#WriteWed The Women of ONE SUMMER NIGHT and a series of my heart

Sourcebooks Casablanca One Summer Night Contemporary Romance Yesterday I gave you a glimpse into the men of ONE SUMMER NIGHT, my upcoming contemporary romance release. I also told you that I was going to share why this was a series of my heart, so sit back and pull up a chair.

When the concept for the At the Shore contemporary Romance series first hit me, I was going through a rough time in a number of ways, but especially in my writing. I was burned out and wondering where the joy had gone. I was seriously thinking about not writing anymore, but Maggie, Connie, and Emma would not let me give up on them. They were filled with such spirit, hopefulness, and fun, that I had to write their stories.

So I started with Maggie’s Romeo and Juliet tale of enemies to lovers. I fell even more in love with her and Owen, the hero, as well as the cast of interesting and unique characters around them. Connie, the determined lawyer (who is probably the most like me). Emma, the wedding planner who can’t see a path for herself to the happily-ever-after. Jonathan, Owen’s brother, a genius who marches to his own drummer. Carlo, the stoic and supportive caterer who is hopelessly in love with Emma. I love them all and I hope you will, too.

And now, something really necessary to all those who held my hand during that dark time. Thanks to so many friends (Gail, Irene, Lois and many others), my amazingly brilliant buddy Anna DeStefano who literally dragged me out of self-wallowing, a totally awesome and wonderful new agent, Michelle Grajkowksi, and a rockin’ editor, Deb Werksman, for helping those wonderful women come to life. THANK YOU!

#TeaserTuesday Meet the Men of ONE SUMMER NIGHT

Sourcebooks Casablanca One Summer Night Contemporary RomanceOMG, it’s so hard to believe that it’s only 5 weeks away from the release of ONE SUMMER NIGHT! I’m so excited because this is a series of my heart, but you’ll have to tune in tomorrow to find out why. For today I’m sharing a blurb, reviews, and an excerpt from ONE SUMMER NIGHT, the first book in the At the Shore contemporary Romance series.

This is the first scene where you meet Owen Pierce, the hero of the first book, and his brother Jonathan, the hero of WHAT HAPPENS IN SUMMER, #2 in the series.

Blurb

An offer that’s impossible to accept…

Maggie Sinclair has tried everything to save her family’s business, including mortgaging their beloved beach house on the Jersey shore. But now, she’s out of options.

The Sinclair and Pierce families have been neighbors and enemies for almost thirty years. That hasn’t stopped Owen Pierce from crushing on Maggie, and he’s determined to invest in her success. Now he has to convince her that he’s more than just trouble with a capital T…

Reviews

One Summer Night has been named a Publishers Weekly Top 10 Romance! bit.ly/2tYoHRw

Publishers Weekly: In a passionate modern Romeo and Juliet-inspired story (with a much happier ending) that opens a contemporary romance series, Pineiro (Under the Boardwalk) develops the forbidden love between sensitive, spunky retail heiress Maggie Sinclair and stoic real estate scion Owen Pierce. Three decades earlier, Maggie and Owen’s fathers, formerly best friends and business partners, had an ugly fight, supposedly over real estate. They bequeathed that animosity to their children. Inconveniently, Owen and Maggie have been attracted to each other since they were young, and chemistry arcs between the two when they reconnect at their families’ side-by-side beach houses in Sea Kiss, N.J. Owen’s bitter father threatens to disinherit Owen if he dates Maggie, so Owen comes up with a desperate plan: he pretends that he’s only marrying Maggie to gain control of her faltering retail chain. A cast of lovely, imperfect supporting characters–including Owen’s entrepreneurial younger brother, Jonathan; Maggie’s friend Emma, a wedding planner avoiding love; and her friend Connie, a workaholic lawyer gunning for partner–neatly surrounds this endearing hero and heroine as Owen’s father attempts to derail their love story forever. Readers will want to visit the charming town of Sea Kiss again and again. (Oct.)

Kirkus: “A sexy, fun, yet touching summer read.”

Excerpt

With keen interest, Owen Pierce took note of the three women as they hurried away from the dais and into the Sinclair mansion.

“Put your eyes back in your head, Bro. She’s nothing but trouble,” Jon warned in low tones.

Owen bit back the retort that if anyone knew about trouble, it was his brother. Jonathan had always marched to a different drummer and had set out on his own as a teenager to explore what he wanted out of life. Now a successful entrepreneur, he had captured the media’s attention with his innovative designs and daring adventures. That left Owen to shoulder most of the burden of the family’s real estate business, as well as deal with his father’s anger over Jonathan’s latest newsworthy escapade.

He envied his brother’s carefree spirit and determination, especially as Maggie Sinclair marched back onto the patio with her friends, an angry bride, and an obviously inebriated groom. Both the bride and groom looked far from happy as they approached the elaborate multi-tiered wedding cake that had been wheeled out to the middle of the makeshift dance floor.

He worried the bride might plunge the long knife she held into her new husband, but luckily for the newlyweds, Maggie directed the blade toward the cake.

