It's day three in the great Traditional Category RITA giveaway and it's a huge pleasure to introduce the stellar new talent --
FIONA HARPER and BLIND DATE MARRIAGE
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Fiona Harper's Blind Date Marriage is a bit of phenomenon.
Her first book, it scooped the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writer's Prize in 2006 and now has a double Rita nomination as Best First Book and Best Traditional Romance.
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Fiona Harper's Blind Date Marriage is a bit of phenomenon.Her first book, it scooped the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writer's Prize in 2006 and now has a double Rita nomination as Best First Book and Best Traditional Romance.
We are, as you can imagine, in awe and wondering just what Fiona is going to do next.
Here's what she has to say about her book.
BLIND-DATE MARRIAGE is about Serendipity Dove's quest for a little normality in her unconventional life. All she needs is a nice husband to provide her with two-point-four children and she'll be in heaven. But finding the perfect man is harder than she anticipated! However, on a blind date she meets Jake, and intelligent, attractive accountant, and he ticks all the right boxes. Well, almost all of them. She's too busy falling in love to notice that, down in the small print, the ready-for-commitment box is glaringly empty.
And here's an excerpt...
Jake walked into Maison Blanc ten minutes early. Being there first gave him the edge. When Serena arrived he’d be calmly seated at one of the little square tables with its crisp linen table cloth. He’d make sure he had a good view of the entrance and scrutinize every female who glided through glass door.
Maison Blanc was his kind of place. The decor was white and clean, full of straight lines. No fuss. No frills. The best feature by far was that he knew how big the bathroom window was. He’d fit though it, no problem.
He walked past the bar into the main part of the restaurant and scanned the entire room from left to right—then did a double take.
It was her!
The mystery woman. Here. Now.
He very nearly swore.
The woman he’d spent most of last night trying to forget, while he punched his pillow and ordered himself to sleep, was sitting at a table in the centre of the room, sipping a drink.
Suddenly he didn’t know what to do with his hands.
She looked stunning. Her silky, brown hair was swept up into a braided ponytail. Her large, almond-shaped eyes were accentuated with smoky make-up and she wore a soft, moss-green cardigan open at the throat. He swallowed. Never had a cardigan looked so sexy.
She was warm and vibrant, a perfect contrast to the sterile surroundings. And something about her seemed indefinably exotic. He wondered if she had gypsy blood coursing through her veins.
She started to turn her head in his direction, so he dived behind a pillar and stayed there for a few breathless seconds. Then, when he was sure she wasn’t looking his direction, he slunk over to the bar and ordered something. He sat there, hunched over his glass, hoping to heaven she hadn’t noticed him. But that didn’t seem possible. He was sure every molecule in his body was screaming, “Look at me!” and waving its arms in her direction.
He risked another glance.
She was looking at the menu. He was safe, for now.
An enigmatic smile curled her lips, like she was remembering a secret joke. In fact, it looked very much like she was trying not to laugh.
Jake walked into Maison Blanc ten minutes early. Being there first gave him the edge. When Serena arrived he’d be calmly seated at one of the little square tables with its crisp linen table cloth. He’d make sure he had a good view of the entrance and scrutinize every female who glided through glass door.Maison Blanc was his kind of place. The decor was white and clean, full of straight lines. No fuss. No frills. The best feature by far was that he knew how big the bathroom window was. He’d fit though it, no problem.
He walked past the bar into the main part of the restaurant and scanned the entire room from left to right—then did a double take.
It was her!
The mystery woman. Here. Now.
He very nearly swore.
The woman he’d spent most of last night trying to forget, while he punched his pillow and ordered himself to sleep, was sitting at a table in the centre of the room, sipping a drink.Suddenly he didn’t know what to do with his hands.
She looked stunning. Her silky, brown hair was swept up into a braided ponytail. Her large, almond-shaped eyes were accentuated with smoky make-up and she wore a soft, moss-green cardigan open at the throat. He swallowed. Never had a cardigan looked so sexy.
She was warm and vibrant, a perfect contrast to the sterile surroundings. And something about her seemed indefinably exotic. He wondered if she had gypsy blood coursing through her veins.
She started to turn her head in his direction, so he dived behind a pillar and stayed there for a few breathless seconds. Then, when he was sure she wasn’t looking his direction, he slunk over to the bar and ordered something. He sat there, hunched over his glass, hoping to heaven she hadn’t noticed him. But that didn’t seem possible. He was sure every molecule in his body was screaming, “Look at me!” and waving its arms in her direction.
He risked another glance.
She was looking at the menu. He was safe, for now.
An enigmatic smile curled her lips, like she was remembering a secret joke. In fact, it looked very much like she was trying not to laugh.
Coming in August from Fiona...
BREAK UP TO MAKE UP
A rustic farmhouse, the warmth of a crackling fire, and breathtaking views of the countryside make the perfect setting for the most romantic evenings...
For Nick and Adele Hughes this idyllic evening for two is the last place either of them wants to be. Their marriage over, they never believed they could find their way back to each other. But, stranded in this picturesque cottage, Nick and Adele find they cannot resist the spark that has always fizzed between them.
As the twinkling firelight begins to work its magic, this couple discover the wonderful thing about breaking up is making up...
And finally, for a chance to win a signed book from Fiona, what two things did Jake know about his blind-date before he met her?
We won't be drawing any of the winners until everyone's home from Dallas, so keep those answers coming on all the fainlist posts this week!
14 comments:
The two things Jake knew about his date was that her name was Serena and that her father had money.
Valerie
Jake knew her name was Serena and her father had money.
All of Fiona's books look Terrific! Thanks for sharing!
Stephanie
Jake knew her name was Serena and her father had money.
Jake knew only two things about the woman he was going to meet: her name was Serena and her father had money.
Congratulations to all the RITA finalists!
He knew her name was Serena and her father had money. Can't wait to read this one
Oh, that was too easy! Never mind, all answers go into the draw and everyone gets a chance to win, so keep on answering the questions. Ask some, too, if you lke!
Hey Fiona, can't wait to read "blind Date Marriage" None of my blind dates turned out well. lol. Anyway, Jake knew her name and that her dad had money.
Jake knew two things about his date and they were that her name was Serena and that her father had money.
Congrats to the RITA finalists!
The two things Jake new about his blind date were: that her name was Serena and that her father had money.
Jake knew she was named Serena and that her father had money.
Lisa, the few blind dates I got coerced into never turned out well, either. They just weren't hero material - lol.
Congrats to all the finalists!
Jake knew she was named Serena and her dad had money.
I already have the book so I'm not entering the draw, but just dropping by to say how much I enjoyed BDM and am really looking forward to the next one!
Jake knew her name and that her father had money.
Jake knew the woman he was going to meet was Serena and that she had money.
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