by Rebecca J. Clark
Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self/Indie
Release Date: December 12, 2012
Heat Level: Steamy
Length: 323 pages
Amazon | B&N
Haunted by a tragic accident 20 years ago, John Everest knows he doesn’t deserve a family of his own, so he spends his days building the most successful fitness franchise in Seattle…and his nights alone. But that all changes when Samantha Rossi storms back into his life.
Happily single, Samantha feels there are only two types of men in this world: those who are good for nothing and those who are good for one thing. Now she needs that one thing desperately, because she wants a baby. John, a man from her past, is the perfect donor. He doesn’t want children. He doesn’t want a wife. He just wants her body. She can deal with that.
John agrees to Samantha’s no-strings-attached proposal, never expecting to fall for the fiery beauty he’d wronged so many years ago. It’ll take more than a shameless proposal to overcome their tragic past, but with a little luck and forgiveness, anything is possible.
Warning: This title is intended for readers over the age of 18 as it contains adult sexual situations and/or adult language, and may be considered offensive to some readers.
Excerpt
You can thank me for this later,” Alex murmured, grinning at the audience.
“I will kill you for this later,” John whispered out the side of his mouth, feeling d–d uncomfortable.
“Hey! I had to pull a lot of strings to get us in here.”
“I would’ve settled for a seat in the back.”
“Nope. No men allowed. It was this or nothing.”
John shifted on the wooden stool, hoping his self-consciousness didn’t show. “You don’t feel like the world’s biggest a– up here?”
Alex’s smile was broad as he stared out at the hoards of women staring at them. “Nah. This is great. It’s a single man’s dream, having our pick of these women.”
Not this single man’s dream, John thought. The only reason he was here was to see Samantha Rossi, aka Sammy Jo, who would be covering this event according to the private investigator.
The Northwest Women’s Extravaganza was an annual event to raise money for local charities. For $100 a ticket, attending women were served lunch by one of Seattle’s premiere restaurants and were treated to an exclusive fashion show. But the biggest draw of the event, apparently, was the chance to “win” a date with the area’s most eligible bachelors. Thanks to Alex, that short list now included him. Yippee.
“I like women who play a little harder to get,” he muttered. “These women here all seem… a bit desperate.”
Alex smiled a toothy grin. “Desperate has its advantages, John-boy.”
On a mission to find a wife, he was tired of the single scene, ready to settle down. John, on the other hand, was satisfactorily single. He figured he should at least try to look like he was happy to be here. It was all for charity.
He flashed a brighter smile from his position on stage with the other bachelors and waited his turn to be introduced, all the while scanning the crowd. So far, he hadn’t seen anyone who looked like Samantha Rossi.
The emcee, Adele Bartholomew, had just begun introducing the bachelors, when the double doors at the back of the room opened.
Sammy Jo.
She slipped unobtrusively into the small group of reporters. At least she probably thought she was being unobtrusive. She couldn’t be more conspicuous if she were a breadcrumb on an ant hill. Even at this distance, she was striking. Dark hair flowed over her shoulders, and tight black jeans and a red leather blazer covered her womanly curves.
He nudged Alex and nodded toward the back of the room.
“That’s her? Mm, mm, mmm,” Alex said. “You think she’ll recognize you?”
He shook his head. “No way. You remember what I looked like back then, and our names were kept private because of our ages.”
She glanced his way, her gaze continuing past him in bored fashion. Well. He guessed he didn’t have to worry about being recognized.
I’ve wanted to be a romance writer since reading my first Harlequin Romance when I was 11. I even remember the title—Wild Goose, by Mary Wibberley. Before that, I wanted to be Nancy Drew.
I love writing and reading romance because I’m a sucker for a happy ending. I love the feeling I get when finishing a great book–just for that moment, everything is right in the world. I hope to make my readers feel the same way.
On a personal note, I’ve been married 24 years (to the same guy), have two teenagers, a German shepherd who spends his days chasing our two cats (who, I’m pretty sure, are plotting to kill the dog), a gecko, two rats who come when they’re called (seriously), and too many dust bunnies to count.
When I’m not busy writing or doing wife and mom stuff, I’m a personal fitness trainer and group exercise instructor at an awesome gym in a little town in the Pacific NW. I teach Pilates, Zumba, Turbokick and yoga. All that exercise supports my Cheetos habit…
Connect with Rebecca J. Clark
Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Enter the contest at each participating stop for a chance to win one (1) of fifteen (15) eBook copies of “Shameless” from Rebecca J. Clark. Contest is barrage-wide, open internationally and ends July 21. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.
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2 Comments
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Thanks so much for having my book on your site. I see you live in Yelm. I grew up in Oly and spent my fair share of time in Yelm back then.
:)Becky
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Author
Rebecca, It is certainly my pleasure to be hosting your book. I am a Tacoma native, lived in Florida, Texas, and now I’m back in the Pacific Northwest. Right now, I’m in Leavenworth. It sounds like you lived in Yelm before is grew up!
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