Didn't Expect You (Against All Odds #2) - Claudia Burgoa Page 0,108
you have to play a part. Perhaps that’s why I don’t fit well with anyone. Sometimes, not even my family.
One thing I can guarantee, I’ll never apologize for being myself.
Women expect romance. Most of them define romance as all those clichés that happen in chick flicks. Guy running through an airport to ask for forgiveness because he is a dumbass. Or through the streets of Manhattan. Let’s say I follow the entire narrative of romance and make a woman fall in love with me. I mean really fall in love, not just the ‘high on endorphins, please give me another dose because I can’t live without an orgasm’ kind of feeling.
What happens next?
I can’t guarantee that I’ll be in love too. And If I do fall, what am I supposed to do with it?
Hypothetically speaking, I let my guard down, give away my secrets and my entire life to one person. Nothing guarantees that the person I trusted will not come back to destroy me.
Again, I’m not speaking from experience. Unless my mother counts. She left my father when I was five. However, I’ve witnessed many divorces and broken relationships to know what I’m talking about. I’ve watched people falling apart, helplessly, as their worlds come crashing down.
In all fairness, I accept that not every relationship ends up in catastrophe. There’s my father’s second marriage. He found a good woman who makes him happy—more like they make each other happy. My stepbrother and his wife are yet another couple who seem to be content. I don’t like them, but they’ve been together for ten years.
That’s when the theory about soulmates comes into play. Because these couples make it through everything.
Maybe the idea that there’s one person who imprinted with another before the beginning of time is real. Or, perhaps, it’s some false ideal we want to grab onto so Hallmark can sell more Valentine’s cards during the month of February.
Either way, I’m not sure how this heart-soulmate-love business works, or if it’s even real. Honestly, I don’t care to find out. The closest I ever got to that moment when a person sees someone and feels like they were punched in the stomach and can barely recover was when I was still living at home.
There was this girl I used to see around the neighborhood during the holidays. Perfect smile, always wearing colorful clothing. She had a whole happy thing going on for her. Every year, I’d see her around and get that sweaty-hands-heart-pounding feeling. I never knew where she lived. Getting closer would’ve been kind of creepy because she was young or maybe too short.
Who knows?
I never met her, and yet, sometimes, I still think about her smile.
It was contagious.
When you saw her, you just smiled with her.
No one has ever made me smile the way she did. Maybe that’s why I can’t open myself to anyone or settle for anything but the best. That feeling that closed up my throat when I saw her… I’ve never felt it again.
Dear Reader,
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Thank you so much for picking up a copy of Didn’t Expect You. I am so grateful to have you as my reader and if you are new to me, I hope this is the beginning of our journey together.
This book wasn’t part of my 2020 schedule but the Brassard sisters (Persy and Nyx) were a great way to push away the stress that this year has created. I needed to have fun, think light romantic, and possible.
Writing this Single-Mom-to-be meets wicked playboy was a lot of fun for me. It has a mix of humor, angst, and a few real-life details. A couple of friend’s had babies with minimum pain (I envy them a little). While a really good friend of mine had an experience similar to Nyx’s. She has a beautiful ten-year-old daughter, and a wonderful family now.
When I sit down to pen these stories, I’m inspired by the strong women I’ve met who overcome the obstacles that are thrown their way. I’m truly thankful to have met them and that they let me stich a few pieces of their life into the tapestry of my stories.
If you haven’t read Persy and Ford’s story and would like to follow their journey, you can grab a copy of Wrong Text, Right Love.
Now, for those who have asked about Eros, his story releases early next year.
Love Like Her is a romantic comedy I’ve been meaning to write for a couple of years but hadn’t found the right characters until now.
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One last thing, if you loved Didn’t Expect You as much as I do, please leave a review on your favorite retailer and on Bookbub. Also, please spread the word about it among your friends.
Sending all my love,
Claudia xoxo
Acknowledgments
There are two things that are super hard for me when I write a book, making sure that I don’t forget anyone because it’s always important to be grateful to our people. The second thing is blurbs. Which brings me to thank you to Megan Linski for always helping me with titles and blurbs.
She always helps me find just the right one for my books. Also, Heather Roberts who polishes them once they are ready.
Hang Le, my longtime cover artist. She’s amazing at making my books look beautiful.
Darlene, Karen, Melissa, Patricia, and Yolanda for always responding to my incoherent questions. Their feedback is important just like their friendship.
To all my readers, I’m so grateful for you. Thank you so much for your love, your kindness, and your support. It’s because of you that I can continue doing what I do.
It’s never enough to say thank you to my BFFL Kristi. She’s been walking with me through this journey for almost five years and I’m thankful for always stepping onto any role. She’s my person.
My amazing ARC team, girls you are an essential part of my team. Thank you for always being there for me. My Bookstagrammers, you rock!
To my Chicas! Thank you so much for your continuous support and for being there for me every day!
Thank you to all the bloggers who help me spread the word about my books. Thank you never cuts it just right, but I hope it’s enough.
Thank you to my husband, my children and my family for supporting me in this journey.
Most importantly, thank you to God because he’s the one who allows me to be here and who gifts me the time, the creativity, and the tools to do what I love. Thank you for all the blessings in my life.
Thank you for everything.
All my love,
Claudia xoxo
About the Author
Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breath away. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and her youngest two children. She has a sweet Bichon, Macey, who thinks she’s the ruler of the house. She’s only partially right. When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At night, she likes to binge-watch shows with her equally geeky husband.
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To find more about Claudia:
website
Sign up for her newsletter: News Letter
Also By Claudia Burgoa
The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers Series
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Loved You Once
A Moment Like You
Defying Our Forever
October 2020
Call You Mine
February 2021
As We Are
June 2021
Yours to Keep
September 2021
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Against All Odds Series
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Wrong Text, Right Love
Didn’t Expect You
Love Like Her
March 2021
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Second Chance Sinners
Pieces of Us
April 2021
Somehow Finding Us
May 2021
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Standalones
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Us After You
Almost Perfect
Once Upon a Holiday
Someday, Somehow
Chasing Fireflies
Something Like Hate
Then He Happened
Maybe Later
My One Despair
My One Regret
Found
Fervent
Flawed
Until I Fall
Finding My Reason
Christmas in Kentbury
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Chaotic Love Duet
Begin with You
Back to You
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Unexpected Series
Uncharted
Uncut
Undefeated
Unlike Any Other
Decker the Halls