A Christmas Bride {+ Giveaway}

It seems the Christmas spirit is hanging around so it’s a good time to be participating in author Hope Ramsay’s A CHRISTMAS BRIDE Release Week Blitz.

I’m sharing my thoughts on this entertaining story as part of the blitz. In addition, you have the chance to win a copy of this book through a tour-wide giveaway. Please see the end of the post for more giveaway details.

ABOUT THE BOOK

◊Title: A CHRISTMAS BRIDE

◊Author: Hope Ramsay

◊Series: Chapel of Love, #1

◊On Sale: September 27, 2016

◊Publisher: Forever

◊Mass Market: $7.99 USD

◊eBook:  $7.99 USD

Add to Goodreads

A brand new contemporary romance series from USA Today bestselling author Hope Ramsay centered on a small-town wedding chapel!

A season of hope…'Tis the season in Shenandoah Falls and the first time Willow Peterson has been home in years. But she's determined to fulfill the wishes of her recently deceased best friend and restore Eagle Hill Manor to its former glory—all in time to host the perfect holiday wedding. She just has to get the owner of the historic inn to hire her. Unfortunately, that means dealing with Scrooge himself...

          After the death of his wife, David Lyndon has a bah-humbug approach to Christmas. But as December counts down and the wedding planning is in full swing, it's harder and harder to stay immune to the charms of Willow, especially when he sees how much joy she brings his eight-year-old daughter. After a simple kiss under the mistletoe turns into something more, David is hoping he can turn the magic of the holiday season into the love of a lifetime.

A CHRISTMAS BRIDE is available to purchase at the following sites:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Books-A-Million

Google Play

iBooks

Indiebound

Kobo

THE CHAPEL OF LOVE SERIES

A Fairytale Bride, #.5

A Christmas Bride, #1

A Small Town Bride, #2

Series Page on Goodreads

Author Hope Ramsay Photo Credit Wess Brown

Hope Ramsay is a USA Today bestselling author of heartwarming contemporary romances. Her books have won critical acclaim and publishing awards. She is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her Southern heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Virginia where, when she's not writing, she's knitting or playing her forty-year-old Martin guitar.

For more on Hope and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

To keep up with the latest on your favorite author and series, follow FOREVER online. You can visit their website and connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

I had the good fortune to read the print copy of the book as part of the blitz and then I had a chance to listen to the audio version. I highly recommend both.

Through rich descriptions and details author Hope Ramsay has you feeling the frustrations and broken dreams of her protagonist, Willow Peterson, in this delightful story of optimism.

Narrator Linda Henning does a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life with their own distinct voices. Her timing and inflections add depth to this story filled with emotions. Henning’s vocals hold you captive as the story unfolds.

The quaint setting of the historical inn draws you in with its charm and appeal. The quirky cast of characters enhance the story with their mix of lifestyles and beliefs that amalgamates in a unique community.

The story moves smoothly and at a good pace with a few surprises along the way. There’s a good blend of family and friends, heartbreak and happiness, and disappointment and hope. Willow’s desire and determination to fulfill her friend’s dream is inspiring.

A CHRISTMAS BRIDE is a feel-good book perfect to read/listen to any season of the year. It's an entertaining start to a promising new series.

A Christmas Bride by Hope Ramsay, Chapel of Love series (Book #1), Narrated by Linda Henning, Hachette Audio, @2016, ASIN: BO1MOURBB6, Unabridged, Audible Audio, Run Time: 8 Hours and 10 Minutes - ISBN: 978-1455564804, Forever, Mass Market Paperback, 336 Pages

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of the audio and book were sent to me by the publishers in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copies did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

The tour-wide giveaway is for ten (10) mass market paperback copies of A CHRISTMAS BRIDE by Hope Ramsay.

For your chance to win one of these copies, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget may take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by during Hope’s blitz stop. Are you in the Christmas spirit yet? Do you have a favorite Christmas book you read every year?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Forever Romance Tour And Giveaway

I’m delighted to be a part of the Forever Romance Tour helping present romance lovers with the chance to have some fun with contemporary romance writers Bella Riley and Hope Ramsay! 

