This second chance romance is full of twists and turns, emotional reunions, and drama perfect for anyone addicted to romance. Regan “Rae” Murphy has zero interest in romance and even less in love. One heartbreak in her life was quite enough, and she has no desire to get wrapped up in the sticky tendrils of love again. She thought she’d left all those messy feelings and entanglements in her past when she moved to Charlotte from Charleston, especially the devastatingly handsome portion of that past, who was wearing nothing but a towel when she walked out on him. His betrayal was the reason she left and is the reason she keeps her heart safely tucked away. But when her best friend, Kez, asks Rae to be her maid of honor, Rae reluctantly puts aside her own feelings about forever.
Love is in the air on Kez’s wedding day, and it smacks Rae right in the face when her ex, Van, appears-and he looks just as good in a tux as he did in a towel. For Kez’s sake, Rae agrees to bury the hatchet somewhere other than between Van’s shoulder blades. He makes it his mission to get Rae to hear him out-something she refused to do before she left him. The pull to listen is strong as the hope she’d buried deep within her starts to rattle its way free. Maybe everything between them hadn’t been one giant, intricate lie. But to get the chance to show Rae what they had was real, Van’s going to have to earn it. This second chance romance is full of twists and turns, emotional reunions, and drama perfect for anyone addicted to romance.
ABOUT E F DODD
A fan of all things Halloween, but terrified of scary movies. Lover of fresh flowers, with the notable exception of carnations. Don’t expect a woman to be flattered by the same flowers you paid $1.00 for back in junior high on Valentine’s Day. I’m a true romantic, which is to say I find flaws unexpectedly beautiful and think life is at its best during the in between moments you don’t find on FaceBook or Instagram. I’m lucky enough to share my life with someone who agrees reclaimed is better than new, antiques always trump contemporary and it’s a close call who should be saved first from a burning building – us, or our English Bulldog. I’m new to the writing game, but I love it and the respite it provides not just me, but also, I hope, my readers.
Welcome D. I am so happy to have you here today. I loved your ‘Dream Come True’ guest post. You are an inspiration to writer want to bes out there. Congratulations.
Turning A Dare
into a Dream Come True
In early 2021, I
lost my corporate job. I could have wallowed in defeat, eaten a few tubs of ice
cream and sunk into my couch to binge Netflix. Or dusted off my resume and
jumped back into the corporate world, working to make someone else’s dream come
true.
Instead, I took a
chance and chose me. My dream. My happiness.
Writing has always
been a passion of mine. I tried to wrangle writing into my day-to-day job, but
it was never enough, nor the right fit for me. I often referring to boardrooms
to boredrooms because besides a lot of talking, not much seemed to get done.
Unlike my evening, which were usually spend jotting down the adventures of the
characters in my head. Things got serious after a dare from a friend. At lunch,
my friends and I listened to one of our group complain about a recent romance
story she’d finished reading. She was disappointed that yet another alpha male
lead character won over the heart of a ray of sunshine female character.
My friend turned
to me and suggested I could write a better hero and a more romantic story. I
laughed—I wasn’t a romance writer. She dared me to prove her wrong. That
afternoon, the concept of a role reversal distracted me; an alpha female lead
character who wins the heart of a ray of sunshine male character. Ali popped
into my head and said, “Write about me. I’m perfect for this role.”
I went home that
night and wrote the first three chapters of Ruby Red – A Romance. Two months
later, I had a complete first draft of Ali and Sam’s love story. I’m proud to
say Ali remained bold and feisty throughout the book and her paramour, Sam is
kind, supportive and a dreamy beta hero who lets Ali take the lead. Happily.
Thanks to the
dare, I was now officially a romance writer. I’ve never looked back, loving
writing romance. (Pardon the pun.)
Thanks to that
round of layoffs, I’m a published romance author as well. The day after I lost
my job, I submitted my romance story to Champagne Book Group. A month later, we
were negotiating a publishing contract. I chose Champagne Books, because as a
smaller publisher, they afford the freedom to retain the essence of my writing
style. In May of 2022, Ruby Red – A Romance hit the virtual bookshelves to rave
reviews. And not only from my mom.
Ruby Red is a
riches-to-rags, hidden identity, slow burn contemporary romance high on emotion
and drama. This steamy love story promises dollops of drama, a few laughs and
plenty of passion.
24 yr. old Ali
Stinson is living the high life now she is no longer under the thumb of her
cheating ex-husband. But behind her red lipstick, designer clothes and
gala-lifestyle hides a damaged, lonely heart. Influenced by her married rich
friend and pressured to keep up with the “in” crowd, Ali attempts to fill a
void with frivolous distractions and emotionless one-night stands.
Sam Freemont has
recently arrived in town seeking a fresh start and trying to eek out a living
in his new circumstances. A chance encounter with a red-lipped, raven-haired
beauty at his place of work turns Sam’s world upside down and threatens to
expose the secret he is desperately trying to hide.
When Ali discovers
her money embezzled by her financial manager, she has two choices: admit defeat
or accept the help of the one man she might just lose her heart to. Defeat is
not in Ali’s DNA. Will Sam’s secret destroy the delicate trust she has placed
in him or will love conquer all?
What a fabulous story D. I wish you many more books in your future. Congratulations!
Ruby Red by D. L. Croisette
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
BLURB
One
night stands only need apply.
Ali Stinson is having a bad day. Her afternoon tryst was interrupted (before
they got to the good part) to discover her investment manager ran away with all
her money. Now she has to keep up appearances with her high society friends,
find a dress for an upcoming charity event, and not fall in love with Sam, the
cute bartender, who insists on helping her. Thing is, she’s 90% sure she
doesn’t want help. Adulting is hard.
Looking for work, not love.
Sam Freemont is having a strange day. He was in the middle of the best kiss of
his life when his boss walked in and halted the fun, which is not helping with
the low profile he’s trying to maintain. Now he can’t get Ali off his mind or
out of his dreams. Good thing she’s a regular at the swanky resort he just
started working at. Gives him time to find a way back to her lips. Or better
yet, into her heart.
EXCERPT
Did Sam really just say she was the most beautiful woman in
the world?
Despite her deplorable situation, Ali couldn’t help but
smile. This man did have a way with words. His texts over the past few days
always found a way to make things a little better.
Also, talking to him helped. A lightness she’d missed for a
long time expanded in her chest. It hadn’t been an easy decision to tell
someone and lay her problems before him, yet the confession came naturally.
When she’d bumped into him at the café, relief at seeing him there had rushed
in.
Kate walking in had frozen her, like a deer in headlights.
As her senses returned, Ali’s first instinct was to run. Even though she didn’t
stop to acknowledge the gesture, Ali assumed Sam wouldn’t refuse her plea for
help.
His kindness, his open heartedness made it easy for her to
tell him the details of her circumstances. He hadn’t judged her or laughed at
her. Rather, he accepted her for what she was. Plus, there was his offer to
help.
This guy was too good to be true.
There had to be some catch she wasn’t seeing. Or maybe she
should stop holding Sam to the low standards of the other men in her life and
try accepting him for who he was. She decided to trust him.
AUTHOR Bio and Links
D.L.
Croisette is a storyteller. She had characters in her head before she had words
in her mouth. Now she spins them into romantic stories full of drama and heart.
Collector of international friends, avid traveller and always up for a new
adventure, she snaps photos to remember each escapade, and peppers the best
experiences into her stories. Ruby Red is her debut romance novel, and she’s
probably at an outdoor café right now, dreaming up a bold new heroine to stir
up trouble.
Drop
by www.dlcroisette.com for a romantic quote, behind-the-scene
goodies or to say hi.
