Grand Central Publishing
Featuring: Deborah Standridge; Daniel Parker
240 pages ISBN: 1455541397 EAN: 9781455541393 Kindle: B01F1UD63G Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List
The engagement party for Roger Lawson and Deborah Stanridge
at posh Lawsonville Country Club is an elegant rose-colored
extravaganza completely choreographed by his mother, Estelle
Lawson. It irked Roger, who asked for a small, intimate
fete. He explains, "I feel like I am being buried alive in
cotton candy." Deborah laughs saying, "It's your mother.
Nothing you can do." A southern beauty, Deborah is always
obedient to her parents wishes. They are getting on in age
and want security for their daughter, approve of Roger and
hope for some grandchildren soon. Roger is a catch. Older
and very sophisticated, Deborah has misgivings but plans are
underway for the wedding.
Roger and Deborah slip away from the festivities and head
for his bachelor pad. He asks if she was having second
thoughts about their upcoming marriage. Deborah tells him
about her dreams of becoming an architect and designing
great buildings. About to graduate cum laude with a degree
in Architectural design from the Georgia Institute of
Technology, she knows her dreams are over. Instead, she
will be mistress of Lawson Downs, where her formidable
mother-in-law will occupy a wing in the mansion. Roger
listens and assures her she will be happy in her new role
as Mrs. Lawson. He reads a letter from his best friend,
"Bear", who is building in South America but promises to be
Best Man at the wedding. Roger feels that Deborah is
hesitant to marry but hopes she will not change her mind.
Many years ago when Deborah was five years old, Roger and
his mother were visiting the Stanhope's. He came into the
kitchen looking for an apple and saw this lovely doll-like,
perfectly dressed young lady sitting quietly on a kitchen
stool. She tells Roger she was told to sit there so as not
to mess her clothing while she waited for her parents to get
dressed. Roger thought it cruel. It was as if they wanted
her picture perfect when the time came to show her off. Sad
but true.
Years later he returns for a Stanhope Christmas Dinner with
his mother and finds Deborah grown up and absolutely
beautiful. He begins to court her and when he proposes, she
accepts. One time his mother's interference worked out
perfectly and he was the happiest man alive.
After the engagement party, Deborah returns to college.
Her roommate left a note asking her to call Dr. Corbet, the
President of her graduation committee. Randall Hayden, a
renowned architect from Denver, called him about Deborah,
and wants to interview her for a position of designer of his
urban development department. With no hesitation, Deborah
travels to Denver to meet with Randall Hayden. The
position is beyond her wildest dream, and two days before
her wedding day, she gets the position. Telling her parents,
they are shocked and refuse to talk to her about it. When
she calls Roger, he begs her not to cancel the wedding and
is heading home as soon as he can. He begins drinking and
very drunk, he runs into a stone wall and killed. On her
own, Deborah cancels the wedding preparations and starts
to pack for Denver. A call from Roger's mother tells
Deborah she will hold her responsible for her son's death
for the rest of her life. Time to chase her dream.
Eight years later, Deborah is highly successful and her
company has won the bid to design an office complex for
wealthy Daniel Parker. When they meet, it is the beginning
of a relationship that involves more than brick, mortar and
steel. For Deborah, it looks like the love she never
thought would find her. They begin to see each other and
their time together is precious. Is there a future for them
together? Many twists and turns are thrown in their way.
Will love win?
CROWNING DESIGN is the third romantic novel written in the
80's by my favorite author Leila Meacham. A sterling
storyteller, this one has the lovely Denver locale, along
with a mystery that will have you fighting the urge to throw
rocks at the culprit. The sweet journey of Deborah and Dan
will keep those pages turning faster and faster until the
sweet forever together finale. This is always the icing on
the cake for this reader. Another 5 stars for a Leila
Meacham pure delight. I loved it!
From the beloved, New York Times bestselling author of
Roses, comes a beautiful, classic romance about letting go
of the past and finding the courage to embrace love, set
against the heights of the Rocky Mountains.
Some people aren't meant for happily-ever-after. And Deborah
Standridge is one of them. When she called off her wedding
to the perfect man to pursue her passion as an architect
across the country, she didn't mean to hurt anyone. But
Deborah saw her chance to finally make her own dreams come
and she took it, setting in motion a tragedy that has
haunted her ever since.
Now, as one of Denver's most successful architects, Deborah
has avoided love at all costs...until Daniel Parker walks
into her life. He commissions her to design his company's
headquarters and soon makes her want to believe in love
again. But Dan is keeping a shocking secret that could rip
everything they've built apart-and break Deborah's heart
once and for all. Will Deborah find the strength to put the
past behind her to fight for a love that could last for all
time?
Excerpt
With an eager smile, the secretary waited for Deborah to
remove the florist’s paper from a tall arrangement of
flowers. They were roses, two dozen long-stemmed, tight red
buds sprigged with fern and delicate baby’s breath. Slowly,
holding her breath, Deborah removed not the usual florist’s
card from the envelope, but a memo slip embossed with the
name of Dan’s company. She knew that Dan had ordered the
flowers in the last few minutes before he boarded his plane.
On the slip was drawn a circle. Above it was written:
“This circle represents my life. The black area represents
the space you fill in it.” Tears blurred her eyes. The
entire circle had been shaded black.
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