Jess Ames
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GENRE: Women's Fiction
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BLURB:
Jenna Mitchell has spent her adult life under the control of her husband, her dreams of owning her own bakery pushed aside. But at twenty-eight, she's finally ready to reclaim her life and pursue her passion. Well… almost.
With the unwavering support of the Sensational Six—her close-knit group of friends—Jenna can finally envision a day where she is in charge of her own destiny, a big step forward for her. As she works at her friend’s café, Jenna begins to discover the strength and courage she needs to break free from her past and begin focusing on her future.
But can she quiet the echoes that keep finding their way back to her? Will the doubts they’ve created make it impossible for her to see—and trust—the path forward before her chance at a better life slips through her flour-dusted fingers?
Fans of Rachel Hanna will enjoy this warm and uplifting story about self-discovery, finding the courage to start anew, and the unbreakable bonds of chosen family.
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EXCERPT
I was sifting powdered sugar over a just-cooled apple strudel when my husband called from county jail. Leaning over the tiny kitchen table in my tiny new apartment above the café where I worked, I was imagining myself with my apron-covered hip propped against a gleaming stainless steel table, putting the finishing touches on a last-minute order that had come in through my bakery’s website. Back and forth with the sifter… downy, white flakes danced around each other as they floated and settled into their resting places.
B-r-r-r-r-r-t
The rumble of the phone against the white laminate broke me from my time-worn daydream. I reached up to adjust the white baker’s cap that existed only in my mind, pressed pause on my dream, and shook my head to clear it. When I read the caller ID, my stomach folded in on itself.
‘Collect call’
Craig.
I took a deep breath that settled in my chest and refused to return. I set the sifter down on a nearby dish and picked up my phone. For a moment, just a moment, I held it in my hand and considered letting him go to voicemail. But a lifetime of experience told me that ignoring a man who will not be ignored would only delay the inevitable.
"Hello?" I said, forcing the air from my lungs.
My husband’s out-of-touch politician's voice poured through the phone. “Jenna, sweetheart. Are you busy?” Without waiting for me to answer, he continued. “I need you to do me a favor, baby. Can you please come down here and bail me out? I can’t sit here for one more day.”
I shifted the phone to my other ear and wrapped my free arm around my waist as I paced the twenty steps it took to reach the other end of my apartment and back. He wasn’t going to like my reply. "Craig, I just don't think I can do that. I don't have the money for it right now. I'm sorry."
This was apparently not the answer he was expecting, because, as expected, his demeanor slipped from the fake, sticky sweetness of corn syrup to hot, burning rage faster than a falling soufflé. "You're sorry? You're sorry? Be sorry that you haven't already come down here to get me. I'm your husband, Jenna. Remember the vows you took? Love, honor, and obey?"
Recognizing the opening line to the endless refrain of our marriage, I pulled a chair away from my kitchen table and willed my shaky legs to deposit me safely into it.
"Yes, I do remember, Craig. But I still can't afford to come and bail you out right now. I have expenses I need to think about."
The sound of what I could only assume was the phone bashing against a hard surface assaulted my eardrum. "You have expenses because you decided to leave our home and go live above that — that woman's café."
"That woman is my boss, and my friend," I reminded him, "and she’s been nice enough to let me stay here."
"You don't need to stay there," Craig argued back. "What you need to do is come and get me so we can go home together where we belong.”
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Jess Ames is knocking on the door of fifty, but has the sense of humor of a twelve year old and the body of a fifty-four-year-old (according to her fitness app).
She is “mama” to nine, “mimi” to four, “friend” to all, an adequate wife, and living the dream of the little girl who wanted to be a writer when she grew up.
They are both still waiting for that moment, so she’s writing in the meantime.
https://JessAmesAuthor.com
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Where to buy Everything You’ve Ever Wanted:
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3 comments:
Thank you for featuring EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER WANTED today.
What does a "successful" writing day look like to you?
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
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