Lost on the Way
by Isabel Jolie
Publication date: Sept 21st, 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
They were friends—just friends. Now they’re something else entirely…
Jason
Maggie was my best friend’s girl. When he died… I don’t have the words. Indescribable pain.
But we healed. Together. She got me through my illness and became my friend, my confidant, my family. She’s everything to me.
And I ruined it all last night.
One drunken night. That’s all it took. Now I’m lost.
I want her with everything I am, everything I have, but she can’t be mine. She deserves someone with better odds than the doctors gave me.
Now, if I can’t figure out how to go back to the way things were, I’ll lose the most important relationship I have. The only one that truly matters.Maggie
Last night was the best—and worst—night of my life.
He’s made it clear, more than once, that he only wants a friendship.
Then last night happened.
And now he knows how I feel.
He’s my best friend. I love him —mind, body, and soul. We have a visceral connection others can’t understand.
The problem? He’ll always see me as his best friend’s girlfriend, no matter how many years pass.
I can’t lose him. If he wants to stay in the friend zone, I’ll need to somehow accept that and move on. I know it’s true.
But convincing my heart…well, that’s another story entirely.One night of excess tequila changes everything for two codependent best friends. Will they lose all they had, or can they find their way to something even better?
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I read this book called P.S. I Love You ages ago. I bawled. I might have been fifteen years old. In it, her boyfriend dies. So, not an HEA. I’ve never forgotten that book. I’ve always thought about what happened to the girl in it. I haven’t read the book in decades. But, when I was writing Trust Me, the hero had a friend, Jason. And I wanted Jason to be down, and for Sam to be concerned about him. When I was brainstorming Jason’s background, I decided that he’d had a friend who, much like in PS I love you, had died too young. And then, as I thought more about Jason’s storyline, I decided his love interest would the girl who I’d thought of so much over the years…the one who lost her first love.
2) Are there any hidden (or not so hidden) themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?
On it’s surface, it’s another version of a friends to lovers story. But, in their case, the co-dependant relationship has become toxic and unhealthy. So, one question is at what point do you walk away? Another theme is what’s required to achieve happiness, both personally and in a relationship. For Jason, communication isn’t a strength, and he ultimately follows an unconventional path to work through his issues. For Maggie, she’s spent her entire adult life putting others first and fighting a battle against a disease that isn’t her own. It’s admirable, but in many ways she’s also an enabler to Jason and she doesn’t take care of herself. It’s difficult for her, but in the end, she has to put herself first, and in her case, that means making some difficult decisions.
3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?
No, the characters aren’t based on real people.
4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?
Jewel E. Ann comes to mind. I love how her stories are all individually. She strikes me as a writer who struck out to write the stories she wanted, as opposed to trying to fall within the mold of well-known tropes. Kennedy Ryan is another writer with powerful, riveting unique stories.
5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?
Well, Jamie for sure, given I haven’t yet found a rock that will serve as a portal, so if I could bring him to me, all the better. And if that was a guarantee, I’d have to think very hard about whether I would invite anyone else. But, I suppose if pushed, and of course, knowing he’s madly in love with his wife and all that, I’d probably invite Claire because I love her and if I can’t have Jamie then I could at least enjoy seeing them interact…and you know, enjoy showing them some of the cooler aspects of our current time…like the Internet. And, given all the book boyfriends I can think of are deeply in love with someone else….I guess maybe Bridget Jones? I think she’d make me laugh super hard.
But, now the question. Three over for game night? Jamie, Claire and Bridget would be an odd evening. So, I suppose I’d have Bridget, Freya Cook from Blindsided by Amy Daws, and Everly from Right by Jana Aston. Because, if it’s a drinking game night, that crew would be a lot more fun to drink with than Claire and Jamie. And as for the game, oh I don’t know. I’d set out Jenga or maybe Sequence, but the focus would be the charcuterie and the cocktails or wine.
6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?
Over the years I’ve developed a desire for a cleaner, more streamlined (read: less to dust) aesthetic. Let’s call it Scandinavian. So, too many physical books? Yes, I’d say you can have too many. Book boxes are heavy AF when you move and when displayed they always get dusty. But never ever too many in my electronic libraries.
Author Bio:
Isabel Jolie, or Izzy to her friends, is an Amazon bestselling indie author with an unquenchable thirst for a good, sexy love story. Izzy’s heart pumps faster for stories with strong heroines, down-to-earth realism, and an unexpected twist.
When she’s not writing or reading, she can often be found with a glass of wine in hand relaxing with her husband, daughters, and good friends lakeside.
Izzy fills her Instagram feed with funnies, inspirational “brain candy”, and anything that meshes with her mood of the day. #mood.
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