Samantha Chase Blitz – Day 1: Made for Us and Love Walks In – Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

Jun 27, 2016 | Blog, June 2016, Samantha Chase

It’s almost time to meet Quinn, the next brother in The Shaughnessy Brothers series from Samantha Chase. I’m re-posting my reviews from Made for Us and Love Walks In, along with an excerpt from each book that was provided by Samantha for an earlier blitz. In addition Samantha has generously donated an autographed copy of Made for Us and Love Walks in for one lucky reader.

I’m thrilled to have Samantha on the blog this week as we celebrate the release of Always My Girl that will release on July 5, 2016. You won’t want to miss it!

Sit back, grab a cup of coffee and be prepared to fall in love with a few amazing characters and of course, Samantha Chase!

Made For Us by Samantha Chase is the first book in the Shaughnessy Brothers series. For those who have read The Montgomery Brothers series you’ll recognize Aidan from Meant for You. This cutie deserved his own book and I’m thrilled he has it. No worries if you haven’t read The Montgomery Brothers series, this story stands on it’s own. However, I highly recommend at some point you do.

Aidan Shaughnessy is bossy, arrogant and a huge control freak when it comes to his construction company. Zoey Dalton is an interior designer that’s about to turn this builder’s life inside out. Will she be able to handle the dominating and perfectionist boss? Can she survive his demands?

Zoey can’t stand being barked at and ordered around. What will happen when she pushes back? It’s not too often that Aidan finds a woman willing to dive in and get dirty to finish a job. What other surprises await these two?

When mother nature interferes they discover just how fast life moves and how quickly things can change. Forced to spend time with each other, Aidan and Zoey will soon find out what happens when the past collides with the present.

Both have experienced unimaginable loss. When Aidan leaves without any explanation can she forgive him? Can he finally deal with his family and forgive himself? Will he make room in his heart?

Discover two strong souls as they collide in this sexy story that’s full of adventure, heartache and adversity. Oh yeah, there’s also tension, chemistry and an extraordinary story that engages us so that you dear reader, will keep reading until the very last page.

Another great start for this new must read series and yeah, I’m totally in love with the Shaughnessy family too. This contemporary romance series will take you on a journey of the heart with stellar writing, new characters to love, sprinkled in with favorites from the past. If you are wondering if there will be a happily ever after then you MUST download this book now and find out.

Hurry over to your favorite e-book/book retailer and download or purchase your copies now! Click here to get your copy – Made for Us (The Shaughnessy Brothers)

I received this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.

This review was originally published August 4, 2015 and has been edited now that the book is published.

***

Excerpt:Aidan had been watching this woman since her arrival. It hadn’t been intentional, but he had been in one of the upstairs bedrooms when he saw her car pull up, and had watched in fascination as she inspected the yard. While he felt mildly guilty for causing the other decorator to lose her job, he couldn’t help but be intrigued by her replacement. From what he’d observed so far, this woman was somebody who took notice of details. It wasn’t hard to see the appreciation in her eyes as she looked at the house.

And he couldn’t help but look at her with appreciation. The woman before him had fiery red curly hair and a body with the kind of curves that made a man want to…scratch an itch. Damn it. This was so not the time for that thought to come to mind. As she straightened before him, he had to admit she was even more stunning up close. Tall. In heels, she was maybe only four inches shorter than he and that was saying something. Most women didn’t come close to his six-foot-two-inch height.

Aidan’s mouth went dry when she took off her sunglasses and he caught sight of the greenest eyes he had ever seen. She smiled and held out her hand in greeting. “Mr. Shaughnessy, hello,” she said, her voice was just a bit husky. “I’m Zoe Dalton.”

For a moment, Aidan couldn’t speak. He reached out and took her hand in his, fully intending to give her a business-like handshake, but as soon as he felt her soft skin, he pretty much forgot his own name.

You really have been without a woman for too long, he admonished himself. “Miss Dalton,” he murmured, forcing himself to focus. He shook her hand a little too roughly and released it as if she’d burned him.

Zoe was equally speechless. Why did no one mention that this man was the sexiest thing on two legs? His rock star brother may have been nominated one of the sexiest men alive, but Riley had nothing on his older brother. Dark hair, blue eyes, and hands rough enough that Zoe wanted to feel them all over her. It was rare for a man to make Zoe feel small and delicate, but Aidan was built like a linebacker and managed to make her feel it now.

Zoe fanned herself briefly as Aidan turned and walked away.

And the view was just as spectacular from behind.

She almost groaned.

Her gaze was lingering on how fine he looked in those faded jeans when he cleared his throat. “I want you to look around this house, Miss Dalton, and tell me everything you see that’s wrong.”

She swallowed hard and stepped forward. “Everything?”

Aidan turned to face her, crossing his large arms across his chest. “I want you to start at the front door and walk through the entire house.”

There was the potential here for things to go south very quickly. Beyond what she’d read in Sarah’s files, Zoe wasn’t familiar with his work, so she didn’t want to risk offending him, but Martha did tell her to do whatever Mr. Shaughnessy wanted done without argument. With a brief nod of her head, Zoe placed her soft leather briefcase on the granite countertop, pulled out her tablet and began to type furiously, creating her own document on the house.

