(Hometown Heroes series, #5)
by Allie Boniface
Blurb:
Franny Thompson has owned a bed and breakfast in Lindsey Point for the last five years, ever since a family tragedy left her broken. Running The Hideaway has been good therapy, but this thirty-year old doesn’t have the slightest idea about dating, fashion, or men. When a lonely soldier comes to town in need of a place to live, she offers him an empty room to rent, never dreaming he’s about to change her world.
Heath Garrick has spent the last 17 years as an active duty solider, but when he retires from the Army, he finds himself plagued by PTSD and no place to call home, until he moves to Lindsey Point and Franny offers him a room. Franny is quirky and naive, everything he’s never wanted in a woman – and everything he might just need.
As Franny and Heath find comfort in each other’s friendship, a powerful attraction develops. But when a national magazine chooses The Hideaway for a makeover, they are thrust into the spotlight. For Franny, it’s a dream come true. For Heath, it’s the worst kind of trouble. Can two lonely souls help each other find love and hope again, or are some battle scars too deep ever to heal?
Available for purchase at
Interview:
Hello Allie, Welcome to Deal Sharing Aunt!
Let’s start by getting to know a little bit more about you …
When
did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I always loved writing, even as a
child. I’d write stories in class instead of doing my homework. I didn’t start
to write with an eye on publication until after 9/11, when I realized life was
way too short to keep putting off my dreams. My first book was published in
2007.
How
long does it take you to write a book?
I’ve gotten a lot faster! It used to
take me about a year. Now I average anywhere from 3-6 months, depending on the
length of the book. I try to write at least 1000 words a day.
What
would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
Hmm…maybe that I can’t write unless
it’s totally quiet? I know other writers listen to inspire them, but I do my
best when it’s silent around me.
Now about your
books and this series…
Where
do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I grew up in a small town and live
in one now (though I’ve lived in big cities, too, and I currently reside about
an hour north of NYC). Small towns are so ripe for characters and plot lines
because of the quirky personalities, the beloved traditions, and the
relationships people have from generation to generation. In addition to that, I
often get my ideas from things I read or see in the news. Even though I don’t
start out consciously trying to deliver a central theme, a lot of times my
stories end up having some kind of deeper meaning to them – usually about life,
love, or friendship.
What
was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating this books?
That so many veterans suffer from
PTSD, and that so many of them do not have direct, easy access to resources
that would make their lives easier. The suicide rate among veterans is
sky-high. To me that’s unacceptable.
When
you chat with readers or receive emails/notes from them, what are some of the
things they are saying about this book/series that stands out to you?
What I hear most often from readers
is that my books are emotional and nostalgic. I love writing true love stories,
and I think (I hope!) that comes out in my books. One of my favorite reviews is
one of the most recent, written about Beacon
of Love, the first book in this Hometown Heroes series:
“As all readers of Allie Boniface know, she writes stories
that are nostalgic. Full of complex characters and unique storylines, her
writing is thought provoking, powerful and easy to follow…There are lessons to
be learned from every story Ms. Boniface writes.”
Okay,
without including any spoilers tell us some things about your latest release,
SOLDIER OF LOVE.
Even though this is Book #5 in the
Hometown Heroes series, you don’t have to know the other books to enjoy it
(although it does have familiar faces and recurring characters from earlier
stories!). Lindsey Point, Connecticut, is a small coastal town with a haunted
lighthouse and some tragic memories in its past. Franny Thomas owns a bed and
breakfast right across from the lighthouse, and she’s been witness to a lot of
the tragedy of this town. When Heath Garrick, a strange soldier, comes to town
shortly after retiring from the Army, he’s looking for a place to stay while he
deals with his own personal loss after 17 years of service. Franny offers him
her rental behind the bed and breakfast in exchange for doing odd jobs, and
these two lost souls soon become friends….and a lot more.
There’s a stray dog, a surprise
relative from Heath’s past, a night out in NYC, and a lot more that contributes
to this story about two people from different worlds who help each other heal.
I think what I loved most in writing this book was finding both Franny and
Heath’s inner strengths, and watching them fall in love while discovering how
strong they are both together and on their own. It’s
amazing how the love of another person can make someone feel whole again.
Allie,
thank you so much for hanging out with us today.
Hometown Heroes Series
About The Author
Allie Boniface is the USA Today best-selling author of over a dozen novels, including the Cocktail Cruise, Hometown Heroes, and Pine Point series. Her books are set in small towns and feature emotional, thought-provoking, sensual romance with relatable characters you'll know and love.
A graduate of the University of Rochester and Case Western Reserve University, Allie currently lives in a small town in the beautiful Hudson Valley of New York with her husband and their two furry felines. When she isn't teaching high school English, she likes to travel, lose herself in great music, or go for a long run and think about her next small town story.
You can find Allie at
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