Sarah Ready's Blog, page 6

Sneak Peek of My Better Life!

My newest romcom is coming out July 19th, 2022 and I wanted to share a sneak peek of My Better Life with you.

When East Coast elite and wealthy bachelor Gavin Williams wakes up in a rural West Virginia hospital, he doesn’t remember who he is or where he’s from. His life is full of holes and secrets, desires and dreams, and as Gavin learns more he begins to wonder—will he ever remember? And what happens when he does?

My Better Life is Book 6 in my Soul Mates in Romeo series. 

Check out this sneak peek of My Better Life:

Sneak peek of My Better Life

“Who the devil are you?”

When Gavin was sad and pleading, like Elijah when he begs to go out and play baseball instead of doing his homework, I sorta felt sorry for him. But now, he’s looking at me like I’m a diseased rat that somehow, incomprehensibly ended up in his pristine world, and all my feeling sorry evaporates.

I stiffen, because honestly, I do have some pride.

“You have two seconds to answer me, or I’m calling the police.”

Not for nothing, but “the police” is Daryl Jones, my second cousin. That’s not going to help Gavin. All it’ll do is embarrass me. Daryl will get a good laugh out of this.

Gavin pulls a phone out of his pocket and holds it up threateningly.

“Tell me your name and what you’re doing lurking in my home.”

Slowly, I stand. I don’t want to startle him after all. When I do, he gets a good look at my dirty overalls, my roughed up boots, and my frizzy hair. His eyes widen and his nostrils flare. I get the impression he just got his first whiff of ol’ Billy.

I really should’ve taken a shower.

I would’ve if I’d known this was going to happen.

“My word, she’s a squatter. I’ve got a squatter in my home.” His jaw hardens and he thrusts his hand toward the open door. “Out. Get out.” He motions at me like I’m some mangy stray.

“Hey!” I put my hand on my hips. “I’m not a squatter. I’m Jamie Sutton.”

He stares at me, his expression uncomprehending. “What did you say?”

I blow out a long breath, the hot air stirring the hair sticking out from my braid.

“I said,” I annunciate and talk real slow for him, “I’m not a squatter. I’m Jamie Sutton.”

He shakes his head like he still doesn’t understand and then he takes slow, careful steps toward me, like he expects some loony behavior on my part. When he’s only a few feet away, he wrinkles his nose and looks at me with utter distaste.

“I don’t know what jammy sudden is, but I want you to remove your person from my home.”

Oh lordy. He can’t understand plain English.

“Jamie Sutton,” I say slowly pointing at myself.

He stares at me, uncomprehending. No wonder the fairy princess left him. He’s gorgeous, but his head is full of rocks. And he has a temper. I know it, because he steps forward and grabs my arm, his fingers hot and calloused.

“That’s it. If you won’t get out, I’ll take you out.”

He drags me toward the front door. It’s funny, a second ago, I would’ve loved to go out a door, now I don’t want anywhere near one. I dig in my heels and tug in the opposite direction. But he’s strong. Real strong.

“Hang on!” I shout, starting to put up a fight like ol’ Billy. “What’s wrong with you? You gave me the code to your place. I’m dropping off my work. Hello. I’m Jamie Sutton. The glassblower. Jeez Louise, you’re yanking me like Granny pulling up a radish on a Sunday. Let go!”

He’s having none of it.

“Unbelievable. I can’t understand a word she utters,” Gavin says in a completely dumbfounded voice.

I step on his foot. Hard.

“Let go! Understand that!”

He stops tugging me. We’re a few feet from the door. I’m panting hard, and I bet anything, that my face is redder than molten glass. Worse, even though I’m infuriated, him holding onto me is sending an SOS through my insides. The message travels up my arm, down my chest, and all over my body, telling me that all that heat I’m feeling means it’s time to strip down naked and cool off the old-fashioned way.

For crying out loud.

Gavin leans forward, towering over me, and brings his face close to mine. I can feel the warmth of him and I can smell the cologne he wears. It’s like fresh air, strength and vitality. Or maybe that’s just him.

My breath comes in short, painful pants, and my heart drums in my ears. In all this mess, I’ve nearly forgotten what I’m here for.

My work.

To get paid.

To start a new life where I can stop working three jobs and start giving the kids all the things I’ve always wanted to.

“Why’d you do that?” Gavin asks between clenched teeth. He jerks his head toward his foot. Apparently, it hurt when I slammed my boot down on his toes.

I try to jerk my arm free, but he keeps ahold of me. I glare at him. Now I know exactly how Billy feels when I trap his wings.

“Because. You won’t let go.” I say it real slow so the words can get through his thick skull.

He frowns and then releases my arm. My brain likes that, but my body doesn’t. It wants that SOS, and my skin still tingles where he was touching me.

