When I autograph a copy of my book, Love Comes Home, I usually put “Hope you always come home to love.” What better place to celebrate love than in your home? That is sort of what happens in this Rosey Corner story. Jay has been gone overseas for years fighting in World War II. Finally the war is over and the soldiers are coming home. You have to hope they all did actually come home to love, whether to a wife or parents or children or friends.
I know I promised to talk about that favorite bird, but it seems to have been pushed until next time by Valentine’s Day. This day only comes once a year and rarely on the day I’m actually posting here on One Writer’s Journal. Instead I decided to share a romantic homecoming scene from my one book that has love in the title. So here goes with Kate’s soldier coming home scene when he surprises her at the newspaper office where she’s working as a reporter.
Kate pulled open the door, and across the lobby beside Francine’s desk, a soldier turned toward her. Her soldier. A smile, the smile she knew so well, lit up his face. She hated the air between them. He took a step toward her as she practically flew across the floor and into his arms.
Kissing must be something a person didn’t forget how to do. Like riding a bicycle. Three long years since the last kiss, but their lips hadn’t forgotten. A warm feeling soaked through Kate until she thought she might simply melt in Jay’s arms. But she wanted to see him too, to let her eyes feast on his face. She wanted his voice in her ears.
She was so wrapped up in the joy of Jay’s arms around her that it was a minute before she heard the applause. Kate pulled back from Jay to look around. Francine was jumping up and down, clapping like a kid. Wilma joined in from the doorway behind Kate. Some guys from upstairs had paused on their way out the door to add their applause. Even a man and woman she’d never seen were clapping. They must have come in off the street to pick up a paper.
Jay kept his eyes on Kate. “I think they want an encore.”
“Definitely.”
Another kiss and then he lifted her up and spun her around. Happiness sparked off them to light up the room.
“I knew the promise of a big story would get you down here fast.” He set her back on her feet and stared down into her eyes. “Are you ready to go take some notes?”
“Ready,” she whispered. “Very ready. I’ve wanted to follow up on this story for a long time.”
“So, where’s your notebook?” His eyes were teasing her. The same Jay. The Jay she loved.
“Who needs a notebook? These notes will be written on my heart.”
Jay stared down into her eyes as though seeing what was already written on her heart. “You are so beautiful.”
She felt beautiful with his eyes caressing her. Everything around them was forgotten as they stood there, wrapped in love.
Hope you felt the love Jay came home to in that scene.
You know what? I have an abundance of copies of this book, Love Comes Home. So how about another giveaway like the one I had for The Gifted. Leave a comment about a romantic book you’ve loved or some time when you’ve enjoyed Valentine’s Day with your special other or your parents or your kids or grandkids. So many ways to share love. I guess what I’m saying is most any comment will do to get your name in the drawing for a copy of Love Comes Home. This will be a quick one with the deadline next Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at midnight EST. Remember, if you already have the book or have read it, autographed books make wonderful gifts or you can share it with your local library.
Your turn now. What do you have to say about coming home to love?
And may you always come home to love.
For fun here are the other covers that wrap around this story. The one with the picket fence is the large print edition, and the one with the swing is the audio book where I actually did the narrating of the story. That was such fun to get to voice all the characters in that story.
Comments 32
My first love story that I read was Joy in the Morning by Betty Smith. I was in my late teens and the story made me cry. True love makes you want to sacrifice your personal belongings to give the person you love a gift.
Author
I loved that story when I read ityears ago, Jennifer. Such a beautiful story. I’ve forgotten some of the stories, maybe I should see if I could find it on audio and listen to the story. I’ve done that with other books I read some years ago. It’s fun to have the addition of the narrator reading a story that I sort of remember.
I loved all the love stories in the Baxter series by Karen Kingsbury.
Author
Very few readers of romance would argue against the stories by Karen Kingsbury, Ola.
I truly enjoyed Love Comes Home and have recommended it to quite a few people. One love story that I enjoyed quite a number of years ago was Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer, A movie was made of the book and starred Christopher Reeve and Deborah Raffin and I finally got to watch it a several years ago. I wonder if you would like someone to make a movie of one of your books and which one you would choose for it to be.
Author
I’m so glad you enjoyed visiting Rosey Corner and invited other readers you knew to make the trip too.
As to which book I would like to be a movie, that’s a hard question. I’d be thrilled if any of my stories were considered for a movie. This story, Love Comes Home, might be fun or one of my Appalachian stories. Someone in the know once said my stories had too many different threads of story to be easily made into a movie, or at least a Hallmark type movie where the plot focuses on two people trying to resolve one problem. Still maybe a tv series about the Rosey Corner stories or the Hollyhill stories. What do you think?
