I'm Bringing You SWEET DREAMS today! Hey, It Was The Least I Could Do! #RomanceGem Kari Lemor

 The weather is changing which means...you've got it! Christmas is on the way! And there's nothing better than a sweet Christmas romance to get you in the holiday mood! Please welcome Romance Gem Kari Lemor and her latest release, SWEET DREAMS! (Who else has the Eurythmics' song going through your head? Have you seen this guy singing it at the gas pump? One of my favorites! https://youtu.be/q6PAGwtoBwU)

Blurb ~

Faking it has never been so sweet.

When Zachary Donahue breezes back into town for his sister’s wedding, he finds himself the unwilling target of her matchmaking. He’s partnered with her best friend, Kelsey, his biggest childhood crush.

Bridesmaid, Kelsey Ramos, isn’t interested in being set up with her friend’s annoying older brother who used to put frogs and snakes in her backpack. She liked the frogs better than she liked Zack.

To ensure the bride focuses on her wedding, not them, Kelsey and Zack will have to pretend they’re dating. But when Christmas magic hits the air, there’s no telling which way the sweet wind will blow.

Excerpt ~

The bell above the door tinkled and Kelsey glanced up from the shelf she was stacking jars of local jam on. She loved being able to sell the wares of people who lived in and around town. It worked out for all involved as town folks loved supporting each other.

The navy wool beanie she’d gotten used to seeing appeared above the shelf next to her. Zack grinned down at her.

“Trying to hide and get out of our date tonight?”

Could she? When they’d made arrangements a few days ago to go skating after work, she hadn’t thought anything of it. But now that the time had come, a tiny flutter of nervousness skittered around her stomach.

“Would it work?” Her flip tongue always got the better of her.

“Nope. You said you closed the shop at four on Sunday. So we’ve got plenty of time to skate. I need to get in shape if I plan to infiltrate one of the morning hockey games. Are you almost ready to go?”

“I just need to neaten up this shelf and make sure none of the mix and match candy got mixed up.”

Zack peered into the half wooden barrels at the individually wrapped sweets. “I can do that. Finish up the shelves, and we can go.”

She pointed to the door. “Do you mind flipping the open sign to closed, please?”

He did as asked, then poked through the wooden barrels while she straightened the shelves. It had been a busy weekend and she’d need to contact her suppliers to refill the stock. That always made her feel great when she sold local goods.

“Let me just lock up the back and grab my skates. Do you have a pair?”

“There was an old pair of mine hanging in the barn at my parents’ house. Not sure how sharp they are, but I won’t be going for any hat tricks today, so maybe I’ll be fine.”

Kelsey gave the back room a quick check, made sure the doors were locked, then took her skates, coat, mittens, scarf, and hat. The weather had warmed up to the mid-thirties today, but with the sun going down any second, it would get chillier.

As she entered the store front, Zack backed away from the glass case he’d been drooling over.

“Do you want something before we go? Are you hungry?”

“Haven’t really had anything since lunch. I didn’t want to be late getting here. But I can wait until after we skate. No sense having you open up the register again now that it’s shut down.”

Kelsey laughed and scooped two red velvet cupcakes from the case, then closed it again. “Here. I remember you liked these. It’s on the house.”

“I’ll pay you back later.” The cupcake was gone in four bites.

“You can pay me back with a cup of hot chocolate after we skate. The Boy Scouts sell it by the bandstand.” She took a bite of her own cupcake. He had good taste. The red velvet ones were amazing.

“It’s a deal. Finish that up so we can go.”

Kelsey took her time eating the rest, savoring it, then licking the frosting from her lips. Zack stared at her and his expression was interesting, but she couldn’t quite interpret it. Most likely she had chocolate stuck to the corner of her mouth. She grabbed a napkin and did a thorough wipe. Having a dirty face while seeing other people from town would be embarrassing.

“Am I all clean now?” She smiled at Zack, and he nodded, then tipped his chin at her.

    “How about me?”

There was a tiny fleck of cake crumb snagged in the bristle on his chin, so she reached up and brushed it away. The scruff felt good scraping her fingers, but she pulled them away as fast as she could. This was a fake relationship, and it wouldn’t do to start enjoying touching Zack in any way. 

FIND KARI LEMOR AT:

https://www.karilemor.com

BUY SWEET DREAMS AT:

Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GJQGKBX/

B&N https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1140172551?ean=2940162584926

iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/sweet-dreams-a-christmas-in-new-england-story/id1586384794

Google https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Kari_Lemor_Sweet_Dreams_A_Christmas_in_New_England?id=gpBDEAAAQBAJ

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/sweet-dreams-a-christmas-in-new-england-story

Books2Read https://books2read.com/b/bWGyNW

Thanks for joining us today!

The Return of Romance Gem Author Nancy Fraser and her RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE!

Ladies and gents, please help me welcome back the lovely and prolific, Nancy Fraser! It's been forever since her last release. Like, four whole weeks! And, if you're thinking she's must not put out quality work at that rate, you're wrong. Her work is fun, smart, and well-edited. This month's release is a Last Chance Beach romance, RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE. Not only is she a fantastic writer, look at the visual images she creates. This is her kick-butt cover!

Nancy brought along Jared Wilson, considered by some to be the second hero of RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE.

Jared, to start off with, tell me about yourself? What is your occupation? Why? What are your strengths & weaknesses?

I have the honor of being best friends with Chase and Emily. I was supposed to be the best man at their wedding. At least until Emily ran away and left my good buddy at the rehearsal altar.

Now, five years later, Chase and I have gone into business together and own Sink and Swim Scuba and Land or Leap Parasailing. With Emily back as well, things are sure to be exciting.

