Nick is a soldier from Eastern Europe, making a life in America. Tina catches his eye as a customer in the diner that he runs. Attraction leads to love but before they can enjoy their newfound relationship, the fight for freedom in Kosovo draw Nick back to his homeland.
At first, he plans to go alone to protect Tina, but he can’t leave her so she comes with him to face a world fraught with danger, fear, and hardship. When she becomes pregnant, he sends her home and plans to follow. If he survives, if he returns to her, then they have a chance at their happily ever after in the United States.
Excerpt:
“I want you,” he said, in his direct way, voice mild yet as strong as marble. His tone indicated he’d have her, too.
“Good,” Tina said. “I want you, too, Nick, but there’s something I need to say…”
He interrupted her with his mouth, his lips hot and insistent. Tina failed to resist and she softened, melting against him as he took her mouth and made it his. Without speaking, she climbed behind him on the motorcycle and rode back to the house. Inside neither needed words as they came together, clothes stripped away and discarded like a snake’s skin onto the floor.
Nick teased her body with his lips, his mouth seeking her nipples as if each offered life-giving water to a thirsty man. He used his tongue to bring them hard, to make each bud blossom with delight. Tina’s hands caressed his lean body, fondled his old scars, and her nails raked his back with just enough force to tantalize. He maneuvered her to the worn couch and lowered her. Without any additional words of love or touch, Nick slid into her, impacting her with the wild fury and force of a warm front meeting a cold front. The resulting storm shuddered through her with ripples of amazing delight, erotic pleasures strong enough she bucked against him begging for more. She grasped his shoulders hard enough to leave the marks of her fingernails, but he didn’t complain just rocked harder and made noises she liked it.
Afterward he cradled her, whispering to her in soft Albanian, words she couldn’t understand and didn’t need to hear because she knew the meaning. Her heart supped them each and savored the bittersweet taste of them. They remained together, limbs touching, hands holding for a very long time then she roused because he moved, shifted position, and she knew.
“Are you going?” she asked, grief cutting through her body with the terrible hurt of a sword.
Nick nodded, but he looked across the room to where two bags, hers and his, sat near the door. Tina read the knowledge in his eyes and asked, “Are you sure, Nick? Do you really want me?”
“I can’t leave you,” he said. “So I must take you along. I can’t bear to break what shouldn’t ever be broken between us so you’ll go, too.”
“To Kosovo?” she asked, her breath short and chest tight.
“Where else? It’ll be terrible, conditions horrible, and you won’t be safe,” Nick said with calm. “But you’ll be with me. I’ll probably come to regret it and you may, too. Living conditions will be rougher than you’ve ever known. I may die; you might, too. Still, you’re the one woman I know who could face danger without flinching, so will you go?”
Her broken heart healed as she nodded, scrambled for her clothing and changed her life—and his—forever.
If they can make it, they’ll be golden, but can they make it?
I’d never read anything by Ms Sontheimer Murphy until this week and I’m glad I rectified that problem. This story flows well. The characters are captivating and I couldn’t put it down. I rooted for the couple to make it and have a happy ending. Boy, I got emotionally involved and that’s a good thing.
Tina and Nick are fascinating characters. He can’t handle the fact that his homeland is in danger. He also can’t leave Tina behind. He’s in a truly rough place, but he’s determined not to give up. That’s what I liked about him. He’s strong, but he’s not so strong he can’t show a sensitive side. Then there’s Tina. She’s strong, too. She is relatable and I could see her as someone I knew. I liked that because it helped me get involved with the story. The heat between them is great, too. I knew they had a connection because I could feel it.
If you’re looking for a read that’s not always easy, but it’s got a lot of heart and heat, then this might be the one for you. Give it a try.
A Time for War, A Time for Peace by Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy
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Tina catches his eye as a customer in the diner that he runs. Attraction leads to love but before they can enjoy their newfound relationship, the fight for freedom in Kosovo draw Nick back to his homeland.\u003cbr \u002f\u003e\u003cbr \u002f\u003eAt first, he plans to go alone to protect Tina, but he can’t leave her so she comes with him to face a world fraught with danger, fear, and hardship. When she becomes pregnant, he sends her home and plans to follow. If he survives, if he returns to her, then they have a chance at their happily ever after in the United States.\u003c\u002fb\u003e\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eExcerpt:\u003c\u002fb\u003e\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e “I want you,” he said, in his direct way, voice mild yet as strong as marble. His tone indicated he’d have her, too.\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e “Good,” Tina said. “I want you, too, Nick, but there’s something I need to say…”\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e He interrupted her with his mouth, his lips hot and insistent. Tina failed to resist and she softened, melting against him as he took her mouth and made it his. Without speaking, she climbed behind him on the motorcycle and rode back to the house. Inside neither needed words as they came together, clothes stripped away and discarded like a snake’s skin onto the floor.\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e Nick teased her body with his lips, his mouth seeking her nipples as if each offered life-giving water to a thirsty man. He used his tongue to bring them hard, to make each bud blossom with delight. Tina’s hands caressed his lean body, fondled his old scars, and her nails raked his back with just enough force to tantalize. He maneuvered her to the worn couch and lowered her. Without any additional words of love or touch, Nick slid into her, impacting her with the wild fury and force of a warm front meeting a cold front. The resulting storm shuddered through her with ripples of amazing delight, erotic pleasures strong enough she bucked against him begging for more. She grasped his shoulders hard enough to leave the marks of her fingernails, but he didn’t complain just rocked harder and made noises she liked it.\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e Afterward he cradled her, whispering to her in soft Albanian, words she couldn’t understand and didn’t need to hear because she knew the meaning. Her heart supped them each and savored the bittersweet taste of them. They remained together, limbs touching, hands holding for a very long time then she roused because he moved, shifted position, and she knew.\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e “Are you going?” she asked, grief cutting through her body with the terrible hurt of a sword.\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e Nick nodded, but he looked across the room to where two bags, hers and his, sat near the door. Tina read the knowledge in his eyes and asked, “Are you sure, Nick? Do you really want me?”\u003c\u002ffont\u003e\u003c\u002fp\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\" face=\"times new roman,times,serif\"\u003e “I can’t leave you,” he said. “So I must take you along. 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This story flows well. The characters are captivating and I couldn’t put it down. I rooted for the couple to make it and have a happy ending. Boy, I got emotionally involved and that’s a good thing.\r\n\r\nTina and Nick are fascinating characters. He can’t handle the fact that his homeland is in danger. He also can’t leave Tina behind. He’s in a truly rough place, but he’s determined not to give up. That’s what I liked about him. He’s strong, but he’s not so strong he can’t show a sensitive side. Then there’s Tina. She’s strong, too. She is relatable and I could see her as someone I knew. I liked that because it helped me get involved with the story. The heat between them is great, too. I knew they had a connection because I could feel it.\r\n\r\nIf you’re looking for a read that’s not always easy, but it’s got a lot of heart and heat, then this might be the one for you. 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