As the cooler temperatures of fall close in around us, it’s fun to pick up a book and be transported to warm, sunny beaches. With that in mind, I’d thrilled to be participating in author Roxanne St. Claire’s blog tour for BAREFOOT BY THE SEA.As part of this amazing tour, Roxanne is sharing an excerpt from her new release and offering an awesome giveaway – a full print set of BAREFOOT BAY books (4 in all) to one lucky winner (more on that at the end of the post). In addition, she is also offering SIGNED copies of BAREFOOT BY THE SEA through her local bookstore so check out this link - http://bit.ly/18lyqlq - for more information.
If you’re a Facebook fan then you can connect with Roxanne there, as well. She will be hosting a live FB chat on today (Oct. 30th) from 8 until 9 p.m. (EST). You'll be able to ask her all your burning questions about the characters and the series.
BAREFOOT BY THE SEA is available to purchase at the following links:
http://bit.ly/1biwJUZ
http://amzn.to/1adNfoX
http://bit.ly/16vEDNn
Remember, the signed copy can be purchased at this link: http://bit.ly/18lyqlq
Here’s a synopsis of BAREFOOT BY THE SEA:
When you think you know your heart's desire . . .
Tessa Galloway is a gifted nurturer-her verdant garden at Barefoot Bay's new resort is living proof. If only the woman who can grow anything could grow what she wants most: a baby. Her friends think the right guy will come along, but Tessa doesn't want to wait. All she needs is the perfect donor to make her dream come true. Then John Brown is hired at the resort. If anyone could make beautiful babies, it's this gorgeous, mysterious man. So why does Tessa suddenly find herself wanting so much more?
Can you give up all your dreams for love?
It's been three long years since John Brown had to leave his old life. Forced into the witness protection program, he's desperate to be reunited with his toddler twins. When he gets that chance, there's a catch-he must prove he's got a steady job and a new wife. Landing a gig as a chef in Barefoot Bay is easy enough. And falling for lovely Tessa is even easier. The hard part? Can he win the heart of a woman who prizes honesty-when the truth may shatter it?
Tessa wants a baby, but “John” won’t give her that. Ian wants a wife, but he has to lie to get Tessa to be his. As they take tentative steps toward making their personal dreams come true, the unexpected happens and their feelings deepen and grow. Then there’s only one choice to make: will one of them have to give up everything for love?
BAREFOOT BY THE SEA is the fourth in the Barefoot Bay “quartet” but it is NOT the last Barefoot Bay book! There will be six more titles in the next year or so...three of them coming very soon this winter.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
First published in 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a RITA® Award-winning author of thirty novels, including her bestselling Bullet Catchers and Guardian Angelinos series. Her critically acclaimed books have been published in numerous languages and recognized with multiple awards including the National Readers' Choice Award, the Daphne du Maurier Award, and the HOLT Medallion, all for best romantic suspense. She currently lives on the east coast of Florida with her husband and two teenagers. For more on Roxanne and her work, check out the following links:
http://www.roxannestclaire.com
@RoxanneStClaire
http://facebook.com/RoxanneStClaire
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
This giveaway is for the Barefoot Bay Series (4 print books in all) and is open to residents of the U.S. only.
To enter this giveaway, please send me an e-mail (mcbookshelf@gmail.com) with the subject line, “Win Barefoot Bay Series.” Your message should include your name and mailing address. The deadline to enter this giveaway for a chance to win the Barefoot Bay Series is 8 p.m. (EST) on Thursday, Nov. 7.
AN EXCERPT:
Here’s an excerpt to entice your reading taste buds even more. Thanks for stopping by today and Happy Reading!
“Tessa,” he said softly, looking from side to side for a second. “I have to tell you something about me. Something you didn’t ask in your interview.”
Interesting, since he didn’t even answer the questions she did ask. Still, she waited, dying to see where he’d go with this.
“I don’t shy away from anything,” he finally said. “When I see something I want, I get it.” He gave her a hard, straight look.
Did he mean the job as chef or…her?
“So, what are you here to get?”
“My plan is that we start all over again.” Reaching down, he lifted her hand and very slowly drew off the gardening glove, sliding one finger out at a time out of the rough canvas. She couldn’t do anything but stare at his large, tanned, masculine hand undressing her much smaller one, her throat parched and every nerve ending dancing at the touch.
“We could shake on it,” he said, dropping the glove to the ground but still holding her hand. His skin was warm. A little rough, a little dry, but very warm. “But I’d rather do this.”
He lifted her fingers to his lips, barely brushing the knuckles, the sensation shooting fireworks down her arms. “To new beginnings, pretty Tessa. A new job, and a new…” He looked up from her hand and met her gaze, his own so serious she forgot to breathe again. “Friendship.”
For a moment, she stared at him, a thousand emotions erupting like a volcano in her chest. Disbelief and excitement and desire and disbelief and longing and—yeah, mostly disbelief.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Well, I’m not really trusting by nature, so I’m fighting the sensation that you might be full of shit.”
He laughed. “I deserve a chance.”
Did he? “And you’ll probably get one, but what happened?”
He lifted both brows. “I want the job.”
