Is Small Town
the New Vampire???
Imagine my shock when this was said during a roundtable at a
recent conference that I attended. I had been paying attention to the topic and
was taking notes for my own use when that statement stopped me cold—really? Is
it possible? And then I thought why not?What’s to say that one genre cannot take off as easily and as simply as the turn of a phrase and then by word of mouth, the news is spread for others to either deny or embrace. Me, I’m embracing the idea…and why not, my second series for Sourcebooks is set in the small town of Apple Grove, Ohio and revolves around the quirky people that live there.
Of course the glue that keeps them together is their sense of community and family…and of course that is what will drive everyone crazy…it’s that double-edged sword thing. I love my family to distraction, but there are times…
What I love about small town romance is that the everyday heroes, the broad-shouldered silent type, will have a chance to shine in the spotlight—no matter how much they would prefer not to be there. So many people go through their lives doing what they feel is the right thing on a daily basis…touching other’s lives in the process without realizing just how important that contact is. Think Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life…all of those men died on that battleship because Harry Bailey wasn’t there to save them—and all because his older brother George wished he’d never been born, so George wasn’t there to save his Harry when he fell through the ice. Ah…but it’s two months until Christmas and I’m getting into the spirit a bit earlier than normal. Must be because I’m a grandma this year and cannot wait to find just the right gift for our darling grandbaby J
So I’m putting the question out to readers of romance: Do you think
small town could be the next romance genre trend, or do you think it will have
a certain shelf-life before it too follows along behind one of the genres I
used to love reading: Gothic Romance…Lord, I loved those romances with heroines
in peril in dark and sometimes gloomy settings…preferably on a cliff overlooking
the sea or the moors…either setting worked for me. I’m giving away two signed
copies of A WEDDING IN APPLE GROVE, so please be sure to include your email
address so that I can get in touch with you after random.org selects the
winners’ names.
Happy Reading!!!
Book Name: A Wedding in Apple Grove
Author's Name: C.H. Admirnad
Category: M/F
Main Characters: Megan & Daniel
Series: Small Town USA #1
Release Date:11/2012
Author's Website
Available at: Amazon Barnes and Noble Books A Million Indie Bound Indigo
Author's Website
Available at: Amazon Barnes and Noble Books A Million Indie Bound Indigo
BLURB: Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (population 597) where everyone has your best interests at heart… Love is in the air and the proof is in the painted proposal on the water tower. Every girl in Apple Grove looks forward to her beau following town tradition by getting on a ladder and making his love for her public.
When Daniel Eagan moves to town, his matchmaking neighbors direct him toward the Mulcahys. But when the petite and winsome Megan arrives on his doorstep in khakis and a tool belt, sparks start flying between the new guy and the hometown girl…
WENDY'S REVIEW: Small town love and small town gossip go hand and hand. If you want to know what’s going on with anyone’s love life in Apple Grove all you have to do is check the water tower. Megan is a 29 year old handy woman who gave her heart to her high school sweetheart, then he turned around and left town but still comes back to make stops in Meg’s heart and bed. Twelve years later she is still hung up on the wrong man, she works all the time and isn’t looking for a relationship when Dan moves to town. Their attraction to each other is instantaneous but the trust is hard earned. Both have been hurt in the past but it takes Dan longer to open his eyes to see what is standing right in front of him. With the town behind him, Dan takes what is his and uses the water tower to declare his love for Meg.
Sweet, that’s one word I can think of how to describe this book. There are many others but that does it best for me. I’m going to start off by saying (again) I don’t read very many romance books but whenever C.H. has one out I will always devour it. The characters are so real to me, growing up in a small town I can relate with so much in this book. I am looking forward to more small town romances. It was good to see a Garahan in this book.
Rating: 4
Excerpt:
The sweet scent of wild roses filled the air as the late morning sun warmed the blossoms spilling over the arbor. Blackbirds trilled across the meadow as the bride walked toward her husband-to-be, careful not to trip on the long, white satin runner—the path reaching from her past to her future.
Folding chairs fanned out on both sides of the bride’s backyard, enormous white tulle bows adorning every other one. When she passed by Megan Mulcahy, the bride reached for Meg’s hand and squeezed it before continuing. Tears filled Meg’s eyes as Edie reached the end of the satin walkway and turned so her father could lift the veil covering Edie’s face and press his lips to his daughter’s cheek before putting her hand in that of the man she would marry.
Who would have thought Meg would be one of the last of her friends still single? If her life had followed her youthful plans, her name would have been the one up on Apple Grove’s water tower, Jimmy Van Orden would have been the man doing the asking, and she wouldn’t be sitting here wondering how different her life could have been.
