Spotlight & Giveaway: The Memory of You by Jamie Beck

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Jamie Beck to HJ!

When Steffi Lockwood returns to Sanctuary Sound to start over, she has no idea she’ll also get a second chance with her first love.

Rebuilding Homes and Rebuilding Her Life: Meet Stefanie Lockwood

Thanks for having me here to discuss The Memory Of You, which is essentially a “second chance at first love” romance that also involves one woman’s recovery from trauma and a single-dad’s take on divorce.
 
The story takes place in Sanctuary Sound, the fictional coastal Connecticut hometown where Steffi returns after being the victim of assault near her apartment in Hartford. She starts her own home remodeling business with one of her childhood besties, who happens to be in the middle of a terrible rift with their other dear friend, putting Steffi smack in the middle of that conflict. Her business partner is concerned about Steffi’s occasional mental fog, which Steffi attributes to a history of concussions from her Division I soccer career and the major pistol-whipping that knocked her unconscious when she was attacked. To pile on to her list of woes, one of her first big jobs comes from her ex-boyfriend’s mother who wants to convert a screened porch to a family room. This job forces her to confront the way she ghosted her ex (Ryan Quinn) and his family, and that gets even more uncomfortable when Ryan shows up with his daughter in tow after his wife leaves him for another man. Steffi’s regretted the breakup for nearly a decade but has no idea how to win Ryan’s forgiveness and trust. Luckily, his daughter takes a liking to her, which helps draw Ryan in.
 
I really enjoyed writing this book. Not only was the research about traumatic memory loss fascinating, but Steffi is a great character. She’s independent and she’s tough—an athlete who weilds a hammer and builds things with her own hands. Coming home is bittersweet for her. Her mom died when she was young, and her dad is taciturn. All but one of her older brothers has moved away, so she relies on the remaining brother and her business partner for her social life. Memories of her time with Ryan are everywhere, and the reason she wanted freedom—to go experience a bigger life—has come back to bite her, deepening her regret. But like the old town which is experiencing a mini-renaissance, so too is Steffi changing. We see her pouring herself not only into the Quinn project, but then putting everything on the line to buy and remodel her former dream cottage for Ryan and his daughter. She feels powerful and in control when she’s fixing and updating old homes, which is in contrast to a life which somehow veered from from what she’d planned. And in a way, she gains hope when something old and dilapidated can be given a new life and be made beautiful again.
 
I absolutely love the slow and believable way that she rebuilds Ryan’s trust in this story, and the way she can empathize with his daughter’s missing her mom because of how Steffi lost hers at nearly the same age. I also love how neither she nor Ryan pull any punches with each other. He forces her to be honest with him and herself, which pushes her along the path toward a healthier, happier life. Of course, the irony is that he ends up breaking his own values in an effort to dig to the bottom of what really happened in Hartford, so ultimately she must forgive him if they are to make it this second time around.
 
I hope readers will enjoy the story!
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: eBook: The Memory of You (Sanctuary Sound) by Jamie Beck

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Leave a comment with your thoughts on the book…

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Book Info:

Steffi Lockwood has survived more than most. Recovering from an assault, she returns to her coastal Connecticut hometown to rebuild her life the best way she knows how: with her hands. But starting a remodeling business with one longtime friend puts her in the middle of a rift with another. Worse, being hired by her ex-boyfriend’s mother forces her to confront old regrets.

Public defender Ryan Quinn wasn’t shocked when his wife left him, but he was floored when she abandoned their daughter. With his finances up in the air, the newly single dad returns to his childhood home in Sanctuary Sound. The last person he expects, or wants, to see working on his family house is Steffi Lockwood—his first love who shattered his heart.

Although Steffi and Ryan are different people now, dormant feelings rekindle. But when Steffi’s secrets begins to surface, will it bring them together…or tear them apart for good?
 
 

Meet the Author:

National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than one million copies. She’s a 2017 Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking as well as hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can learn more about her on her website, www.jamiebeck.com, which includes a fun “Extras” page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
Website | Facebook | GoodReads |