Walking to the front door, she stepped out onto the porch and swung the door closed before opening it again. “The door sticks a little,” she began as she walked back inside. “There’s some paint on the hardware on both the interior and exterior sides.” She closed the door and looked around the entryway. Stepping to the right, she opened a closet door and looked inside. “There should be electrical in here. It’s a deep closet so I’m pretty sure people would appreciate having a light inside.” She closed that door and noticed that Aidan hadn’t moved from his spot in the living area.

Pretending not to be bothered by him watching her like that, she stopped and made some notes on her tablet. There was a fabulous cubby unit across from the closet. It had coat hooks and plenty of compartments to house baskets and all kinds of decorative items. She ran her hand over the built-in bench and frowned. “This needs to be sanded down more and another coat of paint added.” Turning to face him, she said, “Chances are, a homeowner would cover this area with a cushion, but that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be smooth.”

If she wasn’t mistaken, he actually smirked.

Next to the entryway closet, she found a half bathroom and turned on the light inside. Unimpressive. “The paint is sloppy in there. It’s not plumb, either. The dark paint on the walls against the white ceiling accentuates that. There’s a wave going on in there that almost makes me seasick.”

Zoe crossed the entryway and opened the door to the two-car garage. She peeked her head in to look around quickly and shut the door before turning back to Aidan. “There’s a crack in the concrete floor by the electrical box. Sometimes concrete does that but if you’re going to patch it, make sure that it doesn’t look like a patch.”

The smirk broadened slightly.

Zoe typed a couple more notes and walked into the living area until she was standing about three feet away from Aidan. She met his eyes briefly before turning around and facing the entryway from this angle. With a tilt of her head she stopped and frowned. “It’s out of plumb on the garage side of the entryway. If you stand here you can see the curve in the wall.” She didn’t wait to see if he’d look; she had a feeling he was already well aware of all of the problems.

Doing a slow three-sixty turn, she stopped and typed, then faced the living area. “The color is wrong in here.” Lifting her head, she looked directly at him. “Granted, I don’t know what color you were going for but this is too yellow. You can see those beautiful, dark chocolate-colored cabinets in the kitchen from here. Between those and the dark floors, the walls are all wrong.”

“Tell me why,” he said deeply.

“You’ve got some amazing colors going between the floors, the cabinets and the stone in the fireplace. This color on the walls doesn’t do any of it justice. It’s a yellowish beige, and it’s boring. You want something that is going to complement everything that you’ve done. You want a color that people are going to walk in here and go ‘wow’.” Looking around again, Zoe shrugged. “This doesn’t inspire. This is the weekend-warrior-handyman special.”

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Zoe regretted them. Maybe he liked that yellow. Maybe he’d chosen it and it was the one color Sarah hadn’t substituted. Why couldn’t she just keep it professional? She’d never had trouble focusing with any of her other clients.

She turned and looked at him and noticed that the smirk was gone. He looked pissed. Okay, there were two ways she could play this. She could immediately apologize and grovel a bit or she could move on and hope she was just blowing it out of proportion.

“I think we can do something better with the furniture.” And option two it is! “The sectional is fine but we can jazz it up once we change the colors in here.” Moving to the kitchen she went on for about five minutes about the things she saw that weren’t quite right—brush strokes in the paint, crooked glass tile in the backsplash—and decided to stop there. His silence was killing her. She typed a few last notes on her tablet before putting it down and leaning against the countertop.

“Do I pass?” she asked.

“Excuse me?”

“I take it that this is a test to determine if I can see that the problem is in the details. Let me assure you, Mr. Shaughnessy, that I do. I have a real problem with craftsmen who rush through a job and put out shoddy work. I think the homeowner deserves a house that has been put together perfectly. And as for the finishes and decorating,” she said as she stood a bit taller, “we want potential buyers to come in here and not only want to buy this house, but to want their own to look as perfect as the model. If not better.” She paused and shrugged. “Not that it will be possible because the model will be perfect on steroids.” There, Zoe thought, he can’t be pissed at me if he knows that I’m a perfectionist too.

He quirked a dark brow at her. As much as Aidan hated to admit it, he was impressed. And he wasn’t impressed easily. Zoe Dalton had not only seen everything that he wanted her to see, but she had even picked up on an issue or two that had escaped him.

Not an easy thing to do.

Aidan continued to stand there and look at her, so Zoe figured she’d better nudge him along. “Are we ready to hit the upstairs? I have a list of problems with that staircase.”

And in that moment Aidan Shaughnessy thought that he just may have met his match.

Full Name: Aidan Shaughnessy

Nickname (if applicable):

Occupation: Building Contractor              

Height: 6’2

Hair Color: Dark Brown    

Eye Color: Blue        

Age: 34

Originally from: Coastal North Carolina

What makes you the perfect date? (50 words or less):  No one – including myself – has ever said that! But if I had to say something, it would be that I like to take care of all the details so that my date doesn’t have to worry about a thing.

