Secrets of the Elusive Lover: The Private Journal of a Playboy - Book 1

By Mike Wells

Every woman knows an Adam. He's a "player," the type who professes true love, but with eyes that never stop wandering. He always has the perfect excuse when you find that long strand of blonde hair stuck to his collar, and fidgets whenever you get near his computer. Adam can't fool Bethany, who, despite her better judgment, falls head over heels him. Bethany is far more intelligent and strong-willed than Adam bargains for, and he finds himself smitten, too. Hilarious at times and poignant at others, Secrets of the Elusive Lover explores the age old challenge of obtaining the unattainable man, and the paradoxical issues surrounding monogamous relationships. As you turn the pages faster and faster to see if Adam and Bethany will ultimately get together, you will find this book another truly 'unputdownable' Mike Wells read.

Excerpts from various reader reviews:

5 STARS! Bethany is a sweet character and honestly I think she deserves better than Adam but I’m not sure. I liked the ending!!! Very original writing, I must say.

5 STARS! I have met a guy just like this Adam and it was nice to see the man get what was coming! Yum-yum. This book was good, really! I would highly recommend this one if you like messy relationship stories about guys and gals.

5 STARS! Read this in one long sitting. Awesome! I would love to read a sequel to this—please write one, Mike! I want more Adam and Bethany.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Mike Wells
• Release date: May 22, 2011
• ISBN: 9781452427010

Mike Wells

Mike Wells is an author of both walking and cycling guides. He has been walking long-distance footpaths for 25 years, after a holiday in New Zealand gave him the long-distance walking bug. Within a few years, he had walked the major British trails, enjoying their range of terrain from straightforward downland tracks through to upland paths and challenging mountain routes. He then ventured into France, walking sections of the Grande Randonnee network (including the GR5 through the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean), and Italy to explore the Dolomites Alta Via routes. Further afield, he has walked in Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway and Patagonia. Mike has also been a keen cyclist for over 20 years. After completing various UK Sustrans routes, such as Lon Las Cymru in Wales and the C2C route across northern England, he then moved on to cycling long-distance routes in continental Europe and beyond. These include cycling both the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela, a traverse of Cuba from end to end, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape. He has written a series of cycling guides for Cicerone following the great rivers of Europe.

Book preview

Secrets of the Elusive Lover

Book 1

by

Mike Wells

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2011 Mike Wells

http://www.mikewellsbooks.com

This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to persons living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form whatsoever without written permission from the author.

Praise for Mike Wells’ Secrets of the Elusive Lover

5 STARS!  "I had planned to go to see a movie and made the mistake ? of reading a few pages of this book, then I was hopelessly hooked. Stayed up all night to see what was going to happen with Bethany and Adam...this book is so real, so honest, I loved every moment of it! I want more, more more!

5 STARS! Okay, I'll admit it publicly - I'm a fan of Mike Wells' writing. Regardless of the genre, his prose is clever, creative, and fresh. His stories are engaging, and his plots are original. Each time, I cannot put the book down. Secrets of the Elusive Lover features 38-year old Adam who hides his own insecurities while probing the insecurities of attractive young co-eds of the college town in which he lives. All goes well for Adam - and his Roster - until one day. Well, girls, haven't we all known at least ONE Adam in our lives? That wealthy, older, lover who drives a luxury car and amazes us with his kitchen *and* bedroom skills? Now he's exposed - read the thoughts, motivations, and comeuppance of this archetype Lover - as only Wells can construct.

5 STARS! The story is intriguing: on the surface it focuses on the idea of open relationships. At its heart, this is a book about judging people by your own standards and values, and the dangers and fascination of attempting to influence them to conform to your view of what they should be. Although the main conflict appears to be between Adam's concept of love and Bethany's, the real conflict comes from the two characters pulling at each other, trying to change each other to get the resolution they want. The conflict resolution is unexpected but extremely satisfying. All in all, a wonderful, funny, challenging exploration of the rules of romantic relationships!

5 STARS! Bethany is a sweet character and honestly I think she deserves better than Adam but I’m not sure. I liked the ending!!! Very original writing, I must say.

5 STARS! I have met a guy just like this Adam and it was nice to see the man get what was coming! Yum-yum. This book was good, really! I would highly recommend this one if you like messy relationship stories about guys and gals.

5 STARS! Read this in one long sitting. Awesome! I would love to read a sequel to this—please write one, Mike! I want more Adam and Bethany.

5 STARS! At first I thought I would not like this book because the main character, Adam, is such a disgusting womanizer, but then it kept giving me surprises, and how all these different girls reacted to him and dealt with him was something interesting—have to say I learned a thing or two from this book. Relationships are complicated and too painful! This book had a cool ending, I loved it!

BOOK 1

CHAPTER 1.1

Adam knew she was his mark the instant she walked into the bookstore. Wild mane of curly blonde hair, torn jeans, sandals, T-shirt, and one of those colorful African bags slung over her shoulder.

He watched breathlessly as she walked up to the clerk at the special order desk and asked a question. The man told her something and motioned in Adam’s direction.

Adam immediately ducked his head behind the book he was reading so she wouldn’t notice him. He waited a few seconds, then peeked over the top of his book and watched her walk over to the New Age section...

Yes, he thought, his heartbeat quickening.

She began to thumb through a book on astrology. The New Age section was directly below Adam’s table in the cafe, affording him a clear view of everything, including the cleavage of those wonderful women who chose to wear low-cut tops. The girl picked up another book, an astrological cookbook. Adam couldn’t read the title from where he was sitting, but he knew the order of the books in that section. And he recognized the cover art: Sagittarius.

She browsed through the book for a couple of minutes, then replaced it on the shelf and removed a Sagittarius volume from another collection.

Good.

Adam watched as she picked up books on the Tarot cards, Runes, palmistry, the I-Ching...

Yes, yes, yes.

She was perfect! An inquisitive learner, a crop ready to reap. And her body! Petite, but exquisitely curvy. He would have to tear off those baggy jeans and her T-shirt to know for sure. But his instincts told him he would have to work for this one.

He shut his dog-eared copy of The Modern Tarot. Making certain that she didn’t notice him rise, Adam quietly made his way downstairs and to the front of the store. He checked his blue work shirt (which accentuated his blue eyes perfectly) in the reflection of one of the windows. He wanted to make sure the collar was open wide enough so that his Tamuwah Stone, which hung from a black leather strap around his neck, was clearly visible. He forced himself to relax for a few seconds, then walked over to the shelves where she was browsing.

She barely glanced at him. He gave her a friendly smile and began to scan the shelves beside her as if he were looking for a certain book. She was wearing some kind of essential oil...rose hips? Very nice. How he loved these second-generation hippie chicks! He watched out of the corner of his eye as she picked up a book on Zen meditation. Oh, she was so eager to learn! And Adam had so much to teach her...

He squatted, moving a little closer, pretending to search the bottom row of