THE HAPPY ACCIDENTS by Jamie Beck is a Women’s fiction story that has three women in their thirties at a crossroad in each of their lives due to the consequences of an impulsive night on the town.
Successful artist Jessie Clarke has a pact with her younger sister, Liz, the co-host of a successful morning show and her childhood best friend, Chloe, the stay-at-home mom of two in which the three will say “Yes” to any adventure that comes their way.
Jessie is mourning her divorce and reminds her sister and friend of their pact. They go to a casino to celebrate Jessie’s upcoming birthday and twelve hours later wake to the consequences of their behavior. Jess makes a life changing bid to unblock her artistic creativity. A viral video throws Liz’s career and reputation into question. Chloe has a major loss at the craps table.
Now each woman finds their lives and friendships tested. As each struggle with the changes from their pact, they try not to let fear decide their future fates which could lead to their greatest fulfillment yet in their lives.
I enjoyed each of these women’s journeys and I found each of the women to be believably and realistically portrayed. Sometimes when reading a Women’s fiction story, it feels like I am reading a soap opera, but Ms. Beck’s characters make me feel like I am following real people that I could meet anywhere and empathize with. This plot is full of thought-provoking questions, but the story itself is optimistic. Change can be terrifying and most of us prefer to just keep to the status quo, but this story makes you want to fight that fear and find something amazing, fulfilling, and new with a change, forced upon us or not.
I recommend this optimistic Women’s fiction story!
***
Author Bio
Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She is a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist and a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah and dancing around the kitchen while cooking. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can get exclusive excerpts, inside scoops, and be eligible for birthday gift drawings by subscribing to her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b7k7G5. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
Two mothers face the consequences of their choices in a gripping novel about friendship, family, and forgiveness by Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck.
Grace first met Mimi when she blew into their sons’ toddler playgroup like a warm bay breeze that loosened Grace’s tight spaces. Despite differing approaches to life and parenting, the fast friends raised their kids together while cementing a sisterlike bond that neither believed could be broken. But when a string of ill-fated decisions results in a teen party with a tragic outcome for Grace’s son, the friendship is ripped apart and an already-splintered community explodes.
Accusations are leveled, litigation ensues, and the people of Potomac Point take sides, all of which threatens Mimi’s business and her current custody agreement. Her sole salvation is a young cop who just might be her second chance at love. That fact only antagonizes Grace, whose marriage is crumbling beneath the weight of blame and the echo of past mistakes.
With their lives unraveling, the former friends stand to lose everything they love unless they learn to forgive—both themselves and each other.
FOR ALL SHE KNOWS (Potomac Point Book #3) by Jamie Beck is an emotional and powerful Women’s fiction story which while an addition to the Potomac Point series, it stands on its own.
Two mothers who are best friends with very different lives. A tragic accident will change everything as both are tested by one moment in time.
This story had me feeling so many different strong emotions and they often changed while reading all sides offered by all the characters. Grace’s rigid and unbending emotional handling of the accident and Mimi’s attempt to help Grace and her family in so many ways while also trying to change from being a more lenient parent kept me turning the pages. I did not want to choose who was right or wrong in their parenting styles because I have had to make parenting decisions myself that could go either way. This book does not just focus on the two best friends, but all the members of the families involved, with even the small community takes sides and plays a part.
One incident that is so life-altering and Ms. Beck’s writing guides you through the journey of everyone involved so smartly and realistically. This journey will take you through love, friendship, parenthood, forgiveness and hope.
I highly recommend this book!
***
Author Bio
Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She is a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist and a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah and dancing around the kitchen while cooking. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can get exclusive excerpts, inside scoops, and be eligible for birthday gift drawings by subscribing to her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b7k7G5. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
Today I am very excited to be sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for Jamie Beck’s new novel – IF YOU MUST KNOW (Potomac Point Book #1).
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. Good luck on the giveaway and enjoy!
***
Author Q&A
How do you describe your newest novel If You Must Know?
This book is a “beach book” in the best sense. It’s not angsty, yet it has a page-turning plot and a bunch of interesting, relatable characters. I think it’s entertaining and heartfelt at the same time, which is exactly what many enjoy reading while on vacation.
What inspired the novel?
The external plot came to me as a result of the influence of two people in my life. My dear friend’s husband is a forensic accountant, so some of his stories about how people hide money and flee their families provided one point of inspiration. The second is my mother’s best friend who, in her seventies, sold her house and bought a boat, which she and her husband live on full-time. The impetus for the oil-and-water sisters was to provide myself an opportunity to explore the sibling-rivalry dynamic.
Tell us about the two main characters in the story—sisters Amanda and Erin.
Amanda is the middle child. She’s diligent, earnest, hard-working, and generous. She wants the people she loves to be happy and feel her love. Her weakness is a deep-seated insecurity—a sense that she is not interesting enough to be lovable. This leads her to overlook when she is being taken for granted because her need to be pleasing is omnipresent.
Erin is the baby of the family and her late-father’s pet. She is outgoing, fun-loving, and views her average intelligence as a blessing (rather than lamenting that her siblings are smarter). She is willful and has her own way of moving through the world. The big weakness she has is her impulsiveness, whether with jobs or relationships. As she approaches her 30th birthday, she’s looking to mature and create a more stable life for herself.
What kind of relationship do the sisters have?
I think they share a typical relationship insofar as their differences cause many misunderstandings and instill in each a sense of being judged by the other, and yet they do care about and love each other, too. They simply do not know how to be true friends and trust the other—at least not at the outset of this tale.
This book focused on the main female characters growing and learning about themselves. What prompted this ‘women’s fiction’ approach to the story?
