Turning Thirty-Twelve

Professional Reviews

Winner, Best Contemporary, Aspen Gold Readers' Choice

2009 Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence Finalist for Mainstream Romance

Best Book: "Ms. James did an outstanding job writing Turning Thirty-Twelve. I most definitely did not see the twists and turns coming. This book grabbed a hold of my heart and did not let go until the very last page. I still find myself thinking of this book and the characters who made this book so special. I highly recommend Turning Thirty-Twelve to anyone who enjoys a laugh out loud, exceptionally written book that will keep you coming back for more. I would love to see this book either have a sequel or become a series so I can see where my favorite characters are today and how they are faring. Turning Thirty-Twelve was simply an amazing book that I would read many times over which is why I would like to give it the LASR Best Book Rating! I will most certainly be keeping my eye on Ms. James for any books she may have coming out." -- Violet, Long and Short Reviews

5 HEARTS: "Ms. James did a fabulous job creating this storyline and she developed characters that you just can't help but fall in love with, quirks and all. I found this story to be a little bit sweet with a whole lot of hot and sexy mixed throughout. I loved Ms. James' sense of humor that she sprinkled throughout the pages and I found myself laughing out loud numerous times as I was reading. I would highly recommend this story to others and it's a definite keeper in my library. Don't pass this one up!" -- Diana Coyle, Night Owl Reviews

5 CUPS: "This story is full of the emotions, courage, insecurity and humor of a real woman. Jackie is not a perky young ingenue and is definitely more likeable and sympathetic because of it. Her marriage and divorce have really killed her self esteem and I loved how Mark makes her see herself differently. He is a wonderful and sexy man with the patience to see just how great Jackie is. Their romance is by no means an easy one and both of them have issues that are addressed and very well. This story is a real gem. The characters are wonderfully drawn and real, the plot is riveting, and the love scenes are very hot, showing the reader that love lives do not end at thirty." -- Maura, Coffee Time Romance Reviews

5 KISSES: "Turning Thirty-Twelve is a sweet read that kept a smile on my face the entire time. Sandy James does an amazing job of making me feel like I've known Jacqueline and Mark for years. When you want a read that makes you smile and believe that true love does really exist you want Turning Thirty-Twelve." -- Tina, Two Lips Reviews    

4.5 HEARTS: "Ms. Sandy James has written a good book about second chances and the problems with blending two families. The entire cast was plagued with difficulties. The more they tried to merge the families, the harder it became. The children, as well as Jackie's ex-husband, threw all sorts of crises into the mix. At times the obstacles seemed insurmountable. Ms. James's personalities were strong and so typically shown that it was impossible not to find the story intriguing. The two main individuals were attracted to each other. However, "life" just kept interfering. The storyline was poignant and I shed tears. It was true-to-life and easy to delve into. The ending was a total surprise to me. I had no idea it would take the twists and turns it did. I was totally engrossed in the book. I recommend that, especially if you love sentimentality, you read this book. You will be glad to have read it. It's the type of book that stays with you even after the last page." -- Brenda Talley, The Romance Studio

4 STARS: "Snappy dialogue, plot twists and endearing characters enhance this wonderful story of middle-aged angst. There are laugh-out-loud moments and tearful ones too, generally caused by Jackie and Mark's children from their former marriages." -- Donna M. Brown, Romantic Times

4 STARS: "Sandy James offers readers a touching romance. I like the characters in Turning Thirty Twelve. Love does not stop when a woman's hair turns gray. The plot of this book is very realistic. James demonstrates the trials of parents everywhere. Fans of romance will enjoy Turning Thirty Twelve." -- Anne Boling, ReviewYourBook

Voted 2008 Best Bookart -- Preditors & Editors poll

Excerpt

The phone rang, and I jumped in surprise. Picking up the handset, I was a bit shocked to see "Brennan, Mark" in the caller-ID window. 

Mr. Yummy!

I punched the answer button. "Hello?"

"Um, hi. Is this... Jackie?" He sounded incredibly nervous. I think his voice actually cracked like one of my student's might.

I nodded before I stupidly realized Mr. Yummy couldn't see me. "Yes, this is Jackie."

"Hi. This is Mark. Mark Brennan. I'm a friend of Suzanne Roberts. We go to the same church. She thought... She figured that we might... I don't know. She said we might want to go on a blind date."

My heart started pounding so hard I could hear the rhythm roaring in my ears. Mr. Yummy was the guy that Suzanne and Abs had been trying to force on me. God, love them! I sure did!