Jon playfully elbowed him. “Seriously, Owen. She’s not for you. Father declared the Sinclairs off-limits ages ago. He would have a stroke if he thought the two of you were involved.”

Involved with Maggie Sinclair, Owen thought and sighed with regret.

In a way, he’d been involved with her forever. He’d like to chalk it all up to a sloppy, hurried, and stolen kiss at eighteen and the allure of forbidden fruit. But since that kiss, he’d watched her mature into a smart, beautiful woman. One who was willing to work hard for the town and business she cared about as well as friends and family. With every encounter, he’d grown more intrigued with the person Maggie had become.

But his father had come down hard on them about mingling with the Sinclairs right after Maggie’s mother’s death. For years, they’d been unable to come to their Sea Kiss home, and even when they’d returned, they’d done so without their father, who refused to be so close to the family he thought had wronged him.

Not that Owen expected that Jon would kowtow to such rules, since his brother was the kind of man who didn’t hesitate to take what he wanted.

He arched a brow and met his brother’s blue-eyed gaze, which glittered with a mix of undisguised challenge and amusement. “Do you think you’re the only one entitled to a little adventure in your life?” he said.

Jon chuckled. “My kind of adventure is way safer than what you may be considering.”

“Why’s that, Li’l Bro?” he asked, appreciating the sight of Maggie in a dusty-rose gown that hugged dangerous curves. Her chestnut-brown hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves and framed ice-blue eyes and a sassy, sexy face that snared his attention every time he saw her.

Jonathan took a last sip of his champagne and barely stifled another laugh. With a shake of his head, he replied, “Because all I risk is an occasional broken bone, but that…” He jerked his head in Maggie’s direction as she stepped back beside Connie and Emma. “That will break your heart.”

Order

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2kYLWZV
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: Coming Soon!

#TravelTuesday What places would you go with the Book Genie?

There are so many places I’ve been lucky to see, but still so many places I’d love to go! The Grand Canyon. Machu Picchu. The Great Wall. Vienna and Salzburg (a Sound of Music pilgrimage). Prague. Korea (with my #kpopsurfshop daughter!)

Of course, one of my fav places to go is the Jersey Shore and I hope you’ll enjoy seeing it through my eyes in the At the Shore series.

So how about you? What places would you go? Do you have a place from one of the books you’ve read where you’d like to go?

Welcome Summer! #Write Wed

I live for the summer! It’s my favorite time of year for so many reasons. The weather for starters, although I’m not a fan of 90 degree days. The beach. Reading on the beach. Napping on the beach. Writing on my balcony. The flowers. Fresh tomatoes right off the vine. Parades and fireworks. Concerts on the boardwalk. So many many things! I wish summer could last all year long, but then it wouldn’t be so special, would it?

As for writing, I get tons of writing done during the summer months as I sit on my balcony in the early morning quiet. Just love it!

Enjoy the first day of summer and some photos of my fav summer things!

Taming the Bachelor Contemporary Romance #TeaserTuesday

TAMING THE BACHELOR contemporary romanceSpeaking of surfer dudes, the hero in TAMING THE BACHELOR is totally a surfer dude and totally the kind of man that a woman like Daisy Ramos would avoid. Daisy is a scientist and uber responsible, so a laid back anything happens kind of guy is so wrong for her, right? Of course, it’s hard not to fall in love with the sexy bachelor, but can Daisy tame his ways in order for them to have their happily ever after?

Jersey Girls Contemporary Romance Box SetTAMING THE BACHELOR. You can get this story as part of the JERSEY GIRLS Contemporary Romance Box set which is priced at 3.99 for 3 books, so it’s a bargain as well! You can order the box set here:

Amazon: http://bit.ly/JrzGrlAMZUS
Amazon UK: http://bit.ly/JrzGrlAMZUK
Amazon CA: http://bit.ly/JrzGrlAMZCA
Nook: http://bit.ly/BNJerseyGirl
Kobo: http://bit.ly/JrzGrlKOBO
iBooks: http://apple.co/1DUcYmh

Please click here if you cannot see the teaser from TAMING THE BACHELOR.

Jersey Shore Sangria #WineWednesday

With summer hopefully arriving in a few days, I love having a pitcher of sangria ready for when I come off one of the lovely Jersey Shore beaches. It’s a delightful way to cool off on hot summer days and nights. I’ve been playing with the recipe and have created this refreshing variation on the traditional mix! I hope you enjoy it. Why is it Jersey Shore Sangria? ‘Cuz that’s where I drink it the most. LOL!

Caridad’s Jersey Shore Sangria

Ingredients

    1 bottle red wine (a Malbec, Rioja, Cabernet or Pinot Noir will do. For those near a Wegman’s, their $6 Tempranillos, Malbecs and San Giovese will work great in this recipe!)
    1/2 bottle Chilled Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider (or any other sparkling cider)
    2 oranges
    1 cup frozen strawberries
    1/2 cup grapes

Directions

  • Peel oranges. Cut into eighths and then cut the eighths in half. Cut grapes in half. Cut frozen strawberries in half.
  • Place fruit into a pitcher and add wine. Let fruit and wine macerate for at least 10 minutes in the refridgerator. If you can wait longer, the flavors will be better.
  • Add chilled sparkling cider to fruit and wine mixture.
  • Remove some fruit from this mix and place in individual glasses. Pour wine/cider mixture into the glass and serve.

