Monday, August 21, 2017

YOU SAY IT FIRST BY SUSAN MALLERY-REVIEW AND EXCERPT TOUR

   

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool’s Gold romances Susan Mallery, comes the first standalone title in the Happily, Inc. Series—YOU SAY IT FIRST! You’re invited to visit Happily, Inc., a wedding destination founded on a fairy tale. Where people live… wait for it… happily ever after.

Order your copy today!

   

YOU SAY IT FIRST Synopsis:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fool's Gold romances invites you to visit Happily Inc, a wedding destination founded on a fairy tale...

Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks--mainly the venue's captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won't let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he's all in.

Pallas adores Weddings in a Box. But if she can’t turn the floundering business around, she’ll have no choice but to cave to her domineering mother and trade taffeta for trust funds working at the family’s bank. Then when a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her. Nick knows she doesn't belong behind a desk, and she knows in her heart that he's right—where she really belongs is in his arms.

Get your copy of YOU SAY IT FIRST here!



Susan Mallery books are like sitting down with a good friend and hanging out. No matter the setting, or the characters, or the plot, you know you are going to enjoy the book and be glad that you read it.

So, when I got ahold of this one, I dove right in.

Nick and Pallas are wonderful together, and so perfect. A woman who is afraid she is not good enough to be worthy of love, and one who feels that love always has to be earned, that it is not given freely. Nick is afraid of the kind of love that consumes a person, as he has seen the damage it can do (his parents are the ones he looks at for this example) and he wants nothing to do with a great passion.

But, as all best laid plans do, this goes awry as Pallas learns that you can love someone, without them asking or demanding it, and Nick learns that it might, possibly, be ok to love someone with passion, that his life is lacking because he closes himself off to this.

Susan Mallery's books are character driven and they are focused on the people in the stories, not just the romance. There were references to Fool's Gold, which were fun for those who have read the books. There is a slight connection in the new Happily Inc. to that series, but not enough of one that you are unable to read this as a standalone without reading all of the other books. That said, the plot of this does have a minor spoiler to one of the Fool's Gold plot lines. But, it's not a huge issue.

The characters are all interconnected, and it seems clear that there will be a number of stories in the new series, but that is ok. There is some time spent in this title, as there is in all starts to a new series, building up the other characters so you have a relationship with all of the main people in the story. But, this is welcome, and it does not take away, much, from the core story of nick and Pallas.

This book also has zebras. If you read it for no other reason (and honestly, there are so many good reasons to read it) read it because it has zebras.

I recommend this title and I look forward to the next in the series.

 


   




“Don’t take this wrong, but I really need you to take off your shirt.”
Pallas Saunders winced as she said the words—this was so not how she usually conducted an interview. But desperate times and all that.
Nick Mitchell raised his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”
A valid semiquestion and certainly better than simply bolting which, hey, he could have done.
“It’s an emergency,” she said, waving her hand in what she hoped was a can we please move this along gesture.
“I’m going to need more than that.”
“Fine.” She drew in a breath, then began talking. Fast. “I have a wedding in less than an hour and I’m one Roman soldier short. J.T. ran off to LA because his agent called about an audition. Note to self. Do not hire actors during pilot season. Anyway, I need a Roman soldier. You’re about the same height as the other guys and you’re here because you need a job, so take your shirt off, please. If you look halfway decent, I’ll sponge tan you and you’ll carry a very skinny girl in on a palanquin.”
“On what?”
“One of those sedan chair things. I swear, she probably doesn’t even weigh a hundred pounds. I don’t think she’s eaten in three months. You look strong. You’ll do great. Please? There’s a check at the end.”
Not a very big one, but money was money. And Nick Mitchell had answered her ad for a part-time carpenter, so he must be at least a little desperate for money. A feeling Pallas could so relate to.
“You want me to carry a girl in on a palanquin for her wedding?”
Why were the pretty ones always dumb, she wondered with a sigh. Because Nick certainly qualified as pretty. Tall with dark hair and eyes. His shoulders were broad and from what she could see, he looked to be in shape, so what was the big deal?
“The name of my business is Weddings in a Box.” She gestured to the walls around them. “This is box-like. People come here to get married. I do theme weddings. The couple today want a Roman wedding. You’d be stunned at how popular they are. The Roman wedding includes the palanquin for the bride. Please, I beg you. Take off your shirt.”
“You’re weird,” Nick muttered as he unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it onto her desk.
Hallelujah, she thought, walking around to view him from the back. As she’d hoped, he looked good—with broad shoulders and plenty of muscle. No massive tattoos, no ugly scars. Not that she objected to tattoos, but so few of them were Roman wedding appropriate and she really didn’t have time to do her thing with concealer. As it was, Nick would fit in with the other guys perfectly.
“You’re hired, but we have to hurry.”

    
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About Susan Mallery:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming and humorous novels about the relationships that define women's lives—family, friendship, romance. She's best known for putting nuanced characters into emotionally complex, real-life situations with twists that surprise readers to laughter. Because Susan is passionate about animal welfare, pets play a big role in her books. Beloved by millions of readers worldwide, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington state with her husband, two ragdoll cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur. Visit her online at SusanMallery.com.

10 comments:

  1. Thank you so much! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR

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  2. Each time I read the exerpt I get more excited about seeing what happens to Nick!

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  3. I am so ready for this book
    #blogtour

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  4. So excited for this book! I love all of Susan mallerys books! They are always so captivating!

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  5. My book will be here tomorrow and can't wait to start reading it. Posted as Tamra DeLaSalle Padgett(fb)
    #blogtour

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  6. Got my notification that my book will be here tomorrow. So excited.

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