Hey all!
Welcome back for another book spotlight this week! So far we've had Christy Pastore with her debut novel, Fifteen Weekend; and Sharon C. Cooper with her Harlequin Kimani debut novel, Legal Seduction.
Joining us today, with another Harlequin Kimani debut novel, is Candace Shaw!
Congrats Candace on your debut with Harlequin Kimani!
She will be sharing an excerpt from her book, Her Perfect Candidate, the first in her Chasing Love Series!
Let's take a look...
Excerpt:
When Steven saw Megan
looking up at him from the bottom of the staircase, he was captivated. He
thought the dress she’d worn when he met her was sexy, but there she stood in
jeans even sexier, and she wasn’t even trying.
“Wow, you look
great,” he said, reaching out his hand to her to lead her back upstairs. “Our
table is up here. I was told it’s your favorite.”
Once seated, the
waiter took their drink and lunch order. Thirty minutes later, they were eating
shrimp po’ boys and fries and laughing at all of the blind dates Megan had been
on lately.
“So let me get
this straight,” Steven said, amused, “This dude was on a date with you trying
to sell you a time-share?” He laughed again, taking a sip of his tea. “Did you
buy one?”
“No, I declined.
Then he tried to tell me about some other get-rich-quick scheme. I have tons of
stories.”
“Why do your
family and friends keep setting you up? You’re breathtaking. I would assume men
ask you out all of the time.”
She lowered her
head and tried to stifle a smile when he mentioned she was breathtaking. He
didn’t want to embarrass her. He was merely speaking the truth. She twirled a
French fry around in the ketchup before looking back up and answering him.
“They do, but I
always cancel at the last minute or find some reason not to go on a second
date. My girlfriends say I’m just being picky so they set me up with guys that
they think would be perfect for me.”
“So how many
dates are we going to go on before you decide to dump me, too?” he asked
jokingly.
“This isn’t a
date. We’re supposed to be discussing decorating your future home. You haven’t
even looked at my portfolio yet.” She reached into her oversize leather tote
bag and pulled out her tablet and slid it across the table to him.
“To be honest,
I’m having such a great time that I forgot this was supposed to be business
luncheon. My meetings are usually with old men discussing politics, investments
and golf. Not with an adorable woman cracking me up with her blind-date
history.”
“Trust me they
weren’t that funny to be on, that’s for sure. I’ve asked my friends both
politely and rudely to stop.”
“Why do they
keep setting you up? Did something happen in a past relationship?” he asked,
thinking about what Shawn read earlier.
“Ever since my
last long-term relationship ended, they think I’m lonely for a man because all
I do is work. But what they fail to realize is that I’m happy being single. I
enjoy my freedom. I was with my ex for almost four years and my world was
centered on him. I helped him start his medical practice right after I started
my interior-decorating business with Jade. I began to lose sight of my dreams
and ambitions that he wasn’t even being supportive of in the first place. After
I found out he was cheating with a nurse in his office, I dumped him and
focused on me and building my business. I’m not lonely, but no one seems to
understand except me.”
“They sound like
my brother and campaign manager. Just earlier today, they were telling me to
settle down with one person. They think that would somehow improve my image and
give me a better shot of winning the nomination for my father’s seat.”
“Well, you are a
self-proclaimed playboy,” she said, shrugging her shoulders and rolling her
eyes away from his with a grin.
He chuckled at
her sarcasm. “The media says that. Truth is, I’ve been married before—didn’t
work out. Like you, I enjoy my single life. No strings. No attachments. No
hearts to break.”
“I wish I could
just tell my family and friends I have a boyfriend so they can stop harassing
me.” She threw the cloth napkin from her lap into her plate and sat back in her
seat.
Steven studied
her angelic face, which at the moment appeared disturbed. He knew what she was
going through. But now that he’d had met Megan, he wanted to get to know her
better. Even though, it seemed as if she wanted to be single and free. Heck, so
did he, but he knew he needed to settle down his dating habits and clean up his
image if he wanted to win the nomination. Most of the potential candidates for
his father’s seat were either engaged or married with families, summer homes
and of course a beloved dog. He didn’t even have a dog.
As he watched
Megan, he saw the epitome of what he wanted in a woman. Graceful, refined, sexy
without having to try, successful and independent. He was ready to learn about
her other qualities, as well.
“You know Megan,
you could just tell them you’re dating me.”
“But that would
be a lie,” she answered, shaking her head.
“It wouldn’t
have to be.”
About the Book:
Co-owner of an
up-and-coming interior-decorating firm, Megan Chase loves being a single woman
on the fast track to success. But everything changes when a flat tire brings
Georgia senator Steven Monroe into her life. The sinfully sexy politician needs
the right woman to clean up his image. And with Megan’s fine eye for detail,
she just may be the woman for the job.
Steven’s reputation
as a player could cost him his chance at a U.S. senate seat. But when the
cameras catch him and Megan in a kiss that’s all too real, it’s not only his
future candidacy in jeopardy. As the lines between politics and desire begin to
blur, how much will he risk to transform their passionate pretense into a
landslide for love.
Her Perfect Candidate can be purchased here:
About the Author:
Candace Shaw
was born and raised under the sunny skies of northwest Florida and knew she
wanted to become a writer after reading Little Women in
fourth grade. Once graduating from the University of West Florida with a degree
in elementary education, Candace began teaching and put her dream of becoming a
writer on hold until one summer vacation she started writing again and hasn’t
stopped.
When Candace
is not writing or researching for a book, she’s reading, shopping, learning how
to cook a new dish or spending time with her loving husband and their loyal,
overprotective Weimaraner, Ali. Candace is currently working on her next fun,
flirty and sexy romance novel.
Contact Candace:
Thank you so much Candace for sharing your book with us today! Joining us tomorrow will be another good friend of mine, Christina Jones. She will be sharing her recently released book Finding Forever!
Until next time...
Happy Reading!
Té
0 Comments