Spotlight & Giveaway: The Designer’s Secret by Nina Crespo

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Nina Crespo to HJ!

Hi Nina and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Designer’s Secret!

 
Hello Everyone! It’s good to be here.
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Layla Price takes on the challenge of ending a decades-old family feud before a much needed beach vacation. Driving through Maryland to take care of the situation, she ends up stuck on the side of the road. Bastian Raynes helps her out. Undeniable attraction leads them into spending a steamy night together. But things get complicated when she finds out that he’s on the other end of that family feud. She should stay away from him….but can she?
 

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

She knocked on the connecting doorjamb. “Hello.”

“Hey. Are you ready?” Bastian came into view.

Whoa… No, she was not ready for the cleaned-up version of Bastian.

His slicked-back, damp hair cleared a path to his riveting eyes. She couldn’t help but stare up at him. But lowering her gaze didn’t help.

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

The idea of a curse breaking payoff inspired this story. Zombie movies were a part of my research. My writing was powered by junk food.

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

Layla’s attraction to Bastian–his generosity, sexy smile, and ability to raid a vending machine for the good stuff.

Bastian’s attraction to Layla–her confidence, love of zombie movies, and she wears mud well.

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

Layla doesn’t believe in jinxes, but she has the worst luck. Imagining her in this scene made me smile.

Crawling out of the narrow ravine, Bastian planted a booted foot on the asphalt. “Anything el—” The mud under his other foot gave way. “Shit!”

“Whoa!” On a reflex, Layla reached for him, but only managed to grab his shirt. Tumbling forward, she smacked into him.

As they fell back, Bastian cradled Layla’s head to his chest as his other arm wrapped around her waist.

They hit the ground with a squishy splash.

Eyes closed, cheek pressed to his shirt, she recovered the breath she’d lost, inhaling the
pleasing scents of laundry soap and woodsy cologne.

A groan rumbled from his chest. “Layla…are you okay?”

She opened her eyes. The rental car’s headlights illuminated where they were in the ditch. “Yes. Are you?”

As she lifted her head, his hand moved away. His other arm went slack.

“Bastian…” Layla pushed slightly away from him. “Bastian.”

He didn’t move.

Oh no…

Readers should read this book….

for an escape. I hope they will fall in love with Layla and Bastian and their journey to happily ever after.

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

I’m currently working on Second Take at Love. It’s next up in the Small Town Secret Series and releases the end of February 2023. I’m also finishing edits on Fortune’s Dream House which is part of the multi-author Fortunes of Texas: Hitting the Jackpot series. It releases January 2023.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: A signed print copy of A Chef’s Kiss, Small Town Secrets, Book 1. (US mailing address required)

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: What’s your favorite junk food?

 
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Excerpt from The Designer’s Secret:

As he started to trace the plot on the blanket with his finger, she lost track of what he was saying.

Each stroke brought his hand closer to hers, and the silent wish that he’d touch her grew stronger.

Tamping down longing, she focused on his recap of the film. “Wait. Did you just say the robot scientists turn into zombies? What happened to the soldier-beasts?”

“That’s the best part.” As he reached for an M&M, his fingers grazed hers and a frisson of tingles ignited over her skin. “Elite soldiers blow up the lab, but they inhale the zombie dust in the air that has the DNA from the infected robots and it turns them into beasts.”

Disbelief partially cut through her awareness of him. “What? Wait? Zombie dust? There is no way on earth that is even close to the best zombie movie ever.”

“I thought it was a cinematic masterpiece.”

His solemn expression almost made her apologize. Until she caught the gleam of humor in his eyes. “That is not a real movie.” She tossed an M&M at him.

“Bastian caught it next to his chest. “Google it.” As he slipped the candy into his mouth, his amused, sexy smirk gave way.

His firm-looking lips looked perfect for delivering slow, long kisses. The kind with just the right amount of pressure that made you lean in for more and lasted until you had to breathe.

Imagining what her lips would feel like against his made her heart trip over a beat.

He pointed. “You have zombie dust on your face.”

Pretzel crumbs…embarrassing. At least it wasn’t drool…

Excerpt From
The Designer’s Secret by Nina Crespo
This material is protected by copyright.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Keeping it buttoned up…Promise not to tell?

Usually sensible Layla Price stuns herself when she spends the night with a handsome stranger. Blaming it on a freak rainstorm and Bastian Raynes’s heroic rescue, Layla believes she’ll never see him again. She’s only in this small town to end some silly family feud. Except…Bastian’s family is on the other end of that feud and Layla’s hiding her real identity. Adding this new drama to the old, Layla should steer clear of the former military man. But can she?
Book Links: Book Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | kobo | Google |
 
 

Meet the Author:

Nina Crespo lives in Florida where she indulges in her favorite passions — the beach, a good glass of wine, date night with her own real-life hero and dancing.

Her lifelong addiction to romance began in her teens while on a “borrowing spree” in her older sister’s bedroom where she discovered her first romance novel.

Nina’s sensual, award-winning, contemporary stories and steamy paranormal tales satisfy a reader’s craving for love, romance, and happily ever after. Her work has been published by Harlequin, Pocket Books, Kensington, and Entangled Publishing.

Stay connected with Nina on Instagram, Facebook, or through her newsletter.
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