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"A heartwarming love story" The Best Reviews
". . .
BUILT TO LAST. . . if you're looking for a good old-fashioned love story,
look no further. Cynthia Scott has created a pair of compelling protagonists,
and a fascinating array of secondary characters, including Max's father
Hannibal, who has a few tricks of his own up his sleeve! Marilyn doesn't know
the first thing about being in the midst of a loving family and friendly
neighbors and it's heartwarming to see her break through her self-imposed exile.
Max is one of those rare heroes who exhibit tremendous strength while not being
afraid to show his gentler side. Watching these two work through their
differences and break free of their demons will bring a smile to your face and a
little lightness to your heart."
Kelly Jones
3 1/2 Stars! Scribes
World
"Built to Last is a lovely, easygoing story about two nice people trying
to
recover from some bad breaks. Marilyn and Max are both engaging characters.
They've each been through some hard times and have ongoing conflicts, but they
approach their problems in a mature, realistic way. There are no dark,
sullen, demon-ridden characters here, just two people who've learned to deal
with their pain and understand how to value the good things they have.
It's a delight to watch them reconnect, as they're older and wiser now than when
they were teenagers, but warier, too. The development of their
relationship is nicely paced, in realistic steps toward intimacy on all levels,
and readers will be rooting for them every step of the way."
Karen McCullough.
Road to Romance
"Cynthia Scott's
first full length book is a fast paced story involving
strong primary characters and some interesting secondary . . . The author has done a
wonderful job of showing Max as a strong man with a soft heart without telling
us--the scene's with his niece and nephew are heart warming.
Overall, BUILT TO LAST is a very
strong first book for Cynthia Scott, who
has another story coming from Avalon later this year--HOMETOWN REUNION."
Sue Waldeck
4 STARS! BooksForABuck.com
" . . . . Author Cynthia Scott tells a heartwarming tale of reunion with this story of two damaged individuals who may find healing in each other's arms, or who may only be on the path to more hurting. The construction project on Marilyn's aunt's home serves as a metaphor for their growing relationship, with the hidden termites in the home reflecting the dangers that lay hidden within the secret that Marilyn holds close to her heart.
With plenty of small town feeling and a writer's eye for the details of Texas, home construction, and Texas Fourth of July fairs, BUILT TO LAST is a pleasure to read." Rob Preece
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“Father,
it’s my vacation and I need to spend it in Texas,” Marilyn Waters said into
her cell phone.
“In
Texas? To do what?”
“To
fix up and sell Aunt Phoebe’s house.”
“Don’t
waste your time on that old dump! Call
a realtor. And vacation or not, I
expect you back in Chicago, in the office, tomorrow morning at eight o’clock.
Sharp!”
Marilyn
winced. “Father, I can’t. Please--”
A
click and a dial tone were her response. He’d
refused to listen--just like always.
Frustrated,
she started to push the off button. Lightning
split the late afternoon sky, and she flinched, dropped the phone and began to
count. “One thousand one, one
thousand two.” Thunder exploded
overhead, rattling the windows of her great aunt’s old farmhouse.
She shuddered.
Oh,
boy. Another storm.
Immediately,
the North Texas skies burst open. Torrents
of rain hammered the porch, and gale force winds whipped tree limbs into a
frenzy.
“It’s
just noise and light. I am not afraid of storms.”
Hugging herself, she drew a ragged breath. “Only the bad news that always follows.”
That’s
why she couldn’t sit still. Everything
bad in her life had been foretold by a horrible thunderstorm, Aunt Phoebe’s
death included. What could have
happened now? Her father was safe
and sound in Chicago, and she had no other family.
She
rubbed her arms, goose bumps evident through her suit jacket.
Twilight
shadowed the foyer and she switched on a couple of lights.
They glowed bright, casting an eerie glow on the dark wood floor, then
flickered. Sighing, Marilyn turned
back to the parlor. Forget getting
a remodeling estimate today. No
contractor in their right mind would come out in this weather.
The
doorbell rang and she jumped. Who
could that be? She crossed the hardwood floor to peer through the leaded
glass and gasped at the familiar male figure shadowing the front porch.
Max? What’s
he doing here? Hannibal, Max’s
father was supposed to come.
The
doorbell pealed again. She
straightened, plastered a neutral expression on her face, turned the handle and
opened the door. The wind caught it
and flung it against the wall, forcing her to stumble backwards, and away from
the last man she ever wanted to see.
Max
Connors, the Connorsville, Texas version of a Greek god, eyed her, his
expression reserved.
Marilyn
eyed him right back, unwilling to admit he could still unnerve her--and unable
to tear her gaze from him.
Raven
hair flowed straight back from his broad forehead.
Warrior cheekbones slashed his weather-tanned face.
Dark brows framed even darker eyes.
Energy and vigor radiated from his body, turning her knees to gelatin and
her brain to mush.
Still. Even after fifteen years.
“Marilyn.”
A long pause. “It’s been a long time.”
Not long enough.
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