Bella’s new release is WITH THIS KISS, the second installment in her Emerald Lake series, and Hope’s latest release is LAST CHANCE BEAUTY QUEEN, the third installment in her Last Chance series.

Thanks to both ladies and the good folks at Grand Central Publishing, I have 3 sets (both books) to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway guidelines. 

Now the ladies have graciously answered some questions for me.

Mason - What is an average writing day like for you? Do you write longhand and on the computer, have a favorite place to write, a favorite time to write? 

BELLA - I wake up early, get my kids ready for school, do a walk through the local vineyards with my husband, and then sit down at my computer to write. My books have a lot of emotion, so before I type a word, I must dial into each character – what are they thinking in the scene, how should they be feeling. If I can get their emotions down, it's easier to get the words to flow. 

I usually write in my home office, but will take my computer anywhere I need to – a coffee shop, little league practice, an airplane, etc. 

HOPE - I try to get in three hours of writing a day, usually between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Because I own a small consulting firm, I have the luxury of writing in my office. Of course, there are times when the day job intrudes. I really try to limit that by scheduling my writing time in the morning. 

I get to work around 8 a.m. and spend two hours dealing with emails, then I go quiet for three hours. I spend the rest of my day dealing with day-job issues.

 

Mason - Do you just jump right into a story or do you plan and outline? 

BELLA - I usually know the hero and heroine quite well and have a broad outline for the story. Of course, as I’m writing the characters don't always end up behaving exactly as they should. If that means throwing out the outline, then I do.  
HOPE - No, I'm not a jump right into the story kind of person. I'm quite the opposite. I usually start with my hero and heroine and think about what they want and need to be complete, loving people. I need to know why they want what the want and what motivates their inner conflicts. And then I think about all the obstacles that stand in the way of my hero and heroine getting what they want or need.  

I write all that down, and pretty soon I've got all kinds of ideas for scenes. I'll try to put these ideas into an outline and only then do I start writing. My outline helps get me started, but it always evolves as I write. 

  
Hope answered an extra question for me.

Mason - What is the worst advice you’ve ever received concerning writing?

  
HOPE - Well the ironic thing is that the worst advice I ever got was also the best advice. Life is often like that. The conventional wisdom is that an author should write what he or she knows.

My reaction to this advice has always been, "What? If J. R.R. Tolkien wrote only what he knew, then we wouldn't have hobbits!" On its face, this advice to write what you know is not terribly helpful. And yet, on a deeper level, Tolkien made his Hobbits into an avatar for something good and true in the make up of Englishmen -- something Tolkien knew very well. Tolkien wrote what he knew. His hobbits came right from the heart.  

So to me the best advice, always, is to be true to your heart. Write what your heart knows, even if you end up writing about angels and have never had the pleasure of meeting one in person. 

Bella and Hope, thanks so much for answering these questions for me. I always enjoy learning what a writer’s day is like.

Now for a bit of background on these lovely authors and a brief synopsis of their books.

Bella Riley has always been a writer. Songs came

first, and then nonfiction books, but as soon as she started her first romance novel, she knew she'd found her perfect career. Since selling her first book in 2003 (under the name Bella Andre), Bella has written more than 20 "empowered stories enveloped in heady romance" (Publishers Weekly). Her books have been translated into German, Thai, Japanese, and Ukrainian, and two of her bestselling books have been Cosmopolitan Red Hot Reads. When she's not behind her computer, you can find her reading, hiking, knitting, or lunching with her favorite romance-writing friends. 

Bella and her fabulous husband and children divide their time between Northern California and a 90-year-old lakefront log cabin in New York's Adirondack Mountains. To learn more about Bella and the Emerald Lake series, visit www.BellaRiley.com. 

Here’s a synopsis of her book: 
The sparks continue to fly in Emerald Lake…
Despite such a close friendship, Rebecca Campbell never saw fireworks with her fiancé. Now with a broken engagement behind her and a promise she has vowed to keep, Rebecca is determined to make a new life for herself in Emerald Lake – a quaint town in the breathtaking Adirondack Mountains. 

