Friday 28 October 2016

SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY: HOOKED ON LOVE by JENNIE MARTS


Enter to Win a $10 Amazon eGift Card,
1 of 2 eBook copies of Romancing the Ranger,
or
1 of 3 eBook copies of Tucked Away
 
 
Hooked on Love
Cotton Creek #2
By: Jennie Marts
October 17th, 2016
Entangled Lovestruck
In Hooked on Love (Cotton Creek #2) by Jennie Marts, Avery Oliver is looking to move onto bigger and better things in her career as a travel writer. Learning to fly-fish and spending time in a small-town near the Colorado mountains is not her idea of a good time, but if it gives her the chance to write the article of a lifetime, she’ll do it. However, spending time with her sexy guide, Sullivan Reed, and pretending to be his girlfriend in order to help him fend off the unwanted advances of a neighbor start to become a little too real. Can she stop herself from falling for him, or will he be her chance at happy ever after? Read More
 
OVERALL RATING:
 
 
BLURB:
Chicago City Girl Tackles Colorado Mountains with Sexy, Reclusive Guide 
 
Avery Oliver can see the byline now. What better way to jumpstart her journalism career than to head out into the woods with a sexy guide? It’s all very Bear Grylls, but she’ll take it, even if it means ditching her beloved designer suits and handbags. 
All Sullivan Reed needs in life is a fly rod and the roar of a river. Playing guide to a hot little reporter can’t end well…until they strike a deal that’s mutually beneficial. She’ll pretend to be his girlfriend to deflect an overly flirtatious neighbor, and he’ll help her with the article. It’s a win-win. 
Until it isn’t. By the time a storm strands them in his cabin, Sully’s done pretending. He wants Avery—badly—but she’s a big-city girl looking for adventure, not his simple life. So why does releasing her feel like he’s lost the perfect catch?
Buy Links:  Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo 
 
 
The distraction of her gorgeous legs almost did him in. Literally.
Sullivan Reed hit the brakes just in time to avoid a collision in front of the general store.
The curvy blonde in the red jacket didn’t even notice, her focus intent, trying to wrench her purse from the passenger seat of her car—a little foreign number with rental tags.
She was wearing some kind of short pants, not quite shorts but not really a skirt. Must be the new fashion—not that he paid attention to fashion. According to his ex, he never noticed anything.
But he noticed this woman—noticed her long legs, her too-high heels, and what the hell was up with that purse? It was practically the size of Wyoming. What could she possibly be carrying in there? He could pack for a three day trip in a grocery sack.
Not that he cared. He didn’t have time to be thinking about how high her heels were or the enormity of her handbag when he had other things to worry about. Bigger fish to fry. So to speak.
He needed to get in, grab his supplies, and get back to the shop. He’d stayed up late last night tying some new flies and wanted to get the new stock put up this afternoon so he could be out on the creek by dusk.
Early summer in the Colorado mountains was like paradise to a fly-fisherman. Plus he needed the time spent fishing tonight to mentally prepare himself for the visitor who was supposed to arrive tomorrow.
Besides, with that long blond hair and tall curvy figure, the woman in the red jacket was totally out of his league.
Not that he had a league, or even wanted to be in a league. He wasn’t even particularly interested in the game right now. He just wanted to be left alone.
Present company excluded. He reached across the seat and patted the neck of his golden retriever, Sadie.
Sadie was the only female in his life now, the only female he trusted, and that was fine with him. She hadn’t left him, didn’t yell at him to make more money, never nagged him to pick up his wet towels off the bathroom floor, and she hardly ever snored. All attributes that he valued.
The dog whined, sitting upright in the seat of his old truck, her gaze intent on the blond woman.
She stood on the sidewalk, oblivious to him and the fact he’d almost run her down, her large round sunglasses perched low on her nose as she looked over them to read the parking meter.
Sully watched her dig into her cavernous bag for change. He was no lip reader, but he was fairly certain she dropped a pretty clear F-bomb before pulling her hands out and throwing them up in disgust, apparently giving up on the effort.
He stepped out of his truck, his gaze captivated by the way her hips swayed and the swish of the breezy fabric of her shorts against her legs as she hurried into Miller’s Mercantile. He slammed the door and stepped up to the curb, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his shorts and jingling his loose change.
After dropping a quarter into his own meter, he paused in front of hers.
It would serve her right to get a ticket. “Just because this town is small doesn’t mean you can just ignore the law,” he grumbled, half to himself, half to the dog who watched him intently, and then he dropped a quarter into her meter.
Pausing, he thought about the size of her purse—she was probably pretty high maintenance and would be in there for a while.
He dropped in a second quarter.
 
