Welcome to Monique DeVere, my first guest author of 2021! I haven’t read this title yet, but it’s definitely on my TBR pile.

When an award-winning pastry chef marries a Sicilian-born restaurateur in a whirlwind romance she thinks she has it all…until he refuses to introduce her to his family.

This might be the biggest risk of her life.

When her whirlwind romance with gorgeous Sicilian-born restaurateur Matteo Giordano culminates in marriage, award-winning pastry chef Sabrina Newton-Giordano thinks she has it all…until Matt refuses to introduce her to his family. Sabrina desires their baby to have the same love she knew from her grandparents, but Matt’s outright rejection of his family could result in their baby never knowing his or her paternal grandparents, something Sabrina will not accept. Until that is, she hits on the perfect solution—run away to Sicily to meet the in-laws! 

Matt wants only one thing—to keep his wife and unborn child safe. For a man intent on never allowing anything to stand in his way, it should be an easy task. But Matt hasn’t bargained on how stubborn his irresistible, runaway wife can be. Despite his stern objections, she’s determined to form a relationship with his family. He knows, from past experience, they’d never accept her or the baby. Now Matt is torn between the urgent need to protect his wife and fear of causing her undue stress in her pregnancy. 

Excerpt

She kept him on his toes, he’d give her that. From the moment he met her he’d known she was unique to any other woman. The first hint was when he’d arrived unexpectedly to check on his London restaurant. Everyone, except Sabrina, had nervously tripped over themselves in his presence. She’d simply continued to work as though his arrival was as insignificant as a dust mote drifting past her head. The second hint had knocked him the moment she glanced up and locked eyes with his. Something he’d never experienced before had happened. His body had responded to the instant connection in a way that had been shocking and potent. He’d decided right then to make her his. Even then, she hadn’t made it easy for him. She’d resisted their attraction, had flat-out refused to have drinks, dinner, or—her words—anything else with him. To say that she’d become a challenge he’d fixated on was to understate the level of his attraction for Sabrina.

Then one day, after weeks of him putting his best moves on her and about to admit defeat, a delivery arrived at his office. It was a beautifully presented slice of his favourite dessert along with a note that read: if you want more, come and get it! He was pretty sure the soles of his handmade Italian shoes left scorch marks on his office rug in his haste to get to Sabrina. The rest had been white-hot sizzling sexy, whirlwind, and incredible. And now here he was, fighting to keep his marriage from falling apart only after eleven-and-a-half months of wedded bliss.

Matt washed his hands at the kitchen sink, then rummaged in the under counter fridge.

He chuckled. “Surprise, surprise, nothing but dessert and fruit.”

Yep, one thing he could be sure of was that he’d always find some sort of dessert in their fridge at home, thanks to Sabrina’s never-ending effort to create new and exciting after-dinner treats. And, oh look, she had his favourite dessert sitting in a small yellow and white cake caddy, as though she’d somehow been expecting him. When he grabbed the container his gaze landed on the four red apples in a bowl on the shelf below, so he snagged one of those, too.

Available on Amazon KindleUnlimited and to purchase from Amazon.

Book Purchase Link: https://smarturl.it/6mypb6

Monique DeVere grew up on a plantation on the beautiful island of Barbados, where her childhood was all about exploring and letting her imagination run free. She moved to the UK as a teen and soon fell in love at first sight with her amazing, strong-silent-type husband. They have four beautiful children and four incredible grandchildren.

Monique writes sweet ‘n’ spicy romance, and when she isn’t working on the next novel or movie script, she can be found spending time with hubby and family, armchair travelling, creating recipes, reading about health and nutrition, or working on her spiritual growth. She enjoys going for walks, gardening, or simply crazy-dancing around the house. Monique loves to hear from her readers. You can email her at monique@moniquedevere.com, or contact her by visiting her website: www.moniquedevere.com or blog: http://moniquedevere.blogspot.co.uk to learn more about her books. You can also visit her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/moniquedevere or follow her on Twitter: @MoniqueDeVere or Instagram: authormdv

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Where to Find Monique

Website | Blog | Newsletter | Amazon Author Page | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook Fanpage | LinkedIn | Wattpad | Pinterest | Instagram |

A few questions for the author:

Q: Do you write in other genres? 

A: Yes, I do, Sadira. As well as contemporary romance and romantic comedy (some with elements of mystery & suspense), I’ve now moved into Christian supernatural thrillers and Christian romance. Right now, I’m working on book #1 of my new Soul Food Prayer Group Series which is entitled: Soul Food Prayer Group: Ladies Who Pray. The series is women’s fiction/Christian romance set on the island of Barbados and follows ten women on their journey to love, healing, and forgiveness.

Q: Tell us about your journey from aspiring writer to published author.

A: I know people say this all the time, but I promise it’s true. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t making up stories—ha! No, not lies! Cheeky. When I was a child, I wrote short stories and sold them to my friends. By age fifteen, my stories progressed to my first full-length novel entitled Love in a Mystery. I continued to write short stories and some of them were published and read on local radio. My greatest desire was to write for Harlequin Mills and Boon. Sadly, I have now given up the dream, but you will notice some of my stories are of the category variety.    

Q: What do you do for fun when you’re not writing? 

A: First and foremost, I love working on my spiritual growth. If I’m not doing that, I’m spending time with hubby and our family. I work a lot, so enjoying family time is important to me.

Q: What does your writing space look like?

A: I have a study where I write. Here is a pic of my Yorkie—Autumn Buttercup—who has decided to keep my chair warm for me as she gives my latest chapter a quick read-through. She’s spotted something interesting in my new story…a Yorkie named Flossy. I think she approves.

Q: Any advice for aspiring writers? 

A: Write the stories you love to read, not what is currently trending. When the trend ends, where would that leave you as a writer?

Q: Authors always seem to have a teetering To Be Read pile. What’s in yours?

A: At the moment, I have a ton of Christian authors to-be-read. I’m currently reading Though I stumble by Kim Cash Tate; I’ll Be Home by Toni Shiloh; and He’s Fine…But is He Saved by Kimberley Brooks. Yes! I tend to read more than one book at a time J 

Q: What makes you put down a book without finishing?

A: I have very little patience with slow writing. If the author is slow to get to the point, I’m more likely to stop reading long before the characters annoy me. If the book is fast-paced, I’ll read to the end regardless of the characters’ flaws. Let’s face it; even living, breathing people make some truly dumb, self-destructive decisions.

Q: Which authors have inspired you?

A: Sidney Sheldon, Jill Shalvis, Christie Craig, and Susan May Warren. That said, I’m now finding a lot of new-to-me Christian authors I like.