Realtor Emily Lockwood has a secret. Divorced from her philandering husband, Kevin, she dotes on her beautiful grown daughter, Cassidy. Shocked by her mother's announcement about selling the family home, Emily and her sister Holly are charged with sorting and removing their belongings from Franny's home. Another shock is coming face to face with her first love, Ben Landry, who is helping her mother repair her home to ready it in anticipation of selling. Not having seen Ben in 20 years, Em is transported back to that date. Back to when they were in love.

Each time Em is at the house, an uncanny out of body experience transports her back from her childhood through that fateful day and her most guarded secret. Ben, misinterpreting the kiss between Kevin and Em, walks away for 20 years thinking his love has chosen another. The day Cassidy is born, Em knows Ben is her father. Now that Ben is back, fear is instilled in Em visualizing the hurt she will cause with her lies. Ben finds his way back into her life and both are still deeply in love. The truth of that fateful day is revealed to her through one of the episodes.

Cassidy, overhearing the truth of her parentage, tries to run from the shocking truth which results with her in critical condition in the hospital. The only thing important now is Cassidy and each is left to deal with the truth in their own way. The possibility of losing her child is unbearable and her hope for a future with Ben is shattered. How to pull her life together again is question.

I was so totally absorbed in this woven tale of secrecy and magic I could barely put this book down. Sharla Lovelace is an enchanting author. I have never had the pleasure of reading any of her works before but I can't wait to search out her other books. BEFORE AND EVER SINCE is all consuming to readers and such a beautiful and nostalgic story of a woman's past choices. I absolutely loved this story which completely stole my heart! Every once in a while there is that "special" read, and this is mine!

Book Summary

Emily Lockwood, your past is showing.

Emily Lockwood has been sitting on a secret for so long, and buried so deep that she really doesn't even think of it anymore. Why should she? She has a successful career, an ex–husband who rarely tests her patience, a mother who usually does, and a stubbornly independent grown daughter. Everything is fine, just another crazy kind of normal.

Until Ben Landry comes back to town. The one person that could change it all. From best friends growing up, to young adults who realize their love in a night of crazy passion, Ben and Emily had an unbreakable bond. Or so she thought. When he then disappeared without explanation for over twenty years, she'd had to pick herself up and accept otherwise. Seeing Ben back again now triggers more than mere memories and a tug at her heart. It rips the cover off an old secret that could hurt the people she loves the most.

While Emily works to keep her secret safe and her heart safer, her sanity gets a reality check. She's been seeing things—her past played out like home movies unreeling before her eyes, visions that are making Emily see herself, her family, everyone she knew, and every choice she made, in a revealing new light and a startling new angle. For Emily, seeing her life in rewind makes her realize she has hard choices to make for her future. Choices that may redefine everyone else's future as well.

Read an Excerpt