by: Reese Ryan
Series: Valentine Vineyards
Genre: Contemporary African American Christmas Romance/Older Woman, Younger Man
Release Date: November 29, 2022
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Opposites do more than attract when an older woman falls for a younger man in Reese Ryan’s brand-new Harlequin Desire series, Valentine Vineyards!
A red-hot romance between a career-focused woman and a determined younger man?
Doctor’s orders!
Dr. Julian Brandon is too charming, too sexy and too young for Chandra Valentine. But after the successful bachelor rescues her—twice—she owes him. Still reeling from life-changing family revelations, Chandra somehow agrees to pose as Julian’s girlfriend. And now the irresistible Julian has plans that start with seduction under the mistletoe and end with their fake relationship erupting into a scorching affair. Now Chandra’s questioning everything she believed about love…
From Harlequin Desire: A luxurious world of bold encounters and sizzling chemistry.
“Isn’t there some rule about doctors and their patients—”
“Having lunch?” Julian shrugged, barely able to hold back a grin. “None that I recall.”
“You know what I mean, Doogie Howser.” Chandra pointed a finger. “You must be all of...what? Twenty-five?”
“Et tu, Chandra?” He’d been in town a few days and had heard his fair share of references to the fictional child doctor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have known who Doogie Howser was. “I’m thirty. Thirty-one on my birthday in a few months. Besides, I’ve dated women older than you.” He shrugged. “The age difference doesn’t bother me. As for your question about the doctor-patient relationship... If we’d met in my exam room, I wouldn’t be sitting here. But our relationship clearly predates any doctor-patient connection.”
“I wasn’t aware we had a relationship.” Chandra leaned forward, her elbow on the table and her chin propped on the fist of her uninjured hand. Her rich brown eyes studied him.
“Well, you did hold my hand on the plane,” he reminded her. “In some cultures, that’s practically a marriage proposal.”
“True. But neither of us is from such a culture.” Her full lips curved in a reluctant smile.
Julian had the sudden urge to glide his fingers into the nape of Chandra’s neck and tug her forward, so he could sample the berry-tinted gloss on her lips.
“Then there’s that hug you gave me,” he continued.
“That was a show of gratitude. You saved my life.”
“I’m just saying...after the thirty-second mark, I’m pretty sure the hug went from gratitude to something...more.” Julian chuckled when she huffed indignantly. “What? Is it so terrible to admit you’re attracted to me?”
“No. I mean...yes.” Chandra looked adorably flustered. “Maybe I was attracted to you. But—”
“Great. Because the attraction is mutual.” Julian leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. “The Universe keeps throwing us together, Chandra. Seems like a glaring sign it’s best not to ignore.”
“So now our meeting was destiny or something?” Chandra furrowed her brows.
“Or something.” He grinned.
“Having lunch?” Julian shrugged, barely able to hold back a grin. “None that I recall.”
“You know what I mean, Doogie Howser.” Chandra pointed a finger. “You must be all of...what? Twenty-five?”
“Et tu, Chandra?” He’d been in town a few days and had heard his fair share of references to the fictional child doctor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have known who Doogie Howser was. “I’m thirty. Thirty-one on my birthday in a few months. Besides, I’ve dated women older than you.” He shrugged. “The age difference doesn’t bother me. As for your question about the doctor-patient relationship... If we’d met in my exam room, I wouldn’t be sitting here. But our relationship clearly predates any doctor-patient connection.”
“I wasn’t aware we had a relationship.” Chandra leaned forward, her elbow on the table and her chin propped on the fist of her uninjured hand. Her rich brown eyes studied him.
“Well, you did hold my hand on the plane,” he reminded her. “In some cultures, that’s practically a marriage proposal.”
“True. But neither of us is from such a culture.” Her full lips curved in a reluctant smile.
Julian had the sudden urge to glide his fingers into the nape of Chandra’s neck and tug her forward, so he could sample the berry-tinted gloss on her lips.
“Then there’s that hug you gave me,” he continued.
“That was a show of gratitude. You saved my life.”
“I’m just saying...after the thirty-second mark, I’m pretty sure the hug went from gratitude to something...more.” Julian chuckled when she huffed indignantly. “What? Is it so terrible to admit you’re attracted to me?”
“No. I mean...yes.” Chandra looked adorably flustered. “Maybe I was attracted to you. But—”
“Great. Because the attraction is mutual.” Julian leaned in slightly and lowered his voice. “The Universe keeps throwing us together, Chandra. Seems like a glaring sign it’s best not to ignore.”
“So now our meeting was destiny or something?” Chandra furrowed her brows.
“Or something.” He grinned.
Purchase A Valentine for Christmas from:
The Valentine Vineyards Series:
One Summer of Love releases August 22, 2023
Snowbound Second Chance releases August 22, 2023
Past president of her local Romance Writers of America chapter and a panelist at the 2017 Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Reese is an advocate for the romance genre and diversity in fiction.
Places to find Reese Ryan:
I like the cover. Looks like a great Christmas story.
ReplyDeleteHappy Book Birthday, Reese! I enjoyed the excerpt and A Valentine for Christmas sounds like a wonderful holiday read for me! Good luck with your book and the blitz!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it with me and have a magical holiday season!
What a great holiday read!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this.
This sounds like a great Christmas romance. I like the cover and excerpt.
ReplyDeletelove the excerpt!
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Chandra and Julian sound like an interesting couple. I would love to read their story.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful cover, this sounds like an excellent read!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea of mixing 2 holidays!
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