Spotlight & Giveaway: Ever After Exes by Susannah Erwin

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Susannah Erwin to HJ!

Hi Susannah and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Ever After Exes!

 
I’m so excited to be with you today!
 

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

Second chance romance
Enemies to lovers
Luxury ranch in Santa Barbara mountains
Trapped alone together thanks to a landslide
Only one fireplace…
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

“I hate weddings,” Finley Smythe grumbled to the groom, who happened to be her half brother and favorite person in the world. “But this one will be perfect.” She pinned the boutonnière of white rose, red berries and silver eucalyptus leaves on the lapel of his black tuxedo and stepped back. “There. Impeccable. And the rest of the day will follow suit.”

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Finley originally appeared in book two of the Titans of Tech series, CINDERELLA UNMASKED. I originally had no intention of giving her a story of her own, but she became a reader favorite – and she insisted on having a happily ever after!
• Will’s and Finley’s love story is very loosely inspired by Jane Austen’s Persuasion.
• Santa Barbara is one of my favorite places in California and I knew I had to set a book in that region. The interior of the luxury ranch where Will and Finley stay is in part based on The Biltmore Santa Barbara, one of the prettiest hotels I’ve visted.
• I used to work in television marketing and publicity, so I drew on that knowledge for key scenes in the book!
• There’s an homage to the library from Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, which I’m sure will be very easy for readers to spot!

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

Will and Finley first met as college interns in Washington D.C. Will is attracted by Finley’s vibrant personality and adventurous spirit. Finley notices Will because he’s the only person in the bar not paying attention to her scene-stealing moves, and is quickly attracted to his intellect and steadfastness – not something she was around much growing up. Then it all goes horribly wrong.
 

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

Steamy, heartfelt, match of equals
 

The First Kiss…

He nodded, trying to form words. Finally, he forced out, “And what about my mouth? Since we’re worried about mud.”

Her gaze dropped to the area in question, lingered. She shook her head slowly, then raised her eyes to his. The mischief was wiped away, replaced by dark flames leaping high. “You’re good. Now it’s my turn. What about mine?”

Her mouth was…perfect. A full lower lip, soft and pillowy, made to be nibbled on or tugged gently between his teeth. Her upper lip, a cupid’s bow of peaks and valleys, wicked in shape and in action. His groin tightened farther, the image of those lips taking him in, their pressure and pull… He managed to find his voice. “There never was any mud on you, Finley.”

She stilled, her eyes losing their light. He frowned but had no time to ask what was wrong before she leaned forward, her hands fisting his shirt at his shoulders. In her boots she was almost as tall as he was, especially since he was still missing a shoe. She raised her head, and that perfect mouth hovered next to his. “Then do something to change that, Will.”

He didn’t need another invitation.

In Will’s life, he’d had three supreme experiences. One, catching a foul ball in the seventh game of the 2016 World Series while cheering his beloved Chicago Cubs to victory. Two, receiving his first software patent. And then there was kissing Finley Smythe for the first time.

Now the list was blown up. Caput. Gone forever. Because nothing could ever, would never, rival kissing Finley in the middle of a horse paddock, covered in mud, the air chilled by mist and wind. Not that he was cold for very long. His blood, already heated, erupted into lava at the first touch of her lips against his.

His tongue played with the seam of her lips, demanding they open to him. Finley made a mewling sound and she crashed into him, her hands tangling in his hair, her tongue coming out to twine and rub against his. Her mouth was hot and wet and she tasted faintly like apple but mostly like Finley, a taste he realized he’d subconsciously missed all these years.

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

I love the scene where Finley sees Will in person for the first time since their breakup fifteen years ago. Finley prides herself on arranging her world – and the people in it – to her precise satisfaction, and this is her first inkling that she isn’t in control as much as she thinks she is:

The string quartet issued the first notes of “Here Comes the Bride” and Finley turned in unison with the guests to see Nelle at the top of the makeshift aisle. Her white lace and tulle gown made her appear like the fairy-tale princess the press had proclaimed her to be when she and Grayson first met. Nelle’s and Grayson’s gazes locked, and Finley knew the rest of the winery had ceased to exist for them. They only saw each other.

