War and Romance

By Claire Matthews (Guest Blogger)

I've always been a sucker for World War II stories. There's just something about the global drama, and the clear line between right and wrong, that make it a very enticing subject for me. I remember reading both The Winds of War and War and Remembrance by Herman Wouk when I was a teenager, and the combination of wartime drama and epic romance made me swoon as only a 14-year-old can!

So I guess it's no surprise that my very first publication, for Total-E-Bound, is a WWII romance. Turn To You is the story of Amy and Ben, who meet stateside in 1943. Amy's a young war widow, and Ben's a soldier on his way to Germany. Of course, they fall in love, and of course, the timing's pretty crappy. And of course, there's lots of drama and romance, because that's how I roll...

Blurb:

Torn between war and passion, will Ben and Amy find their way to each other?

Amy Maddox is a young war widow in the winter of 1943 when she's hired to tutor Sergeant Ben Schuester in German. As their mutual attraction blossoms into love, they are faced with Ben's impending deployment, and the dangers of the war in Europe.

Can Amy open her heart again? Can Ben face his feelings for Amy, knowing that his future is so uncertain? After spending a brief but idyllic Christmas together, Ben must leave, and his journey tests the strength of their burgeoning love.

Through the dramatic backdrop of World War II, Ben and Amy deal with passion, loss and heartache in search of their happily ever after.

Excerpt:

He trotted up to the front door and knocked softly, anxious not to startle her. After a few seconds, he heard footsteps in the back of the house, growing closer until the door swung open abruptly.

She stood staring at him silently, her eyes wide, and Ben stared back―there was too much going on inside him to speak. She was in a long, fuzzy pink and white robe, with house slippers, and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She had no make-up on. She looked closer to fifteen than twenty-four. Her eyes were red and swollen and wet.

“Amy,” he managed to choke, before she grabbed his coat sleeve and pulled him inside, closing the door firmly behind him “Amy, I’m sorry, I wanted to call, but I had to go with some officers into town…” she buried her face in his chest as he continued, her ponytail bobbing under his chin. “…and they said ‘all work and no play, Schuester’…” he rambled, as her hands reached down and grabbed his, warming his bare fingers with her touch. “…and I couldn’t get to a telephone…and they wouldn’t stop drinking beer…oh…” he sighed, as her head moved up and her warm lips touched the pulse point on his neck, making it race.

“Ben,” she whispered against his skin, her breath cooling the wet spot that her lips had left behind. Her hands moved up and under his coat, peeling it off his shoulders and letting it fall to his feet. “It doesn’t matter…you’re here now,” she sighed, her arms wrapping around his neck as he encircled her waist and pulled her closer, harder against him.

Bio: I currently live in Houston, Texas, where I have taught political science at a local community college for the last 15 years. I live with my husband, two daughters, and one anti-social dog, and enjoy reading, writing, and all kinds of social media. I've been an aspiring writer all of my life, and I'm enjoying the romance genre immensely.

Blog: www.clairematthews.yolasite.com

Buy Turn To You at Total-e-Bound.com!