Spotlight & Giveaway: Second Tide’s the Charm by Chandra Blumberg

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Chandra Blumberg to HJ!

Hi Chandra and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Second Tide’s the Charm!

 
Thank you! I’m excited to share about Second Tide’s the Charm.
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Second Tide’s the Charm explores what happens when a marine biologist finds herself teamed up with her ex-boyfriend for a summer of shark research. Hope is eager to move back into shark science after three years of freshwater research in the Great Lakes. But she soon discovers the crew will be led by her handsome ex-boyfriend, Adrian.

Between an unexpected reunion to months spent in close proximity, Hope and Adrian find themselves thrown together from the start. Funny and tender moments abound as they navigate long days on the boat and their lingering feelings. Their only chance to succeed is to put the past behind them and work together, but their feelings keep getting in the way. This book is all about second chances in life and love. And sharks, lots of sharks!
 

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

Impossible to pick a favorite, but the first line captures Hope’s dedication to educating people about sharks and also her quirky outlook:

There’s a mother barreling toward me with rage-eyes and a kayak paddle, but it’s not my fault her kid interrupted the lesson to spout fishy inaccuracies.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

• Writing a book centered on shark scientists was a dream come true because I’ve loved watching shark documentaries since I was a kid. Even though Second Tide’s the Charm is a fictionalized portrayal of shark research, it was important to me to depict marine biology as authentically as possible. I did a ton of research using articles, scientific studies, blogs, and videos. Thanks to interlibrary loan, I checked out books on everything from field research techniques to shark species to books about life as a marine biologist.
• The heroine, Hope, is from my home state of Michigan, and I juxtaposed her upbringing on the shores of Lake Michigan with her choice to pursue an ocean-based career. There’s a scene where Hope and Adrian argue about which is better: sweet tea vs. unsweetened, and that comes from my own experience living in the Midwest and the south. People can be very opinionated about tea, and I had fun bringing that to life in the characters’ banter.

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

Adrian is attracted to Hope’s quirky sense of humor and wit. He’s drawn to how she’s unapologetically herself, never changing for others. Hope loves how Adrian puts himself wholeheartedly into everything he does. They’re both passionate about studying sharks, but he’s serious and earnest and she’s playful and irreverent, so it’s very much an opposites-attract situation.

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

One of my favorite scenes is when Adrian arrives at the beach to help fellow scientists with sea turtle conservation, only to discover Hope is volunteering as well. Their science banter definitely had me both laughing and blushing, which is probably my favorite kind of scene to write—and read!

“You know what? Never mind.” I suck in a deep breath and start walking again.

She keeps pace with me, abuzz with energy in the purple predawn light. “So you’re not willing to test your hypothesis?”

“It’s not a—”

“Knew you were bluffing,” she says, and I stop in my tracks.

Planting my feet, I face off with her. “Winner buys breakfast.”

“Aren’t the protein bars breakfast?”

The stare I give her is rendered ineffectual by the darkness, so I settle for a heavy sigh. “Granola bars aren’t even a snack.”

“Then why’d you bring them?”

“Survival.”

She laughs, a loud burst of sound that she smothers with her palm, and I want to pull her against me, to feel her vibrating with suppressed giggles, to dip my nose and breathe in the dewy tickle of her curls.

Readers should read this book….

If they love swoony romance and are fascinated by sharks or ever dreamed of being a marine biologist. Second Tide’s the Charm is perfect for readers looking for a story about two people finding their way back to each other, despite all the twists and turns of life.

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

I’m working on the first book in a Harlequin Special Edition small-town romance series. The Orchard Harbor books will be about finding love in a beachside town on the shores of Lake Michigan.

I’m also having a lot of fun writing my next book for Canary Street Press and can’t wait to share more details in the upcoming months!
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: One print copy of SECOND TIDE’S THE CHARM (US/Canada only)

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: Working in marine biology isn’t a career commonly shown in romance novels. What’s another unique job you’d love to see more of in romance?

 
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Excerpt from Second Tide’s the Charm:

When I finally catch my breath, I attempt a stern look, straining my neck to glare up at him. “First you accuse me of taking a casual swim in the marina, now you expect me to keep a straight face in this situation?”

His teeth hook into his bottom lip, apologetic, and oh gosh, I used to find that irresistible. His gaze flicks down my body, assessing my position, and my skin prickles with heat. He crouches down, the furrow between his brows making another appearance. “This might be worse than the time you got stuck in Gran’s rocking chair.”

“You would bring that up.” I keep my scowl in place, even though it’s hard not to smile at the memory. His grandma had an antique cane rocking chair on her porch when he brought me to meet her for the first time. It looked so inviting that I plopped down while he rang the doorbell and found out the hard way the chair was purely ornamental. I broke through the seat like Goldilocks, and after that first impression, I’m pretty sure his grandma isn’t sad I never moved back down south.

He lifts his eyes to mine, dark and deep, framed by jet-black lashes. “Okay if I help get you out?” His voice is exactly how I remember it. Warm. Deep. Luscious.

I nod. Adrian tucks his arms around me in an unexpectedly tender hold, and my heart pounds into overdrive. This pseudo-embrace shouldn’t leave me breathless. I try to visualize a scuba ascent or something equally focus-intensive as he tightens his grip and hoists me into the air.

The cooler comes with.

Goodbye, all semblance of dignity.

One of his arms is hooked under my knees, forearm rigid with muscles, biceps pressed against my thigh. “Let’s try again. Ready?”

Another nod, though the details of what I’m agreeing to are hazy because the irrational portion of my brain is soaking up the close contact with the objectively sexy man—emotional baggage aside—endeavoring, for the second time, to rescue me from a tricky situation.

He shifts, widening his stance, and pushes against the cooler with a rough exhale. I squeeze my eyes shut, though whether to capture the sensation of his breath against the delicate skin of my neck or block it out, I’m not sure. The next moment, my legs tumble free and he tightens his grip, holding me against him as the cooler clatters to the ground.

My cheek is pressed to a firm chest that feels like he’s been doing nothing but bench presses since I’ve been away, and I inhale the familiar scent of cedar and brine. Adrian. My eyes drift closed in reflex, savoring his embrace for one heartbeat, then another—the rhythm of his breath calming as the ebb and flow of waves at the shoreline.

Then he lowers me to the deck, the slide of my body against his leaving me breathless all over again. He steps back with a sharp inhale, bending to pick up my fallen towel. He shakes it out and wraps it around me, and the gesture is so caring, so like the man I used to love, that I don’t protest.
But his next words shatter the illusion that there’s anything left between us.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

At first glance, Hope Evans just landed the perfect job: spending the summer on a shark research boat. Except as every marine biologist knows, it’s what’s going on beneath the surface that counts, and Hope’s new position comes with a big catch—the boat belongs to her ex-boyfriend, Adrian Hollis-Parker. For three years Hope’s been treading water, staying away from anything that reminds her of their past. It’s time to dive back into a job that could springboard her career—and maybe offer much-needed closure.

Since their split, Adrian has risen to internet fame as a shark expert with the launch of his YouTube channel to dispel myths and educate viewers about sharks. But success rings hollow without Hope. Embracing this new career trajectory was a risk, but working in cramped quarters with the woman he never stopped loving? That has the potential to backfire in heartbreaking ways.

Side by side, weathering storms of every kind, they’ll have to navigate the murky waters of past hurts…and hope it’s not too late to chart a new course…
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Meet the Author:

Chandra Blumberg writes funny, heartwarming love stories about characters that feel real and relatable. Born and raised in Michigan, Chandra moved to the Chicago area after majoring in English at Michigan State University. When she’s not writing, she enjoys lifting heavy barbells at the gym, making a mess of the kitchen while baking alongside her four kids, and traveling with her family.
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