 


USA TODAY Best-selling author Jennie Marts loves to make readers laugh as she weaves stories filled with love, friendship, and intrigue. She writes for Entangled Publishing, and reviewers call her books “laugh out loud funny” and full of great characters that are “endearing and relatable.”
She is living her own happily ever after in the mountains of Colorado with her husband, two sons, two dogs, and a parakeet that loves to tweet to the oldies. She’s addicted to Diet Coke, adores Cheetos, and believes you can’t have too many books, shoes, or friends.
Her books include the contemporary western romance Hearts of Montana series, the romantic comedy/ cozy mysteries of The Page Turners series, the hunky hockey-playing men in the Bannister Brothers Books, and the small-town romantic comedies in the Lovestruck series of Cotton Creek Romances.

Author Links:    Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads
 

Thanks so much for helping me to celebrate the release of HOOKED ON LOVE—the second book in the Cotton Creek Romance series. It’s a fish out of water story that finds a city girl in the mountains of Colorado falling for a surly loner fly fishing guide. It’s funny and cute and a little heartbreaking as Sully has to open his broken heart and take a chance on love again.
Avery Oliver can see the byline now. What better way to jumpstart her journalism career than to head out into the woods with a sexy guide? It’s all very Bear Grylls, but she’ll take it, even if it means ditching her beloved designer suits and handbags.
All Sullivan Reed needs in life is a fly rod and the roar of a river. Playing guide to a hot little reporter can’t end well…until they strike a deal that’s mutually beneficial. She’ll pretend to be his girlfriend to deflect an overly flirtatious neighbor, and he’ll help her with the article. It’s a win-win.
Until it isn’t. By the time a storm strands them in his cabin, Sully’s done pretending. He wants Avery—badly—but she’s a big-city girl looking for adventure, not his simple life. So why does releasing her feel like he’s lost the perfect catch?
This book is so much fun. Here are a few of my favorite scenes:
**It’s easy to fall for Sully in the opening scene as he meets this city girl who’s just arrived in town.
The distraction of her gorgeous legs almost did him in. Literally.
Sullivan Reed hit the brakes just in time to avoid a collision in front of the general store.
The curvy blonde in the red jacket didn’t even notice, her focus intent, trying to wrench her purse from the passenger seat of her car—a little foreign number with rental tags.
She was wearing some kind of short pants, not quite shorts but not really a skirt. Must be the new fashion—not that he paid attention to fashion. According to his ex, he never noticed anything.
But he noticed this woman—noticed her long legs, her too-high heels, and what the hell was up with that purse? It was practically the size of Wyoming. What could she possibly be carrying in there? He could pack for a three day trip in a grocery sack.
Not that he cared. He didn’t have time to be thinking about how high her heels were or the enormity of her handbag when he had other things to worry about. Bigger fish to fry. So to speak.
He needed to get in, grab his supplies, and get back to the shop. He’d stayed up late last night tying some new flies and wanted to get the new stock put up this afternoon so he could be out on the creek by dusk.
Early summer in the Colorado mountains was like paradise to a fly-fisherman. Plus he needed the time spent fishing tonight to mentally prepare himself for the visitor who was supposed to arrive tomorrow.
Besides, with that long blond hair and tall curvy figure, the woman in the red jacket was totally out of his league.
Not that he had a league, or even wanted to be in a league. He wasn’t even particularly interested in the game right now. He just wanted to be left alone.
Present company excluded. He reached across the seat and patted the neck of his golden retriever, Sadie.
Sadie was the only female in his life now, the only female he trusted, and that was fine with him. She hadn’t left him, didn’t yell at him to make more money, never nagged him to pick up his wet towels off the bathroom floor, and she hardly ever snored. All attributes that he valued.
The dog whined, sitting upright in the seat of his old truck, her gaze intent on the blond woman.
She stood on the sidewalk, oblivious to him and the fact he’d almost run her down, her large round sunglasses perched low on her nose as she looked over them to read the parking meter.
Sully watched her dig into her cavernous bag for change. He was no lip reader, but he was fairly certain she dropped a pretty clear F-bomb before pulling her hands out and throwing them up in disgust, apparently giving up on the effort.
He stepped out of his truck, his gaze captivated by the way her hips swayed and the swish of the breezy fabric of her shorts against her legs as she hurried into Miller’s Mercantile. He slammed the door and stepped up to the curb, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his shorts and jingling his loose change.
After dropping a quarter into his own meter, he paused in front of hers.
It would serve her right to get a ticket. “Just because this town is small doesn’t mean you can just ignore the law,” he grumbled, half to himself, half to the dog who watched him intently, and then he dropped a quarter into her meter.
Pausing, he thought about the size of her purse—she was probably pretty high maintenance and would be in there for a while.
He dropped in a second quarter.
 
