Travis by Mia Sheridan
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Travis

by

Mia Sheridan

(Author)

4.3

-

5,863 ratings


From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mia Sheridan comes the emotional, highly anticipated follow-up to Archer's Voice, following Archer's troubled brother Travis.

Perhaps Travis Hale's past is riddled with regrets, but his future looks limitless. He's the police chief in idyllic Pelion, Maine, women are regularly falling at his feet, and his family has mostly forgiven his mistakes. But when the new guy in town crosses him, things start to look shaky―especially when he meets the stranger's smoothie-making, birdseed-eating sister.

Haven Torres's life fell apart. Or, rather, burned to the ground. At the time, it seemed like a solid idea to jump in her car, her brother a mostly-willing co-pilot, and embark on a cross-country adventure for the summer. Especially if she can catch the attention of Pelion's most eligible bachelor, Gage Buchanan, before she goes. And after the local police chief tells her of her brother's scandalous misdeed, she knows without a doubt that Pelion is just another town where their stay is best short-lived.

Still, she and Travis form an unlikely friendship, and at first, it seems simple enough. She'll help him make her brother sweat a little, and he'll help her win over Gage. But then Haven starts to see the man beneath the brooding, and Travis starts to see the woman beneath the mess. 

However, Haven refuses to be tied to Pelion. And Travis has vowed never to be second best ever again.

Before they know it, simple has started to look pretty complicated.

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ISBN-10

1728284996

ISBN-13

978-1728284996

Print length

320 pages

Language

English

Publisher

Bloom Books

Publication date

April 03, 2023

Dimensions

5.25 x 0.8 x 8 inches

Item weight

2.31 pounds


Product details

ASIN :

B0BMWC7TK8

File size :

2191 KB

Text-to-speech :

Enabled

Screen reader :

Supported

Enhanced typesetting :

Enabled

X-Ray :

Enabled

Word wise :

Enabled


Editorial Reviews

Review

This story is just beautiful, funny, sweet, and witty. I found myself laughing out loud, swooning and crying. I was also happy to get a glimpse of the old gangs and the cute kiddos. Beautifully written friends-to-lovers romance. Full of hearts.- Anne's Corner Book Blog Archer's Voice is hands down my absolute favorite book by Mia. And I never thought it was possible for her to make me love and care for Travis after all the crap he put Archer through. She only confirmed with this story how talented she is.

Archer still has my loyalty but he will have to share my love with Travis now too... -She Said Yes To booksHappy, sappy, sad, reflective, redemptive. Taking accountability. Caring for one another. Sacrificing for one another, for the people you love. Everything there isn't enough of these days. It was perfect. -Liz, goodreads reviewI feel like I've waited forever for Travis's story. I'm just pleased that it was actually written, which was never for certain. The best part is that it's everything I could have hoped for. REDEMPTION. -Passion 4 BooksWhen I saw Travis was coming out I knew I had to read it. I was hoping it would live up to Archer's Voice and it did. Everything about Travis is phenomenal. The writing, the plot, the well developed characters. - Virginia, goodreads review


Sample

PROLOGUE

Travis

Seven Years Old

“Mommy? What’s wrong?” I approached slowly, my heart drumming as I watched my mommy’s back shake. Her head was in her arms on the kitchen table in front of her, her soft sobs muffled.

But at the sound of my voice, she sat up. Her cheeks were wet with tears, her mouth twisted in what looked more like anger than sadness. My mommy’s face did that a lot. Her eyes said one thing, but the rest of her expression, and even her words, said another. Sometimes my mommy confused me. I didn’t know if I should try to help or run away from her.

My daddy didn’t confuse me like that. My daddy smiled with his whole face, and when he was sad, I could tell that too.

My daddy seemed sad a lot. But he loved me and I loved him. He was my hero and someday I was going to be a policeman just like him. Then he wouldn’t be sad anymore because I would make him proud and happy.

My mommy’s shoulders rose and fell as she took a big breath. “Your daddy’s left us,” she said.

I blinked at her, my heart giving one strong knock in my chest. “Left where?” I whispered. On a trip? To the town on the other side of the lake to do policeman business?

“Who knows where!” she said loudly, suddenly, her eyes sparking with the same anger on her mouth. “He’s snuck off like a thief with your aunt Alyssa and cousin Archer. He wants them to be his family now. He doesn’t want us anymore.”

I stepped back. Away from my mommy and the words she was telling me. “No,” I whispered. “My daddy wouldn’t leave me behind.” With you. He loves me. “He wouldn’t.”

