Monday, June 24, 2019

Monday Book Review: Runaway Love Story, by Sadira Stone

Runaway Love Story, by Sadira Stone (The Book Nirvana 2)
Published June 2019 by The Wild Rose Press

About the Book:

She hates average...he's as average as they come.

High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn't in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who's real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.

He's done with social-climbing posers...she's ambitious and has big dreams

Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she's harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she's only passing through, not looking for a relationship.

Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can't stay in Eugene, and he can't leave. Doug's only hope is to convince her the glittery life she's after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path.

My Take:


Laurel has big dreams for her life, but so far nothing is working quite the way she wants it to. She wants to work in the art world and live in a big city, but when she loses her gallery position, her parents arrange for Laurel to stay with her great aunt Maxie for the summer to help the older woman transition into assisted living. She still dreams of saving enough money to move to San Francisco with her friend and join the big-time art scene.

While living in Maxie’s small town she meets a fellow runner named Doug, who lives in town and teaches at the local high school. His mother is in the same assisted living facility that Maxie is moving into, so Laurel and Doug run into each other a few times – and then literally decide to become running buddies. One thing leads to another and Oh! My! The chemistry crackles between them and the sex scenes are steamy good! And yet, Laurel still isn’t sure she’s ready to give up her dreams and settle for a small town guy and a small town life – no matter how right things are between them.

The author writes with humor and heart, giving us a country mouse / city mouse relationship, where the two aren’t as different as they might think, and Laurel needs to open her eyes to the possibilities right in front of her. The secondary characters were lots of fun to read as well - I adored the colorful great aunt, and her gaggle of young artistic friends. The author sends the readers through a rollercoaster of emotions before giving us our happy ending, but it’s well worth the journey! 

5 sparkling stars for this one, and I look forward to reading more from this author!

Grab a copy now on AMAZON 

...And come back Wednesday for a visit with the author!

Friday, June 21, 2019

Friday Feature: Excerpt from Runaway Love Story, by Sadira Stone

About the Book:

She hates average...he's as average as they come.

High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn't in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who's real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.

He's done with social-climbing posers...she's ambitious and has big dreams

Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she's harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she's only passing through, not looking for a relationship.

Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can't stay in Eugene, and he can't leave. Doug's only hope is to convince her the glittery life she's after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path.
Excerpt from Runaway Love Story:


                “I’m sorry she called you the S word.” 

                “Huh?” 

                “Sensible.” 

                She laughed. “Yeah. That’s a curse word, as far as I’m concerned.” She leaned her head on his shoulder.  

                “I’ll strike it from my vocabulary. Your S word is sparkle.” He traced her jawline with a feather-light touch. “Look at you, Laurel. You’re blinding.” His twilight-blue gaze made her heart dance—a steamy tango with swirls and dangerous dips. He kissed her, and, for a moment, she forgot all about caution, about cutting things off before they became too serious, about San Francisco. Her focus narrowed to his lips on hers, his nearness heating her whole body, opening her like a blossom, soft and willing. Ripe for the plucking. 

                “God, I’ve missed you.” He scooped her legs across his lap. One hand cradling her nape, the other gripping her thigh, he kissed her senseless. His velvet tongue teased her lips apart. He tasted of sugary coffee. The world around them faded—just two bodies, calling and answering, breathing in sync, their pulses beating the same rhythm.


PREORDER YOUR COPY ON AMAZON 


Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Writing Wednesday: Sadira Stone and the Inspiration behind her Book Nirvana series

Today I'm pleased to welcome Sadira Stone, another Wild Rose Press author who writes steamy contemporary romance. The second book in her Book Nirvana series comes out next Monday and I was lucky enough to read an ARC - whooo boy! Is it a spoiler to say I'm giving it 5 sparkling stars?

Anyway, the common theme in her series is a small town bookstore named Book Nirvana (thus the series title!) She's here today to talk about her writing inspiration. Welcome, Sadira!

Until recently, I was one of those readers--literary snobs who look down their noses at romance for the usual stupid reasons: too corny, too predictable, too fluffy. Then I read a few online articles about how fun and lucrative writing erotica can be. I thought, what the heck? Let's try.

I have never had so much fun with a writing project! My first steamy romance, Through the Red Door, nearly wrote itself, though it damned sure didn't edit itself. I've totally immersed myself in the world of romance, gobbling books like popcorn, filling my ears with romance podcasts, and joining the Romance Writers of America. From skeptic to romance mega-fan in two short years, I’m totally addicted to passionate, heartfelt stories with happy endings.

Why set the series in a bookshop? Ever since I was a wee lass, I dreamed of owning one. Add to that my fascination with historical erotic art and literature, and you’ve got the Book Nirvana series, set in an indie bookshop with an extensive erotica collection behind a locked red door.

I love stories in which a couple’s powerful physical attraction leads them to consider a partner outside their usual M.O.—one who just might turn out to be their perfect match. That’s how it happened for my husband and me, and my romance fiction contains that element.

I sort of pulled the setting out of a hat. I wanted to set my series in a college town. I’d heard that Eugene, home of the University of Oregon, has a lively arts scene and a rich counterculture legacy from the hippie era. After much online research, correspondence, and hours on Google Earth, I finally made the trip. Eugene is even lovelier than I’d imagined. Kate Rock, a resident author, kindly shared her knowledge of the city’s history and the flavor of the different neighborhoods. I look forward to many return trips.

About the Book:

She hates average...he's as average as they come.

High school history teacher Doug Garvey is trying to enjoy his last few weeks of summer vacation, but receiving his final divorce decree hits him harder than expected. After a brief fling fizzles, he fears love just isn't in the cards for him. If only he could find someone who's real, someone interested in something beyond herself…maybe a new running partner who can keep up with his more carnal appetite. When sexy, straight-talking Laurel runs across his path, he dares to hope again.

He's done with social-climbing posers...she's ambitious and has big dreams

Fired from an art gallery, Laurel Jepsen shelves her pursuit of an art career in San Francisco to help her beloved great aunt Maxie move into assisted living. While out on a morning run, she's harassed by a group of teens until a tall, broad-shouldered hottie steps in, pretending to be her boyfriend with a kiss that makes her wish it were true. But she's only passing through, not looking for a relationship.

Their fierce chemistry burns up the sheets—and the couch, the shower, the forest—but falling in love would ruin everything. Laurel can't stay in Eugene, and he can't leave. Doug's only hope is to convince her the glittery life she's after could blind her to the opportunities already in her path.

PREORDER A COPY ON AMAZON

About the author:

Ever since her first kiss, Sadira’s been spinning steamy tales in her head. After leaving her teaching career in Germany, she finally tried her hand at writing one. Now she’s a happy citizen of Romancelandia, penning contemporary romance and cozy mysteries from her home in Washington State. When not writing, which is seldom, she explores the Pacific Northwest with her charming husband, enjoys the local music scene, belly dances, plays guitar badly, and gobbles all the books. Visit Sadira at www.sadirastone.com.