Throwback Thursday Winners

Congratulations to the two winners from my

Throwback Thursday RWA 2006 post:

Laurie G

and

Lil

Please send your full name and mailing address to me at:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Throwback Thursday - - RWA National

In 2006, the Romance Writers of America national conference was held in Atlanta, Georgia and I was going to the Literacy Autographing that is traditionally held the night before the conference begins and is open to the public. Though I'd been reading romance for many years by that time, this was my first opportunity to meet the people from whose imaginations some of my favorite characters and stories had sprung. Living an easy two hours drive away, how could I pass on the chance to thank them for all the years of reading pleasure they had given me? On Wednesday morning, I headed into Atlanta, not really knowing what to expect but filled with excitement for the day to come. Here are a few of my photographic memories from that first - but not last - RWA experience.

I had discovered Eloisa James through the Squawk Radio blog and was an active member of her bulletin board so, of course, when she offered to meet privately with some of her BB members Wednesday afternoon, I jumped at the chance. She was witty, gracious, down to earth and treated all of us as if we were old friends.  










Christie Ridgway, Barbara Freethy and Elizabeth Bevarly have personalities that light up the room. These three contemporary authors are fun to read and fun to be around! 

How can you not smile around Jacquie D'Alessandro? She charmed me with her warm and friendly personality and entertained me with tales of her parents. I walked away determined to buy every book she had written. 










The line was long but I was determined to meet Nora Roberts. A superstar she may be, but she was warm, gracious and showed her appreciation for each reader who took the time to stand in her line. 

A word of advice before meeting Connie Brockway: visit the restroom. Yes, she really will have you laughing that hard! 












One of the authors I was most looking forward to meeting. She ran out of books before I got to the front of the line but it actually worked in my favor as she had more time to chat. Christina Dodd is one of my favorite authors and people. If she writes it, I buy it. It's as easy as that. 

Speaking of people who make me laugh, here's Jenny Crusie and Bob Mayer. Crusie's books are keepers and include some of my all-time favorites.









One of the sweetest and kindest people on the planet who also has a wonderful sense of humor and just happens to be a fantastic author (and now, publisher)! When I introduced myself to Teresa Medeiros she jumped up, gave me a big ole hug and treated me like we'd known each other forever. That's just the kind of person she is. A side note: this photo was taken by the person (then a stranger) standing in front of me in line, a lovely lady who is now one of my dearest friends. You never know who you'll meet while standing in line at a romance book signing. Thank you, Teresa for introducing me to the wonderful J Perry Stone! 

Another long line but I was in love with the Bridgertons and wasn't about to leave without meeting Julia Quinn. What a beautiful smile and infectious personality this lovely lady has! She signed a copy of The Viscount Who Loved Me for my niece and wrote in it, "You have a wonderful aunt." Endeared me to her forever. *grin*









I don't think Susan Elizabeth Phillips has aged a day since this first meeting in 2006. She's a lovely, gracious lady with a zest for life and a wicked sense of humor that's awesome. Oh yeah, she's a pretty amazing author too!

I haven't been able to verify it yet but I'm convinced that somewhere, somehow, Karen Hawkins and I are related. Her family stories are so much like my own that we have to be cousins somewhere along the line! Love her humor, in her books and in real life. Simply put, she makes me smile. 










Cathie Linz succumbed to colon cancer earlier this year. She was a talented author and delightful woman who generously gave of herself to both the romance writing and reading communities. She was instrumental in creating the Librarian's Day at the RWA national conference. In recognition of her many contributions, RWA announced that, beginning this year, the annual Librarian of the Year award would be re-named the Cathie Linz Librarian of the Year. I had the opportunity to meet her a few times. She was so nice, friendly and deeply appreciative of all the readers who enjoyed her books. Library Journal called her books "hilarious and heartwarming." I couldn't agree more. 





Those are a few of my special memories from the 2006 RWA Literacy Autographing. Hope you enjoyed the walk down memory lane. 

~PJ

Have you ever attended a book signing?

What authors would you most like to meet?