**Avery’s just arrived in town and is in the general store stocking up on supplies and some outdoor fashion essentials. After trying on a few outfits and still in her bra and undies, she pulls on a pair of fishing waders then has the great misfortune of having a snake fall into the waders.
Sully heard the shriek of panic and dropped the pack of batteries as he raced for the dressing room.
He didn’t hesitate. Sensing she was in trouble, he shoved a rack of clothes out of his way as he sprinted toward her.
He’d barely reached the fitting room when the curtain pushed out, and the woman inside flung herself through it and into his arms.
Hopping back, she continued to shriek as she peeled down the suspenders of the waders, exposing her bare stomach and ample breasts that practically popped out of a black lace bra.
Scarcely able to register that she was in her underwear and waders, he could only stare as she performed what appeared to be a panicked striptease.
“Get them off,” she screamed at him, falling to the floor and kicking her legs. “There’s a snake in my pants!”
He finally grasped what she was saying—not that a snake in her pants made any kind of sense—but he reckoned she wanted out of the pants and grabbed the heel of the waders. Giving a hard tug, he tried to free her, but the rubber stuck to her bare legs.
Between that, the way she was kicking her legs, and the distraction of the black lace thong she revealed as he pulled on the waders, it was a miracle he could focus enough to do anything.
He gave a final yank, and her foot popped free. She wriggled backward, drawing her knees up to her chest as a small garter snake slithered out of the top of the waders.
“Get it! There it is!” she screamed, pointing at the snake.
He reached down and picked the snake up by the tail, holding it in the air as it tried to coil up to his hand. “This little guy?”
“Little? He didn’t seem little when he was slithering down my chest,” she shrieked, her breath coming out in hard gasps. “I’d like to see how you’d react if you had a snake in your pants.”
He blinked—completely at a loss for how to respond to that.
He was saved by Madge hurrying in from the back room, a package of AA batteries in her hand. “What’s going on? I heard someone screaming.”
She looked down at the woman in her underwear on the floor, and her eyes widened.
Sully glanced around, looking for something, anything, to give the blond to cover up with. He grabbed a compact umbrella from the rack next to him and tossed it to her. It was the closest thing to him, and it was better than nothing.
She caught the umbrella and, turning it over in her hands, she gave him an incredulous look. “What the hell am I supposed to do with this?”
“Open it,” he sputtered, gesturing to her body. “To cover yourself.”
“I’m not opening an umbrella inside. It’s bad luck.” She tossed it to the floor.
He couldn’t believe it. The woman who just had a snake fall in her pants was now worried about her luck.

**One of my favorite scenes happens at a mountain cabin during a torrential rainstorm. Avery surprises Sully by her willingness to get dirty and help, and Sully surprises her by how hot he looks wielding a chainsaw. #lumberjackporn
Her breath tickled his ear as she said, “I love that you don’t even realize how hot you are. When you were standing on that tree earlier, and you ripped your shirt off and started that chainsaw, I almost came undone. With your hard, tanned chest and the muscles in your arms and that black-as-sin beard, you looked like lumberjack porn.”
Her words sent a flurry of butterflies through his gut and a secret thrill racing up his back. She thought he was hot.
And she’d just called his beard sexy. The corner of his lip tugged up in another grin.  “Lumberjack porn?”
She nodded, biting her lower lip and letting out a small sigh of ecstasy that changed the butterflies swirling in his belly to licks of flame. “Oh yeah. Or maybe rugged mountain man porn. I’m serious—the way you looked standing on top of that tree, with the rain pouring down and you shirtless and brandishing a chainsaw—it was sexy as hell. You took my breath away.”
He didn’t know what to say—couldn’t speak. He wished she would quit saying “porn.” The tips of his ears were burning, again, dammit.
##
I fell in love with Sully and Avery as I wrote their story, and I hope you do too. This book is full of small town charm, sassy dialogue, and plenty of sizzle. And if you’re already a fan of the Cotton Creek series, you’ll be happy to know that one of your favorite characters from the first book makes a few appearances as well.
Thanks so much for taking the time to check out my new book. To keep on top of all my news, including sales and new releases, please visit www.jenniemarts.com to sign up for my newsletter and I would love to invite you to join my street team, Jennie's Page Turners. Click HERE to join on Facebook.
I’m doing a Rafflecopter Giveaway to celebrate the release of HOOKED ON LOVE. Be sure to enter to win!
Thanks again and I hope you love the new book. Happy Reading!
Jennie
 
