A Summer to Remember {+ Giveaway}

I’m happy to be a part of author Marilyn Pappano’s TastyBook Tour for her latest release, A SUMMER TO REMEMBER, the sixth installment in her Tallgrass series.

As part of the tour, Marilyn is sharing an excerpt from her book and offering a giveaway for a prior installment in the series. Please see the end of the post for more details on the giveaway. In addition, I’m sharing my thoughts on this delightful story.

A Summer to Remember
Tallgrass #6

By: Marilyn Pappano

Releasing June 28, 2016
Forever

FIRST LOVE NEVER FADES . . . 

            

     It's been a long time since widow Fia Thomas felt the spark of physical attraction. But from the moment she meets Elliot Ross one stormy night, she yearns for a fresh start, for him to make her feel whole and well again. With his broad shoulders and a warm smile crinkling his dark eyes, he could finally offer her the solace she's been seeking. And she's willing to give him anything in return . . . except a promise that could break his heart.    

 

Now that Elliot is out of the Army, he's looking for a place to call home. Tallgrass was just a stop to stretch his legs, yet one look at Fia halts him in his tracks. In her sweet, sassy company, he finds the soul mate he never thought he'd have. But Fia is holding something back-something that keeps her from making any plans. Elliot's new mission: gain Fia's trust...and convince her that summer's end can mean a new beginning.

A SUMMER TO REMEMBER is available at the following sites: Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo. You can also find  A SUMMER TO REMEMBER on Goodreads and the Tallgrass series can be found HERE.

“Go on. Sing more.”

He did, and she listened with her eyes half closed. The tones were sweet, the emotion fierce, the quality hands-down better than the singer on the radio. Everything she learned about Elliot was adding up to an extraordinary man.

While she remained plain, average Fia. With “issues.”

“Beautiful,” she responded when the song ended. At about the same time, he turned into her driveway.

He came around and held hands with her to the stoop and up the steps, where he propped open the storm door with his boot while she unlocked the door. She set her purse on the floor inside the door, then faced him. “I’m not going to invite you inside because you’ve got to get up early.”

“Darn.” He moved a step closer, fitted his hands to her waist, and leaned toward her. She met him in the kiss, her mouth parting, her hands sliding around to the back of his neck, combing through his silky hair. Dear Lord, she’d forgotten how good a kiss could be. She nibbled at his lip, pausing only when his tongue thrust between her teeth, invading, exploring, rousing a long-unsatisfied need deep inside. Moving intuitively, her hands glided over soft cotton that covered the lean muscles along his spine. When they reached the rougher texture of jeans and leather belt, the tips tingled, like the briefest touch of a live wire, singeing and searing and sparking pleasure through her body.

When she stroked a few inches lower to slide her palm over his erection, his breath caught, and so did hers. It had been so very long . . .would be so very easy . . . back up one step, don’t let go, take him to the bedroom or, better, the couch, strip off their clothes . . .So easy. So perfect. So wrong.

Even the thought of that last word was wrong. It jangled in the midst of nerves humming with need. It pulled her out of the haze of what she could do, of the incredible satisfaction she could have, and brought back all the ugly uncertainty of her life. Elliot might be Prince Charming, but she was no princess, and her life was no simple, sweet fairy tale with a happily ever after.

Tears seeped into her eyes—disappointment, weariness—and she opened her eyes to blink them away. Apparently sensing the change in her, Elliot ended the kiss with another tiny, sweeter kiss, then clasped her hands in his. For a long time, he studied her face with an intensity that rippled along her skin, then he took a step back, putting breathing room between them.

When he spoke, he sounded as if he’d done a long hump with a heavy ruck on a hot day. “You never did tell me.”

“What?”

“Is Fia short for something?”

“You never did ask.” She didn’t sound much better. “Sofia.”

He laid his palm gently against her cheek, repeated her name, then backed away even farther. “Thank you, Sofia.”

“For what?”

“Being in that parking lot Friday night. For liking me and my dog. For kissing like—” Breaking off, he grinned and shook his head. “Damn.”

“It takes two.”

His grin strengthened, then slowly faded. “Good night.”

Leaning against the door jamb, she watched him go to his truck, get in, and drive away with a final wave. Sighing deeply, she stepped inside the house, closed and locked the door, and stumbled, hitting the floor with a solid thud.

Author Marilyn Pappano

Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. 


Though her husband's Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.

For more on Marilyn and her writing, visit her website and connect with her on Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads.

This is a romance story that will make you laugh, cry and believe in hope. Author Marilyn Pappano puts her characters in true-life situations giving them realistic hardships many of us face daily. She blends in a touch of humor, lots of love and friendship and a good measure of hope for a well-rounded story you don’t want to miss. She even includes a tender spot for an abandoned stray pup.

The characters are well-developed, likable and so realistic they could be your neighbors down the street. Pappano doesn’t sugar coat the fears, anxieties and loss military families face daily, along with their everyday problems. She adds in a good mix of strength and determination with a respectable support group.

The care and concern felt by the core cast of characters will tug at your heartstrings as you delight in the meeting of Fia and Elliott. While this is the sixth installment in the Tallgrass series, it can be read on its own. But don’t be surprised if those other pesky characters don’t call to you to learn more of their stories as well.

A SUMMER TO REMEMER is a feel-good romance that will touch your heart and stir your sense of hope that hurt doesn’t have to last forever.

A Summer to Remember by Marilyn Pappano, A Tallgrass Novel (Book #6), Forever, @2016, ISBN: 978-1455588175, Mass Market Paperback, 384 Pages

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

This tour-wide giveaway is for 10 print copies of CHANCE OF A LIFETIME by Marilyn Pappano, the fifth installment in the Tallgrass series.

To enter the giveaway, just click on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the instructions. The widget can take a few seconds to load so please be patient.

Thanks so much for stopping by today during Marilyn’s visit. Do you enjoy stories that featuring characters as members of the Armed Forces?

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