Grand Finale Blitz- Love, Unexpected by Virginia McCullough

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Book Tour Grand Finale for

Love, Unexpected

By Virginia McCullough

We hope you enjoyed the tour! If you missed any of the stops

you can see snippets, as well as the link to each full post, below:

Launch - Note from the Author

Dear Reader,

Welcome to this book tour for LOVE, UNEXPECTED. I hope you’re happy to be back for the third visit to Two Moon Bay, Wisconsin. Book 3 of my Two Moon Bay series finds us on the waterfront again. Back when I wrote GIRL IN THE SPOTLIGHT, I knew Andi Sterling, Miles Jenkins’ former wife and Brooke’s mom, needed her own story. She told me so many times. You may remember Zeke Donovan and his dad, Art. They own Donovan Marine Supply and they made a couple of appearances in Book 2, SOMETHING TO TREASURE. They’re now front and center is this story, and Zeke gets a chance to expand his world—and his heart...

Heidi Reads... - Drifting Dreams

Like Andi says in LOVE, UNEXPECTED, someone (they don’t yet know who) named the wooden motor yacht Drifting Dreamer for a reason. For me, the name brings to mind the old song “Moon River,” with “two drifters off to see the world.” As Zeke observed, in 1939 no one built a 50-foot yacht if they didn’t have some big dreams.

The Power of Words - Review

"There's a lot to like in this sweet romance by Virginia McCullough, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Andi and Zeke in Love, Unexpected...

I loved how everything comes together, making the story’s restoration theme not only about Drifting Dreamer, but Andi’s dreams as well."

Stacking My Book Shelves! - Excerpt

He let Teddy take him to the woman, who was tall and slender, and wore jeans and a red T-shirt. When she saw him coming, she lifted her sunglasses and perched them on her head. In her other hand, she held a giant-size Bean Grinder to-go cup.

“Good morning,” she called out, smiling. “I suppose I’m trespassing.”

He was tongue-tied. By a pretty smile and long legs. He raised his hand in protest. “Probably so, but we won’t call the sheriff, at least not yet.”

“I see. I have to prove myself first.” She held up the cup. “I’m armed only with the Bean Grinder’s morning mix.”

“In that case, we’ll…” Zeke watched Teddy sniffing the woman’s sneakers. “I was going to say we’ll call off the dogs, but, too late.”

I Am A Reader - Does Zeke Keep his Promises?

Early readers have remarked that Zeke is a likeable guy. What’s not to like? He’s very attractive, friendly, a successful owner of a marine supply store, smart, and he even has a sense of humor. But he’s in his late thirties, and he’s never been married and doesn’t have kids. And it looks like he lives with dad. Really? Could be Zeke is a guy afraid to make a commitment. Here are the facts. You be the judge...

Inside the Mind of an Avid Reader - Review

"Love, Unexpected by Virginia McCullough takes us back to two moon bay. I love this little town. I always enjoy each visit. In this visit we get to restore an old yacht as well as get to know the lovely Andi and Zeke. The are both very humbling and sweet. I enjoyed getting to know both of them."

Reading Is My SuperPower - Excerpt

Andi stretched her arm to get deep inside a hard-to-reach cubbyhole behind the navigation table to check for damaged wood. Her hand hit a divider with a finger grip, but the first tug didn’t budge it. The second and third tries didn’t move it, either. Determined now, she took a breath and gave it one more hard pull. Bam…she captured the graying piece of wood, but jerked backward with the force of the movement.

When she righted herself, she shined her flashlight inside to have a look inside the narrow space. The beam caught the corner of something that looked like paper.

“Well, well, what’s this all about?” she said to herself, curious and excited. Secret papers? That could be an overstatement, but these pages weren’t left out in the open. Someone had stashed them out of sight.

Colorimetry - Andi’s Tips for Single Moms

Andi laughed in my ear when I ask her about tips for single moms, but once I got her started, she didn’t hesitate to give me her list, starting with:

Luck out and have a good ex-husband...

Hearts & Scribbles - Excerpt

Andi tilted her head and looked where he was pointing. “Stars. Imagine that. It’s been ages since I’ve seen more than a few of the brightest ones.”

Zeke exaggerated a sweeping gesture to take in the boat. “So happens we have a boat. I guess when we get her put back together some, she could take us far enough out to see some stars, huh? This fall, before it gets too cold.”

