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The Way Back
Starting over sounds good in theory!The reality? Well, Gabriella Haines isn't enjoying that so much. Once a top-rated TV host, suddenly becoming the junior editor at a publishing house isn't playing to her strengths. She does have one chance to fast-forward a few career steps, however. If she can manage the impossible convincing former American hero Jamison Hunter to finish the autobiography he owes them.Too bad he's resistant to all her tactics. Worse, that little star crush Gabby had on him before his downfall? She isn't quite as over it as she thought. In fact, the more she knows the real him, the more she wants to uncover the truth about what happened. Because restoring him in the public eye may be the best chance they have at a future together.
Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2012
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Doyle
64 books51 followersIt all started with Shanna and Star Wars. An odd combination, I know, but what people don't appreciate about Star Wars is the deep romantic element between two of the lead characters. I wasn't seven years-old when I was able to clearly spot that Han and Leia were supposed to be a couple.
Sure most of my friends, who at the time weren't nearly as mature as I was – after all some of them were still six, thought that Leia loved Luke. But anyone really looking could see that Han and Leia were the couple to beat.
That's when I discovered romance.
Then at about fifteen or so I was babysitting one night, bored out of my mind – the children were fast asleep at this point – so I picked a book from the shelf. I wasn't much of a reader at the time, but I liked the orange cover. It was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
That's when I discovered romance novels.
Making up stories – that's just something I've always done. It's like breathing for me. But it wasn't until I began to read actively that I thought maybe I could actually write a book. The benefit of writing over reading is that I get to have everything just the way I like it. I should mention at this point that I'm a little bit of a control freak.
But I didn't go to school for writing. In fact I went to school to be the President of the United States - make that a power hungry control freak.
I attended Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. And no, that is not a school to learn how to become a nun. Although, since I'm not married yet, my mother believes that subliminal messages were piped into the dorm rooms through hidden speakers.
I strayed from the presidential track. Figured instead of running the country I would do something really meaningful. I became a school teacher and spent two amazing years in Seattle.
Eventually I came back home to South Jersey. I got a temp job to hold me over until I could find another teaching position and have been at my current company for eight years. I keep telling my boss that I'm only staying for a little while longer. But he has since stopped listening to me.
So what else is there to know about me? I write. I work. I exercise. I try not to eat. I fail. I beat myself up for not succeeding to not eat. Then I drink. It's a simple life I lead.
I date. But that's a whole other story….
Sure most of my friends, who at the time weren't nearly as mature as I was – after all some of them were still six, thought that Leia loved Luke. But anyone really looking could see that Han and Leia were the couple to beat.
That's when I discovered romance.
Then at about fifteen or so I was babysitting one night, bored out of my mind – the children were fast asleep at this point – so I picked a book from the shelf. I wasn't much of a reader at the time, but I liked the orange cover. It was Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
That's when I discovered romance novels.
Making up stories – that's just something I've always done. It's like breathing for me. But it wasn't until I began to read actively that I thought maybe I could actually write a book. The benefit of writing over reading is that I get to have everything just the way I like it. I should mention at this point that I'm a little bit of a control freak.
But I didn't go to school for writing. In fact I went to school to be the President of the United States - make that a power hungry control freak.
I attended Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. And no, that is not a school to learn how to become a nun. Although, since I'm not married yet, my mother believes that subliminal messages were piped into the dorm rooms through hidden speakers.
I strayed from the presidential track. Figured instead of running the country I would do something really meaningful. I became a school teacher and spent two amazing years in Seattle.
Eventually I came back home to South Jersey. I got a temp job to hold me over until I could find another teaching position and have been at my current company for eight years. I keep telling my boss that I'm only staying for a little while longer. But he has since stopped listening to me.
So what else is there to know about me? I write. I work. I exercise. I try not to eat. I fail. I beat myself up for not succeeding to not eat. Then I drink. It's a simple life I lead.
I date. But that's a whole other story….
