BLURB:
A funny and sizzling romp about discovering
your inner pin-up girl...
Plain-Jane bakery owner Natalie Anderson has always followed the recipe for a safe life. When her husband dumps her for a seductive older woman, it’s time to throw out that recipe and start from scratch. She cooks up a plan to transform herself from mousy brown to sexy blonde. Meanwhile, she’s trying to expand her Seattle bakery, La Dolce Vita, but runs into an obstacle in the form of her irritatingly handsome landlord.
Astronomer Anthony Novello’s good looks and charm usually guarantees him a free pass with women, though that’s not the case with his new tenant, Natalie. Plain, plump, and persnickety—he’s never met a woman more annoying. But when Anthony returns from a telescope observing run, he makes a discovery of the non-celestial kind. Natalie has changed. He’s amazed to find himself attracted to her. Sparks fly as he tries to convince her there’s more to him than meets the eye.
However, when Natalie’s ex-husband decides to win her back, she’s forced to choose. Is her year of living blonde over? Or is this the start of a new and much sweeter life….
Plain-Jane bakery owner Natalie Anderson has always followed the recipe for a safe life. When her husband dumps her for a seductive older woman, it’s time to throw out that recipe and start from scratch. She cooks up a plan to transform herself from mousy brown to sexy blonde. Meanwhile, she’s trying to expand her Seattle bakery, La Dolce Vita, but runs into an obstacle in the form of her irritatingly handsome landlord.
Astronomer Anthony Novello’s good looks and charm usually guarantees him a free pass with women, though that’s not the case with his new tenant, Natalie. Plain, plump, and persnickety—he’s never met a woman more annoying. But when Anthony returns from a telescope observing run, he makes a discovery of the non-celestial kind. Natalie has changed. He’s amazed to find himself attracted to her. Sparks fly as he tries to convince her there’s more to him than meets the eye.
However, when Natalie’s ex-husband decides to win her back, she’s forced to choose. Is her year of living blonde over? Or is this the start of a new and much sweeter life….
EXCERPT:
Natalie
grins. “And what is this I hear about my cookies in Hawaii?”
Anthony
rolls his eyes in mock exasperation. “All right, I admit it. I took a dozen
with to Mauna Kea.”
“I’m
honored.”
“You
should be. It was right after you called me an asshole and I didn’t want go
back into the bakery, so I had to ask Maya to buy them for me.”
Natalie
shifts uncomfortably. “I apologized for that. Should I apologize again?”
“It
can’t hurt.”
“I’m
sorry.”
He
doesn’t say anything, just puts new coordinates into his telescope’s keypad.
“Can
I ask you something?” she asks.
“Sure.”
She
bites her lip. “Why do you like me?”
Anthony
continues what he’s doing, a smile playing around the edges of his mouth. “What
makes you think I like you?”
“Because
you invited me here tonight. What is it you see in me, exactly?”
“I
don’t know.” He attaches the keypad back to the telescope. “In truth, I’ve
wondered about it myself.”
“What
kind of answer is that?”
Anthony
chuckles. “I’m just being honest. You’re not exactly easy to get along with.”
“I’m
not sure why I’m always giving you such a hard time.”
“I
am.”
“Why
is that?”
“It’s
because you’re into me.”
Natalie’s
face grows warm. “No, I’m not.”
His
hand is still on the telescope. He gazes over at her. “Yeah, you are.”
“I’m
not.”
Anthony
lets go and moves closer. She can smell him again, his woodsy soap. He’s taller
than her and she has to look up at him.
“I’m
not into you,” she insists, though her pulse quickens.
Their
eyes meet. He’s so near now, she can see the dark fringe of his lashes. The
stubble of his beard. She shivers with anticipation.
“Yeah,
you are, but it’s okay,” he says softly, leaning close, “because I’m into you,
too.”
And
then he kisses her. Natalie is dizzy with shock.
Anthony
is kissing me!
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Andrea Simonne grew up as an
army brat and discovered she had a talent for creating personas at each new
school. The most memorable was a surfer chick named "Ace" who never
touched a surf board in her life, but had an impressive collection of puka
shell necklaces. Eventually she turned her imagination towards writing. Andrea
still enjoys creating personas, though these days they occupy her books. She
currently makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two
sons.
You can find Andrea at:
Website: http://www.andreasimonne.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AndreaSimonne
You can buy Year of Living
Blonde at:
$20 Amazon/BN GC
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