Tag: Connor Walsh

#SnippetSunday & Weekend Writing Warriors “I was heartbroken for days.” #readers #tw4rw #8sunday /

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

Connor noticed his father’s long sigh. It seemed even talking was an effort for him nowadays. There were so many questions about the illness, but also the medication he was obviously refusing.

“He’s even taken on the pommy accent. My own son has a pommy accent,” Jack told Emily as she checked his temperature.

She turned to look at Connor and gave him a smile. “I suppose it’s been a while since you moved to England.”

“He was seven.”

Emily placed her hand on her chest and with exaggeration replied, “Oh, I remember. I was heartbroken for days.”

Ten sentences and a few more

Connor cocked a brow. “Days?”

Her laugh was genuine and beautiful. “Well, you know, Niall showed me his secret spot at the beach.”

“Niall?”

“I can’t believe you don’t remember Niall.”

“He can’t even bloody remember Ethan,” Jack growled.

Emily stared at Connor. “You’re kiddin’, right?”

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “They delay the obvious.” #booktwt #ReadersOfTwitter #tw4rw

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

Connor was struck by the intensity of his father’s words. I have Connor here. It was the way they were spoken, and the emotions behind them that confused him. Was there a bit of belonging or appreciation? Or did Connor read something into it when there wasn’t anything?

He watched Emily taking off the blanket. She waited patiently as Jack had another bout of coughing fits.

“Jack, did you take your medication this morning?” she asked.

He waved her off with his hand. “Nah, I’m sick of them. They’re making me drowsy and nauseous.”

“They help—”

“They don’t help,” Jack interrupted. “They delay the obvious. I wanna have a clear mind when I discuss matters with Connor.”

“You shouldn’t skip on the medication,” she persisted. “They help—”

“She’s not only as pretty as her mother, but just as stubborn,” Jack said with a grin.

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “The storm was closing in.” #booktwt #bookish #ReadersOfTwitter

HAPPY NEW YEAR ♥

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

Giving a slow nod, he said, “Right. That makes sense.” He held her gaze, absolutely mesmerised by her. It appeared he’d had good taste already as a child. He definitely had to find out about that kiss.

“Right,” he said again. “Jack’s outside on the deck.”

She looked up at him in surprise. The good-humoured face had lost its smile. “Jack?” she asked.

Connor raised his brows. “My dad?”

She gave a slow nod. “Yes, he is,” she replied slowly. “Anyway, the deck’s perfect. He needs a bit of Vitamin D. It’ll do him good.”

Watching her behind, he followed her outside. The storm was closing in, and Emily shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked into the distance across the ocean.

“Emily,” Jack greeted her, and Connor could’ve sworn he caught a slight smile on his father’s face.

She turned to him. “How are you, Jack?”

The old man took her hand. “I have Connor here.”

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#TuesdayTeaser ”Echoes of the Past” #Review #Bookish #Booktwt #ReadersFavorite

Reviewed by Anugraha Prem for Readers’ Favorite

In Echoes of The Past: Fermosa Bay Book 1 by Iris Blobel, Connor Walsh, a business lawyer brought up in London, returns to Fermosa Bay, a small coastal town in Australia to visit his long-estranged father who is terminally ill. Connor has little recollection of his earlier life at Fermosa Bay but gets reacquainted with his childhood best friends Emily, Ethan, and Neil. Emily had always loved Connor and he falls for her the moment he sees her again. As the days go by, Connor’s love for Emily as well as his fondness for Fermosa Bay grows deeper and deeper. He reflects on how different his life could have been there. On the one hand, he has his affluent lifestyle in London, and on the other, he has this newfound life at Fermosa Bay where he feels a sense of belonging and is complete. Which one should he choose?

While reading Echoes of The Past, I felt as if I was on vacation. The whole setting of Fermosa Bay was so calming. Iris Blobel has brought out the alluring charm of the place beautifully. Every interaction between Connor and Jack, as well as those between him and his friends, was heartwarming. The book revived a yearning in me for the sort of community that was depicted in Fermosa Bay. The love, affection, and care that each of them had for the other were captivating. I loved seeing how Connor and Emily navigated their way through the love and devotion they were feeling for each other. The tenderness and warmth with which they handled their relationship were also endearing, which made for an engaging read.

Blurb:

When Connor Walsh, a business lawyer in London, receives news that his estranged father is terminally ill, he returns to Fermosa Bay, a little coastal town in Australia. With the memories of his childhood years tucked away in the back of his mind, he finds his father and kindergarten friends rallying around to remind him of the past. But he’s unprepared for the growing attraction he feels for Emily, and it doesn’t take long for Connor to feel regret that his life could have been so much different.

Emily Bradshaw has waited for over twenty years to see Connor again. And although he can’t remember her, let alone their first kiss, her childhood crush is still in full swing. Eager to pick up where they left off as children, she’s determined to enjoy the short time he is in Fermosa Bay, accepting her heart will break when he returns to his life in London.

Will the echoes of the past lure him into staying in Fermosa Bay?

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#SnippetSunday “So many questions about his past.” #booktwt #bookish #ReadersOfTwitter

HAPPY NEW YEAR ♥

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

She held her hand out. “Hi, Connor. You don’t look anything like you did twenty years ago.”

He blinked away his confusion, slowly taking her hand. “Thanks. And you are?”

“I’m offended,” she replied with a soft laugh. “I’m Emily Bradshaw.” With an exaggerated sigh, she added, “The man who gave me my first kiss can’t remember me.”

As she shook her head, her curly red hair bounced around her face. Her green eyes were gleaming with good humour.

“Sorry, Emily. I’m—” He had no idea what he was. Speechless. Frustrated. Memory gone. Probably all of the above. “I’m still jetlagged. Apologies. Come on in.”

