Annalisa learned the hard way that life can speed by while dreams, plans, and love wither away. She always dreamed of going to Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica, with her husband Drew and their best friends, Vincent and Melinda. But now they're all out of time.
Annalisa feels their marriage is just a shell for others to see - there's nothing left inside. She wonders if they can rekindle their love in paradise, but there's so little left. They gave up on their marriage along with their dream of having children.
Time is literally slipping away from Vince and Mel. Vincent's cancer is back - his tumor is inoperable and he won't do chemo again. This trip is now or never.
Can they believe in true love and second chances again?
From the bestselling author of Point Hope, More Than a Promise, Embers of Hope, More Than Memories and A Cowboy For Christmas. Costa Rica takes readers into the lives of two couples in Coos Bay, Oregon, as they struggle with infertility, cancer, and tough times in their marriages. It's an emotional family drama about love, romance and starting over.
Teaser:
"Come on," Melinda said, and took Caden's hand. Annalisa and Drew called goodnight to the kids, and Annalisa watched them go, a happy mother and her children. Life could be so unfair. Twice Vince had beaten cancer. Why did it come back?
But she'd already known life was unfair. If life was fair, pets would live thirty years, not ten. Everyone could have babies. Daddies and Mommies wouldn't die.
"We talked to them the other day," Vince said. It was the first mention of that all evening.
"They know?" Drew asked, doing a double-take back toward the house, his eyes troubled.
"They've lived with it before," Vince said, nodding down at the table, as if accepting the sad reality of that himself. "Kids just seem strong like that. I don't know, maybe it sinks in later in life."
"Vince... " Drew stretched a hand across the table. He didn't reach all the way; he just left his hand out there, his thought unfinished.
Zippy chose that moment to slink up into Annalisa's lap, almost like the cat knew she'd need comfort. He was purring even before he rolled up and over for his tummy rub.
Melinda returned and pulled her chair closer to her husband before sitting down.
"I might be out of time," Vince said to all of them.
"I'm so sorry." Drew was so choked up Annalisa hardly made out the words.
"What I mean is, I want us all to go to Costa Rica while I still can."
Drew's head shot up. "Costa Rica?" he asked blankly, like they hadn't talked about it so many times before.
"Annalisa had a great idea," Vince added. "And she's right. We need to go while we can."
Annalisa waited a second before she looked at Drew to see his reaction to that bit of news. Layers of memories and promises, habits and routines, plans and dreams all unfolded in his teary eyes.
She pushed her emotions back down and said, "Weren't you planning a trip anyway?"
The panic that she'd been waiting for flashed in his eyes. It felt so satisfying that she almost laughed.
Genre: Romance
Annalisa feels their marriage is just a shell for others to see - there's nothing left inside. She wonders if they can rekindle their love in paradise, but there's so little left. They gave up on their marriage along with their dream of having children.
Time is literally slipping away from Vince and Mel. Vincent's cancer is back - his tumor is inoperable and he won't do chemo again. This trip is now or never.
Can they believe in true love and second chances again?
From the bestselling author of Point Hope, More Than a Promise, Embers of Hope, More Than Memories and A Cowboy For Christmas. Costa Rica takes readers into the lives of two couples in Coos Bay, Oregon, as they struggle with infertility, cancer, and tough times in their marriages. It's an emotional family drama about love, romance and starting over.
Teaser:
"Come on," Melinda said, and took Caden's hand. Annalisa and Drew called goodnight to the kids, and Annalisa watched them go, a happy mother and her children. Life could be so unfair. Twice Vince had beaten cancer. Why did it come back?
But she'd already known life was unfair. If life was fair, pets would live thirty years, not ten. Everyone could have babies. Daddies and Mommies wouldn't die.
"We talked to them the other day," Vince said. It was the first mention of that all evening.
"They know?" Drew asked, doing a double-take back toward the house, his eyes troubled.
"They've lived with it before," Vince said, nodding down at the table, as if accepting the sad reality of that himself. "Kids just seem strong like that. I don't know, maybe it sinks in later in life."
"Vince... " Drew stretched a hand across the table. He didn't reach all the way; he just left his hand out there, his thought unfinished.
Zippy chose that moment to slink up into Annalisa's lap, almost like the cat knew she'd need comfort. He was purring even before he rolled up and over for his tummy rub.
Melinda returned and pulled her chair closer to her husband before sitting down.
"I might be out of time," Vince said to all of them.
"I'm so sorry." Drew was so choked up Annalisa hardly made out the words.
"What I mean is, I want us all to go to Costa Rica while I still can."
Drew's head shot up. "Costa Rica?" he asked blankly, like they hadn't talked about it so many times before.
"Annalisa had a great idea," Vince added. "And she's right. We need to go while we can."
Annalisa waited a second before she looked at Drew to see his reaction to that bit of news. Layers of memories and promises, habits and routines, plans and dreams all unfolded in his teary eyes.
She pushed her emotions back down and said, "Weren't you planning a trip anyway?"
The panic that she'd been waiting for flashed in his eyes. It felt so satisfying that she almost laughed.
Genre: Romance
Visitors also looked at these books
Used availability for Kristen James's Costa Rica