Today please welcome Linda Poitevin on her Virtual Book Tour, promoting her novel A Fairy Tale for Gwyn.
A Fairy Tale for Gwyn – Blurb -
Gwyn Jacobs doesn’t believe in happy-ever-after.
Ever since her ex-husband walked out four years ago, abandoning her with a toddler and infant twins, Gwyn has been mother, father, and bread-winner all rolled into one. Her own scarred heart and failed marriage aside, she is determined not to open up her children’s lives to the possibility of another heartbreak…until her very own fairy tale falls into her lap — and the hero won’t take no for an answer!
“Linda Poitevin creates a story that brings laughter, tears and all the emotions in between and even makes one want to reach out to help at times….an exciting and evocative story.” – The Long and the Short of It Romance Reviews
Excerpt:
“I think you should,” he said.
Gwyn reached for the handrail and gripped it until the ache in her knuckles remained her only link to reality. She thought she should, too, but decided to make sure they were thinking about the same thing. “Should what?”
“Know why else I’m leaving.”
She gulped for air. She absolutely didn’t want to know, she told herself, because it was for the best, and reasons didn’t matter. They couldn’t matter. But when she tried to deny him, she managed only a thread of a whisper, a single word. “Why?”
Strong, heated fingers closed over hers, slid against them, twined with them.
“Because if I don’t leave now, I won’t leave at all.” Gareth’s thumb stroked her wrist, playing havoc with her pulse. “Because, besides missing my plane and breaking my contract, I’d still be here in the morning when your kids woke up, and you’d hate both of us if that happened. And because I respect you, and them, too much to do that to you.”
Gwyn squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on his words rather than his touch. Respect…kids…she felt certain the words should have some importance, but she couldn’t seem to get past the warm, pulsing ache spreading through her body.
Gareth’s voice swore in her ear. He’d moved closer. Close enough that his scent filled her senses to overflowing, and his hair brushed her cheek when she moved her head, and…
“You’re not helping,” he muttered.
Her eyes fluttered open. “Wh-what?”
“I said, you’re not helping,” he grated.
With a shock, Gwyn realized that he hadn’t been the one to move, and that her own feet had somehow shuffled forward, bringing her to teeter on the edge of her stair, her free hand resting against his shoulder for balance. Her face flamed. She dropped her hand and stepped back.
“I’m sorry.”
Gareth’s clenched jaw made his smile look somewhat tight. “Don’t be. I’m just a bit rusty at this honorable thing. Which brings us to the next discussion.”
Gwyn would have liked to retreat a few more steps before she tried to discuss anything with him, but he still held her hand captive. And with his thumb continuing to travel its hypnotic path over her wrist, she couldn’t muster the will to pull away. She cleared her throat. “What discussion would that be?”
“The one where we decide what we do now. You see, much as I’m enjoying Goldfish soup and doing chicken pox dot-to-dots, I’m afraid those pursuits still fall under the heading of friendship.” He lifted her hand in his, turned it over in his grasp, and traced a finger across her palm. “I meant what I said about wanting more than that from you, Gwyn, and I don’t know how long honor will hold out.”
Nothing on earth could have persuaded her to meet his gaze at that moment.
Gareth lifted his other hand to push a strand of hair away from her face. “Come away with me.”
Except maybe that.
Guest Blog – The Fairy Tale Inside A Fairy Tale
I must admit that when I began writing A Fairy Tale for Gwyn, the title was intended to refer to the heroine being swept off her feet by a gorgeous, famous hero whom she considered to be out of her league. (Be honest now: how many among us haven’t fantasized over an idol or two? ) The truth, however, is that I don’t really believe in fairy tales. At least, not the kind where the prince swoops in, saves the damsel in distress, and carries her off to his castle where they live happily ever after.
Then, as I got to know my heroine better, I remembered that, sometimes, there’s more to a fairy tale than a prince or knight in shining armor. That there are more kinds of distress than meet the eye, more to armor than the metal suits of old…and that there be dragons in need of slaying in all our lives.
Single mother Gwyn Jacobs has been on her own since her husband decided that he couldn’t handle fatherhood and left her with infant twins and a pre-school daughter to raise alone. Over the last four years, Gwyn has managed to build a good life for herself and her children, but busy wouldn’t even begin to describe her life. Working from home as an architect, she handles it all: sick kids, school issues, household and yard chores, social agendas, appointments, shopping, vacations…and the list goes on. Not only does she not have time for a relationship with a man, she tells herself, she refuses to take the risk of having either herself or her kids hurt a second time. (Note the fine suit of armor she’s donned between herself and the twin dragons of fear and distrust here.)
The truth is, Gwyn has never taken the time to deal with her hurt or sense of betrayal. By the time our hero, Gareth Connor, appears in her life, her armor is so much a part of her that she doesn’t even know she’s wearing it. Not only is she not looking for Mr. Right, she doesn’t even believe he exists (or ever existed), and before she can entertain the possibility, she’s going to have to face the dragons she didn’t even know she had in her life. And, like many of today’s damsels who don’t realize they’re in distress, the real rescuing is going to have to come from within her…although the gorgeous hero most definitely provides the inspiration!
And therein, my friends, is the real fairy tale behind A Fairy Tale…
Author Bio
Linda Poitevin lives just outside Canada’s capital, Ottawa, with her husband, three daughters, and a varied collection of animals. In her spare time, she gardens (organically), cans and freezes the family’s winter fruit and vegetable supply, knits (basically), crochets (better), and starts way more projects than she ever finishes. (Fortunately that doesn’t hold true of her books!) She loves spending time with her family, having coffee with friends, walking by the river and watching thunderstorms…in about that order.
Linda will be giving away a pair of artisan-crafted earrings as well as a $10 gift certificate to The Wild Rose Press (a total prize package worth $20) to one lucky commenter.
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