Gavin clears his throat and rubs at his nose. Yeah, yeah, I smell bad. Deal with it.

It’s time to take charge. I stand as tall as I can, which isn’t much compared to Gavin, who’s more than six foot. I stick out my jaw and try to look as professional as I can, then I hold out my hand.

“Jamie Sutton. You’re Gavin Williams?”

Apparently, this is too much for him to handle. “How do you know my name?”

I roll my eyes. “You hired me.”

“I hard you?”

Oh my word.

This is probably the worst pseudo-conversation I’ve ever had in my life.

“You hired me to create glass art. The wave you commissioned. I dropped it off, like you instructed in your email.” I point to the wave, sitting in its place of honor on the art table.

Gavin looks from me to the wave then back to me again.

I lick my dry lips and wait for him to connect the dots.

Before, I thought this cabin was expansive, but now it feels claustrophobic. Gavin’s standing entirely too close. Studying me too carefully.

A slow, trickling flame licks over me, and I try to turn it off.

“No.” He shakes his head. “I don’t want it.” Well, that does it. The flame is off. It’s completely off.

Did you love this sneak peek of My Better Life?

Preorder your copy

to find out what happens July 19th, 2022!

The post Sneak Peek of My Better Life! appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Scene from Once Upon an Island

Check out this scene from my latest romance book Once Upon an Island.

The sea is calm, there’s only the slightest breeze, and when I glance over the side of the kayak I see a school of bright yellow and white fish flashing by. The sun hits their scales and turns them iridescent. The small ripples bend the sunshine and send light dancing over the sandy sea floor. I don’t know that I’ll ever get over the fact that you can see ten, twenty, thirty feet down, like you’re peering through a perfectly clear glass window into the sea.

I turn in my seat and smile back at Declan. “Isn’t this incredible?” I ask, forgetting for a second that we don’t like each other.

He keeps paddling, and I ogle the way his biceps bulge when he moves his paddle swiftly through the water.

Wowie zowie, he’s a looker.

His rash guard shirt is skintight, and it shows off his flat chest and the muscles of his abdomen. It’s amazing to me that his outside doesn’t match his surly inside at all, in fact, it’s… “Incredible.”

“What’s incredible?” he says sharply.

I stiffen. Ummm.

“Oh look, a sea turtle,” I say and point in a random direction over the side.

He stops paddling and looks down into the water. The boat slows. “I don’t see it.”

I pretend to look for the non-existent sea turtle over the edge of the kayak. “Oh, well. They’re pretty fast.”

Declan gives me a skeptical look and tightens his jaw.

He lifts the paddle and sends it to the other side of the kayak. Little water droplets fall across the boat, forming an arc. We start moving forward again.

I turn back around and help paddle. 

Unfortunately, the peaceful feeling from earlier is gone. There’s an itch between my shoulder blades that tells me Declan is studying me with quiet intensity. I take a quick peek behind me and then turn forward again.

Sure enough, instead of looking out at the water and the beautiful scenery, Declan’s staring at me.

The post Scene from Once Upon an Island appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Sneak Peek #4 : Once Upon an Island

Want sneak peek #4 from my newest book? Once Upon an Island is now available. This stand alone romcom and the perfect summer read. Is there anything sexier than swimming in a secluded tropical bay with a billionaire? How about if the bay glows with bioluminescence and there is a swoon-worthy billionaire?

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek #4 of Once Upon an Island:

Sneak peek #4 of Once Upon an Island

I gasp. Because the water lights up. Literally lights up. Everywhere I touch, neon blue lights spark through the water. Declan is surrounded by ripples and waves of electric blue dancing across his skin and in the water around him.

“It’s the bay,” I say excitedly. Then I realize that doesn’t make sense. “The bay is bioluminescent and these little microorganisms light up and…isn’t it beautiful?”

Declan looks at me, then down at the aura of electric blue surrounding me. I’m treading water again, and it looks like I have trailing blue angel’s wings.

“I never come out here,” I say. “I mean, when I was a kid, my mom brought me. I thought the lights were fairies and that they were going to pull me underwater to live in their kingdom. I used to dream about it.” 

I glance over at Declan to see if he’s laughing at me. He’s not, he’s watching me with that same, neutral, stoic expression. I pull my hand through the water and watch the trail of blue sparks flash and pulse everywhere I touch. I imagine the lights as little fairies flying around my fingers. I look back at Declan. He’s not watching the water, he’s watching me. I lick my lips nervously. They taste of salt and the sea. 

“My dad finally told me they weren’t fairies, they were Pyrodinium Bahamanse, a microorganism. After that, I didn’t ever feel like coming back.”