“So you’re suddenly Prince Charming? After being guarded, evasive, and walking out in the middle of an interview?”
He curled his fingers around her hand and sighed with resignation. “I guess I’m going to have to do some seriously high-quality groveling.”
“Major high,” she agreed.
“Let’s start with dinner tonight. We can finish the interview.”
Obviously, he didn’t know she’d called all his references and they glowed like polished gold, and he certainly didn’t know about the wedding planners and the urgent need for a chef. Instead, he’d come to grovel and take her to dinner.
“I’ll give you time to clean up and change for our date,” he said, as if she might be looking for an excuse to say no.
As if a groveling man offering dinner and looking like a sex god fell into her lap on a daily basis.
“I thought it was an interview,” she said.
He shrugged. “You call it an interview, I call it a date.”
“I call it a pretty remarkable turnaround for the guy who suggested a one-night stand of tongue-tattooing the last time we talked about going out.”
His smile was sinfully slow and so damn confident. “Haven’t you ever changed your mind about something,Tessa? Ever looked at a situation in the light of day and realized you’d need a new approach to get what you want?”
She tried to ignore the little thrill of his words and be smart about this. “What about trust?”
He lifted his brows. “What about it?”
“Did you change your mind about the advice you gave me in the bar? Or don’t you remember when your one word about trusting you was ‘Don’t’?”
She could have sworn a little bit of color left his face.
“How else are you going to know if you should or not unless you have dinner with me?”
She couldn’t argue with that logic. Or maybe she just didn’t want to.
Interesting, since he didn’t even answer the questions she did ask. Still, she waited, dying to see where he’d go with this.
“I don’t shy away from anything,” he finally said. “When I see something I want, I get it.” He gave her a hard, straight look.
Did he mean the job as chef or…her?
“So, what are you here to get?”
“My plan is that we start all over again.” Reaching down, he lifted her hand and very slowly drew off the gardening glove, sliding one finger out at a time out of the rough canvas. She couldn’t do anything but stare at his large, tanned, masculine hand undressing her much smaller one, her throat parched and every nerve ending dancing at the touch.
“We could shake on it,” he said, dropping the glove to the ground but still holding her hand. His skin was warm. A little rough, a little dry, but very warm. “But I’d rather do this.”
He lifted her fingers to his lips, barely brushing the knuckles, the sensation shooting fireworks down her arms. “To new beginnings, pretty Tessa. A new job, and a new…” He looked up from her hand and met her gaze, his own so serious she forgot to breathe again. “Friendship.”
For a moment, she stared at him, a thousand emotions erupting like a volcano in her chest. Disbelief and excitement and desire and disbelief and longing and—yeah, mostly disbelief.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Well, I’m not really trusting by nature, so I’m fighting the sensation that you might be full of shit.”
He laughed. “I deserve a chance.”
Did he? “And you’ll probably get one, but what happened?”
He lifted both brows. “I want the job.”
“So you’re suddenly Prince Charming? After being guarded, evasive, and walking out in the middle of an interview?”
He curled his fingers around her hand and sighed with resignation. “I guess I’m going to have to do some seriously high-quality groveling.”
“Major high,” she agreed.
“Let’s start with dinner tonight. We can finish the interview.”
Obviously, he didn’t know she’d called all his references and they glowed like polished gold, and he certainly didn’t know about the wedding planners and the urgent need for a chef. Instead, he’d come to grovel and take her to dinner.
“I’ll give you time to clean up and change for our date,” he said, as if she might be looking for an excuse to say no.
As if a groveling man offering dinner and looking like a sex god fell into her lap on a daily basis.
“I thought it was an interview,” she said.
He shrugged. “You call it an interview, I call it a date.”
“I call it a pretty remarkable turnaround for the guy who suggested a one-night stand of tongue-tattooing the last time we talked about going out.”
His smile was sinfully slow and so damn confident. “Haven’t you ever changed your mind about something,Tessa? Ever looked at a situation in the light of day and realized you’d need a new approach to get what you want?”
She tried to ignore the little thrill of his words and be smart about this. “What about trust?”
He lifted his brows. “What about it?”
“Did you change your mind about the advice you gave me in the bar? Or don’t you remember when your one word about trusting you was ‘Don’t’?”
She could have sworn a little bit of color left his face.
“How else are you going to know if you should or not unless you have dinner with me?”
She couldn’t argue with that logic. Or maybe she just didn’t want to.
Mason - No doubt about it - there's nothing like a well-written by-the-sea romance to warm up the autumn nights. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe entire series is so heart-warming. Roxie outdid herself with this series. It is not just good for a beach read but all seasons to put a warm feeling in the heart
ReplyDeleteI feel warmer already.
ReplyDeleteI love this series for so many reasons. The friendships, the men, the setting, the minor characters, the men. Each of the four stories was unique. It is a series I will read over and over. I love Roxanne's books in the romantic suspense genre and was thrilled to hear she was writing contemporary. If you haven't read this series the books are full of emotion, depth, tearful moments and some of the very memorable endings. They have just enough heat to make me happy and even more heart to go with it. Don't miss out!
ReplyDeleteBoy you'd think I would have proof read this first! Each of the four stories *were unique. And *some of the most memorable endings.
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