Andi responded with a quick slap of her palms. “See? You inherited a floating stargazer. She’s only slightly torn apart.”

Zeke laughed. Drifting Dreamer wasn’t exactly ready for even a short cruise. It wouldn’t be long, though. Andi was making progress.

Hardcover Feedback - Review

"Love, Unexpected was a fun read. I recognized some of the characters, since I'd read the first book in the series, Girl in the Spotlight, last year. I definitely think this book stands on its own, but it was fun seeing how those characters lives have continued...

I definitely recommend this novel to all fans of contemporary romance. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author."

E-Romance News - Excerpt

“I’m probably speaking out of turn,” Joy said, grimacing, “but I had a peculiar kind of bond with Zeke because of his mother.”

“Oh?” Andi’s heart pounded as she waited for the information. She was impatient for it, whether she’d like what she learned or not.

“My mom was a teacher, too,” Joy said. “One afternoon I was waiting outside for her after school. Zeke was there, too. I remember how he was kicking a stone around the gravel schoolyard while he waited for his mom to pick him up.”

Call it intuition or simply picking up Joy’s somber tone, but Andi began to feel a little queasy. “This story ends badly, doesn’t it, Joy?”

“Yes.” Joy paused, but Andi didn’t fill the silence.

Andi's Book Reviews - Review

"Heartwarming is definitely the right category for this sweet romance. It's such a subtle one, which is a breath of fresh air in a market saturated by fast love and lust. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy a lot of those books as well. But a story like this one feels so much more realistic to me and leaves me feeling a bit more peaceful and nostalgic.

...I have fallen in love with Two Moon Bay and its inhabitants. I hope more stories are yet to come from this beautiful place."

Locks, Hooks and Books - Review

"I thought it was sweet, inspiring and heartwarming. Andi and Zeke had wonderful chemistry and their story were relateable to me. I love the beautiful setting of Two Moon Bay..."

Wishful Endings - What’s So Special about a Wooden Yacht?

Zeke and Andi have become attached to Drifting Dreamer. I understand why. I’ve been lucky enough to own a classic wooden sailboat, and later, a fiberglass boat with gorgeous wood trim. What was the difference between the two boats? Why do Zeke and Andi have such special feelings about the classic wooden motor yacht?...

Bri's Book Nook - Review

"I haven’t read a sweet romance novel in a while, and this was definitely a nice refreshing one. I read this book almost entirely in one sitting even though the book is almost 400 pages long, and was engaged for every single page."

underneath the covers - Restore? Or Accept “as is?”

When Zeke hires Andi to work on Drifting Dreamer, he has no doubt that the boat can be restored, meaning made wonderful and operational again while preserving the original beauty from its era. Zeke’s confident about this because at one time he was well known for restoring many local historical sites...

Nicole's Book Musings - Excerpt

Zeke opened a cabinet where they stored things they almost never used and spotted a couple of vases on the top shelf. He pulled one down and arranged the flowers inside it before adding water.

Art let out a low whistle. “I haven’t seen you bring flowers to a woman in a long time.”

“It’s been a long time. That’s a fact,” Zeke said.

“Look, Zeke, you can tell me if you’re interested in Andi.”

“I know, Dad.”

He didn’t know how to respond. He was getting serious, but he didn’t know about Andi. With his back to his dad, he said, “I like her for lots of reasons, Dad. I think she likes me, too. That’s all I can say right now.”

Rockin' Book Reviews - Review

"In this entertaining new novel by talented Author, Virginia McCullough, a woman and her 10 year-old-daughter move to a new, smaller town to be nearer the girl's father and his new wife...

This is a relaxing read with a few twists. However, it is mostly predictable but written with a flair and well-utilized literary skills. It keeps the reader's interest."

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below, if you haven't already...

Love, Unexpected

(Two Moon Bay #3)
By Virginia McCullough
Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
May 1st 2018 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Moving to a new place isn’t easy…

Until a neglected ship and its owner make her feel at home

After spying a boat in need of some TLC, single mom Andi Sterling strikes a deal with its owner, Zeke Donovan, who shares her passion for restoring old things. Uncovering the legendary ship’s secrets draws them closer. Is it too soon for Andi to open her heart to the chance to build new dreams?