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 13, 2016
Gabby Haines is fired from her job as a TV host, only to be replaced by someone younger and thinner. She now works at a publishing company and she's starting out at the bottom. Her first assignment is to get Jamison Hunter to write the tell-all biography he's contracted to write. Jamison is a former astronaut and national hero who fell from grace in the public eye when a scandal broke out in his life. He's been living as a recluse on Hawk Island, a small island off the coast of Maine, ever since. He agreed to the book before the scandal broke, and he has no intention of ever writing it now. It's up to Gabby to find out the truth of what really happened to Jamie and to get the book written.
The story was really good and had me turning pages to find out what was going to happen. I really liked both Gabby and Jamie. They made a great couple and had good chemistry. Gabby had self-esteem issues she needed to overcome. I admired her persistence in seeking the truth behind Jamie's story. I liked the way that Jamie owned up to the mistakes he made in his past, learned from them, and tried to make himself a better person. There were also some interesting secondary characters. I really enjoyed waitress Zhanna's and island veterinarian Tom's budding romance. The book was a bit different with some surprising twists thrown in and an enjoyable read.
The story was really good and had me turning pages to find out what was going to happen. I really liked both Gabby and Jamie. They made a great couple and had good chemistry. Gabby had self-esteem issues she needed to overcome. I admired her persistence in seeking the truth behind Jamie's story. I liked the way that Jamie owned up to the mistakes he made in his past, learned from them, and tried to make himself a better person. There were also some interesting secondary characters. I really enjoyed waitress Zhanna's and island veterinarian Tom's budding romance. The book was a bit different with some surprising twists thrown in and an enjoyable read.
April 8, 2012
Rating 3.5
When I went in to read the book I wasn't sure I would like it since both the h/H had a lot of baggage and the hero once an army Colonel and astronaut famous for rescuing 14 people, fell from grace eight years ago when he was caught cheating.
This had an impact on the heroine as well, since like many people she idolized him and had a crush on him and his fall from grace made her question her fiancee and discover that he was cheating on her with her half sister. Now, the heroine is at a cross-roads, she has been fired from her show for being old and fat and she is in the doll-drums, feeling as if she has been a has-been, has a lot of issues with her body and trust. In her new job she feel she has something to prove, she is 33 and almost everyone else is younger and prettier, her job is to hunt the hero Jamieson down and convince him to tell his story, since he signed a contract with their publishing house before the scandal broke.
When the heroine meets the hero he tries to hand her off the check for the advance and tells her he has no intention of telling his story. The heroine is tenacious she sees him as a chance to make her writing career and I did feel she didn't seem him at first, only his public persona and like many people had judged him, taking his name as if it was to mean something. So, she stays in town, jogging with him even when she isn't in shape and sees a different man, man who seems to be adored by all and is very private.
I didn't think I would like the hero but I kind of did. It had taken him a long time to come to terms with what had happened and he had learned to ask for forgiveness from the people involved, his parents and ex-wife and with time learnt to forgive himself to live a peaceful life on his pension, when the heroine changes all of that. She tempts him and he sees that she has a lot of wounds, she even tells him that she has seen people cheat their whole life, her grandfather, father and fiancee.
He tries to show her that he is a changed man and has made a life for himself and is not some hero she wants him to be and is fallible and asks her for forgiveness. I liked that he refused to kiss her or even start something physical when she wanted to because he knew she couldn't get past his past.
After they spend the night together and she asks him the truth about the scandal he doesn't tell her and pushes her away, regretting it immediately but after talking with a friend realizing that how isolated he has kept himself, he has friends, casual hook-ups but not someone he was ever into despite the efforts he has made to over-come his past.
Meanwhile the heroine knows that what the press found out wasn't true and decides to track down the other players to exonerate him and she talks to his ex, and gets the whole story and is indignant and decides to take it out on Jamie. They somehow end up in bed confessing their love but when they talk and she tells him she knows what happened that day, he knows she doesn't really because that isn't the whole truth and he doesn't know if she can handle it all and be with him.
The truth is he was guilty, and one truth didn't forgive the mistakes he had made and he needed her to see that he had changed and wasn't perfect.
I did like the fact that this book had a lot of depth and that we could see that the hero had changed and become a better person and that the heroine had to work past her fears and the anger she had carried in her since she was little starting with her father's infidelity.
