Spotlight & Giveaway: Not So Happily Ever After by Christina Phillips

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Christina Phillips to HJ!

Hi Christina and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Not So Happily Ever After!

Tell us about the book with this fun little challenge using the title of the book:

NOT for anyone who doesn’t love a happily ever after!
SO, friends to lovers is one of my favorite things, and
HAPPILY, Will and Mac, after sharing more than a kiss under the mistletoe a couple of years ago, decide to give their friendship another chance. But can they
EVER be more than a fling
AFTER the summer is over?
 

Please share the opening lines of this book:

I open the front door, ready to mock my best friend Brooklyn for turning up early for once. We’d planned to meet at the Portobello Road market in half an hour and spend the morning checking out the vintage jewelry, but the words lock in my throat as Will Hamilton gives me his bone-melting, knee-knocking smile.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

While I was writing the first book in this series (Cinderella and the Geek) I had a different hero in mind for Mackenzie. But as I wrote the second book (Once Upon a Player), it became clear that something was going on between Will and Mac – so I had to find out what!
 

Was there a scene in this book that was harder to write than others?

After Will and Mac decide to put their shared past behind them, they go out for a drink, strictly as friends. For some reason, it took me three complete rewrites before I (and my editor!) was happy with it!

Mac strolls into the pub about fifteen minutes after me. Even if I hadn’t been looking at the door, I would’ve known she’d arrived by the way all the guys’ heads turn in her direction.
She’s wearing black jeans and boots, and her hair is pulled into a ponytail. She catches sight of me, and her smile lights up her face.
I give a silent groan. This is Mac. Friends-only zone. Stop fucking staring.
There weren’t any tables free, so I’m propping up the end of the bar, and I back up, so she has room to squeeze in next to me. In her boots, she’s only a couple of inches shorter than me, and her long black lashes frame her blue eyes.
This is a mistake. You know that, right?
There’s no way I’m having a conversation with myself, least of all about my screwed logic in asking her out tonight in the first place. I catch the bartender’s attention and glance at Mac. “What’re you having?”
“Scotch.”
I give the order, aware that she hasn’t taken her gaze from me. “What?”
“You preempted me.”
“I what?”
“I owe you one from Saturday, remember?”
“Thought you were joking.” Although I’d hoped she wasn’t, especially when she agreed she missed the way we used to hang out together.
“Yeah, I was at the time. But then I thought about it. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Even though it’s too early in our renewed friendship to play the word games we used to, I can’t help myself. “Is that a trick question? Because I can think of a couple of things that might fall into that category.”
“Only a couple?” She smiles at the bartender and takes her drink. “You’re slipping.”
“Give me a break. It’s been a while since anyone’s put me under the spotlight.”
She gives a silent laugh and takes a sip of her drink. “Don’t tell me your social life’s come to a screaming halt now Lucas’s moved to Spain.”
It made an impact, but not as much as she probably thinks. “Lucas is my oldest mate. He’s not my only one.”
“That’s good to know. It’d just be sad if you were sitting all alone in your flat every night.”
I snort with laughter. “Seeing as I work late most nights, you can swap flat with office and you wouldn’t be far off.”
She rolls her eyes, and it’s obvious she thinks I’m joking. “I used to think you couldn’t exist without endless partying.”
“You’d be surprised.” Not that her comment is completely unjustified. I’ve done my fair share in the past.
“You obviously have hidden depths.”
I’m not sure if she’s taking the piss, now. “Is that an insult? Just so I’m clear.”
She laughs. “You’re really out of practice, aren’t you? You never used to ask me that before.”
“And you didn’t answer the question.”
“I don’t know how you think hidden depths can be an insult. If anything, it’s a compliment. In fact, you should write that down. I don’t give out compliments that often.”
“It shows.”
“Ouch.” She narrows her eyes at me as she tries not to smile. Goddamn, I’ve missed hanging out with her, and I only just stop myself from brushing back a stray curl that’s escaped her ponytail and fallen across her cheek.
Don’t fuck things up this time. And rule number one is no touching.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 

What do you want people to take away from reading this book?

A big smile and a happy sigh!
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A Kindle copy of Once Upon a Player (British Bad Boys #2)

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Book Info:

Two years ago, I accidentally, yeah maybe on purpose, crossed that line with my best friend and it ruined everything. I haven’t seen him much since.

But now he’s standing at my door.

Same lumberjack build. Same dark hair that begs my fingers to run through it. And then he gives me that half smile, and I know I’m about to agree to do something I’m going to regret.

I’ve got to spend two months with him now… and that’s not the worst part.

Book Links: Amazon |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Christina Phillips is an ex-pat Brit, who now lives in Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their family. She’s had more than twenty romances published, from novellas to single titles, in contemporary, ancient historical and paranormal. Whatever the subgenre, she writes on the sizzling side of naughty, and loves bringing her heroes to their knees (her heroines enjoy this, too )

She loves good coffee, expensive chocolate and bad boy heroes, although not necessarily in that order. She’s also owned by three gorgeous cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. As in all things, they are not wrong. Website    BookBub    Facebook    Twitter    Instagram    Goodreads