What I like about this mix is that you get the extra fruitiness and sweetness with the addition of the cider and don’t have to add sugar to get that.

Some recipes call for lemon in the mix and also don’t ask you to peel the citrus, but I find that the lemon and the peels make the mix too acidic. For a change of pace, cube some apples and toss them in or go even more tropical with some pineapple and mangop. Change up the recipe with a white wine which is just as tasty. A moscato would be perfect for a white sangria. You can also freeze a whole peeled orange and then toss that into the pitcher to keep the mixture cool, but not have it watered down. Thanks to my sister for that tip!

If you want an extra kick in your sangria, add a shot of either grenadine, creme de cassis, B&B, or Gran Marnier.

Hope you enjoyed today’s Wine Wednesday!

One Summer Night Contemporary Romance #TeaserTuesday

Good morning! With all this wet weather lately it seems like summer will never arrive and I feel almost the same way about my upcoming October release, ONE SUMMER NIGHT! I’m so excited to be able to share with you the Jersey Shore that I love and the quaint towns that have inspired Sea Kiss, the fictional town in the At the Shore Series.

So to get a start on summer and keep it going until October, here’s a blurb, teaser and video for ONE SUMMER NIGHT.

Blurb

Sourcebooks Casablanca One Summer Night Contemporary RomanceAn offer that’s impossible to accept…

Maggie Sinclair has tried everything to save her family’s business, including mortgaging their beloved beach house on the Jersey Shore. But now, she’s out of options.

The Sinclair and Pierce families have been neighbors and enemies for almost thirty years. That hasn’t stopped Owen Pierce from crushing on Maggie, and he’s determined to invest in her success. Now he has to convince her that he’s more than just trouble with a capital T…

Teaser

With keen interest, Owen Pierce took note of the three women as they hurried away from the dais and into the Sinclair mansion.

“Put your eyes back in your head, Bro. She’s nothing but trouble,” Jon warned in low tones.

Owen bit back the retort that if anyone knew about trouble, it was his brother. Jonathan had always marched to a different drummer and had set out on his own as a teenager to explore what he wanted out of life. Now a successful entrepreneur, he had captured the media’s attention with his innovative designs and daring adventures. That left Owen to shoulder most of the burden of the family’s real estate business, as well as deal with his father’s anger over Jonathan’s latest newsworthy escapade.

He envied his brother’s carefree spirit and determination, especially as Maggie Sinclair marched back onto the patio with her friends, an angry bride, and an obviously inebriated groom. Both the bride and groom looked far from happy as they approached the elaborate multi-tiered wedding cake that had been wheeled out to the middle of the makeshift dance floor.

He worried the bride might plunge the long knife she held into her new husband, but luckily for the newlyweds, Maggie directed the blade toward the cake.

Jon playfully elbowed him. “Seriously, Owen. She’s not for you. Father declared the Sinclairs off-limits ages ago. He would have a stroke if he thought the two of you were involved.”

Involved with Maggie Sinclair, Owen thought and sighed with regret.

In a way, he’d been involved with her forever. He’d like to chalk it all up to a sloppy, hurried, and stolen kiss at eighteen and the allure of forbidden fruit. But since that kiss, he’d watched her mature into a smart, beautiful woman. One who was willing to work hard for the town and business she cared about as well as friends and family. With every encounter, he’d grown more intrigued with the person Maggie had become.

But his father had come down hard on them about mingling with the Sinclairs right after Maggie’s mother’s death. For years, they’d been unable to come to their Sea Kiss home, and even when they’d returned, they’d done so without their father, who refused to be so close to the family he thought had wronged him.

Not that Owen expected that Jon would kowtow to such rules, since his brother was the kind of man who didn’t hesitate to take what he wanted.

He arched a brow and met his brother’s blue-eyed gaze, which glittered with a mix of undisguised challenge and amusement. “Do you think you’re the only one entitled to a little adventure in your life?” he said.

Jon chuckled. “My kind of adventure is way safer than what you may be considering.”

“Why’s that, Li’l Bro?” he asked, appreciating the sight of Maggie in a dusty-rose gown that hugged dangerous curves. Her chestnut-brown hair fell to her shoulders in soft waves and framed ice-blue eyes and a sassy, sexy face that snared his attention every time he saw her.

Jonathan took a last sip of his champagne and barely stifled another laugh. With a shake of his head, he replied, “Because all I risk is an occasional broken bone, but that…” He jerked his head in Maggie’s direction as she stepped back beside Connie and Emma. “That will break your heart.”

Video Trailer

Order

Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/2krMwfE
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/2kYLWZV
B&N: http://bit.ly/2kNuo0p
iBooks: http://apple.co/2qsqdwx
Kobo: Coming Soon!