Partly market forces and partly my own need to stretch. At 53, it was becoming more difficult to write a 20-something woman facing the challenges of dating. The shift to women’s fiction allows me to write late-30 and early 40-something characters, which comes more naturally to me. I also enjoy exploring family and friendship dynamics, and absolutely love having endless options for story arcs (as opposed to having to follow a traditional romance arc).
What does your new Potomac Point series have in common with your previous books?
All my books to date have focused on critical relationships and some type of redemption theme. I find damaged people to be very interesting and believe that there is good in most everyone, so I prefer to populate my stories with flawed people who must confront their inner demons in order to be happy. My new books will also focus on relationships and redemption, but the non-romantic relationships (or even the relationship with one’s self) will be more central.
***
Book Summary
Sisters Amanda Foster and Erin Turner have little in common except the childhood bedroom they once shared and the certainty each feels that her way of life is best. Amanda follows the rules—at the school where she works; in her community; and as a picture-perfect daughter, wife, and mother-to-be. Erin follows her heart—in love and otherwise—living a bohemian lifestyle on a shoestring budget and honoring her late father’s memory with a passion for music and her fledgling bath-products business.
The sisters are content leading separate but happy lives in their hometown of Potomac Point until everything is upended by lies that force them to confront unsettling truths about their family, themselves, and each other. For sisters as different as these two, building trust doesn’t come easily—especially with one secret still between them—but it may be the only way to save their family.
IF YOU MUST KNOW (Potomac Point Book #1) by Jamie Beck is her latest contemporary Women’s fiction and the start of a new series. Ms. Beck has written an emotional and realistic story with dysfunctional family members in upheaval that I found difficult to put down.
Amanda and Erin Turner are sisters that have gone about life differently and have never felt close. They lead separate lives as adults. Amanda was the middle child and always wanted to please by being perfect and was closest with her mother. Amanda followed her plan and went to college, got married and is now expecting her first child. While Erin was the baby of the family and always felt different and was closest to her father. Erin has always led a bohemian life and while she teaches yoga and makes her own soaps and scrubs has never really worried beyond the current day.
Suddenly everything changes.
Amanda finds out her marriage is not as perfect as she believed. Amanda’s mother loaned her husband the majority of her dad’s death benefits for a business deal and he has taken off. As these secrets are being kept, Erin moves home to help with her mother’s inability to take care of herself. Erin does not know if it is because of her mother’s continued grief over losing her husband a year ago or the stress of the missing money. Suddenly all three women are together again and must deal with unsettling truths about themselves and their family.
I loved the different and difficult family relationships. The characters and emotions were to me believable because having grown up in a large family I could relate to all their character traits. Ms. Beck has written a complex and fully fleshed sister-to-sister relationship that had to evolve from childhood hurts and misunderstandings to grow and help each other in the present. Amanda and Erin’s mother’s past also played a large role in the present family dynamics.
I enjoyed this first book in the series and I will be looking forward to more.
***
Excerpt
I rolled onto my side with a groan, coming face-to-face with one of my favorite family photos. We’d taken our annual family summer trip to Hilton Head—the one real splurge my dad had made sure we enjoyed every year. We had a tradition of having lunch at a little open-air cabana bar and restaurant called Coco’s on the Beach.
Between the deck and the volleyball court in the sand stood a tall pole with colorful arrow-shaped signs pointing in different directions. Each one was painted with the name of a different city somewhere on the globe, along with the mileage to get there. We’d dream about all the places we might go, and after high school I’d had the chance to see many. In this picture, our whole family is standing around that sign, smiling at the camera. My dad has his hand on my shoulder, and if you look closely, you can see Amanda holding my hand. I must’ve been only five or six—young enough that she hadn’t given up trying to be my second mother. At the time, I’d felt smothered by her attention, but looking back, I’d also felt loved.
I grabbed my phone and called my sister, but it went to voice mail. A heaviness pressed on me, but I couldn’t tell if it was from looking at that picture of our family that would never again be whole or from the fact that I’d disappointed my mom and sister today.
They loved me in their way even if they couldn’t love and accept me as I am. My dad had, though, and to honor his memory and wishes for our family, I couldn’t continue to drift out of their lives as I’d been doing.
After the beep, I said, “Hey, it’s moi. Surprise! My plans have changed and I’ve got a little time. If you get this message, let me know where you are and I’ll try to catch up.”
I hit “End,” my feet restlessly kicking the foot of my bed. The small bedroom seemed claustrophobic, but I didn’t want to talk to Max. Not that I could avoid him in here, either, where his dirty laundry, sandals, and other items lay about. Rather than take a match to it all, I decided to organize some of his things to help with his packing. Hauling myself off the bed, I then went to the armoire to get to the vintage albums my dad had left me in his will.
Some were fairly valuable, like the Beatles collection box set from 1982, valued at roughly a thousand bucks. Or the Led Zeppelin first pressing with the turquoise label, which should net around eight hundred or so dollars. U2’s Joshua Tree collection box set from 1987—maybe worth six or seven hundred. Then there were others worth less than one hundred dollars. But each one had infinite sentimental value.
Every song resurrected a specific memory of time spent with my father playing cards, washing cars, grilling hot dogs … anything. Whatever he’d wanted to do, I’d done with him, and he’d always chosen the perfect background soundtrack for every activity. Those stolen moments had also been a great way to escape my mom’s endless lectures and demands. She’d never yelled at me for skipping out on chores or being messy when I’d been spending that time with him. Probably because he wouldn’t let her.
At present, my restlessness matched the mood of a typical Bob Seger song, so I grabbed Beautiful Loser and slipped the record from its sleeve, resisting the urge to hug it as if it were my dad. I set it on the old turntable he’d also left me. As the few first drumbeats clangored, my heart kicked an extra beat or two—partly happy, partly sad. I glanced toward the bedroom door, picturing Max on the sofa, and then got to work.
