Emily Porter feels that she is an average woman, and that
there is truly nothing special about her. She has never
aspired to find love since she does not consider herself
worthy of such an ideal. Her ex-husband is reminder enough
of her failures at finding love; however, a chance
encounter with Ethan Douglas, a retired actor turned
photographer, tilts Emily's whole world. They have a
whirlwind romance that ultimately ends in marriage. Ethan
is the husband that Emily never dreamed she could have;
however, their deep-seated love is short lived when Ethan
dies unexpectedly. When Emily finds out that she is
pregnant, she refuses to move from the isolated seaside
cottage that she shared with Ethan. She senses a presence
in the cottage that comforts her. Is the presence only a
memory or is it something much more tangible? Will her
child bring her the consolation she needs to cope with
Ethan's death? Will she ever have the courage to move on
with her life?
Josh Lundgren has had his share of hard times. His wife
was killed, and he was in a car accident that left him in a
coma. Now that he has recovered enough to get back to work
as a carpenter, he comes across an old business dealing
with Ethan Douglas. His trip out to the cottage finds
Emily living in the boathouse with a child, and the cottage
in ruins from a fire. He finds himself drawn to this
obstinate woman. When she offers him a job to rebuild the
destroyed cottage, he tells her it is not worth it. Will
they be able to come to some compromise? Will he be able
to break through the walls she has built around her heart?
Judith Raxten has penned a heart-warming romance as her
debut novel. Since the story is told as a remembrance, the
end is no surprise, but the journey Emily takes is worth
traveling. Her strength is inspiring in that she finally
realizes there are some things worth fighting for. Emily
learns that life is what you make it, and that you need to
live it to its fullest. Ms. Raxten has written a timeless
love story that keeps the reader enthralled to the end.
THE SECRET DREAMS OF EMILY PORTER renews the spirit and
reaffirms the heart's capacity to heal and to love again.
Emily Porter never truly thought she'd find the kind
of love that would fill her soul with tenderness, passion...
and peace. But that was before Ethan Douglas. In Ethan she
found a love that shaped her life. In his seaside cottage
she found a whole new world.
Then Ethan dies suddenly and Emily--miraculously pregnant
with his baby--is left to grieve alone in their isolated
cottage. But there are signs that she may not be alone after
all. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, Emily begins to
feel Ethan.
But whether Ethan is memory or ghost or dream, Emily is
determined to keep him with her. When her beloved cottage
burns to ashes, she hires Josh Lundgren to rebuild it. Josh,
the carpenter chosed by Ethan himself. Chosen for
her?