Katy Ames’ latest, AFTER THE STORM, is now live! This one is right up my alley with an island setting, a strong-but-silent-type hero, a pastry chef heroine and a slooooooow burn. I got an early peek at the book and will post my review next week. In the meantime, check out the blurb and a new excerpt from AFTER THE STORM, book #3 in the Seven Winds series.
About After the Storm:
Tristan Hurst is tired of running. He’s spent every day since he was 16 trying to escape the consequences of one inexplicable, horrible night. So when his cousin buys a Caribbean resort and offers him a job away from the family firm, Tristan jumps at the chance to leave behind his intolerable father and the life he barely lives.
Tessa Armstrong has a plan and moving to a tropical island isn’t part of it. But when she lands the position of head pastry chef at a luxury hotel, she can’t pass it up. A new country, a new kitchen. And a fresh start far away from the secrets that are becoming harder to ignore.
On an island where neither expected to end up, Tessa and Tristan discover something they’ve always wanted: a safe haven. And when friendship becomes something more, they think they’ve landed in paradise.
But there’s a storm coming, and the secrets they’ve worked so hard to escape aren’t far behind. And with them, a truth that has the power to wash away a love they never dreamed to find.
A standalone contemporary romance from the author of After the Island and After the Fall.
Catch Up on the Series
After the Island | After the Fall| After the Storm
About the Author:
Katy Ames has spent most of her life on the East Coast and hopes to spend more of it in the UK. In part, so she can indulge in her serious plaid obsession. There isn’t a teenage drama on the CW or a period British TV show she hasn’t binge-watched at least twice. And she can be persuaded to do most things with the promise of bourbon, coffee, chocolate, or a nap, not necessarily in that order. Katy is mom to a small human who has an obscene amount of energy and a blissful ability to ignore swear words, and wife to a man whose reading habits are far too serious. Katy and her family reside in Washington, D.C., a city she where never planned to live and loves so much she’d be happy to talk about it for hours. Just ask.
Katy writes contemporary romances that feature heroes who are strong but not so silent, heroines who aren’t afraid to kick ass, and stories that get a little messy before they end happily ever after.
Excerpt:
“Don’t you laugh.”
Her eyes narrowed to slits, her hands back on her hips. This woman, she was so angry at him. She was practically vibrating with it. And, God help him,Tristan wanted to laugh. She was fierce and so fucking adorable, glaring up at him like he didn’t have a foot and a half and at least one hundred pounds on her.
“You’re an ass,” Tessa muttered, the sweet curve of her mouth distracting him.
He didn’t anticipate her attack. Then it was too late. With his arm raised, Tristan’s side was exposed and the woman, God bless her, used it to heradvantage. She tickled him.
Fucking tickled him. Tristan swallowed a shout when her tiny fingers dug into his side, his brain torn between yanking away and preventing the slice of cake from falling on her gorgeous head. Though if the tingling in his dick was any indication, he was enjoying her surprise attack way more than he should.
“Jesus,” he wheezed, trying to wiggle away without dropping the cake. “Stop. Stop!” She did the opposite.
As Tristan moved, the infuriating creature found an unprotected stretch on his other side, both of her hands digging into him just above the waist. Tristan was writhing between her tenacious grip and didn’t know what to do first.
He could throw the cake down and easily haul her away, her tenacity no match for his strength.
He could threaten her.
He could try to fire her, this scowling, astonishing woman who had no idea she was attacking her temporary boss.
He could laugh. Which, if his body had any say in the matter, was what was about to happen. Which was insane. Because it never happened. It began as a rattle in the back of his throat, a rumble that felt unfamiliar but not unwelcome.
Tristan’s head tilted back as he gave in to the sensation, his chest expanding, his lungs working overtime as a rusty chuckle broke free. It was rough, scratchy. Not a charming sound. But it didn’t stop. Tristan felt the foreign curve of a real smile on his lips, his mouth opening wider, a burst of laughter sneaking past.
It was loud, unexpected, and startled Tessa enough that she stopped. Her fingers gripped the sides of his shirt, unmoving. She stared up at him in shock.
“Oh my God.” She released him and stepped back, a hand flying up to cover her mouth. “I’m so sorry. Christ!” Her hand shifted to cover her eyes. “I am so, so sorry.”
Tristan caught his breath and placed the abandoned cake on the counter before smoothing his shirt down. He took a small step forward and bent his knees so he was more level with her face.
“I deserved it.”
“No,” she mumbled, eyes still covered.
“Yes. It was an interesting strategy, I’ll give you that. But a tactical success all the same.”
Tessa relaxed her fingers just enough so she could peek through the gap. “Really?”
“Really,” Tristan confirmed. “I’ll definitely think twice before stealing your food again.”
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