 
When Sean Murphy heads home, he never expects to fall for his younger brother’s girlfriend – but that is exactly what has happened. With a smile like sunshine and a wonderful heart, Sean feels something he has never felt before…at home. 

  
Neither Rebecca nor Sean anticipated the sparks to fly so quickly. Lingering secrets aside, Sean can't deny the obvious attraction and burning desire he has for Rachel. But how can he give his heart to a woman he can't trust – or can he? As the days pass and his resolve is tested, Sean begins to realize Emerald Lake is home sweet home and that it is the perfect place for falling in love. 

Hope Ramsay was born in New York and grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. Hope earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Buffalo and has had various jobs working as a Congressional aide, a lobbyist, a public relations consultant, and a meeting planner. 

She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her 35-year-old Martin guitar. For more on Hope and her writing, visit www.hoperamsay.com

Here’s a brief synopsis of her book:
Gracious me, my daughter Rocky sure could use my help. I always knew she wasn’t much interested in the local boys—but who’d have thought she’d come home with English royalty. Trouble is, Hugh wants to buy some of our folks’ land. We don’t want to sell, but Rocky’s job depends on her closing the deal. And though Hugh’s obviously smitten, I’m not sure he’s right for my Rocky. After forty years with my Elbert, all I want is to see my little girl find the same. Well, always nice talking to you, and remember: the Cut ‘n’ Curl’s got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town. 

  
Here are the giveaway guidelines. To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Romance Tour Set.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. In addition, the publisher advises winners that they will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title in the mail. (Winners here have always be great about letting me know if they have already won the book somewhere else so another winner can be selected. However, this announcement is something that has to be passed along from the publisher). And, just so you know, I don’t share the mailing information or use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance at one of 3 sets (which includes a copy of  WITH THIS KISS - ISBN: 9780446584227 and a copy of LAST CHANCE BEAUTY QUEEN - ISBN: 9780446576086) will be 8 p.m. (EST) on Friday, March 16.

Share your thoughts on today’s post. Have you read either of these series before? Do you enjoy reading romance among other genres? Thanks so much for visiting today.

Forever Contemporary Romance Tour And Giveaway

The Forever Contemporary Romance Blog Tour of authors Hope Ramsay and Bella Riley makes a stop here today to tell about their latest releases and a giveaway.

Hope is the author of HOME AT LAST CHANCE (ISBN: 9780446576109), the second installment in her Chance series. Bella is the author of HOME SWEET HOME (ISBN: 9780446584210), an Emerald Lake novel.

Thanks to both ladies and the good folks at Grand Central Publishing, I have 3 sets of books (each set includes a copy of HOME AT LAST CHANCE and a copy of HOME SWEET HOME) to give away. Please see the end of the post for the giveaway details.

Here’s a brief synopsis of HOME AT LAST CHANCE:  Dear Reader, You won't believe what's happened. My son Tulane has come back home! You remember Tulane? He'd set out to find fame and fortune in the big, wide world outside of Last Chance, and I'm mighty proud. But that's not the half of it-Tulane isn't only back, he's brought a young lady with him. 

Now Sarah-she does PR for Tulane's stock-car team-she's from Boston, but she's just about the sweetest girl you could meet. I think she's meant to keep Tulane out of trouble after that story in the papers, but he doesn't want to talk about it. Anyhow, the Ladies Auxiliary can't wait to start matchmaking and introduce Sarah to our Reverend Ellis. But mark my words, Sarah is tired of being a good girl. And no one is better at breaking the rules and raising Cain than my son . . . 

Listen to me going on and keeping customers waiting. I best get back to work, but you come round again. The Cut 'n' Curl's got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon, Ruby Rhodes 

Now for some fun facts about Hope and her writing. 

* Hope didn't start out a NASCAR fan. In fact, when she first met her Georgia-born husband, she gave him no end of grief for sitting in front tube every Sunday watching cars go around in circles. Not to mention the fights they had over control of the remote when Hope wanted to watch the Redskins play on Sunday afternoons. But then Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs retired from football and formed a NASCAR team. When he hired the hunky Bobby LaBonte as a driver, all bets were off. Hope is a LaBonte fan for life, and it's only natural that Tulane look a little bit like him. 