Will you be at the 2015 RWA conference or book signing in New York City next month?

I'm clearing out my book stash before refilling it at this summer's conference. Two of you who leave comments on this post will receive a package of books from my stash. (U.S. only)

Review - - All the Right Places

All the Right Places

By Jenna Sutton

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: June 2, 2015

The O’Brien siblings, Quinn, Callum, and their sister, Teagan, are the fifth generation of O’Briens involved in Riley O’Brien & Company, an iconic denim dynasty based in San Francisco. Although their father is still nominally the head of the company, he has been sidelined with colon cancer. Quinn is the acting CEO, and his responsibility is a heavy one. A diminishing appeal to women has seriously eroded Riley O’Brien’s market share, and the company that once held the undisputed top spot in the industry has a serious problem. Quinn is feeling the pressure. He resists his sister’s push to make major changes in the women’s division and even considers cutting the division.

Amelia Winger is a Texas girl with an economically and emotionally impoverished background and a dream as big as her home state. Although her formal training is limited, she is a talented designer, and thanks to the showcasing of some of her designs by her life-long best friend, a rising country music star, she has had some success. But her big break comes when Teagan O’Brien approaches her about designing a line of accessories for the women’s division of Riley O’Brien. Amelia doesn’t realize until after she arrives in San Francisco that Teagan has a much bigger project in mind as well. She plans for Amelia to redesign Riley O’Brien’s jeans for women as well as adding new styles and expanding the market, none of which Quinn is to know about until the samples are ready. If Amelia produces designs that persuade Quinn to make the changes Teagan wants, Teagan will invest millions in boutiques that offer Amelia’s designs.

Although she is ambitious and believes in her work, Amelia is unhappy about lying, and her unhappiness increases when she meets Quinn. The attraction between them is strong from their first meeting, and, despite their separate determination that a relationship between them would be unprofessional and unwise, the attraction intensifies. Of course, eventually passion wins--again and again, and soon hearts are involved. But just as the HEA is a heartbeat away, Quinn discovers that Amelia has lied to him. Can he forgive such a betrayal?

All the Right Places is the first book in Jenna Sutton’s Riley O’Brien & Co. series. The premise of the series—a family trying to preserve the legacy of a jeans company that is as American as Coca-Cola and that has endured  even longer—is promising, and although Quinn is rather too much the alpha hero for my taste, I know such heroes have a large audience, and he is an interesting character. I found Amelia more sympathetic, even though her self-deprecation was too much at times. The cast of characters also includes some intriguing secondary players. I liked Quinn’s brother, Cal, and Amelia’s best friend, Ava Grace, and wanted more of both, but I actively disliked Teagan. The concluding chapter did little to change my mind.

It also seemed to me as if the story were an uneasy blend of the heartwarming and the hot. Some of my favorite romance authors manage to combine sweet and sexy successfully, but the fit in this book just didn’t work. The protagonists’ fall into lust at first sight impressed me as a double dose of objectification. I was also not happy with the hero’s description of the heroine’s boots “that screamed ‘Bend me over and f--- me hard’” or with his “sudden and intense urge to break his brother’s hand, maybe his entire arm.”

Sometimes when I read a book that I have agreed to review by a new or new-to-me author, I think that I’m just not the right audience for the book. That may well be the case with this one. It is not a badly written book, and Sutton clearly displays strength in some of her characterization. Overall, I found it a novel that failed to fulfill its promise. However, readers who like their romance with a high sizzle factor, are unbothered by tonal inconsistencies, and don’t object to an overly generous use of the F word may like this book much more than I did. 

~Janga

Review - - Barefoot with a Bodyguard

Barefoot with a Bodyguard
Barefoot Bay Undercover - Book 1
By Roxanne St. Claire
Publisher:South Street Publishing
Release Date:June 12, 2015

Roxanne St. Claire returns to her romantic suspense roots with BAREFOOT WITH A BODYGUARD, the first book in her new Barefoot Bay Undercover trilogy and fans everywhere are cheering. Expertly combining the heartwarming romance of her previous Barefoot Bay books with the heart-pounding suspense of her earlier romantic suspense series, she brings us a page-turner that grabbed me from the first page and still hasn't let go. And, as an added bonus, we finally learn more about the deliciously mysterious, ex-CIA agent, Gabe Rossi! (his full story will be the third book in the trilogy) I highly recommend BAREFOOT WITH A BODYGUARD!

