Loving Laura

Set in the Louisiana bayou, this emotional story stars two brothers from a close-knit Cajun family, and the woman they both love. For Laura Sebastian, becoming part of the warm and fun-loving Cantrelle family would give her the kind of life she has always longed for, one filled with light, love, and joy. She could finally put the darkness of her past behind her. Yet when Norman Cantrelle, her boss and the youngest Cantrelle son, asks her to marry him, she is torn by doubt. She thinks the world of Norman, but she doesn't love him, not the way she knows she should. A tough situation becomes decidedly worse when Laura and Norman are involved in a terrible accident one rainy night as they drive home from a business trip -- an accident that causes Norman's older brother, Neil Cantrelle, to return home to Louisiana to confront his past. Neil and Laura are inexorably drawn to one another and soon that attraction turns to the kind of love and desire that can't be ignored. Both fight against these feelings -- especially Neil -- but no matter how many times he tells himself Laura is off-limits, that he cannot hurt his brother this way -- he cannot wipe her out of his thoughts -- this forbidden woman both he and his brother love.

Author's Note: LOVING LAURA was first published under my then-pseudonym of Trisha Alexander in June, 1992. It was (and still is) one of my all-time favorite books. I loved the characters, loved the Louisiana setting, and was thrilled when my publisher expressed interest in more books about the Cantrelle family. Although I have primarily written romances, one of my favorite themes centers around families -- their hopes and struggles and relationships, their joys and fears, and all the ways they can support or hurt one another -- so I jumped at the chance to keep writing about the Cantrelles. I hope you will will love this first book of their story as much as I do. The second book of the trilogy, NEEDING NICOLE, and the third, EMBRACING ELISE, are both excerpted at the end and are now available for your Kindle, too. Enjoy!

HERE'S WHAT REVIEWERS AND OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND HER BOOKS:

"An intense love story . . . exceptional emotional intensity . . . powerfully conceived . . . " from a review of LOVING LAURA in Romantic Times Magazine

"A book so filled with emotion, it's impossible to put down." from a review of LOVING LAURA in Rendezvous Magazine

"...A master storyteller! . . . This author is bound to become a perennial favorite." -- Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author

"Patricia Kay has done a fantastic job of delving into a powerful story that will take your breath away." -- Amy Cunningham, Romance Reviews Today (about FAMILY ALBUM)

"If you love LaVyrle Spencer, you'll love Patricia Kay." -- Deborah Smith

"Kay's books are character-driven, and the pacing is inexorable, as her characters stumble, walk, and finally race toward redemption." -- Patricia O'Dea Rosen, Happily Ever After newsletter

"Full bodied characters, rich emotional scenes, strong conflict, and sensual tension . . ." From a review by Pamela Cohen, Romantic Times Magazine

"It was wonderful. You had me sniffling and tearing up at the store in front of my customers. One of the most moving books I've read in a long time." -- Merry Cutler, Annie's book Shop, Sharon, MA (reviewing WITH THIS RING)

" . . . A very good job exploring the emotional consequences of a heartbreaking romantic triangle. WITH THIS RING is a touching read." -- Romantic Times Magazine


Genre: Romance