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo│GooglePlay

Other Books in the Series

Girl in the Spotlight

(Two Moon Bay #1)

By Virginia McCullough

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

June 1st 2017 by Harlequin Heartwarming

The daughter they never knew

When Miles Jenkins sees the graceful young figure skater on TV, he can't believe how much she resembles Lark McGee, the girl he dated briefly in college. Could this aspiring star be the child Lark gave up for adoption eighteen years ago? He has to find out.

Locating Lark ignites conflicting emotions in Miles—including regrets for what might have been and romantic feelings that take the two single parents by surprise. As they prepare to meet their daughter, this deeper connection between the two just might be the chance at love they never got.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo│GooglePlay

Something to Treasure

(Two Moon Bay #2)

By Virginia McCullough

Contemporary Romance

Paperback & ebook, 384 pages

January 1st 2018 by Harlequin Heartwarming

If anyone can save him, she’s the one

Jerrod Walters hopes relocating to the coastal town of Two Moon Bay can be the fresh start he and his young daughter need. But the single dad is caught off guard when a beautiful PR professional offers to promote his diving excursions to legendary shipwreck sites. There’s so much he admires about Dawn Larson, starting with the woman’s upbeat, can-do personality. Dawn’s boundless capacity for joy might be the only thing capable of bringing him back to life after his tragic loss…

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo│GooglePlay

About the Author

A writer all her adult life, Virginia McCullough has had the opportunity to write the stories of her heart in her novels, including Girl in the Spotlight, the first book in her Two Moon Bay series for Harlequin Heartwarming. (Book 2 is scheduled for release in January 2018). Her award-winning romance and women’s fiction titles include The Jacks of Her Heart, Amber Light, Greta’s Grace, The Chapels on the Hill, and Island Healing.

Born and raised in Chicago, Virginia has been lucky enough to develop her writing career in many locations, including the coast of Maine, the mountains of North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently, Northeast Wisconsin. She started her career in nonfiction, first writing articles and then books as a ghostwriter and coauthor. She’s written more than 100 books for physicians, business owners, professional speakers and many others with information to share or a story to tell.

Virginia’s books feature characters who could be your neighbors and friends. They come in all ages and struggle with everyday life issues in small-town environments that almost always include water—oceans, lakes, or rivers. The mother of two grown children, you’ll find Virginia with her nose a book, walking on trails or her neighborhood street, or she may be packing her bag to take off for her next adventure. And she’s always working on another story about hope, healing, and second chances.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Bookbub│Amazon│Newsletter

Tour Giveaway


1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift Card and the pictured Handfelted Wool Bowl and Gemstones (US only):

Description: A beautiful handfelted wool bowl filled with colorful gemstones to add a little beauty to your home. The bowl contains a small amethyst cluster from Uruguay which is generally used in rooms where people tend to congregate such as kitchens and family rooms. It is said to bring about peace and open communication. The bowl also includes a pink chunk of rose quartz from Brazil as a reminder of love and healing, a candle quartz crystal crystal from Madagascar said to make anyone who enters your home feel welcome, a pretty piece of blue lace agate from Southwest Africa to help create relaxing and accepting energy near your front door, a deep blue apatite heart from Sri Lanka to encourage the sharing of feelings and tangerine quartz from Brazil for information retention and perfect for your office, study or a student's room.

Ends May 16th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners: Unexpected & Heartbeat series Giveaway

It's time to announce the winners of the Unexpected and Heartbeat series by Faith Sullivan giveaway!

The winners are...

Karin Erin and Rose! 

Congratulations, ladies! 

Both the winners have been emailed and they get to choose the books they want on a first reply basis. 

To know more about the books, you can check out my review for Unexpected, Heartbeat (Heartbeat #1) and Come What May (Heartbeat #2).

Thank you so much for taking part in the giveaway generously put forth by author Faith Sullivan! 

We'd like to thank Faith again for all her help, support and love. 

Author Interview + Giveaway (INT)- Unexpected & Heartbeat series by Faith Sullivan

Hey guys, today we have with us author of Unexpected and the Heartbeat series, Faith Sullivan.

There's a lovely Author Interview followed by a super cool and generous giveaway where readers have a chance of winning three ebooks! So let's quickly get on to the main stuff after a little introduction.

ABOUT AUTHOR FAITH SULLIVAN:

I really hate talking about myself. My goal is to have the shortest author bio imaginable. I would much rather have a conversation with my readers.

Are you able to escape within my pages?

Does my writing make you feel something?

