It's HERE!!!! LOVE WALKED IN ~ THE LOVE STORY OF THE SUMMER!!

DEAR READERS,

Finally, my sizzling summer love story is launched! July 14th was the lucky day!

I just know you're gonna love this comical, heart-warming story of a man and woman who meet in the most unexpected way. 

LOVE WALKED IN ~ a story of hope, of passion, of heart's renewal after loss and abandonment.

After the tragic loss of her husband, Rileigh Rhodes thought she was done loving people. She could not be more wrong. The sweetest elderly couple, George and Maggie Winslow move into her retirement home at Amberlea Gardens, and she falls madly in love.

Ken Winslow never forgot the burn of his wife walking out on him years ago, leaving him with three kids. When he returns to Ontario for the funeral of his mother Maggie, he finds a surprising connection with the big-hearted housekeeper Rileigh, who is both lovely and down to earth.

Neither of them saw it coming, but life somehow brings miracles when you least expect them.

Come along for an adventure of the heart, where life is far from boring at a senior's home, and two broken hearts find a reason to be happy again. From the beauty of  Ontario's cottage country with its sultry summer air, to the vast, stunning mountains and landscape of beautiful British Columbia, this love story is sure to steal your heart.

LOVE WALKED IN. The sizzling summer love story of 2021. 

Available on Amazon in e-book and paperback!!https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B099C8R119/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Happy reading!!!

Love,

RR xo

GRIEF: ONE TINY WORD WITH MONUMENTAL IMPACT

Dear Readers,

Lately I've been contemplating just how I'm able to get through most days of my life. Some are bright, sunny and filled with hope, while others are dark and barren, murmuring threats of failure and anguish. Sometimes the sadness consumes me out of nowhere, and I find myself struggling to catch my breath and finish the task at hand.

I have been crushed by the bitterness of death that shook me to my bones, made them ache internally and impacted every neuron and muscle in my body. The weight of that loss almost destroyed me. Just when I think, after 19 months, "Oh, I must be OVER IT"...another wave of grief comes crashing to my shoreline, sweeping me into its choppy current, drowning me.

You cannot escape grief. You can run, you can hide, but you CANNOT get away. GRIEF. Such a tiny word, yet it has MONUMENTAL impact on your life. It's in everything you do, every step you take and every breath you breathe. The power of grief is astounding. Once you experience YOUR FIRST TASTE OF LOSS, you will never be the same.

While it's true, each person's loss is as PERSONAL AS A FINGERPRINT, I am finding out, nearly two years later, just how important that statement is to me. Not a single day goes by that I do not think of Trent, or wish he were here. His face is the one I see when dawn's rays of light hit my eyelids each morning. Everywhere I go, he leaves me a dime at my feet. In a random parking lot, in the middle of an intersection, on the sidewalk, or outside the sub shop on my way to grab lunch. The man loves  me so much, even in the afterlife, (bless his heart) he is STILL trying to get my attention! Tears brim my eyes now as I write this. My heart is so full of love for him, that the others who've tried to occupy a space in my heart since Trent's passing...well, they've fallen short. None have passed the iron gate that protects my heart and maintains his memory so deeply.

I've had friends in recent months lose someone who meant the world to them, and honestly, my heart aches for them. It's their FIRST MAJOR LOSS, the one that change their entire perspective about life and death. It's not easy, coming to terms with losing someone you loved. Everyday is a struggle, just to keep it together, to maintain your sanity. I really don't know how I've coped all this time without him. He was my soulmate, my twin, best friend, confidante, shoulder to cry on, coffee buddy, my escape from this mundane world, and he was my GLORIOUS FUTURE, which I'll never get to experience.

Losing someone isn't just about saying GOODBYE, oh no, it's all about all the million little things you cherished and loved about that person. Their goofy laugh, or the way they could cheer you up LIKE NO ONE ELSE, or the thousand memories you have about them, like an epic movie replaying in your head, day and night. You keep staring at your phone, hoping it will light up with their name and number, and your heart soars with the anticipation that you'll answer the call and hear them. But you know deep down, that's not possible. Because it's all a dream, a very bad dream. If only you could wake from this nightmare.

