Spotlight & Giveaway: Come What Maybe by Kerri Carpenter

Posted January 31st, 2023 by in Blog, Spotlight / 50 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Kerri Carpenter to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Kerri and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Come What Maybe!

 
Hi fellow romance readers! I’m so excited to be here today.
 

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

When Lauren returns to her hometown in Maine, she meets up with her high school frenemy Ethan and the sparks start flying. A spontaneous one-night stand and surprise pregnancy later, no nonsense Lauren has to decide what is worse: trusting Ethan’s impulsive nature or telling her Grams about her pregnancy.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

“You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother.”
-Albert Einstein

Lauren pulled into the driveway, put her car in park, and picked up the white throw pillow she’d bought, with the navy-blue hand-stitching, and reread the quote. Yep, that Albert Einstein sure was smart, because his words pretty much summed up her relationship with her grandmother. The grandmother whose house she’d just arrived at and the grandmother she was staying with for the next couple months. The grandmother with the eagle eye, who not only had a real talent for finding faults but also pointing them out.

 

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

  • In my mind, my heroine Lauren looks like the actress Jenna Dewan, who I think is absolutely beautiful.
  • My hero Ethan owns a bar called The Thirsty Lobster. (I went through many iterations of this name while writing the book.)
  • Lauren has two sisters: Brooke and Gabby. If the sisters were perfumes, Lauren would be the newest, trendiest fragrance; Brooke would be classic Chanel; Gabby would be a mix your own scent together using natural elements.
  • Lauren and her Grams are like oil and water. If Grams says to go right, Lauren will purposely go left. So when Grams tells Lauren NOT to go to that bar on Main Street, well, that’s how our story begins….
  • I found out I was pregnant while writing this book and put many of my own experiences and feelings into the story.

 

What first attracts your main characters to each other?

Lauren and Ethan have known each other forever. Back in high school, Lauren dated Ethan’s best friend and the three of them hung out all the time. Despite that, the two of them were always fighting. Opposites must attract because during all that verbal sparring back in their teens, the two of them were each secretly crushing on the other. Fifteen years later and all those old frenemy feelings are still there. But so is that attraction. Doesn’t hurt that they’re both GORGEOUS!
 

Using just 5 words, how would you describe your main characters”love affair?

  • Flirty
  • Inevitable
  • Real
  • Equal
  • Sweet

 

The First Kiss…

  • Public
  • Hot
  • Tingly
  • Fireworks
  • Dreamy

 

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

This is soooo hard! I have a ton of favorite scenes.

However, there is this one scene… Lauren and Ethan are starting their relationship. Lauren wants control and order. Ethan is the complete opposite, which turns out to be great for Lauren. He gives her the push to let go and have fun. In this particular scene, they are having a nighttime picnic on the beach when Ethan dares Lauren to skinny dip with him.

“Now that you and I are involved, you have to get used to doing some things on the fly. It makes life so much more interesting. Just think what your Instagram followers would think of this story.” He pointed at himself and then at the ocean.

“I don’t think my Instagram followers–or my followers on any other platform, for that matter–are ever going to see photos of this night.”

“But look at that.” He walked behind her, placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to take a couple steps forward. “Check out the way that full moon is reflecting off the ocean. How cool is that?”

Very cool, she agreed silently.

“I would hate to miss out on such a beautiful night. Unless you’re scared of skinny dipping with me.” With that, Ethan took off running.

Damn, his body looked amazing. She was so transfixed by it, she almost didn’t let his dare sink in.

“Wait a minute,” she called. She wasn’t afraid of skinny dipping. Although, she’d never actually done it before.

Lauren bit her lip, considering. Cold water. Dark water. Cold, dark water. Or naked Ethan. Wet, naked Ethan.

Ethan let out a yahoo as he dove into a wave.

It really wasn’t a fair comparison.

 

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

Lauren and Ethan haven’t seen each other in fifteen years! The last time they were together was in high school. Despite hanging out all the time, they were always at each other’s throats. True frenemies. Of course, underneath all that arguing was a whole lot of attraction.

