking to his campaign manager, and I don't want them listening. I'm hiding in the bathroom. The things I do in the name of friendship. You still there, Em?"
"Where would I go? I'm surrounded by water." She shuddered. "I'm trapped."
"Honey, people pay good money to be 'trapped' on Puffin Island."
"I'm not one of them. What if I can't keep her safe, Sky?"
There was a brief silence. "Are we talking about safe from the press or safe from other stuff?"
Her mouth felt dry. "All of it. I don't want the responsibility. I don't want children."
"Because you're afraid to give anything of yourself."
There was no point in arguing with the truth.
"That's why Neil ended it. He said he was tired of living with a robot."
"I guess he used his own antennae to work that out. Bastard. Are you brokenhearted?"
"No. I'm not as emotional as you and Brittany. I don't feel deeply." But she should feel something, shouldn't she? The truth was that after two years of living with a man, she'd felt no closer to him than she had the day she'd moved in. Love wrecked people, and she didn't want to be wrecked. And now she had a child. "Why do you think Lana did it?"
"Made you guardian? God knows. But knowing Lana, it was because there wasn't anyone else. She'd pissed off half of Hollywood and slept with the other half, so I guess she didn't have any friends who would help. Just you."
"But she and I"
"I know. Look, if you want my honest opinion, it was probably because she knew you would put your life on hold and do the best for her child despite the way she treated you. Whatever you think about yourself, you have a deep sense of responsibility. She took advantage of the fact you're a good, decent person. Em, I am so sorry, but I have to go. The car is outside and Richard is pacing. Patience isn't one of his good qualities and he has to watch his blood pressure."
"Of course." Privately Emily thought if Richard worked harder at controlling his temper, his blood pressure might follow, but she didn't say anything. She wasn't in a position to give relationship advice to anyone. "Thanks for listening. Have fun tonight."
"I'll call you later. No, waitI have a better idea. Richard is busy this weekend, and I was going to escape to my studio, but why don't I come to you instead?"
"Here? To Puffin Island?"
"Why not? We can have some serious girl time. Hang out in our pajamas and watch movies like we did when Kathleen was alive. We can talk through everything and make a plan. I'll bring everything I can find that is pink. Get through to the weekend. Take this a day at a time."
"I am not qualified to take care of a child for five minutes, let alone five days." But the thought of getting back on that ferry in the morning made her feel almost as sick as the thought of being responsible for another human being.
"Listen to me." Skylar lowered her voice. "I feel bad speaking ill of the dead, but you know a lot more than Lana did. She left the kid alone in a house the size of France and hardly ever saw her. Just be there. Seeing the same person for two consecutive days will be a novelty. How is she, anyway? Does she understand what has happened? Is she traumatized?"
Emily thought about the child, silent and solemn-eyed. Trauma, she knew, wore different faces. "She's quiet. Scared of anyone with a camera."
"Probably overwhelmed by the crowds of paparazzi outside the house."
"The psychologist said the most important thing is to show her she's secure."
"You need to cut off her hair and change her name or something. A six-year-old girl with long blond hair called Juliet is a giveaway. You might as well hang a sign on her saying 'Made in Hollywood'"
"You think so?" Panic sank sharp claws into her flesh. "I thought coming out here to the middle of nowhere would be enough. The name isn't that unusual."
"Maybe not in isolation, but attached to a six-year-old everyone is talking about? Trust me, you need to change it. Puffin Island may be remote geographically, but it has the internet. Now go and hide out and I'll see you Friday night. Do you still have your key to the cottage?"
"Yes." She'd felt the weight of it in her pocket all the way from New York. Brittany had presented them both with a key on their last day of college. "And thanks."
"Hey." Sky's voice softened. "We made a promise, remember? We are always here for each other. Speak to you later!"
In the moment before she hung up, Emily heard a hard male voice in the background and wondered again what free-spirited Skylar saw in Richard Everson.
As she slid back into the car the child stirred. "Are we there yet?"
Product details
- ASIN : B00OYAFZNY
- Publisher : HQN Books; Original edition (February 24, 2015)
- Publication date : February 24, 2015
- Language : English
- File size : 671 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Screen Reader : Supported
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Sticky notes : On Kindle Scribe
- Print length : 377 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #461,156 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,216 in Friendship Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #1,925 in Small Town Romance (Books)
- #11,780 in Romantic Comedy (Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Sarah Morgan is a USA Today and Sunday Times bestselling author of romance and women's fiction. She has sold over 21 million copies of her books and her trademark humour and warmth have gained her fans across the globe.