* The first time Hope heard the song "Good to Bad to Worse to Gone," by the country band Riccochet, she knew she wanted to write a story about a preacher's daughter who excels at every naughty thing her bad boy lover has to teach her. 

* Hope's mother-in-law was really good at expressing her disdain just by raising one eyebrow. Hope's husband always referred to this expression as Mother's look. One time Hope tried to give one of her kids this look and the kid looked right back, shook his head, and informed her that her LOOK was inferior. "Mom," he said, "You look like you've got gas pains." This sassy comeback found its way into the opening scene of HOME AT LAST CHANCE. 

* When Hope was writing the scenes right after Pete's death, she wanted to find some humorous way to show Tulane's grief. She was stumped until fabulous critique partner told her a funny story about being a little kid at a funeral, banished to the kids table, where everyone was kind of bored. The kids started drinking soda pop, and petty soon they were trying to outdo each other in burping their way through the alphabet. This story was too good not to put somewhere in a book. 

* Hope is a big fan of the singer-songwriter David Wilcox. Wilcox's song, "Language of the Heart," is the one she plays every time she needs to write a love scene. The song is all about how what people say in words is different than what their bodies say when they are making love. Nothing could be more true of Sarah and Tulane in HOME AT LAST CHANCE. 

To read an excerpt from HOME AT LAST CHANCE, click on this link.
 
For a bit of background on Hope. She was born in New York and grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. Hope earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Buffalo and has had various jobs working as a Congressional aide, a lobbyist, a public relations consultant, and a meeting planner. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar. 

Here’s a brief synopsis of HOME SWEET HOME: What if you can go home again? Ten years and two hundred miles. That's what separates Andi Powell from quiet, secluded Emerald Lake-and that's exactly how she likes it. But now her job brings her back to the hometown she's tried so hard to forget . . . and to Nate Duncan, the man she's never been able to. 

Ten years and two hundred miles. That's what separates Andi Powell from quiet, secluded Emerald Lake-and that's exactly how she likes it. But now her job brings her back to the hometown she's tried so hard to forget . . . and to Nate Duncan, the man she's never been able to.

Nate once looked at Andi with love in his eyes. But that was before she left him in the dust to pursue her big-city dreams. Now he's the town's ruggedly handsome mayor with the power to break Andi's career like she broke his heart. As the two clash over the future of Emerald Lake, the sparks that fly between them rekindle a passion neither of them can deny.

Andi may have left town looking for the life she thought she wanted. But could everything she needs have been in Emerald Lake all along? 

Here are some fun facts about Bella and her writing. 

* As soon as Bella started knitting, she knew she wanted to write a book with a yarn store in it. Lake Yarns from HOME SWEET HOME is that dream store come to life at Emerald Lake. The first thing Bella knitted was a fingerless mitten. Yes, just one mitten. One day soon, she plans to knit another. If only there weren't so many other lovely things to finish knitting first like shawls and sweaters and blankets…. 

* The old carousel in HOME SWEET HOME is inspired by a real carousel that used to reside in Bella's lake town. She found out about the history of this carousel while visiting the Shelburne Museum in Vermont with her family, which now displays parts of the carousel in its "circus" barn. 

* Before writing romance novels, Bella was a professional musician. Now, instead of writing and playing music, she listens to it all day as she writes. While writing HOME SWEET HOME, she was inspired by such songs as "The Gallery" by Joni Mitchell, the Sound of Music soundtrack, and Taylor Swift's latest album (particularly "Back to December" and "Last Kiss"). 

* At one point, Andi and Nate (the heroine and hero) are looking up at the clouds in the sky and Nate starts pointing out shapes that look like people and things, rather than just clouds. This was entirely inspired by Bella's husband, who sat with her on the end of the dock one day and showed her the magic of the sky. The very next day she wrote that scene. 

