Jean C. Joachim's Blog: Stories of Love and Passion, page 15

HARLEY BRENNAN, RUNNING BACK FINALLY MAKES HIS APPEARANCE!

Inspired by a certain reality TV program where a man is looking for a wife, Harley's story is one that came to me when I was writing the Hollywood Hearts series. His story was supposed to be book six, but Gunther Quill pushed him out of the way and took over book 6 for his own story. 

I didn't want to have a 7 book series, so Harley's story went on the shelf.  But the story lived and grew in my head. When I started the football series, I got the idea that Harley's story would fit here perfectly. So here it is: 
************Harley Brennan and Shyla Hollings agreed to part company to follow their careers. It was a mutual decision. The star running back had no problem getting dates, but never the right dates. After one year spent trying to replace the only woman he’d ever loved, he declared defeat. Until the reality TV show, Marriage Minded, approached him.      Harley flew to L.A. after the Super Bowl, ready to find his new soul mate. Bumping into Shyla at the airport didn’t give him a clue that she’d be behind the scenes, designing the sets for the program. And she didn’t tell him.  Was Fate playing a hand, bringing them together? If so, Harley had to admit, Fate had lousy timing.Convinced his life was heading for a touchdown, Harley’s confidence was high, until his luck ran out. Would the running back get knocked out of the game or sprint to victory?    A unique combination of reality TV show surprises, football action, humor, and steamy love scenes, HARLEY BRENNAN, RUNNING BACK, will keep you guessing until the last scene.             ****************
It's up for pre-order on Amazon. Here It will be out in paperback within two weeks. And an audio book is planned. 
The book is still with the editor, so I have to share an unedited snippet: 
“So you won the Super Bowl, now you’re looking for a wife?”He nodded. “That’s about it.”“I can’t believe you can’t find one on your own.”“All those groupies in bars aren’t exactly the girls I want to take home to mother.”“That would be quite a trip, since your mom’s been gone five years now.”He almost spit out champagne. She laughed and handed him a napkin. “Nice way to talk about my mother.”“None of your teammates can fix you up with the perfect girl?” She arched an eyebrow.“If they could, would I be sitting here?”She shrugged. “Guess not. Well, they can’t all be me.” Mischief twinkled in her eyes.He grinned. “You got that right.”The steward brought out caviar on toast, which they gobbled down. They dined on filet mignon, cooked medium. Harley thought he’d lose it when she pulled out the same book that he had finished the month before. “Damn it, Shy. Why do you have to be so much like me?”“A man-whore?”“You know what I mean. I read Grafton’s latest book last month.”She laughed. “My male twin. Oops, that would make us incest.”He smiled before replying, “Is there an ‘us’?”Color crept up to her cheeks. She turned away, peering out into the blackness of night. “I guess not. Not if you’re on the quest for connubial bliss with someone else.” 
Come on board for a wild ride through reality TV twists and turns, football action with unexpected consequences and a happy ending you'll never see coming. Pre-order your copy now, here .
HARLEY BRENNAN, RUNNING BACK.

TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT - HARLEY'S STORY CONTINUES

Welcome! This week we have our choice of any one of four pictures of windows. This one is my choice as I continue Harley's story. We are restricted to 300 words only. Return to Tuesday Tales at the bottom of the page. 


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     Shyla wrapped a towel around her freshly-showered body and sat by the window. The crew was lucky to have rooms facing the beach. Off season? She smiled and rested her chin in her hands. Memories of playing on the desert beach at six a.m. with Harley in Costa Rica danced through her brain.
At his suggestion, they’d shucked their suits to skinny dip in the warm, clear water. Floating on her belly, Shyla had rested her face on the surface, her eyes open, staring at the multitude of tiny, colorful fish.  She’d never seen anything like them. She grabbed him and pointed to her find. He held his breath and watched with her.      The cook, a true romantic, whipped up a small breakfast delight and packed it up with two café frío drinks – coffee with chocolate and whipped cream. They dried off, spread out a blanket under the shade of a palm tree, and dined on scrambled eggs and fresh fruit.

Feeding strawberries and kiwi to each other had led to lovemaking. She sighed remembering the passion, mixed with the naughtiness of being so intimate on the sand. Their physical chemistry always led them there. She had missed that with other men. And now it was over. She lingered, kneeling on a chair, letting the soft, damp Caribbean breeze caress her face one more time. After all, her suitcase was packed. Nothing left to do but dress.     The knock on her door brought her back to reality.     “You’re not dressed yet? Let’s go,” Dan said, returning to the hall.
     Unable to tear her gaze from the scenery, she dressed by rote. It had been too short, this island visit. And it had ended badly. But she wouldn’t think about that until she got stateside. Plenty of time for a pity party then.

     Thanks for stopping by.

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TUESDAY TALES - HARLEY' STORY - WORD PROMPT - STOLEN

   Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. The word prompt this week is "stolen". We continue with Harley's story, but today it's from Shyla's point of view. 
    
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   As she stood at her window, looking out on the island paradise, Shyla wondered how she and Harley could have built such a strong relationship on the handful of stolen hours they'd shared.    She crept quietly out of the room she shared with Biana, her intern, and walked along the deserted beach. At six a.m. she was the only one. She leaned back against a palm tree, enjoying a moment of shade.
   What started at the wedding in Costa Rica continued when they returned stateside. She had been between gigs, so she bunked in with him in his gorgeous, modern house in little Monroe, New York. 
   Two weeks of total bliss. They were never out of sight or touch with each other. Nights were spent making love and talking until three. She'd swore they would never run out of things to say. The snatches of time together continued for a year. Then they agreed that their work needed to come first and they parted.    Now here she was, advising him on the women vying for his attention and his hand in marriage. Her stomach clenched. This was not a place she wanted to be, yet she had only herself to blame. 
   "Penny for your thoughts," a deep behind her said. 
   Harley was there, grinning. She smiled. 
   "So who's the bad girl today? And who should I be pursuing?"
   Me.
   One stab of pain shot through her heart. "Ruth is too timid for you. And Clara has other things on her mind. She's texting constantly with someone. Vanessa's still the best."
   "Really? I might have other ideas about that." He said stepping too close to her. They were alone. 
   She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't stop herself as she leaned into his arms. 
The kiss was sweet, succulent and familiar. He came to his senses first. 
"I've got to stop doing that."
"I suppose."
"You're not helping."
"What did I do?"
"You just stood there."


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TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "WOOD"

Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. The word prompt is "wood". Harley's story continues. Don't forget to zip back and read all the stories on Tuesday Tales. Link below. 

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It was the hardest thing Shyla had ever done –putting Harley’s best interest before her own wants and desires. She remained hidden week after week as he squired different women to the glamorous settings she crafted. Harley deserves to find true love.  Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that that love should come from her. She had taken to eavesdropping on the girls when Harley was away on dates. The young women hung out at the pool, some in the enormous, wood hot tub, drinking, gossiping and getting to know each other. Alliances were formed and enemies were made.

Shy gulped when she overheard them talking about him like he was a prize, the brass ring on the carousel. She had to snicker to see him objectified by the young ladies. They discussed his looks, especially his body, in detail. Does this happen in his locker room? Is this the way men talk about women? Men are probably cruder. Yet she was surprised at how crude some of the contestants vying for his hand in marriage could be. Sitting in the shade, a redhead named Cathy, raised a pina colada to her lips. “He’s on another date with Vanessa,” the blonde, Amber said, taking the lounge chair next to Cathy.  

“I know. That bitch. She’s not here for the right reasons.”“You can say that again.” The attractive woman flagged down a waiter and ordered a drink. Shyla sat sipping iced coffee on the other side of the foliage that separated the pool from the hot tub. 

Her producer, Sarah, joined her.“Listening to them, it’s amazing any of them get chosen,” she said, shaking her head.
“They can be a bit vicious,” Shy agreed.

