Wednesday, February 15, 2017
The Tulip Garden by Sarah Mathilde Callaway
The Tulip Garden
Sarah Mathilde Callaway
Genre: Romantic Fiction
Publisher: Reedsy
Publication date: 02/04/17
About
The Book:
The Book:
After receiving an urgent letter
from their aging grandmother, Arianna and her cousins, Angelica and Anastasia,
return to the Contini estate in the lush countryside near Florence where they
spent their childhood summers. Arianna is engaged to a London banker who has
put a ring on her finger but doesn’t give her the happiness she desires. When
Arianna arrives in Tuscany she rediscovers herself and her forgotten passion
for the land. She also encounters true love with Lorenzo, a man who lives his
life intensely without worrying about the future.
from their aging grandmother, Arianna and her cousins, Angelica and Anastasia,
return to the Contini estate in the lush countryside near Florence where they
spent their childhood summers. Arianna is engaged to a London banker who has
put a ring on her finger but doesn’t give her the happiness she desires. When
Arianna arrives in Tuscany she rediscovers herself and her forgotten passion
for the land. She also encounters true love with Lorenzo, a man who lives his
life intensely without worrying about the future.
Lorenzo, a simple farmer working
the Contini land, soon finds out that Arianna is Armando Contini’s
granddaughter. Their relationship is marred by this discovery and shortly
afterwards Lorenzo decides to go to Ireland to take over a run-down farm. The
tulip garden becomes Arianna’s refuge. She understands that true love has no
bounds and can overcome any obstacle.
the Contini land, soon finds out that Arianna is Armando Contini’s
granddaughter. Their relationship is marred by this discovery and shortly
afterwards Lorenzo decides to go to Ireland to take over a run-down farm. The
tulip garden becomes Arianna’s refuge. She understands that true love has no
bounds and can overcome any obstacle.
The
second novel in the Contini Cousins trilogy, ‘Le Rose di Shakespeare’
(Shakespeare’s Roses) will be published in summer 2017, set in Sarah’s city of
Verona.
second novel in the Contini Cousins trilogy, ‘Le Rose di Shakespeare’
(Shakespeare’s Roses) will be published in summer 2017, set in Sarah’s city of
Verona.
About
the Author
the Author
Sarah Mathilde Callaway lives in
fair Verona, the city perhaps best known for inspiring the setting for
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Sarah spends her days taking care of the
Lamberti Tower in Verona, the iconic 12th century monument that overlooks the
northern Italian city and is the third most visited attraction (after Juliet’s
House and the Verona Arena). And she spends her evenings immersed in her
passion for writing.
fair Verona, the city perhaps best known for inspiring the setting for
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Sarah spends her days taking care of the
Lamberti Tower in Verona, the iconic 12th century monument that overlooks the
northern Italian city and is the third most visited attraction (after Juliet’s
House and the Verona Arena). And she spends her evenings immersed in her
passion for writing.
Her love of storytelling and
writing began at the age of just 13, when she would draft her own versions of
English, Russian and French literature on an old typewriter. She has a degree
in writing and, in Italy, is affectionately known as the ‘Writer in the City of
Love’.
writing began at the age of just 13, when she would draft her own versions of
English, Russian and French literature on an old typewriter. She has a degree
in writing and, in Italy, is affectionately known as the ‘Writer in the City of
Love’.
Sarah adores writing romance, pen
in hand and heart afire, while watching the wind ruffling the treetops
surrounded by people living out their own love stories in the city that
inspired the world’s greatest ever love story.
in hand and heart afire, while watching the wind ruffling the treetops
surrounded by people living out their own love stories in the city that
inspired the world’s greatest ever love story.
