Love Is As Strong As Death (HC) (2012)

She met him in a supermarket parking lot of all places... Sarai Jenkins. You can call her a "Born-Again Virgin". She has kept her heart (and body) tightly locked down and guarded, maintaining her celibacy - for ten years. But what she really wants is to love and be loved for the first time... and forever. A sharp-witted petite beauty with a successful career as a Los Angeles journalist, Sarai has a haunting secret she has never told, shrouded by a marred past she's tried to bury. Her Christian faith reshapes her complicated world, but on a hot June day RJ thrusts into that world with "handsomosity" and drawing power she can't deny. Within months Sarai has found that love she never knew could exist, and is increasingly tempted by RJ's captivating devices. Slowly pulling away from her family while falling deeper into his arms, Sarai is then rocked by a life-shattering tragedy. At the apex of guilt, regret, and fear she's never known, she holds onto RJ's enrapturing promises -- but when his meticulous mask suddenly cracks before her, she suffers the brutal consequences of loving a man she never knew. Written with powerful prose and raw emotional honesty, Love Is As Strong As Death will grip you with intrigue until the last page. Ci'Monique was a flight attendant for nine years, formerly based in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles. She wrote and illustrated the adorable children's book Have You Ever Tasted a Rainbow? before venturing into adult fiction. Born and raised in Seattle - along with three teenage years in Anchorage, Alaska, she now resides in the LA area. This is her debut novel. Visit her website at cimoniquegreen.com. She would love to hear from you!