* HOME SWEET HOME centers on the community at Emerald Lake, a small fictional town in the heart of the Adirondacks. Bella is lucky enough to spend summers at her family's 100-year-old cabin on a lake in upstate New York. In fact, her lake has quite a literary tradition, as the late author John D. MacDonald also used to spend summers at his cabin just down the road 

For a bit of background on Bella. She has always been a writer. Songs came first, and then non-fiction books, but as soon as she started her first romance novel, she knew she'd found her perfect career. Since selling her first book in 2003 (under the name Bella Andre), Bella has written more than 20 "empowered stories enveloped in heady romance" (Publishers Weekly). Her books have been translated into German, Thai, Japanese, and Ukrainian, and two of her bestselling books have been Cosmopolitan Red Hot Reads. When she's not behind her computer, you can find her reading, hiking, knitting, or lunching with her favorite romance-writing friends. Bella and her fabulous husband and children divide their time between Northern California and a ninety-year-old lakefront log cabin in New York's Adirondack Mountains. To learn more about the Emerald Lake series, visit www.BellaRiley.com. 

Now for the giveaway details. To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com). Your subject line should read, “Win Romance Tour Set.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. Grand Central Publishing advises winners that they will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy (set in this case) of the title in the mail. (Winners here have always be great about letting me know if they have already won the book somewhere else so another winner can be selected. However, this announcement is something that has to be passed along.) And, just so you know, I don’t share the mailing information or use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance at 1 of the 3 sets from the CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE TOUR is 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope I’ve snagged your interest in one or both of these intriguing romance reads.

Author Hope Ramsay Visits With A Giveaway

I’m please to welcome author Hope Ramsay to Thoughts in Progress today as the special guest blogger as she makes a stop on her virtual book tour.

Hope’s latest book, WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE, was released March 1. Here’s a brief synopsis of the book:  
Dear Reader,  
    Yes, our town is way off the beaten path, but strange, wonderful miracles happen a lot around here.
    I've owned the Cut 'n' Curl beauty shop for years, and I've seen folks come for a visit, then stay for a lifetime. Take Jane-that pretty firecracker of a girl who just arrived in town. I would swear she's running from something. She came with only five dollars in her pocket but she's worked real hard to make a fresh start. She's turned my son Clay's life upside down without even realizing it.
    And thank goodness for that! Ever since Clay left his country western band, he's played everything too safe. He needs to take a chance on Jane. Besides, the more he tries to keep his distance, the more he'll realize that he and Jane are singing the same tune.
    But I should quit ramblin' and go check on Millie's permanent wave. Next time you're in Last Chance, be sure to swing by. We've got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes

Thanks to Hope and Anna at Little, Brown and Company, I have 2 copies of WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE to giveaway. Please see the end of the post for the guidelines.

Hope was kind enough to indulge my curious nature and answer some questions for me about her writing.

Mason - What inspired WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE?

HOPE - Inspiration comes from everywhere, so I can't say that one specific thing inspired WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE. I had been thinking about writing a story about a singer-songwriter hero for a long time. And I hit upon the idea of giving him a heroine who is on the run from something. I have no idea where that idea came from, but it was there in my brain for a long time before I ever started writing this story.

And then one day I was driving in my car, stuck in traffic, and the song Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts came on the radio. I knew right then I had to write a book about two people who've made a lot of mistakes, but the mistakes made them ready for one another. It took a while to combine the idea of a book about a singer-songwriter with the Rascal Flatt's song, but when I finally sat down to plot out the story, it felt like my characters and the theme from the song fit perfectly together.

Mason - Did you start out to write a series or did it just develop as you began writing?

HOPE - No, I didn't start out to write a series. A number of years ago I wrote a story based on a little town in South Carolina where I spent my summers as a child. It was one of my earlier efforts at writing fiction. It didn't sell, which is a blessing for readers. 

I shelved the story, but several minor characters refused to leave my brain. They would pop out at odd moments and demand stories of their own.

Like most writers, I listen to the voices in my head. So, I started again, this time fictionalizing the town to give myself more flexibility to make it larger and quirkier than real life. Before I knew what had happened, I had written three more stories about people who either live in, or hail from, Last Chance, South Carolina. The last of those stories is WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE.  When my agent read this story, she suggested that we make it the first story in a series--but she required me to go back to the drawing board and work on coming up with a series arc that could carry from book to book.

