Escape by Fiction: 50 HOURS by Author Loree Lough + Excerpt + Giveaway

50 HOURS

Bestselling Author Loree Lough

Genre: General Fiction
Publisher: Progressive Rising Phoenix Press
Publication Date: June 30, 2017

A broken man, a dying woman, a friendship that knows no bounds.

50 Hours follows FRANCO ALLESSI, a broken, lonely man who wants nothing more than to outrun the ghosts of his past. After two grueling years of trying to numb the pain of his wife's death with cheap whiskey, he's convicted of drunk driving. When the judge sentences him to 50 hours of community service. He chooses Savannah Falls Hospice for no reason other than it’s walking distance from his run-down house trailer.

On his first day at the hospice, Franco meets AUBREY BREWER, a woman whose time on earth is quickly ticking to a stop. Their unusual relationship teaches powerful, life-changing lessons about friendship, acceptance, and the importance of appreciating that precious treasure called Life.

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"This is the kind of book that wins Pulitzer Prizes."

- Catherine Lanigan, Author of Romancing the Stone

"50 Hours is a moving story about love, loss, friendship, and last chances. It’s a reminder that our lives are precious stories, no matter how long or short. This is a must-read for all of us who have been touched by cancer – victims, caregivers, family, and friends. This poignant and touching tale will inspire hope in the midst of even the darkest hours."

- Cerella Sechrist, author of the popular Findlay Roads series from Harlequin

"You'll laugh, you'll cry... 50 Hours is an unforgettable tale of healing, redemption, and the cost of true love."

- Rachel Muller, author of bestselling World War II series, Love & War and Phillip's War

Loree Lough’s books are always an absolute pleasure to read, and 50 Hours is one of her best yet! Its messages of love and compassion will linger with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

- Kate James, award-winning author of Sanctuary Cove, Silver Linings, and The Truth About Hope

PURCHASE LINKS

Amazon | Amazon (CA) | Barnes & Noble | Progressive Rising Phoenix

Excerpt

Agnes squeezed Aubrey’s hand. “I’m sure the couple who bought your house appreciate the hours you put into your beautiful yard. Especially the hydrangeas.”

“Michael hated them, especially when the petals began to drop in the fall.” She didn’t like talking about her ex, and yet she said, “He thought they looked like trash, littering the lawn, but I loved the way they looked, nestled between the blades of grass . . . ”

“Why don’t I drive you over there so you can see them? I’m sure the new owners won’t mind.”

Aubrey had no desire to see someone else’s car parked in her driveway, another woman’s curtains in the multi-paned windows . . . more evidence of all that cancer had taken from her.

She shook the image from her mind. “Do you have plans this afternoon, or can you stay for lunch?”

“I’d like nothing better. Unless they’re serving that tasteless, rubbery chicken again.”

“I know, right? The stuff is better suited for a clown act.” She pretended to bop her mother’s head with a rubber hen.

Giggling like schoolgirls, they startled a blue jay from its roost in a nearby shrub and, as it took flight, azalea petals rained to the ground.

“That’s Bobbitt, my new boyfriend. He sits in the tree outside my room, squawking. Guess he got bored with that and decided to become a stalker and follow me around the grounds.”

Agnes clucked her tongue again. “Well, be sure to keep your windows closed. Birds are riddled with parasites, you know, some small enough to flit right through the screens.”

Aubrey stifled a smirk. “Yes, Mama.” Warm, sweet moments like these were rare these days, and she committed this one to memory. Was her mother doing the same?

“You know,” Agnes said, looking up at the old mansion, “I’ve always admired the architecture of this place.”

It would be hard not to appreciate the regal beauty of the 1840s estate house and its surrounding acreage. Overcup oaks stood on either side of it, like silent and stately sentries. An arbor of magnolias shaded the winding drive that brought visitors from the road to the grand entrance, and mighty marble pillars supported the curved portico that gleamed in the noonday sun. How it had escaped Yankee cannonballs was anyone’s guess, but thanks to the care of a fastidious maintenance crew, every brick and stone had remained intact.

“It’s quite a sight to behold, don’t you think?”

Aubrey sighed, more deeply this time. “Yes, I imagine it’s as good a place as any to die.”

About Loree Lough

Bestselling author LOREE LOUGH once sang for her supper, performing across the U.S. and Canada. Now and then, she blows the dust from her 6-string to croon a tune or two, but mostly, she writes novels that have earned hundreds of industry and "Readers' Choice" awards, 4- and 5-star reviews, and 7 book-to-movie options. Her 115th book, 50 Hours, is her most personal to date. More recently released, The Man She Knew and Bringing Rosie Home, books #1 and #2 in her “By Way of the Lighthouse” series from Harlequin Heartwarming. Next up, #3, The Redemption of Lillie Rourke. Stay tuned for more in 2019 and beyond...