But life is full of twists and turns. Her mind drifted toward the last time Jimmy had come home for a couple of days. He’d wined and dined her and she’d been so sure that he was going to ask her to marry him—this time. But they’d had the discussion a long time ago; he wanted out of Apple Grove, and she didn’t want to live anywhere else. After replaying that horrible argument multiple times, they’d just let it drop and tried to enjoy each other’s company. She kept hoping that on one of his trips back he would change his mind and see how wonderful life here could be. When would she learn?
Reverend Smith’s words rang out, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He paused to smile at the friends and family gathered to celebrate, and then the couple. “You may kiss the bride.”
Bill Stanton tilted Edie’s chin up and gently pressed his lips to hers.
A collective sigh whispered through the crowd witnessing the loving touch between the bride and groom. Meg’s stomach ached, but she fought not to show it; her friend deserved all of the happiness she could get. This was Edie’s day, and Meg wouldn’t do anything to ruin it for her.
“Did you ever see such a lovely bride?”
Megan smiled at Mrs. Winter. “It’s been a long time since we had a wedding in Apple Grove.”
The older woman patted Meg’s hand and soothed, “Never you mind about that Van Orden boy, Meg. The perfect man is waiting for you. Don’t give up hope.”
Meg laughed. “I haven’t thought that way about Jimmy in years.” Liar. “I hear he’s doing well playing for the Bengals.”
As expected, Mrs. Winter tut-tutted and patted Meg’s hand again. “Your eyes say far more than you realize.”
Before Meg could contradict her, the woman moved on to speak to the McCormack sisters.
“There now, Meg,” her father’s deep voice soothed the ache in her belly. “It’s time you forgot about Jimmy—”
“I wasn’t thinking about him,” she insisted. A rumble in the distance made her heart freeze in her breast. She looked up at the lone cloud floating above her and then over at Reverend Smith. The Lord didn’t like it when Megan lied. “OK,” she admitted. “I might have been thinking about him.”
Joseph Mulcahy pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “He isn’t the right man for you, even though I should probably thank him.”
“Whatever for?” Meg asked.
“He left, but you stayed and helped me keep the family business going. I don’t know that I could have done it if you had married him and moved away.”
“I love you, Pop.”
“I love you back, Meggie.” She loved the gruff sound of his voice and leaned into him as he put his arm around her. “Let’s pay our respects to the newlyweds, then go find your sisters and dig into the potluck buffet. I’m hoping for some of Slim’s barbecued ribs.”
“You’ll get sauce on your tie,” she warned, smiling up at him.
“That’s OK.” He grinned and pulled her toward the receiving line. “I hate ties.”
Meg had to work hard to keep from laughing at the way her father was staring at the food-laden tables just behind the beaming couple. “Congratulations, Bill,” Meg said. “You do realize that you married the finest woman in Apple Grove, don’t you?”
He smiled and pressed his lips to his wife’s cheek. “I’m a lucky man.”
Edie laughed and pulled Meg in for a hug. “I’ll miss you most.”
The words were like a hug she hadn’t realized she needed. “I still don’t understand why Bill couldn’t keep on working at the farm with his father.”
“I’m not handy like you, Meg,” Bill said. “Besides,” he leaned close and asked, “do you really want me to drop my pants in front of God and everyone here just to show you—the proof that wicked scar from my dad’s combine again?”
“Oh,” her sister, Caitlin, cooed, moving to stand beside their father.
“Can I see?” Grace, the youngest Mulcahy sister, asked, squeezing next to Meg.
Meg looked over at them and shook her head. “Bill is a newly married man and will not be mooning anyone but his lovely bride from here on in.”
“Too bad.” Miss Trudi Philo shook her head as she waited in line to congratulate the newlyweds. “I was hoping for a peek, seeing as how I missed out on that particular harvest mooning.”
Meg could not help but join in the good-natured laughter the sassy eighty-year-old’s comment incited.
“Now, Miss Trudi,” Bill soothed. “I don’t want to make my wife jealous today of all days.”
She agreed. “I expect to see your first offspring nine months from today, so you’d best get to it; I’m not getting any younger.”
The sweet scent of wild roses filled the air as the late morning sun warmed the blossoms spilling over the arbor. Blackbirds trilled across the meadow as the bride walked toward her husband-to-be, careful not to trip on the long, white satin runner—the path reaching from her past to her future.
