Other girls : a love story about second chances

Once upon a time, Sam and Ashely were other girls. Three years after the loss of her wife to a brain aneurysm, 34-year-old Samantha Parker focuses her energy on caring for her young son Jake. She can't imagine ever falling in love again, so she focuses on putting one foot in front of the other and being the best mom she can be. It's not a perfect life, but as long as her son is happy and her softball team keeps winning, everything is fine. That is, until Ashley Valence, the girl who bullied Sam throughout high school, moves back to New Orleans and joins the softball team. As tensions rise on the field, unexpected chemistry between the two women begins to grow. No matter how much Sam wants to hate Ashley for the pain and anguish those teenage taunts caused, Ashley's eyes only hold warmth now. And, as Sam slowly introduces Ashley into her life with Jake, she begins to let go of the past. But as their relationship progresses, all of the former hurts and resentments resurface for Sam, and she lashes out at Ashley. Sam understands that her anger is a byproduct of the events of the past and that Ashley isn't the same girl she used to be. But when Sam begins to realize that she's fallen in love with Ashely, she has to decide if she can truly trust her heart and find happiness with the woman who once hurt her so deeply. Sam and Ashley were once other girls... Three years after the sudden loss of her wife to a brain aneurysm, thirty-four-year-old Samantha Parker focuses her attention on caring for her five-year-old son Jake. She lives in her hometown of New Orleans where she has a close relationship with her family and her best friend, Drea, who is a loyal friend when shes not busy sleeping her way through the local lesbian population. Sams wife Anna was the love of her life and she cant imagine ever finding such a love again. Instead, she focuses on being the best mother to Jake she can be and getting through each day as it comes. Its not exciting, but she understands that she had her love story with Anna. As long as she gets her weekly girls night out with Drea and her softball team keeps winning, everything is fine. That is, until Ashley Valence, the girl who tormented Sam throughout high school, moves back home after sixteen years. Ashley, the former softball star, joins Sams softball team, sending Sam into a series of nightmares. As tensions rise on the softball field, the unexpected and undeniable chemistry between the women grows. No matter how much Sam wants to hate Ashley, those once icy green eyes only hold warmth now. As Sam introduces Ashley into her life with Jake, she begins to let go of the past to follow her heart. But when Jake is bullied by a student at school, all of the former hurts resurface for Sam, and she lashes out at Ashley in an attempt to protect both herself and her son. Though Sam realizes her knee-jerk reactions are wrong, she also begins to realize that shes in love with Ashley. One last problem remainscan she trust her heart to someone who once hurt her so deeply? 81,000 words Once upon a time, Sam and Ashley were other girls. Three years after the loss of her wife to a brain aneurysm, 34-year-old Samantha Parker focuses her energy on caring for her young son, Jake. She can't imagine ever falling in love again, so she focuses on putting one foot in front of the other and being the best mom she can be. It's not a perfect life, but as long as her son is happy and her softball team keeps winning, everything is fine. That is, until Ashley Valence, the girl who bullied Sam throughout high school, moves back to New Orleans and joins the softball team. As tensions rise on the field, unexpected chemistry between the two women begins to grow. No matter how much Sam wants to hate Ashley for the pain and anguish those teenage taunts caused, Ashley's eyes hold only warmth now. And, as Sam slowly introduces Ashley into her life with Jake, she begins to let go of the past. But as their relationship progresses, all of the former hurts and resentments resurface for Sam, and she lashes out at Ashley. Sam understands that her anger is a byproduct of the events of the past and that Ashley isn't the same girl she used to be. But when Sam begins to realize that she's fallen in love with Ashley, she has to decide if she can truly trust her heart and find happiness with the woman who once hurt her so deeply. --from back cover