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My Own Life Experiences
This Time follows a Marine pilot and a recent divorcee who rekindle old sparks at their ten-year high school reunion. Where did the idea for this novel come from?
I built the structure of the novel around my own life experiences … and the fictional story from an active imagination. I grew up in a small-town community much like Tartan Springs, and I served in the military as a Navy pilot.
I enjoyed the romantic relationship between Ty and Siena. How did their relationship develop while you were writing it? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
I maintained my original concept for Seeney’s and Ty’s relationship … a strong female in the lead consistently pushing her less aggressive male partner along.
What is the most challenging aspect of writing a romance novel?
I’m not really sure, because I don’t usually write in this genre. I found keeping the dialogue “real” a challenge, as well as keeping the growing romance from interfering with the serious nature of the other conflicts occurring in the novel
Can we look forward to more work from you soon? What are you currently working on?
I hope to follow up my popular crime-thriller novel, Pedaling West with a sequel entitled, Pedaling East.
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Ty is a decorated Marine Corps combat pilot, carrying the weight of duty and distance. Siena has stayed close to home, where memories linger and reputations stick. As their paths cross once more, the chemistry is undeniable—but so are the obstacles.
Can love survive the turbulence of Ty’s deployments and the shadow of Siena’s past? Or will the road they travel together prove too steep…this time?
A heartfelt story of reconnection, resilience, and the kind of love that dares to try again.
This Time
This Time is a story that weaves together love, loss, and redemption in the small town of Tartan Springs, West Virginia. At its heart, it follows Ty Harrell, a Marine pilot, and Siena “Seeney” Tyson, a woman rebuilding her life after a messy divorce and betrayal. The story opens with their ten-year high school reunion, where old sparks rekindle and dormant feelings stir. Around them, the novel paints a vivid picture of small-town America, filled with complex relationships, community politics, and quiet battles for dignity and forgiveness. Beneath the romance lies a thread of corruption, environmental tension, and moral choice, giving the book more depth than a typical love story.
Coe’s writing is full of detail, almost cinematic, and that made it easy to slip into the world he built. I could smell the rain in the hills, hear the small-town chatter, and feel the awkward warmth between Ty and Siena as they stumbled through old emotions. Sometimes the dialogue felt a little too polished, but the emotional truth beneath it rang clear. I liked that the characters were flawed, real people who made mistakes and carried scars. Siena, especially, stood out, resilient, sharp, and unwilling to let the past define her. Ty’s decency and quiet loyalty balanced her strength perfectly.
What really got to me, though, was how the story handled forgiveness. It wasn’t wrapped in a neat bow. The pain from betrayal lingered, and love didn’t erase it. Coe didn’t shy away from showing the ugliness of pride, or the way people cling to control when their lives are falling apart. Yet, somehow, through the grit and sorrow, the book stayed hopeful. The scenes about military service, small-town politics, and even environmental issues added layers that gave it substance without slowing the pace too much.
I’d recommend This Time to readers who enjoy heartfelt fiction with real emotional weight. It’s perfect for anyone who loves stories about second chances, especially those set against the backdrop of small-town life where everyone knows your secrets. It’s not just a romance, it’s about rebuilding, forgiving, and learning when to fight and when to let go. This book pulled me in, and when I turned the last page, I just sat there for a minute, thinking about how some things are worth risking again.
Pages: 348 | ASIN : B0FST7LVL2
LITERARY TITAN 