Pens and Peonies is so excited to be participating in the Blogger Book Fair this summer! Today the blog is featuring Reese Ryan and her new contemporary release, Making the First Move. She also has a fabulous Blog Tour Grand Prize, so make sure to enter and good luck!
After reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice in middle school. That book made such a big impression on me. I was so engrossed in the lives of those characters and moved by their story. I wanted to touch people through storytelling the way she had touched me.
What advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time before you were published?
Three words. Never give up. I regret how easily I became discouraged in the face of rejection and all the years lost that could have been spent strengthening my abilities as a writer.
Who is your favorite author and why?
Jane Austen. I love her imperfect, audacious heroines and the cast of colorful supporting characters that populate her novels. Our self-concept and outlook on life is derived from our experiences. I love meeting the family members, the friends, and frenemies that shape the hero and heroine.
What were the last three books you read?
Sexcapades by fellow Carina Press author, Christine d’Abo; Bound by Him and Claimed by Him—both by Red Garnier.
Describe the premise of Making the First Move
When ambitious HR exec Melanie Gordon falls for sweet, sexy philanthropist Raine Mason, she discovers that his passion for saving others is driven by a tragic secret that threatens to keep them apart.
What message do you hope readers will take away from this story?
Don’t be afraid to go for what you truly want in life, instead of what you think you should. We often find ourselves pursuing the course that others have prescribed for us. It’s never too late to rediscover your passion.
What do you do when you're not writing?
I’m a freelance writer and social media manager, but my background is in administrative support. When I’m not working or writing I enjoy spending time outdoors. I was born and raised in the Midwest, but moved to North Carolina four years ago. I love all the lush greenery and hilly terrain here. I spend as much time as I can walking and biking the local trails and kayaking on the local lake.
Author : Reese Ryan
Release date : July 22, 2013
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Price : $3.99
Amazon Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Making-the-First-Move-ebook/dp/B00CC68FMU/
Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/making-the-first-move-reese-ryan/1115148406
iTunes Buy Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/making-the-first-move/id653078144?mt=11
Add to Goodreads : http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17800669-making-the-first-move
Summary:
Melanie Gordon has spent the past five years obsessing over her career to dull the pain of a devastating breakup and the loss of her father. Her effort pays off when she receives the promotion that could be her big break. Only it means returning to her hometown to face her past while leaving behind the man who could be her future.
Selfless (and insanely sexy) philanthropist, Raine Mason, is committed to his cause. But his passion for rescuing high-risk young males from the road to disaster is fueled by his own dark and tragic past.
When Raine is ready to take his casual friendship with Melanie to sizzling new heights, her one-way ticket to Cleveland is already booked. But a steamy night of passion leaves them both wanting more, even if Melanie is afraid to admit it. She reluctantly agrees to a long-distance relationship with no promises and no commitments.
Melanie may finally be ready to give Raine her heart…but then she discovers startling news that causes her to question everything she knows about him. Worse, he’s harboring a dark secret from his past that threatens to shatter any hope of a future for them unless he can convince her that their love is worth the risk.
Excerpt:
Thirty minutes later, Raine is standing in my doorway in a camel-colored cashmere sweater and a pair of Levi’s. A white, button-down shirt peeks underneath the collar. Chin-length, caramel-colored locs are pulled back at the crown of his head, with the remaining hair hanging free. He is, in a word, gorgeous.
My eyes trace the curve of his biceps. I lick my lips, cheeks flushed, and hope he hasn’t noticed I’ve spent the past five seconds checking him out from head to toe. Twice.
“I see you’re ready to go.” He nods toward the wrap draped over my arm and my clutch tucked underneath it.
“I am.”
“Then shall we?” Raine extends his hand in the direction of the narrow stairwell leading down to the first floor.
“Let’s.” I offer a nervous smile.
He slips his hand to the small of my back. I try not to notice the heat emanating from his hand. But it’s nearly impossible to ignore the jolt of electricity, which travels through his long, elegant fingers and enters the base of my spine.
I’m sure his hand has been on that exact spot when he’s guided me through a crowd or we’ve danced together at charity functions. His touch seemed incidental then. Tonight, there’s something about the placement and pressure of his hand that feels deliberate, significant. Or maybe I’m transferring my own well-guarded desire to an innocent gesture.
Raine guides me down the stairs, out the front door and into his car, his hand still on my back.
“Thanks for doing this,” I say. “I know it’s short notice.”
“I couldn’t leave you standing there dressed, with no place to go.” He tries to hide a smirk as he turns the ignition.
“How’d you know I was already dressed when I called?”
“You’ve never been ready when I came to pick you up. There’s not a chance in hell you threw this together in thirty minutes. You look…amazing.”
“Very clever,” I say. “And thank you, I think.”
“It’s too bad, actually.”
“What’s too bad?”
“That you were ready. I was hoping to catch you in a towel, just out of the shower,” he says, his eyes straight ahead.
My cheeks grow warm. I’m not offended, just surprised. Our social conversations have been mildly flirtatious, but never anything so easily decipherable. We prefer our flirtation so well-coded that only a world-class hacker has a chance in hell of sorting it all out.
I stifle a giggle. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
He smiles.
We ride in silence for a while. He pays strict attention to the road. I pretend to be fascinated by the houses and apartments that fly by my window. The same ones I’ve seen nearly every day for the past five years.
Bio:
Born and raised in the Midwest, she now resides in Central North Carolina with her husband and young adult son who tolerate her propensity to sing and dance badly. A self-proclaimed Bohemian Southern Belle, she treads the line carefully between being a Northerner and a damned Yankee –despite her insistence on calling soda pop. Reese gauges her progress by the number of “bless your lil’ hearts” she gets each week. She is currently down to two.
Visit Reese online at ReeseRyan.com. Follow her on Twitter @ReeseRyanWrites. Connect with her on Facebook.
Author Links:
Website: ReeseRyan.com
Twitter: @ReeseRyanWrites
Facebook: ReeseRyanWrites
Goodreads: Reese Ryan
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Reese-Ryan/e/B00CD31WJ0
Making the First Move Blog Tour Grand Prize
- $25 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card
- Digital copy of Making the First Move by Reese Ryan
- Digital copy of The Winning Season by Alison Packard
- Digital copy of Knowing the Score by Kat Latham
- Digital copy of Personal Assets by Kelsey Browning
- Digital copy of Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan
Thanks for stopping by!
xoxo ~Marisa
Thanks so much for having me, Marisa! It was fun answering your questions and getting to know you. Posting your interview for tomorrow right now.
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