Down on Her Luck: Alaina’s Story
About this audiobook
Thirty-nine-year-old struggling actress Alaina Ackerman isn’t just down on her luck today; lady luck has packed up and left town for heaven only knows where. Instead of ending up homeless on the streets of New York City in November, Alaina accepts her mother’s holiday invitation and heads home to Pittsburgh for a much-needed break. Maybe even to give up on acting altogether.
The last thing Alaina expects is to be happy returning home, especially when fate not only tosses an abandoned puppy into her lap but also practically embeds Markus Klein into her life. That wouldn’t be so bad if she hadn’t spent the last twenty years trying to forget the night they crossed the “just friends” line. Now, torn between a love she thought she lost and one she never knew existed, that vicious harpy some call “fate” dangles Alaina’s dream opportunity—a leading role—in front of her. Her only problem is that going after her dream could jeopardize her chance at love.
As if a new puppy, love, and career aren’t complicated enough, Alaina discovers that her mother and sister are keeping a secret from her. The revelation might be just enough to get Alaina’s life heading in the right direction—or send her over the edge.
WARNING: Although there are many adult situations in this contemporary women’s fiction with a hint of humor and romance, if say, something crazy happened and a famous producer adapted this novel into a movie, it would have a PG-13 rating. There are no erotic scenes, no graphic violence, and while there are a few allowed-on-TV curse words, there aren’t a plethora of gratuitous foul words. Oh, and if you were looking for a cliffhanger, you won’t find that here either. While Down on Her Luck is a follow-up story to Some Lucky Woman, it is a stand-alone novel. Please proceed at your own risk.
About the author
Carmen DeSousa’s stories overflow with romance, suspense, a hint of humor and, of course, a few Kleenex moments. After all, what would a great story be without an emotional event setting the stage? All of her novels are sensual but not erotic, gripping but not graphic, and will make you cry, laugh, love, and hope. Although some of her books include supernatural or ghostly beings, her stories dance on the edge of make-believe. As most authors, Carmen blames her leap into a full-time career as a professional writer on her love of reading. She states that reading has always been an escape for her. When life was rough as a child, she could always disappear into a book. But she found something else too... She discovered that writing out her thoughts was therapeutic. Not only could she create hope for her protagonists, but she could also do away with her antagonists—legally. Carmen currently lives in “The Heart of Arizona” with her husband of twenty-nine years and a very spoiled “rescued” calico they lovingly refer to as “Baby Kitty,” even though she’s twelve years old. Carmen and her husband love to experience different areas, so they move a lot. They’ve lived on both of Florida’s coasts: Cocoa Beach and Tampa Bay; Charlotte, North Carolina; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Chicago, Illinois; Bullhead City, Arizona, the Northern Central Valley of California, and now Arizona’s high desert. They’re always looking for their next adventure, so they travel every chance they get. If you’ve read about a place in one of Carmen’s stories, she’s been there!Most of her novels share her favorite hobbies, mostly, anything to do with the great outdoors. Both Carmen and her husband not only write, but also love to read outside—or a coffee shop if it’s raining. And if the weather is really nice, they enjoy kayaking and hiking. Carmen says they rarely spend their days off at a movie theater or the mall. In fact, she hates shopping, and her husband would rather do anything than take her to a movie when she’s already read the book.
Marnye Young is a SOVAS and AudioFile Earphones Award-winning narrator for New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling authors and has recorded hundreds of audiobooks. A SAG-AFTRA voice, stage, and screen actor and David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University MFA Grad, she has spent her life in the North and the South. Having performed across the globe and known for her affinity for dialects, she has also been praised for her impeccable comic timing as well as her ability to make you cry. When she isn't narrating, she's acting, coaching, directing, fishing, watching NASCAR, raising chickens, doing crossword puzzles, "mom"ing her identical twin daughters, and trying to pay it forward.
