Spotlight & Giveaway: Her Unexpected Match by Lacey Baker

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Lacey Baker to HJ!

Hi Lacey Baker and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Her Unexpected Match!

 
Hi! Thanks so much for having me here!
 

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

A cynical travel blogger sets out to debunk the myth of love matches being made on Crescent Island, when she suddenly finds herself falling for her best friend’s brother.
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

Did the air have a scent? Could she really smell relaxation and simplicity the moment she stepped off the ferry? The Crescent Island website, along with its corresponding brochure—which she’d stuffed into her purse a few moments ago—said those were the first things she’d notice once her feet hit the island.
Allison Sparks inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly.
Salt water and…was that fresh bread?

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Crescent Island is of course, fictional, but the boardwalk was inspired by Ocean City, MD and a lot of the additional scenery is inspired by St. Michael’s, MD.
• Although, I’ve visited Maryland’s Eastern Shore numerous times, I wrote Her Unexpected Match while sitting in my home office staring out the window to all the deer who frequent my yard.
• My youngest daughter really wanted a Great Dane puppy, but we ended up with an English Bulldog instead.
• Allie’s favorite rom-com, 27 Dresses, is also in my top 10 favorite rom-coms list.
• Blue is my favorite color so I instantly fell in love with the cover of Her Unexpected Match when it arrived in my inbox.

What first attracts your main characters to each other?

Allie’s drawn to Ryan’s connection with his dog, Optimus. Of course, this is after the Merle Great Dane puppy’s exuberance accidentally knocked Allie down in the sand. As Ryan helps her up, he’s taken by the blue pumps she’s wearing that were obviously the wrong shoes to wear on a beach.
 

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

slow, sweet, surprising, romantic, unexplainable.
 

The First Kiss…

“So you don’t believe in matchmaking?”
“I believe in connections. Sometimes we may want to ignore them, other times we may act on them and they fail, leaving us raw and ragged. But they exist for better or worse.”
“This would be for worse,” she said just as he lifted a hand to push some strands of her hair back behind her ear. “I didn’t come here to be matched with anyone. I came here to write a story and to visit with my friend.”
“And I didn’t wake up one morning and say to Optimus “let’s head down to the beach and run into a beautiful woman”,” he said.
His fingertips brushed along her jaw and she shivered. “Then we’re on the same page.”
He nodded slowly. “I believe we are.”
“Good,” she whispered.
He cupped her face with one hand, tilting her chin as he leaned in closer.
“Good,” he repeated.
“So we understand each other.” She licked her suddenly dry lips.
“Completely,” he whispered the single word two seconds before his lips touched hers.

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

Allie screamed as her body was jerked from one side of the seat to other where she crashed right into Ryan’s waiting arms.
He’d done the teenage guy thing and dropped his arm across the back of the seat once the door to the car they were riding in had closed. There’d been enough space for another person between them, but his fingers had still brushed along her bare skin. The white top that crisscrossed and tied at her back left a lot exposed and he’d thanked the heavens for scantily designed summer clothes.
Now, his hands were on even more of her as she held on to the safety bar in front of them and he held on to her.
“This ride goes faster than I imagined,” she said as the car tilted and swerved all while the entire ride went in circles. Her hair, which was an array of curls this evening, blew in the wind, the sweet honey scent of her shampoo sifting through the air.
“I love it!” he said, hoping she didn’t pick up any undertones in his words.
Not that there were any. Ryan wasn’t in love with Allie.
But he did like her a whole lot.

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

She reached into her purse in search of the brochure she’d studied just as much as the town’s website. Her entire life was in her purse, at least that’s what Renee often joked. It was partially true, hence the reason she carried the huge leather tote bag instead of something smaller. Being prepared was her key to remaining composed, although, as her search continued, she feared she might be losing that battle today.
“Oh, come on, I know you’re in here somewh—”
Her words were cut off seconds after her legs took a hit and buckled in response. With a yelp that was neither cute nor dignified, Allie felt herself going down and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The one saving grace was that the sand cushioned her fall in a way the wood planks she’d been on previously wouldn’t have. Still, she hit with a thump, her head resting only a second before her eyes adjusted on the huge tongue being dragged across her nose.
And then her cheek, and then…
“Whoa, hold on Optimus. Sit! Sit!”
That was a man’s voice, but Allie was certain that wasn’t a man’s tongue on her face. At least she prayed it wasn’t.
“Sit Optimus! Sit!”
More yelling from the man, but the dog…yes, she was sure it was a dog now because its big floppy ears swished over her damp face when it decided to turn and listen to who she supposed was its owner.

