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Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaway: Starting Over by Barbie Bohrman

I love the sound of Barbie Bohrman’s upcoming novel, Starting Over! This is a story about overcoming heartache and finding love again when you didn’t think it possible anymore. I’m so excited to share a never-before-seen excerpt, plus a giveaway for a signed copy of the novel! Make sure to pre-order before it’s out on January 19th!

✦ Amazon Kindle | Amazon Paperback | Barnes & Noble ✦

Synopsis

starting over Single mom Vanessa Holt has a daughter she loves, a supportive family, and her art. Having given up on finding true love—if that even exists, which she doubts—she’s content to put romance on the back burner. But not everyone agrees. Those nearest and dearest are ready to see Vanessa let down her long blonde hair and have some fun.

To put their grumbling to rest, Vanessa agrees to date the first man who asks. Luckily for her, that man is Cameron Thomas, her daughter’s extremely handsome science teacher. She’d felt a spark of chemistry the first time she’d laid eyes on him. Now she’s ready to lay a whole lot more on the sexy bachelor.

But just as things get hot, they also get heavy. When the man who broke Vanessa’s heart reappears, her old doubts and fears about love rush to the surface. Will her fresh start with Cameron be over before it’s barely begun?

Excerpt

The front doors slide open. People come and go all the time, and I usually don’t pay attention. But today I lift my head and watch a man walk through. He brings in fresh air that drifts across the room and makes goosebumps break out across my skin. His hands are tucked into his front pockets. At first I think nothing of him. Then he turns and looks directly at me.

My heart becomes lodged in my throat.

This is the man Wes morphed into last night. I sit up straight. He blinks rapidly. His brows form a tight V. He looks at me with confusion and I have no idea why.

The nurse behind the front desk greets him and he looks away.

Patients and staff—-all eyes are on him. We share one thought: Why is he here?

A dazed smile graces the nurse sitting behind the front desk.

Picking up the visitor clipboard, he writes his name down. I wish I were next to him. I want to put a name to that gorgeous face.

Since I’ve been at Fairfax, I’ve perfected the art of people watching. You can’t be obvious. In a place like this it’s awkward to be caught. No, you have to take furtive glances spaced apart—-that’s enough for me to create a person’s life story.

With this man, I picture power. Control.

With his elbows on the counter he leans in closer to the nurse. She’s a newbie. Just last week she finished up her week of training. And the way she looks at him . . . I can already tell she’d give anything for him to continue talking to her.

He says something and she shakes her head. I try to read her mouth, but she’s talking too fast.

Then he gives the nurse the smile.

The smile that makes smart women turn stupid.

The nurse sighs and her shoulders droop in defeat. She sneaks a peek behind her shoulder to make sure no one’s watching before she leans over the counter and points straight at me.

The man looks my way. His eyes are intense. Strong. A force.

Pushing himself away from the front desk, he walks into the dayroom. He has a confident stride, as though every step he takes is fought for and earned. His chin is raised and eyes are forward, looking straight at me. My hands start to shake. I feel the blood rush from my fingertips, all the way down to my toes.

My heart starts to thunder.

Thump.

Each beat is louder than the last, until I am positive that everyone in the room can hear the pounding of my heart. I clutch Evelyn closer as the man stops directly at my table. I tilt my head back to make eye contact and I swear I feel a jolt straight to my heart.

“Can I sit down, Victoria?”

How does he know my name? I’m frantic, desperate to know what’s going on. Is someone playing a trick on me? I glance around the room, waiting for one of the doctors to jump out from around the corner and tell me this is just a test.

When I don’t reply, he lifts a brow and sits down across from me. He settles his hands on the table, lacing his fingers together. They’re large, rough with calluses and blunt fingernails. My stomach flips because I remember those hands on me, last night. Not Wes’s. His.

We sit in silence, but what exactly am I supposed to say? There’s no easy way to start up a conversation with a virtual stranger.

He stares at Evelyn with those hard eyes. His gaze flicks between my daughter and me. I shift Evelyn so her head is resting against my chest and gently pat her back. “I’m sorry, do we know each other?” My voice is firm, but kind.

He tilts his head to the side and looks at me beneath his lashes. The black slant of his brows brightens his eyes. “I’m Sinclair.”Series