Spotlight & Giveaway: Doctor Boss with Benefits by JC Harroway

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author JC Harroway to HJ!

Hi JC Harroway and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Doctor Boss with Benefits!

 
Hi Romance Readers!
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Doctor Boss with Benefits is an age gap romance, older heroine, younger hero, set in the emergency room. Divorcee Greer Thorn enjoys working the night shift as it gives her plenty of time to raise her teenaged daughter. When her new, hot registrar, Nate Hunter , makes a pass at her she’s stunned to discover he isn’t joking. What begins as a forbidden night-shift flirtation soon becomes the most deeply passionate and emotionally mature one of her life…
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

The line below, spoken by Greer during a time when she’d struggling with her feelings for Nate, sums up all her hopes and fears in one hit.

‘I guess, up until today, I’ve convinced myself that our handful of stolen moments during the night shift, our conversations, our first kiss, even that incredibly hot sex we had in the on-call room… It’s all felt like a dream. A very sexy, forbidden dream that makes me want to stay asleep a bit longer.’

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• This story was inspired by the night shift, but did you know that hospitals at night can seem scary, even for staff. This is often due to long, empty, and poorly lit corridors, eerie quietness and a sense of isolation.
• Meteorite jewelry, the kind Nate buys for Greer’s daughter, Lily, is a real thing.
• There are an estimated 2,500 lavender farms in France, primarily located in the Provence region, the location featured in the epilogue where Nate proposes.

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

I think the following two snippets sum it up perfectly:

“IF REQUIRED, NATE could compile a whole list of reasons why he was deeply attracted to his very sexy boss. Aside from her beauty—long, dark hair, big brown eyes, gorgeous curves and a stunning smile—she had an elegant way of carrying herself that appealed. Combine that with her intelligence and a dry sense of humour he’d barely glimpsed and, for him, Greer Thorn represented the epitome of seriously attractive femininity.
And sometimes, when she looked at him and then quickly looked away, often blushing slightly, he knew she fancied him too. Knew she felt the chemistry that was obvious during every non-urgent conversation they had. The chemistry that had been there from day one when he’d joined Kensington Hospital and they’d been introduced.”

“Within two minutes of meeting Nate Hunter, Greer had known exactly what kind of doctor he was. Calm, self-assured and decisive, he had the precise personality required for a career in emergency medicine, which could be fast- paced, unpredictable and often high- stakes. If he was something of a perfectionist, that could only be a strength in their profession. But he tempered what might be perceived as arrogance with an appealing degree of humility and maturity. Combined with his natural charm, keen intelligence and tall good looks, he had an innate knack of putting patients at ease.
Greer glanced down at his feet, wondering if his popularity with patients was in part also influenced by his penchant for colourful food cartoon socks. Today’s were lime green and decorated with watermelon slices.
‘You like these, huh?’ he asked, lifting the leg of his scrubs slightly to show them off. ‘My nephew bought this pair.’
Greer glanced back at her computer screen, flustered that he’d caught her checking out his socks. ‘Your burger socks are my favourite,’ she said, with a straight face, ignoring his charming smile and the way his dark brown eyes sparkled when he was pleased with himself.
She shouldn’t be noticing his wacky sock collection, his expressive brown eyes or the way his scrubs showed off his muscular build and tight backside. Just because she found him attractive there was no need to lose her very sensible and mature head.”

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

I loved writing the swoony scene’s where Nate knows what he wants and it’s Greer! She’d uncertain because of their age gap, different life-stages and the fact that she’s his boss. But Nate has no doubts about their chemistry or how hot they’ll be together as shown by this playful flirtation that precedes their first kiss…

