by: Audrey Wick
Genre: Contemporary Christian Romance
Release Date: May 14, 2021
Publisher: White Rose Publishing/Pelican Book Group
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When Anna Worthington's twin sister gets jilted by her fiancé, Anna steps in with a plan for a girls’ Key West getaway instead of a honeymoon trip. Yet when her twin has her own crisis of commitment and doesn’t board the plane, Anna finds herself on a romantic getaway that she’s forced to navigate alone.
Gunnar Lockhart, whose specialty is island tourism, is the perfect match for helping Anna complete her vacation bucket list, but time together forges a connection more personal than either anticipate. As they make island memories, Anna has to untangle her mixed emotions. Are her feelings toward Gunnar real? Or like her sister’s wedding day, has this connection been doomed from the start?
She was dressed Key West casual, with the chic look of a tourist but the carefree attitude of a local. Yet she was alone. No gaggle of girlfriends, no boyfriend with whom to walk hand in hand, not even a dog at the end of a leash. She had a crossbody purse slung across her torso, making her hands free to accept the offer from Gunnar, who froze in silence at this impromptu crash with a woman who took his breath away.
“It’s got a thin crust. Homemade. And just the right amount of tart in the base.” Jack rattled off the merits of Kermit’s key lime pie like a food critic.
Or like a man who just polished off a slice himself. At Gunnar’s expense.
Gunnar shook his head to shake away the negative memory of why he has been called to the shop in the first place.
“This is really kind of you.” She nodded in the direction of Jack before turning her head back to face Gunnar. “Are you sure this is okay?”
“Fine, fine.” Gunnar, who never searched for words and had been afforded his job for the Chamber of Commerce on account of his talkativeness alone, was struggling to choke out more than two words at a time. He cleared his throat to try again. “I mean, yes, the pie. Enjoy it. I don’t need this many slices.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t buy so many,” Jack ridiculed.
At that, the woman’s laughter lifted the mood, easing Gunnar’s stress as he realized the humor of the situation. To any onlooker, he must have appeared to have an intense sweet tooth. And it looked like he was hungry to dig in, based on his speed of movement. Realizing the irony, he couldn’t help but let out a huff of his own, followed by a lighthearted chuckle in tune with the woman. Shared laughter was a beautiful gift, something simple yet striking that served in place of further conversation. Their spontaneous melody carried on the perpetual breezes that wafted to and fro in every spot on the island.
This woman had created a song. Spellbound, Gunnar had been captured by it. But before he knew it, Jack was racing ahead, and Gunnar’s sense of responsibility willed him to follow the man who needed him. The woman waved before disappearing into the heart of the shop, leaving the melody they shared as little more than a memory.
“It’s got a thin crust. Homemade. And just the right amount of tart in the base.” Jack rattled off the merits of Kermit’s key lime pie like a food critic.
Or like a man who just polished off a slice himself. At Gunnar’s expense.
Gunnar shook his head to shake away the negative memory of why he has been called to the shop in the first place.
“This is really kind of you.” She nodded in the direction of Jack before turning her head back to face Gunnar. “Are you sure this is okay?”
“Fine, fine.” Gunnar, who never searched for words and had been afforded his job for the Chamber of Commerce on account of his talkativeness alone, was struggling to choke out more than two words at a time. He cleared his throat to try again. “I mean, yes, the pie. Enjoy it. I don’t need this many slices.”
“Then maybe you shouldn’t buy so many,” Jack ridiculed.
At that, the woman’s laughter lifted the mood, easing Gunnar’s stress as he realized the humor of the situation. To any onlooker, he must have appeared to have an intense sweet tooth. And it looked like he was hungry to dig in, based on his speed of movement. Realizing the irony, he couldn’t help but let out a huff of his own, followed by a lighthearted chuckle in tune with the woman. Shared laughter was a beautiful gift, something simple yet striking that served in place of further conversation. Their spontaneous melody carried on the perpetual breezes that wafted to and fro in every spot on the island.
This woman had created a song. Spellbound, Gunnar had been captured by it. But before he knew it, Jack was racing ahead, and Gunnar’s sense of responsibility willed him to follow the man who needed him. The woman waved before disappearing into the heart of the shop, leaving the melody they shared as little more than a memory.
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Thank you so much for sharing this, Kim! I hope readers enjoy this little slice of summertime, no matter what the weather is where they are. Happy reading, everyone!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome. Congratulations again on the new release.
DeleteGreat excerpt!
ReplyDeleteGood luck and God's blessings
PamT