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Shadow Boxing [Family Heirloom Series Book 2] [MultiFormat]
eBook by Karen Wiesner
eBook Category: Romance/Spiritual/Religion
eBook Description: WRDF Top Read of Excellence! 1st Place winner in the contemporary romance category of the 2010 Love Romances & More Golden Rose Award! 5 Hearts Award - The Romance Studio Joined before God and family out of a sense of responsibility? Or love? As a teenager, Justine Morris's escape from the pressures of caring for her dying father was stolen moments with Joshua Samuels. But their tender, desperate liaison found them facing teen pregnancy. Afraid of their Christian families' responses to the situation, they married quickly and built a life for their child. But now that their daughter is ready to fly the nest, Justine can no longer ignore the truth: She and Joshua haven't had a real marriage for a long time. Maybe they never had one at all. Joshua is only too aware that his busy, professional attorney wife is an independent woman who never really needed him. After nearly two decades of marriage, he's quit trying to get more than a piece of her at a time. Without their daughter holding them together, he knows the chasm between them will grow to epic proportions. Their empty nest looming, they face the hard questions. Had they married in love?or out of a hasty sense of responsibility? Was it God's will for them to be together? And now, is it worth the effort to learn to become one as the Lord intends for a man and a woman?or better to simply let go?
eBook Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press, Published: 2011
Fictionwise Release Date: June 2011
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Top Read of Excellence! "Mmmmm, how to find the words to do this story justice? This book has a slow steady pace but it's deep--really deep. Well rounded, three-dimensional characters and not too many secondary's mean that you can really get into the nitty-gritty of the relationship. Ms Wiesner has a great writing style--very polished, tight and not too flowery so that you are absorbed and carried along on the current without being aware of the process. I felt really emotionally involved in the characters' relationship and loved them both and I loved the way they gradually worked towards a resolution. I also enjoyed the little development towards the end of the book. I have to admit that on the down side I did find myself wondering, could two people who have been married for eighteen years really be this obtuse about each other? Yes, I believe they could and Ms Wiesner makes the conflict one hundred percent believable. I loved the physical scenes. They happen but you are never taken into the detail, they are extremely tastefully done without losing any of the impact and without being explicit. I cried buckets reading this. If you want a moving, poignant and tender story about two people finding each other again then this is for you. Definitely recommended." ~Vasiliki Scurfield for WRDF http://blog.lyndacoker.net/2009/02/02/wrdf-review-of-shadow-boxing-by-karen-wiesner.aspx 5 Hearts and Sweetheart Award Finalist! "Ms. Karen Wiesner has, once again, exceeded my expectations with her novel. This author had my attention from the first page and she never lost it. The series of poignant scenes and tumultuous soul searching was incredibly heart-wrenching. She wrote as if she knew the subject from first hand knowledge. She wrote as if she had this extraordinary desire to see the couple find a happily-ever-after. To read this story was a highlight of my weekend and this is a book I will treasure. It will definitely go on my keeper shelf. Wiesner took these two main characters and expanded them so that it was impossible not to love them. This book was an uplifting story with several surprises. There were tears, laughter, and unique conversations. I highly recommend that you read this book. It's appropriate for any reader who loves inspirational reading. Great job, Ms. Wiesner." ~reviewed by Brenda Talley for The Romance Studio http://theromancestudio.com/reviews/reviews/shadowboxingwiesner.htm 4.5 Stars! "Justine Samuels, a lawyer in a small town, has been married to Joshua for eighteen years. She has always wondered why he agreed to marry her; was it purely because she was pregnant and he felt it was his duty? She has never mustered the guts to ask him, fearing his answer. Joshua Samuels has wanted to express his feelings to Justine throughout their marriage, but had always felt there was a wall between them When their daughter prepares to leave for college, the tension between Justine and Joshua becomes more intense. Both are unable to read each other's thoughts, but are to scared to reveal their true feelings. To complicate the already troubled marriage, Justine finds herself considering separating from her husband for his sake, thinking this is what he wants. Joshua finds himself in a difficult situation fending off unsolicited advances from another woman, add in a health issue for Justine and you have a marriage unraveling that you desperately want saved. What transpires is a delicate tale of raw emotions from a complicated marriage that is striving to succeed. Through the power of prayer and faith in one another, Justine and Joshua are able to find that love can conquer all. Karen Wiesner has written a riveting story about a married couple trying to find their way back into each other's lives. I thought this was beautifully written with an inspirational message throughout. The struggles facing Justine and Joshua are extremely well written with extraordinary detail of their vulnerabilities. Highly recommended." ~Emily for Single Titles http://singletitles.com/?p=2971 4 Stars! "This second installment in Wiesner's Family Heirlooms Series is an affecting story that takes a realistic look at a troubled Christian marriage. The hero and heroine's determination to do the right thing, and the lack of communication between them, is believable, and the reason for their actions is understandable." ~Susan Mobley for RT Book Reviews http://www.rtbookreviews.com 4 Stars! "There is a definite Christian theme throughout this book. The characters are real. The situation is real. This is a great, realistic read." ~reviewed by Stephanie Rollins for ReviewYourBook.com http://www.reviewyourbook.com/review.cfm?reviewid=1600 4 Cups! "SHADOW BOXING is an incredible read. The emotions are wide-span throughout with in-depth characters that cling to the reader. This endearing, poignant story makes the heart leap with joy. Justine and Joshua, make it a realistic read as they try to work out their marriage. To me it was like perhaps their guilt eating away at them for their sin, and they were afraid to open up to each