Praise for the work of Sandra Steffen
âSteffen is one of those authors whose characters and their emotions ring true, which makes each book a heartfelt treat.â
âRomantic Times
âSteffenâs characters are thoroughly and thoughtfully conceivedâ¦the charm of this tale lies in her lovely portrayal of complex family relationships.â
âPublishers Weekly on The Cottage
âSandra Steffen is a veritable master at creating characters. On a scale of 1â10, a 15!â
âReaderToReader.com
âSteffen knows exactly how hard to tug on readersâ heart-strings for maximum effect.â
âBooklist
âWarm, unforgettable characters come to life in Sandraâs small-town setting.â
âRound Table Reviews on Come Summer
âA compelling, heartwarming tale. Steffen is a talented author to watch.â
âBestselling author Kat Martin on The Cottage
âA charming, intense story. High drama and gentle reflectionâthe perfect mix.â
âBestselling author Stella Cameron on The Cottage
âA powerfully riveting story that pulls the reader from page one and doesnât stopâ¦one of the most original plots Iâve ever seenâ¦flawless characterization.â
âRomance Reviews Today on Come Summer
Sandra Steffen has always been a storyteller. She began nurturing this hidden talent by concocting adventures for her brothers and sisters, even though the boys were more interested in her ability to hit a baseball over the barnâan automatic home run. She didnât begin her pursuit of publication until she was a young wife and mother of four sons. Since her thrilling debut as a published author in 1992, thirty-three of her novels have graced bookshelves across the country.
Professional reviewers have called Sandra a veritable master at creating characters, and her books well written, satisfying and intelligent. Her most cherished review came from her youngest son recently when he said, âMom, I hear your voice as Iâm reading your book.â
This winner of the RITA>® Award, the Wish Award, and the National Readers Choice Award enjoys traveling with her husband. Usually their destinations are settings for her upcoming books. They are empty nesters these days. Who knew it could be so much fun? Please visit her at www.sandrasteffen.com.
Dear Reader Friends,
I hope you enjoy Life Happens. I wonât apologize if this story makes you cry. If it does, I would have to apologize for making you smile, too. Itâs human nature to feel as though laughter is somehow our due and tears our punishment, but arenât both part of life?
The idea for Life Happens woke me from a deep sleep and came to me complete with a beginning, a middle and an end. It was the first time it had happened this way. From the moment of its conception, I knew I had to tell this poignant story, which began as a tribute to my beloved brother, who died on a blustery night in 1995. The details that led to that day arenât unique: the diagnosis, the prayers, the bone-marrow transplant that failed, the hole his death left in our family. Just as losing Ron taught me more about life than death, Life Happens became a story about life, too, and the bond between a mother and child, and a man and a woman, a bond so strong it waited nearly two decades to spring up, so fierce it was painful and so full of hope and joy it became a power unto itself.
Like so many of lifeâs mysteries, Life Happens was a blessing in disguise, for it has led me down this path to this moment. Iâve been blessed many times over, with family and friends, laughter and luck, and with this gift Iâve been given that wakes me in the middle of the night with stories that insist upon being written. There is one more blessing I canât fail to mention, and that blessing is you, dear reader friends.
Until next time and alwaysâ¦
Sandra
In loving memory of my brother, and all our brothersâ
and sistersâwhoâve fought lifeâs battles and lost, and for all those whoâve won.
âThe highest reward for your toil is not what you get for it but what you become of it.â âJohn Ruskin
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
M ya Donahue felt naked. And not in a good way.
What had she done?
Most of her hair, her beautiful, long, lustrous hair, was gone. What was left stuck out in four- and five-inch tufts, as if sheâd gotten caught in some cosmic blender. She turned her head slightly. It was no use. It looked bad from every angle.
What had she been thinking?
She could have blamed it on the weather. For generations, the descendants of the Irishmen and Scotsmen whoâd settled along this stretch of the rocky coast of Maine had insisted that days like this were at the root of all evil. The day was wet, windy and a little wild, but to blame? It wasnât the weather. More likely it was the month. April was always a dangerous time for her.