“Oh, he would and he did,” she said, her tears stopping as she tapped her fingers on the table, her long fingernails making sharp clicking sounds. Tap, tap, tap. I wanted to clap my hands over my ears and make that sound stop. I wanted Mommy to stop. The crying. The yelling. The tapping. It felt like someone was pressing on my chest.

I felt scared and sad.

He wouldn’t leave me.

He loves me.

But I didn’t cry. I was tough, like my daddy, and I wouldn’t cry.

My mommy glanced at her phone on the table next to her, her fingers tap, tap, tapping harder and faster. “But maybe there’s something I can do,” she murmured, her lips tipping upward but her eyes still narrowed.

She grabbed the phone and began pressing the buttons, calling someone.

“Why, Mommy?” I whispered, my voice breaking, begging for a different answer than the one she’d given. Desperately needing something that made sense. “Why did he leave?”

My mommy stopped dialing, raising her head to stare at me. She watched me for several moments before saying, “Because I’m second best, Travis. We both are. We always have been.”

It felt like something withered and fell inside me, like the shriveled apples that dropped to the ground in our backyard. Thud. They were the ones nobody wanted.

Second best. Second best. You’re nothing but second best.

And second best didn’t even deserve a goodbye.

CHAPTER ONE

Travis

The lake sparkled beyond the trees as I pushed open my brother’s gate, the squeak from the rusty hinges breaking the silence of the still summer evening. Noise that was quickly and boisterously joined by the front door banging open and my nephews—and several mongrels—rushing from inside, racing up the sloping yard to greet me.

“Uncle Travis! Uncle Travis!” the boys yelled in unison, their short legs carrying them swiftly uphill, the dogs barking and dancing around, tails wagging in a way that would have let any knife-wielding burglar or serial killer entering the property know they were more than welcome to join the family.

I laughed as Connor and Charlie reached me, bending and scooping them up, one in each arm. “I have two stomachs!” Connor declared. “My daddy says.”

“It’s a Hale trait,” I explained. “It’s how we grow big and—”

“I prolly have three stomachs!” Charlie stated, not to be outdone by his twin.

I peered down curiously at his stomach, using my fingers to tickle his side. Charlie shrieked with laughter. The dogs wove in and out of my legs, and I sidestepped the brown one who seemed to always be grinning. I didn’t trust it. Anything that grinned that constantly was obviously insane.

“Did you ever see an elephant, Uncle Trav?” Charlie asked.

“Not in person—”

“What about a bear?” Connor inquired.

“Too many to—”

“Elephants weigh more than cars!”

“Bears sleep all winter! It’s called hide your nation.”

“Hide your nation? What’s a nation?” I asked.

Connor leaned in, cupping his hand over his mouth as he whispered loudly, “It’s prolly his hairy butt!”

Then both boys howled with laughter, their little bodies shaking with hilarity. I laughed too because, if you were a guy, the phrase hairy butt was funny, whether you were five or over thirty. Or a hundred fifty, I was going to assume.

“Boys,” Bree called, stepping outside, six-month-old Averie in her arms. “Let your uncle catch his breath.” She smiled. “Hi, Travis.”

“Bree.” I set the boys down, just catching the slight nod Charlie gave Connor before Charlie stumbled. I reached forward, catching him before he hit the wood floor of the porch.

“Aha!” Connor yelled triumphantly from just next to me, holding up the pack of gum he’d slipped from my pocket while I was rescuing his brother from his fake fall.

“My God, you boys are ninjas,” I said, proud of their stealth, high-fiving them both.

They laughed and Bree eyed them disapprovingly, putting her one available hand on her hip. “Don’t pick pockets, you two.” She turned her gaze on me. “I thought you were supposed to be the law.”

“Who said?”

“The citizens of Pelion, apparently.”

“Ah, that’s right. Now I remember. Your mother’s right. Pickpocketing will eventually lead to the slammer.”

Connor looked mildly intrigued, an expression that melted into innocence as he turned to his mother. “Can we have some gum?” he asked very seriously, holding up the evidence of his crime.

The corner of Bree’s mouth twitched. “May we,” she corrected. “One each,” she said, and the boys lit up with matching grins, Connor quickly doling out the gum and then with a nod of their mother’s head, they scampered inside, yelling, “Thanks, Uncle Travis,” behind them, chatting exuberantly about what sounded like a Lego castle. Those two definitely made up for my half brother’s silence.