As for strengths ... Basically, I’m a really good person. I care for my friends and all of Last Chance Beach. While both Chase and Emily left, I stayed behind and held down the fort, always expecting they’d return.

As for weakness ... I’m hiding a secret from my best friend. One that could end our friendship if he ever found out. Hint: I might have had a part in why Emily bolted on the eve of her wedding.

Whoa! Do tell! What is your earliest childhood memory?

My earliest and fondest childhood memory was my first day of kindergarten. It was also the day I met both Chase and Emily. I remember Emily fell off the monkey bars and Chase and I both rushed to help her. It was magic ... that first meeting morphed into all these years of friendship and togetherness.

What do you like about the heroine?

Emily? She’s the best. Not just a good friend, but a confidant. Despite running out on her wedding, she’s really a kind person. I'm confident that with her return to Last Chance Beach, she’ll realize coming home is exactly what she needs.

What is it that you want out of life?

Happiness. A great relationship, like Chase and Emily once had. Success. I want our businesses to thrive so that we can expand and never have to leave Last Chance Beach.

Has life handed you any major disappointments?

A few. Estrangement from my parents really hurt. Yet, as much as I want to fix that, it may not be possible. Having both Em and Chase leave me behind hurt for a while as well, but we’re working on it now that they’re back.

If you had an unexpected free day, what would you do with it?

That’s easy. I’d go cave diving. We dive nearly every day with customers, but that’s business and we only go as deep as the caverns – where you can still see the surface of the ocean. The real excitement is diving down into the underground caves. There’s nothing more relaxing, or reviving.

What is on your iPod right now?

I’m a mid-90s baby, but love music from the late 60s and onward. On my iPod at the moment ... a mixed tape of songs from the two Guardians of Galaxy movies. I get the best music of four decades all on one stream.

Hmm...interesting. Well, let's tell folks a little more about RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE...

Blurb ~

Five years earlier, Emily Bennett ran out on Chase Michaels on the eve of their wedding. At twenty-two, she wanted more than the island of Last Chance Beach could offer. Intent on making a name for herself as a world-class journalist, she left to take a job with a big city newspaper.

Heartbroken, Chase left Last Chance Beach and joined the Coast Guard in an effort to rebuild his life. Returning four years later for a family emergency, he decided to stay and go into business with his best friend.

Emily’s returning as well. Not as the journalist she’d hoped to be but as a bestselling romance author. One of her books is about to be made into a movie, and filming will take place on Last Chance Beach and in the nearby town of Summerville.

Will Emily’s return give them a second chance at the love they once shared? Or, will her ‘other’ reason for leaving put a wedge between three best friends that can’t be healed by time or intention?

Excerpt ~

Last Chance Beach Wedding Chapel
Five Years Earlier

Chase Michaels stood at the front of the non-denominational chapel, in muted conversation with the justice of the peace. He turned slowly, surveying the half-dozen guests who’d been invited to the wedding rehearsal.

The only persons missing were his best friend Jared, Mr. and Mrs. Bennett and Emily, his bride-to-be.

Carly and Becca, Emily’s bridesmaids, hovered nearby.

“I’ve heard of a bride being late for the wedding before,” Carly whispered, “but the rehearsal?”

“You know Emily,” Becca responded, shaking her head in teasing resignation. “She does like to make an entrance.”

When the back door of the chapel opened, everyone raised their gazes in anticipation. Rather than the blushing bride, it was Jared Wilson, Chase’s best man, who entered the sanctuary and made his way down the narrow aisle.

Stopping just short of the flower-covered altar, he pulled Chase aside.

“She’s gone,” Jared said, his words falling like a lead brick on Chase ’s ears.

“What do you mean ‘gone’? Gone where?”

“Mrs. Bennett said Emily packed her suitcase, gassed up her car, and left. She’s on her way to Boston for a job interview.” Jared stuck his hand in the pocket of his jeans and withdrew a velvet pouch. “She left this for you.”

Chase didn’t need to look to know what was in the bag. After all, he’d been the one to give the modest ring to Emily in the first place. Drawing a deep breath, he spun around and faced his friends and family.

“Thank you all for being here for the wedding rehearsal.” Blinking back the threat of tears, he met his mother’s worried gaze. “However, there will be no need to practice. The wedding’s been called off.”

“Called off?” Carly asked. She and Becca exchanged glances and then closed the distance between themselves and where he stood. “If Emily’s got cold feet, we’ll straighten her out.”

Chase gave a quick shake of his head and bit back the string of curses welling up from within. “Emily’s gone. She sent back the ring and, as we speak, she’s on her way to Boston, eager it seems to put both me and Last Chance Beach in her rearview mirror.”

One-by-one, the guests slowly filtered out of the chapel, Carly and Becca giving Chase a hug of support. His mom wrapped her arms around his middle and squeezed, nearly drawing the tears he was fighting so hard to contain. Within minutes, he was left standing at the altar alone, but for the best friend he’d known since kindergarten.

“Are you okay, Chase?” Jared asked.

“No, but I will be. Just not anytime soon.”

Whoo! I don't know about you, but I'm already invested in this story! It may need to be bumped up on the to-be-read pile! 

Here's where you can get RETURN OF THE RUNAWAY BRIDE:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094TQVB28

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1567305673

B&N (Nook): https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/return-of-the-runaway-bride-nancy-fraser/1139455089

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/return-of-the-runaway-bride-2

Universal Custom: https://books2read.com/RunBride


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58049814-return-of-the-runaway-bride


BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/return-of-the-runaway-bride-last-chance-beach-romance-by-nancy-fraser

 

Thank you so much for joining us, Nancy, and for bringing along Jared! I can't wait to dip my toes in the waters of Last Chance Beach!

Return of the Runaway Bride Jigsaw Puzzle