Yesterday’s feature was on the first installment in her series, SECRETS HIDDEN IN THE GLASS.
Now let’s
jump into this fascinating series as Cate shares an excerpt for your reading
pleasure.
Boston’s Most
Eligible Bachelor has it all: good looks, a great career, and plenty of wealth
and prestige. But Bradley Sanderson’s charmed life quickly falls apart when
scandal rocks his famous family. Arrests have been made; the media circus has
begun, and Brad has been tasked with the daunting chore of restoring the
Sandersons’ good name. Moving back to Carter Island and picking up the pieces hasn’t
been easy, especially when the one person he needs the most won’t give him the
time of day.
Bakery owner
and island resident Molly Carter is loyal to her core, but that doesn’t mean
Brad’s homecoming hasn’t left her torn. Brad’s darkest days aren’t lost on
Molly, but reaching out to her lifelong friend isn’t so simple when she’s
forced to guard her heart. Everything changed when she woke up alone after
their sexy summer night.
The
complications keep coming when Brad’s long-lost brother shows up in town,
bringing the remnants of his checkered past with him. Forgiveness and
redemption are possible for all, until new secrets come to light that may have
shocking consequences.
Readers’
Favorite Five Star Book Designation
“I'm a big sucker for a good love story, especially one that has drama. Aftermath Of Secrets by Cate Beauman provided both in a beautiful way. I was swept in by the characters, their wants, and desires.” -Shannon Winings, Readers’ Favorite Book Awards
“Molly gets her story and it is powerful! I love the Carter's and the Sanderson drama. I just wish the story had been longer.” Amazon Verified Review
EXCERPT:
“What do you
think it’s been, five or six years since you’ve been home for more than a week
in a row?”
Brad nodded
slowly. “Yeah, something like that.”
“It’s like
the good old days.”
He shrugged, pushing
off the wall, moving her way. “Sort of.”
Molly winced,
foolishly forgetting that life for Brad was currently unrecognizable. “I guess
that was pretty dumb of me to say.”
“No, I just
meant Nate isn’t here hanging out in his boxers, and I haven’t done this yet.”
She frowned.
“What?”
“Dunked you,”
he said as he pressed his hand on top of her head and sent her under.
She sank
beneath the watery depths, slapping at his hand and arm as he kept her
submerged for a good three or four seconds. She came up sputtering and glaring.
“You idiot.” She coughed again. “Are you trying to drown me?”
He dismissed
her with a chuckle and flippant raise of his brow. “So dramatic. We had about
three minutes before we needed to start worrying about brain damage.”
Her eyes
narrowed again. “Oh, you’re dead,” she said, gritting her teeth, charging after
him.
He laughed,
swimming away.
But they were
well-matched, both of them excellent swimmers. All the Sanderson and Carter
kids had had numerous lessons in their younger days due to their proximity to
the Atlantic.
She hooked
her arm around his neck, maneuvered her way onto his back, and sent them both
underwater, her legs locking around his waist to keep her leverage. But his
sheer size and strength were her disadvantage.
His breath
puffed against her neck in hot torrents as their legs brushed with their kicks
to stay afloat, while he let her waist go and used his arm to tread water.
“Molls, this is quite a predicament.”
He wasn’t
kidding. She was pinned beneath his strong arm, and her back was pressed
against his solid chest, with no choice but to grip his muscular forearm caging
her in place. “Fine. You win.” She just needed him to let her go.
“That’s it?
Since when do you give up so easy?”
Since he’d
kissed her brainless and taken her to bed. “Since I realized it’s time to get
home and get changed for your party at Nate and Callie’s.” She tried to move
away from him.
He switched
arms, now holding her around the waist, and began keeping their heads above
water with his opposite arm. “No problem. Just say, Brad, you’re the best
Scrabble player I know. I bow to you, you genius.”
She huffed
out a laugh, raising her arm to the surface to help keep their chins from
bobbing under. “I won. Three years in a row now.”
“Just luck.”
He held her tighter, whispering next to her ear, his voice full of teasing.
“You’re the best, Brad. That’s all I need to hear.”
“Broody
Brad,” she murmured, knowing he hated it when she called him that—a
slight from their childhood.
“What was
that?” he asked, drilling his fingers into her side, tickling her.
She
scream-laughed. “Damn it, Brad.” She fought him enough to turn and immediately
realized her huge mistake as he held her chest to chest, and they stared into
each other’s eyes.
He grinned.
“This is certainly a situation.”
A droplet
trailed down his face to land on his firm bottom lip, and his eyelashes were
webbed together, making him even more irresistible than he already was. Her
heart pounded, her pulse thundering in her throat, and she glared at him,
needing to be free of him, well aware he was enjoying this far too much.
There was an
undeniable attraction between them. All she had to do was press her mouth to
his, and they would have a repeat of August. But they weren’t going there
again. She wasn’t risking their friendship a second time.
Meet the Author: Cate Beauman
Cate's novels
have been named Readers' Favorite Five Star books and have won the Booksellers'
Best Award, Maggie Award for Excellence, the Holt Medallion Award, two-time
Aspen Gold Medal, two-time Readers' Favorite International Gold Medal,
three-time Readers' Favorite International Silver Medal, and the Readers' Crown
Award.
Cate makes
her home in New Hampshire with her family and their St. Bernards, Bear and
Jack.
Thanks
so much for stopping by today. Be sure to keep a check next week as Cate will
be back to tell us all about her last installment in this intriguing series. Isn’t
it fun to revisit a good book and series? What is it about forgiveness and
redemption that draws us in so?
Thank you both. Lots.
ReplyDeleteThank you again!!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a wonderful weekend,
~Cate
This sounds like a great summer read. And the setting and context work well for the story, too. Thanks for sharing, both.
ReplyDelete