Book Spotlight: Winning Charlotte Back

Happy Wednesday, reader friends!

Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Kathy Douglass’s book, Winning Charlotte Back!


About the Book:

When the man who left her at the altar

Moves in next door…

This could not be happening. Charlotte Shields had left both that heartbreaking day and this heartbreaking man behind. Even worse, their mutual attraction is back to betray her. Especially as

Dr. Rick Tyler works hard to make amends. He’s got to make this move to Sweet Briar work to give his son a second chance. Will he get a second chance with Charlotte in the bargain?

Buy Winning Charlotte Back on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million


About the Author:

Kathy is a born reader who as a child always had her nose in a book. That love of reading grew with her. She often would finish one book and immediately pick up another. She went from reading Bobbsey Twins to long, lush romance novels. One day she stumbled upon The Shining by Stephen King and was hooked. She turned her back on romance and became a serious Stephen King fan, reading every word he wrote. When she caught herself checking under the bed and looking in the closet for monsters or worse, she knew it was time to put down the horror stories and pick up the romance novels.

Her return to romance novels was short lived. She’d started law school and soon her reading was limited to legal opinions. Then one happy day her younger sister handed her a Harlequin romance. They were just what the doctor ordered. The books were short enough to read in a week and still get her required reading done. Best of all she knew there would be a happy ending and she wouldn’t have to search her room before she went to bed each night.

When her first child was born, she stopped practicing law to become a stay at home mom. Her second child followed nineteen months later. With two little ones in the house, reading suddenly became limited to Dr. Seuss and other children’s books. Any free time was spent trying to catch up on sleep or laundry.

All too soon her kids were attending pre-school two hours a day. She spent those few precious renewing her relationship with romance novels. After a while she felt the urge to write a book of her own and she began writing the stories she wanted to read. She spent many years writing some really terrible books and learning her craft. In 2016, Kathy sold to Harlequin Special Edition. Her first book, How to Steal the Lawman’s Heart, was released in February, 2017. Since that time she has released three more books in her Sweet Briar Sweethearts series with more to come.

Follow Kathy on social media: Website, Facebook, Twitter

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Interview with Kathy Douglass, author of “Winning Charlotte Back”

Good Monday Morning, reader friends!

Welcome Kathy Douglass to our blog!

Today, we’re interviewing Kathy about her new book, Winning Charlotte Back.

Enjoy!


Interview with Kathy Douglass about her book, Winning Charlotte Back:

Alexis: Tell us about your Sweet Briar Sweetheart series. Where does Winning Charlotte Back fit in?

Kathy: The Sweet Briar Sweethearts books take place in the fictional town of Sweet Briar, North Carolina and the surrounding area. Each of the books tells the romance of a different hero and heroine, but it also lets us see the town as a whole. Winning Charlotte Back is the fourth book in the series. In Winning Charlotte Back, we also catch up with couples from earlier books in the series.

Alexis: Tell us about your story’s hero, Dr. Rick Tyler. Describe his looks, style and heart for Charlotte.

Kathy: Dr. Rick Tyler is gorgeous as romance heroes usually are. He is tall, dark and handsome. I always choose a real person as a physical model for the characters I create. For Rick, I used model Tyson Beckford.

Rick cares for Charlotte and wants the best for her. Even before he falls in love with her, he wants her to be happy. It is only after he realizes the role he’s played in making her unhappy and begins to make amends that he becomes the man he was meant to be.

Alexis: Why did Rick leave Charlotte at the altar and why does he now want to win her back?

Kathy: Rick left Charlotte at the altar years ago because he wasn’t in love with her. They’d been good friends and their fathers wanted them to get married. Rick and Charlotte got swept away in the planning and he couldn’t see another way out of a marriage he believed was doomed to fail. He wants to win her back because as he gets to know her again he falls in love with her.

Alexis: How did Charlotte feel when she found out that Rick was her new next-door neighbor?

Kathy: She’s horrified. He’d hurt and humiliated her so he was the last person she ever wanted to see again.

Alexis: Tell us more about your heroine Charlotte Shields. What is she like (looks)? What are her highest aspirations in life? What does she love? What or who can she not stand (explain why)?

Kathy: I used ballerina Misty Copeland as the model for Charlotte. She’s beautiful and in great shape as is Charlotte. Charlotte’s aspirations change as the book progresses. She wants to be successful in her job and contribute to society. She loves riding her bike and junk food. She doesn’t like hypocrites.

Alexis: What role does Rick’s son play in this story? Tell us about him.

Kathy: Rick’s son helps to get Bobby and Charlotte together. He and Charlotte understand each other and he loves being with her. He’s a fun child who loves basketball.

