Introduction to Love and Self: A Romantic Novel

As young children, the lives of Seven Thomas and Lisa Harris briefly connect after Lisa’s parents unexpectedly abandon her. Their interaction had a profound effect on them both. When Lisa is sent to live with relatives, the two are sure they will never see each other again.

Eighteen years later, Seven often wonders what happened to the girl who lived down the hall. He never forgot her or the objectionable circumstances under which they lived. Lisa, now twenty-six, realizes that she has lived in a cocoon for years, putting her life on hold to care for her grandmother. Upon her grandmother’s death, she has no regrets, only an eagerness to begin anew. Lisa throws herself back into life, but after years of abuse, she shies away from romantic connections.

Fate steps in at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, bringing Seven and Lisa face to face with the past—and possibly their future. Seven is still scarred by his childhood—his father’s absence and his mother’s prostitution—and Lisa has never experienced true intimacy. Will they be able to take their lives in a new direction?

Introduction to Love and Self tells the passionate tale of a man and woman who share an indelible connection. Follow them as they embark upon a tantalizing sexual journey, seeking the trust and love that each desperately craves.

Native New Yorker Joan Vassar is an avid storyteller who enjoys weaving a great tale.