Newly divorced Kate Kingston is finished having her life controlled by men. She's ready to stake a claim for independence when her high-profile judge father begins receiving notes threatening Kate. Her father packs her off to Barefoot Bay, an island off the coast of southwest Florida where she'll be protected by Gabe Rossi's new company, designed to sweep people in danger off the radar until either the danger has passed or new identities and locations can be secured for them. Kate isn't happy about her father taking charge of her life - again - but figures she can use the time to relax and study for the Bar exam, something her lawyer ex-husband refused to allow. Kate arrives in Barefoot Bay to discover a few things her father neglected to mention: 1) no contact with the outside world, 2) the threats are much worse than she was led to believe, and 3) she's sharing her bungalow with a hard-bodied, MMA master who she has to pretend is her husband!

Alec Petrov has spent much of his life on the run from a Russian mob boss. Alec was only thirteen when his dying father signed him over to the ruthless man in exchange for a promise to leave his business and wife alone after his death. Made to do something that has haunted him since, Alec's hand was then tattooed so that he would always know he belonged to the mob boss and would never forget what he was meant to be: a killer. When his mother died, support came from an unlikely source and Alec joined the Marines to escape his forced destiny but now he's home and it's become increasingly clear that he'll either be forced to accept that destiny...or killed. He's more than willing to be a bodyguard for the judge's daughter until the Feds can bring down the mob boss who's after him. How hard can it be? But then he meets Kate and, suddenly, everything becomes much more complicated.

For their own protection, Kate and Alec are not allowed to share any personal information, including their real names, but Kate is relentless and soon Alec finds himself divulging information he never thought he'd share with anyone. The chemistry between them sizzles and as they get to know one another better deeper feelings begin to stir though many obstacles stand between them. They come from different worlds, Kate is determined to never again be under a man's control and Alec...well, Alec just about broke my heart. Here's this deeply honorable, caring man who has been made to believe he's unworthy of happiness, unworthy of a good life, unworthy of love. Will Kate be the woman to teach him otherwise? Or will the bad guys find them before they have the chance to discover what could be?

~PJ

On Second Thought - - In for a Penny

Graphics by Sharlene

We're premiering a new feature at the Romance Dish today. Sometimes we miss a book - or an author - the first time around. There are so many books published each month and, let's face it, there just aren't enough hours - or dollars - to read them all so some never make it onto our reader radar. Occasionally, a company will reissue a previously published book. Also, with the growing popularity of e-books, many authors have regained the rights to their traditionally published books and are giving them a second chance on the digital platform. All of this gives readers a second chance to discover a wonderful story they may have missed. On the 15th of each month, Janga will be bringing us a review of one of those reissued books and, hopefully, giving you the opportunity to discover a wonderful new book that you may have missed when it was first released or remind you of the reasons you enjoyed reading it the first time around. We hope you'll join us the 15th of each month for On Second Thought! 

In for a Penny

By Rose Lerner

Publisher: Samhain

Release Date: June 2, 2015

In her 2010 debut novel, In for a Penny, Rose Lerner gives readers a cross-class marriage of convenience tale that combines the lightness of the best traditional Regencies with the gravitas of a novel of social criticism. The result is a fresh take on an old trope and a historical romance novel that deserves a much wider readership than it had when it was originally released. Hurray for Samhain’s reissue!