When I went in to read the book I wasn't sure I would like it since both the h/H had a lot of baggage and the hero once an army Colonel and astronaut famous for rescuing 14 people, fell from grace eight years ago when he was caught cheating.
This had an impact on the heroine as well, since like many people she idolized him and had a crush on him and his fall from grace made her question her fiancee and discover that he was cheating on her with her half sister. Now, the heroine is at a cross-roads, she has been fired from her show for being old and fat and she is in the doll-drums, feeling as if she has been a has-been, has a lot of issues with her body and trust. In her new job she feel she has something to prove, she is 33 and almost everyone else is younger and prettier, her job is to hunt the hero Jamieson down and convince him to tell his story, since he signed a contract with their publishing house before the scandal broke.
When the heroine meets the hero he tries to hand her off the check for the advance and tells her he has no intention of telling his story. The heroine is tenacious she sees him as a chance to make her writing career and I did feel she didn't seem him at first, only his public persona and like many people had judged him, taking his name as if it was to mean something. So, she stays in town, jogging with him even when she isn't in shape and sees a different man, man who seems to be adored by all and is very private.
I didn't think I would like the hero but I kind of did. It had taken him a long time to come to terms with what had happened and he had learned to ask for forgiveness from the people involved, his parents and ex-wife and with time learnt to forgive himself to live a peaceful life on his pension, when the heroine changes all of that. She tempts him and he sees that she has a lot of wounds, she even tells him that she has seen people cheat their whole life, her grandfather, father and fiancee.
He tries to show her that he is a changed man and has made a life for himself and is not some hero she wants him to be and is fallible and asks her for forgiveness. I liked that he refused to kiss her or even start something physical when she wanted to because he knew she couldn't get past his past.
After they spend the night together and she asks him the truth about the scandal he doesn't tell her and pushes her away, regretting it immediately but after talking with a friend realizing that how isolated he has kept himself, he has friends, casual hook-ups but not someone he was ever into despite the efforts he has made to over-come his past.
Meanwhile the heroine knows that what the press found out wasn't true and decides to track down the other players to exonerate him and she talks to his ex, and gets the whole story and is indignant and decides to take it out on Jamie. They somehow end up in bed confessing their love but when they talk and she tells him she knows what happened that day, he knows she doesn't really because that isn't the whole truth and he doesn't know if she can handle it all and be with him.
The truth is he was guilty, and one truth didn't forgive the mistakes he had made and he needed her to see that he had changed and wasn't perfect.
I did like the fact that this book had a lot of depth and that we could see that the hero had changed and become a better person and that the heroine had to work past her fears and the anger she had carried in her since she was little starting with her father's infidelity.
March 27, 2012
This was a different kind of book. Gabby needed to convince Jamison to finish the autobiography he had committed to before the scandal that destroyed his reputation. When she went to Hawk Island to confront him, he wanted nothing to do with her, refused to talk to her about it. She tried running with him (couldn't keep up). When she finally bargained him into giving her two weeks to try to convince him, she thought she'd have a shot at it. She learned how to run with him, and watched him with the people of the island, and was convinced that he was not guilty of the accusations. She also came to like, and then love him, but still had trust issues with him. Jamie didn't want to tell the story. He did want to get Gabby in bed with him. While spending time together, he found that he actually liked her. He still had no intention of ever writing the book. There were lots of things that had contributed to the man Jamie had become now. Gabby also decided to go after the truth of what had happened. What she found out was very different than what I expected, and the conclusion to the story was very emotional.
May 24, 2012
This book was good, but didn't keep me hooked on a viceral level. Warning: you might want to steer clear of the "dear reader" letter at the beginning. I read the "Dear Reader" letter at the beginning, and it actually detracted from the book for me because it references the author's inspiration for the hero, who's one of America's most notorious "fallen" celebrities. It took me a while to get over that ick factor with the hero of her book and stop thinking about him as the real-life celebrity.
