Jean C. Joachim's Blog: Stories of Love and Passion, page 30

FOOL FOR LOVE BLOGHOP!

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Welcome! Thank you for stopping by. Am I a FOOL FOR LOVE? Absolutely! I spend my days writing and thinking about love. I will be giving away 5 copies of IF I LOVED YOU on Sunday night.  To enter, leave a comment with your email address. Add "yes" if you wish to receive my newsletter. Here are some snippets from the book:


 “I don’t give a damn you’re famous, okay. Can we get that straight? I’m not impressed, not going to grovel at your feet..."



“Let’s do it right,” he whispered as he drew her into his arms. He lowered his lips, moving them over hers slowly while she melted. He coaxed her mouth open to receive his tongue. Wooed by his charm, her resistance vanished. When he drew back, she was breathless. 

  A Bit About the Book  
Does love always mean total truth? Successfully shunning the limelight, Megan Davis kept her family secret safe. Disrespectful of tabloid superstars, Meg was shocked when selected to launch a celebrity division in her investment firm. Gorgeous, magnetic movie star, Chaz Duncan valued privacy above all else. Drawn to Megan for more than financial advice, will he share a secret or continue his high profile but lonely existence? Jealousy, deceit and scandal threaten two careers and the quest for true love and trust in this roller-coaster-ride contemporary romance.         
ALL LINKS  FREE eBOOKS!

Fresh-faced quarterback Mark thinks he’s scored a touchdown after winning actress Penny Thatcher’s affection. But a public revelation soon threatens his chances…. Is love the one game he can’t win? A charming will-they-won’t-they romance. LINK TO FREE DOWNLOADS





Callie Richards led the life of a typical teenager until tragedy turned her world upside down. Rootless and lonely, she wanders into the life of Kyle Maine, a handsome young man who befriends her. Their friendship grows into love that thrives over the years until Kyle makes an unexpected choice in this emotional and sensuous prequel to Now and Forever 1, a Love Story.  LINK TO FREE DOWNLOADS


    CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO BLOG HOP

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT: HUG

Welcome to my Tuesday Tales story. This is a new story, a new WIP that will someday be a book. Thank you for coming.
Evan Montgomery hugged his niece, Kathy, for the last time.
“Not so hard.”
“It has to last you a long time, young lady.”
“Aren’t you coming to visit soon, like you promised?”
"We’ll see.” She made a pouty face.
“You always say that when you mean ‘no’.” She stamped her foot and crossed her arms.
“Katherine Marie Thomas, have you walked Pookie and given your suitcase to Ian? Her mother, Tina, shooed the fourteen-year-old outside before she took off for California.
“Where’s Joey?” Evan looked around the living room, a few pieces were on their way to San Francisco, making the room feel incomplete. Nina had remarried. Her new husband, Ian Emerson, had taken a position with Global Tech Systems and was taking his new family with him.
“It’s Joe, now, Uncle Evan.”
“Oh, yeah. Sorry, sorry.” He ruffled the fifteen-year-old’s hair. At six four, Evan stood almost a whole head taller than the teen. Evan pulled the boy to him for a quick hug. Tears stung at the back of his eyes.
Ever since Jack Thomas had died on 9/11 in the World Trade Center, Evan had taken over and become a father to his sister’s two children. Reparations to the family, as well as Evan’s salary as starting quarterback for the Connecticut Kings, kept them in style while they recovered from their stunning loss.
“Please check on your sister. She’s supposed to be walking Pookie.” Joe nodded,waved to his uncle and left.
“Now, you, Mister.”
"I’ll be fine, Tina.”
“I want you to have your own life, for a change. Get married, have kids.”
“Wave your magic wand and make miss perfect appear,” he chuckled.
“Mom! Come on. We’re ready,” Joe called.
Blinking rapidly, Tina hugged her brother. “Thank you doesn’t cover it, Evan. I…I…”
"I know,” he said, patting her on the back.

