BLOG TOUR: Thrill Me by Susan Mallery - Book Excerpt + GIVEAWAY!

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining a Blog Tour already in progress starring none other than the latest addition to the Fools Gold series from Susan Mallery, Thrill Me.  It's a two part tour (of which I shall be participating in both...hehehe) celebration with the first half featuring excerpts of the book that when read post by post add up to a pretty good start on the novel.  So, if you're ready to travel back to the fabulosity that is this Contemporary Romance series, glue your eyes to the screen as we present excerpt number 12....

BOOK EXCERPT #12

Thrill Me by Susan Mallery

 

The Nicholson Ranch had been in the Nicholson family for something impossible like five generations. Maya wasn’t sure of the exact number. What she knew for sure was how impressed she’d been when she’d first seen it twelve years ago. She’d been a scared sixteen-year-old who’d only ever lived in Las Vegas. Going from barren desert that grew neon rather than actual trees to the ranch had been like something out of a PBS miniseries.

The two-story house had seemed impossibly huge. There had been acres of grass and trees, horses and cattle, along with cashmere goats.

Her mother had hit the jackpot when she’d met Rick Nicholson. They’d dated for two weeks, then had married in a drive-through church. Less than a month later, Maya and her mother were leaving everything behind and moving to California. Maya hadn’t known what to expect, but every hope and dream had been fulfilled when she’d first seen the ranch.

It didn’t matter that Rick wasn’t especially friendly. Being ignored by her mother’s new husband was far preferable to the attention from some of the woman’s previous boyfriends. She’d had her own room, with a bathroom! Three meals a day and two stepbrothers. While the older brother, Zane, had glared at her with contempt, little Chase had been adorable.

Even more incredible, had been the town. 

Fool’s Gold had been clean, friendly and welcoming. She’d made friends, she’d had teachers who not only knew her name but cared about how she was doing. For the first time in her life, Maya had allowed herself to hope she could have a future. She’d dared to whisper the possibility of going to college.

Now she drove onto the ranch property and headed for the main house. After her mother and Rick had divorced, Maya had stayed in touch with both Zane and Chase. While her relationship with Zane had been more adversarial than familial, she hadn’t given up on him. The previous month, they’d reconciled, helped by Zane falling totally and completely in love with Maya’s best friend, Phoebe.

Maya parked and grabbed her oversize bag before heading toward the house. She knocked once on the front door, then stepped inside.

“It’s me,” she called.

Phoebe, a petite, curvy brunette, stepped out of the kitchen and smiled. “Yay. I love it being you.”

They hugged, then walked into the kitchen, where Phoebe poured them glasses of iced tea.

Maya sat at the old, battered table and watched her friend collect a salad from the refrigerator, along with tiny sandwiches.

“You didn’t have to feed me,” Maya said, knowing Phoebe couldn’t help herself. She was born to take care of the world.

“I thought you might be hungry.”

Phoebe set the food on the table, then collected napkins and flatware.

She moved easily—as if she’d always lived in the old house. Even better, Phoebe looked content. Happiness radiated out of her brown eyes. She was relaxed. Every now and then, she glanced at the diamond ring sparkling on her left ring finger. The beautiful solitaire would soon be joined by a wedding band.

Phoebe sat across from her and grinned. “The ranch closed. I got my commission check.”

It took Maya a second to make the transition.

Recently, Phoebe had sold a nearby ranch to action movie superstar Jonny Blaze. It had been Phoebe’s last real estate deal before moving in with Zane and probably the only one where she’d made any money. Until the unexpected deal with Jonny Blaze, Phoebe had specialized in starter homes—a challenge in the expensive LA real estate market.

“You’re rich,” Maya teased gently.

“I am for me.” Phoebe sounded thrilled. “I have no idea what to do with the money. Zane told me to keep it in a separate account. That I earned it before the wedding, so it’s mine rather than ours.”

Because Zane would always take care of her, Maya thought, still amazed at how falling in love had mellowed her usually tight-ass brother.

“Are you going to listen to him?” Maya asked.

Phoebe nibbled on her bottom lip. “I think it should be ours.”

“Zane has the ranch. Keep the money. You’ll feel better having a nest egg.”

“Maybe.”

“You’re going to buy him something, aren’t you?”

Phoebe laughed. “I haven’t decided. So what’s going on with you?”

Maya told her about the videos planned for the town. “I’ll be working with Del.”

Phoebe’s brown eyes widened. “Del, the guy you knew after high school? The one who wanted to marry you?”

Maya shifted on her seat. If only it was that simple. “He’s the one,” she said, hoping her tone sounded light rather than guilty.

“What’s that like?”

“I don’t know. I thought it would be awkward, but he seems fine with us handling the project together.”

“How do you feel?”

“Confused.” Maya pulled the tablet out of her bag. “I told you that Del and I fell crazy in love that summer.”

“Uh-huh. It was after high school, right?”

Phoebe knew enough about her past that Maya didn’t have to explain about her mother or how difficult times had been before the move to Fool’s Gold.

“I loved him,” Maya said, feeling the guilt forming a knot in her stomach. “But I was so scared. Scared of what getting married would mean. Scared of getting stuck.”

“Scared you’d turn into your mom.”

Maya nodded. “I always knew that there wasn’t going to be a white knight on a horse riding in to rescue me. I knew I’d have to rescue myself. But with Del, I started to believe.”

“Loving him wasn’t enough,” Phoebe said quietly.

“It wasn’t. The closer we got to the date when we were going to run off, the more I started to freak. I finally had an opportunity to break free. To make something of myself. Was I really going to give that up for a guy?”

Phoebe leaned toward her. “Did you ask him about that? About going to college with you or finding some kind of compromise? Did you tell him you were scared?”

“No.” Maya swallowed. “I dumped him. I told him he was boring and this town was boring and that I didn’t want anything to do with him. Then I left.”

The truth was, she’d run. Away from Del, away from Fool’s Gold. Part of her wondered if she was still running. Fear was a powerful motivator.

“Ouch. You never talked to him again?” Phoebe asked.

“Not until a few days ago, when he walked into Mayor Marsha’s office.”

“How was he?”

“Fine. Friendly. Charming. He didn’t say a word.”

“How do you feel?”

“Guilty,” Maya admitted. “Like I have to apologize. But the timing is tricky. We’re working together. I don’t want it to be weird, but I owe him an apology and an explanation. Even if he has completely moved on, I need to do it for myself.”

“Then you have a plan.”

“I do. I also need you to look at a video I did. It’s a story about him. I have no idea how Mayor Marsha ever saw it, but she did and mentioned it to Del. So I’m going to have to show it to him. Can you watch it and tell me if it’s okay?”

What she really meant was, were there signs of unrequited love or anything else remotely humiliating? But she wouldn’t have to say that to Phoebe. Her friend would understand what she meant.

“I love watching your work,” Phoebe told her. “Let’s see what brilliance you’ve created.”

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Special thanks to Lisa at TLC Book Tours for the chance to participate in this promotion.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this leg of the tour (as well as the chance to read all the excerpts!), the title, author, publisher, or future bookish fun on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release July 28th, 2015 via Harlequin Books, so add it to your wish list now or pre-order it at your favorite brick-and-mortar or online store.

                        
                         
                         
                         
                                  

Be sure to stay tuned for the REVIEW portion of the tour kicking off July 27th and if you happen to be in the Chicago area, at the end of July there will be a 2-day reader retreat called the Susan Mallery Fool’s Gold Getaway. It’s going to be a fantastic event and ticket sales have been brisk – but there are still some remaining!  For more details or to find out how to get yours, CLICK HERE!

 BUT WAIT!

 One more thing before you go.
You see this little picture?

THAT is what YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN!
It's a fun little Fool's Gold prize pack which includes...


...a AUTOGRAPHED copy of UNTIL WE TOUCH
(an earlier book in Susan Mallery's Fool’s Gold Series)
...Susan Mallery lip gloss (to make your lips “Kiss Me” kissable)
...a map of Fool’s Gold
...a heart shaped Susan Mallery notepad and matching pen


 ...and all you have to do to win is fill out the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Until next time...happy reading!