This book is a collection of romantic, sentimental short stories.
“SEVENTEEN SHADES OF LOVE”: After her divorce Julia was able to take everything under control and to move on. She became successful and happy. There is no place for romance in her life. But is it possible to live without love?
“HOW TO BECOME A STAR”: People often ask Maddy how to become a star. She doesn’t know, she can only tell the story of her own. It begins with her happy marriage…
“A HAPPY ENDING IN A BIG CITY”: She travels from one city to another, meeting the same kind of men who always abandon her. She doesn’t know that the true love is waiting for her far, far away.
“RICHARD’S MISTAKE”: He is suspicious about his wife. She is hiding something. And then this phone number… Is she cheating on him? Richard is going to find out…
And more stories… They are nostalgic and dreamy but by no means they are fantasy or fairy tales. These romance stories center around ordinary people who are swept away by love and passion. It is all truth. Adventurous and glamorous things might happen to everyone. They happen to all of us although sometimes we just don’t realize.
“Just think of the color and vivacity that love can bring back into your life. You know, they say there are seventeen shades of love!”
“Seventeen shades?” Julia sobbed even louder. “What am I supposed to do with that?”
(A quote from the story with the same title as this book)
This book is a collaboration with artist Larissa Makeeva. Her fascinating art helps to color up the narrative and the characters in charming bright tones.
Targeted Age Group:: 16+
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
In this book I combined short stories I wrote over a few years. An artist Larissa Makeeva suggested an idea of combining my stories with her art – and we did it.
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
Every short story has its own character. I collected the character for many years, however they have been changed so much that the prototypes wouldn't recognize themselves.
Book Sample
My God, what a face. A perfect nose, and hair falling in thick dark waves to his shoulders. And two burning black eyes, supple lips. There was something about him, something she couldn’t put her finger on. He reminded her of Antonio Banderas. Actually no, this stranger was even more handsome. And younger! What had gotten into her? But then, there had to be something not perfect about him. Nobody was this good-looking. She could feel her jaw getting weak. Her nervous system was getting the better of her. No, it was impossible. She looked at him again, for any sign of a flaw. His face, perfect. Moving on, his deep, even tan. His shoulders – broad, arms – muscular, masculine. His legs…oh those legs! There was literally nothing wrong with him.
“Oh well, I guess I’ll go find out what’s going on,” he said.
“I’ll go with you! “ Julia announced, surprised at herself.
She could have stayed at her car, but something was stirring inside her.
“Is something wrong?” A cashier asked from behind the counter.
“I just wanted to let you know that the gas isn’t going,” the stranger replied.
“What about you?” The cashier turned towards Julia.
“Same with me,” she confirmed, feeling a sense of solidarity to the handsome stranger and turning to him as if looking for some support.
He nodded, gratefully. Julia smiled and accidentally leaned in his direction, her elbow brushing against his lovely, firm arm.
“Oops,” she whispered.
“That’s alright,” he winked and smiled at her.
My God! His teeth were snow-white and straight as an arrow. No, not just straight, they were Hollywood-esque! Even his teeth were perfect. She was beginning to feel light-headed.
”Okay, I see, I think I’ve figured it out,” the cashier declared, tapping away at his keyboard. "Well, sorry for the inconvenience! It should be up and running now.”
With that, they returned to their respective cars and in perfect unison, pressed on their pumps. The gas chugged along straight out of the nozzle.
“That’s practically a truck!” She said, sneaking a peak at his car.
“Not only that, it’s nearly prehistoric,” he laughed. “To be honest, it’s been through the mill. Just have a look inside.”
He nodded at the open door of his car. The material on the driver’s seat was threadbare and in the corner, a piece of cream colored foam poked out.
“I’m not exactly a BMW kind of guy, if you know what I mean,” he chuckled.
“My BMW is totally ordinary, thank you very much,” she joked. “But your car belongs in a museum.”
“Wanna go for a spin?” He winked.
That’s how it began…it was if time itself had stopped completely. All her worries faded away and she was left with this small momentary instant, just the here and now. Shedding all her inhibitions in one fell swoop, Julia lunged into the car next to the stranger. His dark eyes pulled her in, like gravity. She gently touched his strong forearm and in letting herself go, her palm landing on his denim covered knee. They drove quickly, twisting and turning until they found themselves in a far corner of a parking lot, dark and intimate, where no one ever thinks to look. She liked the mystery of this location. In his arms she realized how much she has missed being held, missed the weight of a man’s body. And this body in particular – strong, firm, unbelievably perfect…The car halted to a stop.
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