Alexis: Do you only write about African American characters in all of your books? Why or why not?

Kathy: Yes, all of my characters are African American. I choose to write only African American characters for a couple of reasons:

First, I’m a firm believer in writing what you know.

Second, I believe that African American readers deserve to see themselves in romances. I believe everyone deserves a happily ever after. It is my pleasure as a writer to provide that for my readers.

Alexis: Thanks for the interview, Kathy! Do you have closing comments?

Kathy: Thank you so much for the interview. If anyone wants to contact me, please feel free to visit my website, kathydouglassbooks.com and drop me a line.

*Interview conducted by Alexis A. Goring, contributor


About the Author:

Kathy is a born reader who as a child always had her nose in a book. That love of reading grew with her. She often would finish one book and immediately pick up another. She went from reading Bobbsey Twins to long, lush romance novels. One day she stumbled upon The Shining by Stephen King and was hooked. She turned her back on romance and became a serious Stephen King fan, reading every word he wrote. When she caught herself checking under the bed and looking in the closet for monsters or worse, she knew it was time to put down the horror stories and pick up the romance novels.

Her return to romance novels was short lived. She’d started law school and soon her reading was limited to legal opinions. Then one happy day her younger sister handed her a Harlequin romance. They were just what the doctor ordered. The books were short enough to read in a week and still get her required reading done. Best of all she knew there would be a happy ending and she wouldn’t have to search her room before she went to bed each night.

When her first child was born, she stopped practicing law to become a stay at home mom. Her second child followed nineteen months later. With two little ones in the house, reading suddenly became limited to Dr. Seuss and other children’s books. Any free time was spent trying to catch up on sleep or laundry.

All too soon her kids were attending pre-school two hours a day. She spent those few precious renewing her relationship with romance novels. After a while she felt the urge to write a book of her own and she began writing the stories she wanted to read. She spent many years writing some really terrible books and learning her craft. In 2016, Kathy sold to Harlequin Special Edition. Her first book, How to Steal the Lawman’s Heart, was released in February, 2017. Since that time she has released three more books in her Sweet Briar Sweethearts series with more to come.

Follow Kathy on social media: Website, Facebook, Twitter


About the Book:

When the man who left her at the altar

Moves in next door…

This could not be happening. Charlotte Shields had left both that heartbreaking day and this heartbreaking man behind. Even worse, their mutual attraction is back to betray her. Especially as Dr. Rick Tyler works hard to make amends. He’s got to make this move to Sweet Briar work to give his son a second chance. Will he get a second chance with Charlotte in the bargain?

Buy Winning Charlotte Back on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million

Book Spotlight: A Handful of Hope

Happy Wednesday! We’re that much closer to FRIDAY – woohoo!

Today, I’m spotlighting book 4 in the Taste of Romance series of contemporary Christian romance novels set in the metro Washington, D.C. area.

ABOUT THE BOOK

a handful of hopeShe wants to be worth loving.

Repeated heartbreak has convinced Jen Andrews she’s unlovable. When the groomsman she’s paired with at her best friend’s wedding shows interest, she wonders how long it will be before he realizes his mistake.

David Pak is ready to settle down with the right woman. After a disastrous first date with Jen, he’s determined to look elsewhere. But he’s haunted by the wounded look in her eyes.

How will David set aside his hesitations and see past Jen’s barriers to find love? And if he tries, will she let him?

If you like stories of love and hope in the fast-paced modern world with realistic characters and heartwarming romance, then you’ll love Elizabeth Maddrey’s latest journey with this beloved circle of friends.

GOODREADS | AMAZON

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

elizabeth maddreyElizabeth Maddrey began writing stories as soon as she could form the letters properly and has never looked back. Though her practical nature and love of math and organization steered her into computer science for college and graduate school, she has always had one or more stories in progress to occupy her free time. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books and has mastered the art of reading while undertaking just about any other activity. Elizabeth lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. with her husband and their two incredibly active little boys.

website | Facebook | Twitter

Open Discussion: What Would You Like More of?

Happy Saturday, Friends!

I know it’s been awhile since we’ve had a open discussion. Hopefully we’ll have more as we get back into the groove of blogging after our wonderful Christmas break.

Today’s question/discussion is pretty simple. What would you like to see more of in diverse fiction? The world’s your oyster so share in the comments!

 

Book Spotlight: The Marriage Bargain

Hi, reader friends! Today’s featured title is a sweet romance that brings the marriage of convenience trope up to modern day standards with two orphans and a ready-made family by a new-to-me author!