Folding chairs fanned out on both sides of the bride’s backyard, enormous white tulle bows adorning every other one. When she passed by Megan Mulcahy, the bride reached for Meg’s hand and squeezed it before continuing. Tears filled Meg’s eyes as Edie reached the end of the satin walkway and turned so her father could lift the veil covering Edie’s face and press his lips to his daughter’s cheek before putting her hand in that of the man she would marry.
Who would have thought Meg would be one of the last of her friends still single? If her life had followed her youthful plans, her name would have been the one up on Apple Grove’s water tower, Jimmy Van Orden would have been the man doing the asking, and she wouldn’t be sitting here wondering how different her life could have been.
But life is full of twists and turns. Her mind drifted toward the last time Jimmy had come home for a couple of days. He’d wined and dined her and she’d been so sure that he was going to ask her to marry him—this time. But they’d had the discussion a long time ago; he wanted out of Apple Grove, and she didn’t want to live anywhere else. After replaying that horrible argument multiple times, they’d just let it drop and tried to enjoy each other’s company. She kept hoping that on one of his trips back he would change his mind and see how wonderful life here could be. When would she learn?
Reverend Smith’s words rang out, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” He paused to smile at the friends and family gathered to celebrate, and then the couple. “You may kiss the bride.”
Bill Stanton tilted Edie’s chin up and gently pressed his lips to hers.
A collective sigh whispered through the crowd witnessing the loving touch between the bride and groom. Meg’s stomach ached, but she fought not to show it; her friend deserved all of the happiness she could get. This was Edie’s day, and Meg wouldn’t do anything to ruin it for her.
“Did you ever see such a lovely bride?”
Megan smiled at Mrs. Winter. “It’s been a long time since we had a wedding in Apple Grove.”
The older woman patted Meg’s hand and soothed, “Never you mind about that Van Orden boy, Meg. The perfect man is waiting for you. Don’t give up hope.”
Meg laughed. “I haven’t thought that way about Jimmy in years.” Liar. “I hear he’s doing well playing for the Bengals.”
As expected, Mrs. Winter tut-tutted and patted Meg’s hand again. “Your eyes say far more than you realize.”
Before Meg could contradict her, the woman moved on to speak to the McCormack sisters.
“There now, Meg,” her father’s deep voice soothed the ache in her belly. “It’s time you forgot about Jimmy—”
“I wasn’t thinking about him,” she insisted. A rumble in the distance made her heart freeze in her breast. She looked up at the lone cloud floating above her and then over at Reverend Smith. The Lord didn’t like it when Megan lied. “OK,” she admitted. “I might have been thinking about him.”
Joseph Mulcahy pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “He isn’t the right man for you, even though I should probably thank him.”
“Whatever for?” Meg asked.
“He left, but you stayed and helped me keep the family business going. I don’t know that I could have done it if you had married him and moved away.”
“I love you, Pop.”
“I love you back, Meggie.” She loved the gruff sound of his voice and leaned into him as he put his arm around her. “Let’s pay our respects to the newlyweds, then go find your sisters and dig into the potluck buffet. I’m hoping for some of Slim’s barbecued ribs.”
“You’ll get sauce on your tie,” she warned, smiling up at him.
“That’s OK.” He grinned and pulled her toward the receiving line. “I hate ties.”
Meg had to work hard to keep from laughing at the way her father was staring at the food-laden tables just behind the beaming couple. “Congratulations, Bill,” Meg said. “You do realize that you married the finest woman in Apple Grove, don’t you?”
He smiled and pressed his lips to his wife’s cheek. “I’m a lucky man.”
Edie laughed and pulled Meg in for a hug. “I’ll miss you most.”
The words were like a hug she hadn’t realized she needed. “I still don’t understand why Bill couldn’t keep on working at the farm with his father.”
“I’m not handy like you, Meg,” Bill said. “Besides,” he leaned close and asked, “do you really want me to drop my pants in front of God and everyone here just to show you—the proof that wicked scar from my dad’s combine again?”
“Oh,” her sister, Caitlin, cooed, moving to stand beside their father.
“Can I see?” Grace, the youngest Mulcahy sister, asked, squeezing next to Meg.
Meg looked over at them and shook her head. “Bill is a newly married man and will not be mooning anyone but his lovely bride from here on in.”
“Too bad.” Miss Trudi Philo shook her head as she waited in line to congratulate the newlyweds. “I was hoping for a peek, seeing as how I missed out on that particular harvest mooning.”
Meg could not help but join in the good-natured laughter the sassy eighty-year-old’s comment incited.
“Now, Miss Trudi,” Bill soothed. “I don’t want to make my wife jealous today of all days.”
She agreed. “I expect to see your first offspring nine months from today, so you’d best get to it; I’m not getting any younger.”
Good morning, ladies! Thanks so much for inviting me to guest blog today. Can't wait to give away two copies of AWIAG :)
ReplyDeleteThis story is so good!!! I so enjoyed the town and people.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Shonna:) I love the fact that everybody knows what everybody else is doing and tries to help. Families are great, but they can be a pain, but in the end we still love them and depend on them no matter how much we complain :)
ReplyDeleteI have to say I grew up in a small town in Kansas (population about 1500 or less) and I used to say the town was so small everybody else knew I was in trouble before I even did!
ReplyDeleteMy father's parents lived in the same town and I spent many a day exploring and playing on my own.
I will have to check the book out :)
Dawn Salisbury
Hi Dawn - LOVE IT! That's how it was growing up on Cedar Hill...my grandparents house was sortof in the middle of the neighborhood and whatever happened on the Hill, my grandmother knew and had no problem telling my mom about it. :) Thanks!
Deleteok, that excerpt has got me hooked! definitely keeping my eye out for this book. xxx
ReplyDeleteas to the question of small town books being the next big thing..... im not sure. i certainly love and really enjoy them. i myself am a small town girl (ok smallish, i certainly dont know everyone who lives there).
thanks for the competition xxxx
rachaelconstant@ntlworld.com
Hi Rachael - thanks:) I'm glad you liked it. It is hard to predict what the next 'big trend' will be in romance. Personally, I love having so many genres to choose from when I'm reading :)
Deletethink it's gonna be hard to top the lastest trend that 50 shades of grey has created (not that i have read it......yet).
Deletei also like having lots of genres to choose from. my main genres i love are paranormal romance and regency/medieval romances. i also buy quite a few modern romances as well (i'm a sucker for romance books, lol)
xxx
I've always enjoyed small-town romances, because the heroes and heroines seem really realistic and likeable and I always feel i get to know the whole community. It's a cozy feeling. I'm not sure if small-town romances will trend because I've always noticed them around. I think they'll endure but not necessarily burst onto the scene because they are already on it. I do hope many more small-town stories will continue to be released :) The cover for your book is lovely!
ReplyDeleteCambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
Hi Na - thanks for adding your input. You're right they have been around for awhile...I just hope they don't disappear altogether. Thanks...the Sourcebooks Art Department does an amazing job:)
ReplyDeleteWell it's 2 pm and I am finally able to get online and leave a message- I really enjoyed the book. I was raised in a small(ish) town but news didn't travel that fast back to my Mom, lol I did a whole bunch of bad things that she is just now finding out about. Thank you so much for stopping by today and I look forward to reading more in this series
ReplyDeleteHey Wendy! thanks so much, I'm so glad you enjoyed the book...you know it's funny there are things that I know our kids haven't told us and there was something I didn't tell my mom until YEARS after it happened. She told me when I was driving to business school not to take Route 208 during bad weather...did I listen? No....did I do a 180 on the road and end up in a snowbank? Yep. Did I tell her? Nope...not until 20 years later. Apparently, she knew...I guess it's a mom-thing. LOL!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by:)
The book sounds great. I will have to check it out. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeletesandracarol123@yahoo.com
DeleteHi Sandra - thanks :) I loved writing Meg & Dan's story and tossing in a few obstacles for them to figure out a way around. :)
Deletelooks to be a great read.. I love LOVE!
ReplyDeleteThanks LT!!! Let me know what you think:)
DeleteI can't wait to start reading it! Thank you
ReplyDelete~April
Thanks April, I'd love to know what you think. :)
DeleteI want to read A Wedding in Apple Grove too!! I love small town stories, they are always the sweetest! Fingers crossed!
ReplyDeleteilepachequin(at)hotmail(dot)com
I enjoyed the excerpt and I'm definitely keen to read A Wedding in Apple Grove. I usually read paranormal romance, but this sounds interesting and I could certainly use a change :) Small town romance stories are very beautiful, sweet and has the perfect HEA. It's evergreen and won't go out of style!
ReplyDeleteThanks for a chance to win! tess_halim(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi Gisele, I love your name...reminds me of one of my favorite new movies Enchanted :) That's the great part about small town stories, you can add dashes of sweet, while still having hot love scenes...oh yeah...and those busy-body neighbors. LOL! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteHi Misshalim - I'm so glad you enjoyed reading the excerpt. What a lovely thing to say about small town romance...that it's evergreen...that has another song playing in my mind from years ago Barbra Streisand's Evergreen...from the remake of A Star is Born...I walked down the isle to a soloist singing that song...lovely memory thanks for sparking it for me. THANKS :)
ReplyDelete