In an instant she was down the stairs, behind the wheel, and pulling the overloaded car out of the driveway. Evan stood at the window. He raised his hand and rested it on the glass.
A pain shot through his chest. His breathing became shallow as a lump in his throat cut off his air. The silence overwhelmed him. BACK TO TUESDAY TALES
MY WEBSITE


           

SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY - THE RENOVATED HEART

Welcome to Sneak Peek Sunday. Thank you for coming. Something a little different this week. One of my favorite books, THE RENOVATED HEART.
Here's the sneak peek:


A man approach her table, she smiled at her husband, Johnny, as he plopped down in the empty chair across from her. He ordered a beer plus another Cosmopolitan for Kit. “You look great, Kit,” Johnny said, taking a swig of his beer. His gaze lowered to her neckline then returned to her face. “A fresh look for a new start…tomorrow I launch a new life. We both do.” She picked up the second Cosmo and took a sip. “We need to talk about tomorrow,” Johnny said, looking down at the silverware. “I’m ready. I’ve crossed off almost everything from my to-do list.” “You and that damn list. Always lists. Look, the trip…the trip is… Well. The trip is just for me, Kit.” “What do you mean?” Her brow furrowed, her eyes darkened. “I mean, I’m not taking you with me,” he replied, shifting in his seat, avoiding her stare. “What?” she asked as her breathing became shallow, her chest tightening. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. “This is my big break. I’ve been playing in crummy clubs for ten years, waiting for this chance. I…I want to do it alone,” Johnny said, finally able to look at her. “Johnny, you can’t be serious?” “I am. I filed for divorce, Kit.” His hands toyed with his beer glass.
A bit about the book  Can a broken heart be renovated like an old house? Kit’s life came to a halt when her husband slapped her with a divorce. Finding herself without a job or a place to live, she’s forced to take Tunney Nichols up on his offer of cheap rent for his parent’s house. The catch: she must allow him to renovate while she’s living there. Out of fear, Kit tells a lie she soon regrets as she is drawn to the sexy man plastering and painting his way into her heart. Can Sarah forget the abuse from her late husband? Can she fix her heart and the hearts of her children?  With her two children in tow, Sarah relocates to be near her sister, she meets Jim, a neighbor and English professor. A mutual interest in writing, paves the way for a friendship that blossoms into romance. But is Jim the right man for Sarah or does another man from her past still light her fire?  BACK TO SNEAK PEEK SUNDAY MY WEBSITE
 

TUESDAY TALES -PICTURE PROMPT - THE SCENT OF LOVE

Welcome! Thank you for coming. Here are my 300 words from my WIP:
The Scent of Love

Jory practically ran up the steps and banged open the door. 
“Aunt Rita?” She shouted. “Up here.”
Jory smoked up the stairs to the attic. Her aunt stood in old clothes, her hair wrapped in a kerchief.“Whadda ya think? Should we keep this old mirror? She bent down to dust the treasure. “Your Uncle Walt bought this for me in Turkey.”
“You put my perfume on my letters to Bryce.” Jory’s voice was barely controlled. “So?” Her aunt knitted her brows and stared at the mirror.
“How could you do that? Bryce knew it was me, even though he couldn’t see. ” Jory placed her hand on her hips. Rita let out a breath, turned slowly and threw a sharp look at her niece.
“Because enough is enough. You’ve got to stop hiding from life. I wanted Bryce to know it was you, not Jules, who wrote those letters.”“Why? Who cares that I wrote them?”
Rita stepped closer, pulling Jory into a hug. “You deserve to be happy. I wanted you to have what you wanted…for a  change.Instead of always putting Jules and everyone else first.”Emotion formed a lump in Jory’s chest. 
 “It’s your time, dear. Your time. Not Jules, not mine –yours. Grab the brass ring, go get Bryce.”
Speechless, Jory clung to her aunt or a moment longer.“That’s what you say. But what about him? What if he prefers Jules to me?” Jory shifted her weight 
“Then he’s not the man I think he is. Or you think his.”
 “I’m scared, Rita,” Jory whispered. 
“I know, sweetie. Make a play for him, woo him, cast your spell on him. He’s probably half in love with you already.”
“Think so?”“Who wouldn’t be?”
“Who wouldn’t be what?” Juliet asked as she climbed the stairs. Back to Tuesay Tales My website

Whitfield Bass's Most Embarrassing Moment

A quick look in my newest book, SEDUCING HIS HEART, reveals a moment Whit Bass would like to forget:   ******* Bess peeked through the peephole. Whit. She opened the door. He stood in all his masculine glory wearing nothing but a fluffy, white terrycloth robe. He was barefoot as well. “This is most embarrassing. I took a shower and remembered I’d left my newspaper on the mat. Like an idiot, I have all my windows open, and when I came out, the wind blew the door shut. Now, I’m locked out. I was wondering if you could go down and get my key from the doorman. I can’t go down like this.” Despite her life being in the toilet, Bess laughed aloud. The more she did, the brighter red he blushed. “This isn’t funny.” “Oh, but it is. It’s hilarious.” She tugged on his sleeve. “Come inside. Don’t stand there like that.” He stepped in, and she closed the door, still chuckling. “Are you wearing anything under there?” she asked. “What do you think?” He arched an eyebrow. “Last time I saw you, you were practically comatose.” “Thank you for cheering me up. I’m having some hazelnut cocoa, would you like to join me?” “I have a date. Where’s my phone? Shit! It’s in the apartment.” That caused Bess to launch into a new round of laughter. Her sides hurt, so she gripped them and continued to guffaw. “It’s not that funny. Honestly. I’m going to get dumped for this.” As soon as he uttered the words, her laughter turned to tears. Pain shot through her, and water ran down her cheeks. “Dammit, what’d I say?” He looked helpless. Dumpling ran over and began to bark at Whit. “I didn’t do anything, little girl,” he said to the dog, but she growled anyway.************ A bit about the book 
Anyone would be a marriage-phobe, too, if they grew up in Whitfield Bass's house. After he was born, his mother deserted the family. Their father, a journalist, traveled extensively and left his four sons with relatives, or babysitters. Whit's closest brother hated him and blamed him for their mother's desertion. Whit told Bess he'd never marry, never trust a woman not to take off and leave him with a house full of broken children who couldn't be fixed. Can you blame him?
SEDUCING HIS HEART. All buy links here: http://jeanjoachimbooks.com/the-manhattan-dinner-club/seducing-his-heart-manhattan-dinner-club-2/ 

TUESDAY TALES - NUDGE

Jory hesitated on the steps of Jonas Hospital. Her hands were sweating. She wiped them on her jeans and took a deep breath. She replenished her lipstick and dabbed a few drops of Magic of Love on her cleavage and behind her ears before entering the building.
 The man at the information booth directed her to the special wing where patients who were awaiting surgery were housed. She hesitated at the entrance to Bryce’s room. Standing in the doorway, she spied him, sitting up in bed. She gasped. He’s blind!  His eyes were bandaged, his left arm was in a sling and his foot and ankle were in a cast. Her heart leapt up. He won’t know I’m not Julie.
“Julie? Julie?” He sat up straighter, turned to face the door. Jory’s pulse kicked into high gear.
“I know you’re there. Stop playin’ with me. I smell your perfume. You put it on your letters. I’d recognize it anywhere.” Jory had handed her letters to her aunt to mail. Shit! Aunt Rita! You put that perfume on my letters and never told me?
“Aren’t you going to come in?”
Don’t do it. Don’t, you’ll be sorry. But Bryce looked so handsome, even with his bandages. Her heart swelled. She wanted to touch his face, to hold him, kiss him. A nurse stopped and gave her a little nudge. “He won’t bite,” she whispered.  “I’ve waited so long to meet you,” he said.
It was as if he had cast a spell on her. She walked over to the bed. He reached out. She took his hand and he pulled her closer.    Back to Tuesday Tales My website
This is the last installment in this story. The rest will be saved for a book. I'll post when the book is written and ready to be published. Thank you so much for stopping by. If you like this story, please leave a comment. Or if you don't!