You will be reminded of your loss during future Christmas gatherings, because they are now absent, or the upcoming birthday where they won't be there to see the glittering candles on their cake. It's all about how their wisdom and advice will be missed most of all, when you need them to help you in a crisis, and they simply aren't there. Maybe you'll have a bad day and desperately ache to hear their voice. Your loss reminds you, OVER AND OVER again, that he or she isn't here, and man, IT SUCKS SO BAD. The only comfort in the midst of this ugly truth is that you were LOVED SO MUCH by them, and that is a fine thing indeed. Knowing that a very special human once graced your life and caused you to FEEL so much love and so much depth. It's breathtaking, really.

Now, as I sit here, wipe away tears and try hard to pull myself together, I'll think of My Trent, and I'll smile. Because that's what he would want for me. He would want me to be happy, and to carry on, despite his untimely departure, and I can still hear him grinning at me saying "Hey, Smiley" as we drove hand in hand down Interstate 505 in Northern California, en route to our favorite breakfast place, Black Oak restaurant, and that warm Sacramento sun would give my skin such a radiant glow. Those were the days, ah, yes. Nothing can match them.

I'll always cherish them, forever. Till my dying breath.

I hope you cherish your loved one always. With a monumental love and memory to last all time.

In sympathy,

RR xo

LINGER: The New Novel

Rosalind Baker loses her entire world when her beloved fiance, Jack, is shot in the line of duty one night.
Grief stricken, she flies to Serenity, Ohio for the funeral and finds refuge in the cozy home of his niece, Janine, a chef and a Medium.
Soon, she is forced to face her pain head-on, and the emergence of a man who happens to be a dead-ringer for Jack -- his much younger nephew, Mark.
In Serenity, the spirit of hope, warm connection and family lingers...but still something else calls to her. She can almost feel the presence of her loved one surrounding her, telling her it's okay to trust the new chapter unfolding.
Can Rosalind heal her broken heart and let love in one more time? Or will she walk away from the one who just might hold the key to solving the mystery?

COMING SOON --from Rochelle Renee, the author of PASSION, LONGING, TEMPEST, THE PERFECT STORM, SNOWFALL & COMING HOME.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE REAL RHETT STEELE!!!

Today is a very special day for the man who inspired the novel "Perfect Storm."

Happy Birthday to the fabulous D.A.(aka Rhett Steele). He's 53 today and I want to wish him all the luck and happiness in the world!!

Cheers Mister Steele ;)

Love,

RR

COMING SOON: LINGER THE NEW NOVEL

Dear readers,

Hope your summer has been a blast so far! Here in Southern Ontario, Canada we have been receiving some hot, muggy days, along with cool, comfortable nights. Overall, though, it's been a summer that I've enjoyed because to be honest, I really mind the heat and humidity. Fall time can't come soon enough for me!

During the spring and summer, I've been working on a brand new novel called "LINGER" and it's been fun.  Take a look at the blurb and tell me what you think! I am beyond excited to release it this Fall. Enjoy and take care :)

RR xo


LINGER

Rochelle Renee

Rosalind Baker is grieving the tragic loss of her fiancé, Jack, shot in cold blood one night on duty. Drowning in sorrow, she heads to Serenity, Ohio to visit his niece, who’s offered a place to stay and grieve.
Janine, a chef and Medium, wants to help Rosalind heal from the horrific crime. Vying for answers, Rosalind finds comfort in Janine's country home, great food and welcoming family.
Deep in sorrow, Rosalind finds beauty and miracles she never expected. 
Janine's younger brother Mark is the odd one in the family. He lives alone and keeps to himself, but is deeply affected by the death, going into further isolation when he hears the news of his beloved uncle’s passing. Mark, aside from Rosalind, was closest to Jack.
Despite their differences, Rosalind finds a common thread with Mark. Not only does he bear a shocking resemblance to her soulmate, but they share the same bond – a fierce love for Jack – which is undeniable.
In time, she begins to fall in love with the charming town that’s quickly become her own little haven. The old birch trees and flowing rivers seem to whisper a secret wisdom to her...a clue about life unfolding on its own terms. As Rosalind begins to heal and unravel the truth of Jack's death, she wonders if the "odd one out" is much more akin to her than she wants to admit.
Perhaps the lingering spirit of a loved one who passed on just might give Rosalind the answers she craves.