Nathaniel Ambrey, Viscount Nevinstoke, is an amiable young man who enjoys his life of merrymaking with his friends and his beautiful mistress. He lives strictly for the moment with no thought of tomorrow beyond what amusement the day may bring. That changes when his father is killed in a foolish duel and Nev is forced to deal with the results of a lifetime of excess and thoughtlessness.  Nev becomes the Earl of Bedlow with an estate that has been neglected and exploited and a burden of debt so heavy that even selling his town house, his mother’s jewels, and everything else that is unentailed hardly makes a dent in what he owes. When his sister, Louisa, offers to marry a wealthy merchant, Nev assures her that such a sacrifice is unnecessary, but Louisa’s suggestion reminds him that he met and liked the daughter of a wealthy brewer. She just might be the solution to his problem.

Penelope Brown has no interest in a titled husband. Her memories of the slights and mockery she endured at the hands of her aristocratic schoolmates are still fresh, and she has no illusions about how she and her mother are regarded when they attend social events hosted by the few former schoolmates who remember Penny. When she thinks of marriage, it is an ambitious young man of her own class whom she sees as her husband. Thus, Penny surprises even herself when she accepts Nev’s proposal, even though he makes no secret of the fact that his offer is prompted solely by his desperate need for her dowry.

Neither Nev nor Penny is prepared for all the problems that await them at Loweston, his country seat. The estate and its tenants are even more impoverished that Nev expected, and he has no idea how to deal with the poverty or the simmering resentment. With much of Penny’s money tied up for their children, the funds they have are insufficient for all that needs to be done. An incompetent steward and a vicar who is the very worst sort of pompous, self-righteous fool with no understanding of Christian charity further complicate  matters, as does a neighbor who is willing to go to extremes to control the workers who he is convinced are poised for revolution.

On the personal front, things are not much better. Nev and Penny, despite their differences, genuinely like one another, and that liking develops into warmer feelings. But they are very young (Penny is nineteen; Nev is twenty-three), and they are plagued with insecurities. Penny cannot forget that she is not a true lady, the kind of wife Nev should have, and just in case she should forget for a moment, his mother is there to bemoan the unsuitability and low origins of Nev’s wife. Convinced that the only thing she has to contribute is her money and the knowledge of bookkeeping she has learned from her father’s business, Penny is unwilling to be open about her feelings.

Nev is just as reticent. He feels that he is a failure who has to depend on his wife’s money and cleverness to accomplish anything. He believes Penny deserves a better husband. They are each too determined to protect their vulnerabilities to build on the things they do have in common such as a sense of humor and a love of music or to comprehend that Penny’s understanding of economic principles and Nev’s people skills are actually complementary.  Their marriage and their very lives will be endangered before they share their feelings and claim the happiness they deserve.

Penny and Nev are both wonderful, richly developed characters who struggle and grow during the course of the story. From the beginning, they are individuals who act against type. Romance fiction is filled with aristocrats who court the daughters of wealthy cits or who, at least initially, resent the merchant class heiresses they are forced to marry, often while imagining themselves in love with some more suitable beauty. But Nev never pretends to be anything other than what he is, an inept lord who seeks to marry wealth in order to save his estate and his family. He is grateful to Penny and protective of her dignity, and he quickly comes to appreciate her intelligence, kindness, and strength. He never makes false promises, telling her only that he expects they “could rub along tolerably well together.”

Although Penny admittedly enjoys Nev’s kisses from the first one they share, she never sees him as a romanticized, impossibly handsome figure whom she loved at first sight. She views him as “a perfectly ordinary-looking young man” of “middling height” with hair that is “merely brown” and eyes that are “an ordinary blue, of an ordinary shape and size.” There is something distinctly Austenesque in her response to Nev’s proposal: “ I see no reason why two people of good sense and amiable dispositions should not find a tolerable measure of conjugal felicity, even if they are not, perhaps, united by those bonds of affection and familiarity which one might wish.” Even their lack of communication, which might be irritating in more conventional characters, is believable and forgivable in light of their youth and their particular situation.

The secondary characters are also well developed, and each serves a purpose. I especially liked Penny’s parents, who, far from plotting to see their daughter marry a title, express concern when she accepts Nev. They love their daughter, and their primary concern is her happiness. Her father goes so far as to assure her at the wedding that if Nev makes her unhappy, divorce is an option, regardless of the scandal and expense. Nev’s initial meeting with the Browns is one of the most delightful scenes in the novel, and it is fitting that mutual affection develops between Nev and his in-laws.