I didn't think the chemistry really sparked between the hero and heroine, and I spent the last fifty pages wishing the hero would do something emotional or touching, but he didn't really change. He didn't reveal his secrets and lies to the heroine willingly, he didn't chase after her when she left, he didn't really bend for her much at all. The way I saw it, the heroine did all the bending and chasing and racing around. She had to run, both literally and figuratively, to prove her worth. I'm not a fan of that character dynamic. I prefer the heroes to have to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
I didn't think the chemistry really sparked between the hero and heroine, and I spent the last fifty pages wishing the hero would do something emotional or touching, but he didn't really change. He didn't reveal his secrets and lies to the heroine willingly, he didn't chase after her when she left, he didn't really bend for her much at all. The way I saw it, the heroine did all the bending and chasing and racing around. She had to run, both literally and figuratively, to prove her worth. I'm not a fan of that character dynamic. I prefer the heroes to have to do a lot of the heavy lifting.
March 19, 2012
Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner
The book’s premise is one you don’t find so often which is exactly what made me want to read it. The hero used to be a national hero, but everything came crashing down when his infidelity was publicly displayed for the entire world to see. So yes, interesting premise, but also a tricky one, I honestly thought this was going to be a train wreck. I’m glad –and surprised- to say that against all odds, and because of a great talent, Ms. Doyle managed to make it work.
Gabby Haines used to be a local talk show host. But age and a few pounds got her fired. Now she’s trying to pick up the pieces of her life and start over, but starting over means working as a junior editor at a publishing house, so she goes from interviewing Kevin Bacon to making coffee. However, her luck is about to improve when the biggest opportunity of her new career is presented to her: getting Jamison Hunter to finally agree to write the autobiography he signed to do years ago.
Jamison Hunter became a hero after saving the International Space Station from being destroyed. Instead, what was destroyed were his life and hero-status, when it was discovered that he was a cheating bastard. Now, eight years later, he lives alone as a recluse in a secluded island and the only thing bothering him is the publishing house insisting he writes the biography he agreed to do just before the scandal.
When Gabby shows at Jamison’s door he is both annoyed and attracted, but he kicks her out because regardless of how appealing she may be, he won’t write the book. But Gabby is tenacious and slowly but steadily wears him down, she can’t get him to agree to the book, but she is starting to see the real man behind the scandal and wonders how such a great guy could have done something so terrible.
Gabby was a very conflicted heroine and had huge self-worth issues. She was fired from her job for being fat and old, her father left her when she was little and her fiancé cheated on her with her half-sister. She was warded and obsessed with her weight, and she hates cheaters. So it came as a big surprise when she found herself falling for the most infamous cheater in the country. I liked her very much even if at first I was a bit weary of her mostly because she kept complaining about her weight which became annoying very fast. But she had a huge reason to be that way so her weight wasn’t an excuse for the hero to talk about how gorgeous she was and how he loved luscious women. She goes from insecure to confident and driven, so her character experiences a huge change throughout the book.
Jamison, on the other hand, had already learned from his past, and his journey was about convincing Gabby that he is a different man, as well as forgiving himself. One of the reasons he worked so well regardless of the infidelity, was because he was older, so he had time for growth and atonement and his transformation happened after years instead of just a few days. He was 45-years-old and it was painfully obvious that this wasn’t the same guy who cheated on his wife all those years ago.
This book is about accepting what you are, what you’re not, and deciding if that’s enough to trust and be with someone you love, because sometimes love isn’t enough and if you can’t trust the person you love there’s no way you will enjoy a healthy and happy relationship. Gabby had to accept that she wasn’t a lesser person just because she lost her job. She had to accept that just because her father left and her fiancé cheated on her, it didn’t mean that she didn’t deserve love, but first she had to stop being afraid and she had to let herself trust. Jamison, on the other hand, had already accepted his mistakes and realized that he needed to forgive himself as much as he needed his wife’s forgiveness.
I really loved this novel. It’s full of surprises, the ending was filled with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and the hero was just as unexpected. I know cheating heroes are not particularly popular among romance readers, so the reader must walk alongside Gabby on her journey to believe and trust Jamison. If you like contemporary romance I’m sure you will enjoy this book, it was fresh, interesting, sexy and fun.
