by: Synithia Williams
Series: Heart & Soul
Genre: African American Contemporary Romance
Release Date: August 23, 2022
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Who says you can’t go home again?
Single mom Cierra Greene is determined to achieve success in real estate to support herself and her young daughter. Too bad her most lucrative property for sale is…haunted? Reluctantly, she seeks out her one-time crush, Wesley Livingston, for help. Now the cohost of a popular paranormal-investigation show, he is as appealing as ever. Cierra and Wesley try to ignore their unfinished business, but when old feelings resurface, things get complicated…
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Lol! I’m glad you like the title! The Spirit of Second Chances is a second chance romance with a little sprinkling of a ghost investigation included. It’s the second book in my Heart & Soul Series which follows three brothers who investigate paranormal activity. Their interest in investigating ghosts started out as a side hustle which was turned into a chance to make a reality television show following their paranormal investigations. Readers will follow the Livingston Brothers on their path from small-town life to Hollywood glitz and glamor.
Tell me about the main characters of Cierra Greene and Wesley Livingston.
Cierra Greene is a divorced, single mother who’s trying to start a new business as a realtor. She has the chance to sell a lucrative property that will help solve her financial problems, but the manor—a former plantation—is haunted. Her sister recommends she reach out to Wesley to investigate the ghost.
Wesley is the middle brother, the problem solver, and the peace maker. He and Cierra were friends in high school, but she broke his heart when she dumped him before prom and later started dating one of his friends. The misunderstanding about the real reason Cierra changed her mind has festered between them and this reunion allows them to finally clear the air.
Oh. That last part sounds really good. What attracts them to each other?
Cierra was always attracted to Wesley’s calm and practical approach to everything. That doesn’t change when they’re reunited as adults. Wesley was always drawn to Cierra’s optimism and bright personality. They compliment each other and that makes their attraction even harder to ignore.
What was your favorite part of The Spirit of Second Chances to write, any why?
Hmm…that’s a good question! I loved a lot of parts of this book. I enjoyed the banter between Cierra and Wesley. Wesley tries to remain “unbothered” but a smile or touch from Cierra rattles him and seeing him slowly break down his walls was fun. Cierra also doesn’t back down, and I liked writing her forcing him to push past their high school memories to act like adults who have to work together.
Tell me about one of your favorite scenes from the book, and why is it a favorite?
The investigation scenes are some of my favorites. The ghost story is a backstory in this book but fleshing out who is haunting the manor and giving small clues to get to the resolution is fun. In the end, when the mystery is solved, the characters have to decide if they want to make sacrifices to make things right.
Are there any fun facts you can share about the characters or story?
The entire series was inspired by watching the show Ghost Brothers on television one day. I saw the show, loved the chemistry between the friends and knew I had to write a romance following three paranormal investigating brothers. I also read up on ghost stories and watched paranormal investigation shows to get an idea of the feel for an investigation.
Was there a time during the writing process that you were really surprised by the story or the characters?
That happens to me a lot. I start writing a book, but I don’t really know the characters until the end of the first draft. I was surprised by how much Wesley’s relationship with his brothers drove some of his decisions. I really love Cierra’s character and her drive to succeed. She always has to be strong and when I started the story, I didn’t realize how much Wesley’s support would be key to making her fall in love again.
I love the cover for The Spirit of Second Chances. When you got together with Harlequin’s art department, what was the main thing you wanted them to include on the cover and why?
I’m one of those writers with no clue of what I want on the cover. Lol! I am so not artistic. I try to give as much detail as possible about the way the characters look and important scenes and then cross my fingers and toes that they give me something great. This is the first book of mine with a kid on the cover and I love it. Cierra, her daughter and Wesley had some really cute scenes (Bonus: those were some favs to write). I also love, love, love that they made the door on the house glow. You’ll miss it when you first look, but that slight nod to the paranormal parts was perfect!
Oh my gosh! I did totally miss that! Synithia, thank you so much for answering some questions for me.
Thank you so much for inviting me over to the blog! I hope you and your readers enjoy The Spirit of Second Chances!
Cierra tried to act like a lady. To act like she wasn’t itching to jump on Wesley immediately. They were in her office after all. This was a professional space. Not a space for hopping onto a man, even if she was ridiculously attracted to him and wanted nothing more than to have his lips on hers.