When I first read In for a Penny five years ago, I knew it was an extraordinary debut book in its depth of characterization, its attention to historical detail, and its engaging story. Penny and Nev were characters I knew I would revisit, and Rose Lerner was an author I knew I would recommend to friends. Each rereading has strengthened that opinion and my appreciation for this gem of a book. I give it my highest recommendation. And if, after you have read it, you need an audience for your raves, I’m available. I always enjoy having my status as a discerning reader affirmed.

~Janga


Have you read In for a Penny or any of Rose Lerner's other books?

What books or authors have you discovered through a reissue?

What books do you enjoy revisiting?

One person who leaves a comment on today's post will receive a Nook or Kindle (winner's choice) copy of In for a Penny.

PJ's Treasured Keepsakes Winners

The three winners of a package of books are:

Deb

erin

traveler

Congratulations to you all!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Today's Special - - Wedding Bells in Christmas Book Tour

Wedding Bells in Christmas
Christmas, Colorado - Book 4
By Debbie Mason
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: May 26, 2015

To have and to hold from this day forward

Wedding bells are ringing in the charming town of Christmas, but not for Vivian Westfield. She's just had her heart trampled under the cowboy boots of Chance McBride and lost her dream job at a big-city newspaper. But when she returns for a wedding, she stumbles on a story that could resurrect her career. First, though, she'll have to deal with the handsome man standing in her way . . . and a still-burning flame that's too hot to ignore.

Chance recognizes trouble when he sees it. He just didn't expect to find it in the first-class cabin on the flight home for his father's wedding. Yet there she is, as gorgeous as ever. Vivi dared Chance to want things he knew he could never have. It's why he left her. But Christmas's meddling matchmakers have them firmly in their sights. So if they want to survive the next week, they'll have to play the part of an adoring couple-an irresistible charade that may give them a second chance at the real thing .  




Sassy, determined, some might say "reckless," New York City investigative reporter Vivian Westfield had been at the top of her game, tracking down big-time criminals with the help of Superman, a telephone informant who had been feeding her tips. Sure, her love life had tanked when Chance McBride dumped her with a note and disappeared from her life but at least she had her job...until she crossed the line and Superman, afraid she'd put herself in danger, sold her out to her boss. Now she's relegated to writing the paper's advice column and none too happy about it. She's not happy about heading back to Christmas, Colorado either. She knows her two best friends - recent Christmas transplants who found love there and are now happily married - will be doing their level best to convince her that Colorado is where she should be. And then there's Chance, the man who broke her heart, who is sure to be there for his father's wedding.

I've been intrigued by Vivi since the first book in the series. She's a smart, sassy, tough, independent woman but I've wondered if there aren't softer, more vulnerable aspects to her. I'm happy that Mason explores those facets of her personality in this story, allowing the curtain to part and showing us why she cloaks herself in that almost impenetrable armor. 

Chance McBride is a haunted man. There was a time when he loved living in Christmas, Colorado but the deaths of his wife and child ripped him to shreds and the certainty that the accident that killed them was caused by someone he was investigating has him drowning in guilt. He cut himself off from his family and the town and rarely returned to the place where he knew such joy...and heartbreak. He wouldn't be going back now if not for the pain he knew it would cause if he missed his father's wedding. And then there's Vivi. He knows she'll be there. His time with her in New York was amazing but his heart is packed in ice and when he started to feel something for her, he ran. He's sure she'll still be angry about the way he left but if she ever finds out what else he did...

You've heard the description, "a shell of a man?" That's Chance McBride. He loved his wife with his whole heart and is still overwhelmed with grief and guilt over her death. He's shut himself off from his family, his friends and his feelings, unable to move beyond the loss and the fact that he believes himself responsible. He doesn't want to have feelings for Vivi and he fights them tooth and nail. Mason does a good job of portraying the push and pull of his grief and guilt as he slowly begins to emerge from years of being alive but not really living. He's willing to share his body but not his heart. That he's buried with his wife. He's not going to make it easy on himself or anyone around him as he reluctantly begins to heal.