Are there characters that you can't get out of your head?

Let me know!

AUTHOR LINKS:

Blog / Goodreads / Twitter

FAITH SULLIVAN'S BOOKS:    

                                                 

           

Unexpected / Heartbeat / Come What May / I Am Yours (Coming soon!)

Me review of Unexpected
My review of Heartbeat (Heartbeat #1)
My review of Come What May (Heartbeat #2)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW:

Hi Faith! Welcome to The Readdicts! It's lovely to have you here. Please make yourself at home and we hope you have a nice time answering our very many questions!

1. I know you don't like doing this, Faith, but you're going to have make an exception here and tell us a bit about yourself. 

Faith: LOL, okay if I have to :-)

I started reading at age four and basically never stopped. I have a bachelor's degree in literary studies and I've worked in the publishing industry in some capacity for nearly fifteen years. My online experience with the written word began when I started to review books. At the beginning of this year, I decided to publish my first novel and dive into the deep end.

2. Tell us something about yourself that no one knows, something totally random. *puppy face* Please?

Faith: I'm not a romance author with a hot husband at home. I'm still trying to figure the whole love thing out.

3. Did you always want to be an author? If not, then what did you want to be?

Faith: I'm more of a behind-the-scenes person. I never thought I'd have the guts to put myself out there as a published author. I always hoped I'd one day have the courage and I guess that day has finally arrived. Sometimes it's good to surprise yourself.

4. Okay. Now we will get to your (and our) favourite part! Tell us about your books.

Faith: My books are crazy. Some people love them. Some people hate them. They're all written from the heart and I try to infuse as much genuine emotion into them as possible. I like to keep them fast-paced so readers don't get bored and I try to shake things up by doing unconventional things. I'm willing to shock readers with a head-scratcher of an ending. I'm up for radically changing a character's personality in a series. I like to explore themes that most would never put together like 9/11 and romance. My brain just likes to think outside the box and either you get it or you don't (and I'm okay with it if you don't!).

5. You write books that fall under the New Adult genre. Many people define NA in my different ways. What, according to you, is New Adult? (Age, storyline, etc.)

Faith: For me, New Adult characters are somewhere between eighteen and twenty-five. That's really my only main requirement because there are so many different directions a writer can go in from there. I don't like to stifle creativity. The plot can take so many different directions with characters in that age group. It's such a freeing concept for a writer because there are no limits to what you can do. You can make it erotic or not. You can set it in college or not. You can deal with more serious issues or not. There's a whole range of emotions you can tap into that aren't really found in other categories or genres. Discovering your individuality. Learning what you want out of life. Falling for someone who isn't your first romance. That's why I love it.

6. I admire how you believe that life isn't a bed of roses and reality can be harsh. When writing the Heartbeat series, did you ever feel that readers (who love happy endings) would have problems with the way Heartbeat ended?

Faith: First off, I never thought anyone would even read HEARTBEAT. I thought it would be pretty much ignored. I was a debut author with a book no one had ever even heard of. So to get the reaction that it did was pretty overwhelming. I wasn't prepared for how passionate readers were over the ending. But I guess it means I did my job if I got them to feel something, even if they wanted to kill me :-)

7. As you've shown in Unexpected, 9/11 drastically affected the whole of US and the world as well. I've read that the book is very close to your heart. Can you tell us about the medley of emotions that you experienced while writing the story?

Faith: It was a catharsis really. I've been harboring the emotions of that day for a long time. I don't think they'll ever completely go away. I'll probably be carrying them around with me for the rest of my life but it was comforting to receive the reader feedback from people who went through something similar. That's all I ever wanted was to connect with others so we could all feel - 'Hey, at least we're not alone.' And for me, that's the power of writing at its core.

8. You are one of the most friendliest authors that I know and you take a lot of joy in connecting with readers. Do the readers, and their likes, dislikes, opinions, views, etc., in any way, help you decide what goes into your stories? 

Faith: Absolutely! I always listen to what the readers have to say. Like I said, I never thought I'd have readers so just the fact that people took the time to read my work is extremely humbling. I want to give as much back to them as I can for investing their time in me. But conversely, I have to follow my heart and where it takes me when it comes to letting my creative spirit flow through my writing. If I started to follow trends or write what other people expect, then I wouldn't be remaining true to myself and I'd feel like a fraud.

