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Young Lady Riding A Horse.

Chrysalis

Despair… Love … Re-Birth

He gave her the will to live again… could she do the same for him?”

Chrysalis is my fourth published novel. It recalls the passion and emotion we all felt when we were young and in love for the very first time. It is a massive expansion of an article I wrote that was published in NE Romance Writers, Romance Reviews and Romance University. That was titled Sealed with a Kiss and got great reviews from readers. But as with all my novels the plot goes far beyond something as simple as first love… two ex-convicts shadow Paige Fuller and Morgan Cahill, my heroine and hero. One set on redemption the other on a brutal revenge. And since the novel is set in the summer of 2001 you might guess that 9/11 will play a significant role. Below please find a brief synopsis. I hope you enjoy it!

Chrysalis…

June of 2001. In three months America will face a tragedy unprecedented in its history. But that seems far from Cedar Acres, a lavish estate on the shores of Buzzards Bay in southeastern Massachusetts. Paige Fuller, seventeen and a high school senior, sits with her sister Candace staring out at the long fetch of rough water that reaches to the Jersey shore. She can trace her distinguished lineage back to the Mayflower Compact but the last year has been one painful experience after another for the champion equestrian and musical virtuoso. The classmate she cared for moved away without a word and Paige suffered a suspicious riding accident that could have crippled her. Her self esteem is at an all-time low. As the girls head home Paige sees another opportunity for disappointment. She should be thrilled. Morgan Cahill, the boy she’s been secretly in love with since they were children is returning with his family. But Paige hovers between fear and frustration. Though brilliant, talented, and adorable, with a role model as lovely as Candace she’s certain her braces, glasses and slender figure won’t draw a second look from Morgan.

As he approaches his sophomore year at Harvard Morgan Cahill has attained rock-star status. At nineteen he has striking good looks and a superior intellect but it’s his record-setting exploits on the athletic field that make him a celebrity. But Morgan’s outward confidence masks a deep conflict. Being the person everyone admires, looks up to and envies is like walking a tightrope without a net. Now, as he heads toward the Fuller estate all he feels is anxiety. He remembers his earlier visit and has a vague recollection of the Fuller girls… Candace, the older sister blossoming into a young woman and Paige, a slender, cute, stubborn tomboy with pigtails and dimples you could get lost in. But he has no idea what to expect and since his friends are partying across Buzzards Bay, Morgan has an escape plan on hold.

Though both expect an endless two days when Morgan sees Paige and her sister walking their horses he stops. While Candace is spectacular it’s Paige, the shy enigmatic sister, he is drawn to. Her grace and innocent charm take him prisoner. But while their idyllic romance quickly blossoms into love storm clouds are gathering. Mystery surrounds Paige and her esteemed family. In less than three months 9-11 will threaten the very fabric of America but there are other terrors closer to home—tragedy, fear and a revenge that may tear them apart and test their love beyond anything they could imagine!

Early Reader Comments…

“The characters are well-crafted and unforgettable… an intricate and captivating tapestry that will stay with you long after you close the cover!”

“Kevin Symmons weaves a gripping summer read with Chrysalis.  Summer. Cape Cod. Horses. First love.  It doesn’t get much better than that…and yet it does.  An element of danger lends a sense of urgency to the story as a maniacal villain plots his revenge with our young lovers in the crosshairs.  Added to this is the date— 2001.  As the villain draws near, the calendar turns ever closer to that fated September day, leaving the reader to frantically turn pages, wondering whether villain, terrorists or both will destroy the tender new romance.  But just when you think you know where the story is headed and how it will play out, another twist takes you by surprise.”

“As adulthood emerges from youth, so the beauty emerges from her cocoon.  As Paige embarks on a journey toward womanhood, no one would guess the path she must follow.  Mr. Symmons skillfully crafts the tale of a young woman seeking to find her way in the clutch of unforeseen circumstances.  Chrysalis relentlessly pleads with you to read on!”