Fierce passion or long-cherished dreams…she can’t hang onto both.
She hates average…he’s as average as they come.
High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn’t in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who’s real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.
He’s done with social-climbing posers…she’s ambitious and has big dreams.
Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she’s harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she’s only passing through, not looking for a relationship.
Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can’t stay in Eugene, and he can’t leave. Doug’s only hope is to convince her the glittery life she’s after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path
Excerpt:
“I’m sorry she called you the S word.”
“Huh?”
“Sensible.”
She laughed. “Yeah. That’s a curse word, as far as I’m concerned.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.
“I’ll strike it from my vocabulary. Your S word is sparkle.” He traced her jawline with a feather-light touch. “Look at you, Laurel. You’re blinding.” His twilight-blue gaze made her heart dance—a steamy tango with swirls and dangerous dips. He kissed her, and, for a moment, she forgot all about caution, about cutting things off before they became too serious, about San Francisco. Her focus narrowed to his lips on hers, his nearness heating her whole body, opening her like a blossom, soft and willing. Ripe for the plucking.
“God, I’ve missed you.” He scooped her legs across his lap. One hand cradling her nape, the other gripping her thigh, he kissed her senseless. His velvet tongue teased her lips apart. He tasted of sugary coffee. The world around them faded—just two bodies, calling and answering, breathing in sync, their pulses beating the same rhythm.
Praise for Runaway Love Story
I devoured the entire book in two sittings.
This is such a lovely, believable story with the characters masterfully drawn, dealing with their real-world problems and doubts instead of the ‘fluff’ that often permeates romance. In fact, the characterization is so excellent, and the scene-setting so vivid, I’d say this veers to being Women’s Fiction. Okay so, really HOT women’s fiction, because-those sex scenes!! fans self
The absolute standout feature, though, is the dialogue. There is not one instance where the dialogue becomes contrived or unnatural. In fact, I suspect the author must have eavesdropped and recorded conversations!
All up, a lovely story and I suspect there is a character in there who may star in book three….??
–Laney Kaye, author of Hawaiian Hurricane, Malicious Desire, and The Cat Shifters of Aaidar series
Stone’s use of everyday situations like putting a loved one in a nursing home brings a deep humanity to this novel that is usually lacking in romance, especially one this hot! It certainly elevates the book above the usual romance. Laurel and Doug face a rough road with lots of potholes and emotional baggage as they try to find a compromise that will let their relationship blossom. I read it in one sitting.
— Suanne Schafer, author of A Different Kind of Fire and Hunting the Devil
When an author’s debut book is a 5 star read, you are always a little nervous about their sophomore attempt holding up and living up to expectations.
No worries with Sadira Stone’s second book, RUNAWAY LOVE STORY. It’s as fabulous as her first novel, THROUGH THE RED DOOR.
Told in her typical smexy and descriptive style, Stone weaves a story of two people with burning-up-the-sheets chemistry who need to figure out if they can compromise what they each want in order to find their HEA. Their road is rocky, emotional, and ultimately thought provoking, because each of them brings a lifetime of emotional baggage along for the ride. How they learn to deal with that – and if they learn to deal with it – is the crux of Stone’s story.
And it’s a goodie!
–Goodreads Reviewer Mary-Margaret J.
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