9. What's next in store for you after the Heartbeat series is completed?

Faith: Well, there's going to be another release TAKE ME NOW (August 2013 or sooner) before the release of the third HEARTBEAT book, I AM YOURS (October 2013).

I just hope to keep writing and publish at least one novel every two months or so. The ebook phenomenon is such a fast-moving animal and readers are inundated with new titles on what appears to be a daily basis. So to remain current and keep your name out there, you have to publish a lot and quite frequently. At least in my case, because I'm not a 'known' author.

10. Who are some of your favourite authors and what are some of your favourite books?

Faith: Two of my favorites that I've read this year are IF YOU STAY by Courtney Cole and EASY by Tammara Webber. They just hit it out of the park, in my opinion. They're soft, yet they're gritty. They're real,  yet they're swoon-worthy. I always enjoy the combination of hard and soft.

We also have a round of fun questions lined up for you, Faith!

This includes "Favourites" and "If you could..." All you have to do is give us a one-worded or a one-lined  answer to the questions below. It will be seriously cool if you give us a "why?" for the "If you could..." questions! 

These are going to be difficult and easy for the same reason- you get to pick only one!

So have  a blast and here we go!

1. Favourite colour? Blue because it's calming.

2. Favourite food?  Pasta because I like it wherever I go, you can't mess it up.

3. Favourite drink? Diet Coke because it keeps my brain functioning.

4. Favourite word? Hope because if you don't have that, you have nothing.

5. Favourite place? Anywhere in nature (the beach, the woods, etc.) because it's where I feel most at home.

6. Favourite singer/ band? Pink because she's the real deal.

7. If you could take only one author out for dinner, who would you take?

 Sorry for this one, I'd have to take two. KellyHashway and Meradeth Houston because we've never met in person but they support me on a daily basis and that says a lot.

8. If you could keep only one book with you, which book would you keep?

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE because of the beauty of the language and it would give me a lot of food for thought.

9. If you could take only one book boyfriend on a secluded island with you, who would you take?

ADAM from my HEARTBEAT series because we would be able to help each other work out our problems. Yeah, really sexy. I know :-)

10. If you could listen to only one song for the rest of your life, which song would you choose?

I WILL WAIT by Mumford and Sons because of the utter humility of the lyrics, they inspire me.

Thank you so much for spending time with us today, Faith! It was a pleasure to have you over. And we hope you had a great time. Feel free to stop by anytime you feel like it.

We wish you lots of happiness and success in the future. Happy reading and happy writing!

GIVEAWAY:

Faith has kindly and generously offered to give away ecopies (Kindle) of Unexpected, Heartbeat and Come What May.

One winner will receive Unexpected and another will receive the first two books of the Heartbeat series. 
When winners are emailed, I will ask for your preference and this will be on a first reply basis. 
The giveaway is INT. Enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form  below. May the odds be ever in your favour! 

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you for stopping by and happy reading!

Review- Unexpected by Faith Sullivan

Goodreads Summary:

September 11, 2001.

A day that forever changes the destiny of college overachiever, Michelle Rhodes.

Shattered, confused and alone, no one understands the trauma consuming her until she meets Connor Donnelly.

A native New Yorker, he believes he can aid in getting her life back on track. But what if he's even more broken inside?

Offering her a chance at a fresh start, Connor convinces Michelle to move in with him. Hiring her to waitress at his bar, their mutual attraction only complicates matters.

As more details surrounding Connor's past emerge, Michelle uncovers the full magnitude of the loss he's trying to hide. Refusing to let her feelings for him hinder his recovery, she makes a decision that winds up hurting them both.

By sacrificing her heart, Michelle thinks she is helping Connor come to terms with his grief. Little does she know, Connor is gambling everything for the sake of having a future with her.

What happens is truly unexpected.

REVIEW:

I was looking forward to reading Unexpected, especially after seeing some great posts about it on author Faith Sullivan's blog, Faith Sullivan Writes. Faith is really one of the kindest authors I know and I was delighted when she generously sent me a copy of the book. 
I must, however, admit that I was apprehensive about starting Unexpected. I wanted to read it as any normal New Adult Contemporary Romance, and not as a book written by my author friend and reading buddy because that leads to biases and favouritism which can come close to dishonesty. It turns out, I had absolutely nothing to worry about. 
On it's own, Unexpected was an absolutely lovely story about healing wounds, slowly finding the path that leads to happiness and peace and unexpectedly finding love on the way. 

