Spotlight & Giveaway: The Promise of Us by Jamie Beck

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Jamie Beck to HJ!

Hi Jamie and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, The Promise of Us!

Give us a quick snapshot of your newest novel The Promise of Us.

The blurb does a good job of outlining the main conflict in the story. At its heart, this book is based on some favorite romance tropes (best friend’s older brother, unrequited crush, second chance-ish) although the circumstances are unusual. Basically, Logan returns to town to help his sister recover and, in his desire to help his sister mend fences with Claire, he hires Claire to redecorate his apartment. What starts out as a somewhat manipulative—though well-intentioned—plan flips on him. He remembers the version of Claire from before the gunshot wound and wants her to stop living in fear, so he sets about slowly challenging her limits to help her lead a fuller life. In the process, he falls for her, although his job and wanderlust (and Claire’s inability to forgive Peyton) conspire to make her push him away. Ultimately, they have to figure out how to compromise if they want things to work out.
 

You aren’t afraid to dig into difficult subjects in your books. Tell us a bit about the situations that your three main heroines face in your Sanctuary Sound series.

I’m definitely not afraid of difficult subjects, although I do bear in mind that readers pick up romance novels for the romance, so I broach difficult subjects with a light touch. In this series, we have a few things happening. First, there’s been a rift between two of the three childhood friends, leaving one friend caught in the middle. On top of that, each of these women has faced or is facing a rather traumatic situation of her own. Steffi is dealing with the mental and emotional fallout of a recent brutal attack. Claire sustained a permanent injury as a result of random gun violence that has hobbled her physically and emotionally. And Peyton is undergoing breast cancer treatment.

The friendship rift is played out over the series, but each book is about one of the friend’s personal journey to overcome her trauma and find love. I did a lot of research for this series, so I hope that readers find them interesting and realistic. I think all three women–even the one who betrayed her friend–are worthy of respect and redemption.

What draws you to writing romance novels? Specifically why is it important that your characters have happily-ever-afters?

I have a strong sense of fairness and desire for justice, so I love that, in romance novels, good defeats evil and love conquers all. It is the world as it should be, so to speak. The fact that I get to control who the characters are, what they do and say, and how it all resolves is something quite comforting when in real life it is the exact opposite (I control nothing and justice isn’t always meted out).

I also think readers like to live vicariously through books, especially books that deal with relationships (romantic, familial, and friendship). If we pick up a book that in some way mirrors a personal crisis of our own, we might learn something from a wise character and find hope in a happy outcome. Unlike a twisty thriller, a romantic novel could quite literally change our outlook and lives.

What is the best part about being a romance author? What is the most difficult part?

The best part is the feeling I get when a fan writes me a personal note via email or direct message. It’s really something to touch someone with a story or character you’ve created. I especially love it when that reader feels uplifted or inspired by something I wrote (as opposed to merely entertained, which is also lovely).

The most difficult part for me is when I get to the middle of a draft and become convinced that I am a fraud, that every word is terrible, and that I should delete the entire manuscript. I have learned I am not alone in this self-doubt, but that is little comfort. Early on, I thought that feeling would subside as I gained experience. So far, it has not!
 
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: eBook: THE PROMISE OF US (Sanctuary Sound Book 2) by Jamie Beck

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Book Info:

They couldn’t be more different…or more completely perfect for each other.

Claire McKenna knows about loss. The bullet wound that ended her promising professional tennis career drove her to make a quiet life for herself working with fabric samples, chatting with her book group, and spending time with her parents in her sleepy coastal Connecticut hometown. Then there was the boyfriend who dumped her to pursue her adventurous childhood friend. Now, Claire’s business has hit a financial snag, but she’s up to the challenge. After all, she can survive anything. At least she thinks so…until her teen crush, Logan, returns to town with his sister, Claire’s traitorous friend.

Photographer Logan Prescott is more playboy than homebody. But his sister’s illness teaches him that there’s more to life than chasing the next thrill. Bent on helping her win Claire’s forgiveness, he turns his charm on Claire and offers her big bucks to renovate his multimillion-dollar New York City condo.

After years of playing it safe, Claire must now take some risks. The payoff could be huge, but if it all falls apart, can her heart recover from another loss?

Meet the Author:

National bestselling author Jamie Beck’s realistic and heartwarming stories have sold more than one million copies. She’s a Booksellers’ Best Award and a National Readers’ Choice Award finalist; and critics at Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist have respectively called her work “smart,” “uplifting,” and “entertaining.” In addition to writing, she enjoys dancing around the kitchen while cooking and hitting the slopes in Vermont and Utah. Above all, she is a grateful wife and mother to a very patient, supportive family.
For fun tips, exclusive content, and a chance to win the monthly birthday reader box, please sign up for her newsletter at jamiebeck.com.
Jamie also loves interacting with everyone on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JamieBeckBooks.