Although my head was spinning, I had enough sense remaining to realize that he didn't recognize my name. Knowing Suzanne and Abs, they had probably just written down my first name and phone number.

"You still there?" Mark asked.

"Sorry. Yeah, I'm still here. I was just thinking that I should probably tell you that I know who you are, and that you might not want to take me out when you find out who I am."

"Why? Are you a serial killer or something?" he asked with a chuckle.

Mr. Yummy has a sense of humor.

"My last name's Delgado. We met at the OfficeMax. Remember?"

"I thought the name sounded familiar. You're Carly's biology teacher, aren't you?"

I nodded again. Boy, could I be lame sometimes. "Yeah. I understand if you don't want to go out now."

"Why?"

"I'm your daughter's teacher."

"Is there some rule against parents going out with teachers?" He sounded confused.

"Well, no. But..."

"Look, I wasn't really thrilled about this whole idea--"

"Fine!" I interrupted. My insecurity was already thrumming through me like the beat of a big bass drum at the notion of a man as gorgeous as Mark Brennan wanting to spend time with me. Now that he knew who I was, he was balking. "Don't bother."

"Will you let me finish?" he asked with a note of irritation.

Mr. Yummy has a temper.

"Fine. I'm sorry."

"What I was saying was that I wasn't thrilled about the idea until you told me who you are. Now, I'd really like to take you out."

"Why?" I let the word slip out before I could censor myself. I had never been very good at using that protective filter most people have between their brains and their mouths. Mine failed me on a regular basis.

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind," I mumbled.

"I want to go out with you because you seemed nice. Funny. Real."

"Real?"

"Yeah. You don't seem to be the type of woman who plays games. Carly likes you too. How about Friday?"

Mark seemed to be gaining some confidence. It dawned on me that he probably hadn't asked out many women. This was obviously something he wasn't horribly comfortable doing.

"Friday," I repeated.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes," I echoed in my delirious trance as I nodded my head. I'm going out with Mr. Yummy! Oh, my God! I'm going out with Mr. Yummy!
 

* * * *

"It's so beautiful," I said taking in the landscape surrounding the cabin. Not really a cabin, more like an enormous log house. I never realized cops made enough money to afford something like this.

Mark handed me my bag, grabbed his own from the trunk, and slammed it shut. "I love it up here. I time share with several other cops in my precinct," he explained, obviously reading my mind. Detectives could be creepily perceptive. "Just looking around takes all the tension away." He took my duffle back and walked toward the front door. "We could go for a walk and stretch our legs after that long drive and all."

"That would be great," I said, arching my back and trying to remove the collection of painful knots that had formed there. "I need to hit a bathroom first." And grab a handful of Tylenol for my poor aching body. When did I get so old that traveling wore me out?

Dropping the bags, Mark opened the door and held it for me. Then he followed me inside. "Down that hall," he said with an incline of his head. "Third door on the left."

He was coming out of a bedroom when I finished my business and opened the bathroom door. I figured he'd put our luggage in the same room, but I wasn't going to argue the notion that we would be sharing a bed. I wanted him. Hell, I'd wanted him for a long time. I could feel my gut tighten at just the thought. I savored that delicious shiver of excitement that I hadn't felt in far too long � years to be precise.

I followed Mark into the kitchen. He opened the refrigerator. "Just like I thought. Empty."

"I'd hope so," I commented with a laugh. "I can't imagine how disgusting anything someone left here the last time he visited would be by now."

"Point taken. We'll have to hit that little Mom and Pop grocery later."

I wasn't thrilled with the notion of getting back into a car after the long drive that had eaten a lot of the day. "Yeah, but... can't we wait a little bit."

"Of course," he replied with a sweet smile. "I'm as sick of the car as you are."

I leaned back against the big kitchen island. "We could go for a hike."

Mark took a few steps and stood in front of me, placing both arms on either side of the counter, effectively trapping me exactly where I wanted to be. "We could." He kissed my forehead.

"We could go fishing."

"We could." He kissed my nose.

"We could go watch birds."

"We could," he said before he kissed each cheek.

"We could..."

His mouth settled on mine before I could even complete the scatterbrained thought.

His kiss was so warm, so consuming. Every nerve tingled, from the hair on my head down to the tips of my toes. My heart beat in a steadily increasing rhythm that echoed in my ears. There would be no long, agonizing wait to see which one of us would make the first move, no worry about what each little touch meant, no stupid guessing games. This was it. And I wanted it to last forever.

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