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Changing the Future
Single parent, Lisa Marshall, loves her teaching job and living in the English Lake District. It had been a struggle, but she's finally happy again. But when volcano expert turned TV celebrity Paul Hamilton arrives at the school, everything she'd worked hard for crashes down around her. Years ago, she'd been madly in love with Paul and thought nothing could tear them apart. She'd been wrong.
Paul had thought Lisa was the love of his life; he'd wanted to spend his life with her. When he suspected she'd cheated on him with her boss, everything they'd worked toward shattered in an instant. Had he known she was teaching at the same college, he never would have accepted a short-term contract in the geology department. It was painfully obvious Lisa wasn't happy about his appearance either.
Now, forced to work together, they must find common ground to keep the peace. As memories of what they'd once had resurface, is it worth try finding their way back to each other? Is there anything left to rekindle? Or will their new-found trust be completely destroyed when Paul learns that Lisa is still keeping secrets from him?
Paul had thought Lisa was the love of his life; he'd wanted to spend his life with her. When he suspected she'd cheated on him with her boss, everything they'd worked toward shattered in an instant. Had he known she was teaching at the same college, he never would have accepted a short-term contract in the geology department. It was painfully obvious Lisa wasn't happy about his appearance either.
Now, forced to work together, they must find common ground to keep the peace. As memories of what they'd once had resurface, is it worth try finding their way back to each other? Is there anything left to rekindle? Or will their new-found trust be completely destroyed when Paul learns that Lisa is still keeping secrets from him?
- GenresRomance
Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2012
6 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Paula Martin
17 books17 followersPaula Martin was born in Lancashire, England. She had some early publishing success with short stories and four novels, but then had a break from writing while she brought up a young family and also pursued her career as a history teacher for twenty-five years. She has recently returned to writing fiction, after retiring from teaching.
She lives near Manchester in North-West England, and has two daughters and two grandsons. Apart from writing, she has enjoyed travelling extensively in Britain, mainland Europe, America and Canada and loves Ireland especially. Her other interests include musical theatre and researching her family history.
She lives near Manchester in North-West England, and has two daughters and two grandsons. Apart from writing, she has enjoyed travelling extensively in Britain, mainland Europe, America and Canada and loves Ireland especially. Her other interests include musical theatre and researching her family history.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 7, 2012
My Review:
I liked this book. In fact, I liked it a lot. Five years ago, Lisa and Paul were seriously involved, but their careers were taking them in different directions. Lisa was working as a television reporter with all the travel that involved and Paul was on the cusp of a 3-year expedition to Peru. In a series of events....Lisa was out of town on assignment with her boss and Paul misinterpreted an event and decided she was cheating on him with her boss...they broke up. That was over five years ago and they've never seen each other since.
Now, both their lives have drastically changed. Lisa teaches college and enjoys her life as a single mother to her 4 yo. Paul has become a well-known television personality through his various research and knowledge about volcanoes. So it is a shock to both of them when Paul shows up on Lisa's campus where she teaches. He's filling in for another teacher and will be there for the next couple of months to finish out the year. Neither one has recovered from their hurt of five years ago and neither would have ever chosen a life where they had to see the other day-in and day-out. They aren't happy to have to play nice together. There's too many hurt feelings still present for this to be a comfortable situation.
I really liked both these characters. Assumptions, pride, and hurt feelings ruined their wonderful relationship five years ago. But that underlying love they felt for each other then hasn't disappeared. It's just been buried deep under hurt feelings. But they're both adults and professionals and work really hard to maintain a decent relationship at school...but that quickly morphs into something more for them. That chemistry is still there.
I really liked everything about the setting in this book. It takes place at a college in England, with a romantic weekend in NYC, and a bit of a suspense story set in a volcano in Iceland. The action is good and I really enjoyed my time with these two characters.
Overall it was a highly entertaining read and will be going into my re-read pile!
I liked this book. In fact, I liked it a lot. Five years ago, Lisa and Paul were seriously involved, but their careers were taking them in different directions. Lisa was working as a television reporter with all the travel that involved and Paul was on the cusp of a 3-year expedition to Peru. In a series of events....Lisa was out of town on assignment with her boss and Paul misinterpreted an event and decided she was cheating on him with her boss...they broke up. That was over five years ago and they've never seen each other since.