Michelle Rhodes moves to New York from an almost non existent small American town to study at NYU. When the 9/11 attacks happen right under her nose, she bravely gives in to her fear and flees back to her home. That's where she meets Connor Donnelly, a New Yorker, who persuades her to go back to New York because he believes that facing her fear is the only way she can overcome it. He offers her a job and room at his bar and eventually, the two establish a splendid relationship. But obviously, like in any relationship, there are downs, hardships and twists and turns that come in the way. 
Michelle was a great girl. Her vulnerability was actually very brave because it is tough to admit your own fears and face them. There were times when I didn't like what she did, especially her plan to leave without a sound.  When seen from her point of view, what she did was much needed, but I just don't like silent escapes and so I couldn't digest it. 
Connor, aside from appearing to be cocky and cocksure, was hot and a complete darling on the inside. His past was terribly emotional and I admired how, with persuaded help from others, he tried to fill the potholes in his life. He was arrogant and selfish, but that's what made him, him, and in the end, he fought his battle and accepted that what he wants isn't what others want. Connor was swoon-worthy with his hard attitude and soft nature. 
Both Michelle and Connor had their own flaws, but then again, no one is perfect and being perfect is close to being boring. I loved how Connor set out to heal Michelle with help from her family and he ended up being the one who needed healing and Micelle healed him, with help from his friends and family. Although it was difficult for me to catch up with the slowly yet suddenly growing fondness and romance between them, I found myself smiling at the banter between the two and the sparks between them were hard to miss. Both of them were genuinely nice people who just wanted to help all those who they could help, particularly those who horribly suffered the aftermaths of 9/11.   

It was nice to see how author Faith Sullivan, in a very clear and systematic way, put down the tremendous impact 9/11 had on the people, along with a subtle and sweet love story, keeping the emotions and feelings right in place. The author's writing is very clean and fresh. Michelle's voice was broad and pellucid. 

Overall, Unexpected was a lovely read that combined two of the most significant aspects of life together- hard hitting reality and love. It was an emotional read that I devoured and very much liked reading from the starting until the very end. 

RATING:

Release Party- Unexpected by Faith Sullivan

I am supremely excited to be part of author Faith Sullivan's New Adult Contemporary Romance, Unexpected Release Party! 

Faith is an absolutely kind person, I always have a great time tweeting with her about our common love for New Adult books. 

And today, I'm so happy to have her book, Unexpected, spotlighted on our blog. 

From what I've seen, heard and read until now, the book seems to be really nice and I can't wait to read it. 

Let's move on to the post we have for you. 

All thanks to Faith, we have some basic info about the book and the author, an interesting excerpt and a cool giveaway! 

TITLE:

Unexpected

AUTHOR:

Faith Sullivan

EXPECTED RELEASE DATE:

April 2, 2013

CATEGORY:

Contemporary Romance

GENRE:

New Adult

BOOK DESCRIPTION: 

September 11, 2001.

A day that forever changes the destiny of college overachiever, Michelle Rhodes.

Shattered, confused and alone, no one understands the trauma consuming her until she meets Connor Donnelly.

A native New Yorker, he believes he can aid in getting her life back on track. But what if he's even more broken inside?

Offering her a chance at a fresh start, Connor convinces Michelle to move in with him. Hiring her to waitress at his bar, their mutual attraction only complicates matters.

As more details surrounding Connor's past emerge, Michelle uncovers the full magnitude of the loss he's trying to hide. Refusing to let her feelings for him hinder his recovery, she makes a decision that winds up hurting them both.

By sacrificing her heart, Michelle thinks she is helping Connor come to terms with his grief. Little does she know, Connor is gambling everything for the sake of having a future with her.

What happens is truly unexpected.

BOOK RELATED LINKS:

Amazon- Kindle ($1.99)

Amazon- Paperback ($6.99)

Add Unexpected on Goodreads

EXCERPT:

Chapter Six

“W...what?” I stutter despite myself.

He gives me a crooked grin. “All night, I’ve been freezing my ass off out here waiting for you. I didn’t think you were gonna show.”

If his first remark didn’t floor me, the second leaves me utterly confused. “Whoa, slow down, buddy. How do you even know my name?”

Again, he laughs. “Does it really matter? I’m here to talk some sense into you.”