MANHATTAN DINNER CLUB -NEW CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE SERIES

There will be 4 books in this series. These books combine romance and the love of pugs and dog rescue. Four women meet in Central Park where they're walking their pugs. The women, Bess, Rory, Brooke, and Miranda, and their dogs hit it off. Bess is a baker who has a cable TV baking show. She has leftovers from rehearsals, so the ladies agree to meet at her house once a week for dinner.
They meet every Monday, share their triumphs, their sorrows, lean on each other for help and advice. Rory, is a pug rescue volunteer. 

My rescued pug, Homer
I have pulled on my knowledge and experience during the five years I was a pug rescue volunteer. I loved the work, but it was sometimes harrowing and sad. More often, we had happy endings. I love writing about 

pugs, 
hilarious dogs, and 
 about dog rescue, as well as romance. These ladies have become very real to me as I take a journey through each of their lives.

 The first two have been published:
Rory's story.


While walking her pug in Central Park, Rory Sampson is run down by a bike. She presses charges against arrogant biker, Dr. Hack Roberts, veterinarian. He plans revenge, only to find himself attracted to the sharp-tongued, soft-hearted writer, who rescues pugs. Will he ignore a previous commitment and voice his true feelings?   
  Here's a snippet:

“Someday, I’m going to go into a major charley horse from that desk. Every muscle in my body is going to spasm.”
“I’ll call 911. Every muscle?” She cocked an eyebrow at him then reveled in the blush that colored his cheeks.
“You know what I mean.”
“Come on. I’ve got something new I made.”
“Do you have the number for the poison control center handy?’
“Very funny.” She retrieved two small potpies from the fridge.
“What’s in there, the body of your last boyfriend?” He chuckled at his own cleverness.
“If you don’t stop, I’m going to give yours to Baxter!” At the mention of his name, Baxter jumped down from the sofa and thumped over to Rory, bumping his splint rhythmically on the wooden floor. She pulled a treat out of a bag on the counter and fed it to him. Buy the ebook here
 Bess's story

Gorgeous, marriage-phobic, Whitfield Bass is involved with two women. When he runs into his neighbor, Bess, the sexy baker across the hall tempts him. She turns her nose up at the handsome womanizer. Involved with an undercover cop, Bess is not interested in a player like Whit. Will chemistry, cooking and pugs change their lives?
 A Snippet 

Eyes that had been cool at their first meeting were still a clear gray, almost translucent, but now they stared at her with a heat she didn’t expect. His gaze traveled slowly over her body, leaving the sensation of a caress from a warm hand. Does he have x-ray vision? I feel naked.
He raised his glass. “To the queen of mocha magic.”  Buy the ebook here

How about a free book?  Get the series starter for the Hollywood Hearts series, called, HIS LEADING LADY. 
KINDLE
NOOK
iTUNES/APPLE
SMASHWORDS
KINDLE U.K.
KINDLE AUSTRALIA   


Fresh-faced quarterback Mark thinks he’s scored a touchdown after winning actress Penny Thatcher’s affection. But a public revelation soon threatens his chances…. Is love the one game he can’t win? A charming will-they-won’t-they romance.
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY. PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT, I LOVE FEEDBACK FROM READERS. 

BOOKS TO GO NOW'S SPRING FLING BLOG HOP!

Welcome! There are 2 wonderful grand prizes:1st Grand Prize: (1) $Paperwhite Kindle2nd Grand Prize: (1) $25 Amazon Gift Card******* My Prize is your choice of ANY 3 of my ebooks! (USA and International entries welcome) In order to be entered, you must leave a comment with your email address on my blog, telling me how you celebrate spring!******* Here are a few sentences from my first 2 books in my new series, MANHATTAN DINNER CLUB and my spring pictures.
An unexpected sentence from a judge puts arrogant Hack Roberts, and sarcastic Rory Sampson in a tight spot together. Will attraction trump attitude? 
(Books #1)


Buy It Here












 
“I’m going to be typing sex stuff?”“Did I say sex?” 
“No, but romance and sex go hand in hand, right?” 
“Hand in Hand? I might not put it exactly like that…maybe hand and uh…something else,” she giggled. He blushed furiously at her joke and shifted to face the desk.

 (Snippet from book 1)




Gorgeous, marriage-phobic, Whitfield Bass hides his heart. Sexy baker across the hall, Bess, tempts him. Will fleeing to Asia keep him free or will freedom break his heart?  
(Book #2 - Released March 7!!)
Buy It Here





“I live here, too.” The man pulled his tie loose and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. “So, you’re the new owner of fifteen B?” Tall, lean, gorgeous black hair. And those eyes. Wow. Familiar face.“Guilty. And you’re the little, old lady?” His cool gaze traveled her length and back in a heartbeat. A slow grin curled his perfect lips. “Remarkably well-preserved.”  (Snippet from book 2)
 
FREE contemporaryromance!

Fresh-faced quarterback Mark thinks he’s scored a touchdown after winning actress Penny Thatcher’s affection. But a public revelation soon threatens his chances…. Is love the one game he can’t win? A charming will-they-won’t-they romance.Get it FREE, all formats, including iBooks, Here

My Website

I celebrate spring by walking in the park, taking pictures, and reading.
How about you? Tell in a comment. Don't forget to leave your email to be eligible for the grand prize and my prize. Thank you for coming! Now hop on to some great authors from the list below!
I'll pick two commenters to win their choice of any 3 of my ebooks on March 12. If you want to receive my newsletter, put "yes" in your comment! (International readers welcome!) 
Homer, my pug

TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT 'PALE'

 
Welcome! Time for Tuesday Tales. The word prompt is "pale" this week. Here's another excerpt from my WIP:SCENT OF LOVE It had been three weeks since Jory got a letter from Bryce. Scenario after scenario rolled through her mind about what might have happened. She tried to convince herself she wasn’t in love with him. If she didn’t love him, what did it matter if he’d decided to stop writing? But that didn’t cut it. Every day she lingered in the post office at nine o’clock, waiting for Martha to distribute the mail to the boxes. And each day, she dreaded the look of pity in the Post Mistress’s eyes as she glanced at Jory and shook her head.He's busy. He’s not interested. He’s met someone else. He’s dead. She shuddered at the last thought. Sitting at her desk, she forced herself to look at the page in front of her and pick up her red pen. Before she could get her first edit down, her phone rang.
“Hey, Jory, it's Marsha. Do you know where Julie is?” It was her friend who worked at the rehab facility in Oak Bend.
“I thought she was home.”
“Nope. Tried there. Some guy here named Bryce is looking for her.”
Jory’s heart stopped. Her breath caught and her mouth went dry.
“Who?”
“Bryce. He’s a patient here. Asked me if I knew Julie.” 
Oh, shit! “I’ll tell her to call you,” Jory said and hung up. A thousand thoughts whizzed through her mind. Her pulse soared. At least he’s alive. She looked up at the sound of her ex-boyfriend’s voice.
“What happened? Get a ‘Dear Jane’ letter from lover boy?” The bitter edge to George’s voice snapped her back to life. “You look pale, Jory. Are you all right?” His eyebrows creased with concern.
BACK TO TUESDAY TALES HERE TO MY WEBSITE HERE

Adora Smutz Presents - 1ST ANNUARY ACADEMY OF ROMANCE BOOKS AWARDS - DAY 2

Welcome back to DAY 2 of Adora's 1st Annual Academy of Romance Books Awards! Adora and I have nominated characters from my books to win. Each nominee gives a sentence as to why he or she should win. Here are the two categories for you to choose from today to be entered to win. 
*  *  *  *  * Here's how to win. To be entered, you must select a winner in each category, post your choices in a comment with your email address, so we can contact you. Adora and I will select winners at random to win their choice of ANY of my books in ebook or pdf. This is the last day of this event. A winner will be chosen tonight at six p.m.

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