Fall In Love With Yourself

I recall the loneliest times of my life and they make me cringe.

Wounded by a failed second marriage, I carried the pain around for years. Four at least, before I moved on, let the wounds start to heal, and file for the divorce. This did not happen overnight. Along the way, I met quite a few people who helped me see the light. Men who made me smile, helped me flirt with the idea of coupledom by raising my self confidence and boosting my ego.

Prior to filing for the divorce, I had to forgive myself for failing at marriage again. Forgiveness of self is truly instrumental in the quest to finding love. Without it, we hold onto baggage and self deprecation, causing a delay in our growth and hindering our own mental health.

What did I discover in these single years? What magic elixir did I drink to come to this big life changing epiphany?

The answer, simply, was to discover who I was all over again. I needed to accept me, flaws and all, including my shadow side, with all the parts of me that I thought others did not like. First on the list: clumsy. Second: left-handed. Third: just plain misfit. Our destructive self talk is really powerful, and most of us don't realize what negative doom we are manifesting when we bash ourselves or undermine our own magic.

How could I expect to summon love into my life, if I was blaming myself for all that had happened in the past? Becoming my own worst enemy was not the recipe for healing a broken heart. No one can move onward and upwards if they're playing the blame game from yesterday. Dude, that is so, like, 2008.

Did I not realize that I was truly 1 in 7 billion? No other person alive has my DNA codes; the mold was broken when I came along. Realizing this made me suddenly jolt back to reality. Being this unique suddenly gave me an advantage I had never seen before.

Self love is so crucial. We cannot call love into our lives if we don't love ourselves FIRST.

Why is that? Because if you don't love yourself, you don't know what you want, need or deserve. Then you wander around, lost and clueless, searching for something you just can't seem to define. It's like having an invisible list of tasks or goals with no real aim. Get real about who you are and what you want. Things will soon fall into place.

Once you accept your darkness and light --in turn, embracing your essence-- all the lovely components that make up the masterpiece of YOU become crystal clear. Soon, you're living a charmed life that is robust, colorful and passionate. There is no regret, no second guessing, and you experience a FREEDOM that is so amazing. Breathe in the calm of having nothing to prove, and no one to prove it to. You will care less about what others think, too. The liberation is pure bliss.

It's a shame how people run from the beauty of who they were born to be. Stand in the mirror, look at the person staring back at you. What do you see? Let me remind you that being single doesn't mean you are worthless. Think of the benefits to being alone at this time. There's no one to answer to, no one to impress but yourself. You can put on that favorite song and crank it REALLY LOUD without offending that partner in the house.

Learn to romance yourself. Take a walk on the beach during sunset, sit on a vista and watch the city lights glittering in the distance, browse lovely thrift shops and find nostalgic items, spoil yourself with a new dress or outfit at a boutique, go to a movie that only YOU would love. Bonus point: you don't have to fret or argue with your date over which flick to see. No compromising here. Myself, I go to concerts in the city alone, or to karaoke --solo--if I can't find a friend who is free on a Thursday or Sunday night. Heck, I'll show up in my diva glory, belt out some Motown gem by Mary Wells or wow the crowd with a rockin' Shania tune. In my element, it's truly phenomenal. It feels like I'm home, and the joy bursting from my heart seems to light up the whole room. It doesn't matter if I show up to these places alone. Because I've learned to love my own company, there's always a new friend I meet along the way, and I'm pushed off my couch and out of the comfort zone. There's life out there! Go and see for yourself. Go ahead, grab these moments while you can.

Self love is a beautiful journey of the soul that begs us to truly look inside ourselves and find the jewel that is waiting to be awakened again, after so many years of a deep sleep. Divorce or heartbreak can really destroy our self esteem and make us feel broken down, ugly, or unloveable. Remember, though, that you are transitioning and moving forward, so take the time you need to heal those battle scars, but don't dwell too long there. You can become too comfortable in bitterville, letting the heartache seep into your soul, and rob you of the dazzling potential that is waiting to be discovered.

I truly hope that you will learn to fall in love with the majestic person you are. One in seven billion, baby. Now THAT is something to be proud of.

As always, keep the passion alive.

Cheering for you,

xx RR xx