I enjoyed the Valentine parties and giving everyone a valentine in my class at school in the lower grades. It was a lot of fun.
Author
I always thought those Valentine parties at schools were the best, Connie, because all the kids got Valentines and had such fun.
Love is when your Father holds you in his arms in a hug and tells you everything will be alright. I miss that.
Author
That is a great thought and memory of the love of a good father, Eileen. We can also depend on the love of our heavenly Father.
I really enjoyed Love Story by Karen Kingsbury.
Author
Karen Kingsbury knows how to write love stories, Marlene. She has many, many fans.
I recently read 28 Summers. In it, a couple in love only get to spend a few days a year together, but it goes on for a lifetime. Lovely story, but when my children and grandchildren cross my threshold, I pray they feel the love that flows right out of me to them. I love that they come and we drop everything to just BE with them.
Author
That sounds like an interesting way to write a love story, Evelyn. I’m glad you are writing your own love story with your family.
My husband. It’s just the 2 of us and no matter what kind of day I have I am always happy to come home to him.
Thank you for the chance to win!
Author
That’s so sweet, Barbara. What can be better than loving to come home to your husband. So glad you give each other happy days.
I love coming home to my granddaughter, she is my heart. She always brightens any day
Author
That’s so sweet, Brenda. Granddaughters are the sweetest and a wonderful way to have a brighter day.
Here’s my Valentine story…..when I was 11 years old, my Daddy was a pastor in a church in Louisiana. Every year, we had a large “Sweetheart Banquet” and any member 10 or older could attend. A young man in our congregation called and invited me to go. My parents gave permission. My Mama made me a beautiful dress, and the night of the banquet came. This fella and his parents came to pick me up and, when he came to the door, he presented me with a corsage of beautiful pink sweetheart roses. It was a wonderful night and quite memorable for a “first date”. But, what makes this so special is that that young man is now my husband and we will be celebrating our 53rd anniversary next month! Needless to say, Valentine’s Day is VERY special to us!
Author
What a sweet and romantic Valentine story, Judi. Sounds as if you two found the right one very early in life. I met my husband when I was 14, but I thought I was almost grown at the time.
Thank you for sharing your Valentine story and that you and your Valentine are still going strong all these years later. Early wishes for you to have a very happy anniversary.
A book I liked and also read last year is Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray.
Author
Shelley knows how to write a story, Diana. Her title fits right in with the title I posted about. 🙂
That homecoming scene was just the best!
I remember a very long time ago when my husband and I were dating probably 1967. I made a dress with short puff sleeves and red heart buttons. It was small red hearts on a cream background. We went to see a re showing of Gone With The Wind at a theater on Valentine’s Day. It was so cold in Northern Illinois, but I wore the dress anyway.
Author
I’m glad you liked my homecoming scene, Paula. We have to think about the many that took place after the war and how different things were then. They hadn’t talked on the phone. They didn’t have internet to facetime. They were gone for years fighting the war and only had letters the soldiers might get and might not according to where they were. Then the letters they sent home had many of the words blacked out for security reasons. Those homecomings had to be special, but then any time a soldier comes home safely to his family is a special time.
Thanks for sharing your Valentine story. When you have the perfect dress to wear and you’re young, you just have to wear it even if it is cold. 🙂
Love is taking care of your loved one when he is sick and frail.My husband has had open heart surgery and has needed me more than ever before. True love (in sickness and in health)
Author
You are so right, Janice. That is the enduring love of a husband and wife. That love means that whatever comes, which ever partner needs care, the other will do whatever it takes. I hope your husband will soon recover from his surgery and feel much better. Prayers.
I recently read 3 books in the Bride Ships series by Jody Hedlund and enjoyed each love story.
Author
It’s so fun that there are so many great Christian writers who share such entertaining stories, Dana.
My favorite love story in a book, is When the Meadow Blooms. You found such a beautiful way for Dirk Meadows to find true love.
Author
I’m so glad you liked Dirk’s story and his path to true love, Debra. That book wasn’t the most romantic I’ve written since there were other story threads too with the girls, but I liked the way things worked out for Dirk.
I think my number one favorite romantic book is Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer. I’ve read it probably a dozen times! 😀
Author
What a compliment to Karen Witemeyer, Elizabeth! Karen is a wonderful writer who knows how to tell a story and make you smile. I’ve read that book too and it was fun.