This is the fourth book in Debbie Mason's Christmas, Colorado series and I've loved every one of them. As with the first three books, in Wedding Bells in Christmas, Mason once again brings us an emotional journey with sizzle, humor and a thread of suspense. Her quirky supporting cast keep things lively and always leave me excited for my next visit to this small mountain town. Her main characters are complex, realistic and deserving of their happy ever afters, even if there are times during their journeys when I want to whack them upside the head - another testament to how real they are. Vivi and Chance's book will stand on its own just fine but, as is often the case with a series, you'll have a deeper understanding of the characters and appreciation for their journey if you read the books in order (or, in this case, at least read the third book, It Happened at Christmas).  

The series titles, in order, are: The Trouble With Christmas, Christmas in July, It Happened at Christmas, and Wedding Bells at Christmas. 

~PJ


Do you have any meddling matchmakers in your family? 

Are you reading the Christmas, Colorado series?

Do you enjoy visiting the mountains?

Have you ever picked up and started over someplace new?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour   

Goodreads  

Goodreads Series Link   

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

Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado 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 four wonderful children, an adorable grandbaby, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.

Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Today's Special - - Robin Bielman and Blame it on the Kiss

Blame it on the Kiss
Kisses in the Sand - Book 2
By Robin Bielman
Publisher: Entangled Bliss
Release Date: June 9, 2015

The one guy she shouldn’t want…

Honor Mitchell has lived with guilt and regret for a long time, so when she promises to do the things on her dying best friend’s wish list, she’s determined to follow through and do something right for a change. But when she’s thrown together for wedding duties with the one man who complicates her vow–just by looking at him–she has to put her faith in Bryce Bishop’s pledge to help her, no strings attached.

Bryce’s near one-night stand with his ex-girlfriend’s best friend a few months ago might have been a mistake, but helping the beautiful, free-spirited Honor with her promise isn’t. His trust in women is shot, but he can’t help but play his best man card to his advantage and help Honor tick off the items on his ex’s list, even if it puts him in a no-win situation. Because his assistance might get Honor what she wants, but suddenly being the do-good guy puts his plans–and heart–in serious jeopardy.

With each book by Robin Bielman that I read, I fall more in love with her characters and their sassy, sizzling, fun, emotional stories. Blame it on the Kiss is one of my favorites. Honor and Bryce are such good, likable people who really deserve a happy ending. I laughed with them, cried with them and cheered them on throughout the ups and downs of their emotional journey. I appreciate the time Bielman takes in bringing them together. Going too fast, without the associated guilt and doubts the situation warranted, would be unrealistic. I enjoy the sizzle (and these two do sizzle) but I love the heart. So much heart. The supporting cast is terrific, adding humor, tension and realism to their small, friendly beach town. Makes me want to go visit!  

Honor is a warm, free-spirited, fun-loving woman and a very loyal friend but an incident in high school convinced her that she's not cut out for happy-ever-afters and has caused her to steer clear of any type of long-term commitment.  When Payton, her best friend since grade school, is given a terminal diagnosis she gives Honor a list of "five things to do before I furn 25" - ride in a hot air balloon, have a one night stand, get a tattoo, open an antique store with your best friend, fall in love - and asks her to complete them for her after she dies. When Honor meets Bryce Bishop at a party there's an instant connection and that one night stand is in her sights until they exchange names and realize they already have a connection. Bryce was Payton's secret boyfriend, the man Payton hoped to marry and the man she cut out of her life with no explanation when she found out she was dying. Understandably, they went their separate ways and Honor hasn't seen him in several months but now they're together for the weekend as members of a wedding party and it only takes one silly game and one lovely kiss to know the attraction hasn't gone anywhere.

