One year
after her husband is killed in action, Julie Ellis is back in her hometown and
focused on raising her young son. Then Reagan Harrison bursts into her life—a
cocky, charming linebacker who leaves her off balance.

As a
successful, professional athlete, Reagan believes he has it all. But after
meeting Julie, he finds every excuse in the book to spend time with her.
Despite his best efforts not to fall too hard, Reagan envisions a future with
Julie, along with the little boy he’s come to love as his own.

While
Reagan’s protective love begins to mend Julie’s spirit, she can’t suppress her
continued deep devotion to her late husband’s memory. And when a letter arrives
from beyond the grave, Reagan resolves to provide her with the answers she
desperately needs to heal. Now Julie must choose either to keep her heart
closed off or remove the lock and fight for a future with Reagan. Can a second
chance at true love be just as sweet?

“My sweet
Julie, I’ve missed you.” John stood at the entrance of Cottonwood Field and
caressed her cheek with the palm of his hand.

            Eyes burning, she clung to him,
crying into his shirt. “Why did you leave me?”

            “It was my time. You always knew I
might never come home.”

            “But, I need you.” The words rasped
from her throat. “Aiden needs you.” He’d come back to her, and she was never
letting him go. She tightened her hold.

            “You’re both strong.” John took her
hand and led her into the field filled with flowers of every color. Birds flew
above them in a cloudless cobalt sky. “Remember when I promised you’d be mine
forever?”

            “Yes.” Blinking fast, she memorized
his ruggedly handsome face. “You were leaving for boot camp. I was a wreck, and
you brought me here, reassuring me that everything would be okay.”

            He smiled. “That’s right, and you’ll
always be mine. But you need to let me go. I want you to live a wonderful and
full life, one without regrets.”

            “You are my life.” She sobbed and
buried her face in his coat. How could he talk of leaving her again? “I miss
you so much.”

            He soothed her with a soft caress.
“Remember me when you look at our son. He’s the best parts of us both. Let the
love you feel for me flow into him.” John held her face in his hands. His
gentle kiss contained a thousand goodbyes. “Let me go, my love, and be free to
find the life you deserve.”

I love the
topic you picked—true love. As a romance author, love is my business. But in
thinking about ‘true love,’ I started digging deeper into the meaning of the
term.

            The dictionary definition for true
is real, genuine, authentic. When a love is true, it means that the feelings go
deeper than the initial first rush of attraction. Deeper than affection. 

            True love is selfless. The ancient
Greeks had a term for this, called agape love. In my stories, the goal for my
characters is to develop an agape love. Because without it, a long term
relationship would most likely fall apart.

            I met my future husband during my
first year of college. We were married that summer. I was nineteen and he was
twenty. A lot of people though we wouldn’t make it. We were young and kind of
crazy, and we were in love. On my wedding day, I didn’t have any doubts about
pledging my life to my future husband. Looking back with more mature eyes, I
now realize how lucky I’ve been. 

            My husband and I have had our
struggles but we’ve had a fantastic marriage. We’ve raised three kids together
and will be celebrating our twenty-five wedding anniversary in September. Without
a true, selfless love, our relationship would not have lasted through the
trials of life.

            I love my husband. He’s my best
friend. So when I decided to write romance, I wanted to give my characters that
same kind of relationship.

            In the beginning of Home Field,
Julie Ellis is deeply grieving the death of her soldier husband. She’d thought
they would grow old together. Now, she is raising their son alone. Julie is not
looking for a new relationship or love. She’s simply living day by day, and
fighting to find out how her husband was killed.

            Reagan Harrison is a hot-shot
athlete who makes women swoon. Julie doesn’t swoon. In fact, when they first
meet, she not impressed by him, which intrigues Reagan.

            As their relationship grows, Reagan
values Julie’s honest affection. She isn’t with him for his status or wealth.
And when she confesses her love for him, he trusts that she loves the man his
in on the inside. A true, genuine love.

            Reagan falls for Julie very early on
in the story. She takes a little longer to come to terms with her feelings.
During that time, Reagan guards her heart, putting her needs ahead of his own.

            I love Reagan’s selflessness. Yes,
he’s strong and handsome (very strong and very handsome), but it’s his
consistent care of Julie’s needs that made me fall for him as a hero.

            And
while writing Home Field, I did fall for Reagan Harrison. Just don’t tell my
husband!

Laurie
Winter is a true warrior of the heart. Inspired by her dreams, she creates
authentic characters who overcome the odds and find true love. She keeps her
life balanced with regular yoga practice and running. When not pounding the
pavement or the keyboard, she’s enjoying time with her family, who are
scattered between Wisconsin and Michigan. Laurie has three kids and one fantastic
husband, all who inspire her to chase her dreams.

For more
information about Laurie Winter please visit her website. Or visit her on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads,
Pinterest and Instagram.

This Book Blitz was organized by Lola’s Blog Tours.