To Protect and Serve

by Pat Adeff

When her husband of over 20 years asks for a divorce, declaring that "Now is as good a time as any," Nancy's world tips and rotates 180 degrees. Struggling back to her feet from the emotional sucker punch, she is determined to survive and raise her teenage daughters as best she can as a single parent. Romance and dating go on the back burner -- heck, they completely leave the building! That is, until local Police Officer Doug Saunders, a dedicated bachelor, enters Nancy's life. When he reacts so strongly to the single mother of two, Doug is just as surprised as Nancy. She sure isn't his usual Balboa Beach Babe type; but that doesn't stop his blood from racing whenever he gets close to her. He definitely is experiencing his own personal version of shock and awe. Both of them are surprised to find romance at this stage of their lives. However, the universe with its wicked sense of humor and timing proceeds to drop roadblocks in their path towards relationship happiness. Can they overcome their past and find love in the present?

235 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 13, 2013

About the author

Pat Adeff writes clean and wholesome women's fiction, and family sagas as well as sweet romances about second chances - with just a hint of spice!

She's also written several laugh-out-loud comedies which have been produced in theaters from California to New York.

She loves writing, reading, and coffee ... lots of coffee. If you sign up for her newsletters, you'll receive an email when her latest book goes live.

Pat is an incurable romantic and definitely believes in second chances and happily-ever-afters.

In fact, several years ago she found her own second chance! She and her composer husband recently moved from NYC to the American Southwest and are enjoying the sunshine!

https://www.patadeff.com

Reviews

[Phoenix Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely romance featuring a woman who thought her romantic life was over. 40ish and two nearly grown children, her husband asks for a divorce. She kept from being lonely by concentrating on her children and her job as a drama teacher. Then enter a handsome cop.
A sweet story.

[Sue Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review and when I started it I thought, "oops, a romance". I usually avoid romances, because the ones I have encountered suffer from chick lit syndrome - they are manipulative, contrived, phony. This is an enjoyable exception, with genuine, credible characters and situations. Sure, the romance is fairy-tale perfect - but that's what makes it romantic. I confess there was a stretch through the middle where I got shoved out of the action. There is a misunderstanding that is an essential plot machination, but I never bought it. (I got the sense that the author did have good reasons, but hadn't fully articulated them.) I kept reading, though, and got sucked back in, because by then I really cared what happened to all these characters - which is a testament to the book's strengths.

[Leigh Parrish · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the concept of this book is good...it's just that the execution of it was left lacking. It was more like the story was just being told to the reader instead of letting us experience it. It swapped back & forth between multiple POVs and I felt that it took away from the feel of the story. I would be interested in reading more from this Author later on down the road after her writing gets stronger.