Hi there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're joining Rachel's Random Resources for a stop along their current tour starring a Women's Fiction title that may also feature on Contemporary Romance fan's reading radars. From the sound of things, it's a good reminder of the pitfalls of love and yet that undeniable desire to BE loved, consequences be darned. So, ready or not fair readers, here comes today's title in the spotlight...
by
Elaine Robertson North
About the book...
Having an affair is inconceivable to Dani and yet she’s having one with Alex. He’s married, he’s an actor and she’s his agent.
Then Dani meets Sean, a paparazzi photographer with a formidable reputation. It’s a profession that makes him unpredictable at best. A dangerous trait when his motivation to expose becomes personal.
Dani knows she’s made mistakes. She also knows she’s not the first person who wilfully hurt someone they love and is simply unable to explain why.
Having an affair is inconceivable to Dani and yet she’s having one with Alex. He’s married, he’s an actor and she’s his agent.
Then Dani meets Sean, a paparazzi photographer with a formidable reputation. It’s a profession that makes him unpredictable at best. A dangerous trait when his motivation to expose becomes personal.
Dani knows she’s made mistakes. She also knows she’s not the first person who wilfully hurt someone they love and is simply unable to explain why.
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~~~ EXCERPT ~~~
I’ve chosen the opening of the book because within the first few pages, the core story is already underway as Alex (an actor and married with children) confesses to Dani (his agent) that he wants them to start a relationship. And we’re off! (467 words)
“Well this is a first.” Dani sat down in front of the glass of wine that was waiting for her. “Since when did you start arriving early?”
Alex smiled at her. “So I’ve been late a few times. Get over it.”
“So come on then, how did it go?”
“Oh who knows? It’s a great part, there’s no doubt about that. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Dani watched Alex for a moment, the conversation having prematurely dried up. His brow was furrowed, his hand rubbing it roughly as if trying to iron out the creases. She decided he looked nervous. “Alex?” There was a slight delay before he looked up. “What’s on your mind?” Dani continued to scrutinise him, keen to know where this was heading.
Alex took a large gulp of his drink and then looked at her for a moment. “How would you feel about getting involved with me?”
“I am involved with you.”
“No, more involved.” He hesitated, a growing awkwardness inhibiting his normal eloquence. “I mean properly involved. A relationship.”
“No thanks.”
Alex looked a bit taken aback at the speed of her answer. “Don’t you even want to think about it?”
“No.”
“Well pretend then, if for no other reason than to protect my fragile ego.”
Dani smiled. “It’s a ridiculous idea as you well know.”
Alex shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “The way I feel about you doesn’t seem ridiculous.”
Dani took a deep breath. For a moment, she had wondered if he was playing with her, thinking that maybe he was rehearsing a script, trying out a particularly important line on her but the look in his eyes told her he had never been more serious. “You’re married, you have three children and I can’t make a relationship work when it actually stands a chance, never mind starting one that’s doomed from the start. And I’m your agent. Sounding pretty ridiculous so far.” Alex lowered his head and for a moment Dani feared she might have been a little brutal. “Maybe you just can’t see it but it seems to me like you have it pretty good.”
He looked up at her again, his eyes heavy. “Maybe I don’t.”
Dani laughed. “Oh save me from the ‘my wife doesn’t understand me’ line!”
“I wasn’t going to say that at all. I love my wife and I’d never leave her.”
Dani looked confused. “If you mean that, what was in this for me?” Alex looked at her but as he went to answer she stopped him. “No, don’t answer that.”
So he wanted to keep his neat little family life and use her for sex. Not the most attractive offer she’d ever had. Dani decided the conversation had gone quite far enough. “Go home Alex. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Well this is a first.” Dani sat down in front of the glass of wine that was waiting for her. “Since when did you start arriving early?”
Alex smiled at her. “So I’ve been late a few times. Get over it.”
“So come on then, how did it go?”
“Oh who knows? It’s a great part, there’s no doubt about that. We’ll just have to wait and see.”
Dani watched Alex for a moment, the conversation having prematurely dried up. His brow was furrowed, his hand rubbing it roughly as if trying to iron out the creases. She decided he looked nervous. “Alex?” There was a slight delay before he looked up. “What’s on your mind?” Dani continued to scrutinise him, keen to know where this was heading.
Alex took a large gulp of his drink and then looked at her for a moment. “How would you feel about getting involved with me?”
“I am involved with you.”
“No, more involved.” He hesitated, a growing awkwardness inhibiting his normal eloquence. “I mean properly involved. A relationship.”
“No thanks.”
Alex looked a bit taken aback at the speed of her answer. “Don’t you even want to think about it?”
“No.”
“Well pretend then, if for no other reason than to protect my fragile ego.”
Dani smiled. “It’s a ridiculous idea as you well know.”
Alex shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “The way I feel about you doesn’t seem ridiculous.”
Dani took a deep breath. For a moment, she had wondered if he was playing with her, thinking that maybe he was rehearsing a script, trying out a particularly important line on her but the look in his eyes told her he had never been more serious. “You’re married, you have three children and I can’t make a relationship work when it actually stands a chance, never mind starting one that’s doomed from the start. And I’m your agent. Sounding pretty ridiculous so far.” Alex lowered his head and for a moment Dani feared she might have been a little brutal. “Maybe you just can’t see it but it seems to me like you have it pretty good.”
He looked up at her again, his eyes heavy. “Maybe I don’t.”
Dani laughed. “Oh save me from the ‘my wife doesn’t understand me’ line!”
“I wasn’t going to say that at all. I love my wife and I’d never leave her.”
Dani looked confused. “If you mean that, what was in this for me?” Alex looked at her but as he went to answer she stopped him. “No, don’t answer that.”
So he wanted to keep his neat little family life and use her for sex. Not the most attractive offer she’d ever had. Dani decided the conversation had gone quite far enough. “Go home Alex. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
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About the author...
Elaine spent 25 years working in marketing and communications in the media and entertainment industries. This included seven years marketing national newspapers and a variety of senior executive roles in TV, radio and film. I Can’t Tell You Why is her first novel.
Elaine lives in North London with her husband and their two sons. When she’s not writing, she can be found looking harassed on the school run, cheering on the side lines of her sons’ football matches or singing her heart out at her local branch of Popchoir.
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UP FOR GRABS...
(5) paperback copies of I Can’t Tell You Why
(Open Internationally)
*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
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Special thanks to Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for the chance to bring this tour to you. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more bookish fun...
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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