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ABOUT THE BOOK
He doesn’t need any trouble. She can’t seem to escape it.
Detective Daniel “Boone” Buckam is more than burned out. After fourteen stellar years on the job, one bad judgment call—and, fine, a whole lot of cynicism—has forced him into a mandatory vacation in Deep Haven. If he can get his head on straight, there’s a job as Police Chief waiting for him back in his Minneapolis suburb. And then, he meets Vivien.
Actress Vivien Calhoun isn’t really a drama queen. Sure, she gets swept up in the emotions of life—but please, she’s an actress. Or, um, was until a stalker made her flee the bright lights of Broadway. Now, she’s passionate about directing her local theater production. But when she accidentally ropes an uptight police detective on vacation into her cast, she can’t help but wonder if he might be the leading man she’s always longed for.
Boone can’t help but like Vivien. He might even have a type—vivacious and bubbly, with a penchant for attracting danger. He can smell trouble even if she can’t, and is pretty sure her stalker has hunted her all the way to Deep Haven. He’ll have to stay by her side—even if it means being in her silly play—to keep her safe. But Vivien is more than he expected as she helps him discover a part of him he’s locked away…the part that said he could never love again.
It’s summertime in Deep Haven, and the fun is heating up in this laugh-out-loud, charming story.
Publisher: Sunrise Publishing
Release Date: July 6, 2021
OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES
EXCERPT
One of the men from the group ordering walked over and set up camp at a nearby table. “You’re the guy who was with Vivie yesterday, right?”
Boone placed a thumb between the pages to hold his place and looked up.
A large guy with a thick, brown beard and far too much humor in his eyes reached out a hand. “Casper Christiansen.”
“Boone Buckam.” He took the offered hand. “Just visiting. Here for a little R & R.” He ignored the comment about Vivien.
Another man approached from the counter.
“Hey—you’re Caleb’s friend, right?”
Boone gave him a nod.
“Seb Brewster.” The man set down his drink and sat across from Casper. “I heard you’re going to help Caleb and me coach the team. He’s been talking you up ever since we saw you with Vivie yesterday.”
“Oh, that was just an…accident.”
Seb raised a brow. “You should swing by and pick up a donut from my wife over at World’s Best. The football team has a fundraiser every year. It’s a big event—maybe you can help us sell donuts. We’re always looking for another hand.”
“I’ll be sure to do that.” Boone opened his book back up, his eyes skimming over the introductory paragraph again.
The other men brought their drinks to join the gathering at the nearby table.
“Weren’t you with Vivien yesterday?” This time, a man in a deputy’s uniform—one Boone recognized from Vivien’s passing parade introductions—was looking at him. Cole, if he remembered correctly.
Boone swallowed. Maybe he should wear a sign.
Vivien has a way of knowing everyone. That, apparently, was a two-way street. Caleb had neglected to articulate on that.
The group’s collective curiosity was written plainly on their faces, all eyes on him.
“You know, it just worked out that while she was admiring my car, we got stuck in the parade.”
He got a few slow nods. More smirks than anything else.
“Really?” This from Casper, who took a gulp of his coffee while Boone looked at his own cup, wishing he did have some water.
“Boone?” The door clanged closed behind a man, vaguely familiar, looking at him. It took a beat for Boone to recognize billionaire playboy Adrian Vassos from Kellogg. He was the last person Boone expected to run into in Deep Haven.
He wore jeans with a blue T-shirt that matched the rest of the crew at the nearby table, his long, dark hair pulled back. Adrian nodded to the table with Casper, Cole, and Seb like he was with the Spanish Inquisition and wove his way over to Boone.
“Boone Buckam. Seriously. Small world.”
Boone stood and met his handshake. “Hey, Adrian. What are you doing here?”
“I’m here for a work crew meeting. We’re building a new Crisis Response Team headquarters.”
So, the Vassos empire had moved from hotels to…Crisis Response Teams? Huh.
“Good to see you.” Boone stepped to the side to let a customer pass. He’d always liked Adrian, despite some of his family’s business tactics. Adrian never treated him as lower class.
“Do you want your usual, Adrian?” Kathy called from the now-empty front counter.
His usual? Boone looked from Kathy to Adrian. “You don’t live here, do you?”
“That sounds perfect, Kathy,” Adrian answered. He turned back to Boone. “I’ve been in Deep Haven since late spring. What about you—wait, was that you in the parade yesterday? With Vivie? I didn’t know you were dating someone from Deep Haven.”
Boone’s shoulders slumped. “It was. No, we’re not dating. I’m just here on…vacation.”
Adrian lowered his voice, glanced at the couple, who sounded like they were now debating the acceptable cost of a wedding gown. “Does this have to do with that lawsuit?”
Boone frowned. “You heard about that?”
“Well, it was pretty big news.”
“Landry wants me to take some time away from work. He’s ready to retire.”
“Oh, that’s big news. Are you going to put in for it?”
“Yeah—if I can complete all the vacation activities he’s tasked me with.”
Adrian raised a brow. “Such as…?” He moved to the side to let two gray-haired women pass on their way to the exit.
Boone measured his words. “You know, read, explore the great outdoors. Lower my blood pressure and do things people do on vacation.”
“Oh, there’s lots to do outdoors here.” Adrian nodded to the other table. “You can always come by and help us on the build. We’re doing as much of the interior work as we can ourselves to save money.”
“And it’s for a Crisis Response Team, you said?”
“It is. It’s fairly new. Team members are still being brought on board and we just purchased a helicopter.”
Kathy called Adrian to the counter for his order. He wove his way through the tables, several new patrons greeting him on his way by.
Boone sat down. If he had to guess, he suspected some of Vassos’s fortune may have paid for a large part of the helicopter purchase, if not all—though by the looks of it, Adrian had shaken free of some of the family constraints. He had an ease about him Boone hadn’t seen before.
Adrian returned, took a drink, and Casper rose from the nearby table and headed back up to the counter.
“This region has probably needed a team like that—for Crisis Response.”
“It has. You should stop by. You can’t miss it—big vacant lot at the north end of town with the new construction.” He looked over at the group of men drinking coffee. “I’d better head over to our table so we can get started.”
The deputy’s chair scraped across the floor as he slid it out of the way. Adrian pulled up a seat.
“I didn’t know you knew the guy who’s dating Vivie.”
Boone cringed at the deputy’s words.
Not. Dating. Vivie.
Adrian raised his eyes to Boone, laughed. “He’s not dating Vivie.”
“I’m right here.” Boone shook his head. Small towns.
Five weeks. He just had to survive five weeks.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Rachel D. Russell is a member of Oregon Christian Writers and My Book Therapy’s Novel Academy, and is a regular contributor to the Learn How to Write a Novel blog. The mother of two teenagers, she often interrogates her husband on his own military and law enforcement experience to craft believable heroes in uniform. The rest of her time is spent cantering her horse down the Oregon trails. Visit Rachel at www.racheldrussell.com.
Merging the creative energies of best-selling authors Susan May Warren and Lindsay Harrel, Sunrise Publishing is the matchmaker for established authors who want to build on their current success for future growth and aspiring authors looking to break out, build an audience, and hone their writing skills.
GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card + 3 Then Came You ebooks (one ebook for the winner and two to give to friends)!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight August 3, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on August 10, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
TOUR SCHEDULE
I liked the excerpt. Sounds great!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteSounds really good
ReplyDeleteThe excerpt leads me to think that there is a lot going on in Deep Haven.
ReplyDelete