Cascading Petals
Jane C. Brady
Publication date: December 5th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
Despite the years of bullying in school, Jewel Hart has remained sweet and kind. She has it all—a great life, a great family, and beauty—but she has never been able to obtain the one thing she wants—to belong.
When Jewel meets Kaiden Carter, a good-looking, charming new student at York Mills High, things start to look up. On the surface, he is perfect, but Jewel can’t shake the feeling that everything is not as it seems.
When the devastation of the rising suicides in her school hits too close to home and drives Jewel into a deep despair, she clings to Kaiden’s strength to find her way back. Through the pain and fear surrounding her, she finds hope and the will to go on. But just as she picks herself up, tragedy strikes again, threatening to steal her last glimmer of hope. How will she go on? Can she ever find her place in the world?
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Excerpt:
“Kai?” she said one night as I lay on the couch, trying to block out my worries by distracting myself with an episode of Gotham.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Tears glistened in her eyes. Guilt consumed her, and she evaded my gaze. “I’m sorry for the burden I’ve placed on you. I can’t seem to live without him. He’s been part of my life since we were children. I know in my head I have to overcome this and go on for you. I’ve always considered myself a strong woman, but now I realize he was my strength and my rock. Together we were a team.”
I stared at the TV, listening to her fidget while she waited for my reply. The TV screen faded as I considered her words. Finally, I looked at her and through gritted teeth asked, “Do you think it’s all peachy from where I’m sitting? I’m the kid, Mom, but I’m the one picking up the pieces. Am I not part of the team?”
“You were. You are.” She buried her face in her hands and wept.
I wanted her to snap the hell out of it. At that moment, I couldn’t stand the sounds of her sobs. Bitterness ate at me.
“Please, Kaiden. Don’t turn on me. I’ll try. I promise I will.”
I didn’t want to push her back to where she had been a few months ago. Fear of being without both my parents tortured me. That night, I decided to bury my feelings and the memories of my dad. Thinking of him had been too hard for us. I made a choice to be the strength he’d once been for her. In doing so, I stopped living the life of a teen.
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Excerpt:
“Kai?” she said one night as I lay on the couch, trying to block out my worries by distracting myself with an episode of Gotham.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, baby.” Tears glistened in her eyes. Guilt consumed her, and she evaded my gaze. “I’m sorry for the burden I’ve placed on you. I can’t seem to live without him. He’s been part of my life since we were children. I know in my head I have to overcome this and go on for you. I’ve always considered myself a strong woman, but now I realize he was my strength and my rock. Together we were a team.”
I stared at the TV, listening to her fidget while she waited for my reply. The TV screen faded as I considered her words. Finally, I looked at her and through gritted teeth asked, “Do you think it’s all peachy from where I’m sitting? I’m the kid, Mom, but I’m the one picking up the pieces. Am I not part of the team?”
“You were. You are.” She buried her face in her hands and wept.
I wanted her to snap the hell out of it. At that moment, I couldn’t stand the sounds of her sobs. Bitterness ate at me.
“Please, Kaiden. Don’t turn on me. I’ll try. I promise I will.”
I didn’t want to push her back to where she had been a few months ago. Fear of being without both my parents tortured me. That night, I decided to bury my feelings and the memories of my dad. Thinking of him had been too hard for us. I made a choice to be the strength he’d once been for her. In doing so, I stopped living the life of a teen.
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About Jane C. Brady:
Jane lives life to the full because she doesn’t want to wake up twenty years from now regretting all the things she didn’t do. She’s an avid traveler who also loves throwing elaborate dinner parties where she wows her guests with gourmet meals. Jane has a passion for writing, interior design, history, movies, board games, and fitness. In her quest for an exciting life, however, she now draws the line at zip-lining, which she experienced in Costa Rica. Never again!
Jane comes from a family of six sisters and lived in a Tennessee plantation house for several years while growing up. She now lives in Western Canada but dreams of owning a vacation home in South Carolina. She lives with her husband (her high school sweetheart), two teenagers, and two dogs. When she grows up, she’d like to be her brilliant sixteen-year-old daughter (minus the mood swings).
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