As February is the month of love, I have a host of wonderful romance authors stopping by my blog to share flirty extracts and magic moments from their novels! Well you know, any excuse 😉
Today, I am excited to welcome Sue McDonagh, who is #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel Summer at the Art Cafe, and a preview extract from her new book, Meet Me at the Art Cafe … over to you Sue!
Summer at the Art Cafe
“Counting to 40, she walked purposefully out of the building, turning a sharp left towards the test compound, and walked straight into Ash peering round the corner of the building.
‘Oof, sorry!’ she spluttered, clutching his arm to save herself from falling. ‘I just wanted to see how he got on.’
‘Me too,’ muttered Ash, his eyes on the compound. ‘I don’t want him to see us in case it puts him off.’
He pulled her in front of him so they could both see, and it was several moments before Lucy realised he was still holding her arm. For a heart-stopping moment, she wondered what it would be like to lean back into his comforting presence, feel his arms encircle her and gather her into an embrace.
She shook herself. Get a grip, woman!
‘Cold?’ he asked, releasing her arm as if he’d only just noticed it there.
She shook her head.
‘No. Nerves.’ It wasn’t really a lie, she thought.”
OO I loved this, thank you, Sue!
Discover more about Summer at the Art Cafe:
From watercolours and cupcakes to leather jackets and freedom …
If you won a gorgeous purple motorbike, and your domineering husband said you were too fat for leathers and should sell it, would you do as you were told – or learn to ride it in secret?
Artist and café owner Lucy Daumier intends to do just that – but learning to ride is far from easy, especially under the critical eye of prickly motorcycle instructor, Ash Connor.
But gradually Lucy gets the hang of it, and in the process re-discovers the girl she used to be. So starts an exciting summer of new friendships and fun – as well as a realisation that there is more to Ash than meets the eye when she is introduced to his seven-year-old daughter, Daisy.
But can Lucy’s new-found happiness last when a spiteful family member wants to see her fail?
Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com
As an extra treat Sue is also #SharingTheLove with an extract from her novel, Meet Me at the Art Cafe:
“As they reached the sea where it lapped untidily against the shoreline, she handed Liam an apple and tucked him into her side on the grassy bank.
‘Once upon a time,’ she began, looking across the calm turquoise water, ‘there was a little girl with sticky up black hair that never went where it was supposed to, no matter how many times it was brushed, or how many clips and bows her mummy put in it. But her daddy loved her just exactly as she was, and never tried to change her.’
‘Are there dragons in this story, Mummy?’
‘Do you want there to be dragons?’
‘Not really.’ Liam leaned against her, and nibbled at his apple. ‘Sometimes I do. But not today. Who is the little girl?’
‘Well, it was me. This is a story about me. Is that okay?’
Liam nodded. ‘Okay. I prefer proper stories, really. Out of a book. But it’s okay.’ He patted her thigh with a sticky hand and she chuckled.
‘My daddy used to find things, and then fix them.’
‘Like you!’ Liam fixed her with his wide eyes.
‘Yes, a bit like me, only my daddy fixed things with engines. He was ever so clever. But he did make a bit of a mess.’
‘You’re messy too.’ Liam nodded sagely, and Jo rolled her eyes. How had she ended up with such a tidy child?
‘It’s called “creativity”, actually,’ she responded. ‘Anyway. I used to help my daddy to fix things in his garage, but Mummy always wanted to take me out. In little dresses. And white socks. Yuk!’
‘Yuk,’ agreed Liam, through a mouthful of apple. ‘Where is he now, your daddy? Is he in space?’
‘Erm, well, he sort of is, darling, because he’s in heaven now.’”
Thanks, Sue. I could feel the love between the characters!
Discover more about Meet Me at the Art Cafe:
Would you take a chance on a bad boy with a leather jacket and a vintage motorbike?
That’s the question single mum Jo Morris has to ask herself when she collides with local bike mechanic Ed Griffiths on a rainy Welsh hillside. Working at the Art Café, Jo hears the gossip and is all too aware of Ed’s reputation.
But whilst he’s certainly no angel, there is something about Ed’s daredevil antics that Jo can’t ignore. And as she gets to know him better and watches the kind way he deals with her young son Liam, she begins to wonder – is there more to this ‘bad boy’ than meets the eye?
Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romance
Preorder the book Amazon UK | Amazon.com
About the author:
Sue McDonagh says, “Arty, biking, writing granny, that’s me! Living on the Welsh coast, right at the bottom before it plops into the sea, I was a policewoman in Essex before I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a very early age.
“Thanks to my amazing family and friends, I made a full recovery, left the police, met the man I then married and went to live in semi-rural Wales – okay, I thought it was semi-rural after living in Essex. I mean, you had to drive fifteen miles to get to a Marks and Sparks. Where on earth did people buy their knickers? All right, it was a small town that thought it was a village. And it had a beach.
“I fell in love with it, along with the two adorable little boys I inherited. They inspired my passion for painting children, and subsequent career change as portrait painter. I’ve even been on the tv!
“The beach formed a huge part of my life, and I trained as a beach lifeguard, patrolling the beach and competing on the single ski. That all stopped when I needed a hip replacement and found carrying equipment too painful. Not to be outdone, I and three pals did a 45 mile walk and raised over £10,000 for Cancer Research, and not long after that, I decided I’d learn to ride a motorbike.
“That was a huge and entertaining learning curve, and has inspired my debut novel, Summer at the Art Cafe. I’m on my second hip now, still riding my 1000cc red Honda, and I’ve made some of my most enduring friendships through biking.
“I hope you enjoy reading about my characters and their stories. Some of my life has inevitably given birth to some of theirs, but their personalities are all their own, and I keep expecting to see them in the local supermarket or on the beach! Please leave me a nice review if you did enjoy it – it helps other readers to decide whether they might like to read it too 🙂 xx”
Discover more about Sue McDonagh here: Twitter | Facebook | blog
Don’t miss author Kirsty Ferry #SharingTheLove with an extract from Spring at Taigh Fallon, on my blog tomorrow. xx
Carol Thomas writes contemporary romance novels, with relatable heroines whose stories are layered with emotion, sprinkled with laughter and topped with irresistible male leads. Discover more here.