Spotlight & Giveaway: His Convenient New York Bride by Andrea Bolter

Posted January 2nd, 2020 by in Blog, Spotlight / 62 comments

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Andrea Bolter to HJ!
Spotlight&Giveaway

Hi Andrea and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, His Convenient New York Bride!

 
Hi Readers! Happy holidays and new year!
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Jin Zhang needs a wife in order to inherit his family’s fashion label, his father making that a condition of his will. After Jin’s bitter divorce from a cheating spouse, he’ll never marry again in earnest so enlists the help of his best friend’s little sister Mimi Stewart, who he’s known for years, to pose as his wife. What he doesn’t know, though, is that Mimi has always been in love with him. She’s a budding fashion designer and he also needs her help professionally, which could be a big career break for her. They marry and move in together, and begin work on a collection of clothes to get the company back on top after Jin’s father had mismanaged it. During Spring New York Fashion Week, they visit runway shows and industry parties. It’s also the Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown where Jin’s company is located, and they participate in the traditions and pageantry. In the course of Jin and Mimi’s new life together, kisses “just for show” don’t feel like pretend, and they become a real couple. But Jin will never trust love again, not after betrayals from both his father and his ex-wife. Likewise, Mimi has just ended a destructive relationship and vowed never to give her heart to a man again, plus the pain of her parents’ deaths serve as a constant reminder of the risk of loss. When Jin sees her with another man and assumes she, too, is cheating on him, he calls things off. Fortunately, their friendship brings them back together to a love that is always in fashion.
 

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

It was as if fiery little sparks that only she could see ignited every time Jin’s hands made contact with her skin. Which, during exchanges like this, or during a hug goodbye, or a hand up an unsteady surface, had happened about a million times in the thirteen years she’d known him. Jin’s sparks were Mimi’s deepest secret.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

I really enjoyed learning about some of the traditions for Lunar New Year, the most observed holiday on the Chinese calendar. The spectacular parades with all their energy and symbolism. The dragon dances with human participants holding the long costumes above them with poles, sometimes as many as a dozen just to hold up one dragon. Every cymbal crash, gong and drumbeat making a loud percussive sound, and faces of the dragons and their aggressive dancing, are all thought to drive away evil spirits.

 

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

Jin and Mimi have known each other since they were teenagers. When they embark on the phony marriage, Jin has no idea that living and working side by side with someone he genuinely trusts and is his true self around would make him reconsider his decision never to be in a romantic relationship again. For Mimi, she’d always been in love with Jin. His soulfulness combined with his intensity have always had her heart. In helping him avenge his father, protect his mother and honor his grandfather, Mimi’s esteem for him deepens even further.

 

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

Because Jin had been so betrayed in the past, he’s devastated when he thinks Mimi is cheating on him. Jin is such a noble and upstanding man, my heart was pounding for him when jealousy, born of his own pain, got the best of him. Here’s the moment:
Mimi’s mind drained blank when she glanced out the café window. Pedestrians hurried past, darting this way and that in the endless bustle that was New York City. But amongst the movement, one stationary figure caught her eye. It was Jin. Wearing his heavy black overcoat he stood still, glaring at Mimi through the glass window where she huddled inside at a small table with Uri.

 

Readers should read this book….

I write whisk-you-away stories so I think readers will have a lot of fun coming with me to both New York’s fashion scene and to the sights and tastes of Chinatown. And the Brother’s Best Friend set-up is really appealing to me. Forbidden fruit.

 

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

My June book takes place in the world of Paris real estate. Captivated By Her Parisian Billionaire finds buttoned-up CEO Jules and freewheeling designer Zoe clashing in every way possible…until they don’t. We visit all the Paris sights, which was a joy to write. And at the moment, I’m working on a reunion story set in Seattle where former lovers are Maid of Honor and Best Man at a wedding.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

 

Giveaway: A signed copy of His Convenient New York Bride (US only) or a digital copy if elsewhere.

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: As I mentioned, I was interested to learn about some of the traditions for Lunar New Year. What’s a holiday tradition that’s important to you?

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from His Convenient New York Bride:

Jin’s mother looked to him in shock. “You and Mimi? Married?” A wise smile came across Bai’s pale lips.
Eyes darting back and forth across the room, Jin knew he needed to respond. After Mimi had initially refused his proposal, it seems she’d changed her mind. She had, however, neglected to inform him of the news.
He turned to her with a squint. She had taken his hand when she made her announcement. There they were still, linked at his kitchen table. Ready. Set. Go. He began the hoax by stroking the top of Mimi’s hand with his thumb. Even though he’d held her hand a hundred times before, he was surprised by its remarkable suppleness.
“Yes, Mom, we wanted to tell you when we were home alone, that’s why we didn’t say anything earlier today.” Jin’s mind suddenly whirled with all the truth-bending and excuses this arrangement was going to necessitate.
Mimi concurred with a lilt to her head that was almost a parody of a blushing bride. She released his hand. Strangely, Jin instantly missed her touch.
Tears pooled in Bai’s eyes. Fluttering Jin’s gut.
“Mom.” On one hand, he’d like nothing better than to make his mother happy. On the other, he and Mimi were now out and out lying to her, and he didn’t anticipate how uncomfortable that was going to make him feel. All in all, though, Jin believed this masquerade was for the best so he bowed his head to Mimi with a silent gratitude he hope she registered.
“I have to confess,” Bai said as she placed her hand at her neck for demure composure. “I’ve always wished for this. In my heart, I’ve long thought you two belonged together.”
“You did?” Mimi asked.
“Look how you’ve stayed the best of friends all through the years. You’ve supported each other through thick and thin. You laugh together. You’ve cared for each other. Haven’t we seen that’s what matters?”
“That’s the conclusion we came to,” Mimi piped up. “After Helene and after Gunnar, Jin and I realized that what matters is our friendship. That we could grow a life together out of that. We decided to make a practical decision and partner up.”
How was Mimi spewing all of that? She was a brilliant actress.
Right before his very eyes and ears, Mimi was solving his first set of problems. He’d inherit the LilyZ company as was his due. He wanted to grab her and hug her and thank her a million times over for that alone. Vowing to himself, he’d make this worth her while. He wouldn’t ruin anything for her. She’d have her big and true love later in life. This was just for a year.
“Jin has been so good to my brother and I,” Mimi smiled sweetly to her future mother-in-law. The thought of which again caused Jin to flinch a bit at the phony logic they were espousing.
“You two have meant just as much to me,” Jin chimed in. “Mimi will sign on as our new designer.”
Bai’s eyes danced with her continued delight. “Yes. As it should be.”
“It will be my honor, Mamabai, to help grow LilyZ to where Jin wants to take it.”
In that moment, Jin wanted to take Mimi in his arms and give her a kiss, as a soon-to-be groom would. He wasn’t sure if the impulse was to put on a convincing show for Bai, or simply out of appreciation. In any case, he held himself back.
“Have you thought about your wedding?” Bai asked excitedly.
Jin most certainly hadn’t, as this was all happening so fast. With Helene, he’d had a traditional wedding. They walked down an aisle, him in a tuxedo and Helene in, now that he thought about it, an awful puffball of a wedding dress.
As a matter of fact Mimi was one of the bridesmaids, looking better than the bride in a simple pewter-colored gown. They’d had a reception with a deejay and food he couldn’t remember before departing on their honeymoon to Bermuda where Helene ordered her first cocktails with breakfast every day.
“I think under the circumstances given that Jin and I are old friends, and that it will be a second marriage for him, we should just have a courthouse ceremony with you and Aaron in attendance,” Mimi answered Bai.
“I thought you always wanted a traditional wedding,” Bai said. “Wasn’t it a tasteful gown with forest green velvet trim and a pearl headband rather than a veil?”
Mimi mulled that over, a troubled expression coloring her pretty face. She said finally, “I was a lot younger then.”
Jin and Mimi needed to talk about this in private. He did not want her disappointed.
Bai gushed. “I’d like to do something for you kids.”
“We’re not exactly kids,” Jin protested.
“Let’s have some friends join us for a nice dinner somewhere. Mimi, can I buy you a dress?” Bai still didn’t know that every dime she spent came out of Jin’s personal pocket, that in reality LilyZ had ceased making money years ago. He and Mimi would need to turn that around.
In a strange way, Jin thought that with Mimi by his side anything was possible.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

A secret, a deal…a New York wedding!
Aspiring fashion designer Mimi’s been in love with her brother’s best friend, millionaire Jin Zhang, forever. When he needs her help to save his family’s fashion label, he offers Mimi everything she’s dreamed of—a job and the chance to become his bride! After his own heartbreak, Jin is used to guarding his heart closely, so what will happen to their marriage by design when Jin discovers Mimi’s secret?
Book Links: Amazon | B&N |  kobo |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Andrea Bolter has always been fascinated by matters of the heart. In fact, she’s the one her girlfriends turn to for advice with their love lives. A city mouse, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. She loves travel, K-Pop and rock n’ roll, sitting at cafés, and watching romantic comedies she’s already seen a hundred times. Say hi at andreabolter.com.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GoodReads |
 
 
 

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62 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: His Convenient New York Bride by Andrea Bolter”

  3. laurieg72

    My mom always told me to eat herring on New Year’s Eve for good luck. We do enjoy it every year. Last year we were blessed with 2 new granddaughters!

  4. Diana Tidlund

    For New Year’s we stay home because we think it’s too dangerous to drive with all the drunks out there so we go out to eat locally by five and we’re home by six. Then we watch the ball drop

  5. Anita H.

    Spending a day in early December decorating the house for Christmas. It’s just a fun time to hang out with the family and catch up during the busy holiday season.

  6. Pamela Conway

    No real holiday traditions anymore but just spending time with friends & family.

  9. Karina Angeles

    Spending time with both sides of the family-my family and the in-laws.

  12. Lori R

    I like our tradition of a Christmas eve buffet and watching a movie together.

    • Andrea Bolter

      Nice. We usually watch something that has holidays in it, though maybe not directly a holiday movie. Like this year we watched Die Hard (we’re a little wacky LOL).

  13. Latifa Morrisette

    I don’t have any holiday traditions. I’m just really big on family time.

    • Andrea Bolter

      Let’s see – we eat, watch movies, watch sports, eat, eat and then sometimes, weather permitting, we walk before eating again LOL!

  15. Pammie R.

    Big Mac’s on Christmas Eve and Pizza on New Year’s eve. I am the one that does the majority of the holiday cooking so this gives me a break before the holiday. When I was a kid, we used to have potato chips and dill pickle dip as we watched the ball drop.

    • Andrea Bolter

      Yes, getting takeout food or something easy is necessary for sanity during that busy time! Potato chips and dill pickle dip, I like that!

  16. dbranigan

    I always set goals and reflect on the year, but no resolutions. My main goal this year is to organize family photos. (I have a LOT from many generations)

  21. Amy R

    What’s a holiday tradition that’s important to you? getting together with family

  23. BookLady

    We get together with family and friends for a casual New Year’s Eve buffet and watch the ball drop.

  26. Jade Boger

    We always have sprite with frozen blueberries in it. We also go around and each say 3 things we are grateful for. This year we set off fireworks which was amazing!

    • Andrea Bolter

      Those are fabulous traditions! Frozen fruit in Sprite, I’ve never thought of that but can imagine exactly how that would taste.