A Masterpiece Of Our Love (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 1)
Read A Masterpiece Of Our Love (The Masterpiece Trilogy Book 1) Online
Authors: Nikki Lynn Barrett
Two Lives Torn by tragedy.
Eight-year-old Becca and twelve-year-old Hunter cling to each other and life after surviving a plane crash which stole their families.
Two Souls Seeking Love.
Each year, from the time she was old enough to travel on her own, Becca met up with Hunter on the island that altered their lives forever.
Until he stopped showing.
Her constant. Her link to the past. Gone in the blink of an eye.
Two Lives Bound by Secret.
Suffering more heartbreak, Hunter returns to the one place he’s always sought comfort, the island where he and Becca met. It was the place that stole from him, and in the same instance gave to him. He hasn't been back or spoken to Becca in four years.
Though he’s sure she must hate him for disappearing, Hunter discovers the girl gone, now a woman in her place. Hunter is determined to prove to Becca he isn’t the same twelve-year-old boy of yesteryear.
But someone isn't happy about their reunion...
Strange things begin happening. Letters start showing up in their hotel rooms and at home with cryptic messages.
Two Broken Hearts Heal as One.
With the mystery unsolved, Hunter convinces Becca to spend the remainder of the summer back home with him, both for safety and to give them a chance to discover the adults they’ve now become.
Will love get a chance to blossom, or will the past come back and tear the masterpiece of their love apart once and for all?
by
Copyright March 2014, Nikki Lynn Barrett, First Version.
Acknowledgements
The writing process can be tedious and time consuming, sometimes even frustrating. I have to thank my husband Robert for putting up with my craziness when it comes to writing. If I'm not writing, then I'm thinking about it. He hears all about my fictional characters and I still live to tell about them! Really, he's been an amazing part of this process. Even if he likes to make me squirm a bit (reading my book while he's right next to me..!), he puts in so much time and effort to help me make my book the best it can be. Thank you for another cover for me to drool over and show off, too. You really are a keeper! I love you!
To my family for their continued support. You rock, and I love you! Daddy, here's my first contribution to your reading goal. You know I'll raise that number next year if you put this in my hands again!
Jen Berg ... once again, you put so much insight and thought into the beta read, and hey, this time you didn't even have to fuel my muse with MORE story. I did that on my own! You're an influence on me!
Jenny and Nina ... this story is a reflection of us in many ways. I hope you know what an inspiration you are to me. We're a crazy bunch and no one else may understand our wackiness but it's all right, because we've got each other's backs. Love you both always.
To my early ARC reviewers - you rock. That's the sum of it! I love that you took the time to be a part of this process and give me early feedback. So far this book has been so well received and I love that! Definitely doing this with every release!
Last, but most certainly NOT least - my readers. I can't do this without you! I love your comments, reviews, and enthusiasm. It's been an amazing ride and really, it keeps getting better and better, which blows my mind. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
This one is for you, Jenny and Nina. I never realized how much Becca carried such a part of both of you in the beginning, but she does. I hope one day you find your own Hunter to support your goals and dreams. You go out there in the world every day and do what you do, and you do it well. When life gets out of control, I always have you two to make me laugh and take my mind off things. I really don't know where I'd be without you.
On the 12th Date of Christmas
The season of Christmas truly shows in this sweet romance of two people lost and once again finds each other to make a love grow stronger than ever. Loved it. -
Melena's Reviews
The Secret Santa Wishing Well
Take my word for it. Grab this book or any other by this author, get the tissues ready and fall in love with her books like I did. -
Racing to Read
There comes a story that when you start reading the author gets your attention right away. Well Nikki Lynn Barrett did this in a sweet romantic holiday theme story that will melt your heart. -
Melena's Reviews
The Melody In My Head
I got lost in this book. I forgot I was reading and fell in love with the characters playing in my head. My favorite part is the way Nikki's heart is seen in her writing, the songs, and the characters. She's a true storyteller. -
Kimmie Easley, author of SOULS SET FREE
Baby Stetson
What a fun and beautiful read! Just what I expect from Nikki! -
RomanceBookworm's Reviews
I started this book with the intent to just read a few chapters before I went to sleep. That didn't happen. I stayed up till I finished the whole thing. I loved all the characters and the plot of the story. -
Racing To Read
This was a very well written book with great characters and a great story. It had a very good balance of romance, suspense and action. It is a page turner, with a good plot that keeps you guessing about all the characters true stories and their motives. -
The TBR Pile
Dear Reader,
Thank you for taking a chance on this story. Hunter and Becca are two characters that inspire each other every day without even realizing it. When writing this story, I realized there's such a personal touch with it. These two have obstacles in life they had to overcome after an accident changes their lives forever. To think, if it never happened, there wouldn't be a story to tell for Hunter and Becca, despite the drastic changes it brought to their lives.
I was born with a visual impairment. Some days, even in adulthood, it's frustrating. Childhood days had their rough days as kids tend to be mean, especially when they don't understand. Sometimes I wished I was someone else and that I didn't have to have this "disability".
