Spotlight & Giveaway: Captivated by Her Parisian Billionaire by Andrea Bolter

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Andrea Bolter to HJ!

Hi Andrea and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Captivated by Her Parisian Billionaire!

 
Thanks! So happy to be here. Hi everyone.
 

Please summarize the book a la Twitter style for the readers here:

Uninhibited Zoe leaves loss behind for the City of Light where she meets buttoned-up Jules, who has a lot on his own plate. Together, they embark on a project that takes them all over Paris and ends up deep in their souls.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

THE EIFFEL TOWER. It had been a long time since Jules had woken up to the sight of one of the world’s most famous landmarks. When his eyes clicked open after the heavy slumber he hoped would cancel out his jet lag, he’d used the remote control on the nightstand to raise the blackout blinds and let in the light of the Paris morning. There the tower stood in view through his window, in all its wrought iron lattice glory. Jules’s apartment was an example of the many Durand Properties, his billion-euro real-estate empire, he owned in the city with their mixture of historic architecture and every modern convenience.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• It was about two years ago that I visited Paris and my own memories and the photos I took there helped me so much with the story.
• On that trip, we sat for the longest time at the café in the Luxembourg Gardens, which inspired me to set a scene there.
• Jules is a real-estate developer and Zoe an interior designer. My father was an architect so I know a little bit about their world.
• I’d been to Paris before, when I was in my early 20s, and I had a bit of romance with the hotel concierge whose name was Sam.
• To the question, “What is the best thing you ate in Paris?” the answer is, of course, “Yes.” But if I had to pick, I’d say raclette. It’s a type of flavorful cheese and also the name of the machine which slowly melts it at your table. Cheese melting slowly at your table! The restaurant we went to served it with steamed potatoes and bread on the side, two delectable delivery systems.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

This is quite the opposites attract story. Jules falls for Zoe’s enthusiasm and spontaneity. She appreciates his organization and discipline.
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe Hero and Heroine’s love affair?

Unstoppable. Urgent. Humorous. Passionate. Rocky.
 

The First Kiss…

After a evening cruise on the Seine, Jules takes Zoe on a limo ride to some of his favorite places in Paris. In the limo, he can no longer control his attraction. Here’s a snippet:
The hair, the sexy dress, Zoe’s peppy companionship at dinner, it had all worn him down. The hour was late and Zoe’s seductiveness overtook him. Craving became need before he could restrain it. As the driver pulled away from the Centre, Zoe turned her head toward Jules, presumably to say something. Which he didn’t allow because before she could speak he leaned over, brought his lips to hers and delivered a long melting kiss. It was better than anything he could think of that had happened in the recent or distant past.

Without revealing too much, what is your favorite scene in the book?

My favorite scene is when Jules takes Zoe to the opera. To the Palais Garnier, breathtaking with its marble staircases and crystal chandeliers and the loggia that overlooks the Grands Boulevards. Snippet: And divine everything was, as his driver delivered them to the Palais Garnier, one of Paris’s most famous addresses for centuries. The ornate building’s exterior was decorated at every inch with statues, columns, friezes and sculpture done in stones and metals. It wasn’t hard to see why ghostly lore and novels such as The Phantom of the Opera were set in amongst such splendor.

Jules escorted her inside and when they reached the Grand Staircase, Zoe could hardly believe she was there. The swooping double staircases crafted of fine marble led up to either side of the foyer. They were even more magnificent in their detail than she had seen in photos and paintings.
“You know, part of the reason these staircases were designed to curve as they do was so that people could get a clear view of who was here and what they wore,” she said. “This used to be the place for gossip and scandal.”
“You’ve read up, I see.”
He crooked his arm to begin leading her up those lavish marble stairs. “Careful with those high heels—” he winked “—we don’t want you falling into the opera like you fell into my office. Modern-day scandal as Paris mogul takes adorable klutz to Madame Butterfly.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Not a chance.”
She scrunched her face but he knew that she appreciated his humor.
Still, she took hold of one of the elaborate balustrades and kept her other
arm in Jules’s. Feeling quite splendid, she reached the top of the stairs, secretly grateful to do it without bobbling.

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would be absolutely crucial to include?

The scene in the Luxembourg Gardens where they really open up, no longer at odds but can see the beauty in each other. Snippet: He pointed to a couple of empty chairs and pulled them to the basin’s edge, the scrape of the metal legs audible as he did so.

Once they sat, Zoe produced bottles of cold water from her bicycle’s basket and handed him one, which was most appreciated. Popping the cap, Jules took a sip.
“Look at how much shade these trees provide,” she said, noting the way the sunlight broke into shards as it danced on the basin’s water.
“Perfect lighting design, right?”
“If you listen for it, you can hear the leaves rustle.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, indeed hearing the leaves’ song.
Jules could actually sense his heart rate slow, his breath become easy and unrestricted with deep inhales and even longer exhales. It was as if oxygen was reaching cells that had been starved of it for years. A pleasant tingle meandered through his blood vessels. His palms opened and tilted upward. “You were right. A person does need to do a little bit of nothing on occasion.”
“This is some darn good nothing, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” he whispered and fell into a meditative state for a few minutes. His eyes closed. Everything fell away except a gentle wind on his face and the presence of Zoe beside him.
Eventually she said, “Our next destination will be a bit of something, though.”

Readers should read this book …

because it’s sheer entertainment, a break from the harsh world we live in right now. It whisks you away to the sights, sounds and tastes of ever-breathtaking Paris, and you’ll laugh while Jules and Zoe fumble into love.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have planned?

Right now I’m writing one of the books in a mini series with three other marvelous Harlequin authors. My entry takes place in the sun and sand of Puerto Rico with two characters who need to turn the page to the next chapter of their lives. And I’m very excited about my January 2020 release, WEDDING DATE WITH THE BILLIONAIRE, where former lovers reunite to be maid of honor and best man at a rustic-glam Seattle wedding. Kento Yamamoto was one of my favorite heroes to write and I can’t wait for readers to meet him.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: An e-book of Captivated by Her Parisian Billionaire

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Do you have an example from your own life, or even of book or movie characters, where opposites ended up making the best partners?

 
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Excerpt from Captivated by Her Parisian Billionaire:

Zoe followed Jules up the steps and by the third floor she was huffing for breath.
“Would you mind slowing down a minute?”
Jules sneered to himself, his face not visible to Zoe behind him. He had indeed been bounding up the stairs. Was he trying to impress her with his physical prowess? So unlike him.
They entered the apartment. It was another well-preserved example of historic Paris interiors.
“Oh, so you went very traditional here?” Zoe commented at first glance.
“Yes, we chose the Tiffany lamps and the rug has details woven in Chinese silk.”
“Do you lease all of your properties already furnished?”
“No, just as often they’re empty. But here in Paris, our clients tend to be of a standing that utilize the full services we can offer. Expense is rarely a consideration.”
“And they choose the design themes?”
“What are you implying?”
“Nothing.” Her voice rose an octave. “You’ve got red walls, gold draperies, the large wood-framed sofas with embroidered cushions.”
“I take it you don’t like it?”
“Only that I gravitate to more comfortable styles. It’s just my personal preference. Again, my opinion, but I think there’s opportunity to highlight the period pieces without dominating the whole room in this sort of bordello style.”
“Bordello! I’ll have you know these fine antiques took a year to locate and cost ten times what it would have to simply recreate the pieces. We used university documentation for authenticity.”
For as many times as he’d thought about Zoe in the past twenty-four hours, he seemed to have forgotten that while there was something extremely appealing about her, she was exasperating, as well. Jules did not surround himself with uninhibited people who voiced every thought they had. Squabbling was the last thing he wanted to do with employees, and saw to it that he never did.
Oh, no. His parents were evidence that life was too short to be spent arguing, even for the Zoes of the world who found discourse to be some type of sport. So, it was with a jaw tensed shut that he continued to glare at her, trying to remind himself that her personality didn’t matter. As soon as the apartment for his parents was done, she’d be out of his world forever.
“No disrespect intended. I’m sure your tenants love their surroundings. I was just thinking out loud. Isn’t an exchange of brainstorming exciting?” she asked in earnest. “You wouldn’t have hired me if you wanted someone who would agree with you all of the time.”
“And I expect you not to make me regret my decision.”
Jules massaged the divots between his eyebrows and began the diaphragmatic breathing a podcaster had been explaining through his earbuds on his morning run earlier.
“Do you have brothers and sisters?” Zoe asked. Was she trying to change the subject?
“No. Why?”
“Only that I grew up battling with three older brothers. Let’s just say that confrontation is something I’m quite used to.”
So was Jules, but for all the wrong reasons.
Therein lay the difference. Zoe understood arguing as something organic and useful. Jules’s parents fought in a way that belittled the other and had no end goal.
Zoe was right, though. Arguing over a bordello—ha—lamp did not
mean anyone was leaving or being hurt. It was just heated conversation. Jules didn’t know why Zoe pushed those buttons in him.
As they left the apartment, Zoe swept passed him and he got a whiff of what smelled like coconut shampoo. Without realizing it, his head bent toward the scent as if to follow it through the doorway. He quickly righted himself, shocked by his own actions. Zoe was making him feel things. Which was frustrating and baffling because Jules Durand had gotten as far as he had in life by shutting down feelings. At all cost. How high would the price get?

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Paris already has Cinderella’s heart…

Can the billionaire steal it?

Interior designer Zoe wouldn’t put her heart on the line for anything like she would for Paris! Practically penniless, her only chance of staying is convincing buttoned-up billionaire Jules to hire her. But how can she work with a man who finds her joie de vivre so infuriating? Until one uncharacteristically impulsive kiss later Zoe realizes Jules isn’t as immune to her charm as he’d have her believe…
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Andrea Bolter has always been fascinated by matters of the heart. In fact, she’s the one her girlfriends turn to for advice with their love lives. A city mouse, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. She loves travel, K-Pop and rock n’ roll, sitting at cafés, and watching romantic comedies she’s already seen a hundred times. Andrea Bolter has always been fascinated by matters of the heart. In fact, she’s the one her girlfriends turn to for advice with their love lives. A city mouse, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. She loves travel, K-Pop and rock n’ roll, sitting at cafés, and watching romantic comedies she’s already seen a hundred times.
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