I decided to base my series arc on the trials and troubles of Haley Rhodes, a seven-year-old with an unusual imaginary friend she calls the Sorrowful Angel. Haley will be in all four books of the series, but readers will have to wait until book four to find out how Haley gets the Sorrowful Angel back to Heaven.

I spent a lot of time in 2009 rewriting WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE and one of the earlier stories to make them fit together as parts of a series. By late 2009 I had a series proposal together that included WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE and a significantly rewritten version of one of the earlier stories, as well as chapters and outlines for two more, new stories. Forever Romance bought the series in February 2010. 

Mason - What was the most difficult part of writing this book?

HOPE - The most difficult scene for me comes right after a dramatic turn approximately in the middle of the book that I can't write about without spoiling the story. I had intended for Clay and Jane to have a showdown where Clay would demand a full explanation of Jane's shady and mysterious past. My outline had it plotted that way. But I couldn't make it happen on the page. Clay just didn't want to force Jane into a full confession. I soon realized that Clay was not ready to hear the truth, and Jane was not ready to tell it. By having my hero take a deep breath and tell the heroine he's okay with not knowing what she's running from, he makes a big leap of faith (which is growth for him). More important, the heroine learns she can trust Clay. The scene is so much better because I listened to what the characters were telling me, instead of sticking to my point-by-point outline. Of course this scene completely screwed up the rest of the outline, but that's sometimes the fun of writing a book. You never really know what's going to happen next, even when you're the author.

Mason - What is your writing schedule like - a favorite place to write or favorite time?

HOPE - I am both blessed and cursed because I own my own small consulting company. Being my own boss means that my schedule is flexible, but it also means I work long hours, and I travel more than I would like. I have to juggle the writing along with a wide variety of demands from my clients. 

My writing space is wherever I can plug in the laptop. I've been know to write on planes, trains, and moving automobiles. Word of warning--do not write anything steamy in an airplane. I did that once, and the guy sitting next to me decided he could strike up a conversation. It was awkward.

Mason -  What's next for the residents of Last Chance, SC?

HOPE - The next book in the series is HOME AT LAST CHANCE, which features Clay's younger brother, Tulane, who is a stock car driver. Tulane has a huge problem -- his sponsor, Cottontail Disposable Diapers, has painted his racecar baby pink and put a snuggle bunny on the hood. Even worse, Tulane and his pit crew have to wear pink flame retardant bunny suits every Sunday during the races.

Tulane, the quintessential bad boy, rebels against this assault on his good ol' boy masculinity. In response, Cottontail Diapers sends the prim Bostonian and marketing genius, Sarah Murray, to whip him into shape. Sarah immediately takes charge of Tulane's life. But when she starts bonding with Tulane's mother and the rest of the member of the Last Chance Ladies Auxiliary, he has to do something quick. So, he decides to get Sarah into trouble. Only problem is, he finds out that good little Sarah has a real talent for breaking the rules that just might cost him his career or his heart, or maybe both. 

Look for HOME AT LAST CHANCE in bookstores this fall.

Hope, thank you so much for stopping by and giving us some background on your book. It’s fun to know the characters tend to rule the story more than the authors.

Now for a little background on Hope. She was born in New York and grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. Hope earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Buffalo and has had various jobs working as a Congressional aide, a lobbyist, a public relations consultant, and a meeting planner. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar.

For more on Hope and the citizens of Last Chance, South Carolina, visit her website at HopeRamsay.com or find her on Facebook.

Here are the giveaway guidelines. To enter this giveaway, send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Last Chance.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The contest is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada only and no post office box addresses can be accepted. In addition, Hachette advises winners that they will be subject to the one copy per household rule, which means that if they win the same title in two or more contests, they will receive only one copy of the title in the mail. (Winners here have always be great about letting me know if they have already won the book somewhere else so another winner can be selected. However, this announcement is something that has to be passed along from Hachette). And, just so you know, I don’t share the mailing information or use it for any other purpose. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance at one of 2 copies of WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE (ISBN: 9780446576093), a 368 page paperback, will be 8 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, March 26.

What are your thoughts on small towns for settings? Would you rather the story take place in a real town or fictional?