It didn’t matter where life led me next. I had faith because my own personal angel was looking out for me now.
Que será, será.
***
Author Bio
Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than two million copies. She is a two-time Booksellers’ Best Award finalist and a National Readers’ Choice Award winner, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah and dancing around the kitchen while cooking. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can get exclusive excerpts, inside scoops, and be eligible for birthday gift drawings by subscribing to her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b7k7G5. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
I am so excited to be sharing THE WONDER OF YOU (Sanctuary Sound Book 3) by Jamie Beck. I have been anxiously awaiting Peyton’s story in this trilogy and Ms. Beck did not disappoint!
Below you will find a guest post from Jamie Beck, an excerpt, my book review, a book summary, the author’s bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway. As always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway and you have to read this book!
***
Guest
Post: Author Jamie Beck Urges Readers to Focus on the Wonder of Now
Throughout my career, I’ve
loved the challenge of redeeming a character that might be hard to like, much
less love. In Peyton, the heroine from The Wonder of Now, I took on
a particular challenge, because most of my readers are women, and most women
don’t forgive a friend who betrays them for a man. This setup made redeeming
Peyton a singular challenge and begs two questions: who is Peyton, and why
should you care about what happens to her?
Peyton Prescott is part of a
legendary literary family owing to her great-grandfather’s prolific career as a
celebrated novelist. The casual observer would say she’s grown up in a mansion
by the sea and enjoyed every privilege (wealth, beauty, wit). But life in
Arcadia House wasn’t as picture-perfect as her family would have the public
believe, and emotionally distant parents didn’t exactly model warmth or instill
a sense of deep love and acceptance. She spent her twenties living out of
suitcases and blogging about her travels, then had the misfortune of falling
for her childhood friend’s boyfriend, who dumped that friend for Peyton…until
she got diagnosed with breast cancer, at which point he dumped her, too.
Facing her mortality alone
forced her to take a hard look at her life and her choices, spurring a sincere
desire to become a better person, and to make amends with the friend she
betrayed. Although she gets diagnosed in the first book in this series, and
begins to make amends in the second, this final book is when all the threads
come together. She and her famed-photographer brother recorded her journey from
diagnosis through her final surgeries, collaborating on a memoir that is about
to release (the proceeds of which will be donated to cancer research). Of
course, at this point in time she’s more interested in moving on with her life
than with reliving the experience with cancer and sharing those intimacies in
public forums. Her attitude puts her in direct opposition to the publicist,
Mitch, who is counting on her becoming his fledgling company’s big hit.
Despite Peyton’s flaws, of
which she is well-aware, she also has strengths that draw people to her. She’s
self-deprecating, witty, brave, beautiful, and empathetic. She now also has a
heightened appreciation for living in the moment and not taking any day for
granted—something the goal-oriented Mitch must learn to do. Although he has
very good reasons for being disciplined and focused on his ambitions, he is
instantly drawn to her energetic spirit and zest for life.
I confess that I struggled
while writing this book, but it ended up becoming my favorite to date. Not just
because I loved rising to the challenge I’d set up, but also because Peyton’s
musings, fears, and hopes go to the heart of what connects us all, and because
I think I gave her the perfect man to help her complete her much-needed
personal growth arc. But you can be the judge!
***
Excerpt:
The writer from the Barcelona
Review swaggered in and sat down. Medium height, trim, with coal-black
hair worn a bit shaggy. The guy’s eyes lit up when he got his first good look
at Peyton’s smile, making Mitch’s gut tighten.
“Hello, Miss Prescott. I’m
Javier Molina, but friends call me Javi.” He reached across the table to shake
her hand.
“Nice to meet you, Javi.
Please call me Peyton.”
The little knot in Mitch’s
stomach screwed tighter when he thought she was flirting. She’s only
smiling, stupid.
Javi set up his phone
recorder and then slouched back, feet planted wide apart on the ground, pen in
hand. That cocky bastard was trying to intimidate Peyton with his domineering
position. “First, let me say I enjoyed the book, although I suspect some of the
caustic humor was meant to keep us at a distance.”
“Not exactly,” she muttered.
Javi hesitated but would be
disappointed if he expected his silence would force her to elaborate. Mitch had
watched her operate with interviewers in Rome. She’d make an excellent trial
witness, answering only those questions asked—nothing more or less. Even this
spare utterance seemed to have slipped through her fortress wall.
Javi prodded again. “In
certain cases, the photographs are more raw than the narrative, although they
blend seamlessly together. All but the cover photo, which has no explanation or
accompanying exposition. It’s a spectacular, harsh image . . . Can you tell our
readers what was going through your mind when it was taken?”
“You mean aside from ‘I’m
going to kill you, Logan’?” She chuckled, buying herself a precious moment to
compose her thoughts, Mitch guessed.
Meanwhile, Javi raised his
index finger with a sly nod, as if she’d proved the point he’d made a moment
ago about her defense mechanism. Rather than venture another attempt to flirt
his way past Peyton’s defenses, Javi simply stared at her this time, waiting
for a real answer.
Her gaze drifted, eyes
cloudy. If she’d wanted to discuss whatever happened at the time of that photo,
she would’ve put it in the memoir.
Mitch loosened his fist and
wiggled his fingers. She needed to do this for herself, and it might be easier on
her if he left the room. It would certainly be easier on him not to listen to
the story behind the photo that had captivated yet haunted him for weeks.
He wrestled with his
internal debate until she sighed.
Without looking at Javi, she
picked up the pen and began doodling on the pad in front of her while she
spoke. “Forty-five minutes before Logan shot that photo, I’d used the magic
mouthwash to help with my mouth ulcers. After the waiting period, I went to the
kitchen to get some water. It was predawn, so I’d assumed Logan was sleeping. I
took a few sips and then wandered to the living room window. Outside, the
street was already coming to life, all shadows and movement and secrets.