Sarah is in an unusual position:
she is one of very few Italian indie authors to have her book, The Tulip
Garden, translated into English and released internationally. She has also
written historical and contemporary novels in Italian – so there are plenty
more novels ready for translation! Sarah is a member of EWWA (European Writing
Women Association) and a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America).
she is one of very few Italian indie authors to have her book, The Tulip
Garden, translated into English and released internationally. She has also
written historical and contemporary novels in Italian – so there are plenty
more novels ready for translation! Sarah is a member of EWWA (European Writing
Women Association) and a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America).
Interview with the author of The Tulip Garden
Sarah Mathilde Callaway
What inspired you to write a love story?
Since I was a little girl, I’ve always dreamt of writing love stories. That was my only possible destiny. But never would I have dared imagine that I would spend so much of my time so close to the place where the most famous love story of all time unfolded. Every morning, at dawn, I walk by the gate and look at the bronze statue of Juliet, then gaze at her balcony, thinking that love really has no limits.
How do you celebrate Valentine's Day in Verona? What traditions are there surrounding Valentine's Day that are specific to Italy?
The atmosphere in Verona during San Valentino is absolutely unique. Verona is among the most visited European cities during the days of the “Verona in Love” festival, when it truly breathes happiness. It’s amazing to see all the people in love, smiling, it’s something that stays with you for a lifetime.
What advice do you give to someone looking for love this Valentine's Day?
I’d tell them what I’ve told myself throughout my whole life. Love can bring you many shadows, and lead you to very dark places, but you have to keep on shining. This is why I enjoy dressing in bright clothes so I can shine!
What sort of response have you had to your book from the Italian readers?
I don’t really worry that much about what my readers think of my novels. Of course, it’s very gratifying when they write to me to say that they spent the whole night reading my novel, unable to put it down. However, I feel my destiny is not to sit around waiting for people to judge my writing, but to keep building something greater instead.
Why do you think your book would make a romantic and thoughtful gift for your loved one this Valentine's Day?
This will actually become a reality on Valentine’s Day in Italy since the “Verona in Love” Festival will be gifting novels by Sarah Mathilde Callaway to some of its thousands of international visitors. The English version of The Tulip Garden will be released in paperback on that day, so it will be the perfect gift: like a delicate flower, but passionate, thoughtful and bright, like the book’s cover. The day the English translator received my novel, she also got a bouquet of tulips as a present from a friend. Her friend knew nothing about my book so my translator saw this as destiny.
What's the formula for a successful romantic novel?
I think it’s the ability of the author to attract the reader into another dimension, letting them feel like they’re living the story themselves. Whatever role or traits of character the protagonist assumes, he needs to penetrate the mind of the reader and conquer him. For me, the success of a novel hangs in the balance between Art, Literature, Scenery, Harmony, Sentiments and Light. Like in a musical composition, the words need to mix to create a melody.
Would you ever write an erotic romantic fiction story?
I’ll be pushing myself to explore new horizons and forms of sensuality in my future novels. I’m not a series writer, so I can try pretty much anything. A few nights ago, I was looking at the bright stars in the sky, and thinking about the Orient and places I’m very attracted to. In that moment, I started envisioning a new literary endeavour around love and sensuality, which I’ll be exploring soon.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
Blast Stop for LOVE STORY by Lauren Layne
Over the course of one wild road trip,
feuding childhood sweethearts get a second chance at love.
LOVE STORY
a Love Unexpectedly novel
Lauren Layne
Releasing February 14th, 2017
Loveswept
Over the course of one wild road trip, feuding childhood sweethearts get a second chance at love in this charming rom-com—a standalone novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Blurred Lines and Good Girl.
When Lucy Hawkins receives a job offer in San Francisco, she can’t wait to spread her wings and leave her small Virginia hometown behind. Her close-knit family supports her as best they can, by handing over the keys to a station wagon that’s seen better days. The catch? The cross-country trip comes with a traveling companion: her older brother’s best friend, aka the guy who took Lucy’s virginity hours before breaking her heart.
