Swimming My Way Back to You (A REELSHORT Original Story) by Tina Donahue

Swimming My Way Back To You CoverBlurb:

It’s time to choose herself for once… too bad fate has other plans.

Hazel hoped she’d found her forever with Marcus. Even though their love is a secret, she always held out hope that one day, they’d share something real. But when his ex, Zoe, returns to town, all bets are off. Hazel has no choice but to end things with him, once and for all. As she begins to pick up the pieces of her life, she makes a startling discovery—she’s pregnant. What’s worse? Marcus reappears with a shocking proposal: marry him in secret.

Torn between the man she longs to love and the future she wants for her unborn child and herself, Hazel is swept into a world she neither wanted nor imagined, one where jealousy, betrayal, and scandal reign supreme. Every stolen glance, every confrontation, every heartbreak brings her closer to her truth—and further from the life she once imagined.

AMAZON: https://shorturl.at/chzOJ

*****

Excerpt:

Marcus and I sit across from each other at a table in the Good Food diner that truckers and travelers frequent.

No fine dining for us as he would have chosen for him and Zoe.

I tell myself this locale doesn’t matter. Neither does him scrolling through his phone rather than looking at me. Try as I might, I don’t believe that rationalization and can’t muster my beloved indifference. Fuming at his neverending insensitivity, I fight the urge to smack the phone from his hands.

If he texts Zoe while we’re here, especially after I tell him my news, I’m absolutely going to lose it.

Not knowing how to begin, I settle on being sarcastic.

“That was some fireworks display. Totally over the top. Downright gaudy.”

He doesn’t look up from his screen. “I’m surprised you saw it. I thought you’d be with Ethan… somewhere… and wouldn’t bother coming. That would’ve disappointed Zoe.”

I’m not sure what he’s getting at. Since Zoe doesn’t know about Marcus’s and my non-relationship, she wouldn’t care what I thought.

“Why would she be disappointed?”

He flicks his gaze at me, then looks back at his screen.

“She arranged the show to let everyone know she was back in town.”

“What?” I lean against the table toward him. “The display wasn’t your idea? You didn’t pay for it?”

He laughs. “Me? No. Why would I?” He gestures to his phone. “I checked our usual spot. They’re fully booked tonight. There is another hotel nearby with a room open.”

I can’t believe it. He thinks I texted him so we could screw?

Bristling, I grip my purse so hard, my knuckles hurt.

“Want me to reserve it for us? Or would you like me to find somewhere else where we can—”

“I’m pregnant.”

I pull the scan from my purse and throw it at him.

He stares at me then peels the scan from his chest, but doesn’t look at the image. “What?”

“You heard me.”

That he did, his face ashen, which tells me everything I need to know. For once, I’m not disappointed in him. He’s reacting precisely as I thought he would.

He puts his phone and the scan on the table. “Your baby—”

Our baby, Marcus. Yeah, it’s yours.”

He frowns. “So what’s your plan?”

My plan?

I can’t believe he said that. He knows I grew up in foster care and how I feel about children. I was one once and there’s no way I can forget the most traumatic day of my life when I was only three…

Teaser 1 Swimming My Way Back to YOU

*****

Tina Donahue Picture ColorAbout Tina:

Tina’s an Amazon and international bestselling novelist who writes passionate romance for every taste – ‘heat with heart’ – for traditional publishers and indie. Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised her work. She’s won Readers’ Choice Awards, was named a finalist in the EPIC competition, received a Book of the Year award, The Golden Nib Award, awards of merit in the RWA Holt Medallion competitions, and second place in the NEC RWA contests. She’s featured in the Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Before penning romances, she worked at a major Hollywood production company in Story Direction.

On a less serious note: she’s an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, brakes for Mexican restaurants, and has been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally while wolfing down tostadas. She’s flown a single-engine airplane (freaking scary), rewired an old house using an ‘electricity for dummies’ book, and is horribly shy despite the hot romances she writes.

MeWe: https://mewe.com/i/tinadonahue

Bluesky: @tinadonauthor.bsky.social

Website/Blog: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/

Newsletter: https://tinadonahuebooks.blogspot.com/p/newsletter.html

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tina-donahue

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/146988.Tina_Donahue

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/tinadonahue

Amazon author page: https://amzn.to/1ChWFkO

Sweet ‘n Sexy Divas: https://sweetnsexydivas.blogspot.com/

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorTinaDonahue

It’s Time to Stuff Your Earbuds!

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Hi lovelies,

Awesome news for audiobook fans! Today and tomorrow ONLY, you can download over 115 FREE romance audiobooks from fantastic indie authors. You might even discover your next FAVOURITE new author or narrator!❤️

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Happy Listening!
Lucy x

May’s Bookish Promotions

Hi lovelies,

This post is late because I’m just back from an amazing cruise holiday on the Norwegian fjords. But now your patient wait is over. Just click the banners below to be taken to a new window with these fabulous promos.

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Lucy x

I’m Running a Spicy Romantic Fiction Workshop (In-Person) on 19th June

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Hi lovelies,

I’m thrilled to announce I’m running a spicy romantic fiction workshop on 19th June from 7:30 – 9 p.m. at the Circularity Hub in Woodville, Derbyshire! Tickets are just £11 (plus Eventbrite fees) and include a £2 discount off any of my paperbacks on the night.

So, if you want to have a go at writing spicy romantic fiction, why not come along – and bring your friends! The more, the merrier.

More information and tickets here.

Happy Reading (or should that be writing?)!
Lucy x

Romance Book Blast – Today Only!

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Hi lovelies,

I am delighted to be taking part in the latest Romance Book Blast! Get your hands on 1,150 free romance reads for one day only – 22nd April 2025.

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Happy Reading!
Lucy x

Get My Book for Free During Ream Raid!

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I’m thrilled to announce Chasing the Chambermaid is free on Ream as part of the Ream Raid promotion! From April 21–28, 2025, you can get my book and many others for free or for followers only.

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Happy reading!
Lucy x