Ryder thought he was going to lose his mind.
Instead Francesca helped him find his heart & soul
Lyrics Heart & Soul
Anne Marie Citro
Series: Sistas Book 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult Romance
Publication Date: December 4, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult Romance
Publication Date: December 4, 2016
One of America's most reclusive rockers, Ryder Vaughn, gets an unusual sentence handed down to him. The judge, hoping to teach him the value of human life, sentences him to ten months of community service at Reach Within Centre for individuals with special needs. Ryder is convinced that, if he isn't crazy already, he will be by the time his sentence ends. However, his only other option forfeits his band's livelihood.
Five minutes after stepping into the centre, his entire life changes when he meets a gorgeous, little spitfire who will challenge everything he has ever believed about himself and the world around him.
Francesca's devotion has always been to her family, friends, and the job she is passionate about. Her life hasn't been easy. She sacrifices a lot for the ones she loves and for her dream to visit Italy.
Then Francesca finds herself in a desperate situation, and the tattooed beast who is serving his debt to society must save the headstrong woman from a secret that could destroy her. In turn, Francesca teaches Ryder, if you love something enough, it's worth fighting for.
Ryder knows he isn't worthy of love, but this incredible beauty makes him want it.
Ryder can save Francesca from her secrets, but can she save him from his? Is Ryder strong enough to endure the kids she loves and her crazy Italian family?
"This beautifully written novel weaves a story of courage, independence and redemption while pulling on your emotional heart strings through music." ~ Annette Cosentino, Amazon Reviewer
Ryder slammed the steering wheel with so much force it should have shattered. “Fuck, Frank, you’re not listening. I hurt Francesca tonight! You should be beating the shit out of me, not trying to make me feel better. Ask her. She’ll tell you. I destroyed her tonight. She should never forgive me, but even Mason believes she will, and that’s not right.
“Save her, Frank. Show her what I truly am. She thinks she loves me, but she doesn’t know the real me. I’ll never be able to reciprocate her love the way she deserves. I’m a broken man she can’t put back together. Anyone who knew me never could love the real me. Do your job and protect your daughter; convince her it’s just hero worship. She doesn’t love me. She can’t. I won’t allow it.” Ryder lowered his face into his hands, rubbing it roughly. He needed to get through to this man, and he wasn’t listening.
Frank looked at the tortured soul beside him. “Do you love her, Ryder?”
The question deflated him. He didn’t want to reveal his crime without embarrassing and betraying Francesca’s trust.
“Yes, I’ve loved her since the day I saw her. But she can’t love me. She’ll only get hurt. I came to you for help. I need you to be there for her and protect her from me. Italian fathers are supposed to be ruthless when it comes to their daughters. Do your job! Stop the madness, Frank. Please, I’m begging you!”
“You may love my daughter, but you don’t think very highly of her.”
Ryder growled as he snapped his head towards the man, appalled and instantly pissed off by Frank’s words. Before he could rebut, though, Frank continued.
“Don’t assume she’s not smart enough to know what’s in her mind and heart. She’s a very smart girl. You can’t control someone else’s feelings, or tell them how to feel. They are her feelings, and you have no right to them.
“I’ve watched many young men bend over backwards for her attention, yet she was unaffected by them all. I knew it would have to be someone special to win her heart. You might not like yourself, but she loves you. Don’t discredit that because, if you do, you discredit everything she loves: her family, her friends, the children under her care, the paintings she creates, the food she makes. Don’t belittle her choices. Whatever happens is between you and Francesca. If she is hurting, I’ll be there to help her, but I won’t bad mouth you to my bambolina.”
Frank laid his hand on Ryder’s shoulder. “Don’t be angry at her for not seeing clearly. Maybe it’s you who isn’t seeing clearly. Look inside your heart and try to see what she does, not what you’ve been taught to see. It might surprise you.
“When Francesca chooses to love, she does it unconditionally. You of all people should know that. Go home to California and take the time to think. We all make mistakes. God knows I’ve made my fair share. In a loving relationship, you will make many mistakes, but without forgiveness, you cannot have true and lasting love. Learn to love yourself, son.”
"What I love about Citro is she puts so many beautiful life lessons in her books. This one focused a lot on special needs children and how everyone, especially those who are the hardest, need and deserve love" ~ Kristin Campbell, Goodreads Reviewer
Purchase Links
Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords
Deleted Scene from Lyrics Heart & Soul
This is a deleted scene from the book that I didn’t want to let go of because I truly believed it showed growth in Ryder’s character. It is near the end and I thought Ryder was showing growth with how he viewed intimacy and that he could have a laugh with someone other than Francesca.
Please keep in mind this was cut from the first edit. So, there may be spelling mistakes, grammatical mistakes and general bad taste. Lol.
“Beauty, do you realize what you are seeing?” He smirked knowing she had yet to discover what she was really looking at.
“Yes of course, it has a blown glass figurine in the middle of it.” Francesca looked at him like he had lost his mind.
“Look closer and tell me what they are doing.”
