Still the One (45 page)
From the desk of Robin Wells
Dear Reader,
“So, Robin—what’s your latest book about?”
I get that question a lot, and I always find it difficult to answer. I usually start off by describing the plot in varying
degrees of detail. Here’s the short version:
STILL THE ONE is the story of Katie Charmaine, a hairdresser in Chartreuse, Louisiana—the same colorful small town where my
previous book, BETWEEN THE SHEETS, took place. Katie lost her husband in Iraq, and she thinks she’ll never love again. But
when her first love, Zack Ferguson, returns, she feels the same irresistible attraction that stole her heart at seventeen.
To Katie’s shock, he’s accompanied by the teenage daughter Katie gave up for adoption at birth. The daughter, Gracie, has
a major attitude, a smart mouth—and is now pregnant herself.
The medium-length version adds: Gracie’s adoptive parents were killed in a car accident, and when she discovers her birth
parents’ identities, she locates Zack first. She wants him to declare her an emancipated minor and give her a nice wad of
cash. Instead, Zack takes Gracie to Chartreuse, where he and Katie share custody until Gracie turns eighteen.
The long version gives still more detail: Zack and Katie experience the ups and downs of parenting a difficult teenager, while
rediscovering the love that initially drew them together. Can they forgive each other for their past mistakes? Can Zack overcome
his commitment-phobic ways? Can Katie get beyond her feelings of disloyalty to her late husband and her fear of opening her
heart again? Can Gracie let go of her anger and open her heart to Katie?
The long version still doesn’t fully cover everything that happens, but then, a book is much more than a plot. So I also answer
the “what’s your book about?” question by citing the following themes present in STILL THE ONE:
Romance.
There’s nothing like the heady feeling of falling in love, and nothing worse than believing you’re falling alone.
Family.
This book is about some of the ways that families shape us, for better and for worse.
Grief.
Love doesn’t die, even though people do. How do we get past the feeling that loving someone else is disloyal to the deceased?
How do we ever find the courage to care that deeply again, knowing how much it hurts to lose someone you love?
Mistakes.
Teenagers aren’t known for making wise choices, but adults don’t always make the best decisions, either. Regardless of age,
we all can get lost in the moment, make incorrect assumptions, repeat a destructive pattern, or neglect to say something that
needs to be said.
Blessings.
Sometimes mistakes that have haunted us for years can turn out to be life’s biggest blessings.
Forgiveness.
How do we let go of hurts—especially big, bad ones? Once we’ve been hurt by someone, can we ever fully trust that person
again?
And last but not least,
Love.
If I had to give a single answer to what my book is about, this would be it. I believe that love has the power to heal and
redeem and transform anyone and any situation, no matter how hopeless it may seem, and that’s the major underlying theme of
this novel—and all my novels, come to think of it. I hope you’ll drop by my website,
www.robinwells.com
, to see a short video about the book, read an excerpt from my next novel, and/or let me know your thoughts. I love to hear
from readers, and I can be reached at my website or at P.O. Box 303, Mandeville, LA 70470.
Here’s hoping your life will be filled with love, laughter, and lots of good books!
