Good Morning Readers!
Despite my debut novel, What Happens in
Ireland, out for over three months now, I haven’t often talked about my
Aussie heroine, Kate Barrow. My readers consider Kate many things. Feisty,
witty, a professional horsewoman and ultimately, the woman of my Irish hero’s
heart.I relate to Kate a lot. And I wanted to
make her a character my readers could relate to as well. So, I made her a
romance book Junkie! It’s kind of Kate’s dirty little secret. A bit of a shrew,
she puts up an iron façade and wards most male advances off with her
sharp-tongued wit. But at heart, Kate’s a romantic. And lucky her, she gets her
tall, dark and incredibly handsome Irishman.
Kate loves a good romance. She reads
across sub-genres – Historical, contempories and paranormals are her favorites!
And of course, her dream spot to read is on a window seat. And like a lot of
Kate’s fantasies, she finds her dream reading nook in Ireland! Can you imagine?
Rugged up on a nippy winter’s day with the fire going, a coffee (or hot
chocolate if you prefer) sitting beside you, a good book in hand and beautiful
Ireland (whilst maybe a little dreary, right outside the window. I don’t know
about you, but I wouldn’t mind being Kate. Especially if it meant I shared my
seat with a silver-tongued Irishman, hehe! So, as a treat today, I have a snippet
to share! But before I leave you to experience a
few moments in Ireland, I’d like to know where you like to read? What’s your
dream reading nook?
BLURB:
When Australian, Kate Barrow, meets a handsome Irishman in a Dublin bar, she has no idea that he’s about to turn her world upside-down and inside-out.
In Ireland to take on a position on a thoroughbred stud, Kate is shocked when her manager-in-co reveals himself to be the same man she’d met in Dublin.
Jack is drawn to Kate. The problem is, she won’t have him. But Jack has always loved a challenge and the intriguing woman from Oz is one he cannot resist.
Harboring the sting of another man’s betrayal, Kate is certain she wants nothing to do with love and nothing to do with Jack O’Reilly. But when naked torsos, Mother Nature and dysfunctional umbrellas start plotting against her resolve, she realizes the charms of an Irishman are going to be hard to resist.
‘Unashamedly romantic and sentimental in parts, hot and steamy in others…I have no hesitation at all in recommending this novel to readers of romance fiction. And in particular, to readers of romance who love Ireland…
Excerpt:
Not twenty meters from the stables stood a small, adorable cottage. Like the other buildings it was made of stone and covered in vines. A small veranda graced the front and a white cane loveseat was positioned to provide the perfect view of the sunset through the trees. A narrow chimney ascended up one side of the structure and Kate experienced a surge of excitement at the prospect of spending her nights lazing before the fireplace, a coffee in one hand and a book in the other.
The cottage looked wonderful.
Jack turned and fixed her with a grin, her suitcase still in hand. “What are ye thinkin’?”
“Is…Is there anything on this property that is remotely ugly?” she asked.
“Nope.” His cheeks dimpled as he turned to climb the front steps and opened the door. “And that includes the people on it.”
Kate’s faced warmed. She’d just given him an opening and already, it was too late to close it.
Men…
Following him inside, she quickly forgot the smart remark on her lips when she entered. She was sure she must resemble a fox caught in the headlights, her eyes widening with wonder at each new sight.
The cottage was small, made up of only three rooms: the kitchen, dining room and lounge room joined to form one, a bathroom and bedroom. The fireplace was positioned thoughtfully to warm the entire house and the furnishings were all the same shade of lacquered hardwood, every piece possessing its own character. The kitchen was modern and the lounge begged her to collapse into it.
Portraits similar to those in the main house decorated the walls and a bookcase overflowing with books stood in the corner of the room, the worn spines tempting her fingertips. Stepping past Jack who’d paused to watch her reaction, she walked over to stand in the center of the room. Turning to look back at him, she returned his amused grin before letting her gaze sweep the room. She shrieked suddenly with delight.
Running past Jack, she flung herself up onto the window seat nestled in the corner of the room. Curling her feet up beneath her, she leaned against the wall and shut her eyes.
I’m in love!
When she opened them, Jack’s raised eyebrows were the first thing she saw.
“I take it ye like the place,” he said, walking over to lean against the wall.
Kate felt her cheeks warm a little. “I’ve always wanted a window seat,” she explained, shifting her gaze to the panorama outside the window.
What little sunlight could escape through the clouds above was fading with the minutes left in the day, causing a pale yellow glow through the trees. Equines grazed in a paddock not too far away and the faint sound of birds could be heard. It was as if the seat had been built just for the purpose of showcasing this view.
“A window seat?”
Turning back to Jack, Kate looked up in mock shock.
“Are you telling me you’ve never yearned for a window seat?” Her lips twitched with the effort it took to keep her amusement hidden.
“Yer excited... over a window seat?” He pulled a face that expressed his concern for her mental state.
Kate laughed. “I’ve always wanted a one,” she said, her chin resting childishly on her drawn-up knees. “They’re perfect for reading.”
“Ye like to read?” Jack walked over to the bookcase.
Leaping up, Kate joined him. “I love to,” she confirmed, running a fingertip over the spines of the books.
She recognized a few of the titles but she was definitely going to have to bring in a few of her favorites.
“What genre?” Jack pried, removing a book that looked as if it might disintegrate beneath his touch.
“Mostly romance.”
Kate’s finger froze when she realized her mistake.
Bloody hell! Why don’t I just pick up a shovel and dig myself a bloody hole.
“Romance?” A knowing grin shape Jack’s lips. “Now, isn’t that interestin’.”
Her body tensed.
She was not going to let this get to her. She was not going to let this get to her…
“I don’t mind a bit of romance myself actually,” Jack added.
“Now you’re talking bullshit.”
Was it seriously possible for a man to be so irritatingly confident?
“I don’t bullshit,” Jack defended himself, his folded arms emphasizing his muscled chest. “I only speak the truth.”
Kate wasn’t listening. But she was drooling over him.
If he’d told her he was a girl—which he obviously, was not—she’d have found it easier to believe. Then again, the smile he was wearing was rather persuasive. Who knew what she might do under its influence.
“Really? Because I find that most of the things you say are bullshit.”
Turning away from him, she moved on to inspect the remaining rooms. Looking smug, Jack followed.
Can’t he even be slightly offended?
REVIEW:
‘Unashamedly romantic and sentimental in parts,
hot and steamy in others…I have no hesitation at all in recommending this novel
to readers of romance fiction. And in particular, to readers of romance who
love Ireland…’ – Maria Mohan
Buy Links:
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