Francesca carefully picked up the bottle and looked closer. “Oh, my freaking God, Ryder they are… No, it can’t be. Oh. My. God. They are in sexual position. Holy crap.”
Ryder laughed as Francesca blushed from head to toe. Although she was a tiger when the lights went out, she was a kitten with the lights on. Shy and embarrassed to talk sexually, or acknowledge sexual things. He was dying to take her into a sex toy store, but she would have to become more comfortable with her sexuality, before that happened. Francesca quickly put the bottle back on the self.
Ryder walked away to get the salesman. “I want eleven of these. Can please ship nine of them to Toronto and wrap one so I can take it with me, now. Francesca which ones do you want for your brothers?”
Francesca could have died a thousand deaths from embarrassment. “Ryder, you are not buying those for my brothers. And what the heck do you need ten for.”
“I want one of each position for you and me. Then I want two for your brothers and one for each of my bandmates. Now pick the one for your brothers. Personally, I want the one with the guy doing the girl bent over from behind for Sal, and the ones in a sixty-nine position for Lucky. On second thought give me on more. I want one for Maurizio.”
Stomping her foot, Francesca was mortified. the salesman was going to think they were perverts. “Ryder I am not comfortable with this.”
“Francesca let Magdalene come out and play and put Mary behind closed doors.”
Francesca didn't think she could be anymore embarrassed, until she heard Bruno break out into a fit of laughter. “Hahaha, well I have a newa found respect for you Raffael !”
Ryder laughed along with Bruno. “Pick one for yourself, this one is on me.”
Bruno’s eyes widen at the price and then decided what the hell the guy was loaded. “I thinka I want the one with her riding the guy reversa cowgirl. That way I can always remember my American friends.”
“You two are unbelievable, I’m waiting outside.” Francesca huffed, she couldn’t wait another second to get out of the store.
This is a deleted scene from the book that I didn’t want to let go of because I truly believed it showed growth in Ryder’s character. It is near the end and I thought Ryder was showing growth with how he viewed intimacy and that he could have a laugh with someone other than Francesca.
Please keep in mind this was cut from the first edit. So, there may be spelling mistakes, grammatical mistakes and general bad taste. Lol.
“Beauty, do you realize what you are seeing?” He smirked knowing she had yet to discover what she was really looking at.
“Yes of course, it has a blown glass figurine in the middle of it.” Francesca looked at him like he had lost his mind.
“Look closer and tell me what they are doing.”
Francesca carefully picked up the bottle and looked closer. “Oh, my freaking God, Ryder they are… No, it can’t be. Oh. My. God. They are in sexual position. Holy crap.”
Ryder laughed as Francesca blushed from head to toe. Although she was a tiger when the lights went out, she was a kitten with the lights on. Shy and embarrassed to talk sexually, or acknowledge sexual things. He was dying to take her into a sex toy store, but she would have to become more comfortable with her sexuality, before that happened. Francesca quickly put the bottle back on the self.
Ryder walked away to get the salesman. “I want eleven of these. Can please ship nine of them to Toronto and wrap one so I can take it with me, now. Francesca which ones do you want for your brothers?”
Francesca could have died a thousand deaths from embarrassment. “Ryder, you are not buying those for my brothers. And what the heck do you need ten for.”
“I want one of each position for you and me. Then I want two for your brothers and one for each of my bandmates. Now pick the one for your brothers. Personally, I want the one with the guy doing the girl bent over from behind for Sal, and the ones in a sixty-nine position for Lucky. On second thought give me on more. I want one for Maurizio.”
Stomping her foot, Francesca was mortified. the salesman was going to think they were perverts. “Ryder I am not comfortable with this.”
“Francesca let Magdalene come out and play and put Mary behind closed doors.”
Francesca didn't think she could be anymore embarrassed, until she heard Bruno break out into a fit of laughter. “Hahaha, well I have a newa found respect for you Raffael !”
Ryder laughed along with Bruno. “Pick one for yourself, this one is on me.”
Bruno’s eyes widen at the price and then decided what the hell the guy was loaded. “I thinka I want the one with her riding the guy reversa cowgirl. That way I can always remember my American friends.”
“You two are unbelievable, I’m waiting outside.” Francesca huffed, she couldn’t wait another second to get out of the store.
Don't miss the other books in the Sistas series
Under Her Wings
Series: Sistas Book 1
Have you ever wondered why you were so lucky? Then you wake up to find every you cherished is gone. You don't fit into your life without the people who defined it. So, you run. You run as fast and as far as you can. Then you smash into them!
"This book is for the hopeless romantic, who believes everyone should get their happy ending. Even when happiness seems unattainable." ~ Amazon Customer, Amazon reviewer
Thicker Than Blood
Series: Sistas Book 3
Can Caden put aside all of the hurt he suffered because of Dakota while trying to save her life? Dakota could die but she needs answers before she goes. Can she trust the man she thought would always be hers? Fate has a way of making you see the truth.
Giveaway
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$20 Amazon Gift Card
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