Now, both their lives have drastically changed. Lisa teaches college and enjoys her life as a single mother to her 4 yo. Paul has become a well-known television personality through his various research and knowledge about volcanoes. So it is a shock to both of them when Paul shows up on Lisa's campus where she teaches. He's filling in for another teacher and will be there for the next couple of months to finish out the year. Neither one has recovered from their hurt of five years ago and neither would have ever chosen a life where they had to see the other day-in and day-out. They aren't happy to have to play nice together. There's too many hurt feelings still present for this to be a comfortable situation.
I really liked both these characters. Assumptions, pride, and hurt feelings ruined their wonderful relationship five years ago. But that underlying love they felt for each other then hasn't disappeared. It's just been buried deep under hurt feelings. But they're both adults and professionals and work really hard to maintain a decent relationship at school...but that quickly morphs into something more for them. That chemistry is still there.
I really liked everything about the setting in this book. It takes place at a college in England, with a romantic weekend in NYC, and a bit of a suspense story set in a volcano in Iceland. The action is good and I really enjoyed my time with these two characters.
Overall it was a highly entertaining read and will be going into my re-read pile!
May 16, 2012
Changing the Future immersed me in its world right from the start. It felt like the sort of cosy chick-flick I enjoy curling up on the sofa to watch on rainy Sunday afternoons. I immediately identified with the characters and become engrossed in their lives and conflicts and from the first page on it was an easy, smooth and deeply satisfying read.
College lecturer, Lisa Marshall, has brought up her young son, Nicky as a single parent, having parted from his father before his birth. In fact, the father, the rather gorgeous Paul Hamilton, expert volcanologist (nothing at all to do with Star Trek!) turned TV celebrity knows nothing about his son. This naturally causes big problems for Lisa when he turns up at her college to take over some geosciences classes as a favour for a friend.
It soon becomes evident that the two still harbour powerful feelings for each other but neither can get past their painfully acrimonious separation of five years ago. This becomes `the elephant in the room' between them as they find themselves constantly thrown into each other's company. Despite all their avowals to avoid each other, their romance is rekindled and the depth of their feelings for each other is unmistakable. But misunderstandings abound and past grievances once again rear their heads and their second break-up looks destined to be their last. It seems only some earth-shattering event can bring these two to where they rightfully belong - with each other. I'm not going to say any more because I'd hate to spoil the pleasure for other readers.
Knowing of this writer's love of England's beautiful Lake District, I did expect more of a sense of location in this novel. However the splendour of New York and the grandeur of Iceland more than compensated for this.
This is the first novel I have read from this author but it certainly won't be the last! Changing the Future is a deeply satisfying story and one I would highly recommend to all lovers of good romance.
College lecturer, Lisa Marshall, has brought up her young son, Nicky as a single parent, having parted from his father before his birth. In fact, the father, the rather gorgeous Paul Hamilton, expert volcanologist (nothing at all to do with Star Trek!) turned TV celebrity knows nothing about his son. This naturally causes big problems for Lisa when he turns up at her college to take over some geosciences classes as a favour for a friend.
It soon becomes evident that the two still harbour powerful feelings for each other but neither can get past their painfully acrimonious separation of five years ago. This becomes `the elephant in the room' between them as they find themselves constantly thrown into each other's company. Despite all their avowals to avoid each other, their romance is rekindled and the depth of their feelings for each other is unmistakable. But misunderstandings abound and past grievances once again rear their heads and their second break-up looks destined to be their last. It seems only some earth-shattering event can bring these two to where they rightfully belong - with each other. I'm not going to say any more because I'd hate to spoil the pleasure for other readers.
Knowing of this writer's love of England's beautiful Lake District, I did expect more of a sense of location in this novel. However the splendour of New York and the grandeur of Iceland more than compensated for this.
This is the first novel I have read from this author but it certainly won't be the last! Changing the Future is a deeply satisfying story and one I would highly recommend to all lovers of good romance.
August 10, 2012
Happily Ever After
Changing the Future was a very nice romance novel. It was a love story with down to earth characters. When Lisa and Paul’s relationship ended, it wasn’t a bed of roses for either of them. Miscommunication and trust issues broke them apart. Five years flew by when they unexpectedly ran in to each other at Lisa’s college where she worked as a professor.
Old feelings surfaced and conflicts arose. They both felt guilty about how things ended. Lisa kept an unforgivable secret from Paul, and Paul harbored unjustifiable feelings of jealousy towards a male friend of Lisa’s.
Toward the middle of the story it became repetitive. Conflict lagged at this point and I thought it
wouldn’t redeem itself. But it came back to life with Paul’s close call and it ended happily ever after.
Changing the Future was predictable, which is always a disappointment, no matter what the genre.