 

Thursday 27 October 2016

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: MISTLETOE COTTAGE by DEBBIE MASON


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a Complete set of Christmas, Colorado series by Debbie Mason;
or 1 of 2 $25 Amazon Gift Cards 
 
Mistletoe Cottage
Harmony Harbor #1
By: Debbie Mason
Releasing October 25, 2016
Forever
 
In Mistletoe Cottage (Harmony Harbor #1) by Debbie Mason, Harmony Harbor is not a place Sophie DiRossi ever saw herself returning to. But after an accidental fire destroys her apartment leaving her and her daughter homeless, she feels she doesn't have any other choice but flee to her hometown. However, she has a problem. She's been hiding a secret from everyone including her daughter, and if anyone learns the truth she has a lot to lose including Liam Gallagher, the one man she's ever loved.
 
Ms. Mason has become one of my must-buy authors, and this first book of her Harmony Harbor series opened this series brilliantly the way it introduced readers to a lot of characters that have some serious history -- some good, some bad. Right from the beginning, this story had me hooked due to the fact that it encompasses both the brothers best friend and second chance romance tropes. Moreover, I liked how this story began with the way the hero and heroine meet again after so many years and the heroine's reaction towards Liam. What is she trying to hide? Why is she worried about Liam spending time with her daughter?

The dialogue was well-written, and a perfect combination of intense and teasing banter. The intense due to the main characters back stories, what happens to Liam's great-grandma, the incidents that occur because someone doesn't want Sophie to succeed in her new job, and the plot twist that threatens to tear this couple apart. Why did one of them decide to keep such a big secret? While the teasing banter is full of fun, revolving around the will-they-or-won't-they pursue their relationship. 
Both the main and secondary characters were very entertaining. The Gallagher family have been through a lot having suffered so much loss, and deserve some happiness for a change. And so, the one question I kept thinking was: are Liam's brothers going to find their own happy ever after? I hope so. But what I liked most was the moment where Liam stands up to his brother's ex-wife. His words definitely prove he's willing to fight for Sophie.     
As for Sophie, she's strong, brave and I liked how determined she was to make a new life for her and her daughter. It's not easy, and there are several ups and downs. Such as snobbish Gallaghers and Liam brother's ex-wive that can't help but stick their nose in her business and cause trouble, her grandmother's mission to make sure she gets her man (just not the right man), and the trouble she's facing because some believe she's not a fit mom because of the incident that happened with their apartment. Luckily, she's persistent and I liked that she didn't give up. Even when it seemed forces were working against her in regards to a couple going through with a certain event. While Liam, he's had a rough time lately and needs to find a way to overcome it. Working alongside his father and best friend seem to be helping, yet spending time with Sophie and her daughter offer a better distraction. But what I liked most about Liam was how protective he was of Sophie and her daughter. That he was willing to fight to prove that Sophie is a good mom to anyone that needed such confirmation. 
Overall, this was a wonderful novel where the strong chemistry and the obstacles this couple had to overcome had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after. The way this story ended was perfect, especially with the announcement Liam's cousin made to his family and then how Liam made sure that a certain event went ahead. No way were Sophie's plans going to be forfeited. I would recommend Mistletoe Cottage by Debbie Mason, if you enjoy second chance romances or the brother's best friend trope.
OVERALL RATING:
 

 
BLURB:
'Tis the season for love . . .
 
Sophie DiRossi loved growing up in Harmony Harbor. But after fleeing in disgrace many years ago, it is the last place she wants to be. Left homeless by a fire, she's forced to go back to the small coastal town that harbors a million secrets, including her own. Sophie sees this secret reflected every day in her daughter's blue eyes-and she must keep it hidden from the only man she has ever loved.
 
Sophie's return is a shock for everyone . . . especially Liam Gallagher. The firefighter had some serious feelings for Sophie-and seeing her again sparks a desire so fierce it takes his breath away. Now Liam will do whatever it takes to show Sophie that they deserve a second chance at love, even if everything they've concealed threatens to keep them apart. In this special town at this special time of the year, Sophie and Liam can only hope for a little holiday magic . . .
 