I stop and look at the blue lights shining around Declan. 

“Why not?”

Now that he asks, I’m not really sure. I swim closer to him.

“I’m not really sure,” I admit. “I used to think it was because the magic was gone once my dad told me the science behind the lights. But now…” I look around at the bioluminescence. “I see that’s wrong. It’s still magical, even though I know there’s a scientific explanation. It’s still magic.” 

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he turns over and floats on his back, spreading his arms and legs so that he looks like a glowing blue angel floating in the water.

Then, he turns his head toward me and says, “Come on then.”

I let out a surprised huff. “Alright,” I say. “But it’s not because I’m interested. It’s only because it’s magical.” Then I spread my arms and legs out and float on my back.

The moon spills silvery light over us, and from the corner of my eyes I can see the field of blue fairy lights sparking in and out of existence around us. It feels like we’re floating in the middle of the deep, black universe and stars and planets are being born in brilliant blue flashes and then fading quietly away, only to be born again. And again. 

The night is quiet. Neither Declan nor I speak. We just float together in bioluminescence. My arms extend out and I startle when my hand brushes against his.  

He doesn’t say anything, and neither do I. 

Instead of pulling away, I leave my hand next to his. It’s sort of lonely in a universe of floating blue lights, and it feels comfortable to have his hand close enough to hold, even if I never actually do reach out and take it. 

He doesn’t pull away either. So we float there, staring up at the crescent moon, a minute, two, five passing by. Touching, but not.

Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Order your copy

to find out what happens today!

The post Sneak Peek #4 : Once Upon an Island appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Sneak Peek #3 : Once Upon and Island – now available!

Want sneak peek #3 from my newest book? Once Upon an Island is now available. This stand alone romcom and the perfect summer read. What do you do when the proud and arrogant billionaire turns out to be actually nice? Throw fruit at him of course

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek #3 of Once Upon an Island:

Sneak peek #3 of Once Upon an Island

“I don’t think you’re awful anymore. You’re only half awful.”

I wait for his response, but he turns his face to the side and looks away from me. In the window’s reflection I see a small smile curve at the edge of his lips. 

Then the taxi pulls up the drive, the headlights shine through the window, and his reflection is wiped away.

“Well. That’s the taxi. So. Thanks again.”

He nods. “Anytime.”

He starts to walk out of the kitchen but pauses at the hall and turns. “Isla?”

“Yes?” Annoyingly my heart beats a little faster. 

“Thank you for dinner.”

I nod. “You’re welcome.” 

He studies me for a moment, then says, “I’m still not interested.”

His words hit my warm, contentment like a glass of ice water. Gah.

“Oh, go away.” I grab a clementine from the fruit bowl and chuck it at him. 

He’s too stunned to dodge. It hits him in the center of the chest then thuds to the ground. 

He looks down at it then up at me. He scoffs. “Really?” 

“Go on,” I say. “You’re back to awful. Full awful.” I grab for the squishy apricot at the top of the fruit pile and heft it in my hand. 

He holds up his hands. “I surrender.” 

“I should’ve left you for the sharks,” I say. I throw the apricot at him, but this time he’s ready. He snatches it from the air and holds it up for me to see. 

“Goodnight Isla,” he says.

I scowl at him. 

Then he lifts the apricot to his mouth and takes a bite. The juice from the fruit runs over his lips and down his chin. 

His tongue sweeps out and catches it up.

His eyes don’t leave mine. Not the whole time he’s licking up the juice of the apricot.

Oh my.

My abdomen clenches in response to the look on his face and my mouth starts to water. 

“Goodnight, good riddance,” I say, proud that my voice is steady.

“Goodbye, Isla.”

He salutes me with the apricot and walks out of my cottage.

Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Order your copy

to find out what happens today!

The post Sneak Peek #3 : Once Upon and Island – now available! appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Summer Romcom Now Available! Once Upon an Island

I am so happy to announce my latest summer romcom book Once Upon an Island is now available everywhere! This modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice is the perfect summer romcom read. Check it out today!

A beachy take on a classic romance from romcom author Sarah Ready.

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets.

The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men.

So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

After all, it’s a truth universally acknowledged, when a single billionaire travels to a tropical island, he must be in want of a wife.

But Isla isn’t convinced. Especially because Declan is the most rude, arrogant, prideful man she’s ever met.

Or is he?

From tropical Mariposa to England and back again, this playful summer romcom, finds that first impressions don’t always tell the whole story.

“A fun and sweet love story…” Kirkus Reviews on Chasing Romeo by Sarah Ready

“…winning read about a little discussed topic.” Kirkus Reviews on Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready

You can get your copy of my best summer romcom Once Upon and Island everywhere books are sold!