After spending the past four years and every last dime caring for his sick father, Reece Sullivan will do just about anything to break free of the painful memories—even if it means a two-week road trip with the one girl who’s ever made it past his carefully guarded exterior. But after long days of bickering in the car turn into steamy nights in secluded motel rooms, Reece learns that, when it comes to Lucy, their story is far from over. And this time, they just might have a shot at a happy ending.
Although listed as a title in the Love Unexpectedly Series, all books in the series stand alone.
Lauren
Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
romantic comedies.
Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen
romantic comedies.
A former
e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York
City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.
e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York
City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.
She lives
in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart
romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In
LL's ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry
a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.
in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart
romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In
LL's ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry
a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.
Book Blast for Meredith Schorr Tour by Meredith Schorr
Meredith
Schorr Tour
by
Meredith Schorr
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GENRE:
Romantic Comedy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB: Just Friends With Benefits
When
a friend urges Stephanie Cohen not to put all her eggs in one
bastard, the advice falls on deaf ears. Stephanie’s college crush
on Craig Hille has been awakened thirteen years later as if soaked in
a can of Red Bull, and she is determined not to let the guy who got
away once, get away twice.
Stephanie,
a thirty-two-year-old paralegal from Washington, D.C., is a seventies
and eighties television trivia buff who can recite the starting
lineup of the New York Yankees and go beer for beer with the guys.
And despite her failure to get married and pro-create prior to
entering her thirties, she has so far managed to keep her overbearing
mother from sticking her head in the oven. Just Friends with Benefits
is the humorous story of Stephanie’s pursuit of love, her
adventures in friendship, and her journey to discover what really
matters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpt
Two:
Maybe I
was hoping to hear something a little bit more interesting.”
“Like
what?” I mumbled, “Details about our hot sex last night?”
before I could stop myself. It wasn’t an ideal way to open a
dialogue about what was happening between us, but it was something.
“Found
it,” Craig said before patting his GPS lovingly. “I don’t know
what I’d do without this baby.”
I gazed
at him in confusion until a look out the window confirmed we’d
arrived at the train station. While Craig parked his car, I muttered,
“That was quick.” He probably hadn’t heard what I said and now
my opportunity to discuss “us” had disappeared in his rear view
mirror and I had no idea when I’d have another chance. Maybe it was
the universe urging me not to push. I stepped out of the passenger
seat and followed Craig to the back of his car. While he opened the
trunk to remove my bag, I watched a young couple exchange a tearful
goodbye. Craig handed me my duffle bag. “Here you go. Are you okay
waiting here by yourself?”
I
glanced at my watch. My train wouldn’t arrive for another twelve
minutes. We didn’t have tons of time, but it might be enough to
discuss getting together again.
“I’d
stay with you, but it’s going to get dark soon, and I have a long
ride ahead of me.”
Or not.
BLURB: How Do You Know?
On
the eve of her thirty-ninth birthday, Maggie Piper doesn’t look,
act, or feel much different than she did at twenty-nine, but with her
fortieth birthday speeding toward her like a freight train, she
wonders if she should. The fear of a slowing metabolism, wrinkling of
her skin, and the ticking of her biological clock leaves Maggie torn
between a desire to settle down like most of her similarly-aged peers
and concern that all is not perfect in her existing relationship.
When a spontaneous request for a temporary break from her live-in
boyfriend results in a breakup, Maggie finds herself single once
again and only twelve months from the big 4.0.
As
Maggie reenters the New York City dating jungle, suitors present
themselves quickly, but who is “The One?” Is he a sexy coworker,
one of many bachelors at a speed-dating event, or is he the man she
already set free? How do you know? Her fun-loving friends and
supportive family, including meddlesome “no-filter” Aunt Helen,
eagerly share their (often unsolicited) opinions, but Maggie is
determined to find her own way, even if she falls on her
face—repeatedly.