Sarah lives near London, England and when she isn't writing or reading, she likes to spend time outdoors hiking or riding her mountain bike.
Join Sarah's mailing list at www.sarahmorgan.com for all book news. For more insight into her writing life follow her on Facebook at www.facebook/AuthorSarahMorgan and on Instagram at @sarahmorganwrites Contact Sarah at sarah@sarahmorgan.com
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I will not repeat what the book blurb says. Emily is obviously going through some crap not so great background on top of becoming guardian for her niece is a lot to take on. Insert Puffin Island.. can I just move there?? She comes there to get away from it all. She stays at her friend Brittany's house, Brittany asks Ryan to check on her. HELLOOO Ryan!! He's all macho man. However he doesn't realize he is also a protector. You see it in the book but he doesn't realize he's even doing it half the time. It's just a need he has to solve other peoples problems. I did not see any character flaws in this book, they evolved so nicely.
Every book I read by Sarah Morgan just gets better and better. I will definitely be coming back to Puffin Island every chance I get!
So how did this one go?
Well, I was absolutely LOVING it as well!!
In the beginning, I didn’t know whether I could warm up to Emily. Emily discovered that she has become a guardian for her 6-year-old niece and she didn’t know if she could handle the responsibility. She didn’t know if she could provide the love and emotional attachment that the kid needed – her ex-boyfriend accused her of being cold and unfeeling. Worse, she came to Puffin Island in order to protect Lizzy from intrusive paparazzo, but she is terrified of sea! So Emily in that first few chapters for me felt a little bit of a mess. Which is weird, because I would be seriously freaked out if I was in her position too!! I can’t see myself taking care of a child – I definitely don’t have that ‘motherly’ vibe. So maybe I was projecting myself in Emily, and I knew it would be hard for one to warm up to me as well.
But as the story went along, I became very proud of Emily. Despite the fact that she kept saying that she didn’t know what to do with Lizzy, it was clear that she wanted her niece to be safe and sound. Emily could be a tiger in protecting Lizzy and she was willing to overcome her fear to make sure that Lizzy got the best childhood experience. That made me admire her so much!!
There was a reason why Emily became as distant as she was – and I was glad that her secret was revealed in the middle of the book. One thing I dislike from romance is when the hero or heroine keeps a secret that drags along until almost the final chapter. It didn’t happen here which made me very happy. Instead, the reveal helped Emily to move forward and to heal and to embrace being Lizzy’s one and only family. There was one very significant moment between Emily and Lizzy that made me all teary eyed – right there on a public train (that I use for commuting to work).
Now, Ryan, gosh I loved him too! What can I say, when a hero is being sweet to kids and very good with them, I just melt. Ryan was really great with Lizzy (and Emily too!); despite him refusing to be in a committed relationship because he said that he wanted his freedom, it was clear that family kept him grounded. So I loved that he finally recognized his shortcomings.
All in all, this was a VERY GREAT start of a series. I loved the feel of the tight-knit community and the secondary characters that rounded up the town. I seriously can’t WAIT to read about Brittany and her ex-husband, Zach, in the second book. I mean, second-chance romance, people!! That is like, my kryptonite!
This is Emily's story. She's a neurotic mess. Her half sister, whom she was never close to has died & left her custody of her daughter. Emily has issues. Too many issues for me to like her as a heroine.
Ryan also has some issues. His parents died in an accident when he was 13 & he took on helping his grandma raise them. Now, he has no interest in having a family.
I did like this story, although I didn't love it as much as "Playing By The Greek's Rules". There was a bit too much melodrama. Towards the end it started to drag for me. I think it might have been better if it was a shorter story.
This book also sets up the next 2 stories. We meet Sky, the 3rd friend & Alec her romantic nemesis. We also meet Zack, Brittany's ex husband & future sparring partner. There's also the potential for 3 other stories to come out of this series.
The cover is good, but I imagined Ryan as a little more beefy than the guy on the cover.
Top reviews from other countries
Brittany, owner of Castaway Cottage where Emily seeks refuge, asked Ryan an old friend to keep an eye on Emily whilst she is away on an archaeological dig in Greece . However, Ryan's idea of keeping an eye turns out to be far more than he (or Brittany!) bargained on.
A fabulously delightful book by my favourite author. The Puffin Island series has so much promise and follows in the footsteps of the brilliant Snow Crystal trilogy.
Sarah is such a wonderful writer - her characters comes alive with her excellent use of dialogue which supports the story in her very skilful way.
Highly recommended! A brilliant read.
Saran Morgan scrive i tipici romanzi dove tutto finisce bene. Insomma una fiaba che in realtà difficilmente può capitare