What she should do is thank him, remember that she had to pick up Aria from school in less than two hours and schedule an appropriate time for them to go on an official date. Hopefully a date they’d end with more kissing and a healthy side of touching all the sensitive spots currently aching for his caress.
That’s what she needed to do. Except what she needed to do and what she wanted to do often fought against each other. Years of trying to be a good wife and mother had programmed her to do the thing she should do. The right thing. The responsible thing.
She was tired of being good.
She leaned forward and traced her finger across his chest. “You want me…how?” Something flared in his eyes that made her pulse jump.
“Honestly?” he asked.
She nodded slowly. A slow heat built in her midsection and spread upward to her breasts and down toward the ache growing between her thighs. “Honestly.”
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I want you right here on this couch.”
She sucked in a breath. She hadn’t expected him to say that. To be so brazen and stare at her with such heat she was surprised her clothes weren’t set on fire.
“Was that too much?” His lips brushed her ear.
She felt the tickle of his mouth against her skin across every inch of her body. Her stomach and sex clenched as she sucked in a breath.
She shook her head. His words were not too much. In fact, she wanted to hear more. Wanted to feel and experience more.
Wesley kissed the outer shell of her ear. “Should I stop, go home, and wait for a more appropriate time and place?”
The good, responsible person she’d tried to be for years would say yes. She was still technically at work. Her door wasn’t locked. Anyone could come by the office and see her. See them.
Except she didn’t have any appointments. No one just dropped in on her at work. All of her appointments and prospecting for new clients or agents were done for the day. The chances of anyone catching them were slim, but the idea of being caught, of the riskiness of it all, made her pulse pound in her ears. She hadn’t done anything daring or remotely sexy in so long she knew she would regret sending him away for the rest of her life.
She turned her head and kissed his cheek. “This is the perfect time and place.”
Wesley’s eyes met hers. They scanned her face for a second before his lips covered hers.
What she should do is thank him, remember that she had to pick up Aria from school in less than two hours and schedule an appropriate time for them to go on an official date. Hopefully a date they’d end with more kissing and a healthy side of touching all the sensitive spots currently aching for his caress.
That’s what she needed to do. Except what she needed to do and what she wanted to do often fought against each other. Years of trying to be a good wife and mother had programmed her to do the thing she should do. The right thing. The responsible thing.
She was tired of being good.
She leaned forward and traced her finger across his chest. “You want me…how?” Something flared in his eyes that made her pulse jump.
“Honestly?” he asked.
She nodded slowly. A slow heat built in her midsection and spread upward to her breasts and down toward the ache growing between her thighs. “Honestly.”
He leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I want you right here on this couch.”
She sucked in a breath. She hadn’t expected him to say that. To be so brazen and stare at her with such heat she was surprised her clothes weren’t set on fire.
“Was that too much?” His lips brushed her ear.
She felt the tickle of his mouth against her skin across every inch of her body. Her stomach and sex clenched as she sucked in a breath.
She shook her head. His words were not too much. In fact, she wanted to hear more. Wanted to feel and experience more.
Wesley kissed the outer shell of her ear. “Should I stop, go home, and wait for a more appropriate time and place?”
The good, responsible person she’d tried to be for years would say yes. She was still technically at work. Her door wasn’t locked. Anyone could come by the office and see her. See them.
Except she didn’t have any appointments. No one just dropped in on her at work. All of her appointments and prospecting for new clients or agents were done for the day. The chances of anyone catching them were slim, but the idea of being caught, of the riskiness of it all, made her pulse pound in her ears. She hadn’t done anything daring or remotely sexy in so long she knew she would regret sending him away for the rest of her life.
She turned her head and kissed his cheek. “This is the perfect time and place.”
Wesley’s eyes met hers. They scanned her face for a second before his lips covered hers.
Purchase The Spirit of Second Chances from:
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The Heart & Soul Series:
Counterfeit Courtship releases November 29, 2022
Places to find Synithia Williams:
I don't think I have ever read a Harlequin that involved a ghost. I think I would really like this one.
ReplyDeleteI know I haven't read any Harlequin's that involved ghosts, or the prospect of. But I have to agree, this story sounds good. The cover definitely grabbed my attention. I love it.
DeleteI enjoyed the interview.
ReplyDeletedenise
Thank you.
Delete