Daring Summer by Elyse Douglas

Publisher:  Broadback (May 1, 2019)
Category: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Tour dates: June 24-July 31, 2019
ISBN:978-1093138429
Available in Print and ebook, 285 pages

Description Daring Summer by Elyse Douglas

A hot summer beach—
A marriage gone wrong—
Daring eyes and daring love, betrayed by a secret passion.

Kim feels trapped in a loveless marriage to a jealous, wealthy older man. He blames her for crippling him in an auto accident that he himself caused. Kim strives to make the marriage work, despite her husband’s blame, verbal abuse, and bitterness. When she meets a wickedly handsome man on the beach, she fights not to want him, not to want a new life and not to fall in love.

But Derek is seductive and irresistible—a former soldier who has recently come to town to start a landscaping business. Kim falls hard for him, as he does to her. Although Kim wants a divorce, her husband finds out about their affair and devises a plot to destroy them both. They must struggle to survive a web of lies, deceit and dangerous passion.

Are You an Antagonist or a Protagonist?

By Elyse Douglas

I hear what you just said. “I am always the hero or the heroine. I am always the protagonist.”

I don’t judge in my books. I don’t have to have the antagonist get shot or the protagonist win. It’s just how it comes out. I’m just telling a story.

—Elmore Leonard

An antagonist in literature is usually a character or characters that oppose the story’s main character, who is known as the protagonist.

Antagonists may also be forces, events, organizations, or creatures.

Antagonists often serve as foil characters to protagonists.

Not all antagonists are “villains.”

The true antagonist is always the basic source or cause of the conflict in the story.

Let’s take a closer look at the blurry lines between protagonist and antagonists in literature.

Is Mr. Rochester in Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, a protagonist or an antagonist? After all, he is stuck in self-pity; he’s brooding and exasperating, and he dresses up as a gypsy to mess with Jane’s head! And, if that wasn’t enough, he keeps his first wife locked in the attic!

What about Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind? What a selfish, spoiled and irritating woman she is and, yet, she is the center of the novel. She is not the typical “nice” protagonist, although she is tenacious and a survivor against all odds. Is Rhett Butler the real protagonist?

Is Scarlett a flawed protagonist or just a plain ole antagonist whose character is so well drawn by the author Margaret Mitchell, that we can’t stop reading the novel to see what will happen to her?

“It was better to know the worst than to wonder.”

―Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind

In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the monster is the murderer. It is Dr. Frankenstein who decided he had to play God, so he created a twisted creature in his own image without considering the negative and terrible ramifications! But, wait a minute. Shelley treats Frankenstein as a tragic figure, which makes him a very interesting and, possibly, a sympathetic antagonist.

During the course of a week, at work, home or school, are you always the one wearing the white hat, or do you sometimes find yourself wearing that crooked and soiled black hat?

When the robo call comes in, are they the bad guys or are you, when you yell insults at them to stop calling?

In traffic, when some jerk cuts you off and you shout out $&#@! Who is the antagonist? On your vacation, when nothing is going right, do you laugh about it and go with the flow or do you curse the airlines, the traffic or the fates? Are they the antagonists? Do you have that white hat cocked smartly on your head? Maybe one side of the hat is white and the other black?

Back to novels. What about Nurse Ratched in Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest? She loves order, discipline and power. She can be harsh in commanding it but, let’s face it, she works in an asylum ward.

Enter McMurphy, our hero, who wants to challenge her, and he does, often. When he goes too far, she has him lobotomized. Wow!

Is Ratched really evil? What did McMurphy do? He choked her and ripped off her shirt, intending to humiliate her. I have pondered over this one often.

In our new novel, Daring Summer, the antagonist, Ben Maxwell, is driven to revenge by jealousy and greed. He is a man hard to like and yet, he drives the story to its shattering conclusion.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I own only white hats. That way, whatever happens in life and however I respond, good or bad, I am always going to be the protagonist. I wear the white hat!

E lyse Douglas

Praise Other Side of Summer

“5 stars, another great, emotional read from this author!! I was hooked the minute I started reading it. Be warned you will need a box of tissues to read. I really love this author!”- Melissa Mendoza, Anne & Melissa’s Book Love

“I found this to be a satisfying, well developed warm and enriching read. It gave me a lot to think about. I will recommend it to readers of both genders, age high school and up, who like substance in their novels.”-Laura Reading, Laura’s Interests

“The book is more than just a contemporary romance – it’s a family saga, a book about the bonds of family, about love (not just between partners but between parents and children), about life and the choices we make. It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. The writing is hauntingly beautiful, and the author has a talent for crafting believable characters. An excellent book, and I look forward to reading more by this author.”- Majanka, I Heart Reading

“Great story, I give it five stars.  I thought the book was wonderful and emotional, and I loved the writing style and how the words flowed.  I was happy to fantasize about being there to watch the story unfold.  I loved this story; took me back to my young beach days.”-Diana’s Book Reviews

About Elyse Douglas

Elyse Douglas is the pen name for the married writing team Elyse Parmentier and Douglas Pennington. Elyse grew up near the sea, roaming the beaches, reading and writing stories and poetry, receiving a master’s degree in English Literature.  She has enjoyed careers as an English teacher, an actress and a speech-language pathologist.

Douglas has worked as a graphic designer, a corporate manager and an equities trader.  He attended the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music and played the piano professionally for many years.

Website: www.elysedouglas.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/douglaselyse
Facebook: www.facebook.com/elyse.authorsdouglas

Buy Daring Summer by Elyse Douglas

Amazon
Daring Summer: A Romantic Suspense Novel by Elyse Douglas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

This is the second book I have read by this author, and I want to begin by warning more sensitive readers concerning the content. There is no gratuitous violence in this book. There are also no graphic love scenes. However, the reader will encounter profanity and infidelity. While the story and book are well-written, just know this is not a cozy and/or sweet romantic suspense novel.

I completely adore the writing style and pace of this book. I felt as though I was invested in the lives of the characters from the beginning. This story has the perfect formula for a romantic suspense novel with characters that are relatable and intriguing. The suspense is never too intense, but it will keep the reader guessing and coming back for more. The heat level of the romance is just about right for this genre of book.

To be honest, my only complaint is that the two main characters are rewarded for lying and cheating. Granted, the old guy is mean and heartless, and no matter what, he was going to do all he could to exact revenge on his wife. I understand that fully. However, I would have appreciated more remorse for what the main couple did. Sure, they go through their share of struggles, but I do prefer stories where true righteousness prevails. I understand that things happen, but this is just my personal belief.

However, with that exception, this book was fantastic. I could see it easily being made into a movie that would capture the imagination of many. I know I’d tune in if that ever should happen!

View all my reviews

Giveaway Daring Summer by Elyse Douglas

This giveaway is for 3 winners choice of one print or ebook copy of the book. Print is open to the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. This giveaway ends July 30, 2019, midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.
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