Monica Appleby is a woman with a reputation. Once she was America’s teenage “Wild Child,” with her own reality TV show. Now she’s a successful author coming home to Bishop, Arkansas, to pen the juicy follow-up to her tell-all autobiography. Problem is, the hottest man in town wants her gone. Mayor Jackson Davies is trying to convince a cookie giant to move its headquarters to his crumbling community, and Monica’s presence is just too . . . unwholesome for business. But the desire in his eyes sends a very different message: Stay, at least for a while.
Jackson needs this cookie deal to go through. His town is dying and this may be its last shot. Monica is a distraction proving too sweet, too inviting—and completely beyond his control. With every kiss he can taste her loneliness, her regrets, and her longing. Soon their uncontrollable attraction is causing all kinds of drama. But when two lost hearts take a surprise detour onto the bumpy road of unexpected love, it can only lead someplace wonderful.
Welcome to The Boys of Bishop!
Every book begins with a tiny germ of an idea, in this case WILD CHILD began years ago, when I read an article in USA TODAY about The Best Place to Vacation in The United States. This was a prize, actually awarded by the paper and I think a few magazines. That year this distinction was awarded to the Western Coast of Michigan.
My family vacations on the Western Coast of Michigan, or rather we used to, because when that lovely stretch of Lake Michigan coast-line was awarded that honor - we could no longer afford to vacation there. All the rental cottages were snapped up. Hotel rooms were booked months in advance. The effect of that prize was a total tourist boom.
Years later, I imagined a small town in the south hit hard by the recession campaigning for a similar kind of prize, hoping for similar results, I threw in a gorgeous cafe, a dive bar and an Okra Festival - and Bishop, Arkansas was born.
I set it in the South because I had just watched Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, and my hero and heroine in WILD CHILD Jackson Davies and Monica Appleby are physically inspired by Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor.
Sometimes, things authors do are just that random!
When I thought about Jackson, the young mayor of Bishop, whose life had been interrupted by his parents' deaths years ago - I imagined a good guy, stifled by expectations, who longed to be bad. So, of course, the best heroine for him would be a bad girl, also stifled by expectations, ready to be good.
This book is also, in many ways about sex. Not just two people having it and falling in love, but also how we talk to girls about sex. About how sex and identity can get mashed up, how for some people, even when it's simple - it's not that simple.
Wild Child is out October 30, Never Been Kissed, Brody's book is out July 1 and Between the Sheets, Shelby's book is out July 31.
I love to hear from readers, please feel free to send me an email or join my newsletter list at www.molly-okeefe.com.
WILD CHILD is available in eBook and paperback format. Purchase from Amazon or your favorite Retailer
Molly O’Keefe has always known she wanted to be a writer (except when she wanted to be a florist or a chef and the brief period of time when she considered being a cowgirl). And once she got her hands on some romances, she knew exactly what she wanted to write.
She published her first Harlequin romance at age 25 and hasn’t looked back. She loves exploring every character’s road towards happily ever after.
Originally from a small town outside of Chicago, she went to university in St. Louis where she met and fell in love with the editor of her school newspaper. They followed each other around the world for several years and finally got married and settled down in Toronto, Ontario. They welcomed their son into their family in 2006, and their daughter in 2008. When she’s not at the park or cleaning up the toy room, Molly is working hard on her next novel, trying to exercise, stalking Tina Fey on the internet and dreaming of the day she can finish a cup of coffee without interruption.
Places to find Molly O’Keefe:
Thanks to Molly, I’m able to offer up a copy of WILD CHILD (print or eBook, winner’s choice). The contest is open to US and Canada residents.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I love Molly's other books, can't wait to read Wild Child!
ReplyDeleteHi Ada.
DeleteThank you so much for checking by and checking out the giveaway. I discovered Molly with Unexpected Family and then just totally fell in love with her with her Crooked Creek Series. This book is different from those, but is really good.
Good luck with the giveaway!!!