The dimples in his cheeks distract me. He has such a cute smile. But I’m not letting him off that easily. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m done with New York.”

“Really? You could’ve fooled me.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because you should never run from something that scares you.” His hazel eyes catch the moonlight as they bore into mine. “And this time, you won’t be alone. I’ll be with you.”

This whole conversation is getting way too intense. Standing up, I wrap my arms around myself. I have to get out of here. This guy is crazy.

I jump as the front door opens and my ex-boyfriend Tony emerges, giving me a hopeful look. We broke up after our senior year. He understood I wasn’t planning on sticking around, so I set him free. He met someone else over the summer, and I only talked to him once on the phone when I got back. But with the way he’s looking at me now, I can tell he feels sorry for me, and that’s something I won’t tolerate.

Inching closer to the steps, I attempt to play it cool. “Oh hi, Tony. It’s good seeing you. I wish I could stay and chat, but I was just leaving.”

“I don’t think so.”

I whirl around. That’s it. Who does this guy think he is? “Listen, you little...” I begin, but Tony interrupts by grabbing my arm.

“Michelle, calm down. There’s no need to freak out,” Tony says, slowly releasing his grip on me. “Do you remember me telling you about Sal, my roommate at school, the one from New York?” I nod, but I can care less at this moment. “Well, this is his older brother, Connor. I kind of told him all about you, and I thought it’d be a good idea if you two met.”

I shake my head and sigh. “So you made him wait out here alone in the cold?”

I can tell Tony’s nervous. He’s running his fingers through his hair. “I thought you’d bolt otherwise.”

“She nearly did,” Connor chimes in.

Frustrated, I slam my fist on the porch railing. “The both of you just stop it, right now! I knew it was a bad idea to come here. I don’t need some random guy from New York giving me advice on how to live my life.”

Pushing off the swing, Connor gets to his feet. “Well, what are you doing with your life then? What’s plan B?”

I advance toward him. “I don’t have a plan B, asshole. I don’t have all the answers, but apparently you do.”

Connor closes the gap between us. “I wish I did, but I think you can figure it out. You were brave enough to take on the big, bad city once. Why not try it again under different circumstances?”

Tony clears his throat, and for a moment, I forgot he was there. “Michelle, Connor owns a bar downtown. He thought you could go back and work for him. Give it another go.”

“I’m no bartender,” I retort.

“You sure aren’t,” Connor fires back.

Tony holds up his hands in an attempt to keep the peace. “Just hear him out, Michelle.”

“Fine,” I say glaring up at him.

“Go on, Connor. Tell her about it,” Tony urges, knowing I may flee at any moment.

Connor’s eyes find mine again, but I look away as he starts speaking. “My family’s owned a pub on Beekman Street for years. Not too long ago, my dad had a heart attack, so I took over. I can offer you a waitressing job plus room and board above the bar for as long as you want it.”

For a minute, I stop and consider the possibility. It actually doesn’t sound that bad, and it’d be a welcome change from my original intention of becoming the next film school prodigy. It would be fresh start, and I wouldn’t be alone. But can I really go back there?

Sensing my trepidation, Connor pats me on the shoulder. “Listen, I know it’s not what you imagined. Tony told me how smart you are and how you were hoping to make it big at NYU. I can understand how working in a bar sounds like a letdown after that. But honestly, I think it’d be good for you.”

“And why do you care about what happens to me?” I ask, raising my eyes to his.

“Because I was there that day, and so were you.”

ABOUT AUTHOR FAITH SULLIVAN:

I really hate talking about myself. My goal is to have the shortest author bio imaginable. I would much rather have a conversation with my readers.

Are you able to escape within my pages?

Does my writing make you feel something?

Are there characters that you can't get out of your head?

Let me know!

AUTHOR LINKS:

Like I said before, it's really nice talking to Faith. She'd love to hear from you! 

You can get in touch with the author-

Blog- Faith Sullivan Writes

Twitter- @_FaithSullivan_

Goodreads- Faith Sullivan

GIVEAWAY:

Now, onto the last and most exiting part for you guys- the giveaway! 

Faith has generously offered a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky International winner. 

Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I hope y'all are as eager to read Unexpected as I am. 

The book buy links are provided above in this post under the "Book Related Links" title. 

I'd like to wish Faith all the very best! You rock. Thank you again for considering us to be part of the Release Party. 

And thank you, readers, for stopping by! 

Happy reading!