When they first meet up in Ethan’s bar, that flirty, combative nature that is the core of their relationship comes right back. I think in a movie it would be really important to establish that relationship.

“You might want to go a little easy. How about you switch to water now. Or maybe coffee,” he suggested.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“As the owner of this establishment, I have a responsibility—”

“There’s that word again. Does it feel weird coming out of your mouth? Unfamiliar? Alien?”

He shook his head. “You’re really on a roll tonight. Anyway, you’re messing up the whole equilibrium of our relationship. You’re supposed to be the responsible one. I’m the carefree goofball. When did I ever have to warn you about drinking too much? Never.”

“Maybe I need a night off from obligations. Let my hair down a little.” She met his eyes, bit her lip.
There was a long pause between the two of them. Long and significant.

“A night to be bad,” she finished.

Ethan swallowed hard. He was glad they hadn’t stopped drinking, because his throat became massively dry again. Lauren Wallace wants to be bad?

She may not be acting like her old self right now, but he was still the same person, only with more experience. And he wouldn’t be Ethan McAllister if he didn’t just go with it.

 

 

Readers should read this book …

1. If they’re into sweet and fun contemporary romances.
2. If they’re curious how two former friends can go from frenemies to expecting parents.
3. If they love to read about love stories set in beautiful and quaint coastal towns.
4. If they love stories with fun and quirky secondary characters who are so amazing, you just HAVE to know more about their stories.
5. If they love a good beach (or pool or bathtub or whatever their happy place is) read!

 

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

I am currently working on book 2 in the Seaside Cove series. Lauren has two sisters and I think each of them deserves their own stories.

 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: I’m giving away a $15 Amazon gift card PLUS digital copies of two of my books from the Something True series: The Dating Arrangement and The Wedding Truce.

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Was there a person from high school who you had a crush on but never told? Do you wish you could tell them now?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from Come What Maybe:

The door to the bar suddenly flew open as someone rushed in like their life depended on getting inside. In their effort, they slammed into Ethan, who almost fell off the step. He righted himself and turned to face the person. Everyone in the bar looked in that direction.
A gorgeous woman stood there. With the door open behind her, she was framed by orange and pink light from the setting sun. The colors did amazing things to highlight her hourglass figure and dark hair.
Ethan did a double take. It was an hourglass figure and dark hair that he knew very well. Or, at least, he used to.
“Holy shit,” he blurted. “Lauren Wallace. Wow, I haven’t seen you in years.”
“Ethan freaking McAllister.” Her hands went to her hips. “Funny running into you of all people.”
He took a step back. “’Running into’ literally. First time opening a door, Lauren?”
She placed a hand over her heart and batted her long eyelashes. “What can I say? I’m just used to men opening them for me.”
His mouth quirked. Same old Lauren. He hadn’t seen her in ten, maybe fifteen years, and she immediately defaulted to her usual banter. Their usual banter.
Despite having basically gone to school together since kindergarten, the real connecting factor between Ethan and Lauren had been his best friend, Robbie. Also known as Lauren’s serious, steady boyfriend.
The three of them had spent most of high school together. Football games, movies, hanging out at Lauren’s grandmother’s coffee shop. From all outward appearances, it would seem like Ethan and Lauren were best friends. In reality, they’d spent more time bickering and antagonizing each other than anything else.
Looking at Lauren standing in front of him in his bar caused several new feelings to crop up. On the one hand, it was his default to be overcome with a certain annoyance. On principle.
Yet, the way his body was responding…well, that was something he didn’t want to think too much on.
Ethan gestured toward the bar. “Why don’t you come in and have a drink with a ‘real man?’”
She made a big show of looking all around the bar. “Good idea. I’ll go find one.”

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Social media strategist Lauren Wallace plans everything. But when she returns to the charming—if not too small for comfort—town of Seaside Cove, it’s only about a second before her tough-love Grams is already on her case. So when Grams tells her not to go to that bar, Lauren decides it’s time for a temporary rebellion. Which is exactly when the trouble starts.

Grams was right. The bar was not a good plan. Because suddenly super-cute bar owner Ethan McAllister has gone from being Lauren’s (kind of) high school nemesis to a very unexpected one-night stand. And worse, Lauren’s attempts to resume her ultra-responsible life keep getting thwarted by more unwelcome spontaneity. And a pregnancy.

Now there’s a baby on the way, Lauren’s the talk of the entire town, and all her planning has gone right out the window. All that’s missing is childbirth to make her pain complete. But it’ll be nothing compared to Grams’s reaction when she finds out that Lauren broke the biggest rule of all…falling for the wrong guy.
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Award-winning romance author Kerri Carpenter writes contemporary romances that are sweet, sexy, and sparkly. When she’s not writing, Kerri enjoys reading, cooking, watching movies, taking Zumba classes, rooting for Pittsburgh sports teams, and anything sparkly. Kerri lives in Virginia with her family. For the latest updates on her books or to see pictures of her adorable dog, Harry, visit Kerri at her website; on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram; or subscribe to her newsletter.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram |

 
 
 

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50 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: Come What Maybe by Kerri Carpenter”

  1. Athena Graeme

    Mmhm … Tommy Valentine. We were both in our school’s stage band (we played rock/pop during basketball games). I was the bass guitar player, he was the trap set drummer. I though he was just way too cool. I never had the guts to tell him I liked him, which, in retrospect was good because he was a senior and I was a freshman.

  2. Diana Tidlund

    I only had 1 crush in high school and it was actually a 6 year crush. Everyone knew but never told him. 36 years after we graduated we are still friends . He moved away , married and started having kids about 15 years ago but I had married and had kids 30+ years ago.
    I honestly believe things happy how they are supposed to and going back doesn’t make things better because you change one thing you end up changing them all and you need those things in order to grow and make you who you are .

  3. Jeanna Massman

    I had lots of crushes in high school but none that I’d like to reveal now!

  4. Mary Preston

    I had a crush on a boy in my Ancient History class. He was so cute. Happy to leave him in the past.

  5. Audrey Stewart

    Fun question…and yes. I have even tried to find him on social media. If I was wealthy, I’d hire a P.I.

  12. Janine

    There were a couple of guys that I crushed on, but I was never brave enough to do anything about it. I don’t think I would have the courage these days either.

  14. Marcy Meyer

    My big crush in high school was obvious, and I am sure he knew. We ended up dating some later when I was in college, and we are still friends.

  17. Anita H.

    Definitely had crushes from high school but never quite muster up the courage to do anything but crush from afar. Best to leave these crushes in the past

  23. Laurie Gommermann

    I did have a crush my last two years of HS. Nobody knew but me. He dated someone else for most of those two years.
    I don’t regret not telling him. It wasn’t meant to be. I last spoke to him at our last all night graduation party.
    He never married. I’ve been married for 45 years with 4 children and 6 grandchildren.

    • Laurie Gommermann

      No desire to tell him
      I feel I’m with my soul mate and best friend

  25. Nina Lewis

    Yes! And we actually see each other from time to time. He is married to a lovely woman I adore. It’s all good between us. We’re friends! 🙂

  29. Colleen C.

    Oh yes there was… even disliked him for years before the crush… never said anything.

  31. Amy R

    Was there a person from high school who you had a crush on but never told? Yes
    Do you wish you could tell them now? No

  32. Debbie P

    I had a couple of little crushes in high school and I am glad that I did not speak up.

  33. Latesha B.

    There was guy from a neighboring high school that I had a crush on, but I never outright told him. His entire family knew, and I wonder if he knew as well. Nothing ever came of it, and I am glad.

  34. eawells

    I had a couple of crushes during high school and never did tell them. Although at one of our reunions, one of them & I talked and he said he kind of knew. Not that it would have made a difference. I was too shy for him.

  45. Marisela Zuniga

    No, I was crazy enough to tell my crush I had a crush on him even if it ended in rejection

  46. Patricia B.

    No crushes in high school and no one in college that made it to the crush level.

  47. Leeza Stetson

    There was one guy I liked. I didn’t tell him. Looking back, that was a good thing. It would have been awkward.