Apple Books: https://apple.co/3sTDWLO

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3yVADHH

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/38M3xiT

Amazon Canada: https://amzn.to/3a804LO

Amazon Australia: https://amzn.to/3GaWf4u

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/once-upon-an-island-8

Nook: https://bit.ly/3Px8axM

Other: https://books2read.com/OnceUponAnIsland

The post Summer Romcom Now Available! Once Upon an Island appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Sneak Peek #2: Once Upon an Island

Want sneak peek #2 from my newest book coming out May 24th, 2022? Once Upon an Island is a stand alone romcom and the perfect summer read. What do you do when you find yourself on a small plane with an arrogant billionaire and your motion sickness pills kick in?

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek #2 of Once Upon an Island:

Sneak peek #2 of Once Upon an Island

Jimmy starts the propeller and the noise fills the cabin. Percy and Arya lean closer together to continue their conversation. When Jimmy starts moving the plane forward I close my eyes, but unfortunately, my head spins so much that I have to open them again. 

When I do, I notice Declan staring at me. 

“Yes?” I ask. 

He scowls. “You made a noise.”

I probably did. In fact, I imagine it was a noise like “please, oh please, please fly okay.” 

“I’m fine,” I say. 

Declan looks down at my hands and makes a disbelieving noise. I look down too. I’m gripping the seats and my knuckles have turned white. 

The plane bumps down the runway and my stomach flips with each little bump. 

“Are you afraid to fly?” asks Declan. He has a judgy look on his face. “How can you live on an island and be afraid of flying? Don’t you have to fly to go anywhere else in the world?” 

I glare at him. His people skills are terrible. “I’m not afraid of flying.”

He makes another disbelieving noise. 

“I’m not,” I say.

“Just like you don’t eat balls very often,” he says. Then he smirks at me.

I gasp and my back goes poker straight. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure he remembered me, or recognized me from the Valentine’s Day Brunch, but I am now.

“It’s none of your business how often I eat balls,” I hiss at him. Then I flush. “And I’m talking about chocolate, you…you…man.” My insult falls flat. It’s hard to be eloquent when you’re drugged up and terrified of flying.

“I know what you’re up to,” he says, and his lip curls in a villain-ish sort of way.

What’s he talking about?

“You don’t know anything,” I say. Because…comebacks.

He shakes his head and looks at me like I’m the larva of a slug. “I heard your friends talking in the terminal. ‘Land the white whale. Nab a billionaire. Blah blah blah.’ Trust me, La-La. I’ve had enough gold diggers after me to recognize one from a mile away. I’m not interested.”

My mouth drops open and I try to formulate a comeback. Instead, all I manage are little choking noises of outrage. Finally, I say, “I’m not a dold gigger…” I shake my head. That wasn’t right. Darn prescription. “Gold digger,” I correct.

Declan snorts and turns back to his phone, effectively dismissing me.

However, I’m a person, not a dog he can dismiss or beckon at his convenience. So I lean over and forcefully poke his arm with my pointer finger.  

He glances up and gives me an affronted look. “Yes?”

“I’m not a gold digger,” I say again. 

“Methinks thou protesteth too much.”

I shake my fuddled head. “I just want to set the record straight. I wouldn’t chase you, lust after you, date you, or marry you, even if you and I were stranded on a deserted island together, or if you were the last man on earth. Billionaire or bankrupt, I don’t care. Because I don’t like you. Got it? I don’t like you.” 

Declan gives me a tight-lipped smile. “The feeling’s mutual,” he says. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important things to do.” 

Implying that I’m not important. 

Well.

“So do I,” I say.

I resist the urge to stick out my tongue. 

What a jerk.

I turn away from him, my head spinning. When I look out the little oval window next to my seat, I see with surprise that we’re high in the sky, soaring over the azure-colored sea. I was so distracted by Declan that I forgot about my terror over take-off, and my fear of flying. 

I look down and make out the white sail of a sailboat, the dark greenish-black smudges of a reef, and a tiny uninhabited island.

I glance over at Declan. It’s amazing. It seems that my complete and utter loathing and fear of flying was finally wiped out. I don’t need anti-anxiety medication, therapy, or any other tricks. I just need to replace it with an even greater loathing – that of Declan Fox. 

I grin gleefully. At that moment he looks up, sees my expression and scowls at me. 

Amazing. Wonderful. 

“It’s not going to work. You’re not pretty enough to tempt me. Nor are you eloquent or smart enough. Or friendly enough for that matter. Even when you smile. You can stop trying,” he says grumpily. 

This makes me smile even more. 

He’s awful, and that’s wonderful. 

“You’re the worst person I’ve ever met,” I say with the biggest grin on my face.

“And you’re the most vulgar, greediest, average-looking gold digger I’ve ever met.”

“Perfect,” I say with a smile.

Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Preorder your copy

to find out what happens May 24th, 2022!

The post Sneak Peek #2: Once Upon an Island appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Sneak Peek of Once Upon an Island – Coming May 24th!

My newest romcom is coming out May 24th, 2022 and I wanted to share a sneak peek of Once Upon an Island with you. Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island:

Sneak peek of Once Upon an Island

“I have news,” Kate says. 

She flags down a waiter and we all grab a glass of champagne. 

I shoo away a grackle, the little black birds that opportunistically try to grab food when you’re not looking. We don’t have any food except chocolate at our table. It hops away across the pink sand.

“What’s your news?” I ask, turning back to Kate.

She grins at us and spreads her arms wide. “There’s a billionaire on the island.” She says the word “billionaire” like you’d say “holy grail.” 

We stare at her for a moment. 

“What does that have to do with us?” asks Renee.

“He’s single,” Kate says with a great amount of relish.

“And?” I ask.

“And in his thirties.”

I sigh. “And?”

“And one of us is going to land him,” she ends with a flourish. 

I shake my head. Why did I come today? Why didn’t I ignore the text and stay lounging in my undies eating buckets of ice cream?

“He probably clips his toenails at the dinner table,” Arya says. 

We all stare at her, but she just shrugs. “I have a list of all the fatal flaws my boyfriends have had. The automatic breakup flaws. That one is the worst, but it comes up surprisingly often.”

“You’re too picky,” Kate says. “This guy is the white whale of dating and marriage. If he clipped his toenails at the dinner table and then sprinkled them on my food like parmesan cheese gratings I’d still marry him. I want one of us to catch him.”

“That’s disgusting,” I say. “Also, I’m leery of white whales. Didn’t Captain Ahab die trying to catch Moby Dick? He died…trying to catch a dick. Think about that.”

But Renee has a bigger issue with Kate’s statement. “Why do you assume he’s looking for a woman? And why do you assume any of us want to get married?”

She has a point. I grab the last truffle ball. These things are delicious. 

Kate gives us all a frustrated look. “It is a well-known fact that any single man with millions or billions of dollars desperately wants to get married.”

“That’s not logical,” Arya says.

Kate disagrees. “It’s completely logical. Once a man has amassed a fortune, he’s bored. Therefore he’s driven to get married, so he can then divorce, lose half his money in the divorce settlement and then have the motivation to make more money. Once he’s back on top and rich again, he’ll look for another wife to give half his money to all over again. It’s a cycle. Men like doing this.” 

I stare at Kate, completely aghast. She takes a long sip of her champagne and gives us all a superior look. “Trust me, I’m British.”

I snort into my champagne glass. 

Kate continues, “I saved the best news for last. He came with his friend, who also happens to be well-off. My mum called to let me know that Duchy said—”

Duchy is some duchess that Kate’s mom is bosom friends with. Kate, despite living in exile on Mariposa Island, is from a top-tier British family. 

She was supposed to marry some titled guy, but instead she ran off with a professional jet-skier. Two months later she dumped the jet-skier and wanted to return to England, but her parents had already disowned her. So, she stayed on the island, became a realtor, and continued to make terrible dating decisions. Five years later, her mom talks to her on the phone, but her dad still refuses to acknowledge her existence. 

“Duchy said that the billionaire Declan Fox was moving to the island, and his best friend Percy Oliver is coming along for a stay. My cousin went to Cambridge with Percy, he’s to inherit some title or other. I don’t know.” Kate waves it off as a non-issue. “The point is, one of us will land Declan, and another of us will land Percy.”

“I’m out,” Renee says. She leans back in her chair and shakes her head. “I’m not going to throw away my most productive career years on a man.”

Kate looks at me and Arya. “La-La?” she asks me. Technically, my name is Isla, but Kate likes to call me La-La. “Arya? Are you two in?” 

“Why would I want to marry a billionaire? Or some stuffy aristocrat?” Arya asks.

“To avoid that matchmaker your mom keeps threatening to foist on you,” Kate says.

Arya considers this. Her parents are completely fine with her dating as many men as she likes, however, her mom is getting the grandmother itch, and she keeps threatening to hire a matchmaker. Arya’s parents met through a matchmaker, and so did her grandparents, so her mom is gung-ho about bringing Arya onto the matchmaking train.

“Right. I’m in,” Arya says.

I give Kate a pained look. “I just don’t get the point in chasing after a billionaire and his BFF.”

She levels her gaze on me. “La-La, you want to get married someday, right?”

“Sure. Of course I do.” 

Granted, I haven’t dated anyone in three years, but it’s not for lack of wanting. Our little Caribbean island has a serious shortage of eligible men. 

Back when I was younger, I thought I’d be married by now, maybe have a few kids. But that was when I was a bright-eyed, nubile, early-twenty-something optimist. 

Now, I’d love to find the right guy to grow old with, someone kind, and good, and who accepts me exactly as I am. But that guy is surprisingly harder to find than I thought. 

Kate claps her hands together. “Great. Since the four of us are going to marry someday—”

“The three of you,” Renee says.

Kate shrugs. “We can either choose to steer our boat toward toenail clipping, cereal/soup eaters, or we can navigate our boat towards billionaires. I’ve had enough dating disasters—”

“Here, here,” Arya lifts her champagne glass in a toast.

“I’m tired of steering myself toward relationships that go nowhere. When I was talking to my mum I realized that I’m going to fall in love again someday. But this time, I’m going to only allow myself to fall in love with an incredibly rich man.”

Hmmm. 

I look around the brunch tent. It’s getting rowdy. The champagne’s been flowing for more than two hours, the band is now playing a tropical version of Let’s Get it On, and some of the couples are cooling off in the calm azure sea water. 

There are a few single guys here, most of them are in a group chugging mimosas. The one guy dressed in the tropical shirt that Renee pointed out is still dancing on the table pretending to make cocktails. 

“Are you in, La-La?” Kate asks. “We can do this. By the end of the year, two of us will be married. One to a billionaire, the other to his well-off aristo friend. I guarantee it.”

I’m a little tipsy from the champagne and the heat. I’m not really looking to land a white whale, but I have to admit, I am looking for someone. 

“Alright.” There’s no harm in agreeing. It’s not like we’ll actually run into these guys.

Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Preorder your copy

to find out what happens May 24th, 2022!

The post Sneak Peek of Once Upon an Island – Coming May 24th! appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Summer Romcom Book Cover Reveal!

Want my latest summer romcom book? Check out another amazing cover by the talented Elizabeth Turner Stokes! My latest summer romcom book, Once Upon an Island, is coming May 24, 2022.

This amazing cover is by Elizabeth Turner Stokes.

Once Upon an Island is a beachy take on a classic romance.

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets.

The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men.

So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

After all, it’s a truth universally acknowledged, when a single billionaire travels to a tropical island, he must be in want of a wife.

But Isla isn’t convinced. Especially because Declan is the most rude, arrogant, prideful man she’s ever met.

Or is he?

From tropical Mariposa to England and back again, this playful summer romcom, finds that first impressions don’t always tell the whole story.

My latest summer romcom book, Once Upon an Island, is available May 24, 2022.

Pre-order

Once Upon an Island

Now!

The post Summer Romcom Book Cover Reveal! appeared first on Sarah Ready.

Opening scene from romcom Married by Sunday

Check out this opening scene from my latest book! Izzy meets Nathaniel for the first time and he is completely not ready for her. Will Nathaniel fall for her quirky personality or go running for the hills?

Married by Sunday is book 5 in my Soul Mates in Romeo Romance series and it’s a must read! If you love funny romcom’s you have to check out this opening scene from Married by Sunday!

Click here to order Married by Sunday.

“Sir?” the snack cart man says. “Coffee?” 

The man next to me gives the snack cart vendor a distracted look and then a sharp nod. He holds up his finger to indicate he’d like one large coffee.

Well. He’s not very friendly, is he?

But he is getting coffee…

My stomach gives a tight hungry clench. I make my decision, because honestly, hunger is a great motivator. Plus, it’s fate.

“Devon, anything else?” I ask. I’ve decided that the man next to me is named Devon. He looks like a Devon.

Clearly, he doesn’t answer, because he’s on the phone, ignoring everyone but the crazy-in-love lady on the other end.

I turn back to the snack cart man and smile apologetically. “He’s on the phone with his sister, she’s causing him all sorts of trouble. You see, my husband and I are on our honeymoon and all we wanted was a little time to ourselves. But family…” I shrug. “You know how it is.”

“What does he want then?” asks the man impatiently. There are gobs of people waiting for snacks in the rows ahead of us. 

I tilt my head and study the menu pasted to the side of the cart. I lick my lips. “He’ll have that coffee with cream and sugar. A ham and cheese croissant. A chocolate chip muffin. And, hmmm a bag of salt and vinegar chips.”

The snack vendor grunts and starts pulling out the food. I horde it, gathering it on my lap. 

“Anything for you?” 

I nod, my eyes going glassy from the food smells wafting up to me. “I’ll have a blueberry muffin. An apple. Another ham and cheese croissant. And a large coffee, no cream, but lots of sugar.” 

My stomach twists again and I lick my lips. 

I set the food in my lap, and then pull out the tray to put the coffee on. It’s steaming and smells so good that I almost start crying again.

