Lucky in Love – You Bet! By Jan Scarbrough

When I was a young woman, I didn’t feel so lucky in love. I was head-over-heels in love with my first husband, the father of my children. You guessed it. The marriage didn’t last.

Fortunately for me, I was eventually lucky in love. My husband Bill and I have been married twenty-one years.

The years in between were hard: raising two children by myself, dealing with the ex, working a day job. However, I never gave up hope of finding true love.

That’s probably why I like to write second chance romances.

Second chance romance is a romance trope.


Sophie Pembroke in a blog called The Top 12 Most Powerful Tropes in Romance Novels listed it as one of the popular twelve.

• Friends to Lovers

• Forced Proximity

• Fake Relationship

• Enemies to Lovers

• Marriage of Convenience

• Accidental Pregnancy/Secret Baby/Suddenly Parents

• Second Chance Romance

• Best Friend’s Brother/Sister

• Workplace Romance

• Royalty, Sheikhs, Celebrities and Billionaires

• Amnesia/Mistaken Identity

• Runaway Brides, Best Men and Wedding Planners

She defined a trope like this: “Trope: (in a romantic novel) a plot, theme, device or character used so often that it has become a convention within the genre.”

There’s a debate about what constitutes a “second chance.” Is it when the same couple gets back together probably years later? Or could it be a person, who has lost her first partner, finds love again with a new one?

The idea behind my Bluegrass Reunion Series, for the most part, is about the same couple coming together again after a period of time. Sometimes I throw in a “secret baby” or a single mom—and of course, a horse or two.

In other books, my heroine will find her lucky in love partner with a new guy, someone she’s just met.


If you like second chance romances, you’re in luck! Today, I have a fun surprise to share with you...


I’ve teamed up with 50+ fantastic authors to give away a huge collection of Second Chance Contemporary Romance novels to 2 lucky winners! 

The Grand Prize winner gets a BRAND NEW eReader!

You can win my novel DARBY: Ghost Mountain Ranch, plus books from authors like Shirleen Davies and Piper Rayne.

 

Enter the giveaway by until March 10 by clicking here bit.ly/SecondChanceRom-Mar21

 

Good luck and enjoy!

 

Happy Ever After by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

 We always hear about how life is not like a romance novel. That romances are pure fantasy and not at all “real.” Well…here’s the real deal…

There was once a teen in high school who enjoyed the company of a very pretty girl. Every day during lunch period they’d walk the grounds of the school and she was so nice that she would point out lots of other girls that he could ask out. She knew there were plenty who wanted to see more of her friend. Nothing came of their good friendship because the nice, pretty girl was spoken for and had a long-term boyfriend who went to another school.

They went their separate ways, she to a college far away, and he to university, where they both excelled. They launched their careers and the pretty girl lived in a different city with her long-term boyfriend. The man returned to their hometown and succeeded in business.

Sometimes, the old friends would chat the night away at parties hosted by old friends in town, while the long-term boyfriend was the life of the party.

Eventually, after the pretty girl realized her boyfriend was still a boy and not a man, they broke up. After years of being attached, the pretty girl saw that she’d been looking at the wrong man to share her future. The real man she wanted had been there all along, kind, considerate, and patient.

At a wedding of old friends, the man waited for the pretty girl to arrive. He paced and worried about if she was bringing a date. (Buddies reported he was in a heck of a state.) Of course, she didn’t. She went, hoping that he’d be there alone and maybe, just maybe, something would spark to life between them…

And here we have three standard romance tropes: Friends to Lovers, Second Chance at Love, Small Town Reunion (at a wedding no less) with a happily ever after ending. And it’s all true! My daughter and her husband now have two little boys, two thriving businesses, and life is grand.

In my romance Finding Mercy (Return to Welcome Book 1) failed actress Mercy Talbot returns to her small town, Welcome, WA where memories are long and grudges are fresh as daisies. Gossip is the stock in trade and returning only feeds the rumor mill and brings up old animosity. But Mercy finds a purpose in her motherless niece and decides to help the child be herself. To do that, she must do battle with her own mother who's doing the best she can for her granddaughter.

What doesn't work is her startling attraction to her brother-in-law, a widowed single father who struggles to be the best daddy he can be...but Clay Foster needs help and he knows it.

Falling for Mercy would be a bigger mistake than marrying her sister had been...and when her career takes Mercy away again, she'll take his little girl's heart with her and leave him broken. 

For the month of September, Finding Mercy is available for only 99c. If you haven't read it yet, please do...it's a different take on small town life and the cast of characters are well-rounded and real. Including Dilly, who saves worms and hates dancing lessons. 

Finding Mercy Return to Welcome Book 1 is an Amazon exclusive title and can be enjoyed through Kindle Unlimited if you're a subscriber. OR you can purchase for the low price of 99c for the next two weeks.

Happy reading!

Steamy Summer Days with @MaddieJames #LastChanceBeach

I've been a water girl since I was a kid. I remember learning how to navigate a boat dock in my very early years--you know, how to balance getting into the boat without slipping between dock and boat and into the water. My sister and I would fish for bluegill, laying on our bellies on the dock to pull them up, look at their pretty scales, and then release them. We also learned to fish off the banks and "creek fish" if that is such a term. This was all stuff we did with my dad.

Family fishing - Depositphotos_223819174

When I turned fifteen, dad asked if I intended to keep fishing with him now that I was older. I hadn't thought that I wouldn't--but I think he saw the signs of boys taking up more of my time, and wondered if fishing would go by the wayside. He said, "Well, I'm going to have to buy a license for you when you turn 16." Turns out he didn't have to buy that license and our fishing days pretty much ended.

Sometimes I regret that--but when you're fifteen, life is different.

My mom was the beach bunny. She'd pack us up, haul us to a nearby beach where she'd meet her friends, and we kids would all play in the lake and sand all day, under the watchful eyes of the moms. Sand in our swimsuit bottoms. Water up our noses. Sunburns on our shoulders.

We loved it.

When I was in the eighth grade, the Army Corp of Engineers built a dam about five miles from where we lived, which created a huge lake and recreational area. The beach went in the next year and back then, we all boasted that it was the largest inland beach in the state of Ohio. It still could be, I don't know. That was over 40 years ago.

But throughout high school in the summer, we were there. Every day. So was my mom, most days, but no longer were we under her watchful eye--my sister and I were somewhere else trying to catch the eyes of the lifeguards. Those were steamy, fun-filled, lazy, and unforgettable summer days. I treasure the memories. Mostly I wish that I could still fit in my bikini--sort of. 

College came and went. So did marriages and divorces. And babies, and later on grandbabies. Beaches, however, were a constant. As I shared in this post on Gems, I passed the love of water--and the beach--on to my progeny. While my kids and I spent our share of time at the lake--my parents had bought a lake house by then--I also introduced them to the ocean. After 20+ years of ocean beach vacations, when any of us say we are "heading to the beach" we know exactly the one we are talking about.

So, all that said, how could I say no to the opportunity to contribute to a box set called Last Chance Beach: Summer's End? Well, I couldn't. I'm super excited to share that my story, That One Summer, will be included in the #romancegems Last Chance Beach box set releasing in early August. Here's the blurb for the story and officially, my cover reveal! 

THAT ONE SUMMER

Twenty years ago, Lia Langston left Last Chance Beach, leaving behind friends, a really good job offer, and the young man she’d fallen in love with that summer. The breakup hurt them both—but she was expected back home in Chicago where a job was waiting. From there, she meandered through life—marriage, a child, divorce, career—yet, there was one constant. She never missed the annual week at Last Chance Beach with her college girlfriends.

Same week, same beach house, same beach town. The routine was safe and predictable. By the time beach week rolled around every year, she was more than ready.

Except for this year.

When Zach Allen—the young man she left behind—steps back into her life, she must face the twenty-year-old consequences of her leaving. Will Last Chance Beach allow her a second chance at love?

WON'T YOU JOIN US AT LAST CHANCE BEACH?

NOW AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER AT AMAZON!!!

Read about the legend of Last Chance Beach written by Joan Reeves here, and get a full description of the box set by visiting Jan Scarbrough's post last week. 

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And...while I have you, I'll also share that I have a Sweet to Heat Summer Romance Reads box set on sale right now at all ebook retailers. Grab your set for 99cents by the end of August. Don't let the steamy summer days go by without binge reading this set! 

CLICK HERE FOR UNIVERSAL BUY LINKS!

*****

And don't forget our July Rafflecopter! You don't want to pass up a chance to win an Amazon gift card, right?

CLICK TO ENTER THE ROMANCE GEMS RAFFLECOPTER!

*****

Visit me at www.maddiejames.net.

Second Chances at Love by Jan Scarbrough #RomanceGems

Most of my books are about second chances from a non-traditional Gothic novel like Tangled Memories to my upcoming release Ghost Mountain Ranch: Darby. My characters make the most of their second chances.

Second chance at love is a popular romance trope. An article in the reedsyblog defines “trope.”

Tropes are plot devices, characters, images, or themes that are incorporated so frequently in a genre that they’re seen as conventional…. At their core, tropes are really just things that are familiar. And people enjoy the familiar.

In my Bluegrass Reunion stories, my heroes and heroines have another opportunity to make things right for themselves and learn to love again.

  

Kentucky Cowboy—She dumped him in high school, because he was a risk-taker.

Kentucky Woman—She loved him when she was a teenager, but they never connected.

Kentucky Flame—She had his baby, but he left not knowing the truth.

Kentucky Bride—She rejected him once, but he’s willing to try again.

Kentucky Rain—She’s divorced and moves next door to handsome guy from high school.

Kentucky Blue Bloods—She dumped him, and he wants revenge. 

As the old saying goes, Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Human beings have a huge capacity to learn from mistakes. Maybe that’s why this trope resonates with me. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve also fixed my screw-ups, tried again, and made things better for myself. I’ve grown up. I’ve matured.

This year I celebrate my twentieth year of marriage to my second chance Bill. Thank you, Bill, for putting up with me for twenty plus years. I hope you’ve enjoyed the ride. 

Our February Rafflecopter has another month of Amazon Gift Card prizes. Be sure to enter often to improve your chances of winning. Please tell your friends about Romance Gems—our Authors, our books, our blog posts, and our monthly giveaway.

Love at Christmas @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

I don't think there's a more love-filled season than Christmas. Even if your holiday is blue, as mine is this year, love fills us. For me, it's love for my sister who passed away in June. And it's love for my brother who is suffering terrible pain from his cancer as I type this. Yes, some years Christmas is hard.

We all have years like the one I'm living. That, oddly, is a comfort. The idea gives me strength because hey, if everyone else can survive Christmases like this one, I can, too.

But this post is about love, not grief. It's the love I feel for my other siblings, for my children, and their children that will help me through. I remind myself every few minutes of all there is to be grateful for. My health is good and so is my husband's. We're planning a winter getaway and we're looking forward to lots of family time and fun over the holiday.

I'm blessed. I truly am.

My first Christmas romance is titled Not-so-Blue Christmas and is about grief and love and second chances. I'm pleased to have written it. Even now, I take comfort from Kirk and Miranda's story. I hope you do, too.

Love at Christmas contains three outstanding, warm-hearted Christmas romances that readers love.

In these stories love straddles the American/Canadian border and brings joy to three unique couples…

AMAZON EXCLUSIVE

Not-so Blue Christmas:  In this second chance at love romance, Kirk Fontaine can't bear to talk to anyone, let alone enjoy Christmas. Away from home, in a small harbor city in Canada, broken-hearted Kirk's lost and alone until one small dog refuses to give up on him.

Vibrant widow Miranda Bailey is ready to move into the next phase of her life, except this Christmas is shaping up to be the worst since her husband's death. But instead of hiding, she takes charge, and drags Kirk into her Christmas miracle.

Invitation to Christmas: Tom and Jordyn
Jordyn Bailey kissed Tom Fontaine last Christmas.

But their parents are engaged...

For Jordyn keeping secrets in a family determined to mesh their lives is all kinds of crazy. Secretly sleeping with Tom could get messy because she's on the baby track while he's on the party track.

If they're careful and keep their attraction under wraps maybe it will burn out and they can be friends.

Now...It's Christmas again and Tom wants to unwrap everything, including Jordyn.

One Crazy Christmas: Cade and Karyn
Between them, they have five daughters. They live in different countries. But love doesn’t give a fig about that because this is One Crazy Christmas…

Karyn Whyte is a busy single mom of two, the owner of Whyte’s Christmas—a woman who would like to meet a convenient man—one who lives nearby, has no baggage and makes no demands. Oh, and he must like curvy women.

Cade Devine’s a devoted single dad to three little girls. Sure, he’s got his hands full, but that doesn’t mean he wants to be alone. At a mutual friend’s wedding, interest flares at first sight. Enticed and attracted, they break free of their constraints for one long weekend of passion and deeply satisfying companionship.

With five other hearts at stake Karyn and Cade accept that responsibility must win over the love they’ve found. Fate can be cruel and sometimes love hurts. Accepting an invitation to Christmas with their newlywed friends brings Karyn, Cade, and their children face-to-face and anything can happen when love and family come together on one crazy Christmas…

Don't forget to enter our RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY We're being extra generous this month to help our readers celebrate. 

Bluegrass Homecoming Series on #KindleUnlimited by Jan Scarbrough

Sometimes books take many paths to publication.

I wrote the novel Secrets a few years ago, choosing to explore a romance about a woman caught between the past and her desire to create a new life for herself. I wanted to submit the manuscript to a traditional publisher, but was advised at the time by another author that this publisher did not like forty-year-old heroines. Huh? So, I wrote the book anyway, and I titled it A Father at Last. A small press published it. Well, I do read my reviews, and when one reader said the title gave too much away, I changed it to Secrets.

Flash forward. The small press went out of business. I got my rights back. However, I wasn’t ready to release Secrets. I’ve learned books do better in a series. So, I decided to make Secrets part of a series called BluegrassHomecoming to explore my favorite theme of second chances.

But Secrets, the original, takes place in Indiana. I changed its setting to Kentucky. Then I figured I needed a lead-in story. I wrote the love story of baby boomers Howie and Grace. Ta-da! The Prequel was born. Their granddaughter Colleen takes center stage in the third book, Nom de Plume.

And you know what is so ironic? Since the time several ago when I wanted to write about a forty-something heroine, seasoned romance has come into wider acceptance.

What about you? Will you read a romance about an older heroine?

The three-book BluegrassHomecoming is now on Kindle Unlimited. Check them out!

Don't forget to enter our June Giveaway.

To enter our June Giveaway, visit our Monthly Giveaway Page. 

Or click the direct link here: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/21df08a224/

Christmas already? Say it isn't so! @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

In 224 days it will be Christmas Day. But how many days until the world is inundated with new holiday stories? Not as many as you'd think...

I'm planning two brand new stories. One will be titled Christmas to the Max and will give a secondary character from my Love at Christmas series his own story.

Max is a single father and was once married to the heroine from One Crazy Christmas. He's had a romance sabotaged, seen his ex get married and move his children to a different country. Now, it's time for him to start a new career, find a new home near his kids, and come to terms with being alone.

I can't wait to get started on Max's story, but finding him a heroine is harder than I expected.

Want to read it?

The second Christmas story I'm excited to write is Christmas in Welcome. This is a reunion story and I can't say much at this point, because more will be explained in my next Return to Welcome book, Craving Jake (#3).

Writing Christmas books means writing when the world is not draped in twinkling lights and red ribbon. There's no snow on the ground, or holiday music playing. But writers need to get into the season anyway.

To help me get into the mood, I've created a boxed set of my Christmas stories that straddle the U.S. Canadian border. For the next couple of days Love at Christmas is FREE! 

The set contains:

Not-so-Blue Christmas: Vibrant widow Miranda Bailey is ready to move into the next phase of her life, except this Christmas is shaping up to be the worst since her husband's death. But instead of hiding, she takes charge, and drags Kirk into her Christmas miracle.

Invitation to Christmas: Jordyn Bailey kissed Tom Fontaine last Christmas, but their parents are engaged... Can they keep their attraction under wraps until it burns out?

One Crazy Christmas: Between Karyn and Cade they have 5 daughters and live in different countries, but love doesn't give a fig about that. With 5 other hearts at stake will responsible parenting win out over love?

In May the Romance Gems are celebrating Moms and First Responders and those who have served their country. My own family has a veteran and police (active and retired) and a retired ambulance attendant.

Heroes and She-roes Celebration Rafflecopter

Our policies concerning Promotions and Giveaways, Eligibility, and Prize Award Procedures are shown on our Monthly Giveaway Page. Please read. We strictly adhere to those policies.

Come back every day for multiple chances to enter and possibly win one of these prizes:

Grand Prize: 1 (one) Amazon Gift Card in the amount of $20.00.

Other prizes: fabulous books from our fabulous Romance Gems Authors!

Wearin' the Green @kathleenlawless #romancegems

       

My family originally hailed from Ireland in the 1880’s.  They landed on the east coast of Canada and eventually migrated as far west as they could go.  I guess the ocean was in their blood, as it is in mine.  Dad is turning ninety this year, and years ago started a tradition of buying me a card each year to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  As you can see, I have amassed quite a collection, which I proudly display each year.  I get a little emotional when I think, one year, there will no longer be a card in the mail from him.

Dad was always a big fan of my writing and Callie’s Honor is his favorite of my stories.  He doesn’t really know what Bookbub is, but he was excited to hear they will be featuring his favorite book on sale for .99 the day before St. Patrick’s Day.  Sounds like a good omen, wouldn’t you say?  Here’s an excerpt.

Rafe angled Callie's chair around till they faced each other
and he had one knee on either side of her. "You don't
trust me, Callie. Now just why exactly is that?"

Callie averted her gaze.

   His free hand snaked between them. Thumb and

fore- finger pinched her chin, turning her face back around to
his. "I expect an honest answer now."

Eyes steely, chin thrust forward, Callie met his gaze.

Her skin burned every place Rafe held her; "I don't trust
any man."

She expected him to release her like a hot rock.

Instead, he took his time about it. Slowly his fingers
uncurled from around her wrist. Slower yet the fingers
imprisoning her face gentled, till their touch bordered on
a caress. "Why's that?"

     Feeling her hands tremble slightly, she knotted them
in her lap, away from his gaze. "Never met a man yet who
gave me any reason to trust him. Including my pa and my
older brother."

     "I see." Rafe sat back in his chair and crossed his arms
over his chest. "In that case, apology accepted." He
extended his right hand toward her, leaving Callie little
choice but to slide her hand inside his. She was conscious
of the warmth of his skin, the callused, leathery feel of his
palm and fingertips. The sensations chased clear up her
arm in the most unsettling of ways.

He didn't let her go right away. Instead, he raised her
hand to his lips and pressed a kiss on the spot where he'd
removed the sliver. Then he did something that caught
Callie totally off guard. He guided her wounded thumb
slowly to outline the contour of his lips, bottom and top.   

 Callie felt as if melted wax spilled through her limbs in
a heated rush. Opening his lips, he pulled

her thumb just inside the hot moist cavity of his mouth and

gave a slow gentle suck that she felt clear down to her toes.

"Since you don't trust me, anyway," Rafe said, his
breath touching her forehead like steam rising from hot
water. "I guess it won't make much difference if I kiss
you."

"Don't." The word barely escaped from the tightened
muscles of her throat.

With one finger beneath her chin he tilted her face up
toward his. "Any woman smells this good, she needs kissing
if only as a thank you from the lucky man close
enough to notice. "

Callie trembled clear down inside her boots as he lowered
his head to hers.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JIJ3EPM

In the meantime, I am working hard on a new American Historical Romance series, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  Hot off the press is the prequel, Before The Brides, free when you sign up for my reader list to receive alerts about fan pricing, new releases, and free promos.  http://eepurl.com/bV0sb1

If you’re already on my list, don’t worry, you will receive an alert telling you how to download your very own copy.

In the meantime, don’t forget to enter our Luck O the Irish draw for your chance at some really great prizes.  Have a Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and may your beer be as green as the money in your pocket.    

https://romancegems.blogspot.com/2019/03/luck-o-irish-march-giveaway-by.htm