The baby eyed me warily, laying her head on Bree’s shoulder, her chubby hand gripping her mother’s shirt as though she saw in my eyes that I intended to kidnap her at any moment. I felt mildly offended. It was me who had led the rescue charge when the kid had made the poor choice to be born during one of the worst snowstorms in years, causing her parents to have to deliver her themselves. It was like she’d already forgotten.

“Looking for Archer?” Bree asked.

“Yeah. I brought the police department’s data he asked for,” I said, pulling the folded printouts from my back pocket. Archer had asked that I pull together crime statistics for the town’s annual meeting coming up in July.

Bree nodded. “Lie down,” she said to the dogs who were still milling around my legs.

“That’s not a good idea, Bree. You’re married to my brother and I’m attached to someone. You really have to get over me once and for all.”

She rolled her eyes. “Funny.”

She focused her attention on the dogs—her serious mom look—and I grinned as they lay down on the porch, the larger black dog and the small, curly-haired, white one flopping onto their sides, the brown one still grinning up at me like some furry, demented clown. I glared at it, letting it know that it should save its furry, deranged clown business for someone who couldn’t fight it off. Its grin stretched, widened. Jesus. I gave it an extensive berth as Bree stepped inside the house and motioned me to follow her. “Archer texted a few minutes ago. He’s running a little late but he should be home shortly.”

The house was small but homey. It smelled like vanilla and something savory cooking in the kitchen. The boys argued genially, their animated voices rising and falling as they played in their room at the back of the house. The windows were open wide and the curtains fluttered in the breeze coming off the lake. The hardwood floor creaked under Bree’s bare feet as she walked to the kitchen, chubby baby perched on her hip. Would this be so bad? A home like this? A life like this?

“You’re welcome to stay for dinner,” Bree said. There was only the barest hint of hesitation in her tone, as though she wasn’t a hundred percent sure she meant what she said. I guess that’s going to take a while—maybe forever.

I set the papers down and leaned against the counter as I watched her juggle Averie while checking something in the oven and then stirring what looked like pasta on the range. “I can’t. I got tonight off so I can surprise Phoebe and take her to dinner.”

Bree let out a small laugh but it died a quick death. “Sorry. I just wish your girlfriend didn’t have the same name as my dog. It’s…unsettling.”

“So change its name.”

She turned to me quickly, looking more than a little outraged. “You can’t just—” She shook her head as though what she was about to say wasn’t worth her time. “Anyway, I’m sure she’ll be thrilled that you’re off.” She looked at me sideways. “How are things going with her? You’ve been seeing her for what? About a year now?”

I nodded, warmth infusing my chest as Phoebe’s smile filled my mind’s eye, the way she still sighed and looked nearly starstruck when I winked at her. “Ten months. She’s good. She’s great.” She worships me.

Bree had gone back to her stirring but now stopped, placing the spoon on the counter. She shifted Averie so she was holding her with two arms and leaned against the counter, resting her chin on the baby’s head and watching me thoughtfully. “Travis Hale. I never thought I’d see the day. You’re actually serious about someone, aren’t you?”

“Jealous?” I grinned but she remained serious. My smile slipped.

“No. Glad. It’s good to see you finding happiness.”

There was a full, weighted silence that made me feel itchy. I didn’t know what to say. In all honesty, Bree had every right to wish me unhappiness for the rest of my days even though Archer and I had mended fences, and I tried my damnedest to be a good uncle to my nephews—which wasn’t hard because, frankly, I enjoyed the hell out of them—and someday, if I was able to win her over, the niece still watching me cautiously. The way I’d acted when Bree first came to Pelion…the things I’d done to my brother all our lives, would forever be between us. Years had passed, holidays had gone by, and I liked to think I’d matured, but even so, there was nothing I could do to change the way I’d hurt them in the past. The things my actions might have caused.

“She’s the one, huh?” Bree asked, and I detected the barest hint of…uneasiness? Concern? I wasn’t sure, and whatever had passed over her expression was there and gone in the blink of an eye. She bent her head and inhaled Averie’s wispy brown hair, sighing softly.

Bree had met Phoebe on many occasions. She’d never said anything unkind about her, but I’d also gotten the sense they might never be best friends. Which was okay by me. Bree was into baking and reading and mucking around in the rocks with her kids and dogs. All worthy pastimes when you were a mom. But Phoebe wasn’t a mom. Yet. She was into…well, besides me, she was into… What was Phoebe into?

She liked to shop, I knew that. And tan. She was very good at both.

“Well, when you know, you know,” Bree said, smiling softly, meeting my gaze and holding it for several beats.

When you know, you know.