She exhaled a deep breath and her shoulders relaxed. While there were still several hurdles to get through before the night would be over, the main objective of the event would be accomplished: joining Nelle and Grayson in matrimony. She allowed her gaze to idly wander over the guests’ faces before turning back to listen to the minister as he started his invocation—

She froze, her breathing stopped, her heartbeat paused.

The man in the third row—it couldn’t be him. Why would he be here? He had no connection to Nelle or Grayson. He definitely wasn’t on the guest list.

Her pulse returned, faster, sharper, and she closed her eyes to run through a quick, calming breathing exercise. It was just her mind playing tricks. She blamed the earlier conversation about true love and until death do you part for causing her subconscious to dredge up long-forgotten—and good riddance to them, too—memories.

She opened her eyes and flicked her gaze sideways, just to check, to reassure herself she was imagining things. The man in the third row—fifth seat from the left on the bride’s side—stared back at her, his expression still with shock. She swallowed, attempting to work moisture into her suddenly dry mouth.

It was him. She wasn’t making it up. Will Taylor was at the wedding.

Will Taylor, who’d taught her the concept of soul mates was a farce. Will, who’d destroyed any pretensions she once held about true love and relationships that were meant to be.

Will, who’d walked away without a backward glance fifteen years ago, tearing her into tiny shards with his parting words.

Somehow, she pivoted and faced the minister. Somehow, enough of the ceremony penetrated the fog that had suddenly enveloped her so she could hand over the rings at the right time. She even produced a smile—not a big one, but then she was better known for her smirk—when Nelle and Grayson were pronounced wife and husband, and she was able to forget Will enough to genuinely laugh and clap when Grayson swept Nelle into his arms for an exaggerated backward dip followed by a very prolonged kiss.

Then it was time for the wedding party to follow the bride and groom back up the aisle. Finley straightened her spine and held her chin high in the air. She would not look at him. She would not look at him. She would not—

Will’s chair was empty.

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

I think actors would have a very good time with the push and pull of Will’s and Finley’s attraction to each other – this would make a great audition scene to test the actors’ chemistry!

She had at least two choices. One, draw a line down the middle of the ranch house and declare the other side off-limits. Then lock herself into the guest suite and venture to the kitchen for food only when she was confident Will was occupied elsewhere. Ignore him, acting as if she was the only resident of the house.

Or two…acknowledge that she and Will were alone, together, and wipe the smirk off his face by beating him at the game of who could make the other sweat the most. And if history was anything to go on, they could make each other sweat quite a lot.

But this time, her heart would be locked away. This time, she would be firmly in control. Extravagant promises would not soften her into thinking he cared. She would not be fooled again.

She would have her way with him—and it wasn’t as if he wouldn’t have a good time as well—and then walk away. Match point to her.

She liked games. She especially liked winning them. And the bulge in his jeans the night before demonstrated he was not wholly indifferent, giving her an advantage. She ignored inconvenient details, like his presence jumpstarting her sorely neglected libido, roaring to sudden life.

Kicking off her running shoes, she hopped onto the stone slab counter next to him. “What are you looking for?” she purred.

“Taking stock of our supplies.” He motioned at her. “Move to the left so I can get into that cupboard underneath you?”

“Of course.” She elaborately wriggled her rear along the cool smooth surface. Her T-shirt rode up even farther, exposing more of her thighs.

Will’s smirk disappeared. His expression remained impassive as he squatted down and opened one of the doors. She kept her right leg in his view. When it came to Will, she had two potent weapons in her arsenal, and she intended to use them.

She swung her uninjured right foot and her toes briefly grazed the tops of his thigh. “See anything interesting? Anything you’d like to have…later?”

The tips of his ears turned red, a sign she knew well. She smiled. Winning was going to be far easier than she’d hoped for. She brushed his thigh again, lingering a few seconds longer. “Or are you…hungry…now?”

He stood up, so fast she didn’t have time to react and rearrange her legs so he wasn’t directly between them. She scooted back, but quickly ran out of counter. He leaned forward. Her heart pounded as he braced his hands on either side of her.

His eyes were level with hers, so close the navy rim outlining his gray-blue pupils was discernible. His breath tickled her skin, raising teeny goose bumps. She could incline her head, just an inch, and she would know if he still knew exactly how she liked to be kissed.

Their gazes locked. The morning air was chilly, but she was hot. Surface-of-the-sun hot. Her lips needed moisture and she licked them. Will’s gaze dropped, tracing the path of her tongue. Then he leaned forward even farther. Their foreheads almost touched. Her nipples tightened as a rush of heat settled low in her belly. She closed her eyes, her mouth slightly open…

“You’re still in the way.” Will straightened up and moved to the section of the kitchen farthest from her.

Readers should read this book …

If they are looking for a fun, sexy escape! I had the best time writing this book – Will and Finley are among my favorite characters I’ve written – and I hope readers will enjoy their story.

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

I have a brand new series coming in December from Harlequin Desire! The four books will be published monthly. I like to think of the series as “Succession” meets happily ever after and I can’t wait to share more details later!

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: 3 Signed print copies of Ever After Exes! (US only)

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: A running joke between Finley and Will is his refusal to watch movies, while Finley devours old films. What is your favorite film? Or do you agree with Will that watching movies is a waste of time?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from Ever After Exes:

A horse snorted, breaking his reverie. He went to the doorway and saw Finley standing in front of a stall with “Trudy” written in erasable marker on its metal nameplate, stroking the nose of the buff-colored mare. She’d exchanged her running shoes for boots and changed into jeans that cupped her ass in ways that should be illegal.

Tucked into those jeans, she still wore his shirt.

“Aren’t you a pretty girl,” Finley cooed to Trudy. “I bet you’re wondering why the nice man is standing in the room with your food instead of giving the food to you.” She looked over at him. “Need a hand? I happen to know my way around a stable.”

“I’ve got it, thanks.” Of course she was familiar with horses. All his success, and when he was with Finley he turned back into the kid who had never visited an art museum or seen professional live theater before meeting her. Uninformed. Unsophisticated. And in this case, unfamiliar with large hooved animals and their care and feeding.

She nodded. “Okay. Hay is in the greenish bales, by the way. The straw-colored bales are, well, straw.”

“You’re very helpful,” he said dryly.

Her smile was dazzling. “Always.”

After much comparison of labels with the instructions, he portioned the grains and roughage for each horse into their respective buckets and carried them out of the room. The dusty smell of cut alfalfa and the warm scent of horse surrounded him. He never thought stables could feel cozy—well, he never thought of stables at all—but although the weather outside was dark and foreboding, inside all appeared light and inviting.

Or maybe that was due to Finley. She’d entered Trudy’s stall and was brushing the mare’s coat with something resembling circles of jagged metal. “That looks more like a torture instrument,” he said by way of greeting, opening the stall door to fill the feeder.

“Are you worried I’ll use it on you later? Or are you hoping?” She wagged her eyebrows, making him laugh despite his best efforts not to. “This is a currycomb. Because your paddock is full of mud and you got it all over yourself, didn’t you, beauty?” She stroked Trudy’s nose, long, sweeping caresses the mare appeared to enjoy, judging by the way she nuzzled Finley.

It was ridiculous to be jealous of an animal. Will stomped over to the other occupied stall, this one marked “Ranger,” and dumped the contents of the bucket in the appropriate place. The chestnut gelding ignored him in favor of his food. “That’s the right idea, buddy. Take care of number one. Don’t care about others.”

But when he left Ranger’s stall, Finley was nowhere to be found. He hadn’t heard the stable door opening, so she had to be around somewhere. “Finley?”

“In Trudy’s paddock,” came her distant voice.

He pushed Trudy’s stall door open. On the other side of the enclosed space, there was a passage to a small dirt area covered by an overhang to protect it from the elements, and beyond that a fenced-in grassy expanse. Finley stood with Trudy where the grass began, nose to nose, as if they were communing. Then Finley took an apple out of her shirt’s front pocket and, taking the first bite, she held out the rest to the horse on her flat palm. Trudy delicately ate the offering delicately, then shook her head and sauntered to the far side of the paddock to supplement her breakfast, ignoring the humans in her space. Finley watched the mare go.

Will walked to meet her. As he drew closer, he realized he’d never seen Finley so…unguarded. Her shoulders were relaxed, her hands loose at her sides. The smirk that seemed to have taken up permanent residence on her lips was gone, replaced by a genuine smile.

Even in their most passionate encounters, he’d always known she was holding something back, giving him access to her body but not to the deepest corners of her soul. Now? He caught a glimpse of what she’d previously hidden from him.

She turned her head toward him as he approached. Her sharp, teasing expression returned as her posture straightened and her arms folded over her chest. “Did you feed Ranger?” she called out.

The moment was over. The twinge of disappointment caused his steps to falter, just for a beat.

“He’s also a horse,” she clarified when he reached her side. “Long nose, tail, four legs.”

“I figured that out, thanks.” He nodded at Trudy. “You two seem to be getting along well.”

Her gaze softened as she watched the mare. “My mother loved horses. I grew up around them.”

She did? “I didn’t know that.”

She glanced at him. “We didn’t exactly spend our time in soul-baring conversations.”

No. They’d used their time for other activities. “Still surprised you didn’t say anything.”

She laughed, if the harsh exhalation of air could be called that. “Oh, I’d given up my equestrian dreams by then. I won several jumping competitions as a child. But after my mom died and it became obvious I wasn’t talented enough to compete at an elite level, Barrett decided horses were a waste of money and time and that was that.” She shrugged. “I moved on.”

When she broke up with Will, she’d dismissed their relationship with much the same words: “The internship program is over, so time to move on. We’re done.” He had been in too much shock—too much agony—to note anything other than her casual dismissal of what had been the most transcendent summer of his life.

He wondered—had deep grooves been etched around her lips then as they were now? Had the same opaque shutters slammed down over her gaze, rendering her true emotions unreadable? If he’d paid closer attention, maybe he would remember.

Then with a blink, her expression smoothed into her usual smirk. She closed the space between them, glancing up at him from under lowered lashes. “But I still enjoy riding.” Her voice took on a husky timbre that put his nerve endings on alert. “Perhaps we would both enjoy getting back into the saddle.”

“I don’t ride.”

She smiled. A wicked smile, full of heat and sin. “That’s not what I remember. I recall you are quite the…passionate…rider. Endurance for hours, until we were both spent.”

God help him, he was hard. Hard and aching, and just from a few whispered words—plus the images his memory supplied to accompany them.

Finley’s gaze sparkled as her grin deepened. She knew what she was doing to him. She always knew.

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Matchmaker, matchmaker…

reunite with your ex?

With his revolutionary dating app, Will Taylor plays matchmaker extraordinaire—but he’s still a cynical bachelor after Finley Smythe broke his heart. Now a starring turn in his own reality matchmaking show could change that, if his plans aren’t upended by the storm that strands Will and his ex at a secluded California ranch.

Heir to a tarnished DC dynasty, Finley has enough problems without getting back in Will’s bed—especially with the world watching his every matchmaking move! Will Finley be happier staying exes—or are they the perfect match after all?
Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Goodreads |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Award-winning author Susannah Erwin writes fun, sexy, escapist romances about strong-willed, ambitious people who just can’t help falling in love. A former Hollywood studio executive, she gladly traded in her high heels and corner office for yoga pants and the local coffee shop, where she composes her tales of luxury, scandal, and heart-pounding emotion. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a very spoiled cat.
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