The book’s premise is one you don’t find so often which is exactly what made me want to read it. The hero used to be a national hero, but everything came crashing down when his infidelity was publicly displayed for the entire world to see. So yes, interesting premise, but also a tricky one, I honestly thought this was going to be a train wreck. I’m glad –and surprised- to say that against all odds, and because of a great talent, Ms. Doyle managed to make it work.
Gabby Haines used to be a local talk show host. But age and a few pounds got her fired. Now she’s trying to pick up the pieces of her life and start over, but starting over means working as a junior editor at a publishing house, so she goes from interviewing Kevin Bacon to making coffee. However, her luck is about to improve when the biggest opportunity of her new career is presented to her: getting Jamison Hunter to finally agree to write the autobiography he signed to do years ago.
Jamison Hunter became a hero after saving the International Space Station from being destroyed. Instead, what was destroyed were his life and hero-status, when it was discovered that he was a cheating bastard. Now, eight years later, he lives alone as a recluse in a secluded island and the only thing bothering him is the publishing house insisting he writes the biography he agreed to do just before the scandal.
When Gabby shows at Jamison’s door he is both annoyed and attracted, but he kicks her out because regardless of how appealing she may be, he won’t write the book. But Gabby is tenacious and slowly but steadily wears him down, she can’t get him to agree to the book, but she is starting to see the real man behind the scandal and wonders how such a great guy could have done something so terrible.
Gabby was a very conflicted heroine and had huge self-worth issues. She was fired from her job for being fat and old, her father left her when she was little and her fiancé cheated on her with her half-sister. She was warded and obsessed with her weight, and she hates cheaters. So it came as a big surprise when she found herself falling for the most infamous cheater in the country. I liked her very much even if at first I was a bit weary of her mostly because she kept complaining about her weight which became annoying very fast. But she had a huge reason to be that way so her weight wasn’t an excuse for the hero to talk about how gorgeous she was and how he loved luscious women. She goes from insecure to confident and driven, so her character experiences a huge change throughout the book.
Jamison, on the other hand, had already learned from his past, and his journey was about convincing Gabby that he is a different man, as well as forgiving himself. One of the reasons he worked so well regardless of the infidelity, was because he was older, so he had time for growth and atonement and his transformation happened after years instead of just a few days. He was 45-years-old and it was painfully obvious that this wasn’t the same guy who cheated on his wife all those years ago.
This book is about accepting what you are, what you’re not, and deciding if that’s enough to trust and be with someone you love, because sometimes love isn’t enough and if you can’t trust the person you love there’s no way you will enjoy a healthy and happy relationship. Gabby had to accept that she wasn’t a lesser person just because she lost her job. She had to accept that just because her father left and her fiancé cheated on her, it didn’t mean that she didn’t deserve love, but first she had to stop being afraid and she had to let herself trust. Jamison, on the other hand, had already accepted his mistakes and realized that he needed to forgive himself as much as he needed his wife’s forgiveness.
I really loved this novel. It’s full of surprises, the ending was filled with twists and turns that I didn’t see coming and the hero was just as unexpected. I know cheating heroes are not particularly popular among romance readers, so the reader must walk alongside Gabby on her journey to believe and trust Jamison. If you like contemporary romance I’m sure you will enjoy this book, it was fresh, interesting, sexy and fun.
September 25, 2012
Fabulous book! I loved it. Great characters and great revelations at the end. Kept me guessing.
January 26, 2018
Nice story about a hero astronaut who became a goat when he was caught cheating. The heroine has a new job after getting fired from her TV job for turning 30 and going up two sizes. As the new editor, she gets the job of heading up to Maine to try to talk the hero into writing the book her company signed him up to do before he lost his hero shine. Older and more experienced than the previous editors who came to visit him, she's not so easy to run off. Gradually they start to like each other. It's a sweet story. I liked it. Good read.
March 23, 2014
can't wait for this book! Great cover too! finished this last night - great book. Great, different characters - you don't see these people in romances all that often - people with real faults and real problems. The questions kept the pages turning. Loved the secondary characters. Another great one by Stephanie!
Want to read
November 2, 2012recommended by Brie.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews