Enter to win a Sweet, Texas print bundle
Includes: ANYTHING BUT SWEET, SWEETEST MISTAKE,
SOMETHING SWEETER, SWEET SURPRISE & TRULY SWEET
A Better Man
Sunshine Creek Vineyard #1
Candis Terry
Releasing March 29th, 2016
Avon Romance
In Candis Terry’s first novel in her Sunshine Creek Vineyard series, the handsome Kincade brothers convene to rescue their legacy-but the last thing they expect to find is love….
Sooner or later…Hockey star Jordan Kincade wasted no time ditching Sunshine Creek for the NHL, but his sports career has overshadowed everything else-a truth Jordan confronts when his parents’ deaths bring him home. Now his little sister Nicki is flunking out of school, and only one teacher can help Jordan save her-the shy but incredibly sexy Lucy Diamond, the same girl whose heart he broke years ago. But he’s determined not to make the same mistake twice. If only Lucy would give him the time of day.
Love has a way of catching up with you.
Lucy has no intention of drowning in Jordan’s deep blue gaze again, even if he seems to have turned over a new leaf. Still, his devotion to his sister is impossible to ignore. As they team up to salvage Nicki’s future, Lucy soon discovers that Jordan’s sweet caresses and lingering kisses might just be everything she needs.
Today, she was a
different person. Stronger because of the things she’d lived through. Smarter
because she’d found a way to survive and come out the other side in a happy
place. She knew exactly where she belonged, and that was teaching and helping
students like Nicki. Which was why, right now, she was going to pull on her big
girl panties and face the boy who had disappointed her head on.
Lucy managed to pull
herself together as Jordan removed his sunglasses and slid them to the top of
his head. His smile lifted a masculine pair of lips that somehow managed to
look cruel and sexy at the same time.
The boy had turned
into a man times ten.
Tall and broad
shouldered, his chest looked a mile wide. Judging by the smooth ripples beneath
his snug shirt he was packing muscle, not pounds. Jeans, worn and frayed at the
stress points, accented his long muscular legs and trim waist. His longish
nearly black hair gleamed beneath the overhead lights. And his sharp blue eyes
focused intently on her.
It was all she could
do to keep her heart at a normal pace and her legs solidly beneath her. If ever
a man could be described as delicious, Jordan Kincade would be a menu’s
specialty of the day.
Too bad he was such a
jerk.
“Ms. Diamond?” He
came forward and stretched out his very large hand. “Jordan Kincade.”
And clearly he didn’t
remember her.
Lucy smiled as a
funny little tickle moved through her chest. Maybe this was going to be fun
after all. Rarely was she ever given the upper hand or the opportunity to have
even the slightest edge.
When he moved closer
his warm palm engulfed hers and her triumph died with a sizzle.
Close up she got a
better look. She inhaled his sexy scent of worn leather and warm man. Every
square inch of her female DNA perked up like it was party time. She hated to
disappoint the little darlings but today was all about helping someone else.
“Please.” She kept
the handshake brief and formal before she disengaged and motioned toward the
chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat.”
He glanced at the
standard school chair with a you’ve got to be kidding me lift of his brows.
When he sat down, the orange plastic chair creaked and seemed ridiculously
small beneath the scope of his height and muscles.
Lucy took her own
seat and noticed that the difference in chairs made her tower over him and
seemingly give her another advantage. But when he leaned back and crossed an
ankle over a knee, he appeared completely comfortable.
So much for
one-upmanship.
“I apologize if I
seemed taken aback just now.” She opened the folder and pulled out Nicole’s
progress report as well as several exams and the few assignments Nicole had
actually turned in. Late, of course, but complete nonetheless. “I expected your
brother Ryan.”
“He had business at
the vineyard and sends his regrets.”
She couldn’t help
notice how very deep and smooth his voice had become. Like hot buttered rum on
a cold winter night. He had the kind of voice a woman could imagine whispering
sweet nothings in her ear while he caressed her in places that tingled beneath
his touch.
“I understand.”
Snapping out of the fantasy, she imagined the enormous scope of duties Ryan
Kincade must need to tend to after the death of their parents. Her heart sank a
little further for the family. Especially for Nicole, who was so young and
really needed the love and guidance of her mom and dad. “I hope you’ll accept
my condolences. And I sincerely apologize for having you come down at this
sorrowful time to deal with what might seem insignificant but—”
“Anything regarding
my sister is important, Ms. Diamond. Now more than ever.” His brows dipped in a
no nonsense fashion. “So don’t judge me when you don’t even know me.”
Oh, she knew him.
Knew he was the type
who’d make a promise then shatter it without ever looking back.
But that was then,
and this was now.
“My apologies, Mr.
Kincade. That was certainly not my intent.”
His piercing eyes
perused her face for a long, uncomfortable moment and she had to admit that the
look did something funny to the beat of her heart.
Especially when with
a slight tilt of his head he asked, “Why do you look so familiar?”
“Do I?” That erratic
heartbeat kicked up another notch as she let go a chuckle to cover up what was
really going on inside. “People say that all the time. I guess I just have one
of those faces.”
She pushed Nicole’s
schoolwork in his direction. “If you’ll take a look at these projects, you’ll
see that even though she didn’t complete the assignment exactly as it was
defined, Nicole has an enormous gift.”
“I’m pretty sure
that’s a lie.”
“Excuse me?”
Irritated, Lucy’s gaze shot up to the slight smile curling his lips. “How can
you say that without even reading anything? I guarantee your sister has a
multitude of talent.”
“I’m not talking
about my sister’s work. I’m talking about you just having one of those faces.”
He uncrossed his long, muscular legs and leaned forward without even looking at
the papers she’d put in front of him. “So now I’m wondering why you sidestepped
my question.”
Good God the man was
intense. There was something in the combination of that nearly black hair that
fell over his ears and his nape in perfect waves and those deep blue eyes that
seemed almost otherworldly. She could imagine how he’d intimidate an opponent
on the ice.
And it had nothing to
do with his size.
But as far as
admitting who she really was? Not going to happen. No need to dredge up a bad
memory when all she really wanted was to help his sister.
“I apologize.” Her
heart beat erratically as she avoided the intensity of his gaze. “But I would
like to stick to the subject of your sister’s grades—or lack thereof—that may
prevent her from graduating with the rest of her class. I genuinely care about
her which is why I noticed a problem way before the loss of your parents.”
“And now you won’t
even look at me,” he said. “Why is that?”
As he leaned in, his
intoxicating scent came with him. Normally such things didn’t affect her. Well,
at least not with her colleagues who tended to wear either too much aftershave
or worse, too much body odor. Jordan wore his masculine scent like a sexual
promise and Lucy swore he should come with a warning label.
Great start to a new series featuring the Kincaid family. Jordan and Lucy's is kind of a second chance romance. They knew each other in high school, but he broke her heart when he stood her up for school dance. Now he's a famous hockey player and she is his teenage sister's teacher. When his parents die, he comes home to find that he's been apart from his family for so long that he doesn't really know them anymore, especially his sister Nicole. When he goes to a meeting with her teacher, he is surprised to see Lucy. He's determined to apologize for standing her up and renewing their relationship, but Lucy is equally determined to not let him in. But working together to help Nicole back on track helps Lucy see that Jordan is more that just a player. He does some really sweet and romantic things for her that break down the walls she has built around her heart. It was a fun, sweet and sexy read. Looking forward to the next book!
I received an ARC via Edelweiss for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.
Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.
Tasty Book Tours Interviews
Candis Terry
Firstly, congrats on the release of your ninth full length novel
and first in the brand new Sunshine Creek Vineyard series, A BETTER MAN.
Even through you are a total veteran now at this whole "New Book"
thing, do you still get the same excited, nervous, mixed emotion with each
release?
Thank you so much! I’m
really excited about the new series. The Kincade brothers are super delicious,
and this time around I got to include a little mystery.
Honestly, I don’t see
myself as a veteran. I’m still learning so much about writing a better book. So
for me, each book really feels like the first. I usually get a hard copy a
couple of weeks before the release date and the minute I hold it in my hands I
feel like I’m getting ready to go to prom. Seriously. All those happy tickles
going on inside my heart are like the popping of the cork on a champagne
bottle. With a new series I always get very nervous because I really hope my
readers will enjoy the new characters as much as the last.
How do you feel your writing had grown from SECOND CHANCE AT THE
SUGAR SHACK, your debut release with Avon, to now with A BETTER MAN? What
is the one thing you have learned that stands out for you looking back?
What are two of the biggest hurdles you have had to jump in order
to make your writing career a success?
Oh my gosh, there
have been so many. Balancing a day job, my family, and my writing. Battling
self-doubt (probably the biggest one). Finding a new flavor of frozen pizza my
family hasn’t suffered through yet. J
Do you as an author feel like you have accomplished the goals you
set for yourself? Is there anything that stands out for 2016 that is an
"I WANT" in terms of goals?
In the beginning,
my only goal was to write a book good enough that a publisher would want to
buy. It took me twenty-two years to make that a reality, so anything beyond
that was frosting on the cake. I never dreamed I would be the first of
anything. But I was the first for the Avon Impulse line and the first to be
moved to mass market. I never imagined that my books would be best sellers.
Inside this crazy mind of mine, I’m still the chick who plugged away on manuscript
after manuscript for years without any success.
I’m not the kind of
person who ever asks for much for myself, so an “I want” in terms of goals is
difficult. Of course I’d love to be a NYT bestselling author, and I’d love to
win a RITA. But truthfully, I really just want to write really good,
heartwarming stories for my readers. Without them I’d just be writing for
myself, and my characters would be very sad and probably bored as heck with me.
For anyone who doesn't know, you didn't become a traditionally
published writer until your daughter was a grown adult. Do you have any advice
for aspiring authors who think it's too late for them to begin a writing
career?
Yeah, it took me
twenty-two long, tough years. I was just too darned stubborn to give up. I came
close a couple of times, but as my husband always said, it’s my passion, so why
would I quit. My favorite quote is from the movie Galaxy Quest. “Never give up.
Never surrender.” If writing is your passion, stick with it. If publication is
your goal, there are a dozen ways to make that happen these days. There are
pros and cons to writing when you’re older, just as there are pros and cons to
writing when you’re younger. There is never one perfect time and one perfect
career. I’m a believer that life is what you make it. If being an author is
your passion and your dream, make it happen and enjoy whatever opportunities
come your way. I’m now heading into my sixth decade of life. Do I wish I could
have become a published author sooner? Not really. I think it happened when it
was supposed to. And I’m enjoying it every bit of the way.
You have had a host of different careers in your life as you
mention in your website bio, "From working in a Hollywood recording
studio to a graphic designer in marketing; from schmoozing with the likes of
Charleton Heston and Motley Crüe". Do you ever use your "past
life" as a muse for a story line, a character or a setting?
I use a lot from my
personal life in stories, but it never has anything to do with meeting
celebrities (although that was always fun). It does, however, have everything
to do with personalities, and lives, and the stories they tell. The characters
and settings I write about are a lot more grounded than some of those who live
behind a mansion’s security gates. But I could tell you stories about those
days. Oh yes I could. ;)
One of my many problems when it comes to your romances is that you
have too many amazing heroes to choose from, and I can never decide who is my
favorite. Some have been my "first", some have stolen my heart,
some have made me swoon, and some have made me laugh out loud. Do you have a
favorite hero among the bunch? The one who gave you the hardest time, the
one who made you cry, the one who you let lead the way?
Ah, come on! That’s
like asking who is your favorite child. But since you asked . . . yes, I do
have my favorites. For different reasons. I always compare my heroes with a bag
of M&Ms. Each one has a different substance (because, you know, there are regular,
crispy, and peanut butter M&Ms now) and each has a different color to his
personality. I’d like to note that not a single one of them has ever let me
lead the way. I write alpha males. They don’t like to be led by anything or
anyone. Specifically, the hero who gave me the hardest time would be (hands
down) Jackson Wilder from Sweetest Mistake. I love him, but we argued the
entire time I wrote his book. He was hot-headed and passionate about everything
and I could barely keep him reined in. The one who made me cry? Well, there are
three. Matt Ryan from Second Chance at the Sugar Shack broke my heart so hard I
had to stop writing until I could get my stuff together. Reno Wilder from
Anything But Sweet because he was such an amazing guy who’d had such a tough
life. And Jake Wilder from Truly Sweet. Jake was a hero from head to toe who
was so afraid to live life that he made my heart pound through his entire book.
The sexiest? Jesse Wilder from Something Sweeter. Jesse. Yeah. Whew!
Where do you see your career headed in the next few years? (aside
from hitting USA Today and NYT's wink
wink).
I really have no
idea where it’s headed. With the generosity of my readers
I hope I’ll still be writing books. I have so many ideas in my head there’s no
way I could ever write them all. But I’m going to give it a damn good try.
What do you hope that readers take away from your romances?
Who are the kind of readers that you think your books will appeal to?
I’d love for my
books appeal to everyone. Realistically, if a reader likes blood and gore
they’re not going to like my stories. If a reader is looking for a story that
is fast-paced, fun, emotional, and heartwarming, then I think we’ll get along
just fine. Oh, and if they like pets, because the little furry guys in my
stories bring a whole lot to the page. I hope my readers take away a great
amount of satisfaction and that my little tales of love hit them in just the
right place in their hearts.
And lastly...I know that you are a HUGE romance reader as well as author...I
need your Top Five Romances of All Time.
Good grief! Only
five? Have you ever seen my paperback keeper shelf or the library on my Kindle?
It’s insane. Okay, okay, I’ll try to narrow it down.
1. Heaven, Texas by
Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I have two copies of this book because the first one
got so dog-eared from me re-reading it so often. Three words. Bobby Tom Denton.
Sigh.
2. Whitney My Love by
Judith McNaught. Such a wonderful read. My heart pitter-patters just thinking
about it.
3. Truly Madly Yours
by Rachel Gibson. Another book I have two copies of. Nick’s love for Delaney is
just so tortuously sweet and wonderful I will never get enough.
4. Outlander by Diana
Gabaldon. Hey, I’m a Scot, so sue me if I’m crazy over Jamie Frazier and his
kilt.
5. Son of the Morning
by Linda Howard. Just a breathtaking story with amazing characters. And okay,
yeah, another Scot. Can’t help myself.
This has been so much
fun! Thank you so much!
No comments:
Post a Comment