But if I wasn't me, I wouldn't have met some amazing people in the journey we call life. Two of my best friends are such a reflection of Becca and I realized that more and more as the story went on. Becca suffered from traumatic brain injury after the plane crash and she went through so many things. Despite them, she tried to be as normal as possible, and she didn't let anyone bring her down. Is she still afraid of things? Yes, but she's overcome so much. That's exactly how my best friends are, and every day they inspire me to be better. When the world gets to be too much, we always have this understanding and we know we can lift each other up. Hunter and Becca have that kind of relationship, too.
The thing about brain injuries is that there are no two alike. I hear stories where people wake up after a crash and they have these abilities they didn't before. Maybe musically, or they could do something they never did before. It's fascinating.
One way or another, I use the theme of inspiration in my stories. A character is inspired by another, but it's really felt in A Masterpiece Or Our Love.
I love connecting with readers. I love chatting books and other fun things. You can email me at [email protected]. You can also find me on my page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NikkiLynnBarrettauthor. I also have a group where we can chat books, too. Nikki's Book Nook on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/713425282019067.
I hope you enjoy the love, the mystery and the great moments that make up Hunter and Becca's life.
Nikki Lynn Barrett
Rebecca Lange walked along the stone pathway with one burning question in her mind. Would Hunter show? Hope flickered through her like a candle as she pictured him waiting for her with his usual goofy grin. She missed that grin. There was so much about Hunter that she missed.
Another year, another mystery. Her heart did a nervous dance as she moved a little faster, eager to get there and find out.
The island hadn't changed much. One of these years, she wouldn't be surprised if she came back here to an empty, torn down pile of dirt or some new development that would forever scar the land, taking away it's natural beauty. Despite the haunting memories she carried about this place, it truly captured the beauty that still resided in the world.
If she didn't hate airplanes so much, she'd spend her days flying to various locations with a camera in hand. She'd have to just stick to art, painting the scenes from her mind and exploring the canvas.
"Rebecca, are you listening to me?" Vince lost his patience with her, heaving a sigh on the other end of the phone.
"Sorry. I got lost in the memories," Becca responded quietly, searching the grounds for what she wanted to see the most. Had someone finally taken it down?
No, there it was. The swing. The decayed wood would break through eventually, and the frayed, worn out rope could put a splinter even through gloved hands. The sunlight streaked through the trees, sending slivers of orange and yellow spotlights on the swing and the ground below it. Night showed signs of fast approach. Despite that, there were a lot of people still enjoying the day's last moments. In fact, she was surprised when a young girl in pig tails ran over to the swing before she reached it. With a smile, Becca changed directions and headed for a nearby bench. She watched the girl as she kicked her legs to get the movement going. That could have been her, years ago. Young and carefree, before her world crumpled and changed. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as a boy a few years older ran over to the swing and gave the girl a push. His smile was wide. Becca sighed. This only made her miss Hunter even more. Everything reminded her of him. She wondered what had changed. He'd always been there. Then one day, he just wasn't. No explanation, no reason, no returned messages.
Becca could have come out tomorrow like she'd planned to do, but something called to her ever since she'd stepped foot on the island. She had even debated coming straight here, but decided to check in at the hotel first.
Mount Desert Island was a beautiful place. The memories she held of a nearby island were not so beautiful.
How could a place that held terrifying memories also be one that captured her heart every time? Could it have been because of Hunter? Because of him, they had created some decent memories from this place. If it weren't for their yearly meetings here, their need to come back and revisit, she'd never have come this far north again.
But it called to her, even when Hunter never showed the past four years. He'd stopped writing back. He never answered her calls.
Maybe he'd been able to let go and move on.
This should be the last year she came back, too. If her grandparents had their way, she'd be married off to Vince soon. He had already shown his true feelings about her coming to the island.
"Are you walking around? When it's dark outside?" Vince slammed something down on the other end. An image of him rubbing his temple with a sigh of exasperation filled her mind. He treated her like a child, just as her grandparents did. Just because she'd been traumatized and injured from the stupid crash didn't mean that she was incapable of things. Why didn't anyone understand that?
There had only been one person that ever understood.
Why did you stop contacting me, Hunter?
"Vince, it's not even dark yet. The sun is still shining." Barely, but it still rang true. "And I'm sitting right now, enjoying the sunset."
"How are your knees? Are you wearing your brace? I hate to think of you falling and being stranded out in the middle of that place."
There went that condescending tone again. Becca fought the urge to end the call and chuck the phone in the nearby water. Self control won. Instead, she rolled her eyes, almost giggling at the childish gesture that he couldn't even see anyway.
"My knee is feeling fine, and yes, I have my brace on. I called to let you know that I'm here. I hope you don't mind, but I'd like to get off the phone now and take a walk before it gets too late." Truth be told, her knee did hurt, but she ignored it. She'd take it easy later. She cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder. The swing and the two young kids continued to capture her attention.