They had the perfect marriage…until he lost his way. Then he lost Bella.The blueblood and the bohemian married despite all the odds against them. They raised two children in a home that blossomed like the gardens Bella nurtured. But somewhere along the way, they lost who they’d been. At a crisis point, Bella sought time and space to think. Devastated by his role in her heartbreak, James had no … his role in her heartbreak, James had no choice but to let her leave.
Only she never came home. Never answered even calls from their children.
A frantic search. A woman with amnesia. A doctor half in love with his patient.
When James finally locates the woman who owns his heart, learning that she remembers nothing of their life together is both a curse and a blessing.
Can James remind her of all the joy they shared and make her fall in love with him again?
Before her memory of his mistakes returns…and Bella stays away forever?
“Jean Brashear’s distinctive storytelling voice instantly draws in the reader. She writes with warmth and emotional truth.” ~ #1 NY Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
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I love everything that Jean has written but the beginning of this story I felt was slow. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep reading. I am so glad that I continued. How Jane/Bella dealt with her amnesia seemed so real. The impatience to know everything versus the fear of knowing was heart wrenching. Then there’s the doctor who is helping but has fallen for his patient. Finally, there is James, the husband who hurt Bella so badly that she left him and their family. This “triangle” plus the interactions with Luisa, the doctor’s housekeeper (love her, she’s so steady and wise) keep you wondering what will finally happen. I won’t give away any specifics but this story, just like so many of Jean’s stories is full of grief, heartbreak, guilt, anger, but mostly love.
As I began reading this book, I am pulled into the story of James and Bella. Jean Brashear has once again tugged at my heartstrings. This truly emotional story has the reader turning page after page, wanting to find out what happens next. In love and life, so much can happen. This book is recommended by me. I did receive an ARC and choose to leave an honest review.
In true Jean Brashear fashion, she wrote another fantastic book. This story was heartbreaking and heartwarming. I was so nervous about how it would go, but I loved it. I was moved to tears, and when a book brings that much emotional feelings, it’s an automatic 5 star review.
*I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary review.
Their’s was a story book book.love and life. But James messes up. Bella needed time to think things through. Later finding out his kids hadn’t heard from either be began a frantic search. He found out that she had lost her memory and was being cared for by her Doctor. James had to make her fall in love with him again before she remembered what he had done.
This book was extremely hard to put down.
Very compelling, emotional heartrending story that kept me up all night till I finished it.
James and Bella got married despite objections from the families. They had a good marriage which resulted
in two beautiful children. Their love for each other has taken a different turn which caused friction in the family.
Bella need some space and time to think things through and so she left.
James let her leave but as days gone by he never heard from her and the children tried contacted her to with no
success.
Come to find out that Bella was beaten and badly injured which caused her to have amnesia. Sam, the doctor who
treated her, opened his home to her to recuperate. Sam didn’t expect of fall in love with her.
Bella felt in her mind that she has a family out there and was determined to find out. She took to the papers and had
her picture taken which brought James and their children to Sam’s home.
Will Bella get her memory back?
Will she and James reconcile after what he had done?
You will have to one click to find out.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and chose to voluntarily leave a review.
Arabella Parker was a free spirit. She didn’t fit in with the blue bloods. She gardened, cooked, painted and play guitar. James Parker was raised to take over the family business. They never should have fallen in love but the did. When news came that she didn’t just need space but has amnesia, time to win her back. After being married for so long, when was the last time he romanced her? Just when things are moving along, a bump in the road. Now she has to make a decision. Will she stay or will she go. I love how she decides!
ARC for honest review with no compensation
Bringing Back Bella is book 2 in the Second Chance Romance series by Jean Brashear and OMG I never saw that coming!!
James and Bella have been married for 36 years, two children, beautiful home and love abound. Until James loses his way and Bella needs to leave and find her way…when she doesn’t return the family becomes frantic…this starts a series of events that keeps you turning the pages to figure out what happens next…In the end will this family still be a family??
Amnesia, forgiveness, faith, honesty, responsibilities, how each person responds to the events, and love are rolled into this story of life…
It is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Emotional situations, drama, suspense, family, life situations and so much more. It is very well written and highly recommended. No spoilers on this one. Read the blurb and then the story. It is one of the best written books I have read in a long time. I will be reading this one again. I received a review copy and voluntarily review it.
