Idealistic Fona is headstrong, but even she cannot live up to her own standards and her naivety leads her from one compromising situation to another. Roger, on the other hand is already emotionally scarred by an unhappy childhood, devastated by the death of his mother, but his encounters only serve to gouge ever deeper wounds until, that is, he eventually meets Fiona.
The happiness they find together is a sharp contrast to the backlog of pain and disillusionment they have each experienced. Yet, neither is aware of the threat posed by the powerful struggle Debbie, Fiona's mother, has with her own conflicting emotions, wrestling against burning sexual desire whilst caring for an invalid husband.
Can their love survive a final cruel twist of fate?
Reviews for The Path of Innocence
"Fiona is full of innocence. It is an innocence that haunts her. She wants to give up her virginity, yet she does not."
"She is not the type of girl who gets the guys’ attention. Yes, she is pretty, but she is grounded and smart. She is not at all like the flirty, ditzy girls that guys gravitate toward. However, there just might be one guy..." - 4 Stars, Stephanie Rollins, BookreviewsRus.com
"Two innocents betrayed by trust..."
"Superb characterization, grammatically refreshing, well written, emotionally charged and quite insightful on what drives a man or woman to be what they are and who they are, Megan Johns' Path of Innocence restored my faith in Romance novels like no one else could. Without a doubt, it's a MUST read!" - 5 Stars, Aya29, Euro Reviews
Read an excerpt from The Path of Innocence
Visit Megan Johns' web site
About Megan Johns
I always enjoyed writing, but juggling a career and family left little time for anything else. Only when life slowed down was I able to start writing in earnest. And once I began I could not stop!
The writing bug has well and truly taken me over now. My first publication was a children's book, but mostly I write women's fiction with a strong romantic thread. My aim in The Path of Innocence was to write a contemporary romance for women who understand that life is not clear-cut, that love exists in different forms, sometimes contradictory.
The inspiration for my writing usually comes from mentally transporting myself to a location with which I feel a strong emotional attachment and I find that most of my my ideas spring from this sense of place.
Writers who have influenced me? I have to say Joannna Trollope because of the way she deals with contemporary issues in such a pithy style.
I live in a pretty village in the Essex countryside, UK, having 'escaped' from London several years ago. We are now empty-nesters apart from an adorable, but incurably mischievous Cavalier King Charles.
An Interview with Megan Johns
By Holly Hewson for The Romance Studio
HH: Megan, thank you for talking with us at TRS. Please tell us about your featured book, The Path of Innocence. MJ: Firstly, thank you for having me. I am delighted to be featured at TRS.
The Path of Innocence is a contemporary romance which explores the challenges faced by Fiona and Roger, two young innocents from very different backgrounds, as they journey towards adulthood along a turbulent path of self discovery, love and sexual awakening. We follow their ups and downs and the pain they suffer as a result of showing too much trust in those they perceive as friends.
Fiona is strong-willed and idealistic, a firm believer in true love and family values, but her naivety leads her into compromising situations which test the strength of her beliefs and resolve, making it difficult for her to live up to her own standards.
Roger, on the other hand, is emotionally scarred by an unhappy childhood and, more recently, the untimely loss of his mother. His encounters gouge ever deeper wounds which leave him disillusioned and erode his trust in others. It takes a huge leap of faith for him to let Fiona into his affections
When they eventually meet and fall in love, it seems that they have finally found the happiness that has, so far, eluded them both. Yet, they are unaware of the powerful struggle Debbie, Fiona's mother, has with her own conflicting desires and which threatens to bring their happiness crashing down.
Debbie's journey is an important theme and the book explores her inner turmoil, wrestling with her contradictory emotions as she cares for her invalid husband whilst also nurturing a burning sexual desire.
The dramatic consequence of Fiona and Roger discovering her dark secret threatens to shatter their beliefs in everything, including their future together, and the question of whether their love can survive hangs in the balance until the last page.
HH: Where did you get the idea for this touching tale? MJ: I particularly wanted to write something for women who understand that life is not clear-cut and The Path of Innocence is more than just a contemporary romance. It is also a deeply emotional book about the complexity of love and its contradictions.
HH: What do you like best about Fiona and how do you relate to her? MJ: Fiona is an idealist, strong-willed and determined, willing to stand up against what she believes to be wrong even when it means going against the flow. I admire how she strives to remain true to her ideals against a backdrop of peer pressure, although the real enemy is her innocent, trusting nature coupled with the rising sexual awareness within her. She is opinionated, but her vulnerability, her moments of doubt and weakness, make her accessible. What I particularly like is her sincerity of heart and mind.
HH: What do you like best about Roger and why might he be perfect for her? MJ: Roger is vulnerable following an unhappy childhood during which he experienced the emotional cruelty of a wealthy and selfish father, followed more recently by the untimely loss of his beloved mother. He is a gentle, sensitive, caring person at heart, but, disillusioned by the betrayal of those in whom he places trust, he has built protective armour around himself and finds it hard to let Fiona in. When he does, we know that he is sincere, that he will be loyal and never cheat or knowingly let her down. Like Fiona, he is serious-minded, but more inclined to hold back, thus balancing her hot-headed tendencies.
HH: What else do you have in store for lucky readers? MJ: The project I'm currently working on is a more traditional romance based in Italy. I must admit to being a lover of Italy and all things Italian, so I find the setting perfect for stimulating my creative juices.
HH: We're seeing more inspirational romances in the market these days. What do you see for this genre's future? MJ: In a world that is so fast-moving and materialistic, where the belief of the moment prevails, yet changes constantly, I think we all increasingly need a sense of permanency to hold on to. Having a fundamental belief in the power of goodness and 'true' abiding love helps to give us an anchor in life. In a sense, all romances mirror the biblical theme of redemption through love.
HH: What do you enjoy about writing romance? MJ: I enjoy developing characters and putting them in situations of emotional conflict which enable me to explore them at a deep level, revealing the complexity of their innermost feelings. By doing this in The Path, I found I was able to develop the story beyond that of a traditional romance.
HH: What would you most like to accomplish this year? MJ: On a professional level, I would like to complete and release my second book as well as continuing to increase the numbers of people who read The Path.
On a personal level, I would like to be more disciplined about taking some daily exercise. Over winter, it is so easy to lapse.
HH: What are you reading these days? MJ: At the moment, I am focusing on promotion as well as planning my next project, so I can only fit in light reading. I have just finished re-reading 'The Vacillations of Poppy Carew' by Mary Wesley. Actually, the story is quite improbable, but its naughtiness and jaunty style carry you along so that you can suspend disbelief and enjoy the chaotic adventures of Poppy as she chooses from the cast of suitors. It's very witty and exceptionally well written. My tastes are quite eclectic so long as books satisfy the latter.
HH: Any exciting plans for the summer? MJ: We usually book our holidays on whim at the last minute. Favourite places include Normandy and Brittany in France, anywhere in Italy, also Austria, each being very different from the other. I enjoy experiencing different cultures, being able to observe and absorb indigenous lifestyles, and this is as important to me as the beauty of landscapes. Last year, however, we ended up in Biarritz which is very commercialized and touristy, so who knows where we will go this year!
If the weather holds, we also enjoy holidays in Snowdonia, Wales, which is breathtakingly beautiful, but prone to be rather wet.
One thing is certain, wherever we go is sure to end up in my writing at some stage in the future.
HH: Thank you!
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