Erika Ashby

Moving Forward is Author Erika Taylor’s Debut Novel , and let me tell you it is one heck of a FANTASTIC debit novel.

Right from the Prologue in Jake’s POV, I was pulled right in . Your left wondering what he is hiding and then BAM , he is gone just like that .

Jesika is a sweet, caring, loving, single mom who just lost her husband Jake in an accident . She goes through the motions everyday with a fake smile on her face working to keep herself together for her son .Her Best friend Mallory is there to help her every step of the way , everyday .

About a year after Jake Dies , Jesika is going to Jax’s school for career day , and while there she see’s a man in a firefighter suit and loses it and runs out of the classroom and goes out to sit on the stairs to collect her emotions . That’s When she meets Derek . There is an instant connection with him and she is able to calm her emotions down just by sitting beside Derek. They chat for a little bit and then go their separate ways .

"Staying away from her has been damn near impossible. I feel drawn to her like there's a force field of energy that has been pulling me into her life."

Derek , Firefighter by day , drummer in a band by night The Rifters ( which is also Jesika’s favorite local band) and a single dad …. Swoon material 100% . He is sexy, hot, compassionate, caring and everything every girl is looking for in a man . He had noticed Jesika Long before she noticed him that day at school on Career day . He has been in the background watching her for over a year now .

“I'm done holding back, just because she probably isn't ready for any sort of relationship doesn't mean I can't get to know her. For some insane reason, I feel like I can help pull her the rest of way through. I can show her how to keep moving forward by just being there for her.”

The next time these two meet up Jesika discovers Derek on the stage at the concert for a local band they like as their drummer . After chatting for a few minutes , Derek can’t let her just walk away and asks her to go out with him the next night for dinner. She says Yes of course .


"It's not that Derek brought me out of that depression I had found myself in, but he helped me pull myself the rest of the way out. he made me want to give this crazy thing we call life my full attention again. Take Chances, love a little, free fall, take a leap of faith, put yourself out there for the chance of getting it ripped to shreds. Put your heart on the line with hopes that someone won't leave it there to wither away."

They start to build a relationship and they discover that they have a lot in common with each other and very similar likes . They seem to be building a great relationship together .

We discover though that Derek is keeping secrets , he is trying his hardest to find the right time to tell her and not lose everything they have built together so far. Then one day their pasts come back to haunt them both. Can they work through what has come crashing down on them ? Will the feelings and love they feel for each other be enough to get them through it all ?

There are a few twists, turns, loneness, and happiness . Can they get through it all together ? Did fate step in to bring these two together when they would need each other the most?


"There's so much I want to share with you Jesika, so much. If you'll just let me"


There is a Happy ending , although you will shed some tears before you get to it , But I will say this those tears are surely worth it in the end.

I can not wait for the story to unfold between Mallory (Jesika’s BF and Seth (The lead singer in the band and also Derek’s Brother)

We get a little taste of these two after the epilogue and are left wanting a lot more . I was not expecting what Erika Throws at us in the Mallory Chapter . I was like NO WAY GET OUTTA TOWN !!!! Look for No Going Back in the Fall of 2013

“Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward."


… (mehr)