BLURB: A State of Jane
Jane
Frank is ready to fall in love. It’s been a year since her first
and only relationship ended and far too long since the last time she
was kissed. With the LSAT coming up, she needs to find a boyfriend
(or husband) before acing law school and becoming a partner at her
father’s firm. There’s just one problem: all the guys in New York
City are flakes. Interested one day and gone the next, they seemingly
drop off the face of the earth with no warning and no explanation.
In
her misguided belief that life doesn’t really start until you get
married and have kids, Jane jumps from one extreme to the next trying
to force a happily ever after until she breaks. Will she ever find
her path, and can she do it without alienating her friends and family
and risking her career in the process?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR
Bio and Links:
A
born-and-bred New Yorker, Meredith Schorr discovered her passion for
writing when she began to enjoy drafting work-related emails way more
than she was probably supposed to. After trying her hand penning
children’s stories and blogging her personal experiences, Meredith
found her calling writing chick lit and humorous women’s fiction.
She secures much inspiration from her day job as a hardworking
trademark paralegal and her still-single (but looking) status.
Meredith is a loyal New York Yankees fan, an avid runner, and an
unashamed television addict. To learn more, visit her at
www.meredithschorr.com.
Social
media:
Twitter
- https://twitter.com/MeredithSchorr
Website:
www.meredithschorr.com
Buy
Links:
Just
Friends With Benefits
Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Just-Friends-Benefits-Meredith-Schorr-ebook/dp/B01N8RTCJ2/ref=pd_sbs_351_4
A
State of Jane
How
Do You Know?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY
INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE
Meredth
will be awarding a $20 Sephora Giftcard to a randomly drawn winner
via rafflecopter during the tour.
Parker by Jillian Quinn blitz
Parker
Jillian Quinn
(Face-Off Series #1)
Publication date: February 15th 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Former collegiate athlete and successful sports agent, Charlotte “Coach” Coachman, is a straight shooter who has a very strict policy—no dating clients. The loves of her life are coaching little league basketball and managing the careers of her players, leaving no room for men.Coach hasn’t met an athlete she couldn’t handle and a deal she couldn’t close—until she meets Alex Parker—the NHL’s most notorious bad boy both on and off the ice.
Alex is the best defenseman in the league, breaking records along with hearts. He’s made a name for himself as a womanizer, and after a scandal involving the owner’s granddaughter, Alex is traded to Philadelphia. Still reeling from the loss of his father, Alex is on a downward spiral, drowning himself in booze and women, until Coach takes him under her wing.
She might be attracted to the sexy hockey star, and certainly not immune to his charms, but Coach can see that Alex needs her help, and coaching players is what she does best. Now that the lines are blurred and the passion between them is too strong to deny, Coach has to decide if Alex is worth making an exception to her rules.
direct buy link for Parker: getBook.at/Parker
—
EXCERPT:
As my cell phone rings, Tony mumbles that he’s going to grab us a few more beers, and then he disappears into the hallway. I do not recognize the number on the caller ID, but I do know the 215 area code. Philadelphia.I press the button to answer, and before I can even say hello, a woman on the other end of the line says, “Parker, this is Coach. Mickey wanted me to call personally, so here you go. You’ve got me for all of two minutes and thirteen seconds.”
It takes me a minute to remember the name before I realize it’s Mickey’s girl, Charlotte Coachman. Her voice is so stern and confident, yet she’s exactly what I expected from what I’d heard about her from Mickey and some of her clients. She has made a name for herself in the sports world, and she’s one of the few women who didn’t sleep her way into that position, which is rare in this business.
“Hello to you, too, sweetheart.”
At first, she chuckles, but then her laughter slowly turns into a cackle. “Call me that again, Parker, and watch what happens. Let’s get something straight. I’m not one of your puck bunnies. I have a name. That name is Coach or Charlie, but it sure as hell isn’t sweetheart. You got that?”
This chick is crazy and feisty, and I kind of like it.
