Courageous Love - Nankivell, Paul

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Résumé :
Despite his cerebral palsy, Alan Jones has overcome many obstacles in life. As a senior systems analyst, at a Fortune-500 company, he makes a very good living. He owns a two-bedroom, two-bath condominium in West Hills. His attendant Selena Harris lives with Alan but occupies the other bedroom. In the first chapter, Selena tries to get Alan up for work but he purposely brats, stays in bed, and looks forward to her consequences. Before dropping him off at work, she gives him a pep talk prior to his presentation to the board of directors. Meanwhile, Catherine O'Malley has also vanquished many obstacles due to her version of cerebral palsy. She's a corporate attorney who defines herself by her career success. In her first scene, she aggressively defends a company that violated O.S.H.A. regulations. A former employee, a mom with two children, sues them for contracting terminal cancer. But, despite having moral conflicts with her client, Catherine pursues every legal technicality to get make the dying mom look bad. That night, she drinks her guilt away with five Long Island iced teas. Later on, Catherine is back at work but she's beginning to have mixed feelings about representing faceless corporations. On a subconscious level, she aches for a meaningless one-night stand with a guy who will just bang her brains out. A male coworker senses vulnerability in her and manipulates her to invite him to her home to work on a case. One thing leads to another and they have mind-blowing sex. The next day, she wakes up feeling like a new woman. But, when she gets to work that day, Nicole tells her that he bragged about scoring with a desperate disabled slut last night. Catherine and Nicole devise a plot for revenge. Then, Catherine and Nicole find comfort in each other's arms. Alan and Catherine happen to be eating at the same restaurant. Alan's dining companion, his brother Tommy, encourages Alan to introduce himself to the woman in the wheelchair. At first, Alan resists. But, after much prodding, he finally gives in just to shut his brother up. When Alan tries talking to Catherine it is a disaster! Alan has Selena drive him to a legal Nevada brothel. On this particular visit, his intimacy provider comments on the obvious chemistry between Alan and Selena. After Alan and his provider are done with their session, she makes Alan promise to talk with Selena about their relationship when they get home. The next day, Alan and Selena open up their feelings to each other. But, there's an unforeseen obstacle. A few scenes later, Nicole tries to be affectionate with Catherine in a very public place. Catherine isn't ready to be outed so this causes an impasse. But a life-changing incident makes Catherine realize how truly important Nicole is to her long-term happiness. After a series of personal discoveries, Selena wonders if any real or imagined obstacle can stop the powerful love she has with Alan....

Sommaire:
Courageous Love is a powerful contemporary romance that challenges stereotypes and celebrates the resilience of the human heart. Alan Jones and Catherine O'Malley have something in common beyond their successful careers and determination to succeed. Both live with cerebral palsy, and both have spent their lives navigating a world that often sees disability before individuality. Alan is a successful systems analyst who secretly struggles with feelings of inadequacy and fears that no woman could truly love him. For years, he has suppressed his growing feelings for Selena Harris, the devoted caregiver who has become his closest friend and greatest source of support. What Alan doesn't realize is that Selena harbors feelings of her own, but fears and life-altering circumstances threaten to keep them apart. Meanwhile, Catherine is a highly accomplished attorney who has built her life around professional achievement and self-reliance. When an unexpected romance begins to develop between her and her longtime friend Nicole, Catherine must confront deeply rooted insecurities, societal expectations, and the possibility of opening her heart to the love she never believed she deserved. As both couples face personal struggles, emotional barriers, family challenges, and questions about their futures, they discover that true love requires more than courage. It requires vulnerability, trust, and the willingness to believe that they are worthy of happiness. Written by an author who has lived with cerebral palsy his entire life, Courageous Love offers an authentic and heartfelt portrayal of disability, romance, friendship, and self-discovery. Moving, inspiring, and deeply human, this unforgettable novel reminds readers that love is not defined by limitations but by the courage to embrace it....