Bama
Bride
by
Joan Chandler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BLURB:
Neal
Sinclair meets David Bankston in a college town bar. He’s tall,
dark, and handsome, and wears a Stetson like nobody’s business.
When
they dance, inner passion heats up while inhibitions melt away. Neal
quickly discovers David’s not a Southerner at all. He’s a Boston
architect, in Tuscaloosa for only one night. The next morning, they
struggle to walk away from something that caught them both by
surprise.
Time
doesn’t diminish the ache they feel in each other’s absence.
Unable to stay apart, David arranges to take Neal to watch her
beloved Crimson Tide play in a football bowl game. Reunited, they’re
determined to make it work. When separated, they perfect the art of
open communication. They each know that true love is a long shot.
But
distance isn’t the only thing standing in their way. Unbeknownst to
her, Neal’s overprotective father is, too. With so much conspiring
against them, can a natural disaster turn the odds in their favor?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EXCERPTS
(Please
choose only ONE to use with your post):
Excerpt
One:
“Hey,
cowboy. How about a dance?” As soon as the words were out of her
mouth, she cringed. Wow, even to my own ears that sounded way too
cheesy.
She
looked him over as he stood with the sole of one boot propped against
the wall, and a Stetson perched atop his head. He had sinfully good
looks, and his olive complexion and wavy black hair gave him a
swarthy, pirate-like appeal.
“Evening.”
He nodded, but his gaze remained focused on the room, never lingering
in one place too long. Clearly, she had been dismissed.
So much
for my skill at playing the vamp. This is shaping up to be an epic
fail.
With
each swig he took from that long-necked beer bottle, however, she
found herself wanting nothing more than to offer to lick off the
moisture that clung to his mouth after every swallow. She decided not
to give up so easily.
“You’re
about empty. How about a second round? My treat?”
He
locked eyes with her then, and humor glinted in his. The gorgeous
stranger rewarded her with a dazzling smile even as he shook his head
in polite refusal.
“Thank
you, but no.”
His
fingers were long, and his hand was broad. He exuded sex appeal. But
she wasn’t used to these games of pursuit. It was usually the other
way around, and she was fending off the unwanted advances.
Jeez, I
must look utterly pathetic to him just standing here with doe eyes. I
don’t know what possessed me to think I could ever stand a chance
with someone like him.
She
started to back away when suddenly the band began to play the first
strains of “Sweet Home Alabama.” She took it as a sign that this
might be her lucky night after all. She quickly downed the rest of
her sour apple martini to bolster her courage and then deposited the
empty glass on a nearby table.
“Are
you just passing through?” She spoke loudly to be heard above the
cacophony of their surroundings.
“I
only came in for a beer—nothing else. I leave town in the morning.”
“I get
it. No entanglements, right? But it’s just one dance. And judging
by your accent, you aren’t from around here. So I’m willing to
overlook the fact that you don’t know it’s an unwritten law that
when that particular song comes on, it’s lady’s choice. She can
ask any man to dance, and he can’t say no.”
“Can’t,
huh? Is that a fact?” A playful grin toyed at the corners of his
mouth.
“It is
when you’re in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. That song’s a sacred anthem
around here. So, cowboy, I’m asking you once again. You wanna
dance?” She put one hand on her hip and extended the other toward
him, waiting. Hoping he would acquiesce.
His
hesitation surprised her. Instead of accepting immediately, he
purposefully raked his eyes over her from head to toe.
“Go
ahead. I’ve got all night.” She teased him at the flagrant
assessment of her assets. She welcomed the appraisal. She knew she
looked good tonight.
Finally
he budged, putting both feet on the ground and taking a step closer.
“All right then. You lead the way.” He smirked, as if amused by
the whole incident.
She
smiled and turned toward the wooden floor near the stage, their
fingers joined behind her as they walked. When they were front and
center, she put her hands on his shoulders while his immediately came
to rest on her hips. Although it wasn’t a particularly slow song,
he pulled her close until their bodies touched, and they began to
move in time to the music.
He was
tall and towered over her, despite her high heels, so he bent
slightly and introduced himself. “I’m David. What’s your name?”
The feel
of his warm breath against her face made the air around her crackle.
She inhaled the scent of him. It was equal parts of shampoo, spice,
and suds, and it was more intoxicating to her than the vodka had
been. She breathed deeply then looked up into his brown eyes.
“Neal.”
He
raised an eyebrow in apparent surprise at the revelation. “That’s
an unusual name for a girl. My best friend in high school was named
Neil.”
“Cowboy,
it may sound like a boy’s name, but I can assure you I am
one-hundred-percent genuine woman.”
He let
his hands wander over the luscious curve of her bottom. Pressing his
lips against her ear, he dared her. “Prove it."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AUTHOR
Bio and Links:
Joan
Chandler is a Florida native who has lived in the Deep South all of
her life. She is married with two children who are her pride and joy.
She lives a double life of sorts, holding down a nine-to-five job
during the day, and writing steamy romance at night—often with her
black cat curled up in her arms as she types.
When
she’s not spending her spare time working on her next novel, she
loves to go camping, sharing girls’ night out with her friends,
walking her two dogs, and watching college football.
BUY
Links:
AMAZON:
http://www.amazon.com/Bride-BookStrand-Publishing-Romance-ebook/dp/B00CT35YFW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369583017&sr=8-1&keywords=bama+bride
BOOKSTRAND
PUBLISHING: http://www.bookstrand.com/bama-bride
BLOG:
www.joanchandler.wordpress.com
twitter
account: @joanchandler1
Find me
on facebook: Joan Chandler
email:
joanchandler13@gmail.com
Sounds like a good story.
ReplyDeleteKit3247(at)aol(dot)com
Sounds like a great book!
ReplyDeletepjmillion(at)comcast(dot)net
Sounds like a great book! Thanks for sharing the excerpt and the giveaway. evamillien at gmail dot com
ReplyDelete