M.K. Harkins's Blog, page 6

April 15, 2013

Intentional

I know this has to stop. Something has to give. A person cannot die of a broken heart. Believe me, I know. I’ve been waiting—and it’s just not happening.

What would you do in the face of the ultimate betrayal? This is the question that faces Mattie, Sarah, and Jeremy as they negotiate the often precarious game of love. In MK Harkins riveting debut novel, Intentional, nothing is ever quite as it seems at first glance. This story of bitter ends and new beginnings is told through the perspectives of all three of the main players, providing readers with a unique insight into the motivations and schemes of all involved.

Mattie and Jeremy are deliriously happy, engaged to be married, and looking forward to a lifetime of love. Both are successful business owners, and their future, both professionally and as a couple, seems bright. Mattie has overcome heartbreak in her past, but with Jeremy things finally appear to have worked out. They quickly settle in to their new home in Sedona, Arizona and prepare for their wedding.

Their happiness and peace of mind all crumble away, however, when Mattie comes across evidence of a massive betrayal. Unable to remain in the town that reminds her with every aching step of the love she lost, Mattie flees to Mercer Island, Washington in an attempt to start a new life. The pain she feels knows no bounds, and she struggles to make sense of the life she thought she knew.

While uneasily trying to settle into a new life without her closest friends or love by her side, Mattie meets Cade, a tattooed engineer by day and a lead singer in a rock band by night. Cade has experienced pain of his own with the loss of his college sweetheart, and Mattie and he instantly bond over their mutual heartbreak. As their friendship deepens, however, an undeniable attraction enflames them both even as Mattie’s heart still aches for her former fiancé.

Mattie and Cade wrestle with their feelings while Jeremy struggles to pick up the pieces after Mattie’s departure. Confused and angry at himself, he struggles to put together the events that tore away the love of his life. Sarah appears to want to help him move on, but what are her true motivations?

Months pass and just when it appears that Mattie may have found another stab at happiness, her past comes rushing back in the form of Jeremy himself. As events unfold, it becomes clear to Mattie that the trauma from her past may not have been quite what it seemed. Will Mattie ever learn the truth behind what really happened? And if she does, could it mean a new beginning with Jeremy, or will it be too late?

Readers will instantly be swept up in the saga of love and heartbreak that unfolds between Mattie, Jeremy, and Sarah. Offering a rarely-before-seen glimpse into the heart and mind of a romantic villain, audiences will find a welcome reprieve from the typical romance novel. Told from alternating perspectives, each chapter brings new information to light that can save—or destroy—all those involved in this delicate setup.

Intentional is ultimately a story that shows how one event can propel three people into radically different directions, changing the course of their lives forever. It is a story of betrayal and forgiveness, heartbreak and redemption. Above all, it is a story that celebrates the existence and power of love in the midst of a world that rarely makes sense.