We all like to think we’re rational people. We weigh the pros and cons, we make smart choices, informed, and we don’t let our emotions get in the way.
Until we do.
Until someone from our past shows up unannounced. Until a decision we thought we’d made comes back around. Until we realize that sometimes, logic and emotion don’t play by the same rules.
That’s exactly what happens to Amanda French in the new novel AMANDA FRENCH, a novel that hits way too close to home for anyone who’s ever struggled to choose between what they feel and what they know.
This book isn’t just about a woman caught between her past and future—it’s about all of us trying to navigate the messy, unpredictable balance between our hearts and our heads.
Amanda is brilliant, capable, and has already reinvented herself once.
Thirty years ago, she walked away from Wall Street, leaving behind a career that nearly ruined her. She thought she’d left it all behind—the insider trading scandal, and the betrayals, the hours of pillow talk.
Now? She’s built a new life as a clinical social worker in a small Texas town. A life that feels safe. A life that makes sense.
Until he comes back.
Reed Petty—the ex, the politician, the man who always knew how to get under her skin—is suddenly back in her world. And just like that, all of Amanda’s carefully built logic starts cracking under the weight of old emotions. This time it’s anger, not so light-headed and carefree.
Sound familiar?
We’ve all had Reed Petty moments. Maybe it wasn’t an ex—maybe it was an old dream, a job opportunity, or a choice that we thought we were done with. Then suddenly, there it is again, testing everything we thought we knew about ourselves.
Amanda knows what the smart choice is. Logic states Reed is a politician with an agenda. He’s not here for love—he’s here because he needs something. Logic states getting involved with him again is a bad idea. Logic states she should walk away and never look back.
But emotion? That’s a whole different story. Emotion says he still knows her like no other. Emotion says what if he’s changed? Emotion says what if this time, it’s different?
And here’s the thing—Amanda isn’t weak for feeling this way. She’s human.
Just like all of us who have ever had to make a hard choice when our emotions wanted one thing and our minds wanted another. She doesn’t want him. She doesn’t even like him. What is it? She admits that she enjoyed that lifestyle, easy, money was not an issue. If we ran out of money, we just made more, was the fight song.
Here’s a secret that Amanda French lays bare—sometimes, there is no right decision. We like to think life is black and white, that we can make choices based on logic alone, that emotions can be turned off when they don’t serve us.
But Amanda’s journey reminds us that the gray areas are where the real battles happen. And the real surprises are resting.
Through Amanda, we get to see that you can be smart and still struggle with your emotions. You can know better and still be tempted. You can move on and still have unfinished business. Embrace your earned wisdom.
This book doesn’t tell us to ignore logic or to throw emotions out the window. Instead, it shows us how complicated it is to find the middle ground. So you do the best you can. It’s not calculus. But sometimes it is hormonal.
Reading AMANDA FRENCH doesn’t just entertain—it makes you think. It holds up a mirror to our own decision-making struggles and forces us to ask the hard questions, like when have I ever let my emotions cloud my judgment? Hmmm. When have I ignored my gut feeling because logic told me I “should”?
What choices am I avoiding because I don’t want to face the truth?
Amanda knows who Reed is. She’s seen his games before. And yet, he still draws her in. Ugh, she doesn’t even like him. Sound familiar? If you find yourself repeating old cycles with people, jobs, or situations, it might be time to break the pattern.
Amanda is at her most vulnerable when Reed shows up. He knows exactly when and how to get under her skin.
When emotions are high, we don’t always think clearly. If you’re facing a big decision, give yourself time. Step back. See how you feel after the moment passes.
Amanda still has feelings for Reed. But does that mean she should run back into his arms?
No. And what kind of feelings?
We can acknowledge emotions without letting them control us. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is feel them, process them, and then move forward quietly.
At the end of the day, Amanda French is a story about being human. It’s about how logic and emotion will always be at war, and how real strength comes from learning to navigate both.
Amanda doesn’t have all the answers. Neither do we. But what she does have is the courage to face herself, to make mistakes, and to keep moving forward—even when the path isn’t clear.
And that? That’s what makes her one of us.
If you’ve ever felt stuck between your head and your heart, this book will speak to you in ways you didn’t expect. Read AMANDA FRENCH and see just how much of yourself you find in her story.
The Framers of the Constitution envisioned that state governments, not the national government, would be the main unit of government.