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TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "PAINT"

Welcome! The word prompt this week is "paint". We are still on Harley and Shyla's story. Last week we learned that Shyla has been hired to do the set decoration on the TV show Marriage Minded where Harley is a contestant, looking for a wife. Their story continues...
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Helen, huh? Using Harley. What if he picks her, thinking she’s in love with him? I’ve got to warn him. But how? He doesn’t want to talk to me.Shyla’s ability to focus on a book evaporated, pushed out of her head by a new obsession –save Harley from the grasping Helen. She got his room number from Sarah. After slipping a note under his door, she waited by the phone. She flipped the news on the television, stretched out, and fell asleep. At one, the phone woke her. She yawned.“Harley?” She yawned.“I told you to leave me alone.”“I need to talk to you.”“About what?”“About one of the women.”“Oh?” The annoyance left his voice, replaced by curiosity. “And what do you know about them? Have you been meddling?”“I overheard stuff. I was in the gift shop, getting world’s most over-priced bathing suit.”“What did you overhear?”Shyla sat up and crossed her legs as she recreated Helen's story about launching an acting career after she hooked Harley. He was silent, listening.“Hmm. Helen, huh? Yeah, I know her. She keeps coming around. I think the other girls are beginning to get annoyed.”“I just thought you should know what her motive is. Why she’s here. What she’s after.”“I get it.”There was silence. “Thanks. Thanks for telling me,” he said.“I don’t want you to get taken for a ride, Harley.”“No one could give me a ride like you did.”“It wasn’t a ride. I meant everything.”“I know, I know. Forget it. Thanks again. Gotta go.”“Good night,” she said. The set designer pushed up from her bed and padded to the bathroom where she washed up. After stripping off her clothes, she got into bed. She wasn't sleepy, so she turned to peek out the window. Moonlight painted the palm leaves silver. St. Thomas is the most romantic place outside of Paris. The idea of the City of Light brought her obligations to her father and brother to mind. She closed her eyes and let her thoughts wander to the secluded condo where Harley would be having dinner with his next date on the morrow. Colors, fabrics, candles and scents swirled through her brain.  I’ll pretend he’s having dinner there with me. She drifted off to sleep.  

RAMBLINGS OF A ROAD TRIPPER - #2 - Adventuring in NYC, Sugar Hill, City College.

My friend, Jane Gerard, accompanied me on my first foray into adventures in Manhattan. We picked 135th Street as the place to start. It is the stop for City College...which brings me to a couple of interesting facts about the school. Did you know...
Was founded as the Free Academy of the City of New York in 1847? It was created to offer higher education to immigrants and children of the poor. Even today the tuition is still amazingly low - for resident students, only $3,165 per semester! 
   It was renamed The College of the City of New York (CCNY) in 1866. It was and still remains one of the most successful democratic experiments in the United States.
   Located in Harlem, CCNY's neo gothic buildings were designed by George Browne Post, the man who did the NY Stock Exchange. 
These stunning, imposing buildings rise out of the city streets like giant, majestic animals, larger than anything nearby, claiming the attention of anyone passing by. 
The history and learning happening inside these grand structures seeps out and into your bones as  you walk. You can't help but be affected by their size and beauty.
  




Huge, decorative arches call your attention to the fact that you are entering this mammoth center for study, leaving the outside world behind. The structures are perfectly preserved. Showing no signs of wear, the intricate details add to their artistic beauty. I was in awe. And it if hadn't been so cold, I would have sat on one of the benches and simply stared at it, taking in all the intricacies I missed passing by.
Each side has grand scale that simply dwarfed anything nearby. 









Spires and towers sparked my imagination, wondering what was housed in those circular structures. Although nowhere near the height of a skyscraper, these buildings commanded your attention and rose up to  dominate the neighborhood with ease.










The symmetry of the construction and the beauty of the dark gray stone contrasted with the white was striking. 
I felt like I was time-traveling, back to a more majestic time where neo gothic buildings ruled.











I was thankful we had chosen to visit during winter, when there were  no leaves on the trees to obstruct our view of these awe-inspiring creations. Just the idea of taking classes in such a place made me want to enroll and get another degree, just so that I could hang around here and feel part of the story that is CCNY.


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   I started the story backwards, so let me begin at the beginning here. We exited the subway and meandered up Broadway from about 137th Street, looking for a diner or coffee shop.    I was disappointed to see how run down that part of town still is. I guess gentrification hadn't arrived there yet. Most of the buildings were townhouses, grubby, needing a power wash. My sense of safety was rattled a bit. I don't know why crime is so linked with poverty in my head. Most people here wouldn't have much worth stealing, not like the folks in the tonier parts of town.    Jane consulted her phone and tracked down a cafe, not far from where we were. She directed us East and we left the questionable neighborhood behind. The area took a noticeable step up as we approached Convent Avenue.     The townhouses went from run down to spruced up. We were impressed with the signs of gentrification creeping in. Here are a few we found especially unusual and attractive.

I've always been a sucker for rounded rooms, turrets and towers like this. New  York City has some of the most interesting architecture and such individual creations. 











 I love how everything isn't the same, although here some of the architectural features are repeated on three houses in a row. 











Too bad they "modernized" the front door. This building has some charming details.














   Some are colorful, too. And look at that roof? It needs work, but how lovely. The tiny windows on the top of the turret make me wonder what that room looks like. 
   Unusual homes like this always make me want to go in and poke around. I never get the chance, but my imagination gets fueled by the prospects, strangers and unusual things to be found inside.




Jane's ability and phone led us to a delightful spot downstairs in the basement of a townhouse, The Sugar Hill Cafe. 

We plopped down for a brief rest and refueling. We had fabulous, home-made tomato bisque soup and sandwich halves. Mine was egg salad. The food was excellent and they didn't mind if we sat there and kibbitzed, which we did. So much to catch up on as we hadn't seen each other for several months.
The cafe was charming, the service good and the staff low-key and cheerful. 
   I'm already planning a return trip. I called my son and told him about the place as he and his girlfriend live only a block away. 













  Jane and I walked and chatted after lunch, stopping to enjoy the CCNY campus and the neighborhood. I spied this church and had to snap it's front door. So beautiful!
   At two o'clock, the giant bell in the school bell tower chimed. We headed back to the subway to return home. 
   This was an enjoyable trip, despite the fact the temperature was below what I'd usually venture out in. 
   Jane is planning our next NYC Rambling outing, to take place next month. 
   I am contemplating a trip to Delaware for the day as well as another car trip to Pittsburgh to visit my son. I'll let you know when future plans are solidified.  Thank you for stopping by and joining us on our subway and foot road trip in Manhatta. Please leave a comment. I love feedback. 

TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT -- MOON

This week is picture prompt week. We had our choice of picture. We are restricted to only 300 words, as well. Harley Brennan's story continues. Here's the picture I chose...
She sighed as she slipped the key card into the lock.  It had been a hard day. In spite of her reputation, she’d had to prove herself to people she’d never worked with before. With her efforts to forget Harley failing, Shy’s nerve were shot.  She toed off her shoes and padded over to the huge window overlooking the beach. Would the moon be that beautiful when Harley and some chickie were out there, trying to fall in love? Penny, Mark Davis’ wife called. “How’s it going?”“Well, it’s…uh, it’s.” Tears clouded her eyes. Her shoulders sagged.“What’s wrong? Shy? Shyla? Talk to me.”Emotion had closed her throat. She wiped furiously at her eyes. 
Stupid crybaby. It’s your own fault!“Are you there?”After a deep shuddering breath, she found her voice. “I’m here.”“What the hell? What’s going on? What’s wrong?”“I thought this would be a piece of cake, kind of like a joke, with me behind the scenes where Harley can’t see me.” She grabbed a tissue and blew her nose.“Isn’t it?”Shyla shook her head, even though her friend couldn’t see. “No way. It’s horrible. I’m going to be creating all these sexy, seductive settings so Harley and some girl can get the hots for each other and fall in love. I hate it.”“Oh, Shy!”“And the producers doubt everything I say. Whatever made me think I could do this?”“You can’t leave now, can you?”“I signed a contract. I’m in. Damn it.”“It’s only two months.”“It seems like a lifetime.”“You can do it. You’re a professional. Just stay way behind the scenes, pretend you’re doing it for someone else and show those people you’re the best designer in the world.”
“Easy for you to say.” Shyla finished the bottle.
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MEET AL "TRUNK" MAHONEY, DEFENSIVE LINEMAN!

Meet Trunk Mahoney, ace defender for the Connecticut Kings. If you've been reading the series, you know something about Trunk. To enlighten further, I gave him the new 20 Questions Quiz. Here are his answers:


TRUNK MAHONEY20 QUESTION QUIZ

  1.     Blonde, brunette or redhead?I never discriminate. I like them all.
  2.     Tall, medium or short woman?  Again, no  discrimination here.
  3.     Favorite meal?
Blue cheese burger and sweet potato fries. (wink, wink)
  4.     Favorite sport?
You’re kidding me, right? Football, of course. What idiot thought up this question? Oops. Sorry, Jean.
  5.     Favorite color?
Red, the color of a certain woman’s lipstick.
  6.     Hobby?
Gardening. No wisecracks!
  7.     Dog or cat?
Dog. Pug. Two to be exact.    8.     Dream vacation spot?
Anywhere with a certain female.
  9.     Dirty little secret?
You think I’m gonna tell you, so you can post it on your blog? You’re effing crazy.
  10.  Best friend?
Bull Brodsky in the male department and a certain brunette in the female.
  11.    Ham or Turkey?Both. Never met a meat I didn’t like. Hey! Watch your mouth.
  12.    Burger or fried chicken?Best burger in the world at The Savage Beast, of course. Wouldn’t throw a piece of fried chicken off my plate, though
  13.    Swimming or Skiing?
Swimming. Can’t break anything in the water.
  14.    Greatest fear?
A career-ending injury. And, before you ask, no. I’m not going to give you anything more than that. This is for publication. Besides, I need to keep it clean,, right?
  15.    Number 1 dislike in a woman?     Let’s see. Hard to pick only one thing. Whining and money-hungry. That’s two? Okay, a whining money-mad woman. Heh heh. Yeah. Still two. Deal with it.
  16.    Number 1 like in a woman?
You want me to answer this question and keep it clean? You’re joking, right?
  17.     Bacon or sausage?
Both.
  18.   Favorite ice cream flavor?
This is tough. It’s a toss up between cookies and cream and chocolate chip.
  19.    Beer or vodka?
Both. Beer with vodka chaser. But I don’t drink much anymore, since I’ve been hanging out with a certain woman.
  20.      Train or Plane?     Both. Train if I have the time, which I never do. 


     A bit about the book    When his wife walked out on him, Al “Trunk” Mahoney’s plans for the family he’d never had went up in smoke. A top-ranked defenseman in the NFL, Trunk’s success on the gridiron didn’t translate to the rest of his life. Hooking up with women was easy for the sexy lineman, but Trunk’s secret closed the door to marriage. Would the happiness he yearned for always be just beyond his reach? 
Beautiful Carla Ricci, bar owner and independent woman had her choice of men. A love-‘em and leave-‘em lady, she’d made a decision that ruled out 99.9% of men for marriage. She didn’t care. Then Trunk Mahoney came along. Carla resolved to remain true to herself. Could her willpower hold indefinitely, or would she settle for an affair that would break her heart?   
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TUESDAY TALES - WIRED

Welcome! This week the word prompt is "wired". We have more of Harley Brennan's story. Thank you for coming. Scroll down to go back to Tuesday Tales and read the excellent stories there. 

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Sitting next to her on the plane, he was drawn to her, again, like metal to a magnet. Her makeup was perfect, she wore a silk tank top in aqua that showed enough cleavage to tempt him. Her nails were perfect, her blonde hair, just long enough, but not too long, styled, not hanging like a mop. Her appearance screamed success, cool sophistication, movie-star beauty. She could have her choice of men.Harley had noticed each man they passed on the way to their seats couldn’t take his eyes off her. Being the envy of every man on the plane felt good. He raised his glass.
“To old friends,” he said.“To old lovers,” she countered.“Touché,” he replied. They drank and nibbled on the food. Shyla filled his senses, her beauty, her unique scent, the softness of her skin. Simply sitting next to her had him wired. Harley had no idea what he was putting in his mouth, but he wished it had been a certain part of Shy, instead of a cheese puff. “So you won the Super Bowl, now you’re looking for a wife?”He nodded. “That’s about it.”“I can’t believe you can’t find one on your own.”“All those groupies in bars aren’t exactly the girls I want to take home to mother.”“That would be quite a trip, since your mom’s been gone five years now.”He almost spit out champagne. She laughed and handed him a napkin. “Nice way to talk about my mother.”“It’s the truth. None of your teammates can fix you up with the perfect girl?” She arched an eyebrow.“If they could, would I be sitting here?”She shrugged. “Guess not. Well, they can’t all be me.”He grinned. “You got that right.”ESDAThe steward brought out caviar on toast, which they gobbled down and pate, which they turned their noses up at. They dined on filet mignon, cooked medium. Harley thought he’d lose it when she pulled out the same book that he had finished the month before.“Damn it, Shy. Why do you have to be so much like me?”“A man-whore?”“You know what I mean. I read Grafton’s latest book last month.”She laughed. “My male twin. Oops, that would make us incest.”He smiled before replying, “Is there an ‘us’?”Color crept up to her cheeks. She looked away, out the window, even though it was dark out. “I guess not. Not if you’re on the quest for connubial bliss with someone else.”    “Did you want to get married?” His eyebrows shot up.


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The Journey From Pug Hill to the Creation of The Manhattan Dinner Cllub

    Homer, my pug, is my muse and closest friend. It's because of him and our previous  one, Pugsy, that I discovered Pug Hill in Central Park. 
   I'd heard other pug owners in the Park talk about it. It became a fabled spot. After a bit of searching, I found it. 
   What a perfect place! It was grassy and big enough so that the pugs wouldn't escape or get lost. And there were pugs there, plenty of them, all off the leash --wiggling, running free, and chasing each other in the hilarious way only pugs do. 
     It got me thinking, germinating a story in my head. It all started with "what if?" The usual beginning for me of a new book or series. So what if four, single women met at pug hill and became friends? Would they get together for dinner, regularly?
   Yes. And they'd talk about the men in their lives and come to each other for help and advice. Thus The Manhattan Dinner Club series was born. Here are the newly designed covers. 

   As I got into the concept, individual stories began to unfold in my head. I wanted to write about the reckless bike riders in the park and the people I've seen them injure. And so, "Rescue My Heart", was written. It's the first in the series, and on sale, like all the others, for only $2.99 in ebook form. Only $9.99 in paperback.

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OVERFLOWING WITH PASSION and suspense, this mouthwatering romance by a master storyteller starts with a bang -- literally. Rory Sampson, dog walker and aspiring writer, is mowed down in Central Park by an oblivious hunk on his bike -- Hack Roberts.  Smug, hostile and holier-than-thou, he tries to pin the blame on Rory. But a Judge delivers an unorthodox sentence, angering both parties.
   Seeking revenge, Hack finds himself too vulnerable to Rory’s voluptuous charms – despite having a fiancée. Wary after a break-up, she protects her wounded heart with a barrage of sarcastic come-backs as they each struggle to squelch the sizzling chemistry that threatens to turn their lives upside down.    Will loneliness and frustration force her to settle for the hot and heavy attentions of her ex, Mr. Not Quite Right? Confused, and tormented by desire, Rory seeks the comfort and advice of her four smart, sassy girlfriends, The Manhattan Night Dinner Club. 
***********************Here's a bit about the books & where you can get Rescue My Heart.
***********************  Book 2 - Seducing His Heart 
   Inside a fashionable apartment house on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, sparks fly when tenant, Bess Cooper, as delectable as the desserts she whips up on her TV baking show, bumps into her gorgeous new neighbor Whit Bass. A well-known broadcast journalist, he’s locked in a hot and heavy embrace with a sophisticated model, like those who accessorize his every outfit, and boudoir.   
    Just as sweet and luscious as her famous apple pie, Bess has a handsome cop boyfriend, her Friday night sleepover, who claims undercover police business prevents him from crawling under her covers more often -- and a constant companion, her pug, Dumpling.  Whit, aka Mr. No Commit, is a smooth-talking womanizer. Bess is the kind of Happily Ever After girl you make the mother of your children. Yet, against their will, they’re drawn together as powerfully as the poles of a magnet. Will she have the fortitude to survive a shattered heart – again?  Is Whit chasing a dream of success half a world away -- or running  scared?  Desperate, Bess turns to her Monday Night Dinner Club – her four faithful friends, all pug-owners! Combining high level corporate hi-jinks and the stunning climax of a top secret, headline-blasting crime, this torrid tale will take your breath away! 
****************************** Book 3 - Shine Your Love On Me    When a hot career and a hot romance collide in this sensuous romance,  Brooke Felsen’s life goes up in flames and her visions of corporate glory turn to ashes….She’s worked her gorgeous rear off in a Madison Avenue advertising agency 24/7, winning fame, fortune, and the steamy passion of her sexy, single boss. Until he suddenly dumps her -- and her carefully constructed existence crumbles like day old bread….     Desperate to put her life back together like Humpty Dumpty, Brooke turns to her girlfriends  at The Monday Night Dinner Club, all pug owners, and to her grandmother, her “rock” since her hippie parents’ sudden death. Savvy, stylish, wise and witty at 70 plus, Nan introduces  her to Pres Carpenter, the hand-some, hunky dog-walker for her pugs, who’s got the hots for Brooke. Is he just a struggling writer, eager to earn extra money? Or an unlikely “catch,” a real life Prince Charming, hiding his own heartbreak and family secrets.  Struck by their sizzling chemistry, Brooke can’t ignore the melting desire she feels for Pres, the very opposite of everything she ever thought she wanted! And she’s surprised and delighted by Nan’s friends, smart, lovable, laugh-out-loud seniors, who help her rebuild her life beyond her wildest dreams….  ************************ Book 4, To Love or Not to Love    At 28, beautiful  Miranda Bradford had given up on men ( since they seemed to have given up on her!) She’d put her life on hold to support her sick mother and a sister in college. Which meant: she wasn’t available for “overnight dates,” walked dogs to feed her family, and had little time to pursue what she loved most: playwriting….     When real estate tycoon Penn Roberts was knocked down in Central Park by one of her dogs, he realized it was Miranda who was the knockout  with her voluptuous figure, teal blue eyes, peaches-and-cream complexion, and long hair dark as midnight. Their attraction was instantaneous: like a flash fire setting them each aflame – unexpected and undeniable. And neither of them would ever be the same….   Was it fate they met – or fatal? Would Penn, aka Mr. Sexy-as-Hell, prove to be Mira’s best friend and most sizzling lover or the architect of her greatest betrayal? Compassionate like his late mother – or ruthless like his father? Woo her beyond her wildest dreams or wound her savagely? Heart-broken and confused, she turns to her girlfriends (and their pugs!) at The Manhattan Dinner Club….   Churning with emotion, burning with passion, deep-rooted conflicts, long-buried family secrets, and dazzling plot twists, TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE will take your breath away.
*****************  Each woman is different, as is her man and...her pug or pugs! Yes, there are pugs in every book. They provide solace and comic relief to each story. All the books are on sale for $2.99. I don't know how long the price will remain that low.    Rescue My Heart, book 1, is a good place to start. But don't quit there. To Love or Not to Love, book 4, tied for second place in the New England RWA Reader's Choice awards this past year,  you might want stay with the series until the end.    Then again, you might want to scoop them all up before the price goes up again. Thanks for stopping by. Homer thanks you, too. 
Find the  books on my website: Manhattan Dinner Club
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