In Some Love Lasts and Getting to Yes, Tim Hunniecutt examines how early love can define a lifetime. One story unfolds through a single unforgettable summer; the other traces a young man’s gradual awakening to emotional responsibility.
Some Love Lasts
Along Florida’s shoreline, fourteen-year-old Madi anticipates solitude and familiar routines. Instead, she meets Matthew, the older neighbor whose swimmer’s build and lifeguard courage draw attention. Though admired by many, it is his recognition of Madi that alters her quiet expectations.
Their bond grows steadily as the heat of summer rises. What begins as curiosity evolves into something intense and lasting. When a hurricane strikes, Matthew steps into danger during a rescue that forever shapes Madi’s understanding of devotion. Years later, they meet again in college, carrying with them memories of a season that defined their first understanding of love.
Getting to Yes
Nineteen-year-old Chris moves through early adulthood searching for something genuine. Through a series of relationships, he confronts attraction, confusion, and the desire for deeper connection. Told in his voice, the story blends humor and introspection as he reflects on women who leave lasting impressions.
Each experience offers insight into vulnerability and expectation. As he grows more self-aware, he begins to recognize what he has been missing. When he meets Chloe, the connection feels immediate and distinct. The story explores innocence, heartbreak, and the resilience of hope as Chris navigates the path toward meaningful love.
Enjoy an Excerpt from Some Love Lasts
Though it was still early morning, warm humidity saturated the air. Billowing white clouds with dark spots drifted across the sky. The foaming waves gently crashed on the sand. Tiny sandpipers darted in and out. Seagulls squawked while circling.
Her eight-year-old sister edged into the water until it covered her feet. “It’s really warm.”
Madi joined her, and Roe grasped her hand firmly as they ventured farther until it reached their chests. Madi crouched and helped her sister float. “Yeah, it’s so warm, like being in a bathtub.”
She allowed her sister to do what she wanted as they were the only ones on the beach. Grandpa sat on one of the chairs, watching them from the shore. Her sister practiced swimming while Madi held her hat.
Roe tried to ride the waves as they broke, but they barely rippled, and she moved little if at all. She stood upright. “I’m bored.”
Madi put her hat on. “What do you want to do?”
“I’m going to hunt for seashells.” Roe scooted around in ankle-deep water, digging her toes into the sand to locate them.
Grandpa shouted, “I’ll be back to fetch you girls for lunch.” Madi waved goodbye, but Roe ignored him and continued to hunt for shells.
Madi suggested, “Let’s go read some.”
Roe pouted. “I don’t want to read yet. Can I keep looking for shells?”
“Sure, but stay on the beach. Don’t go into the water.”
“Okay.”
Madi sat and opened her book, dutifully checking on Roe before becoming absorbed in the story. The book she read enthralled her, and she failed to check on her sister until she finished the chapter.
When she did, however, she did not see Roe.
Alarmed, she stood.
No sign of her on the beach.
She looked at the Gulf and was shocked to find Roe hanging onto a man swimming toward the shore. Madi dashed forward, still wearing her hat and sunglasses, but she tripped and her hands smacked hard into the sand. Jumping up, she scrambled to the water as he carried Roe through the mild waves. It was the same guy she had seen swimming next door.
The tall young man put Roe down and smiled. “She got in too deep, and the tide began pulling her out. She isn’t a good enough swimmer to handle the deeper water. She’s okay. She’s a good floater and held on tight while I brought her back.”
Madi reached Roe and gripped her in a hug. She choked out her words. “What were you thinking? I told you to stay near the edge!”
About the Author: 
Tim Hunniecutt has loved words since childhood, writing poems and stories for family and friends from an early age. Lifeguards have played a meaningful role in his life, from the rescue of his younger brother to several of his own children who later worked as lifeguards. He studied psychology and English at Florida State University, where the emotional spark for this story began after he fell in love during his first summer home from school. He now lives in Lithia, Florida, with that same girl, now his wife, and enjoys traveling, escape games, ballroom dancing with her, and time with his grandchildren.
Visit Tim at his website and on Facebook.
Buy Some Love Lasts and Getting to Yes on Amazon.
Bound by destiny, torn by fate—their love stood unbroken, victorious over all.
Margaret Izard is an award-winning author of historical fantasy and paranormal romance novels. Her latest awards are 2024 Reader’s Favorite Honorable Mention for Stone of Love and 2024 Spring BookFest Silver Award for the same title. She spent her early years through college to adulthood dedicated to dance, theater, and performing. Over the years, she developed a love for great storytelling in different mediums. She does not waste a good story, be it movement, the spoken, or the written word. She discovered historical romance novels in middle school, which combined her desire for romance, drama, and fantasy. She writes exciting plot lines, steamy love scenes and always falls for a strong male with a soft heart. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and adult triplets.
Lira was meant to die for the throne.
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Amanda is a sapphic romance author based in Westminster, Colorado, where she balances her love of storytelling with her role as a People Development Manager and devoted mom to a spirited little girl. When she’s not writing about the supernatural and soul-deep love, she can be found exploring local coffee shops and bookstores, experimenting in the kitchen, or going on various adventures with her daughter. Known for her warmth, humor, and passion for human rights, Amanda brings equal parts compassion and imagination to everything she does—both on and off the page.
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Award-winning author Kim Baccellia is the author of five fantasy/paranormal young adult novels, Crossed Out, Crossed Fire, No More Goddesses, Goddesses Can Wait, and Earrings of Ixtumea.
Willow Barton’s life crumbles at her husband’s arrest for fraud, forcing her to return to her Ohio hometown to rebuild. Running a small bookstore and helping her best friend care for her ailing father offers solace—until Zachary Hayes, her best friend’s brother and a charming country music star, shows up. Struggling to revive his career and reconnect with his estranged father, Zach sparks an undeniable yet unwelcome chemistry with Willow. As her estranged husband seeks forgiveness, and Zach battles his own demons, Willow must confront her painful past and decide if she’s willing to risk her heart again. Caught between heartbreak and hope, can they overcome their fears and build a future together?
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I was sixteen when I found out not only am I an alien hybrid, but monsters called the Tai-Kok were getting ready to invade our world. Guess who gets to stop them? Me! How?
Rebel. Smuggler. Spy.
Amber Leigh Williams writes pulse-pounding romantic suspense, historical fiction, and contemporary romance. When she’s not writing, she enjoys traveling and being outdoors with her family and dogs. She is fluent in sarcasm and is known to hoard books like the book dragon she is. An advocate for literacy, she is an ardent supporter of libraries and the constitutional right to read.
