Book excerpt: FREE Romance Series Starter. Allison knows she shouldn’t cling to memories of a lost love. Torn from her high school sweetheart and left to rebuild the pieces of her life, Allison has almost given up on finding love. Ten years have passed, but when she sees Cole again, her pulse kicks up in that old, familiar way. The question is, can they resolve the issues that tore them apart – and can she learn to love again? Loving From Afar is Book One of The Women of Independence series.