They say that it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all-but for most of us, when we lose someone we deeply care about, it can be a little hard to take this statement at anything more than face value. When our hearts are unexpectedly broken, we're inevitably left questioning what went wrong and wondering about what could have been; at times, it feels like we are cursed never to find closure, let alone the happiness we once dreamed of. Every once in a while, however, life throws us a bone, and we are joined back together with someone from whom we were torn-and, for better or worse, the results can be absolutely life-changing. Before the Fall finds thirty-year-old Toni Smythe returning to her hometown some thirteen years after she fled to escape the wagging tongues of the people in her small, rural community. Just seventeen years old at the time, she relocated and left Southern Indiana in 1978 and headed off to Texas-pregnant, alone, and heartbroken-to start a new life for herself, where she could live free of judgment, gossip, and the haunting reminders of her failed attempts at a relationship with Trent Buchmann. But when Toni is forced to come back to her hometown to settle the affairs of her late parents, she gets a visit from Trent, who confronts her about the past. He wants to know why she left town abruptly while he was away, and she wants to know why he never wrote to her during training. Through the course of their questions, accusations, and explanations, the pair learns that they both had been misguided in the past-and that it was neither one's fault that things ended. Toni and Trent discover that their own mothers had been conspiring against them all along, plotting behind the scenes to keep their children apart even before they got together. Once the ties between them were formed, the women did whatever it took to sever them-but why? Determined to figure out their mothers' reasoning and get to the bottom of what caused their relationship to crumble, the pair looks into their bittersweet, sometimes painful past. As they work together to uncover the secrets and lies their mothers used to tear them apart, they grow closer to the answers, as well as to each other, and an undeniable spark is reignited between them. But if there's any hope for their future, Toni and Trent must first survive what they learn about their past, and some of it could be too much for them to handle. Sure to appeal to those who like their romance served with plenty of suspense, surprises, and shockers, Before the Fall tells tale of a troubled romance like no other. A must-read for anyone who has ever loved and lost, as well as for anyone who has ever lived in a tightly-knit rural community, it will thoroughly captivate your interest, touch your heart, and leave you guessing until the very end.
About the Author: Joan M. Zoglman is a lifelong resident of rural Southern Indiana. In conjunction with her cousin, Judy Zoglman Hougland, she completed the Zoglman family genealogy, Of the Family Zoglman, as well as the history of Fulda, Indiana, entitled Thru the Years. An avid history buff, she also played a crucial role in the completion of the genealogical histories of the families of Temple and Fischer, both of whom settled in Southern Indiana. Zoglman's creative writing has been published in several poetry anthologies and inspirational magazines. Her debut novel, Before the Fall, marks her smooth entry into the genre of fiction and celebrates her freedom as both a writer and a woman. Set in a tight-knit, small-town community, it tells tale of a lost love later reencountered, and was inspired by events and emotions from Zoglman's life. Zoglman is mother to two adult children and has three grandchildren. She is currently working on her second novel.