The vendor uses an old blocky calculator to ring up the total. 

“Twenty-six dollars,” he says. 

I look at the vendor, then I look at Devon, then back at the vendor and shrug. 

“Please. You can’t possibly get married Sunday. Fine. Bye. I’ll see you—” Devon sighs and clutches his head for a second then he turns to the vendor. It looks like his phone conversation is done. “How much?” he asks.

“Twenty-six dollars.”

Devon’s eyebrows scrunch down and he scowls at the vendor. “For a large? How much do you charge for a small?” 

The large-nosed vendor rolls his eyes. “The coffees are four dollars. The croissants ten. The muffins eight. The apple-”

“I don’t want all that, I just want coffee.”

“Your wife ordered for you,” the vendor says. 

“What wife? I don’t have a wife.” Devon looks a little confused and a whole lot offended. 

I give the vendor a sweet smile. “It’s a game we play. Being newlyweds. Devon thinks it’s funny.” 

Devon gives me an appalled look, and I think he’s only just realized that I’m in the seat next to him. “Excuse me? We’re not married.”

I look back at the vendor. “See?” I open my eyes wide and flutter my lashes. “Come on Devon, don’t be that way.” 

I didn’t think it was possible, but Devon becomes even more stiff-backed and starched looking.

The vendor sighs, clearly at the end of his patience. “Come on, Devon. Buy your wife the food. Twenty-six bucks.”

“We’re not married,” he says, then something else dawns on him. “And my name’s not Devon!” 

I roll my eyes. I think the vendor’s starting to get angry.

“I don’t care what your name is. I just want you to pay for the food your wife ordered.”

“She’s not—”

An exceptionally tall man a few rows up from us stands up and shouts over the seat, “Hey, funny guy, pay for your wife’s food so we can get our coffee.”

“Exactly! Thank you!” an old battle-ax of a grandma adds. 

Devon’s cheeks turn bright red and I can see the war taking place inside him. Make a scene and fight the injustice of the crazy lady next to him, or pay the bill and avoid the scene. I smile sweetly when he pulls out his leather wallet and stiffly counts out thirty dollars.

“Keep the change,” he says, shoulders stiff.

“Thanks, Devon. Enjoy your honeymoon,” says the vendor. He shoves his cart down the aisle to serve the next row of passengers.

I sit still, relishing the weight of the food in my lap. Yum. Food.

Devon lets out a low growl. He’s mad. Really, really steaming mad. In fact, I can feel the heat rolling off him. His eyes are sort of like those laser beams that sear your skin. 

I hold out one of the warm foil-wrapped croissants. The crinkly noise the foil makes has my heart doing a happy dance.

“It’s ham and cheese. I hope you’re not a vegetarian. Or a vegan, you’re not a vegan, right? No, you wouldn’t be, your shoes are leather.”

I drop the croissant into his hand and say, “Enjoy!”

He gives me an incredulous look. “What’s wrong with you?” 

Lots. Lots and lots. But while I’m with Devon, I’m not going to think about it.

I take a big bite of my croissant. Oh holy heaven, the cheese is all melty and gooey and the croissant is so buttery. A soft little moan escapes. 

His eyes flick to my mouth and I lick a crumb from my lips. So good. It’s so good. Devon seems sort of stunned. 

“Don’t you like ham and cheese? I got you a chocolate chip muffin too, or you can have my apple if you want? But really, you should try this croissant. It’s like heaven in your mouth.” 

He shakes his head and stares at me with morbid fascination. “Are you insane?” 

“Hmm?” I take another bite, yup, still amazingly delicious, and then I swallow some of the steaming coffee. 

“Are you insane? Or a scam artist? What?”

I frown. “Devon, please. I didn’t mean anything by—”

He throws up his hands. “For crying out loud, my name isn’t Devon. It’s Nathaniel. Nathaniel Barry.” 

I smile widely and hold out my free hand for him to shake. “Izzy Harris, I’m so pleased to meet you.”

Click here to order!

Thank you for reading the opening scene from my latest romcom Married by Sunday!

The post Opening scene from romcom Married by Sunday appeared first on Sarah Ready.

A Scene from Josh and Gemma Make a Baby

My romcom Josh and Gemma Make a Baby is out now and I wanted to share a scene introducing some of my favorite characters from the book with you. This story, set in New York City, follows Gemma Jacobs’ journey to single motherhood and self discovery. Part of her journey brings her together with a group of amazing women in a fertility support group. Check out this scene from the fertility support group’s first encounter:

Meeting the Fertility Support group scene from Josh and Gemma Make a Baby

“You’re here for the fertility support group, right?” she asks.

