Clark

The Harlow Brothers #4

by Brie Paisley

Cover & Excerpt Reveal

Release Date: June 9, 2021

Cover Design: Tiffany Black @ TE Black Designs
Models: Gideon Connelly & Ashley Kelly
Photo: Christopher John @ CJC Photography

Genre: Contemporary Romance

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PROLOGUE

Morgan

They say that your life can change with a blink of an eye.

When I was six-years-old, I learned that whoever made up that saying, was telling the truth. Only, in my experience, it happened with an intake of a single breath and with the single beat of my heart.

It was an instant realization that I would never be the same again.

I remember every single detail of that fateful night, unaware until much later of the drunk driver’s identity, and of the man that murdered my entire family. I’ve been told to take some solace in knowing that the driver died as well, but I could never do such a thing.

It might be easier, if it weren’t the fact that I relive the accident every time I close my eyes.

My parents were coming back from picking me up from a friend’s house, because I didn’t want to stay the night. I hadn’t reached the point where I felt comfortable, staying over, so my lovely and supportive parents immediately came to my rescue, when I called.

I remember hearing my mother’s laugh, seeing my father’s smile while hearing it, and my baby brother’s squeals in the backseat beside me. We were so happy, and there wasn’t a moment that I didn’t know that I was loved. I adored my family dearly, which is another reason why I wanted to come home.

Home was safe, where I had loving, caring, and overall, wonderful parents.

But then, everything that I knew about life, suddenly changed. My happy and wonderful life was ripped from my grasp, and I’ve had to find a new way to go on without my family. It’s honestly been harder than I’d ever imagined it would, because not only did I lose my family, but I had move to another state, so that my aunt could take care of me.

When I woke in the hospital, I prayed and begged for the truth to be a lie. I didn’t want to live with my aunt Amelia in Georgia, and I most certainly didn’t want to accept the fact that I’d never see my family again.

Life was hard.

Life was too much to bear at times.

My innocent childhood could never be the same, and I didn’t exactly know how to handle the grief that I felt every single day. My aunt tried her best to help me cope, but there was always reminders to keep me from fully moving forward in my life.

For a long while, I just existed, unable to see the beauty it anymore. What was the point in living, when my family’s life was over?

Thankfully, as I grew older, I found a new way to handle my never ending pain. The only reprieve I had was being able to help others find their way out of their own pain. Seeing someone else find their happiness again, while I helped them, was unlike anything that I’ve ever felt before. It made me actually feel like I was doing something worth doing, and I finally felt like I had a purpose once more.

My wounds have yet to fully heal, but I knew I had a calling.

The second I found that purpose, I never looked back.

I can’t say that I’ll ever be cured, but helping others find peace does make my own pain easier to carry. Becoming a therapist to help those suffering from PTSD and survivor’s guilt, has shown me that I need to start living life once more, instead of drowning alone in my agony.

Which is why I’ve decided to move back home to the place I never thought I would come back to. Columbus, Mississippi may have a lot of my demons waiting for me, but I’m determined to overcome them.

I’m ready to face my past, and then, lay it to rest.

Giveaway

Brie Paisley was born and raised in a small town in Mississippi, and now, she currently lives in different locations, due to her husband being military. She wanted to write at a young age and was always filling journals with her thoughts and short stories. Brie started with an idea for her debut novel a few years ago, and with the encouragement of her husband and sister-in-law, she was able to write and publish her first book. When she isn't writing, you can find her reading a good book, watching a good movie, or spending time with her wonderful husband and beautiful daughter.

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