Guilty of Love
Authors: Pat Simmons
Tags: #inspirational romance, #christian romance, #family relationships, #africanamerican romance, #love romance, #foster parenting, #abortion and guilt feelings, #guilt and shame, #genealogy research, #happiness at last
A GUILTY SERIES NOVEL
BOOK 1
~~~
(Second edition)
BY
PAT SIMMONS
~~~
Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2007, 2014 Pat Simmons
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. References to real
events, organizations, and places are used in a fictional context.
Any resemblances to actual people, living or dead are entirely
coincidental.
To read more books by this author, please visit
www.patsimmons.net.
First edition printed in the United States of
America, 2011
Second edition printed in United States of
America, 2014 Generations Quest Press
Edited/proofed by Karen McCullum
Rodgers/critiqueyourbook.com
Author photo: Angie Knost
Photography
Print ISBN-13: 978-1499784756
Print ISBN-10: 1499784759
Smashwords Edition License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal
enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to
other people. If you would like to share this book with another
person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you
share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it,
or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return
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respecting the author's work.
On The Guilty series:
In GUILTY OF LOVE, Simmons'
sometimes whimsical approach to delivering the message of salvation
is anchored by opportune scriptures. The author boldly tackles
issues like abortion, child abuse and anger toward God, adeptly
guiding readers into romance, reconciliation and restoration as
this novel flows effortlessly from haunting pasts to delectable
happiness
.
—
Romantic Times Book
Review
The different themes in GUILTY OF
LOVE, such as abortion, adoption and the African American heritage
is so well woven throughout the novel, that you don't realize you
have actually learned anything until the end of the book. All in
all, you get a bird's eye view on the consequences of abortion,
insight on being a foster parent as well as an education on
genealogy.
—
EKG Literary
Magazine
Pat Simmons has written a solid and
satisfying story that will keep you glued until the last page. The
characters are colorful and seem familiar. GUILTY OF LOVE describes
friendship across racial lines, brotherly love, family issues and
religion in a non-preachy format. Successfully merging a variety of
topics into the storyline, Simmons has included information on
forgiveness, love, black history and spirituality.
—
RAWSISTAZ Reviewer
Simmons developed the characters so
that I was drawn into their stories. I could feel every emotion. I
laughed, cried, and wondered with each of them. It kept me glued to
the pages. This was my first time reading Simmons's work, but I
look forward to others.
—
APOOO
Reviewer
Simmons has written her best work
with this sequel to GUILTY OF LOVE (NOT GUILTY OF LOVE). The
richness of the characters and foundation of the word not only
bring the story to life but will encourage you while renewing your
faith in God. This is a Christian fiction work of art.
—
Deltareviewer
On No Easy Catch (Carmen Sisters
series):
Throughout the story Rahn
and Shae’s relationship starts out beautiful but then life happens.
Will Rahn and Shae continue to strike out or will they hit a home
run with God as their pitcher? The strong messages of faith had me
at one time thinking had I kept my promises to God? I don’t know
for sure but I’m certainly convicted. Simmons has a knack for
writing stories that make you pause and reflect and this one
doesn’t disappoint.
One of my favorite quotes in the
book was “when fear comes knocking let faith answer it. Once the
door is open fear disappears. Its nuggets like this one that kept
me turning pages. What an outstanding read!—
Readers Paradise
"Book Club"
On Love at the Crossroads
series:
As always I was truly pleased
reading the first book of this series. The characters are witty,
loving, resourceful, kind, and flawed all at the same time. Losing
a spouse has to be devastating for anyone and knowing you will
never be able to have children is enough to shake your faith.
Though the get weary and challenged God still gets the victory. I
love that I'm getting prayer and bits and pieces of the Word
throughout the entire book, along with a story that I can visually
see unfolding right before my eyes.—
SUBC New Orleans Chapter
"Beyond The Book"
The Guilty series
Book I:
Guilty of
Love
Book II:
Not Guilty of
Love
Book III:
Still
Guilty
The Jamieson Legacy
Book I
: Guilty by
Association
Book II
: The Guilt
Trip
Book III
: Free from
Guilt
The Guilty Parties series
Book I
: The
Acquittal
Book II
: The Confession (fall
2014)
The Carmen Sisters
Book I
: No Easy
Catch
Book II:
In Defense of Love,
Spring 2015
Love at the Crossroads
Book I
: Stopping
Traffic
Book II
: A Baby for
Christmas
Book III
: The
Keepsake
Making Love Work Anthology
Book I:
Love at Work
Book II:
Words of
Love
Book III:
A Mother’s
Love
Carroll “Jeani” Barnard
September 1958-July 2002
There is still no stopping us
now.
From a high school friendship, to
partying all night, to receiving the Holy Ghost, to having babies.
I’ll never forget Jeani who passed away as I was writing page
one-hundred.
And the Lord himself shall
descend from heaven with a shout and a voice of the archangel and
the trump of God. The dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in
the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be
with the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
I’ll meet ya in the
rapture.
Durham, North Carolina
“
Larry,” a trembling voice
whispered into the phone, “I’m pregnant.”
Gripping the receiver, Cheney Reynolds
sniffed back tears and held her breath. She waited for soothing
words of comfort, shouts of jubilation, or any response from her
boyfriend. Instead, silence ensued. Seconds dragged into
minutes.
A boom of laughter exploded in the
hall outside her dorm. High-pitched voices consumed with gaiety
seemed to belittle her predicament. Fellow Duke University students
were making plans for the night. Cheney had to think beyond
tonight. She had lost focus and allowed her promising, secured
future to be in the hands of one man.
Larry Thimes exhaled a restless breath
through the phone before speaking as if his teeth were glued
together. His words measured, his tone stiff, like the ugly
all-season brown curtains hanging from her dorm window.
“
Then you know what must be
done,” he responded in a clipped tone.
“
No. What?”
“
Get rid of it.”
“
Just like that? No
discussion?” Cheney shut her eyes as darkness invaded her mind.
“But—” She tasted the bile racing up her throat. “You can’t mean
that
.
” The room began to spin. She closed her eyes, but the
dizziness was already set in motion. This wasn’t supposed to
happen. She and Larry had practiced safe sex. Was that a
misnomer?
“
Sweetheart,” Larry said as
if talking to a child, “you’re scheduled to graduate next semester,
remember?”
“
I know, but—”
“
You’re enrolling in Duke’s
Global Executive MBA program. Plus, I’m completing my J.D. and will
be busy studying for the bar.”
“
Maybe—”
“
I can’t even support
myself. Sorry, a baby isn’t an option for us right now.”
Stress deepened the lines in Cheney’s
forehead. What Larry said was true. She didn’t want to be an unwed
mother. What would her parents say? Her mother would faint from the
thought of embarrassment. Her philosophical father would gather his
thoughts before advising her of his disappointment. Her older
sister, Janae, would be shocked, and her twin brother would be
ecstatic—Rainey always loved children.
Sifting through her situation for the
third time that day, Cheney had to concur with Larry. A pregnancy
wasn’t in their plans. After all, she had won a four-year
scholarship.
I can’t just throw it all away
. She was an
educated, up-and-coming professional, but her heart pounded against
her chest, refusing to comply. “Larry, maybe we should think about
this. There has to be another way.”