Buy Links:      Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

 
 
          It took a few minutes for them to make their way past the boxes and merchandise piled on the floor to the Christmas decorations.
“Big or small, twinkle or static?” Liam asked, holding up two boxes in each hand.
Sophie pushed the aviators on top of her head and leaned in. “Small and twinkle?”
He smiled, then his eyes narrowed at something on the shelf. “Isn’t this the elf Mia was playing with at the cottage?”
Sophie nodded. “She used to have one just like her. Do you think John would mind putting it on hold for . . .” She sighed when Liam added it to his growing pile. “You’re going to spoil her, aren’t you?”
“Me? Never.”
“Right. . . Hey, look at this. Mia would love it, and we wouldn’t have to put up a bunch of lights.”  She held up a package that contained an eight-foot blowup Olaf.
Liam frowned. “He’s kind of an odd looking snowman, don’t you think?”
“It’s Olaf.”
“Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“From Frozen. Remember, let it go?”
He laughed. “How could I forget?” Then his laughter faded, and a pained expression crossed his face as though he was thinking about their day at Mistletoe Cottage.
It had been an amazing day. Until it wasn’t. And then it hit Sophie that maybe “letting it go” was exactly what she had to do for all of them to move forward. She leaned into Liam and whispered, “I forgive you.”
A slow smile curved his lips. It wasn’t his you’re cute but annoying smile or his charmingly wicked smile. It was warm and wonderful and made her remember how much she’d once loved him. “I forgive you too,” he said.
 
 
 
Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series and Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their three wonderful children, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.
Author Links:   Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads



 
 
 
 
 
 

 

SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY: TO LOVE AND TO CHERISH by LAUREN LAYNE


Enter to Win 1 of 2 Print sets of
To Have and To Hold and From Better to Worse
 
 
To Love and To Cherish
The Wedding Belles #3
By: Lauren Layne
Releasing October 18, 2016 
Pocket Books
 

BLURB:
Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, a contemporary and witty romance series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.
Alexis Morgan has spent the past six years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premiere wedding planning company, The Wedding Belles. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn towards her much neglected personal life, and Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Not a part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Belles, and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. But Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan’s all business, all the time—except when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss that leaves the usually cool and together Alexis reeling.
 
Logan has lusted after Alexis since the day he walked into the tiny Harlem apartment that used to double as her office. But the ambitious wedding planner has always been untouchable...until now. Alexis has made it clear that she’s on the dating market—and equally clear that he’s not in the running. But when Alexis finds herself in need of a date for her sister’s last minute wedding in Florida, Logan knows it’s the perfect time to show Alexis that there’s more to him than numbers and spreadsheets—and beneath the pinstripes and glasses lies a hot-blooded heartthrob. As Florida’s sultry days turn into even hotter nights, Logan’s out to convince Alexis that the fling of a lifetime could just maybe turn into forever...
 