Garbage men emptying bins, night-shift workers heading home, a stray woman
dashing toward the subway on an obvious walk of shame . . . ordinary people
living their lives. Probably worrying about the electric bill, or looking
forward to a sporting event, or maybe daydreaming about a new love. Things that
had once occupied my thoughts but, in that moment, meant less than nothing to
me.”
When she paused, Mitch stole
a look at her notepad. Daisies?
Her expression shifted to
something self-deprecating. “And yet I envied them and those small worries . .
. envied their health. Their nonchalance about another new day. I was so
separated from it all—and not only by the glass. I swallowed a scream because I
knew they, like me before my diagnosis, were taking everything for granted. I
watched them, resentment festering because I might not exist long enough to
even see those people months later. Worse, they’d never know. Life everywhere
would go on without me, and very, very few people would care. Just like
that”—she snapped her fingers—“it hit me that my whole life never mattered
much. No spouse. No children. No impressive legacy from my Globejotter days.
What, of value, had I done with my time?”
The room remained silent
while she resumed her doodling. “I don’t know what woke Logan. All I remember
is that I turned when I heard the camera click, and then he kept snapping.” She
finally looked at Javi and tapped the book jacket with the back end of her pen.
“That was his favorite of the bunch.”
Javi straightened his
posture while finishing his notes. Peyton shot Mitch a quick glance punctuated
by a half shrug. What a strange, intriguing woman. Drawing flowers while
relaying her existential crisis to a total stranger.
Mitch offered a sharp nod of
approval when what he wanted was to gather her in his arms like a bouquet of
delicate flowers and tell her that he would care very much if she didn’t exist
tomorrow or the next day or the one after.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
I have been anxiously waiting for Peyton’s story and Ms.
Beck did not disappoint!
THE WONDER OF NOW (Sanctuary Sound Book 3) by Jamie
Beck is the third contemporary romance in this trilogy about three friends who
dubbed themselves the Lilac Lane League growing up and their lives until they
each find their HEAs. This can be read as a standalone, but there is character
and back-story crossover.
Peyton Prescott is not the same carefree, world travel
blogger she was before her breast cancer. She has survived a double mastectomy,
reconstruction surgery and a year of baring her sole through words to go along
with the pictures taken by her brother, Logan, a professional photographer, of
her personal journey to be published as a book with half the proceeds going to fight
cancer. Up until the cancer she led a privileged and spoiled life, but now she must
find a way to face her new self in the mirror not just physically, but mentally
also.
The first leg of publicity for the book is a tour through
Europe. Logan is at home planning his wedding, so the publisher hires a
publicist to accompany her.
Mitch Mathis has been responsible and disciplined ever since
he lost his father to cancer while in high school. His new company’s success is
riding on Peyton’s tour being a success. There are definitely sparks between
the two, but Mitch has been burned before in an office romance and refuses to ever
let personal feelings interfere with business again.
As the tour progresses, Mitch and Peyton’s attraction grows,
but so do expectations, stress and miscommunications. Both need to decide if they
are willing to be what the other needs.
All three of these books were about such emotionally strong
women, but I especially loved this book. I have known many women who have gone
through Peyton’s journey and others who have passed on and this book realistically
covers so many of their fears and joys as I witnessed their terrifying and amazing
journeys. Mitch and Peyton are a wonderful couple with a complex, flawed and
slow burn romance that had my emotions engaged throughout. These characters and
this book will stay with me for a long time to come.
I highly recommend this contemporary romance trilogy and for
me, they only get stronger as they progress.
***
About The Book:
Title: The Wonder of
Now
Author: Jamie Beck
Release Date: September 10,
2019
Publisher: Montlake
Summary:
Peyton Prescott would give anything for the carefree life she knew
before breast cancer changed everything. But instead of using her second chance
to move forward, she’s stuck promoting the memoir her brother convinced her to
write, thus reliving the very battle she wants to forget. If she hopes her
European book tour will allow her to enjoy revisiting her favorite
travel-writing destinations, she’s wrong: her PR whiz is too consumed with his
own goals to consider her needs.
Mitch Mathis has relied on discipline to achieve his goals, and
with his new firm’s success riding on Peyton’s book launch, he must keep her on
task. They’re here for business, not pleasure. And Mitch won’t let unbridled
desire harm his professional reputation—not again.
When frustrated expectations and attraction throw the tour into chaos, it challenges everything Mitch and Peyton believe about themselves, life, and love, forcing these opposites to consider whether they can embrace the change they need to grow.
***
Author Biography:
National
bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold
more than two million copies. She’s a Booksellers’ Best Award and National
Readers’ Choice Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus, Publishers
Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work
“smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing, the author of
the Cabot novels, the Sterling Canyon novels, and the St. James series enjoys
dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and
Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient,
supportive family.
Fans can learn more about her on her website, www.jamiebeck.com, which
includes a fun “Extras” page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves
interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for THE PROMISE OF US (Sanctuary Sound Book 2) by Jamie Beck. Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a book summary and the author’s biography and social media links. At the end of the post is a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I actually missed my bus stop going to work because I was so engrossed in Claire and Logan’s story! This story is as heartwarming and realistic as it is emotionally heartbreaking at times. Have the tissues ready for this one. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Interview with Author Jamie Beck
1. Can you give readers a quick snapshot of your newest
novel The Promise of Us.
