Spotlight & Giveaway: Come Home to Deep River by Jackie Ashenden

Posted July 22nd, 2020 by in Blog, Spotlight / 35 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Jackie Ashenden to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Jackie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Come Home to Deep River!

 

Tell us about the book with this fun little challenge using the title of the book:

D efinitely full of obstacles
E ven though Hope and Silas are old friends
E verything is complicated by
P ast pain

R eal love can only come
I f they trust instead of holding onto anger
V ery intense attraction doesn’t hurt
E ven though they used to only be friends
R euniting makes them more
 

Please share your favorite quote from the book

 

The only way to heal a broken heart is not to give it less love; it’s to give it more. Give it as much as you can handle.

 

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

  • The town of Deep River is actually based on an isolated town in New Zealand called Whangamomona, that seceded from NZ and declared itself a republic. You can even get passports! Their first mayor didn’t even know he’d been put in the ballot and the mayor after him was a goat called Billy Gumboot. Billy died in office and was succeeded by Tai the poodle.
  • Filthy Phil (a character in Deep River) was a real person I once met hiking in the NZ bush. He was an old possum trapper who, when we met him, was wearing nothing but a plaid flannel Swandri (like a wool shirt) belted with string and pair of rubber boots. He cooked us possum stew, helped us with our packs to the next hut on the trail, then disappeared. When we spoke to the ranger the next day and mentioned him, he told us ‘Oh, that was Filthy Phil’.
  • Filthy Phil (in the book) knits vests for birds and that was based on an old guy in Dunedin, NZ, who really does knit vests for birds – penguins to be exact. They wear vests if they’ve been stuck in oil slicks so they don’t clean their feathers and then ingest the oil.

 

If your book was optioned for a movie, what scene would you use for the audition of the main characters and why?

The scene where Silas turns up in Hope’s bar after a thirteen year absence. Mainly because this is the moment where the hero and heroine meet and sets up their chemistry. There’s a lot of emotion in this moment because of who they were to each other years ago, why Silas left, why Hope stayed, and how that absence affected them over the years. It’s a lot of emotion, basically!

“Hey, Hope,” he said, since there was no point beating about the bush. “I need to talk to you.”
“No kidding.” She crossed her arms, drawing his gaze to the soft curves beneath the flannel of her shirt. Which wasn’t what he should have been thinking about, dammit. “Thirteen years, Silas. Thirteen years without any contact whatsoever and now you appear unannounced, in my bar, demanding to talk to me?” Her gaze roved over him in a long, leisurely, and very pointed survey, ending back at his face again. “Sorry, but that’s a big no from me.”

 

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

That it doesn’t matter where life takes you, you can always come back home.

 

If you could have given your characters one piece of advice before the opening pages of the book, what – would it be and why?

Silas, if Hope bends over to sweep the floor, do NOT check out her ass! 😉
 
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: A paperback copy of COME HOME TO DEEP RIVER by Jackie Ashenden

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Do you like Alaska set books and if so, why? What is it about Alaska that you like reading about?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Book Info:

Coming home was the easy part. Facing her will take everything he’s got…

Silas Quinn hasn’t been back to Deep River, Alaska, in years, not since he joined the army. He left behind the best friend he’d ever had. But he knew Hope Dawson was meant for bigger things than Deep River—and he—had to offer. What he didn’t know was that when he left, he took Hope’s dreams right along with him…

Then tragedy strikes and sends Silas home, and the entire town is thrown into chaos when they learn what brought him back—he’s inherited ownership of the town and the newly discovered oil reserves under it!

Hope gave up on ever getting out of Deep River. Her mom needed her, then her grandfather died and left her the local hangout to run. Now Si is back in town, stirring up old feelings—including her anger at being left behind. His return brings Hope an offer that can change her life. Love, or adventure, are almost within reach—but she can’t have both…

Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Jackie has been writing fiction since she was eleven years old. She used to balance her writing with the more serious job of librarianship until a chance meeting with another romance writer prompted her to devote herself to the true love of her heart – writing romance. She particularly likes to write dark, emotional stories with alpha heroes and kick-ass heroines. She lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

Author Website: https://www.jackieashenden.com/
 
 
 

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35 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: Come Home to Deep River by Jackie Ashenden”

  1. Mary Preston

    Alaska is about as far away from where I live as you can get. An interesting, different locale etc

  2. hartfiction

    I love an Alaskan setting because I’ve visited Anchorage several times. It’s so beautiful and it feels like another world!

    • Shannon Capelle

      Its exciting to learn about the scenery and seems like a far away land from me. Ive seen pictures its beautiful and seems so interesting!

  6. Amy R

    Do you like Alaska set books and if so, why? Yes, the setting is different from where I live.
    What is it about Alaska that you like reading about? I like the small town romance

  7. Pamela Conway

    I do like books set in Alaska. Maybe it’s the scenery, it sounds like a beautiful place.

  8. SusieQ

    Love Alaska based books. A lot of times they are small town, and there are usually ruggedly outdoorsy types in the book.

  9. Lori R

    I do like to read Alaska set books. It sounds like a beautiful place and so different from where I live. The books make me want to visit.

  10. anna nguyen

    Alaska is such a scenic place full of natural beauty and amazing wild animals. i would love to visit someday.

  11. Crystal

    Do I like Alaska? Never been there but I’ve been told Alaska is absolutely beautiful and the travel advertisements on TV are absolutely stunning and beautiful. What about Alaska I like reading about? I love reading about all kinds of settings like Alaska. You see reading about a place like Alaska or somewhere else sometimes make me want to go to that place whether it be in my own world, virtually or just want to go there.
    I would love to read and review your books in print format. Book sounds great. Hope I win.

  14. Debra Branigan

    I do like Alaska set books. I like the idea of the wilderness and the small rough, isolated towns that people find themselves in.

  15. Jana Leah

    Yes, I do. It’s remote & beautiful. I’d love to visit in person one day, but for now I can visit there in books.

  16. Kay Garrett

    Love Alaska setting in books. I’m an Army brat and my parents were stationed in Alaska when they found out about me. They loved it there and were going to try for an extension when that tour was up. However, my Mom was RH- meaning that as soon as they found out about me, Dad’s orders were cut short and they were sent back state side. Otherwise my home state would have been Alaska. I kind of feel like I was robbed of having Alaska as my home. I listened with great interest my parents talk about the state and how much they loved it. I’ve always wanted to go there for a visit, but never have been able to. Now with health issues and age, it doesn’t look like it will happen. So, I travel there through books with an Alaska setting.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

  21. erinf1

    Yes! I love the “beat of your own drum” roughing it vision of Alaska. Wouldn’t want to live there though. Thanks for sharing!

  22. Tina R

    I like reading stories set it Alaska I enjoy the descriptions of all the beautiful places I’ve never been.

  24. Diana Hardt

    I liked reading stories set in Alaska. I like reading about the scenery and small town romance.

  25. EC

    I don’t mind books set in Alaska, which is a different vibe of setting by itself. Especially if humor is included.

  27. joab4424

    I love books set in Alaska. It’s such a beautiful scenic wilderness, usually in small towns where everyone looks out for each other. It makes me want to live there.

  30. BookLady

    I enjoy reading books set in Alaska because it is such a beautiful state. The scenery and wildlife are amazing.

  32. Glenda M

    I do. Alaska is gorgeous and wild. I’d love to visit in addition to reading about it.

  33. Patricia B.

    We finally made it to Alaska last summer and it didn’t disappoint. There is a wildness and independence of the land and people. The land is dominant and so much stronger than those who live there. If humans are to survive, they do what the land requires. It is a place that brings out the very best in people and sadly the very worst. I like the challenge the land gives to the characters.