Buy Links:      Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

 
        “Hello.”
The sexy British accented startled Alexis out of her thoughts, and she glanced up, both alarmed and intrigued to find that the face that awaited her was every bit as appealing as the voice.
The man was about her age—early, maybe midtwenties—and ridiculously cute. His hair was dark and maybe just a touch too long, as though he intended to get a haircut but kept forgetting. The eyes were brown and friendly, accented by trendy black-framed glasses.
The chunky cable-knit sweater with elbow patches—for real—bordered on dorky, but then, Alexis had always had a soft spot for dorky. He had a bit of the Clark Kent thing going on, which had always been far more her type than the overrated Superman.
“Hi,” she replied quickly, realizing that she’d been staring.
His smile grew wider as he extended a hand. “Logan Harris.”
Darn. Even the name was good.           
“Alexis,” she said.
“Does that come with a last name?” he teased, lowering himself to the vacant barstool beside her.
“Not to strange men,” she retorted.
“I could buy you a drink. Get rid of the ‘strange’ part.”
Alexis’s smile slipped as she remembered that romance, even flirting, wasn’t part of her plan. She’d learned the hard way that she could have one or the other—her own business or a boyfriend—not both. And even if she wanted the latter, the latter didn’t want her back.
“No thanks; I’m fine,” she said, letting the slightest amount of chill enter her voice. The ice-princess treatment, Roxanne called it.
Logan shrugged, undeterred. “All right then. May I borrow your menu?”
She nodded, and he picked it up, perusing it for several moments and paying her no attention.
It was both a relief and also a bit of an insult, if she was being entirely honest, to be given up on so easily.
Alexis tried to turn her attention back to her laptop but watched out of the corner of her eye as he finally shut the menu, waiting patiently to catch the bartender’s eye.
“Hi there,” he said, when the bartender ambled back over. “I’d like a Stella, and a maybe bite to eat?”
Alexis didn’t miss the once-over that the bartender gave Logan before the curvy redhead leaned over the bar, displaying perky boobs as she clicked her pen and pulled a notepad out of her back pocket.
“Shoot,” the bartender said flirtatiously, looking a good deal friendlier than she had when she’d spoken to Alexis.
Not that Alexis blamed her. A cute Brit could do that to a girl.
“All right then,” Logan said. “I’d like the burger, medium, with Swiss. Fish and chips, extra tartar, and . . . how’s your chicken club?”
The bartender blinked. “It’s good. But you want all that?”
“I do. Thank you.”
“Suit yourself,” she said, scribbling Logan’s order on the pad.
“Hungry?” Alexis couldn’t resist asking after the bartender moved away.
Logan gave a sheepish smile. “I’m a recovering student. I sometimes get so wrapped up in my day that I forget to eat.”
“A recovering student. What does that mean?”
He turned slightly toward her. “Someone’s showing plenty of interest in a strange man.”
She bit her lip. “I’m sorry if I was rude before. I’m just not really in the market for . . . you know.”
He gave her an easy smile. “Everyone’s in the market for a friend, Alexis.”
She opened her mouth and then shut it as she realized he was right. She could use a friend. She’d spent her entire life in Boston and knew almost nobody in New York. This guy seemed nice and nonthreatening enough—what would be the harm in a little conversation over dinner? It had been too long since she’d had somebody to share a meal with.
Logan seemed to know the moment she capitulated, because he turned more fully toward her. “A recovering student, Alexis, is a recent graduate. One who hasn’t quite absorbed that there will be no more finals, no more requisite all-nighters, and no more dorm sex.”
Alexis laughed. “Undergrad, then?”
He gave her a wry look. “How young do I look, darling? MBA from Columbia. Just finished up end of last year.”
She felt a little stab of relief that he wasn’t twenty-two.
He leaned toward her slightly. “Twenty-five next month, just in case you were wondering. As a friend.”
She tried to hide her smile and failed. “Columbia, huh? You’re a long way from home.”
“Noticed that, did ya?” He winked. “I came out here for undergrad, also Columbia. Always figured I’d go back to London and maybe someday I will, but . . .” He shrugged. “Seems I have stuff to do here first.”
“Such as?” She took a sip of her wine, dismayed to see that it was half-empty.
“Well, this will probably shock you, given my vast amount of brawn, but I’m an accountant. Or at least I will be, once I get my business up and running.”
Alexis was impressed. “Your own business?”
Most twentysomethings, even those with an entrepreneurial bent, opted to get a few years of work under their belts for someone else before branching out on their own.
He nodded. “I’m working out of my flat for now, but I’m hoping to lease some office space soon, get some legitimacy. If nothing else to get my father off my back.”
“He’s not a fan of your plan?” Alexis asked.
Logan’s shoulder lifted, and for the first time he seemed a little sad. “Both parents have had it in their head that I’d come home. Run the family business in London.”
“Which is . . . ?”
He spun his beer glass idly. “Financial consulting firm. My father’s the CEO, Mum’s the COO.”
“Wow, that’s . . .”
“Scary?” Logan supplied.
“I was going to say impressive. That they work together—without killing each other, I mean.”
“They’re in love. It’s atrocious,” he said with a wink. “What about your folks?”
Alexis laughed. “Not in love. They divorced when I was in high school. Dad’s remarried and happy now, I think. Mom not so much.”
“And you?” he said. “Are you happy, Alexis?”
She pursed her lips, surprised and yet not entirely unsettled by the personal question. “It’s been a while since anyone asked me that. Since I even thought about it, really.”
“Think it out. I’ll wait,” he said with a wink.
She didn’t have to think that long. “I’m almost happy.”
“You sound quite confident on that.”
She shrugged. “Let’s just say that I need a few things to fall into place in my professional life, but once that happens . . . yeah. I’ll be happy.”
She’d make sure of it.
 
 
 
Lauren Layne is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen romantic comedies. She lives in New York City with her husband (who was her high school sweetheart--cute, right?!) and plus-sized Pomeranian.

In 2011, she ditched her corporate career in Seattle to pursue a full-time writing career in Manhattan, and never looked back.

In her ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

For a list of all her works, please be sure to check out her official 
website!
 
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