other. I know when I read a book by Karen Wiesner I will never be disappointed. She composes captivating stories that enthrall and leave a lasting impression that is hard to forget. This story pricks at the heart and gives one hope that no matter how hard some matters appear, there is a solution. This book is an extraordinary read and a gem to be treasured." ~reviewed by Cherokee for Coffee Time Romance & More http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Shadowboxingbook2.html "Do not attempt to read SHADOW BOXING without a box of tissue within reach. I cried and ached for both Justine and Joshua as I read. Karen Wisner is a master of manipulating your heart strings as you are drawn deeper and deeper into the sad love and marriage of Justine and Joshua Samuels. Eighteen years of loving and living with someone you are not confident loves you would be a miserable existence and that was just where Justine and Joshua are in their lives. The glue in their marriage was their only child, Vashti. The conflict in SHADOW BOXING is one I believe couples who get married because of an unexpected pregnancy face more often than we realize. Leave it to Karen Wiesner to take a sensitive subject and write a beautiful, romantic novel." ~Dawn Myers for Writers Unlimited Reviewer http://www.writersunlimited.com/ 4 Stars! "In this second story of the Family Heirlooms Series, we return to Peaceful, Wisconsin. As with most of today's families both the husband, Joshua, and the wife, Justine, each enjoy their own career. The main problem is that by marrying due to a sense of responsibility, instead of allowing their romance to take its natural course, their relationship became as if frozen in time. The author, Karen Wiesner, has done a wonderful job of showing how such a couple can have conflicting emotions and how vital open communications are. As for Vash, I hope to see more of this intelligent young lady in future books of the series; even if it is only as a counselor for other main-couple characters. Brava!" ~Detra Fitch for Huntress Reviews http://www.huntressreviews.com
Chapter 1
"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread."
~Mother Teresa
Justine Samuels sipped at the small glass of champagne she allowed herself on special occasions. This, she supposed, qualified. She'd just won the biggest case of her career--a multi-client personal injury case against a major business that'd tried to cover up, rather than fix, a problem known by the highest-level employees in order to save money. Her clients were thrilled with her; her law firm--Adams, Samuels & Gosnik General Practice--even more so. Though they mainly drafted wills, negotiated tax settlements with the IRS, and handled various family law claims, they'd done a few personal injury cases. Nothing like this one. This was one most small-town lawyers avoided as out of their league. Justine had viewed it as a challenge in which she could garner success with hard work and determination. After ten long months, she'd finally done just that. Hence the celebration party her partners had thrown her at the only swanky restaurant in town, The Pier.
A few feet away, Justine watched her husband surreptitiously glance around, clearly not enamored of her partners' conversation. Will Gosnik and Harry Adams shared little in common with a man who'd been married as long as Joshua had. At fifty-three, Harry had decided his recent divorce put his life in permanent bachelor status. Will had never married, never wanted to. Both were playboys who came on to everything with a shapely turn of leg. Justine unwillingly qualified. The only reason she could ignore their playful advances came down to their genuine respect for her and her work.
When Joshua's dark gaze drifted to her, she didn't have the fortitude to hold their shared glance for longer than a few seconds. She stirred the olive she'd specially requested in her glass and nodded at something one of the six legal assistants the firm employed said. Warmth filled her cheeks. She knew Joshua's eyes lingered on her. She could feel them like heat-seeking missiles.
While her company get-togethers were rare, Joshua always put on a suit that inevitably made him look both uncomfortable and gorgeous. And after all these years, he still attended every one of her trials. She had no clue why he did that. But since he owned his own business and set his own hours, it was no doubt easy for him to fit them in. It just wasn't easy for her to imagine why he would adjust his schedule to attend. Did he have any idea how much she appreciated the efforts he made to attend her trials and come to her firm's shindigs with her?
Does he have the slightest clue that I can't take my eyes off him when I see him in a suit? It reminds me of the tuxedo he wore at our wedding. I kept looking at him, losing my place as his father performed the ceremony, convinced it was all a dream. In what world would I be marrying the man of my every fantasy? But almost eighteen years later, I still can't get myself to believe we're married. Because I don't have a clue why he married me outside of his unwavering sense of responsibility.
Justine swallowed, continuing to feel the fire rage in her face, and lifted her gaze to again skirt it over Joshua.
Your cologne smelled so good in the car on the way over here. What I wouldn't have done to bury my face against your shoulder...
"So how many years has it been, Josh my man? You've had Justine on the hook for...what? Two decades?" Harry asked, mostly sloshed by now, and Justine's attention riveted to the trio of men close enough to easily overhear.
"Eighteen years on the twenty-fifth," Joshua said. His voice sounded thick with discomfort.
Linda and Arabelle were talking about the latest fashion trends, and Justine only half heard them as Harry slapped her husband on the back, exclaiming, "How do ya keep the romance alive, fella? What's the secret to keepin' love strong? Could barely look at my hag of a wife--thankfully ex-wife--toward the end. Sometimes thought I hated everything about her. Got so sick of her face..."
"Not that Justine is anywhere near a hag," Will added with a lurid chuckle. "Nowhere near. Can't be too hard to wake up next to her every day. So what's the secret, Josh? How do you keep it going?"
Justine found herself holding her breath for Joshua's answer. Without love...how did Joshua stay with her? She wanted to know almost as badly as she didn't want to know.
His face is so serious. Utterly serious. Is he actually going to answer them?
Arabelle's voice drifted to her. "...but are they comfortable all day? I love a sexy shoe as much as the next girl, but..."
"I'd have to say the secret to a good relationship is..." Joshua started.
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