‘I’d like to pick you up for our date, if that’s okay,’ he said, his voice low and intimate-sounding.
How…gallant.
‘But I’m happy to meet you at the restaurant if you prefer,’ he finished, that intense look back on his face.
Greer shuddered and hesitated, her heart banging against her ribs. ‘You can pick me up if you want. I live in South Kensington, flat two, Willow Gardens.’
‘Great.’ He glanced down at her mouth. ‘I’ll be there. Seven-fifteen.’
Greer inhaled a slow shaky breath and nodded, desperately trying to keep her eyes on his and not slide them to his lips and lower, to that triangle of manly chest exposed by the V of his scrub top, and on to his broad shoulders and well-defined pecs… How would it feel to be held in those strong arms? To be desired again? To burn with first-time lust?
‘I’m warning you now,’ she said, her voice catching, ‘I haven’t been on a first date for a long time.’ While she was excited to dress up and confident that she could maintain suitable over-dinner conversation, her biggest concern was whether she should kiss him at the end of the date.
‘I’m not worried about that,’ he said, unmoving but for the rapid surging of his carotid pulse. ‘Are you nervous?’
‘A bit,’ she admitted, blinking up at him. ‘But I’m looking forward to it, too.’ She wanted the time between now and Thursday to fly. She wanted to enjoy this undeniable chemistry between them away from prying eyes. To forget she needed to keep them a secret, from work, from Lily, even from Mark, who would no doubt have something dismissive to say if he found out.
‘I’m pretty sure that when it comes to dating nothing’s changed,’ he said with a playful smile. ‘We eat, we talk, I ask if I can see you again.’
Greer fought a smile. ‘How do you know you’ll want to see me again?’
He tilted his head, a don’t be stupid expression on his face. ‘I’m already looking forward to our second date.’

Readers should read this book….

If you love:
– older heroine, younger hero
– second chance romance (for her)
– medical drama driving the couple together
– forbidden workplace romance

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

I have just finished writing a second chance Christmas medical romance set in London. Can’t wait for readers to get their hands on that one. It’s swoony, sexy and full of festive magic!
My next release, Wearing the Italian Surgeon’s Ring, is out next month and it’s a story close to my heart as it’s set in Capris, a place I visited and fell in love with when I was 16!
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A signed paperback copy of Doctor Boss with Benefits. Open Internationally.

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Have you ever visited London or Provence, France?

Excerpt from Doctor Boss with Benefits:

NATE ARRIVED TEN minutes early for his day shift. He dropped his backpack in the doctors’ office and had just clipped his name tag to his scrubs when the door flew open and Greer appeared, out of breath and clearly a little unsettled.
‘Hi.’ Nate smiled, his pulse accelerating as it always did when he saw her. ‘This is unexpected. I thought you’d probably already gone home.’ They hadn’t worked together for days. Plenty of time for his need to see her to build into a frenzy.
‘I’m heading off now,’ she said, glancing down as she calmed her breathing. ‘I got…held up with a patient.’
‘Busy night?’ Nate asked, wondering what might have upset her, because his day was already a little brighter from this chance meeting.
‘Yes, very,’ Greer said, staring at him as if she wanted to say more.
Nate waited, looping his stethoscope around his neck while she watched his every move.
‘About dinner,’ she blurted suddenly, her voice high-pitched. ‘If you can wait until next week when Lily is in France, I… It’s a date.’
Nate’s smile was automatic, excitement pounding through his blood as he stepped closer. ‘I told you I’d wait, Greer. But what’s brought on the change of heart? You seemed upset just now when you walked in.’
She shook her head, her stare determined. ‘Not upset. Just…distracted. I ran into my ex-husband. Not an ideal end to a busy night. Unfortunately he still knows how to press my buttons.’
‘I can imagine that must be awkward,’ Nate said and inched closer, intrigued that she’d changed her mind about the date and not remotely jealous of the ex, for all the other man’s charm and intelligence.
‘More frustrating than anything else,’ she admitted breathlessly, still standing with her back to the door. ‘Although I think his new fiancée felt pretty awkward. She fled not long after he’d introduced us, poor thing. Taking on an older man with an ex-wife and a teen aged daughter is a lot.’
Nate inched closer still. Her stare darted from his to his mouth and back as if she expected him to kiss her. So he’d been on her mind too…
‘Well, I’m glad you changed your mind about dinner,’ he said, catching the light coconut scent of her shampoo.
Her breathing sped up, her breasts rising and falling under her scrub top as she looked up at him with fiery desire in her eyes. She wanted him, maybe as badly as he wanted her.
‘Of course,’ he continued, ‘I’d have preferred that your acceptance was unrelated to seeing your ex and his new woman.’
‘It is unrelated.’ Greer stayed against the door, raising her chin to look up at him with resolve and challenge. ‘I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t want to go out with you. It never works out when you do something because you think you should.’
‘That’s good to know.’ Triumph surged through Nate, energising him way better than his morning coffee. ‘Although you seemed pretty against the idea the other night.’
He dipped his gaze, lingering on her parted lips as he imagined their taste and softness. The moans and pants that might emerge if he were to kiss her right now, to press his body against hers and unleash the passionate woman he instinctively knew was underneath her layers.
‘All those reasons I stated still stand, Nate.’ Her dark eyes shone as she tilted her chin another defiant notch. ‘I’m still older than you. I’m still your boss. But you’re right about our attraction.’
‘I know I am.’ Nate smiled, his heart thudding as he stepped closer still so he heard her soft gasp, felt the heat from her body and the thrill of excitement her closeness caused. While he understood the long list of fears she’d articulated, he wanted her ready to admit the things he saw when she looked at him. He knew with all certainty that if they ever touched, ever kissed, they’d be utterly explosive together.
She was breathless now, some internal constraint—maybe her hang-ups about being older or the fact they were at work—keeping her static, when everything else in her seemed desperate to act, to break this unbearable tension, to buckle and kiss him.
‘Shouldn’t you be out there?’ she whispered, her stare flicking to the clock behind him. But she didn’t move from the door, which she knew was his only means to escape the room.
‘I have three minutes before my shift begins,’ he said, resting his hand above her shoulder, fingers curling around the edge of the ajar door as if he might open it. ‘And I’m suddenly in no rush. I’d rather enjoy the way you’re looking at me a little longer.’
He was so close now, the scent of her, warm and tempting, tickled his nose. She licked her lips and looked up at him with obvious, unfiltered desire. Finally the truth. Answering need, surprisingly insistent, thrummed through his system, tightening his muscles, heating his blood, sharpening his focus to just Greer.
‘How am I looking at you?’ she asked, her bold eyes locked to his, her professional mask on the floor so he glimpsed the passionate, sexual, undaunted woman for the first time.
‘Like you want me. The same way I’m looking at you.’ He held her stare and dipped his head, his lips mere centimetres from hers so he heard the sharp inhale of her breath and felt the crackle of electricity between his body and hers.
‘Can you feel it?’ he asked, her breath brushing his lips, her scent a warm perfumed cloud luring him towards temptation.
She nodded, transfixed. Beyond them, the noises of the department waking up grew: people coming and going, phones ringing, voices droning. They could be interrupted at any moment, but Nate couldn’t bring himself to care. The sound of his blood rushing through his ears drowned out every noise, even his own internal voice of reason.
‘Believe me, I want nothing more than for you to kiss me right now,’ he said at last, staring into her eyes as his body strained to put them both out of their misery and close the gap.
‘What makes you so sure that’s my intention?’ Despite her denial, she was panting now, her big eyes blinking up at him, hungry with need.
And it would be so satisfying to give them both what they so obviously craved. But when she finally surrendered her last remaining internal battle and kissed him, he wanted to be the only man on her mind.
‘I think the time for pretending is over between us, Greer.’ When she didn’t argue, only glanced down at his lips, so close to hers, he added, ‘But I’d rather you kiss me when it’s only about us and not him. I said I’d wait for you, but I do have some ego. When you moan my name, I want you thinking only of me and the way I make you feel.’

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

When the night shift ends, passion ignites…
Consultant Greer Thorn thought the adrenaline surge of the ER was the most alive she’d ever feel. Then she met Nate Hunter. Her red-hot reaction to her new registrar should not feel so exhilarating…and yet, her younger colleague is making divorcée Greer go weak at the knees! Some harmless flirting and discreet dating will surely be enough to satisfy temptation…far from it! It leaves Greer breathlessly realising there’s only one way for this to end — with the boss in Nate’s bed!
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Meet the Author:

International bestselling author, Jo, aka JC, writes passionate romance stories from her home in New Zealand. From steamy romance stories set in glamorous locations to tense medical dramas, there’s always a swoony happy ever after.
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