Guest blogger: Vanda Vadas

28 January 2018

Love is in the air!

Hello, ARRA friends! Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. It’s a day of romantic dialogue and when gifts are given and received, all in the name of expressing one’s love for another.

So what, actually, is love?

I’m not referring to a love of sports or a particular hobby, or the love we might feel for a family pet or your favourite food, but rather the strong affection felt by people who have a romantic relationship. This is a romance blog, after all.

Love is a versatile word, diverse in its meaning and meaning many things to an individual. Some would argue that you have to feel love to know and understand what it is.

I believe it fair to say that love can’t be forced or instantly tried on like an item of clothing in the hope of a perfect fit. It’s not something that can be commanded at will. We can go looking for love, or be open to love, but exactly when, where or how it strikes is anyone’s guess.

Love can begin with a spark, as instant as flicking a switch. Conversely, like a germinating seed, love might sprout from friendship and ripen with time.

Love can play havoc with our senses. It can induce a blush or see us break out in a sudden sweat. It can render us tongue-tied, leave us breathless, or cause us to become clumsy around the one to whom we are attracted, or by whom we are afflicted.

Touch is a physical expression of love, a means by which we connect and bond on a deep emotional level.

Love is being sensitive to the needs of the other, without indulging in selfishness or self-interest. To know love is to know compassion, tenderness, forgiveness and compromise.

Love can be downright inconvenient for some: unplanned, uninvited and inconvenient. Options? Surrender to love. Or not.

Aristotle said, ‘Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.’ Shakespeare said, ‘Love is blind and lovers cannot see.’

One thing is for sure. Love, when found and reciprocated, is as much a delight as it is an unforgettable and treasured experience.

My upcoming release (6 February) is aptly titled, Treasured Love. Lose yourself in these five, heart-stirring, romantic short stories about new and life-long love.

Each story makes for the perfect coffee break read and will have you smiling, sighing, and possibly dabbing at tears in your eyes.

Treasured Love

Love is not limited to age. It’s timeless and for the young and mature at heart. Be it that sizzling first meet-cute romance or time-tested relationship, this collection of touching tales demonstrates themes of love, loss and marriage.

Queen of Diamonds: Grace is a croupier at a casino, the consummate professional with unwavering concentration. She is caught off-guard when a stranger with piercing blue eyes takes a seat at her table. Blackjack is not the only hand he sets out to win.

A Passionate Love: Cherry Tree Lodge in the Blue Mountains of NSW, Australia is no ordinary Bed and Breakfast. It harbours a secret, one that is connected to a Bohemian brooch, a photograph and a child’s wisdom. Truths are revealed in the indelible footprints of a passionate love.

Liquid Sapphire: Josh works nights as a barman at the summit of an exclusive hotel. By day, he’s a student at the local university. When a woman his age enters the bar in search of employment, Josh has good reason to stare. She’s dressed like a cowgirl ready to rope a calf in a country rodeo. What could she possibly know about champagne, swizzle sticks and cocktails?

Unbroken Bonds: Finding your soul mate is one thing, marrying her and never letting go is another. Cedric succeeded on all counts. No regrets. Even though he now fights a losing battle, nothing can sever the ties with his one true love.

Lovin’ You: Compromise is a two-way street. Not so for Connor and Kate. Consequent to personal sacrifice and broken promises, their marriage is on a downward spiral. Salvation is at hand if only fears are faced.

Pre-order Treasured Love now at select ebook stores here, or via Amazon Kindle on 6 February 2018.