At its heart, this book is based on some favorite romance
tropes (best friend’s older brother, unrequited crush, second chance-ish)
although the circumstances are unusual. Basically, Logan returns to town to
help his sister recover and, in his desire to help his sister mend fences with
Claire, he hires Claire to redecorate his apartment. What starts out as a
somewhat manipulative—though well-intentioned—plan flips on him. He remembers
the version of Claire from before the gunshot wound and wants her to stop
living in fear, so he sets about slowly challenging her limits to help her lead
a fuller life. In the process, he falls for her, although his job and wanderlust
(and Claire’s inability to forgive Peyton) conspire to make her push him away.
Ultimately, they have to figure out how to compromise if they want things to
work out.
2. What makes Claire and Logan’s story special to you?
Each book I write is special in its own way. I think what
stays with me about this one is a sense of tenderness that developed in Logan
that didn’t really exist before he spent more time with Claire. He was a fairly
selfish guy (meaning he put his needs and career aspirations ahead of
everything) for most of his life. His sister’s life-threatening illness was the
first catalyst for change, but his relationship with Claire develops a new
facet of his personality. I liked him so much by the end of the story. And I
had fun writing Claire, despite her being a very nervous, conservative
character at the outset.
3. Your heroine Claire has suffered tremendously (both
physically and emotionally) yet she perseveres and has made a great life for
herself. What gives her strength?
In my mind, Claire’s greatest strengths are her ability to
be content with the little things and her gratitude for her family and friends.
For the most part, she rarely laments her quiet life. When she had to give up
her first love (tennis), she directed her energy into something else she
enjoyed and made that a career. She feels that she is good at her job and she
enjoys it, so that also gives her a sense of pride and accomplishment. I think
her job (making old or ugly things pretty) is a bit of a metaphor for how she dealt
with her injury.
4. Claire has had love and lost it. How has her past
experience changed her?
I think losing her boyfriend to a best friend rocked her to
the core. Those two betrayals shook a fundamental sense of trust in all
relationships. And in love. She recovered much better from her physical injury
that the emotional ones, that is for sure. In any case, this cynicism about
love and friendship definitely makes it hard for her to believe anything Logan
has to say, or to believe that he could truly love her.
5. What is her reaction to first seeing her childhood crush
Logan?
She’s caught unaware, so she reacts badly, especially
because she suspects he is trying to manipulate her. Hostile might be how some
would describe her mental state, although Claire tempers her feelings most of
the time, so it is more of a quiet rage with a hint of desperation to flee!
6. It seems like Claire and Logan are complete opposites.
She is cautious about new experiences, while he jet sets around the world. Was
it difficult to write about two very different characters?
No. They are opposites, but in a complementary manner. In
other words, he is able to use his strengths (courage) to help her tap into her
own, and she is able to use her strength (contentedness) to give him a sort of
stability and affection sorely lacking in his life.
7. What common ground do your heroine and hero have?
The have the common ground of growing up in the same
community, with all the values and ideals that help form us as children. They
also have mutual friends and some shared history, which binds them. In terms of
their interests, they are both creatives—him with photographs, her with fabrics
and such—so they understand that way of seeing the world.
8. A hallmark of your writing is the maturity that your
characters find throughout their journey of falling in love. What are some
lessons that Claire and Logan must learn for them to get their
happily-ever-after?
The hallmark of any well-written romance (of which there are
plenty) is that its characters will have a strong arc (they will grow and
become better, stronger individuals). In this story, Claire needs to learn to
take risks again, and to trust that, come what may in life or love, she will
survive and be okay. Logan needs to learn to compromise, and to learn that the
relationships he makes in the here and now are more likely to bring true happiness
than achieving any aspirational goal.
***
The Promise of Us Excerpt
“What are you
thinking?” Claire dropped her hands to the table.
Steffi shook her head, waving one hand.
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie. Is there another problem I’m not
aware of?”
“No.” Steffi inhaled, held her breath, then
exhaled slowly.
“I know of one project that would make a sweet
profit and let you really stretch your talent. ‘Sky’s the limit’ kind of
budget.”
Excitement lifted Claire’s spirit,
straightening her spine. Anything that accelerated plans to open a retail
outlet merited her attention. “Sounds amazing. What’s the catch?”
Steffi hesitated.
“Never mind. You won’t take it, so let’s move
on.” Steffi spooned whipped cream into her mouth. “Oh! Molly says that Mrs.
Brewster is thinking of remodeling her master bath.”
Mrs. Brewster’s late husband had left her
comfortably well off, but you’d never know it. She clipped every coupon
available to humanity—Claire had been behind her at the grocery store more than
once. She put only two dollars in the collection basket at church each week,
despite having enough money to leave more. And she gave out bite-size candy at Halloween.
Bite-size!
“We can’t rely on Ryan’s mom as our major
source of leads, and Mrs. Brewster spending big bucks on a remodel sounds
improbable..” She leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Don’t make me beg. If
you have a solution, I won’t dismiss it out of hand, I promise. I’m not an
idiot. We need income. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the doors open.”
Steffi went still, her chin just above the mug
held midair. “Whatever it takes?”
Claire’s hair stood on end, but she motioned
“Let’s have it” with both hands.
Steffi hesitated. “How would you like to
redecorate a high-end condo in Chelsea?”
“In the city?” Her entire body prickled
painfully at the thought of putting herself in the midst of that chaos and
danger. She’d already been one madman’s random victim. Manhattan teemed with
crazy people, not the least of whom were the ones who drove their cars like
heat-seeking missiles. “Who’d hire us instead of any of the premier designers there?”
Steffi met Claire’s gaze. “Logan.”
Claire’s tongue seemed to swell and turn
sticky. Work with Logan … Her blood thickened
like warm syrup. Tingles and terror all at once—a sensation she both loved and
loathed. Her own brand of crazy. Maybe she did belong in New York, after all. “No.”
“You just said you’d do whatever it takes.”
“Not that. Never that.” Claire didn’t need to look into a mirror to know that her
fair, lightly freckled cheeks now looked like someone had smeared them with
ripe strawberries.
“As I suspected.” Steffi shrugged nonchalantly,
as if she hadn’t just pulled the pin from a grenade and dropped it on the
table. “So that leaves us a little tight until something else comes up. In
terms of our social media presence, I just read an article …”
Claire heard Steffi talking, but the words ran
together like white noise because Claire’s brain was still stuck on the idea of
working with—no—for Logan Prescott. His
obvious ploy made her want to laugh. Did he really think he could buy her
forgiveness for his sister? Well, Claire would never, ever forgive Peyton. Not
even if he paid her a million dollars to renovate his condo.
“Claire? Did you hear anything I said?” Steffi
turned her hands out in question.
“Sorry.” She rubbed the scowl from her
forehead. “I’ll find another way to turn up new leads. Working with Logan is a
hard no.”
“Too bad. You’d have so much fun decorating his
place. I’m sure he’d let you do whatever you wanted. Anything would be better
than how it looks now. Guess he never cared before, since he was rarely around
to enjoy it.”
Only a Prescott would own a million-dollar
property that sat vacant as often as it was occupied.
“I’m not an idiot.”
“Did I call you one?” Steffi had the gall to
look stunned.
“This has Peyton’s paw prints all over it. I’d
bet my last penny that she put him up to it. I don’t know what I hate more,
that she did it, that you took the bait, or that she knows we’re desperate for
money.”
“It’s not a conspiracy. I mentioned that I felt
bad about putting you in this situation because of this home. Logan tossed out
the idea on the spot.”
“I can’t deal with the strings that would come
with his offer.” Except now Claire couldn’t focus on anything else because
thinking about Logan took up all the space in her head. If Peyton hadn’t stolen
Todd, she might’ve pounced on a chance to work closely with Logan. Of course,
then she wouldn’t have been free to act on her desire. Not that she had ever
acted on it before Todd, either. The hawkish way Logan could stare at her
turned her to jelly around him and—oh, just no. “I thought you finally
understood that.”
“I do. That’s why I wasn’t going to say
anything.” Steffi crossed her arms. “You forced me to tell you.”
True enough. Logan’s image flickered through
Claire’s mind again, poking at the tender spot of her pointless longing, like
always.
She shook her head, dislodging all thoughts of
Logan. “I’ll catch up with Mrs. Brewster and pitch a proposal for her bathroom.
But we also have to scrape together funds to advertise and update the website,
and you need to scare up reno work pronto. Promise me we’ll earmark new revenue
toward retail space—”
A knock at the door interrupted her monologue.
Steffi rose from the table and disappeared
around the corner.
From the other room, Claire heard Steffi’s
surprised voice say, “Oh, we didn’t expect you so early.”
“Hope that’s not a problem,” replied Logan, in his unmistakable baritone.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE PROMISE OF US (Sanctuary Sound Book 2) by Jamie Beck is
a contemporary romance with characters I know I will be thinking about well
beyond “The End” of this book. Ms. Beck’s characters in The Sanctuary Sound
series are realistically written and fully fleshed enough to walk right off the
page. Even knowing my HEA will arrive, the journey is never easy or
cookie-cutter in Ms. Beck’s Sanctuary Sound books.
Claire McKenna is the artistic design half of the fledgling
company she started with one of her closest childhood friends in her hometown.
She has rebuilt her life since losing her promising career as a professional
tennis player to a random bullet to the hip in the local mall and her boyfriend
who dumped her and left town with her other best friend. Claire was focused on
her career and travelled the country, but now she allows her fear to build a
wall around her hometown and never takes any risks.
Logan Prescott lives every day trying to live up to his famous
grandfather’s legacy. He is a photographer who travels the world trying to find
the job that will give him fame and recognition. When his sister is diagnosed
with breast cancer, he comes home to be by her side. They have returned to the
family home to document Peyton’s cancer fight and Logan would like to get
Claire’s forgiveness for his sister, who is the one who stole Claire’s
boyfriend.
Logan offers Claire the job of remodeling and decorating his
NY condo for enough money to get the store front she wants for the business. He
turns on his charm to get Claire to take the job, but he soon finds that Claire
has changed and he wants to help her get over her fears as much as he wants
forgiveness for his sister. Claire has had a crush on Logan since they were
young. Can taking risks with Logan free her or break her all over again?
Get the tissues ready. Claire and Logan are opposites that attract and in the end fill the empty spaces in each other, but not without a lot of emotional growth. Claire’s fears after the shooting and her parents’ over-protectiveness, Peyton’s breast cancer journey and Logan’s emptiness were realistically written and intertwined into a beautiful story. They are imperfect characters that are all changing and on a journey to forgiveness and understanding. The sex scenes are behind closed doors or PG rated. This book can standalone, but Claire’s partner, Steffi has a great story in book 1 of this series that you will not want to miss.
I highly recommend this romance, series and author!
***
About the Book
Title: The Promise of Us
Author: Jamie Beck
Release Date: April 9, 2019
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Summary
Claire McKenna
knows about loss. The bullet wound that ended her promising professional tennis
career drove her to make a quiet life for herself working with fabric samples,
chatting with her book group, and spending time with her parents in her sleepy
coastal Connecticut hometown. Then there was the boyfriend who dumped her to
pursue her adventurous childhood friend. Now, Claire’s business has hit a
financial snag, but she’s up to the challenge. After all, she can survive anything.
At least she thinks so . . . until her teen crush, Logan, returns to town with
his sister, Claire’s traitorous friend.
Photographer
Logan Prescott is more playboy than homebody. But his sister’s illness teaches
him that there’s more to life than chasing the next thrill. Bent on helping her
win Claire’s forgiveness, he turns his charm on Claire and offers her big bucks
to renovate his multimillion-dollar New York City condo.
After years of playing it safe, Claire must now take some risks. The payoff could be huge, but if it all falls apart, can her heart recover from another loss?
***
Author Biography
National
bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold
more than one million copies. She’s a Booksellers’ Best Award and a National
Readers’ Choice Award finalist; and critics at Kirkus, Publishers
Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work
“smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing, she enjoys
dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and
Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient,
supportive family.
For fun tips,
exclusive content, and a chance to win the monthly birthday reader box, please
sign up for her newsletter at jamiebeck.com.
Hi everyone! I have a new Feature Post and Book Review for you today. Below you will find Jamie Beck’s guest piece on her heroine for her upcoming title The Memory of You, an excerpt from the book, my book review and author info. You will also find a Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of this post.
I hope you love this book as much as I did. I feel it is a great start to this new series. I am looking forward to Steffi’s friends stories, also. Good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Meet Steffi Lockwood the Heroine from Jamie Beck’s The Memory of You
Thank you so much for inviting me to talk about Sanctuary Sound, I’m Steffi Lockwood. I admit, it is strange to be back in my sleepy hometown after spending so much of my youth wanting to escape to something bigger and, in my mind, better. But life in Hartford didn’t live up to my dreams. I wouldn’t say I left because I got attacked, but it was a wake-up call for all the ways that life wasn’t really making me happy. One night while watching my favorite HGTV show, I got inspired to quit my construction job and return home to start my own home renovation business with my childhood friend, Claire, a designer.
While I enjoy the quiet beauty of our small coastal Connecticut town and am happy to reconnect with Claire, my dad, and my brother Ben, my homecoming isn’t all roses and sunshine. Although my mom died long ago, I can’t help but miss her when I’m at my dad’s house on Lilac Lane. I’m also dealing with some kind of brain fog, most likely from the many concussions I’ve suffered, including the last one I got when attacked. Then there’s the rift between Claire and our other dear friend, Peyton. We used to call ourselves the Lilac Lane League and were the closest of friends. I really relied on that sisterhood (having only brothers, myself). Now I’m trying to remain neutral, but that’s not easy when I have to live and work with Claire, and she’s still brokenhearted because her ex ran off with Peyton. But the biggest regret that follows me around town has to do with memories of Ryan Quinn, my high school sweetheart—the greatest guy in the world that I was dumb enough to ghost in college.
Like I mentioned, when I was younger, I thought I wanted a bigger life. I didn’t want to be like my mom, who married and died young without ever seeing anything of the world. I wanted adventure, and to get that, I had to break free from town and from Ryan. Fast- forward to now, when his mom just hired me to convert her porch to a family room. I didn’t know she needed to expand her house because Ryan’s marriage imploded and he’s just returned from Boston with his young daughter, Emmy. Let me tell you, ours was not a pleasant reunion. I did my best to apologize and be polite, but there’s only so much shaming I can take before I push back. Still, I’m not the same young girl I was back then and I’d love a chance to make amends with Ryan. His daughter is a real spitfire who makes me laugh, too.
Whatever happens with Ryan, I know I can take care of myself and make a success of this business, especially once this stuff with my memory heals. If I can also help my friends repair their relationship and win Ryan’s forgiveness, too, I’m going to try. At the very least, I can be the kind of friend to his daughter, Emmy, that his mom was to me when I needed one. Wish me luck!
***
The Memory of You Excerpt
“I do understand, Emmy. Better than you think.” Steffi took the partially folded tarp and snapped its final fold on her own, then crouched to Emmy’s eye level. “I wasn’t much older than you when my mom died. I missed her so much it felt like the whole world turned into a dark black hole. Most days I wanted to jump right through that hole and follow her to heaven. I was so angry that she left me like that, even though she couldn’t help it. But I kept all those feelings tight inside, like a ball right here.” Steffi pointed at Emmy’s stomach. “Holding all that stuff inside hurt, but it made me feel strong. It seemed better than crying, for sure. Then a girl named Claire moved in across the street. She was very sweet and sporty, and I liked her right away. I was lucky because she was patient with my moods. And at the end of our street was another girl our age, Peyton. Peyton was popular, but it turns out she was kind of lonely, too, for other reasons.
“Anyway, somehow that summer we all started spending time together. We gave ourselves a name—the Lilac Lane League—and we started a journal, because Peyton liked to write. We wrote down our dreams and the things that made us mad, and the things that made us laugh. Our crushes, first kisses, all that stuff. Little by little, that knot in my stomach unwound because my friends made me less lonely. That’s how I know the fastest way to feel better is to make a new friend.”
“You’re my new friend.” Emmy’s voice sounded small and shaky.
“I am your friend, but you also need a friend your age. I know you miss your old gang, but try to make one new friend here, too. I promise there are nice girls. I grew up here, after all, and I’m nice.” Steffi smiled and brushed some of Emmy’s curls off her face.
Ryan decided to enter the conversation now, before Emmy broke down in front of Steffi or put her in a more difficult situation. He exited through the kitchen door and crossed the partially framed porch to get to the yard. “Hey there, ladies.”
Emmy snapped her gaze at him, and he saw the panic in her eyes. His daughter’s fear of him speared his chest like a sword. He’d failed at his marriage, and his daughter was paying the highest price. He couldn’t fail her, too. He dropped to his knees and opened his arms. She flew into them in a heartbeat.
He hugged her and swayed, like he’d done when she was so much younger. Steffi quietly retrieved her toolbox and took it to her van.
“Emmy?” Ryan asked once they were alone. “I’m sorry this is such a hard time for you. I want to help you, but I don’t always have all the answers. I do know one thing, though. You can’t call people names and expect to make friends.”
She cried against his chest, each tear falling like acid raining on his heart. “Oh, sweetie, it’ll be okay. We all make mistakes. The important thing is to apologize and try to learn from it.”
“You always say that,” she muttered into his shirt.
“Because it’s the truest thing I know.” He kissed her head.
“So why can’t you and Mom apologize and make up?”
He hadn’t expected that question, although maybe he should have. “It’s not that simple.”
“You always say that, too.”
If a conversation with her took this much work at this age, he could barely imagine dealing with her in her teens. “You’re all dirty from helping Steffi. How ’bout you go inside and clean up before dinner? I need to talk to Steffi for a second. Then I’ll come in, and we can figure out how to apologize to Katie Winston.”
Emmy nodded while swiping her arm under her runny nose. “Okay.”
She wandered into the house just as Steffi came back from the van to get the rest of her personal things. He stood to speak with her. “I heard part of what you said to Emmy.”
“I know you don’t want me to speak for you, but I just—”
“It’s okay. Thank you for making her feel like she can confide in you. I should’ve listened to you the other day.” He crossed his arms and blew out a long breath. “I’m in over my head doing this on my own.”
“You’re not on your own. You’ve got your parents. But even if you were, I know you can do it. She loves you. She wants to make you happy and proud.”
He nodded, although he knew he was screwing it all up.
“Well, I’d better take off. Benny’s expecting me for another training run.”
“You guys are disciplined. I haven’t had a chance to get in a good workout in three months. Pretty soon I’m going to be too soft.” He patted his gut. Granted, he was still pretty fit. He could probably keep up with Steffi for a few miles, anyhow.
“I’m sure your mom would watch Emmy if you need to hit the gym or the mean streets of Sanctuary Sound.” She tipped her head, grinning. “My brother might even like some male company now and then. He gets sick of my singing.”
Ryan laughed. “Well, you were good at a lot of things, but singing wasn’t one of them.”
“You didn’t used to complain.” She hit his arm.
He grew quiet for a second, remembering the many times he’d listened to her terrible rendition of Lifehouse’s “You and Me” in the car or on the patio. “No, I never did mind those private concerts.”
The air between them turned sweet and thick with fond memories. Holding hands, soccer footwork challenges, the first time he’d copped a feel, and the light in her eyes when he had. The images almost made him want to take hold of her hand again; his heart beat with that hot desire like it had at seventeen.
“Dad!” Emmy called from the door, breaking the spell.
“You’d better go,” Steffi said with a wistful smile before she turned and walked back to her car.
He watched her go and waited … waited … Just before she got to her van, she peeked over her shoulder at him again, and everything seemed a little bit brighter.
***
My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
THE MEMORY OF YOU (Sanctuary Sound Book 1) by Jamie Beck is a second chance contemporary romance and so much more. Besides a well written romance, life is very messy around both the H/h with close friends, family and major life issues pulling them in all directions.
Stefanie Lockwood returns to her hometown of Sanctuary Sound after a brutal attack has left her with memory lapses which she brushes off as something time will heal. Steffi is a carpenter by trade and starts a company with one of her two longtime friends who is a designer. Their remodeling business is just starting to take-off, when Steffi gets a job offer from the mother of her long ago ex-boyfriend. Steffi has many regrets about how she left Ryan.
Ryan Quinn is a public defender who is not surprised when his wife leaves their marriage for a rich man, but he is extremely angry over her abandonment of their nine year old daughter, Emmy. Until the finances are settled in the divorce, Ryan moves back to his childhood home with his daughter. He is shocked and angry to find that his mother has hired Steffi to work on an addition to their home. Coming home with all of the emotions of a failed marriage and a little girl who is not accepting the changes in their lives, he is now faced with his first love who destroyed his heart.
Steffi wants a second chance with Ryan. Ryan is not sure that is possible as he protects his heart and Emmy from being hurt once again.
This romance is realistically written. It is a slow transition from anger to forgiveness. Steffi is not only dealing with her renewed feelings for Ryan, but she very much likes Emmy and understands that Ryan is trying to protect her from being hurt by Steffi because he does not yet trust her. She is also having more frequent periods of triggered amnesia episodes that could put herself and others in danger. Ryan is dealing with his renewed feelings for Steffi, but trust is a major issue. He also has to deal with his daughter’s feelings over the divorce and her wanting her parents to get back together. There is a lot going on in this book, but I feel Ms. Beck realistically handles all of the issues. All of the characters are multi-dimensional and interesting.
I am looking forward to continuing this series. Steffi’s friends have stories to be told that I cannot wait to read, also.
***
About the Book
Title: The Memory of You
Author: Jamie Beck
Release Date: October 30, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Sanctuary Sound, Book 1
Summary
Steffi Lockwood has survived more than most. Recovering from an assault, she returns to her coastal Connecticut hometown to rebuild her life the best way she knows how: with her hands. But starting a remodeling business with one longtime friend puts her in the middle of a rift with another. Worse, being hired by her ex-boyfriend’s mother forces her to confront old regrets.
Public defender Ryan Quinn wasn’t shocked when his wife left him, but he was floored when she abandoned their daughter. With his finances up in the air, the newly single dad returns to his childhood home in Sanctuary Sound. The last person he expects, or wants, to see working on his family house is Steffi Lockwood—his first love who shattered his heart.
Although Steffi and Ryan are different people now, dormant feelings rekindle. But when Steffi’s secrets begins to surface, will it bring them together…or tear them apart for good?
***
Author Biography
National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than one million copies. She’s a 2017 Booksellers’ Best Award finalist, and critics at Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing novels, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking as well as hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family. Fans can learn more about her on her website, www.jamiebeck.com, which includes a fun “Extras” page with photos, videos, and playlists. She also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.