Emily walked past him, down the hall, and towards the stairs.

“Look, Emily. In regard to the…ehrm, the jetlag, want to give me a hint what you’re doing here?”

She spun around, her mouth curving into a smile again. “I’m your dad’s nurse.”

Giving a slow nod, he said, “Right. That makes sense.” He held her gaze, absolutely mesmerised by her. It appeared he’d had good taste already as a child. He definitely had to find out about that kiss.

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “So many questions about his past.” #booktwt #bookish #ReadersOfTwitter

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

Leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees, Connor asked calmly, “Why did you ask her to leave?”

Finally, their eyes locked, and his father’s confusion took Connor aback. “Son, what are you talking about?”

Their conversation was interrupted, though, by the ringing of the doorbell. Connor cursed inwardly, knowing he had to wait for his father’s response that little bit longer. So many questions about his past, a past he knew nothing about. He stepped back into the house and walked to the front door, making a mental note to ask his mother about Ethan. And how the hell had he liked surfing as a kid when he wouldn’t go near the water now? Still in thought, he opened the door and was taken off-guard for a moment by what he saw. In front of him stood a beautiful woman with a smile that had an effect on him right to his toes and back up his legs, pooling heat in his groin.

She held her hand out. “Hi, Connor. You don’t look anything like you did twenty years ago.”

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “Why did you ask her to leave?” #booktwt #bookish #AuthorsOfTwitter

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

The reaction from his father wasn’t what he expected, though. With his shoulders sagged, Jack closed his eyes. He looked so old and frail. From what Connor saw in all the photos around the house, cancer had taken a lot of life out of his father, leaving behind a haggard body with no energy left. Initially, he’d been taken aback by their similarities in looks, with their dark brown eyes and dark blond hair, including the stubborn curl above the ears, but after all, Jack was his father.

“Ethan was your best friend when you lived here.”

Pain shot through Connor as he was again confronted with a piece of information about his past that he knew nothing about. What had happened all those years ago, that his memory blocked these recollections of his childhood?

“How is your mother?” Jack wanted to know suddenly.

Connor clenched his jaw, trying hard to hold back to frustration and hoping it was a sign of the illness that his father wasn’t able to hold on to one topic anymore. He studied the old man as he listened to his heavy breathing. Jack was thin and pale, with dark circles under his eyes.

“She’s doing well,” he replied after a long moment.

“Married?”

“Yes.”

A smile spread across Jack’s face. “She was beautiful when she lived here. So beautiful.”

Leaning forward to rest his arms on his knees, Connor asked calmly, “Why did you ask her to leave?”

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “You left with your mother.” #booktwt #bookish #amazonkindle

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

When Jack didn’t answer, he turned to look at his father who stared into the distance, a withdrawn expression on his face.

“You were constantly in the water. Whatever opportunity you had, you grabbed your little board and spent most of the day there.”

Now intrigued by the small information about his childhood, Connor asked, “What happened?”

His father shrugged. “You left with your mother.”

Not all that happy with the reply, Connor sat down on the chair next to Jack while letting out a long breath. “Something must’ve happened. I never go near water, let alone go in it.”

Still gazing into the distance, Jack said, “I still have the blue board. Ethan’s little son sometimes uses it nowadays.”

Unsure where the conversation was heading, Connor went along. “Who’s Ethan?” he asked.

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “Another bad day?” #booktwt #bookish #readers

I’ll continue today with a snippet from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. 
ENJOY ♥

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

After a moment’s silence, he turned to his father and shook his head. “Sorry.”

Jack coughed, and Connor quickly rushed to his side, holding him upright.

“Another bad day?” Connor asked.

“Son, there will be no more good days. One day is like the other, until it will be the last.”

The words struck Connor deep enough to feel some emotions for his father. He knew time was running out, but hearing it made it sound final.

“There’s a front coming, but I think you’d be able to sit outside for a little while. At least until the nurse comes.”

Jack simply nodded.

Connor helped his father out onto the deck, where the old man sat down on his swing seat.

“Thanks, son.”

Without a reply, Connor stepped away and watched the sea again.

“I couldn’t keep you away from the water when you were a child,” Jack said after a long moment.

The words surprised him. “What do you mean?”

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥

#SnippetSunday “It wasn’t in him to call him Dad” #booktwt #books #readers

My snippet today will be from ECHOES OF THE PAST, Book 1 in the Fermosa Bay Series. The book received a new cover just recently and I absolutely love it. What do you think?

ENJOY ♥

@iris_blobel #booktok #kindleunlimitedromance #fyp #fallinlove #regretnothing #smalltownromancebook #readerscommunity #romancenovels #bookstagram ♬ Only Time – Enya

Today’s Snippet

Hence, he was surprised to find out that Jack lived in this large house just outside Fermosa Bay, on the top of the cliffs, with a view over the ocean. The house had five rooms and a small study at the back. The lounge room, with a high vaulted ceiling, had wood fire heating and a big window front. Connor had loved the house the instant he’d stepped into it.

He entered the hall, where he found his father. “Good morning, Jack.”

The old man sighed sadly. “You still can’t bring it over your heart to call me Dad?”

Connor’s gaze wandered from his father to all the many framed photos along the wall. Jack was in many of them, but most were of people he didn’t know, except the biggest one, which showed Connor as a child in Jack’s arms. A wave of sadness shook him, but he wasn’t sure what it exactly was. It could’ve been regret that he hadn’t known about his father earlier, or simple sympathy for the man who thought so much of him without knowing anything about him.

And, yet, it wasn’t in him to call him Dad. Or to even think of him as his dad.

 

Get your copy of “IN THE SHADOWS OF A LIE” here ♥