Welcome to our tour stop for Lifers by Jane Harvey-Berrick.
This is an Adult Contemporary for ages 18+. The tour runs Feb. 24th - March 5th.
Check out the Tour page for the full schedule.
Lifers by Jane Harvey-BerrickReleased Feb. 7th, 2014
435 pages
ISBN 9780957496187
Synopsis:
After eight years in prison, twenty-four year old Jordan Kane is the man everyone loves to hate.
Forced to return to his hometown while on parole, Jordan soon learns that this small town hasn’t changed since he was sent away. He is the local pariah, shunned by everyone, including his own parents. But their hatred of him doesn’t even come close to the loathing he feels every time he looks in the mirror.
Working odd jobs for the preacher lady, Jordan bides his time before he can leave this backwards town. But can time or distance erase the pain of living?
Torrey Delaney is new in town, and certainly doesn’t behave in a way the locals believe a preacher’s daughter should. Her reputation for casual hook-ups and meaningless sex quickly spreads. And that’s on top of her budding friendship with the hardened ex-con handyman—the good Reverend is less than thrilled with her estranged daughter’s path.
As friendship forms, can two damaged people who are afraid to love take their relationship to the next level? Can Torrey live with Jordan’s demons, and can Jordan break through Torrey’s walls? With the disapproval of a small town weighing heavily on them, they struggle to find their place in the world. Can they battle the odds, or will their world be viciously shattered?
Is love a life sentence?
Excerpt:
“Don’t you have a long shirt, or something you can wear to cover up your arms? And you really need some work-gloves. I’ll tell Mom to buy you some. For now, you’d better use these.”
She threw me a pair of pink rubber dish gloves. I stared at them in disbelief.
“I cain’t wear those!”
“Is this some macho bullshit thing about not wearing pink? You’d rather get your arms ripped all to pieces?
Do you actually have two brain cells to rub together to keep your head warm?”
“Do you ever make any tips when you’re waitressin’, ‘cause you’re so damn charmin’?” I snapped back.
I could have bit off my tongue when I realized I’d said that out loud.
She sat back in her chair, and I wasn’t sure if she was fixing to bawl me out or if she was fighting down a smile.
“Hey! I can be charming—when I want to be!”
And then she laughed. God it was a wonderful sound. People didn’t laugh much around me, and I certainly hadn’t heard my folks laugh lately. It stirred something deep inside me. I didn’t know what it was, but I liked it.
Her amusement finally ended in an unladylike snort, and I could feel my lips turning up in an awkward smile.
“I can be charming,” she said, again.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah!”
“Prove it!” I taunted her.
She blinked in surprise, and then her smile turned devilish. I wondered what wicked thoughts were hiding behind that pretty face.
“Oh, baby,” she said, her voice all soft and sweet. “I can be charming! Now let me look at those cuts on your poor lil’ arms. Poor you; poor baby.”
And she leaned forward, giving me an eyeful straight down her tank top. She wasn’t wearing a bra and I could see soft, golden mounds of flesh. I closed my eyes and bit back a moan.
I don’t know what she saw in my eyes when I opened them, but her flirty words came to a sudden stop.
“Sorry,” she said, quietly. “I didn’t mean to tease. I was just playing.”
I nodded, uncomfortably aware that if I stood up now it would be obvious just how much her words—and lack of clothing—affected me.
About the author:
I started writing contemporary romance two years ago. Before that, I didn’t think I could write a sex scene.Turns out I can!
My lucky number is 13 because I was born on the 13th and live near a haunted castle by the ocean. My number one past-time is watching hot surfers get changed into (and out of) their wetsuits.
My husband doesn’t read my books. My mother does.
Writing is my love, my hobby, my total addiction. All my characters are important to me and whisper their stories, even when I’ve finished writing their books. That’s why you’ll often find bonus chapters/out-takes from various books, because those voices just won’t be quiet.
Readers can find bonus chapters for several of my books on my website www.janeharveyberrick.com
Thanks for hosting a tour stop today, we really appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support! You chose one of my fave excerpts. Hope you enjoyed it : )
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