About the Book

Jules Sheehan will do anything to keep custody of the two orphaned girls in her care—including a marriage of convenience with their uncle.

Cam Quinn crosses the globe as a travel writer, but he’s ready to settle down.

Now tough, tender Jules is offering the home he’s secretly longed for.

Can this marriage in name only become a family of the heart?

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Christianbook

 

About the Author

Award-winning author Stephanie Dees lives in small-town Alabama with her family, two spoiled dogs, and a very bossy cat. A Southern girl through and through, she loves sweet tea, SEC football, corn on the cob and air conditioning. Visit her website!

 

This series is on my wishlist! What do you say, reader friends?
Does this story sound appealing to you?

 

POST CREATED BY BETH ERIN

 

Book Spotlight: Homely Girl

Happy Hump Day, Reader Friends!

If you need a book to get you over the hump, check out Brenda Barrett’s Homely Girl. 


About the Book

A love to last a lifetime?

The odd couple: April and Taj were opposites in so many ways. He was the cute, athletic, boy genius on campus that everybody wanted to be friends with. She was the overweight, shy and withdrawn girl who the bullies teased mercilessly.

But they were friends and the older they got the deeper their friendship became. As friendship turns into something more, do April and Taj have a love that can last a lifetime? Or will time and separate paths rip them apart?

Links: Amazon, Goodreads

Follow: Facebook, Twitter

Book Review: Music of My Heart

Happy Friday, Reader Friends!

Can you believe it’s the first Friday of the new year? Tell us what diverse book you wish to read this 2019 in the comments!

Our first book review of the year is Music of My Heart by Sophia Isaac. Have you read it?


About the Book

Alyson believes her divorce is the end. Marcus wants to help mend her wounded faith. Will these friends become lovers or will the pressure to change cause their new friendship to crumble?

Alyson Stefanelli pushes everyone away. She’s convinced she is marked by her divorce and unworthy of love. The young mother of two is determined to start over on her own and doesn’t want help from anyone, especially not her good-looking temporary employee who reminds her of her ex. She must maintain tight control of her world, or risk everything falling apart. If life has taught her anything, it’s that you can’t depend on anyone but yourself.

Marcus Powell is a gifted musician who plans to write movie scores in Hollywood someday—but someday never seems to come. Instead, he’s still dodging his family’s expectations that he’ll take a pastorship in his father’s church.

When Marcus uses his talent to help Alyson on the job, their friendship blossoms. He sees how hurt she is and wants to help mend her wounded faith. He persuades her to spend Christmas with his large family so she and her sons won’t spend Christmas alone.

Over the holidays, their defenses break down, secrets come out, and the feelings between them grow stronger than either ever imagined.

But getting involved with a young mother will surely curtail Marcus’s Hollywood dreams. And Alyson refuses to let herself fall for someone again when it can only result in heart break.

Sometimes, a broken heart is a blessing in disguise.

Links: Amazon, Goodreads


My Thoughts

This was my first read by Ms. Isaac and it won’t be my last. I loved the faith thread that was woven into this story. It was tender with the hand prints of God.

I also loved that this was an interracial relationship. You don’t see that too often in writing so I always enjoy seeing how the authors handle that aspect. I think Ms. Isaac addressed stereotypes and misconceptions very well and I didn’t feel like it was contrived. In fact, I think it helped to see how sometimes we assume what the other is thinking and how it can be wrong. Everyone has a back story we’re not privy too.

All in all, the romance was sweet. The story engaging. And I look forward to book 2.


Follow the Author

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Posted by contributor Toni Shiloh

Book Spotlight: The More the Merrier

Happy New Year, Reader Friends!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! We at diversity are looking forward to expanding your TBR pile for 2019! So we’re starting with a book spotlight featuring The More the Merrier by Liwen Y. Ho!

I know Christmas is over, but you can still continue to read the stories since it is winter. 😉


About the Book

Fed up with a string of bad blind dates, health blogger Alyssa Wu just wants to drown her sorrows in ice cream. But there’s one more evening she must endure – a fake date with her best friend Barry Chang. They must convince her family they are in love, an act which may (or may not) be easy to pull off, thanks to the magic of some mistletoe.

This 10,000 word short story is perfect for your lunch break, workout or while you wait in line at the mall. Read it today to get in the Christmas spirit any time of the year!

Links: Amazon, Goodreads


About the Author

Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and an author by night. She writes sweet and inspirational contemporary romance infused with heart, humor, and a taste of home (her Asian roots).

In her pre-author life, she received a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist at www.2square2behip.com.

Follow: Facebook, Twitter