When we last left celebrity chef Madeline Durand, her husband's sex video had gone viral and she was having a very bad, horrible day.
When she decides to reevaluate her life while helping her grandmother turn the family herb farm in Shelter Bay into a new business, little does she know that the man who broke her heart years ago is already on the job.
I hope you enjoy this excerpt from On Lavender Lane, Shelter Bay #3, to be published by NAL Signet January 3rd. One person who comments will be chosen at random to win an ARC of Lucas and Maddy's story. Winner will be announced here on the blog and on twitter and facebook Monday.
As he drove to the farm in a cold spring rain that blew in from the sea, splashed on the red hood of his pickup, drummed on the metal roof, and caused the windshield wipers to work overtime, Lucas realized that life had gotten a whole lot more complicated.
He'd already suspected, knowing Maddy's feelings about infidelity, that her marriage was probably on the rocks. When some tabloid entertainment website Google kicked up reported that Durand had moved in with his lover, an heiress involved in a messy divorce herself, Lucas knew that the Frenchman was toast.
And as bad as he felt for Maddy, as much as he wished she could have been spared that pain, the fact was that, at least for him, this was good news.
The bad news, he thought as he tightened his fingers on the steering wheel, was that the last time she'd seen him, he'd been tangled up on a couch with someone else.
As he pulled up in front of the sprawling farmhouse, a familiar SEAL saying rang in his mind — The only easy day was yesterday.
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59 comments:
Hi JoAnn, you have the most amazing covers. They are sweet, warm, inspiring, just beautiful! It was the first thing that attracted me to your books years ago, and they keep getting better!! WOuld love to win the ARC!
Hi JoAnn, I love your books and this one sounds really good. I can't wait to read it.
Why is it all alpha males, especially Seals, drive red pick-up trucks? Simply love this tease. Can't wait for the real book to be in my hands. Thanks, Joann.
pennsdog@yahoo.com
How many more weeks??? I'm going to live this one too!!!
Love Dee Bynum
JoAnn this is going to be an awesome book. No surprise to me because all of your books are awesome...LOL
I am really loving the covers of this series. I am glad ya'll went with them.
Thanks for the chance to win an ARC.
koonie2888 at yahoo dot com
I alway enjoy reading all of your books, and love all the beautiful covers. This one sounds great, I can't wait to read it!
I absolutely love your voice, from the description to your characterization. Fantastic six!
Hi JoAnn, I love your Shelter Bay series and I can't wait to read On Lavendar Lane. I'm so thrilled that you have two books coming out next year!
I'm so excited to read this! Sounds so great!
Aubrey
radicalindisguise@gmail.com
JoAnn, I adore your military men! Loved this sneak peak at Lucas's POV. I'm guessing he's just what Maddy needs. Enjoying reading "One Summer" as we speak, and looking so forward to this book, as well!!
Amy Durham
love the excerpt! can't wait for the book!!!
WONDERFUL!!! So looking forward to January!
I already love Maddy & Lucas!!!
I remembered this time. I am so eager to read this book. Your books are awesome.
Judy f
Sam2dusty@aol.com
I love this book already with these sunday sneak peaks.. I love the cover of this book as well as ther rest. They have a done a great job with all the covers... Makes one want to frame them and hang them on the wall...
That was awesome!!!
What a beautiful snippet!
French toast! LOL. Great story!
Hey JoAnn! Love the six! Hope you have a fantastic Sunday!
Haha, yes that might put a damper on their reunion. Also, so many in-between-the-lines nifties here. The complicated first sentence about life being complicated. French toast. A joy to read, end to end. I suspect the rest of the story is, too. Thanks for the peek.
I have a funny feeling Lucas may end up being one of my favorite of your heroes.
Thanks Loni -- Aren't they gorgeous! NAL has been very, very good to me. And even better, the artist GAVE me the watercolor paintings for One SUmmer and On Lavender Lane when I contacted his agent to buy them! They're hanging on the wall of our new house.
Thanks Dalane -- I can't wait for it to come out. I turned it in to my editor mid April. Birthing books takes as long as birthing babies! lol
Sue -- In my case, it's because my alpha male (but not SEAL) husband had a red pickup. Until he had to trade it in for a boring white Highlander so there'd be room for grandkidlets. lol Thanks for the comment and I hope you enjoy Lucas and Maddy's story!
Dee- Just nine more weeks. And with the holidays, I know the time will fly. I hope you do! xo back!
Thanks Michelle -- I'm just so pleased NAL let me go back to writing family type stories! And even more pleased people seem to be enjoying them. :)
Lindsey -- Haven't the covers been gorgeous? Wait 'til you see the one for Moonshell Beach, in July! It may be my fave yet.
Thanks Vivien! I'm having such a grand time with the six Sunday. Since I tend to write in short paragraphs, the concept works well for my stories. :)
Hey Sharon -- Thanks! I'm excited I have two coming out next year, too. Then two more Shelter Bays in 2013 (I'm already working on the first one of those.) Publishing time is so not real time, lol.
Thanks Aubrey! (Love your name! I think I may have to steal it for a character. I've never had an Aubrey.) I hope you enjoy Lucas and Maddy's story.
Amy -- I'm delighted you're enjoying One Summer. And yes, Lucas is who Maddy should've ended up with in the first place. But he messed up. For a good reason, but he's still got some 'splaining to do. lol
Thanks Misty! I'm pretty fond of them, too. And Scout, the three-legged dog Lucas brought back from Afghanistan. You knew the book would have to have a dog in it, right? LOL
Judy -- Yay! Good to see you here. Thank you!
Thanks Kris!
And Holiday Decorations, thanks, too! Though I've got to admit, that name just stresses me out this time of year. lol.
Thanks Kathleen! And I actually do have the paintings hanging on my wall. The artist gave them to me as a housewarming gift when I contacted his agent to buy them.
Thanks Catherine and Lisa!
Taryn and Vivien, Yay, you got the pun! So happy about that. lol
Jeannie -- I hope you do. He's definitely NOT a reluctant hero. This time he's determined not to let Maddy get away.
Great 6, JoAnn. Love the setup for Lucas... he is obviously going to have his work cut out for him if he wants to win Maddy over. Can't wait to read more!
Oh yes, I'm afraid he has his work cut out for him. An intriguing six! :)
"The only easy day was yesterday." Great line and I so want to read this! Wonderful six, JoAnn. Can't wait for it to come out. :)
JoAnn, I can't wait for On Lavendar Lane, and I love the title of your next book! I would love to be able to read it early.
Gail
I love your books! I can't wait for the new one to come out! I love the way all of the stories are intertwined and give us updates on earlier characters.
I have to pick this book up when it comes out. Adding the previous to my TBR list today.
That definitely whetted the appetite. Can't wait for its release.
Oh, boy ... is there a reunion relationship on the horizon? *rubs hands together with glee* LOL. I love your style - wonderful voice!
sarah at sarahballance dot com
Great cover. I can't wait to read this book, JoAnn!
Love the SEAL saying. Might have to adopt it.
Absolutely brilliant. Well done.
Excellent six. I really like him...he's sensitive and smart. Can't wait to see your snippet for next week!
Such a beautiful voice. Exceptional six!
Fantastic six!! I love the SEAL reference, and the thought of him tangled with someone else on the couch made me cringe. That is going to be a hard reunion!
Oh, JoAnn. This just gets better and better!
Loved this six; so vivid. And his emotions and character came out in drooves. I'm so adding this series to my to-read list -- got some catching up to do, fast, so I can read this one when it comes out.
Thanks Cara and Jessica. Yep. He's going to have to jump through some hoops. I have to admit, I think the ending of this book -- the plan he comes up with -- is my favorite ending I've written in 100+ books. I even made myself laugh and I'm a hard audience. lol
Thanks Siobahn! I have an oversized T-shirt I bought from a SEAL store I wear sometimes as a night shirt and sometimes on tough writing days with that saying on it.
Thanks Graylin and Gail!
Jennifer -- It's always fun weaving characters in and out. There's a couple in On Lavender Lane -- Phoebe and Ethan -- I only expected to be in that story. But they continued on in Moonshell Beach, and I'm now writing them in Sea Glass Winter. That was a fun surprise for my editor and me. And hopefully will be for the reader because I love them!
Thanks Joanne, Susan & Dee, Alix, and Lex!
Nubian -- As I told Siobahn, I have a T-shirt with that SEAL saying on it. Some days it just fits!
Sarah -- Yep. Having remarried my ex years ago, I've always been a sucker for reunion stories. Writing and reading them.
Melissa -- Yes, he's got a lot of making up to do. (He did have a good reason for that couch thing. Dumb guy reason, but it was good in his twenty-one year old mind. lol) The "recipe" he comes up with to win her over is honestly, one of my personal faves of all the books I've written.
Awesome six!
Not fair! Just enough to snag us & left wanting more!! Stella Abrams sabrams@node1internet.com
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