Engaging Secrets: One Week by: Roya Carmen

Title: One Week

Author: Roya Carmen

Genre: Steamy Contemporary Romance (standalone)

Publication Date: June 21, 2018

Cover Design: Calico Images

A troubled marriage. A one week hall pass.

Gabriella Moore has it all; a beautiful husband, two adorable children, and a dream home. Yet, when, by chance, she befriends Eli online, she falls fast. And hard. She knows she must let him go, and saying goodbye is one of the hardest things she’s ever done, but she resolves to move on and forget about her beautiful stranger.

But then… she makes an unexpected discovery, and it shakes her perfect world to its core. Rules don’t apply anymore. An arrangement is made, and her husband gives her just one week with Eli. The rules are clear: One week. Sex only. No contact thereafter. Seems simple enough, but it’s never simple when it comes to love.

WOW! I don’t quite know what to say about this. It’s an amazing book about a woman’s life and the struggles of being married with kids.

Every married woman, especially stay at home mom’s, will find themselves in a rut at times. Unappreciated and mundane lives are often common. You do the same things every day. School, home, grocery shopping, dinner, etc. It may get tweaked a little each day but it’s pretty much the same. Even with the best of husbands.

Mistakes will be made by both parents and in many ways. But for a husband and a wife those will vary. A woman may feels she’s a bad mom, a man may feel he’s not providing enough. On top of this life you are also trying to have a life all your own in the way of a career.

What happens when things fall apart? Can two mistakes make a right? Can you really fall out of love with someone else? If you find your soulmate, would you give them up for your family?

This book is a wild ride of infidelity, marriage, kids, friends, different countries and what it’s like loving more that one person in your life. It was fascinating and will make you really think about what’s right. I kept telling myself “on one hand it's wrong, but then on the other hand {the other person} was too then on the other hand they are soulmates, but on the other hand they are giving each other up”. And yes I realize I have about four hands there, but it’s not cut and dry this life we have. Hard decisions have to be made.

I rarely give a book five feathers. It has to be a book that I’m still thinking about days later. One that really makes me think. When this review hits Amazon it will be a Five. I didn’t do that here for the entire purpose - it is about cheating so I took that little half away…..but it’s an amazing book.

With that being said, I must talk about the writing! I have never read Roya Carmen before but I will seek her out now. WOW!! Just amazing! The journey she takes you on and her descriptions - again….WOW!! She is a master storyteller and to do that with the difficult subject matter was nothing short of wonderful!! This is definitely a must read!

Very Highly Recommend!

Prologue

Dear Eli,

First, I just want to tell you how much you mean to me. And that’s the problem… you mean more to me than you should. I keep telling myself that we’re just friends, but I think we both know we’re more than that. I’m not exactly sure what I am to you, but you are everything to me. I think about you all the time, every hour of every day. It’s a little ridiculous, to be honest. I am a happily married mother of two, and I should start acting like it.

I’ve really enjoyed our conversations about art and life, but it’s time for me to end this. For a bachelor like you, this is just a fun distraction I’m sure. But for me, it’s so much more, and it really shouldn’t be. What I’m doing with you is not right. I love my husband and my children, so it’s because of them that I need to say goodbye.

I’ll always remember you. : ) And I’ll smile every time I do.

Your friend,

Gabriella

It’s just one or two paragraphs, but I’ve second-guessed every word, have pored over every single sentence, debating whether the right sentiments were expressed. I’ve spent over an hour going over it. Over and over. I’ve read the message more times than I can count. The last thing I want to do is hurt him. He just doesn’t fit into the picture. My picture; John and me, and the kids, and the white picket fence, the perfect life. He should have never been in it. Some days, I wish I’d never met him. Others, I’m so glad I did. For the brief time that I knew him, he truly was one of the best things in my life.

My heart is hammering, threatening to burst as I swallow hard, and finally press on the ‘Send’ arrow. As soon as I do, I feel sick. A heavy weight presses down at the center of my chest, threatening to crush me. I’ve never felt so horrible, so lost.

But it had to be done. I tell myself I’ve done the right thing. For my family. For me. For him.

Our relationship flashes before my eyes — the laughs, the jokes, every single conversation, every wink, every little skip of my heart, his beautiful eyes, and his sweet smile. Damn… his smile.

It all started innocently enough, as these things often do…