I’m so pleased to continue our celebration of 2020-21 Debut authors on the blog today. Help me welcome Catherine Brusk, a fellow member of ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers) and a 2020 debut author!
CATHERINE BRUSK inspirational romance
DEBUT TITLE: What Love Washed Up
DEBUT TITLE RELEASE DATE: July 13, 2020
Forced into the world of sex trafficking at age ten by her stepfather, nineteen-year-old Jessi Campbell only wants to forget the years of hell that she endured. Court dates, parole hearings, and countless hours of therapy have finally slowed. But her growing faith in God still seems too weak to fight off the looming nightmares and oppressive guilt that hangs over any normalcy in her life.
Then she meets Kip Parks, a promiscuous, fun-loving classmate, and her stringent, rule-lead lifestyle is threatened by his adventurous and wild spirit. Kip forces her out of her comfort zone, insisting on things like trust and openness, but she lives in fear of what his response will be when he finds out about her secret. Jessi finds herself caught in a whirlwind of having someone treat her like an ordinary person; she slowly begins to overcome her past as a victim, and starts to actually live—even sharing her faith with skeptical Kip.
But what will happen when she finds out that Kip hasn’t been honest with her? What will she do when she finds out that he views her as so much more than ordinary?
READ AN EXCERPT:
Kip scowled at her as they stopped in front of the elevator. “You objectified me to get a discount! To a fifty-year-old woman! You now owe me for life.” He shivered dramatically. “Is she still watching?”
“She was like forty and you just made her day.” Jessi glanced casually around the lobby as she reached out to press the elevator button. “And yes. If eyes could consume, you would no longer be standing here.” She could barely speak the words around the laughter wanting to explode out.
He gave Jessi his best puppy dog expression. “Help a guy out. Please?”
She pressed herself into his side. “The things I do for you.”
“Oh, you ruined everything by claiming friendship. Gonna take more than a side-hug now and you have no one to blame but yourself.” He grinned, pulling her closer. He tucked her hair behind her ear before he leaned close to whisper, “Look at it this way,” he said slowly. His hand trailed through the long, silky soft strands of her hair and he took full advantage of breathing in her honeyed scent. “You are now the envy of every female in this place.”
She turned her head toward his, her lips so close he could almost taste their sweetness. She stared deeply into his eyes. Kip swallowed hard. He had been expecting an eye roll. Or maybe an elbow to the gut. Instead her hands tightened along his waist.
The elevator dinged, and one cheek lifted in a wry smile. “You are so full of yourself, Kristopher Parks,” she said evenly. She stepped out of his arms and into the metal box.
He had some choice words for the timing of that elevator. He also wondered how much time they could possibly spend in the lobby.
About Catherine
Catherine Brusk is a Jesus-follower, wife, momma, and an absolute love-sick romantic. From the moment she discovered the Palisades books in her small Christian school library, she was a goner! Don’t make her choose a favorite trope or ending or kiss—she loves them all!