Paula Martin wrote beautifully written dialogue, and her characters were well developed. Lisa’s son was a bit too perfect; especially with the curve ball he was thrown. But he was as lovable as Paula’s other characters.
February 8, 2016
Changing The Future by Paula Martin
Second chances are not a myth. Paula Martin gives us a very convincing glimpse of what it might take for some romances to have that successful second chance. It isn’t a case of they meet again and it’s all hunky dory. It takes quite a bit of hard effort and changes to the mindset of the hero, and heroine, to get to that happier place at the end of the novel. Past blame takes a while to be reconciled. The pace picks up during the last third of the book, the writing style showing subtle changes. For me, if that had not happened I wouldn’t have enjoyed the story as much as I did. If you’re looking for an extremely well constructed, sweet, cosy read then Paula Martin delivers it well in Changing The Future
Second chances are not a myth. Paula Martin gives us a very convincing glimpse of what it might take for some romances to have that successful second chance. It isn’t a case of they meet again and it’s all hunky dory. It takes quite a bit of hard effort and changes to the mindset of the hero, and heroine, to get to that happier place at the end of the novel. Past blame takes a while to be reconciled. The pace picks up during the last third of the book, the writing style showing subtle changes. For me, if that had not happened I wouldn’t have enjoyed the story as much as I did. If you’re looking for an extremely well constructed, sweet, cosy read then Paula Martin delivers it well in Changing The Future
July 15, 2012
I loved this book. I rarely read straight up romance, but after reading snippets of this book on the author's blog, I thought it really sounded good.
It wasn't mushy-sweet, and had this great tension between the male and female main characters.
The characters were well developed and delightful to read. Their flaws brought them right down to earth.
The pacing was great. I could have read it in one sitting if life didn't get in the way.
Truly enjoyable story. Great job, Paula Martin. Romance: five stars.
It wasn't mushy-sweet, and had this great tension between the male and female main characters.
The characters were well developed and delightful to read. Their flaws brought them right down to earth.
The pacing was great. I could have read it in one sitting if life didn't get in the way.
Truly enjoyable story. Great job, Paula Martin. Romance: five stars.
November 21, 2016
First, let me say that I was given this audio book in exchange for an honest review. I am very happy Stevie Zimmerman (the narrator) was kind enough to gift me with this book because I may not have listened to it or bought it otherwise. It's a modern day romance written by Paula Martin and narrated by Stevie Zimmerman. The story itself was very well written, the characters had depth and emotion, and the premise of the story is one that many can relate to. Stevie did a wonderful job narrating the story bringing the characters to life. I love that this was set in England and obviously needed a narrator with an excellent English accent and dialect. One of the things I liked best was that the English often use different words than Americans do as well as often pronouncing those words in a different manner or with different inflection. She was impecable in her narration of "Changing the Future". I can't wait to let my friend from England have a listen as she will just adore hearing the narration. (vs. our Southern pronunciation of words and phrases..LOL)
While Stevie was a new narrator for me to hear, I am most definately adding her to my list of "good" ones I enjoy listening to. Since this was not only the first time I've listened to Stevie's talent, it was also the first book I've read/listened to, by Paula Martin. I will most definitely have both on my radar now and look for other works by each. I'd easily recommend this book/audio book to anyone who loves an exciting romance story filled with very real emotion and situations, but those who love listening to a really good English accent/dialect.
While Stevie was a new narrator for me to hear, I am most definately adding her to my list of "good" ones I enjoy listening to. Since this was not only the first time I've listened to Stevie's talent, it was also the first book I've read/listened to, by Paula Martin. I will most definitely have both on my radar now and look for other works by each. I'd easily recommend this book/audio book to anyone who loves an exciting romance story filled with very real emotion and situations, but those who love listening to a really good English accent/dialect.
August 18, 2016
AUDIOBOOK: Listen to 17 & 18 August 2016
7Hrs 25min.
Narrator: Stevie Zimmerman did it again one great job!
First time author but will keep her in mind. Though contemps are not my favorite this one was very good.
A very sweet second chance love story with a HEA ending
7Hrs 25min.
Narrator: Stevie Zimmerman did it again one great job!
First time author but will keep her in mind. Though contemps are not my favorite this one was very good.
A very sweet second chance love story with a HEA ending
June 17, 2015
Misunderstandings
A delightful read. It is so true. A misinterpretation can cause so much heartache. It's not always as easily solved, either!
A delightful read. It is so true. A misinterpretation can cause so much heartache. It's not always as easily solved, either!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews