Spinning a story of a joyous marriage to make
a dying woman happy is forgivable, isn’t it?
A CHARMED LITTLE LIE
Charmed in Texas #1
Sharla Lovelace
Releasing April 18th, 2017
Lyrical Shine
Lanie
Barrett didn’t mean to lie. Spinning a story of a joyous marriage to make a
dying woman happy is forgivable, isn’t it? Lanie thinks so, especially since
her beloved Aunt Ruby would have been heartbroken to know the truth of her
niece’s sadly loveless, short-of-sparkling existence. Trouble is, according to
the will, Ruby didn’t quite buy Lanie’s tale. And to inherit the only house
Lanie ever really considered a home, she’ll have to bring her “husband” back to
Charmed, Texas for three whole months—or watch Aunt Ruby’s cozy nest go to her
weasel cousin, who will sell it to a condo developer.
Nick McKane
is out of work, out of luck, and the spitting image of the man Lanie described.
He needs money for his daughter’s art school tuition, and Lanie needs a
convenient spouse. It’s a match made . . . well, not quite in heaven, but for a
temporary arrangement, it couldn’t be better. Except the longer Lanie and Nick
spend as husband and wife, the more the connection between them begins to seem
real. Maybe this modern fairy tale really could come true . . .
REVIEW:
I just got done with a psychological thriller so this was quite a different pace. I enjoyed that this book was light with depth. I really liked both Lanie and Nick, they are both likeable, lovable, and real characters. The story line that followed these two around had more than just a love story. This story pulls at the heart strings in good ways and I found myself rooting for them. A modern day fairy tale with a few twists that you wonder, 'how is she going to work this one out?'. I am very glad that there is another installment coming along because I can't wait to see how everything turns out and develops.
EXCERPT:
I didn’t look back, and I didn’t care. Nick’s
hand was warm in mine, and when we reached the dance floor they’d cleared a
space for, he tugged back gently to make me turn around. The look in those dark
eyes nearly took out my knees. He pulled me into his arms, leaving no room for
imagination, and I let my hands slide up his chest to his neck, and around back
as his eyelids grew heavy.
Roberta Flack crooned softly, the first time…ever I saw
your face… And something in me
went warm from head to toe. Something besides whatever was in that punch.
Something more real than that.
“Nice save.”
“I tried.”
“How was the punch?” he asked.
I wound my fingers into his hair and pulled his
head down.
“See for yourself,” I said, the last word
finished against his lips.
Sparks ignited throughout my body as our lips
met. Soft. Slow. Wet. Needing. Our bodies moved as one with the music, so
close, so tightly pressed together I could feel his heart beating. My hands
traveled slowly back down his chest and around his middle as his came up into
my hair. When his tongue ran over my top lip, I knew he could feel my gasp. And
when I pulled him in deeper to taste him, I felt the low growl in his chest
rumbling against mine.
His fingers twisted in my hair as he dove deep
and then pulled back, deep again and back, teasing me, pulling back to kiss my
lips one at a time, as I kept clinging tighter. I was drunk on it. Breathing
shallow. My fingers curling into his shirt with the need for more.
The first time…ever I kissed…your lips…
It was erotic, the way he kissed me. The way I
kissed him. Slow, matching our movements. Intimate. Electric and emotional at
the same time. And so full of desire and barely restrained need, that my body
was trembling with it when he held my face and leaned his forehead against
mine.
I wanted to keep my eyes closed. Absorb the feel
of him, the song, the words, the taste. Just hold on to it a little longer. But
I felt the heat of his gaze and my eyes fluttered open. And everything inside
me turned to liquid fire. No one—ever—had looked at me like that. Had wanted me like that. The mirror image of what was churning
inside me was all over him. In the desire mixed with the trouble haunting his
eyes. This wasn’t the game. That thought hit me like a sucker punch to the gut.
This was—
His mouth covered mine again, hungrier, hotter,
and I melted into it. The burn in my chest at the realization of just how
fucking real this was, stole at my breath, and I didn’t care. It was more than
we were supposed to be doing but—God, it was so good. It was so good my heart
felt like it was swelling to the size of the room. Wrapping around us as his
hands cradled my face and he broke from the kiss, moving his lips along my
face, my cheeks, back to my lips, both of us breathing fast. It was more. Nick was giving me the more. It wasn’t just
physical; it was bursting inside me.
When he pulled me to him, I buried my face in his
neck and held him as tightly as I could as the words slowed to an end. I didn’t
want it to be over. I didn’t want to let go.
I could hear my heart in my ears, pounding with
every breath. He smelled like soap and something woodsy and Nick, and I always
knew that but being up close enough to lick him made the smell intoxicating.
The music stopped.
The lighting was changing. I had to let go
of him, and the second I moved he backed up too. Just a little. Just enough for
me to see the mouth I’d just gotten to know intimately. His gaze fell to my
lips as well, before dragging up to my eyes. Things had changed. In the course
of time it took for that song to make its evolution, our reality had shifted.
And the real kicker was that I think we both knew it already had.
Tasty Q&A with
Sharla Lovelace
Describe yourself in five words or
less.
- Snarky (Might be kind of scary that this was the
first one that came to mind.)
- Introverted
- Sneaky
- People-watcher (notice how I hyphenated to get an
extra word? Yeah, see #3)
- Dog-lover (it worked last time)
Can you tell us a little about your
book?
It’s about lying! LOL. Truly, it’s
about when all your little white lies catch up to you, and what the hell do you
do then? You make up a gargantuan sized one to cover them, and then hope it
doesn’t swallow you whole. Unless it’s in the form of a hot sexy
get-under-your-skin man….then by all means swallow! (I did not just say that.)
Lanie and Nick’s story was honestly
one of my favorite books to write—EVER. It was so much fun, and such a runaway
train ride with no hands! I loved
literally watching them fall for each other, I loved Lanie’s spunk! I loved
every second of it, and it birthed the town of Charmed, so I hope you will love
it as much as I do.
If you had a theme song, what would it
be?
I
Hope You Dance
Name one thing you won’t leave home
without.
My phone and a hair tie on my wrist.
(That’s 2. Damn I have trouble following rules.)
What
types of scenes are your most favorite to write?
I adore writing
intense scenes with either sexy-smexy chemistry burning up the page or fast
snappy dialogue. Sex scenes before the sex…with the tease and the tension and
the snarky back and forth talking…I love that.
Also fights are a blast with all that emotion churning around. Dialogue is always the most fun. I groan to
write description…
Do you have any advice to give to
aspiring writers?
Everyone says this, but seriously,
never give up. I met Sandra Brown at a writer’s conference, and she was behind
a table signing for a line of hundreds, and when I got up there I said
“Everyone in this line wants to be you one day.” She looked at me and said,
“You’re here. You’re already halfway there. Don’t ever stop learning and don’t
ever stop writing. You’ll get here. One day, maybe I’ll be in your line.” I
never forgot that. It hasn’t always been smooth sailing by any means, but my
first book was published almost exactly 5 years ago, and now A CHARMED LITTLE
LIE is my 10th published book, and I’ve just finished writing my 12th. Don’t give up on your dream. Also, remember
that you write about life, and to do that you have to live. There are times
(deadline evil times) that you have to stay in a cave and pound out words, but
outside of that, find a balance and enjoy your life. It will show in your
writing when you do…and when you don’t. If you write romance, kiss your husband
every day. And if you are writing about hot sex and he is one of your readers,
you’d better be prepared to give up the goods. Saying you aren’t in the mood
after penning being banged against a wall—doesn’t cut it honey. ;)
Is there anything that you would like
to say to your readers and fans?
I wouldn’t be here without you, and
I love and adore you so much for taking the time to buy my books and give my
stories a try. And when you email or message me to tell me about it…oh my God
you just don’t know the rainbows and unicorns that fill me up. Nothing is more
important in this job than readers. When I make you happy…when I make you laugh
or cry or feel something that you are moved enough to tell me about…my God, ice
cream isn’t even as good as that. It’s close. But not quite. ;)
Sharla
Lovelace is the bestselling, award-winning author of sexy small-town
love stories. Being a Texas girl through and through, she’s proud to say
she lives in Southeast Texas with her retired husband, a tricked-out
golf cart, and two crazy dogs. She
is the author of five stand-alone novels including the bestselling
Don’t Let Go, the exciting Heart Of The Storm series, and the fun and
sexy new Charmed in Texas series.
For more about Sharla's books, visit www.sharlalovelace.com, and keep up
with all her new book releases easily by subscribing to her newsletter. She loves keeping up with her readers, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