“One minute and thirty seconds.” She sounds like she’s chewing glass, the words harsh and painful on the tip of her tongue. “In the interest of saving ourselves the headache, I’ve arranged for my secretary to meet you at the apartment building. Please don’t look at her, smile in her direction, or flirt with her because I’m sick of replacing secretaries. I did you a solid with the Philly deal, so I’d appreciate you doing the same and keeping your hands to yourself.”
She went from intriguing to working my last nerve in a matter of seconds.
“Give me some credit at least. You make me out to be a total creep.”
“That’s not entirely off base, Parker. You seem to have a problem with keeping your pants on—or is it finding them?”
I can hear her covering the phone and chuckling to herself before she returns to being a mega bitch.
Damn those stupid YouTube videos.
“Forty-seven seconds.”
What is her problem?
She’s so uptight, she might snap in half.
“Like I was saying, Kayla will meet you at the building with the keys. If you need food, clothes, whatever, just let her know, and she will have it delivered. I put my ass on the line for you. Please make sure you’re at practice on time.”
“Sure thing, boss lady. Anything else?”
She sighs loudly into the receiver. “No. My cab is here, and I have to hang up. Mickey said you had the address and Kayla’s contact info. Just call her when you arrive. That’s all.”
I’m about to speak when I realize she already hung up on me and without even saying good-bye. I guess she sucks with them as much as I do.
Every second of our phone call replays in my mind as I try to wrap my head around what the hell just happened. It’s not hard to see why Charlotte is Mickey’s favorite agent and close friend. She’s the female version of him.
Author Bio:
Jillian loves Mafia men, sports, bad boys, dirty talkers, strong female characters, and books with plenty of heat, all of which you will find in her books. As a lover of all things bookish, she has a serious book hoarding problem and runs a book blog in her free time. When she's not reading, writing, or blogging, she's obsessively fangirling over hockey players and can be found wherever she can catch the next hockey game.
Still Love You by Allie Everhart blitz
Still Love You
Allie Everhart
Publication date: February 14th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Willow has had her life planned out since she was a little girl. So when her boyfriend, Silas, proposed when they were still in high school, she turned him down. Marrying Silas was not part of the plan.
Unlike Willow, Silas lives in the moment and lets his heart guide his decisions so he had no hesitations when he asked Willow to marry him. When she said no, he needed to get away so he took off to do volunteer work overseas.
Willow assumed she’d never see Silas again so she’s shocked when he shows up at her dorm room. For the past two years, she’s tried to forget him. Tried to move on. But she can’t. He was her first love. Her only love.
She still loves Silas, but is convinced they can’t be together. They want different things in life. It would never work. So why can’t she stop loving him?
Goodreads / Amazon / iBooks / Kobo
—
EXCERPT:
Silas
“Why were you flirting with her?” Willow asks. “You don’t live here. It’s not like you could date her.”
“I wasn’t flirting. I was just giving her my order.” I stretch my legs out under the table, letting them brush against Willow’s.
She crosses her legs and turns to me. “You were giving her the Silas smile. No girl can resist that and you know it. You were definitely flirting.”
“Why do you care?” I nudge her leg with mine and keep it there. I know I shouldn’t keep touching her but I can’t help it. I haven’t seen her forever and now that she’s here, I have this need to touch her, even in just an innocent way. I’m a very tactile person. Touch is a way I communicate, sometimes without even knowing it.
“I don’t care,” she says in a tone that implies the opposite. “Do what you want. I just don’t think you should flirt with some girl you have no intention of asking out. You’re leading her on.”
“A person can flirt without having it go anywhere.”
“Then what’s the purpose?”
Typical Willow logic at work. She has to have an answer to everything. An answer that makes sense to her.
“There doesn’t have to be a purpose.” I know that comment will get her going, but I put it out there anyway.
“Of course there does. You can’t just do something for no reason.”
“Fine.” I lean across the table and give her that Silas smile she was referring to. “I flirted with her so she’d get your order correct. I’m sure they’re not used to having to follow such specific guidelines for making a burger. I was just making sure they got it right.”