Bryce truly is one of the good guys. He was gutted when Payton cut him out of her life with no explanation and was still reeling from the fact that she died and didn't trust him or love him enough to allow him to be with her during her final weeks when he and Honor first met. He felt an instant attraction to Honor when they met and now that he's spent more time with her during the wedding weekend, he discovers how much he likes her and would like to get to know her better. As he helps her with the items on her checklist, the two grow closer and he begins to realize that he didn't know Payton as well as he thought he did and the feelings he's beginning to have for Honor are deeper than anything he ever felt for his ex. But obstacles still stand between a happy for now and a happy ever after with the woman who's slowly burrowing her way into his heart.  It will take an unexpected apology, a confession from Payton's mother, and the best Scrabble game ever to finally give these two the ending they deserve.

Though this is the second book of a series, it stands well on its own. However, after reading it, and meeting the couple from book one, you'll probably want to dive right into their story, Keeping Mr. Right Now. I did, and I recommend putting both books on your summer reading list!

~PJ

EXCERPT FROM BLAME IT ON THE KISS

Bryce stared at her. Most girls would’ve had a fit if the sprinklers had soaked them. Not only had Honor laughed it off, she looked amazing and none the worse for wear as the pink light of the toy ring glowed at her waist.

“Do not tell me you have x-ray vision and can see the color of my undergarments, because then I’d have to use this magic ring to one, make you color blind, and two, make your clothes disintegrate so everyone could see if you’re a boxer or briefs man.”

His grin came quick and easy. “You want to see what I have on underneath my jeans, all you have to do is ask.”

“No thanks.” She stopped in front of him.

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“You don’t look positive.”

“How do I look?”

He took a slow inspection down her body and back up. “You really want me to answer that?”

“Boy, you had me fooled there for a minute Captain Underpants, but I see you’re just like every other guy, which is a huge relief, I can’t even tell you.” She brushed by him and headed toward the front door.

“What does that mean?” He fell in step beside her. Something didn’t feel right inside him. He didn’t like being lumped in with all guys.

“Here,” she slipped the ring off her finger and dropped it into their bag. “Be a good partner and turn our stuff in so I can raid Sophie’s closest for something to change in to.”

“Grab me one of Zane’s shirts, would you?”

She paused at the porch to slip off her shoes and slowly rake her eyes down and up his body. Touché. “Really? Zane’s got all sorts of muscle going on and I’m not sure—”

He whipped off his shirt. Honor was messing with him, but he wanted to remind her Zane didn’t have anything on him. He took care of his body, often working out with the guys he represented. He put forth the best image possible for his agency and that included being in good physical shape.

The appreciative look in her eyes told him she liked what she saw. She’d had her hands all over his chest in their hotel room, and if he closed his eyes he knew he’d remember exactly how hot her touch had made him.

“Can I ask you something?” he ventured.

“Okay,” she said to his chest.

“Eyes up here, sweetheart.” He motioned his hand in the direction of his face.

Her cheeks reddened. “Sorry, yes?”

“Have you had your one night stand?” He fisted his hands. It didn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. But for some reason, he wanted to know. She might not be wired for it, but according to Payton, the two of them were like sisters, and if Honor promised to do the things on Payton’s list, he imagined she would keep that vow.

She gulped and again he could see her mind at work in the way she blinked and her head tilted a fraction to the side. “No.” A crease drew her brows together. “But I might be able to remedy that these next few days. A couple of Zane’s friends seem like they’d be willing to help me out.”

No doubt. “People hook up at weddings all the time, don’t they?”

“That’s what I hear.”

~~~~~

Have you read any of Robin Bielman's books? Do you have a favorite?

Do you have a list of things you'd like to do/accomplish by a certain age?


Tour Schedule - http://bit.ly/1GHMmIk


a Rafflecopter giveaway

USA Today Bestselling Author Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and one crazy-cute dog who loves to chew on everyone’s socks. When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also likes to run, hike, eat cupcakes, and dip her toes in the ocean. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.

She loves to connect with readers. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com.

Places to find Robin Bielman:

Site: http://robinbielman.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobinBielman