Eyubea Girls (Growing Wild 1)
~~~Blurb~~~
Graham Tate-Fuller needs a wife. Not just any wife. One who is young enough totake on his education mission to the African continent and not ask too many questions about his past.
Lisbette Caldwell is just seventeen, a young woman who isn’t ready to give up her tomboy ways. She dreams of playing football and becoming a teacher just like her father. Through a series of circumstances beyond her control, Lisbette marries Graham and embarks on an adventure in Eyubea, a small independent township in southern Africa which managed to escape
the colonial rule that overtook many other African nations.
There Lisbette settles into her new life as an assistant teacher to a small group of young girls who will have no choice but to become wives and mothers. It’s a simple enough task that will turn into a fight for their lives as Graham's past catches up to them and Lisbette faces the dark side of marriage in a land not her own.
Set in the early 1900's, Lisbette is forced to take a stand for herself and her Eyubea Girls against stacked odds, even if it means losing the lifeshe's come to love. With the help of new friends and a will to carve out her own place in the world, she searches for a way to live life on her own terms in a place she will come to call home.
~~~Excerpt~~~
Lisbette murmured her thanks and slowly pulled the plate in front of her. The minute she bit into the toast, hunger took over. The bread was soft and smooth, practically melting in her mouth. This wasn't hard and crumbly like she was used to.
Seeing chews of approval, Miriam went back to the stove to fry up some sausage. Once it was done, she plated it and presented it to Lisbette who had downed half of her toast and milk.
"I don't think I can eat all of this,"
"That's all right, dear. Eat what you can." Despite her protests, Lisbette ate every bite and
swore it was the best food she had ever tasted. She especially loved the sausage.
"We make our own to sell in our shop. Customers love it, but I have to make sure that Sam leaves some for us or we'd never see a blessed link, we wouldn't." Miriam looked at Lisbette, who downed the last bit of milk. "Feeling better now?"
Lisbette nodded reluctantly. She had no idea she was that hungry and now that her stomach was full, it smoothed a bit of the edginess from the night.
"Thank you."
Miriam noticed Lisbette's voice was shaky as she tugged at the edges of her clothes and looked around the kitchen. More than thirty years ago, she was in a similar position, not knowing what life would be like as a butcher's wife. Unaware of the demands her husband would place on her mind, her soul and even her body at times. Unlike Lisbette, she had no one to tell her what to expect and that thought made her reach across the table and grab the young girl's hand.
"My dear girl, I know it's a lot to take in but I know it will all work out for the best.”
With her eyes downcast and a slight frown, Lisbette replied in a small voice, "I don't know anything about your son or Africa or anything."
"No woman really knows how to be a wife, Lisbette. You just do the best you can and trust your husband. You and Graham have a chance to learn more about each other, learn how to be husband and wife while you tackle this new adventure."
"Everybody keeps talking about how much this is an adventure...” her shoulders were rounded and she felt the tenseness that overtook her stomach return now. Her mind raced through everything that happened as she continued. “No one really asked me about how I felt or what I thought. Not about any of it. It was all so fast."
With a sad smile, Miriam responded, "That's sometimes how it is, dear." She pursed her lips and Lisbette continued to frown and look away. She was so young and didn't understand her role in the world yet and probably wouldn't for some time, she suspected. Miriam hated the fact that Graham was leaving for the African continent, but what she hated more was the rush to be married and this poor girl's confusion, especially without full understanding of the man she would pledge herself to. It had taken her time to come to grips with her own marriage years ago and the compromises it entailed, which mostly fell on her shoulders.
Miriam's mouth pinched as her expression hardened at the thought of letting Graham go. She hadn't wanted him to go away. It was one of the few times in her marriage that she had strongly voiced her opinion against her husband's decision, consequences be damned. She had endured much over the years, but her children had become her constant peace during the darkness and hurt. But to Samuel, they were just his legacy and he had been sorely disappointed that Graham would not follow his footsteps.
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~~~BIO~~~
Palessa started reading her first romance novel, at the age of 11. Then she got introduced to V.C. Andrews, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Anne Rice and many more notable contemporary authors as well as some of the classics, A Tale of Two Cities, Their Eyes Were Watching God, The Great Gatsby and others. It was during her teenage years that she dabbled in writing. First, it was in her diaries, then she started creating characters, stories about romance, the supernatural and much more. Being an I.B. student as well as entering college, left little time for writing and so she put it and the ideas aside to pursue a career. It would take almost 20 years, a radical move from the city she grew up in, Miami, FL back to her Caribbean birthplace, and a chance Facebook meeting with Sable Hunter to start the juices flowing again. After some fits and starts, the Baxter Family Saga was born. Unchained Hearts is Palessa's first published fiction book with Beau Coup Publishing. She considers herself just a storyteller that sees no reason to shy away from the juicier romantic elements. She currently lives in the mountains of Jamaica with her crazy, cracker-munching-mutt Ivy and a farm, primarily managed by agribusiness partner, also known as Dad.
~~~Connect with Palessa~~~
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