She sighs. “I appreciate your efforts but you don’t have to resort to selling your body just to get my order correct.”
I laugh and sit back. “I wasn’t selling my body. It was just a smile.”
“I think that girl would like more than that.” Willow holds up the receipt, which has a phone number written on back with the words ‘call me.’
“Huh. I wondered what she wrote on there.” I take the receipt and shove it in my pocket.
“You’re keeping it?” Willow looks disgusted with me.
I shrug. “You never know.”
“Never know what?”
Before I can answer, our food arrives, delivered by a short, scrawny kid who doesn’t look legally old enough to work. He’s probably the little brother of the girl at the register. They look similar.
“Wait.” Willow stops him before he leaves. “Could you get us another cup for the milkshake? And another straw?”
He nods and walks off.
I set the basket of fries between us as Willow inspects her burger, lifting the top of the bun.
“Is it the way you wanted it?” I ask.
“Yes. It’s perfect.” She puts the bun back in place. “But your flirting trick didn’t completely work. She forgot the cup and the straw.”
“That’s because you asked for that, not me.” I smile, then take a big bite of my burger.
“Whatever,” she mumbles, picking up a fry.
She eats fries one at a time, whereas I grab several and eat them all at once. That’s why we always shared an order. It would take Willow forever to finish a basket of fries on her own, eating them one at a time like that.
I wonder if she shares her fries when she goes out with other guys. I try not to think about that. Thinking about her with another guy makes me angry and I never get angry. Except when it comes to Willow. She brings out all my emotions. The good, the bad, the in-between. This girl gets to me the way no one else can.
When I left two years ago, I wasn’t sure I’d ever see her again, and now, working for her parents, I’ll see her every day.
This is going to be a very interesting summer.
Author Bio:
Allie Everhart started writing romance three years ago with Choosing You, the first book in the bestselling Jade Series. Since then, she’s published eighteen books. Allie writes romance because she loves watching a relationship develop between her characters, from those first flirty encounters to the point they realize they’re in love. Allie's always been a romantic, as evidenced by her early years as a wedding singer, her obsession with dating shows, and the fact that she still watches reruns of The Love Boat.
GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
One Distant Summer by Serena Clarke
One Distant Summer
by Serena ClarkeSweet Hot Summer, #1
Publication Date: January 30, 2017
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
GET THE EBOOK AT iBOOKS | KOBO | BARNES & NOBLE
AMAZON USA | AMAZON UK | AMAZON GERMANY | AMAZON AUSTRALIA | AMAZON CANADA
GET THE PAPERBACK AT AMAZON USA | AMAZON UK | AMAZON CANADA | CREATESPACE
BOOK DEPOSITORY | BOOKSAMILLION | INDIEBOUND | BARNES & NOBLE
Jacinda Prescott spent one life-changing summer in Sweet Breeze Bay, New Zealand, and left disaster in her wake. Since then, she’s thrown herself into her music career, and her life in LA. But when the price of fame threatens to become more than she’s willing to pay, the distant bay calls her back.
Liam Ward walked away from everything he knew after the death of his talented brother, the guy Jacinda loved and lost. When he finally returns to the bay, looking for closure, she’s the last person he expects to find—and the last woman he should fall for.
Stuck as neighbors for the summer, their off-limits attraction is hotter than the South Pacific sun. But the secret that ties them together is the one thing that could destroy her career, and break their hearts all over again…if they let it.
About Serena Clarke
Serena Clarke writes feel-good contemporary romance with sweetness AND heat. Readers have described her books as engaging page-turners, with sigh-worthy happy endings that’ll leave you smiling.
Her own story? She’s lived in thirty-nine houses, in seven cities, in four countries. She’s been a riding instructor, edited a medical journal, worked in a London law firm, and taught English as a second language to wayward teenagers. And now she’s found her own happy ending – near the beach in beautiful New Zealand, writing the kind of sweet, hot books she loves to read. She hopes you’ll love them too!
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