Readers should read this book …

if they love a romantic slow burn story with some quirky islanders and a whole lot of cinnamon rolls thrown in.

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

I’m currently writing book #2 in the Crescent Matchmaker series, titled His Reluctant Match. It’s a grumpy/sunshine book featuring Bella, Allie’s sister. It’s set in the Fall so the scenery is gorgeous and Bella’s a photographer so she’s loving it as well.

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A Crescent Island tote bag as sold at the Emporium Gift Shop on the island. For US entries only.

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: If you could have dinner with one celebrity, who would it be and why?

 
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Excerpt from Her Unexpected Match:

“If I fall—”
“You’re not gonna fall,” Ryan interrupted and put a hand on each side of her waist.
Like that was going to keep her steady. Ryan’s hands on her were notorious for doing the exact opposite, although she’d been doing a fantastic job at ignoring thoughts like that for the past couple of hours they’d been together.
“I don’t know why I let you talk me into this,” she continued, taking a tentative step forward.
She’d wisely worn tennis shoes with her jean capri pants and purple halter top today. After Sofia had announced Ryan was coming to take her out sightseeing, she’d gone back into the bedroom, changed her shoes and pulled her hair back into a ponytail once more. At the time she’d had no clue where they were going but she’d wanted to be ready for anything.
Even wearing smarter shoes didn’t prepare her for this. She placed another foot in front of the first and felt her legs shaking beneath her. Arms stretched out straight she attempted to calm her thoughts, hoping that would resonate with her body and get her safely across this log. Toppling over into the water was going to be embarrassing and wet.
“Talk you into what? Being adventurous?” he asked from behind her.
Right behind her, just as he’d been only a step or two away from her everywhere they’d gone. Those places had included taking some of the leftover boxes from the restaurant and dropping them off at the community center where Ryan told her they were separating all the prizes for the games that would be featured at the carnival. It was their kickoff to the SummerFest activities and had been the talk of the Parker household since she’d been there.
“This is foolish, not adventurous,” she replied. “There was a perfectly good path right down that hill. Why we had to walk across this wobbly old log, I’ll never know.” And as if that log hadn’t liked how she described it, the thing twisted and her feet moved in double-time to stay upright.
“Whoa, there. You tryin’ to take us both down.” He chuckled and released his hands from her waist.
She didn’t look back but she suspected he was now holding his arms out too, figuring he needed to fend for himself at this point.
“Well, there’s no need in me swimming alone.”
He laughed. A rich, deep laughter that echoed through the trees and settled in her chest with a thud.
“You wouldn’t be alone. Optimus is tied to that tree over there enjoying himself in the water he’s able to reach.”
She frowned. “He’s at the lower end of the river,” she said. “You purposely put him over there, out of harm’s way. But then led me up here to do some daredevil act.”
“Sofia and I used to wear blindfolds and bet on who could get across here the quickest,” he said.
They were at the Springs, one of Sofia’s favorite places on the island. Allie could see why. The place was gorgeous. She’d seen waterfalls in Fiji and rainforests in South America and Tanzania, but neither of them compared to this. Here, the river had cut through the mountain, eroding the bedrock down its side panel until it snaked along in a fierce stream creating this frosty flush through the dark colored rock and vivid greenery. The water spilled into the lower river where more clefts had formed probably because of more erosion in the area. The beauty of nature never ceased to amaze her, especially when it was untouched as she suspected this area had been.
But this ridiculous log they were trekking over, was unnecessary. Or perhaps it was just to add to the beauty of the area, whatever the reason she wanted off of it right now.
She took faster steps.
“Oh, so now we’re racing?” he asked, amusement lacing his tone.
“No. Not racing, just hurrying up before I fall and break my neck on one of those river rocks.”
“I won’t let you fall.”
“You won’t be able to stop me,” she countered. “Your efforts would likely only take us both down.”
He laughed again.
“Really? That’s funny too? Both of us falling into the water.”
“Well,” he said between guffaws. “We are on an island. I mean, it seems natural that at some point in every day we’d end up in the water.”
She could see the river’s bank—a lush carpet of grass sprinkled with white flowers. “When I’m ready for a swim, I’ll put on my bathing suit and head to the beach,” she said and then leapt the short distance from where she stood to ground.
Her arms flailed as she landed, praying silently that she could stick the landing like she often watched the trained gymnasts do during the Olympics.
“Yeah!” Ryan yelled. “That’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout! See how you took that chance.”
He was right behind her as she leaned over, her hands on her knees as she tried to get her bearings. “You’re a goof.” She mumbled between breaths.
“Nah, I just like having fun.”
Allie looked up at him. “Was this fun?”
He sat down on the grass and leaned back to rest on his elbows. “Yeah, it was.” Optimus came running over, stretching his long leash until he could snuggle against his owner. Ryan immediately reached out a hand to rub the top of his head and then unhooked the leash from his collar.
Allie sat too, crossing her legs in front of her. “This is not my idea of fun,” she said and then looked around. “But it is gorgeous here. I can see why Sofia loves it.”
“Any places you love in Miami?”
Why did the sun’s beams have to snake through the trees and fall on him in golden slashes that made him seem like some perfectly crafted cover model?
She blinked away the thought and cleared her throat. “There’s a park I like to go to when I have free time. I can sit there and read for hours. Providing I have the right snacks.”
“Snacks?”
“Yeah, snacks,” she said and must have said the magic words for Optimus because he came over to her then, climbing up on her thighs. She stared down at him for a few moments before she gave in and cupped his adorable face with her hands. “You like snacks don’t you Optimus? We have to have the right ones to go along with what we’re reading.”
He arched a brow curiously. “Which snacks go with reading?”
“Ideally something that comes in pieces. Like junior mints, skittles, honey roasted almonds if you’re going the healthier route. That way you can pop a few in your mouth and keep turning pages—or swiping if you’re on an ereader—and snacking at the same time.”
The sound of his laughter once again had her looking over at him. “I’m glad I’ve been able to entertain you today.”
He shook his head. “I just think it’s cute that you have snacking down to a science. I mean, it’s also a little weird, but it’s still cute.”
“So, I’m weird and cute?”
He stared silently for a second. “You’re more cute than weird.”
It was her turn to laugh because the butterflies that now danced in her stomach shouldn’t be addressed. “Well, gee, thanks. I think.”
“What else do you do in Miami? Party with friends? Go out on dates?”
She paused and silence fell between him. Would he think she was pathetic, or worse, take pity on her if she said no to both? The thought made her feel like squirming, hating every second she let what someone thought of her matter in any way. And really, why was she talking to him about her personal life? Or even sitting by this lovely river with him on a pretty summer’s day? This wasn’t what she was here to do. She cleared her throat. “Does the Crescent Chamber of Commerce collect information on tourists?” She blurted out the question and watched as confusion covered his face.

Excerpts. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Travel writer Allie Sparks has one goal: to find the story that will save her career. So here she is, visiting her bestie on picturesque Crescent Island—with sun-warmed beaches, the briny smell of the ocean, and rumors of a secret astrologer-matchmaker who guarantees love. Of course, Allie doesn’t believe in any of that stuff. If anything, she’ll prove it’s a total scam.

Ryan Parker believes in love—just not right now. He’s focused on expanding his family’s barbeque business, finding investors, and keeping his too-big Great Dane puppy from jumping on everyone, including his sister’s pretty, whiskey-eyed best friend. Besides, falling for a tourist is definitely not in his astrological forecast.

Allie is doing everything she can to resist the charm of the town and its beauty, not to mention her attraction to Ryan. But there’s a lot more happening on Crescent Island than anyone knows…and when her story goes to print, this tiny, close-knit town might never be the same.
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