The Role of A Mom ~Katy Eeten #mothersday #spotlight #Christianromance


Image by Đại Trịnh Ngọc from Pixabay

Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there! What a special role you all play in the lives of your kids (and their friends … and their future spouses. Ha!).

Growing up, I had no clue of the time, energy, money and commitment that went into being a parent. My mom and dad made it look so easy! But I found out in May of 2008 just how much work the job title of “Mom” really was. That’s when my first son was born, and my life was never the same.

Lincoln was a very fussy baby, and I literally didn’t know if it was day or night those first few months. But thankfully, the early fussiness was offset by a pleasantly mild toddler stage. Then came my second son.

Jackson was much calmer as a tiny baby, but once he got past the newborn stage, the boy was too excited to sleep. While my three-year-old was still taking three-hour naps, my one-year-old was giggling, singing, and—yes—sometimes screaming through naptime on a regular basis ?. The two were quite different, but my heart was captivated by the limitless supply of love we had for each other. Perhaps you can relate?

In my book, A Heart Held Captive, the main character Emily Jenkins was robbed of her chance to bond with her mom, who died of cancer when she was twelve. Even though I wrote her story, I still can’t imagine a loss like that. My dad passed away when I was twenty-four, and even as an adult, it was super hard knowing I would never see him again on this earth. So my heart goes out to anyone who has lost a parent as a child.

Emily had a rough go of it after her mom’s death. She and her dad lived at odds until a tragedy caused him to write her off for good, sending her broken soul into the arms of a verbally abusive husband. Seven years after the car accident that claimed the life of her husband, Emily is finally starting to heal from the emotional wounds of her past.

This is due in part to physical therapist Cole Pearson, who reaches out and speaks truth into her life when she needs it most. Their love grows fast and deep, but learning to forgive herself isn’t easy. And when tragedy strikes again, her old wounds resurface, making Emily feel responsible for the pain Cole’s family endures. Her self-imposed guilt threatens to destroy the relationship they’d built, and Cole is powerless to stop it.

Title: A Heart Held Captive

Author: Katy Eeten

Publisher: Anaiah Press

Release Date: March 11, 2019

Cover Designer: Laura Heritage

Genre: Christian Romance

Pages: 337

Blurb:

Physical therapist Cole Pearson has had his share of shallow relationships. But after a year of soul searching, his eyes are opened to what he really wants in life—and in a relationship. When he learns that ER nurse Emily Jenkins has volunteered to pay for a foster child’s therapy, he is drawn to her generous spirit. If only he can convince her to take things beyond their casual conversations at the clinic.

Emily is a prisoner to her past mistakes and insists on paying a price God never asked her to pay. When she finally allows herself to grow closer to Cole, her flawed beliefs are exposed and her wounded heart begins to mend. But when tragedy strikes, Emily is sent into a tailspin. Can Cole help her move past the guilt and grasp the freedom of God’s grace, or will she revert back to the captivity of her old ways and shut Cole out of her life for good?

You can buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Held-Captive-Katy-Eeten/dp/1947327534/ref

Excerpt (Excerpt heat rating= G; Book rating=PG)

What am I doing? Emily shook her head as she gazed into the bathroom mirror on Friday morning. How had she gone from seven years of solitude and contentment to suddenly longing to see a man whom she had only met a month ago? Was this really what God wanted for her? She wasn’t sure, but the fact remained, she was enamored with Cole.

While a batch of cookies baked in the oven, she assembled sandwiches and put fruit, chips and bottled water in a small cooler for their lunch date. She arrived at PT Possibilities as Cole was giving a goodbye fist bump to a young girl in the entryway. The girl left, and Cole smiled at Emily. “Perfect timing. Do you mind if we eat outside?”

“That would be great. It’s a beautiful day.”

“Okay good. There’s a picnic table out back. One sec.” He turned to the receptionist at the front desk. “Shannon, can you add these notes into Megan’s file and make a copy of this form for me?”

The woman nodded as she took the papers from Cole. “Thanks. By the way, I’m clocking out for lunch now.” Then he turned toward Emily. “Alright, let’s head out.”

They walked to the back of the facility and out a rear door Emily didn’t realize existed. She spotted the picnic table, and though it wasn’t exactly picturesque next to a dumpster, it would do the trick. After placing her cooler on the table, she unloaded the food she’d packed. Out of nowhere, two hands gently slid around her waist from behind.

“I didn’t get a proper hello.” Cole’s voice was lighthearted as he leaned his chest against her back, squeezing her tight.

“Ah, I was not aware of the rules. My apologies.” Emily’s breath caught in her throat at the unexpected backwards hug. Her hands stilled as she leaned back to enjoy the moment. “I hope you like turkey sandwiches.”

Cole removed his arms and walked around to the opposite side of the picnic table. “Oh yeah, I’m not picky. Thanks for doing this, by the way. My coworkers noticed I was unusually excited for lunch today.”

Emily suppressed a giggle, then handed him a paper plate and gestured toward the food. They loaded their plates and sat to eat. “How’s your day going?”

“Pretty good. Though I gotta tell you, one of my favorite clients is no longer coming on Fridays. So, it will be kind of a let-down when I get to the end of my shift.”

Emily raised an eyebrow. “One of your favorite clients? Should I be worried?”

Cole laughed. “Okay, okay, you’re my favorite. Hands down. There, I said it.”

Meet

Katy Eeten lives with her husband, Jason, and their two school-age sons in southeast Wisconsin, despite her dislike of cold weather. She works full-time in the business world, but her true passion is writing. In addition to A Heart Held Captive, she is the author of Christian romances Blast from Her Past and Christmas in Meadow Creek. When she’s not working or writing, she enjoys taking walks or bike rides, baking, and spending time with her family.

You can stalk Katy Eeten:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyEeten/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/KatyEeten

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KatyEeten/

Website: https://katyeeten.wordpress.com/

Backlist:

Blast from Her Past – https://www.amazon.com/Blast-Her-Past-Katy-Eeten-ebook/dp/B0793MFT91/ref

Christmas in Meadow Creek – https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Meadow-Anaiah-Romance-Novella/dp/1947327305/ref



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *