FLIRTING WITH THE BEAST (Modern Love Book #2) by Jane Porter is an emotional romance/women’s fiction addition to the Modern Love series. This is a story featuring a mature woman in her sixties moving forward after major life changes. This book is a part of a series, but each book stands on its own.
Andi McDermott has mourned for her husband and long-term marriage for five years and has decided it is time to move on and date again with the encouragement of her girlfriends. When her stepson disappoints her by not coming for her planned Christmas dinner to meet his fiancée, she refuses to mope and takes off for the family cabin at Lake Arrowhead and invites her best friend, Margo to join her. Everything is going well, until Andi once again must deal with her closest neighbor, who had been feuding with husband for years.
With the threat of a major snowstorm, Margo returns home, but Andi does not leave in time to safely get home and finds herself snowed in. When her power goes out, she turns to the neighbor who is not quite what she imagined.
Wolf Enders enjoys the solitude of living full time at Lake Arrowhead. The Marine vet, divorced father lives as he pleases and while Andi has always found him intimidating, when she comes to his cabin, she finds him kind and uncomfortably sexy. Wolf finds he is attracted to Andi and wants to take this good girl to bed, but he is not interested in a relationship. But life keeps throwing these two together and Andi just might be the one to tame the beast.
This is a wonderful read, not just a romance, but an all-around emotional journey not only for the H/h but their family members also. Andi has grown personally since her marriage ended and while she now stands up for herself and what she wants, she is still kind and loving. Wolf needs his space, is gruff on the outside and is one of those men that takes care of his family in the things he does for them and not necessarily verbally. The on again off again relationship is very believable as they both deal with family drama, grief, and fear. The sexual relationship was well written and steamy. This story is based around the romance between Andi and Wolf, but the realistic situations with grown children, friends, and life in general makes this story multilayered and memorable.
I highly recommend this mature romance/women’s fiction!
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About the Author
USA Today, and New York Times bestselling author of 65 romances and women’s fiction titles, Jane Porter has been a finalist for the prestigious RITA award six times, with her Tule Publishing novella, Take Me, Cowboy, winning the Novella Category July 2014. Today, Jane has over 15 million copies in print, including her wildly popular Flirting with Forty, a novel picked by Redbook Magazine as it’s Red Hot Summer Read in 2006 before being turned into a Lifetime movie in 2008 starring Heather Locklear.
Jane holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and makes her home in sunny San Clemente, CA with her surfer husband three sons, and two dogs. You can learn more about Jane at janeporter.com.
Wyoming Christmas Reunion and A Cowboy Thanksgiving by Melinda Curtis are the last in two different series, the Blackwells and the Monroes. What makes a Melinda Curtis book special is the different emotions the readers take along with the characters, making the story very realistic.
Wyoming Christmas Reunion is book five of a compilation of stories by five different authors, Anna J. Stewart, Amy Vastine, Carol Ross, Cari Lynn Webb, and Melinda Curtis. Everything comes to a head in this book along with the mystery settled. The Blackwells of Eagle Springs must thwart those who want to turn the ranch and town into a developed area with a lake.
This story has Helen and Nash Blackwell divorced because of his alcohol problems. She realizes that she has never stopped loving Nash. He is dealing with trying to help his family save the ranch and legacy that his grandmother built by training cutting horses to sell for top dollar. He is also fighting his feelings for Helen who he believes deserves better than him.
After Nash makes a wild bet that Helen can win the cutting competition, they are forced to spend a lot of time together considering Helen hasn’t ridden since a childhood incident caused her injuries. She reluctantly agrees to train if Nash is willing to work on the issues that caused the breakup of their marriage. Communication is their biggest obstacle because Helen wants to discuss her feelings about their past and Nash would rather keep his feelings to himself. A welcome character is their son Luke who brought humor and sweetness to the story.
A Cowboy Thanksgiving is book twelve in the “Mountain Monroe Family series.” This story has both the hero and heroine needing to overcome childhood issues and finding a family. Maxine was orphaned at a young age and passed around to family members, never feeling like she was wanted. Her insecurities are enforced after her marriage implodes where she once again feels abandoned. She accepts an invitation for her and her four-year-old daughter Luna to come for Thanksgiving in Second Chance Idaho. There she meets Bo Monroe.
He always feels no one is taking him seriously because of his good looks. To make matters worse one of his cousins is reviving the Monroe Holiday Challenge, a weeklong event of fun and games, something Bo has never won. One of the teams will be Bo, Max, and Luna. To her surprise, Max finds herself warmly embraced by the huge Monroe family who has gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving and compete in the Monroe Holiday Challenge. While competing Max and Bo get to know each other and realize there is a strong attraction.
Both these books are about family helping family. The theme is overcoming obstacles and working together to achieve a goal. What makes the stories even more enjoyable is the banter between characters.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: You wrote the finale in this Blackwell series titled Wyoming Christmas Reunion?
Melinda Curtis: In talking about the Blackwell series, I decided to write a story based on the Kevin Costner series Yellowstone and his character but turning it into a sweet romance. I thought what a normal person would do if they were in an accident and had to kill their favorite horse because it was so injured. This would probably ruin their life. I took Kevin Costner’s character in a different direction. I had to tie all the threads together.
EC: How would you describe Helen?
MC: Boisterous, diplomatic, timid at times, blunt, and can be calming. She was brash and confident but found it safer to retreat from hardship so at times she was timid. The old Helen was pushier and more assertive, while the new Helen was withdrawn after the divorce. Then she came to realize if she wanted to have that life again, reuniting with her ex-husband Nash, she had to bring back some of the old Helen.
EC: How would you describe Nash?
MC: He carries a lot of weight on his shoulders from his past. He needed to find a way to forgive himself and move forward for all his past mistakes. He is proud, caring, troubled, impulsive, protective, and stubborn. I have this book quote about Nash, “All the Blackwells rolled into one. Stubborn like Denny (grandma). Kind like Adele (sister). Driven like Levi (brother). Clever like Wyatt (youngest brother). And bossy like Corliss (older sister).”
EC: How about the relationship?
MC: She ended her engagement to Phil because he treated her like an accessory and wanted to shove it in Nash’s face, “I have your woman.” He never loved her but used her to flaunt his power to the Blackwells. Just as she had to face her fear of riding a horse, she had to face her fears with Nash. They are funny, both are driven with a lot of pride. Nash’s accident affected both. He feels he is damaged goods, not good enough for her with regret, guilt, and helplessness. She feels frustrated, shut out, and alone because of the accident.
EC: What is the role of Christmas?
MC: It is a great time of year to embrace family and have forgiveness with peace.
EC: What about the other book, A Cowboy Thanksgiving?
MC: I wanted a light and breezy story with some emotional undertones, an easy, fun read. Since this is the last book in the series, I wanted to highlight many of the past characters, including my favorites like Shane and Franny.
EC: How would you describe Bo?
MC: Just like my husband, very competitive. He is the good-looking one whom people thought that is all to him. He has a chip on his shoulder because of his pride. He can be protective, a charmer, presumptuous, and a planner.
EC: How about Maxine (Max)
MC: She always felt she is the one no one ever wanted since she was abandoned by so many family members and her husband divorced her. Max felt she never belonged. She is very guarded, very bright, shy, and wants to be a part of things, but from a distance. She is also tough, vulnerable, determined, and a spitfire.
EC: What about the relationship?
MC: She thinks he is too pretty for her and does not care what he thinks about her. This attracts his attention because he is feeling there is more to me than just my good looks. They sparred a lot. Max wants to be friends and sets boundaries to protect herself. Max saw Bo’s large family as a way to experience unconditional love, emotional security, and a sense of belonging.
EC: Why the Holiday Challenge?
MC: Because ranch was a theme. I put in scarecrow stuffing, the roping, the sleigh decoration, gingerbread house making, and being in winter, skiing.
EC: What about the role of children and dogs?
MC: I love them. They make me laugh. Hopefully, the readers saw them as comic relief. I enjoy putting them in my stories just as dogs and children are in real life. They have so much personality and can be inconsistent. They show loyalty.
EC: What about your next book?
MC:A Cowboy Worth Waiting For comes out in February. It is about a woman who is starting a matchmaking business for ranchers and rodeo riders. Her first client is a rodeo star and her best friend’s widower. This will be the first in my “Rodeo Academy Series” with six books. All the heroes have been fostered.
In April, It Happened One Night comes out where a man and a woman spend the night together years ago. Now they bump into each other years later.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
HIGH IMPACT (High Mountain Trackers Book #4) by Freya Barker is another exciting romantic suspense in the High Mountain Tracker series. This is Lucy and Bo’s story that faithful readers of the series have been waiting for. This book can be read as a standalone, but the characters are all evolving in their relationships throughout the series.
Bo Rivera has been a member of the High Mountain Trackers since his discharge from the service. Unlike the other members of the team, Bo lives in town so that he can keep an eye on his elderly and feisty mother. Bo is a flirt with all the ladies, but he is really interested in Lucy, the prickly assistant to his boss’s wife at the animal rescue down the road. But he feels she is too young, so he keeps his distance. When he discovers her age and realizes she just looks young, he is ready to change their status.
Lucy Lenoir finds more comfort and trust with animals than humans. She has never let anyone know about her true background even her best friend and boss. She is independent and sometimes wishes for the type of relationships she sees happening around her, but she is also afraid to jeopardize anyone else’s safety. After Lucy rescued some abused goats, strange incidents have been happening at the rescue and she begins to feel she is being watched and set up for the murder of the goats’ abusive owner. Bo believes in her innocence and is determined to protect her even as she fights his attention.
Lucy slowly begins to allow Bo into her life and when she tells him about her past, he feels even more protective. But Lucy’s past is closer than anyone knows, and it may destroy her future.
I have been looking forward to this pair coming together after the brief glimpses of their attraction in previous books. Even though I knew Lucy’s past was bad, it was much worse than I expected and broke my heart. Bo had secrets of his own which could have broken up this pair even before they started, but Lucy understood about not being believed. Lucy and Bo’s romance proceeded at a believable pace with honest discussion of triggers during sex scenes. It is great to catch up with the crossover characters from the previous books, also. The suspense plot continues to ramp up the tension at an ever-increasing rate until the climactic confrontation and rescue. This story has everything I was hoping for and more.
I highly recommend this romantic suspense and the entire High Mountain Trackers series!
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Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
Holly Hayward is shocked when she learns that her great-uncle is planning to marry Jonah Drake’s grandmother. Have they forgotten about the bitter generations-old Hayward-Drake feud? Now Holly is determined to thwart the disastrous Christmas wedding—even if it means teaming up with her nemesis, handsome and way-too-perfect Jonah. But crashing one forbidden romance might just be the beginning of a completely new one…
From Harlequin Heartwarming: Wholesome stories of love, compassion and belonging.
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Elise’s Thoughts
The Christmas Wedding Crashers by Amy Vastine is a great holiday read. People should refererence to the McCoy-Hatfield feud that involved two rural families.
In this story two elderly people, Randall Hayward and Clarissa Drake announce their intention to get married. The problem is that the Haywards and Drakes have a major family feud. The Drakes come off as superior, the haves, while the Haywards are the have nots who have struggled to succeed. When the families hear about the Christmas wedding, they decide to do all in their power to break up the couple.
Great niece Holly Hayward is enlisted along with grandson Jonah Drake to have the wedding canceled. They first try to show the elders how incompatible they are with each other. After all, Randall likes rodeo stuff, being rough and tumble, while Clarissa likes to volunteer at all the Christmas trimmings. But, instead of seeing each other as mismatched they realize each is willing to do a give and take.
Instead of succeeding at their plan, Holly and Jonah realize that they also have a lot in common and their assumptions from the high school years are unfounded. Holly begins to see that Jonah is caring, kind, and funny, while Jonah sees that Holly is spirited, intelligent, and daring.
Although there are some scenes that are heartbreaking, most of the story will put a smile on readers’ faces. The banter is fabulous, allowing people to take the journey with the characters.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: Did the McCoys and Hatfields influence the story?
Amy Vastine: Right. I like the idea of family rivals. This is the second to last book in the “Stop the Wedding series.”This one had an older generation getting married, somebody’s grandma with the family not happy about it. The rival family had an elder who was an uncle.
EC: The rivalry?
AV: The Haywards are considered vandals and thieves, while the Drakes were arrogant, liars, and rescinded a land plot. The Drakes are the wealthy rancher family, and the Haywards are the workers. It stemmed from the Drake great-great-grandfather who promised land for work to the Haywards. After he died the family did not follow through to give the land, making the Haywards feeling cheated. This created hard feelings throughout generations. Oliver Drake is the epitome of the arrogance who had a cushy upbringing.
EC: How would you describe the grandson, Jonah Drake?
AV: Scholarly, book smart, but not totally relationship smart. He is not aware of how he came across. He is very black and white. If someone said something incorrect, he would correct them. He did not think about how that person called out would feel. He is a rule follower, compassionate, protective, honest, and patient.
EC: How would you describe Holly?
AV: She is street smart, sassy, and sarcastic. She is loyal to her family to a fault. She is funny, interesting, a hard worker, creative, and savvy. Holly is also direct, competitive, tough, and confident.
EC: What about the relationship?
AV: In high school, Holly felt Jonah intentionally made her feel stupid. She assumed it was because Jonah always felt superior. The family feud gets in the way. Initially, they think they are so different, but when they spend time together their assumptions go out the door. Both think oil and water will never mix but end up as a delicious salad dressing. They realize they have more in common than they thought. As they work together, they drop their guard. The older couple noticed that there was a connection between Holly and Jonah, before the younger couple did.
EC: What about the older couple Clarissa and Randall?
AV: They met at the little local diner. Both lived long lives and found someone who made them happy. They realize it is causing some drama, but they do not let it get in the way of something good. Clarissa is very kind, gentle, and accepting. Randall makes her feel like a Queen. He is a charmer. They enjoyed the fact that they were not the only crossovers who could see that there does not have to be this forever long family feud.
EC: What about Holly’s sister Maisey?
AV: She did not even know what the family drama was, living her own life. She did not realize who is mad at who and why. She is not burdened by other people’s old hang-ups. She was left out of the nonsense. Maisey does not live in the past and only cares about what is happening in her world.
EC: Why those events?
AV: I spent one whole day brainstorming as many Christmas activities as I could, writing my own Hallmark Christmas movie. There had to be a Christmas Tree Lighting, a gingerbread contest, an ice-skating rink, and the Frontier Freeze based on the Polar Bear Plunge in Chicago. I thought of events that strongly represented Randall and other events that strongly represented Clarissa.
EC: Next book?
AV: It is the last one in my “Stop the Wedding series,” titled Texas Runaway Bride coming out in August. The heroine is a people pleaser. After canceling her wedding day, she decides to visit this little town in Texas that her grandmother talked about. She runs into a widowed Sherriff with a four-year-old boy. She is offered the job of live-in nanny.
THANK YOU!!
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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Today is my turn to share my Feature Post and Book Review for SHAT BRANCHES GROW by T.S. Beier on this Black Phoenix Book Tour.
Below you will find a book summary, my book review, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Summary
A boldly imagined, exhilarating quest through post-apocalyptic America, where human nature is torn between the violent desperation to survive and the desire to forge connection.
Thirty-five years ago, the world was ravaged by war. Delia, a tough-as-nails survivalist, travels north in search of a future. Gennero is tortured by his violent past and devotion to his hometown. Ordered to apprehend Delia, he follows her into the post-apocalyptic landscape. The wasteland is rife with dangers for those seeking to traverse it: homicidal raiders, dictatorial leaders, mutated humans, and increasingly violent and hungry wildlife.
What Branches Grow is an unflinching depiction of life after civilization, where, above all else, trust is the hardest thing to achieve and give. The survivors have an audacious dream of a better life, but their quest may end up being a fruitless endeavour in a world openly hostile to hope.
For fans of Fallout, Mad Max, and The Road. Action and adventure rounded off with a slow-burn romance, dark comedy, and a dog companion.
WHAT BRANCHES GROW by T.S. Beier is a post-apocalyptic dystopian character driven journey of two young protagonists through the wastelands of the United States thirty-five years after the Red War. This is a unique standalone novel which gives you action, adventure, quirky characters, humor, a slow burn romance and monsters.
Delia is hardened and trusts no one after surviving on her own in the wastelands. When she wonders into the wrong town for supplies and the leader of the town sends his second in command, Gennero to bring her to him. When his attempt to enslave her fails, Gennero follows her to not only join her on her search for the mythical city in the North, but to free himself from his past in his hometown.
This story is a hero’s journey through an apocalyptic landscape and all the emotional growth and changes that occur to Delia and Gennero. From hard, untrusting, and scarred, the main characters learn from other characters and trials and tribulations about trust, sacrifice and love. Their traveling companion for part of the story was an old Chinese hipster they called Perth, who lived through the war and with his pug companion was a great source of humor and flashes from the past in his irritating way of interacting with Delia and Gennero. The monsters were the usual post-apocalyptic genetic mutated animals and a few zombie-like creatures, but the real monsters were the humans who had lost their humanity just surviving without ethics or morals.
I highly recommend this dystopian story with action, adventure, and romance that is an engaging and entertaining read from start to finish.
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About the Author
T. S. (Tina) Beier is a science fiction aficionado. Her first novel, the award-winning post-apocalyptic What Branches Grow, is her love letter to the genre. Her space opera The Burnt Ship trilogy takes influence from classic sci-fi but adds a modern twist.
She has a B.A. in English, a graduate certificate in creative writing, a certificate in publishing, and a certificate in interior decorating. She’s an entrepreneur, a book reviewer, and a writer for PostApocalypticMedia.com. Tina lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband, shepherd-mastiff, cat, and two feral children.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for PETS OF PARK AVENUE (Paws in the City Book #2) by Stefanie London on this HTP Books Fall 2022 Women’s Fiction Blog Tour.
Below you will find an author Q&A, a book summary, my book review, an excerpt from the book and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!
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Author Q&A
How do you come up with your themes?
I’m not sure that I consciously determine themes for my stories, but more that they tend to emerge as I’m writing the first draft. I’m an intuitive writer, which means the only way for me to really get to know the characters and the plot is to put my fingers on the keyboard and let the story flow. This means I don’t always know exactly how a story is going to turn out until it’s done, and I usually have an “aha!” moment about 75% through where I finally understand the core elements of the book. Then the rounds of revisions are often dedicated to make those themes and elements shine as much as possible.
What is the attraction to writing/reading about women’s friendships?
I’m blessed to have many amazing women in my own life, and I think female relationships of all kinds are super important. It saddened me for a long time to see women get pitted against one another in television and movies, and I’ve always wanted to write the kind of books that lift women up rather than tear them down. It’s not to say every woman I write is sunshine and roses, though! But I strongly believe in showing female relationships as honest, complex, and supportive. One of the best things about writing the Paws in the City series is all the different female friendships and sister relationships… after writing the adorable animal side characters, of course!
Which comes first: characters or plot?
It depends on the project. Sometimes I have an idea for a story concept that pops into my head and then I think about the characters who might end up in that situation. This was the case for The Dachshund Wears Prada, where I had the idea for a woman who ends up being an assistant to a very pampered pooch, and then Theo and Isla came to me later.
But sometimes the characters come first, especially for later books in a series where I’ve “met” the characters in an earlier book but don’t always know what their story is yet. Those characters tend to become very real in my head and then I need to think about a story that would suit their personality and the kind of development arc I would like them to have.
Have you ever been writing a novel and realized the theme is very much like something you’ve experienced?
I write from the heart, so on some level I think all my books have a theming element that is close to some emotion or experience I’ve had myself. When it comes to writing fiction, I try to make those elements bigger and more interesting than real life, but at the core I have experienced a lot of the same doubts, fears and insecurities as all my characters.
For example, I’ve written about characters who’ve struggled for acceptance (whether internal or external), characters who’ve felt lonely or who’ve moved away from their families, who’ve been afraid to bet on themselves or to take risks. I’ve written about grief, about being a plus size woman, about the pressures of having a creative career, about learning to find your voice in the world… these are all things close to my heart and my own experience.
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Book Summary
The perfect romcom for dog lovers! Pets of Park Avenue is the story of a self-confessed hot mess who learns that life is more fun when things don’t go according to plan.
What do you do when The One is also the one who broke your heart?
Self-proclaimed hot mess Scout Myers is determined to prove she’s finally got her act together. Raised by grandparents who saw her as her wayward mother’s wayward daughter, Scout’s used to being written off. So when the opportunity for a promotion arises at Paws in the City, the talent agency where she works, Scout is desperate to rise to the occasion. With shared custody of her little sister also on the line, Scout can’t afford a single mistake…like suddenly needing a canine stand-in for an important photoshoot. Luckily (or not) she knows the owner of the perfect pup replacement: the estranged husband she walked out on years ago.
On the surface, it appears Lane Halliday’s life has been blissfully drama free without Scout, but she suspects her handsome-as-ever not-quite-ex-husband doth protest too much. Working together even feels like old times—except for all that lingering, unresolved tension. But Scout’s not sure she’s ready to confront the reasons she left Lane, and when their plans to finalize the divorce become very real, Scout starts to wonder whether second chances might be worth a little hot mess.
PETS OF PARK AVENUE (Paws in the City Book #2) by Stefanie London is a heartwarming second chance romance/women’s fiction. This second book in the Paws in the City series starts where The DachshundWears Prada left off with the focus this time on Scout and her self-proclaimed hot mess life. The second chance romance in this book can be read as a standalone, but all the connections between characters and pets is more enjoyable if you read book #1 first.
Scout Myers is making the most of her chance to help her best friend, Isla, make Paws in the City a success. She and her baby sister were taken in by her grandparents, but her grandparents saw her as wayward as her mother had been and kicked her out to protect her sister. It has been a five-year separation with only monthly visitation, but she is determined to prove she is mature enough to have her sister move in with her now that her grandparents are moving to California.
At a pet photo shot Scout oversees one of Paws in the City’s stars, but when the dogs go wild, Scout is left in need of a temporary replacement for another engagement. She knows just where she can find an identical Bichon Frise. It happens to live with her not quite ex-husband, Lane Halliday.
Can the truth and forgiveness be the keys to a possible second chance with the person you could never forget?
I loved this second Paws in the City romance as much as the first. I at first found Scout to be the hot mess she believed herself to be, but the more you learn about her background and treatment from her mother and grandparents, it is amazing that she is as caring and loving as she is. The mistakes made when they first married were believable for the young couple and it was wonderful to see them come back together with a more mature and open understanding. Ms. London’s writing is funny, heartfelt, and emotional in all the right places. All the pets in the series are adorable and I love them, too.
I highly recommend this second chance romance, both Paws in the City books to date and I am looking forward to the next book in the series!
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Excerpt
Scout Myers could think of several good reasons to be on all fours with her ass in the air, but pandering to the world’s most disagreeable cat was not one of them. Isaac Mewton—and yes, that was his real name—was a Scottish fold with the sweetest face you’d ever see. Unfortunately, despite the adorable camera-ready mug, the cat had the same disposition as those grumpy old Muppets who liked to sit on a balcony and heckle people for sport.
And Scout loved animals. One of the best things about her job at Paws in the City, New York’s premiere pet social media and talent agency, was getting to be around furry critters all day long.
Isaac Mewton, however, was officially on her shit list.
“I can see something shiny back there.” His owner pointed. “We can’t carry on without his favorite toy. He won’t sit still.”
Scout gritted her teeth and wedged her hand between the wall and a white IKEA bookcase. Cringing, she prayed none of New York’s finest creepy crawlies were hiding back there and wriggled her fingers.
“Come on,” she muttered. “Where are you?”
Eventually her fingertips brushed something hard and plastic. That had to be it. How the cat had managed to bat his toy so hard it lodged itself into such a small space was incomprehensible. Almost as incomprehensible as this client’s expectations. Seriously, how were they supposed to turn her precious kitty into a star if it wouldn’t even sit still for a headshot?
“Got it!” Her hand—and the toy—popped mercifully free.
“Great, now can we get on with it?” The client looked at Scout like this was all her fault. “I have an appointment to get to.”
Paws in the City wasn’t only Scout’s workplace; it was the brainchild of her best friend and the lifeline Scout had needed when her life couldn’t sink any lower. She came into work every day striving to do the best job possible, both for herself and her boss.
That meant pasting on a can-do smile, even when she wanted to launch a cat toy at someone’s head.
“Why don’t you get him to play with it?” Scout said, handing over the hard plastic ring, which was clear and suspended with glitter. “He might be more receptive if it comes from you.”
The woman crouched in front of the cat and attempted to engage him with the toy. But he immediately batted it across the room, where it slammed into the wall and bounced onto the floor.
The photographer, who had shown a level of patience that should make her a shoo-in for sainthood, raised an eyebrow. This was going nowhere. Isaac Mewton sat on a velvet pouf with an artfully arranged bookshelf behind him that Scout and the photographer had prepared for his portrait, staring down everyone in the room like an angry king.
It was time to try something new. Scout retrieved a feather toy from their stash in the office. She needed to get these photos done now. Isla was due back in less than five minutes and they hadn’t gotten a single decent shot of the cat.
Let’s be real, what client would want to work with such a demanding, fussy model anyway?
Still, Scout didn’t want it to look like she didn’t have things under control.
“He doesn’t like those.” The cat’s owner shook her head and pointed at the feather toy. “It won’t work.”
“Well, we’ve tried all the toys you brought with you, so maybe a Hail Mary is exactly what we need,” Scout replied tightly, her smile turning brittle. Lord give her strength to deal with this woman! The cat was a pain, sure, but animals were animals. They couldn’t be blamed for their behavior. Their human counterparts on the other hand…
Click!
Isaac Mewton had gone still, his eyes on the new toy, and the photographer seized the moment to start snapping. Scout moved the feather in gentle sweeping motions, and the cat’s eyes followed with intense focus. He raised one paw and batted at it, ignoring the steady click, click, click of the camera.
So much for him not liking it.
Scout shoved the snarky inner comment to one side and focused on getting the cat to engage so they could wrap up the meeting as quickly as possible. Next to her, the owner huffed in annoyance as though she couldn’t believe her darling Isaac had proven her wrong.
When they were done and the woman and her cat had left the Paws in the City office, Scout’s shoulders sagged in relief. She was a people—and an animal—person at heart, but she had a pet peeve, no pun intended, about entitlement. Call it a leftover from her childhood. Her mother’s legacy was little more than a collection of emotional scars and personal quirks, but she had taught Scout one very important lesson.
Nobody owed her anything. Whatever she wanted in life, she would have to earn it.
“Are all your clients like that?” the photographer asked as she packed up her equipment. “The woman seemed to think her cat was royalty.”
Scout shook her head. “Most clients are lovely and happy to have our assistance. But there’s always the rare few who think they’re superstar material, without being willing to put in the work.”
“How long have you been open now? Only a few months, right?”
“Six months.” Scout couldn’t help her beaming smile. It might not be her business, but she was damn proud to be part of it. “And we’ve already signed over twenty clients.”
“Including Miss Pain in the Rear and her angry feline overlord?”
“We’ve had several requests for cats lately, and he was by far the cutest we’ve seen.” Scout sighed. “Let’s hope he’s in a better mood when it comes time to front up for a paying job.”
Paws in the City represented clients with four (and six) legs. They provided social media coaching to the humans running the accounts, worked on brand strategy and generally acted as a go-between in brokering sponsorship deals and other types of opportunities. They also booked animal talent for commercial shoots, both of the print and television variety. Every day was different. Scout managed the operational parts of the
job, like booking appointments, supervising headshots, fielding media enquiries and consulting with the freelancers, such as photographers and grooming specialists. Plus any other random bits and bobs, like making sure they hadn’t run out of dog treats or pods for their coffee machine.
Isla always said their mission was to make the internet a happier, furrier place, and Scout loved that sentiment.
A few minutes after Scout bid the photographer farewell, the front door swung open. Though cute, their office wasn’t much bigger than a postage stamp, so Scout’s desk was situated in the waiting area and therefore doubled as their reception desk.
Isla breezed in, a wool coat slung over one arm and her long dark hair bouncing around her shoulders in soft curls. She was dressed in a pale blue blouse, fitted black pants and a killer pair of silver stilettos—a much fancier outfit than what she usually wore in the office. Black, though it was one of Scout’s favorite colors, was not the best when working with their furry clients.
But Isla had been at an important networking event today, so there was no need to worry about dog fur.
“Those shoes,” Scout gasped. “Wow!”
“They’re gorgeous, but they’ve been killing me all day.” She dropped onto one of the pink velvet seats lining the far wall and kicked off the shoes, groaning in relief.
“That’s a rookie move,” Scout replied. “Now your feet are going to puff up and you won’t be able to get them back on.”
“I don’t care if I have to meet Theo barefoot tonight, there’s no way I was keeping them on a second longer than necessary.”
“Hmm, barefoot to a white-tablecloth restaurant. Classy.”
Isla grinned. “Theo loves me as I am, blisters and all.”
It was true. Scout wasn’t sure she’d ever seen a man so in love.
Not even on your own wedding day?
Scout shoved the unpleasant reminder to one side. The last thing she needed right now was for her mood to take a dive, thinking about inconvenient things like the fact that she was still married.
Or that she hadn’t seen her husband in five years.
***
Author Bio
Stefanie London is a USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. Her books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist, and her writing praised as “elegant, descriptive and delectable” by RT Magazine.
Originally from Australia, she now lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges her passions for lipstick, good coffee, books and anything zombie related.