She pulls a pack of cigarettes out from her suit pocket and

lights one. She takes a long draw and then slowly blows it out.

“Yes?” I say.

She grimaces at me, taking in my bright red winter coat and

my hesitant smile.

“Well, come on then. You first. I’ll shut the door.”

I hesitate, but then I hear female laughter from the

basement. Real, happy, full-belly kind of laughter and I think,

maybe my stupid rambling quote to this woman was right. The

true value is found within, and I won’t find it unless I go in.

So, I walk down the uneven stone steps into the basement

of Clive’s Comics.

The metal door clatters shut behind me. The woman steps

next to me. The entryway is dark, most of the light comes from

the glowing tip of her cigarette.

“It’s down there.” She points to a shaft of light coming out

of a doorway down the hall. “I’m Brook, by the way.”

I smile. “Nice to meet you. I’m Gemma Jacobs.”

“Alright,” Brook says, then she leads me down the dark, old

stone-walled hallway. “Watch out for rats. They bite. And their

piss will give you some freakish disease, so don’t lick the floor.”

I give her a quick look, certain she has to be joking, but she

takes another puff of her cigarette and then steps into the

doorway of the brightly lit room.

I stand behind her. The room is low-ceilinged, painted dark

pink, and there are boxes full of comics shoved against the far

wall. In the middle of the room a group of six folding chairs

have been set up in a circle. Only two of the chairs are

occupied.

There’s a glossy blonde-haired woman with bright blue

eyes who looks elegant and poised, like she could be a model

on the cover of Vogue. She’s talking in a clipped British accent to

another woman who is listening to her and nodding her head

intently.

The second woman has long, brown wavy hair that nearly

reaches her hips and warm light brown eyes. She’s in a shirt

and long skirt that look like they were hand dyed, and hemp

sandals, which wow, must be cold in the winter.

Brook clears her throat loudly and both women turn

to her.

“Hello, darling,” says the blonde woman.

“Brook, will you please put that out? My energy worker said

that all your smoking and negative energy is blocking my chi,”

says the wavy-haired woman.

Brook snorts, but she drops her cigarette to the concrete

floor and steps on it.

“We’ve got another one,” Brook says. She pulls me into the

room. I stumble to a stop in front of her and smile at the two

women.

“Hi,” I say and give a small wave.

Brook steps up next to me. “Her name’s Gemma. She

believes in never judging a book by its cover, has terrible

fashion sense, and is routinely late.”

“What? I am not, I—”

“She wants to have a baby, clearly. And she’s delighted to

make our acquaintance,” finishes Brook.

I give her an incredulous look. Who is this woman?

“Delighted,” says the blonde, she stands up smoothly and

holds out her hand.

“This is Carly,” says Brook. “She’s a former model. Check

out her nudies online.” Brook whistles and Carly gives a smile.

“She married a kazillionaire and never has to work again.

Unfortunately, she’s old, so her eggs suck.”

Carly shrugs and gracefully sits back in her folding chair.

I look at her and wait for her to deny any of Brook’s bio, but

she just says, “That’s all true.”

“I still don’t understand why we can’t meet in your

penthouse instead of this dump,” says Brook.

“Because I like this dump,” says Carly. “The pink reminds

me of a uterus ripe for action.”

“You are one sick Brit,” Brook says.

The brown-haired woman covers a laugh with her hand.

Then she stands and walks up to me. I smell lavender and

maybe sandalwood? “I’m Hannah, it’s wonderful to meet you.”

I hold out my hand, “Gemma. Wonderful to meet you too.”

“Right. Hannah is a crunchy granola type, if you couldn’t

tell. She likes almond butter, weaving her own shoes, and

connecting with the energy of Mother Earth. Nobody knows

why the hell she can’t get pregnant, so she spends gobs of

money on weird crap like fertility crystals and magic fruit pills

from the heart of the Amazon.”

Hannah rolls her eyes and sits back in her chair. “They’re

legitimate supplements, Brook. And I happen to like wearing

rose quartz and moonstone.” Then she looks at the expression

on my face and starts to laugh. “You should sit down,” she says.

I walk to the circle and take a seat next to Hannah in one of

the rusty folding chairs. Brook comes and sits across from me.

“Perfect,” says Carly, I look at her and try not to picture her

naked. Why did Brook have to mention those photos? Brook

grins at me like she knows what I’m trying not to think of.

“Since we’re all here, I’ll call to order the weekly meeting of

the Fertility Support Group,” Carly says. “The first item on the

agenda is welcoming our new member. It’s good to have you,

Gemma.”

Did you love this scene from Josh and Gemma Make a Baby?

Order your copy now

to find out what happens next!

The post A Scene from Josh and Gemma Make a Baby appeared first on Sarah Ready.