I pushed off the counter just as the soft sound of the front door opening met my ears. The door clicked shut quietly and then Archer turned into the kitchen, looking unsurprised to see me. He’d obviously noticed my truck parked out front. Hey, he signed.

Hi, I signed back as Archer made a beeline for Bree and his daughter, his face lighting with such open joy that I almost looked away, as though I’d barged in on an intimate moment and had no business being there.

The baby kicked her chubby legs and grinned, two shiny white teeth appearing on her bottom gum. Averie reached for her father and Archer took her from Bree, kissing his wife on the lips, lingering.

“Well,” I said loudly, giving the papers sitting on the counter a tap. “There’s the data you wanted. I emailed it to you as well, but was in the area, so thought I’d drop off printouts. Tell the boys I said bye. I’ll pick them up Sunday.” We had a long-standing after-dinner ice cream date where I fed them too much sugar and then sent them home so their parents could deal with the aftermath.

Archer glanced at Bree, his hands too full to speak, and as though reading his mind, she said, “Travis can’t join us for dinner. He has plans with Phoebe.”

Ah, Archer mouthed, smiling at me and nodding.

“Good to see you,” I said. “Bree.” I smiled at Averie whose eyes narrowed minutely. She leaned toward Archer, her tiny fist clutching his shirt the same way she’d held on to her mother. “Okay, then. See you guys later.” And with that, I turned and let myself out of the little house on the lake that smacked of home and love and family.

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About the authors

Mia Sheridan

Mia Sheridan

Mia Sheridan is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. Her passion is weaving true love stories about people destined to be together. Mia lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband. They have four children here on earth and one in heaven. Mia can be found online at www.miasheridan.com or www.facebook.com/miasheridanauthor.

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Reviews

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5

5,863 global ratings

Amazon Customer

Amazon Customer

5

Redemption!

Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2024

Verified Purchase

After hating Travis in Archer’s voice, his redemption and love story have changed my mind. Thank goodness for Haven who brings out the best in Travis.

Amazon Customer

Amazon Customer

5

phenomenal book

Reviewed in the United States on July 25, 2024

Verified Purchase

This book was great! I was skeptical since the prequel was phenomenal. While both books were very different they were both amazing in their own ways. Very hard to put down!

Krista Costello

Krista Costello

5

Travis

Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2024

Verified Purchase

I loved this story!! You have to read Archer’s Voice first to understand the full story! I love stories that have broken characters that redeemed themselves! Travis really did grow so much in this story! It was beautifully written. Such a great love story. I loved the gang, they were so funny!! I also loved Archer’s Voice. I would love to read more about the Hale brothers Conner, Marcus and Nathan and of course Archer’s mom Alyssa!!

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Jo Fergus

Jo Fergus

5

The long awaited return to Pelion Lake was so worth the wait!

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2021

Verified Purchase

If you have read Archer’s Voice you will remember Travis as the step-brother Policeman who created a few issues for Archer. However, he did redeem himself and made amends with both Archer and Bree. Nowadays he lives a pretty quiet and routined life as the Chief of Police keeping his community safe.

Travis enjoys being an Uncle to his nephews and niece, having regular catch ups with them each week. He is also in a long term relationship that he is thinking about making more permanent. That all comes to a screeching halt when he finds his girlfriend was not as committed as he thought she was in the most graphical way.

On a routine traffic stop one day he meets Haven. She is driving home from work with a car so full of plants that Travis deems it a driving hazard. Haven is passionate about saving the plants that no one wants from the bargain trays at garden centres, she takes a lot of satisfaction in nursing them back to life whilst whispering words of encouragement to them as she feeds them.

After removing some of the view obstructing plants he sends Haven on her way in a safer manner. He was not expecting to see her again when she pops up again, this time at the country club he frequents. Turns out she has a summer job at the smoothie bar there where she whips up all sorts of concoctions that she promises are good for you, despite how unappetising they look.

There is just something about Haven that has him wanting to know more about her. When he has to temporarily move out of his home into some short term accommodation he ends up being neighbours with Haven. He is intrigued about her plant passion and begins to join her for her early morning routine. Talking with her is so easy, she has this carefree way about her, you know those people you spend time with and walk away from with a good feeling in your soul?

‘God, the way she made me feel. It was… I didn’t even know what it was, because it wasn’t only physical. I liked to talk to her. I liked to hear her thoughts and listen to her stories. I wanted more of her kindness, her insight, and the understanding she held in her gaze. Oh God, what was happening to me?’