Bella and James magical connection in the beginning of their marriage slowly decompensates. There is a serious disconnect between them. Bella decides she needs some time away to think to be on her own and decide what she wants for herself. Whether she can forgive James and wants to stay with him or start a new life. Unfortunately on her travels she is attacked leaving her bruised and with no memory of her past. The doctor who treats her is a kind and gentle man named Sam has a soft spot for the injured woman he calls Jane. He volunteers to let her live in his extra apartment until she is well enough to leave. Sam and his housekeeper Louisa look after Jane and encourage her to relax and let the memories return or accept her new “normal”. Jane wants to know where she comes from, she has snippets of memories and the feeling that a family may be looking for her. With the help of the police her picture and story is put out to the public. James finds out she is alive and sets out to go to her. Unfortunately Jane aka Bella doesn’t remember James or their two children so James sets out to trigger her memories. This story has one of the most exquisite poignant love making scenes I’ve ever read. If Bella remembers what James did will she be able to forgive him and go home to the family that desperately misses her and the light and laughter she brought to their lives and their home or will she begin a new life? Jean Brashear has done it again written a book that draws you into the characters’ lives and emotions.
This change of pace from the typical storyline is a welcome one. Mature characters present a chance for authors to create storylines that you wouldn’t normally expect to find. This was a soul searching story about a couple who had lost their way once their children were grown. The author did a fantastic job making each one of the couple realistic and human. A rollercoaster ride through the lives of two people realizing that relationships take work. Great read!
I received an ARC from the author for an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was promised or received for this review.
This is an exceptional story that is packed with emotion, family drama, and a love that has survived decades but has now hit a hard spot. It’s clear it will take time, faith, determination, and trust to heal. It was nice to read a story featuring a mature couple who are flawed but honest, caring, and determined to get back what they once had. This is the second book in the Second Chances series but each book can be read standalone and in no particular order. I think everyone will enjoy Bella and James’ journey back to happiness. I definitely recommend it.
New book in a series of second chance romance books by Jean Brashears. Bella leaves home to get her head together and make some important decisions after learning her husband had been unfaithful. A week or so later she is carjacked and left for dead on the side of the road far from home. Left with amnesia and no identification, Bella moves into the guesthouse of the small town doctor who treats her while her husband begins a search for her to try to convince her to give him a second chance.
The characters in his book are real and sympathetic. The husband is as devastated by his choice as his wife is by his betrayal. Their adult children know nothing of the betrayal, they just want their mother home. The well-written events leading to her discovery and his trying to woo her back make this book an excellent read. Thoroughly enjoyable.
This story was full of emotion. Some of it a little painful, but there was also fear, sadness, love, and hope.
First, I liked that James and Bella were a mature couple with history. The second thing I could appreciate was that James took full responsibility for his mistake. At the same time, I liked that Luisa helped Bella to see That in James and Bella’s situation, maybe there was more going on than just James being a bad person.
There was the underlying theme that their love was strong enough for them to work their way back to each other. I have to say, I was worried about the role Sam could possibly end up playing in this drama.
I really wish there had been an epilogue to this story. After riding the emotional rollercoaster with Bella and James, that would have been the icing on the cake. I would give this 4.5 stars. You do end up with a HEA.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
I really enjoyed this story of an older couple who loved each other, but had lost their relationship as their children left home and they became more involved in jobs and outside responsibilities than in their relationship with each other. Finally, he has a one night relationship and she decides she has to leave.
When she is mugged and loses her memory the family reaches crisis stage. No one has heard from her and, since she left voluntarily, the police won’t search for her. On her side, she cannot understand why no one is looking for her. Did no one care, did she have no family or friends?
This story had several pieces – the effects of loss of memory on her husband and children when she doesn’t recognize them or remember their life together. – the effect on her as she is, again, is drawn to her family but can’t understand why she left and finally the effects on each person when she does remember.
This story is well thought out, compelling in it’s honesty as each person struggles with the future when the past is buried in history. Well worth reading.