Haven and her brother currently have a transient lifestyle. They make short term temporary pit stops in towns until her brother burns the welcome mat and they move to the next town. She does plan on putting down roots soon, she just needs to find the right place and Pelion Lake just feels like the right place. It has so much to offer both her and her brother.

Travis is very interested in Haven but when she tells him she has her eyes on someone else, he offers to help her out by making the other guy a bit jealous. However in doing so it puts him and Haven into a different phase of their friendship, things get more intimate between them and it’s getting harder to hear her talk about another guy. Travis has never wanted a woman as much as he wants Haven. He doesn’t want to be second best this time though, he wants to be the first choice.

‘I’d never gone to a woman in my life. I’d always waited for them to come to me, and I was never left waiting long. Not with Haven though. If I wanted Haven, I’d have to go to her. And face rejection.’

Haven thinks she wants perfection but she is figuring out that people’s flaws are more intriguing and attractive. Everyone has them, they are like a roadmap of their life, things that have shaped them into who they are now.

Travis knows that Haven doesn’t stay in the same place for very long. He wants to show her that running away from problems solves nothing and that being laid bare is actually quite freeing. He should know he has done it himself. It can also open up the world of new beginnings.

‘Maybe the hurt part of me that had never received any closure, recognized the same wound in him. And that had scared me too, because it had made my heart reach for him, wanting - needing - to soothe, to care for, to love.’

I am happy to confirm that the long awaited return to Pelion Lake was so worth the wait! I just effortlessly slipped back into this picturesque town and made myself comfortable in a place that feels so familiar and welcoming.

‘All the things that have brought us pain, carve a distinct hole in our heart, and there’s someone else out there with the perfect something that will fill the void. And in turn, we get to do the same for them. And suddenly, it all makes sense. It all fits. Because we haven’t been forsaken. We’ve been prepared.’

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20 people found this helpful

Kindle Customer

Kindle Customer

5

Heartfelt & Rewarding 🩷🌱✨️

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2023

Verified Purchase

314 pages of love, tension, and plants.

✨️Favorite Lines✨️ Trust & follow

"Maybe the terrible truth about love is that when it's gone, it leaves a hole in your heart so big it feels like nothing will ever fill it."

Then I guess I'm trapped for good

"All the things that have brought us pain carve a distinct hole in our heart, and there's someone else out there with the perfect something that will fill that void. And in turn, we get to do the same for them. And suddenly it all makes sense. It all fits. Because we haven't been forsaken. We've been prepared."

"I'd spent my life wanting"

Brothers till the end 🥺

I had been loved.

You are wanted. You are so wanted by me.

Elements Of Book 🔅 Contemporary Romance ☯️ Dual POV 💓 He falls first 🏡 Small Town Romance 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 Spicy scenes! 🌻 Plant Lady & Chief Of Police

Review 5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Elements from Archer's Voice are expanded on in this story. We really did get to see griwth from the character by the 70% mark (if youre reading in kindle.) I would highly reccomend reading that story first as you get Travis's point of view from things in his past (won't spoil) and why he did the things he would go on to do as a teen & adult. The town of Pelion felt like a character all its own in this novel. You get to hear about how Bree & Archer are doing 🩷🥺🐕🏡 and I truly adored all the corky characters in the Bed & breakfast. I also loved Clawdia the cat!

The lake scene on page 177 really brought Travis to a whole new level of vulnerability to me. Readers will fly through this book once you consider how Travis must've felt on comparison to Archer. 🐤Burt & Betty's stories made my heart feel so sad yet full at the same time. This was a beautiful full circle book which shined a light on Travis's perspective and in a lot of ways gave reader's closure from the beloved story of Archer's Voice. Perfect book for summers beside a lake, ocean, or just with a view that makes you dream of your future with someone special.

🟢Favorite Scenes🟢 🩷 🥂Page 90 first kiss ~ I absolutely loved the spontaneous element of the first kiss! It was hot and sweet yet they both weren't ready!

🪴Travis put an APB on the missing plants for Haven 🥺

🐞🪲 The Ladybug scene at the blueberry picnic!!! I genuinely loved Haven's interactions with Travis's family ✨️🩵

All of Chapter 25 ~ the genuine growth of Travis and the love he had for Archer as a brother, friend, and whole person. Argh and Archer's advice!!! 💛🥺

The 2nd town meeting brought me so many emotions! Tears fell and the confessions of the town made me smile.

🐱 Clawdia is in the epilogue! Mia Sheriden does epilogues like no bodies business! That last chapter felt like a warm hug and waving goodbye to Palion, Maine.

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9 people found this helpful

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