What do you look for in a woman? (50 words or less) Typically someone strong and independent but also enjoys being taken care of.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less: I’m a bit of a control freak – or so I’ve been told! I’m hard working and know exactly what I want out of life. I can be quiet and observant – a bit of a people watcher. I don’t enjoy crowds very much. I prefer if I’m out, to be out in a small group or with one person.

**********

Love Walks In by Samantha Chase is the second installment in The Shaughnessy series. Every time I read a book from Samantha I’m surprised and absolutely engaged in her story.

Hugh Shaughnessy has always had a plan and been in total control, it’s the only way he can guard his heart. Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine what unfolds at work. When Hugh meets Aubrey, its memorable and laugh out loud hysterical! This might just be what Hugh needs to shake him up, if that’s even possible.

For a man who has money and an amazing career, yes I am jealous ;), he’s still not fulfilled. There is something magical about Aubrey. Will she be the one to loosen him up? It’s going to take letting himself go out of his comfort zone, off the scheduled and predictable path, to discover what he needs.

Aubrey Burke is hiding from a huge mistake and unintentionally falls into a temporary life of parties, wine, and a lot of great food. Will she find a happy-ever-after or will she push Hugh away? Will Hugh be the one to stop her from running?

Both have reasons for hesitation when love is involved. Will they be able to trust each other? When they wind up working together they will discover that not everything can be planed out. That theory that opposites attract is put to the test and it will be amazing. It will take a village of family and friends to get these two together.

I love the setting of this novel, it’s the perfect escape from the hectic work week. Sit back with a glass of wine, a decadent cheese plate and a few chocolate truffles and discover how yummy love can be.

Another must read sexy story that has amazing characters – each one has a purpose and there are a few that have become my new favorites! The Shaughnessy Bachelors are interesting, compelling and can handle the unexpected. Oh, did I mention super sexy too? This time the destination is a resort and a vineyard. Two places I would love to be right now!

Samantha, it sounds like we have much to look forward to for the Shaughnessy family. I can’t wait to see whose story is next and where we go!

I received this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.

Excerpt:

Aubrey woke up the next morning and instantly groaned when she realized last night wasn’t a dream. She had cried all over Hugh until she had practically collapsed. Then he had carried her to her bed and gently put her down, kissing her forehead. And just when she thought he had taken his chance to escape, he was back with a glass of water for her. He made sure she was comfortable, kissed her gently again, and then he was gone.

Ugh. The poor man must be wishing he had just let her rob his office and not interfered. She was a mess. A stinking hot mess. How in the world was she supposed to face him this morning, knowing he must think the same thing of her? Aubrey eyed the balcony, but it was too high to escape that way.

“No more running,” she murmured as she climbed from the bed, still wearing last night’s clothes. It wasn’t particularly early—eight a.m.—but she wasn’t sure if Hugh was an early riser or not. Hopefully he was already down at the office. She’d shower and get herself feeling human again before seeking him out.

Thirty minutes later, dressed in one of her new outfits—black capris and a sky blue sleeveless blouse—Aubrey stepped out into the living room. And froze.

Hugh was sitting at the breakfast bar drinking a cup of coffee and reading the paper. “Good morning,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if you were big on breakfast, so I had them send up an assortment of food—fruit, cereal, muffins, that sort of thing. If you’d like something hot like eggs or pancakes, we can have them sent up, too.”

He wasn’t asking her to leave.

He was offering her breakfast like everything was completely normal.

Nervously tucking her hair behind her ear, she straightened in her spot. “Listen… Hugh, about last night…”

He waved her off. “Today is a new day,” he said with a sincere smile. “Okay?”

There were so many things Aubrey wanted to say, but she took the lifeline he extended, returning his smile. “Okay.” She walked over to where the breakfast tray was. Her practical side told her to have some of the fresh fruit, but the other side urged her to have one of the giant muffins.

“There’s banana nut, blueberry, and chocolate chip,” Hugh said as he watched her.

“As much as I would love the chocolate chip one, I don’t think it’s quite right for breakfast,” Aubrey said, sighing as she picked up the plate of fruit. Before she knew it, Hugh was beside her, taking the plate from her hands. “What are you doing?”

He leaned in and spoke to her in an exaggerated whisper. “You’re technically on vacation. It’s okay to have chocolate for breakfast. Besides, I won’t tell.”

She looked at him and couldn’t help but giggle. “It just feels so wrong.”

Now it was Hugh’s turn to chuckle. “It’s okay. Live a little.” Without a word, Hugh put the muffin on a plate, handed it to Aubrey, and took her by the shoulders, directing her to the breakfast bar. “Sit. Eat.”

And she did. It was quite possibly the best muffin—or breakfast—she’d ever eaten. It felt completely decadent, and it wasn’t until she was halfway through it that she realized Hugh was staring at her. Swallowing the last bite, she looked at him. “What?”

His face was resting in his hand and he was smiling—he seemed to do that a lot. At least, he always seemed to be smiling at her.

“It’s good to see you enjoying a meal.”

Aubrey looked at him quizzically. “What are you talking about? I always enjoy my meals.”

Hugh shook his head. “I know I can’t speak for how you normally eat, but since you’ve been here, you’ve been very reserved while you ate. This muffin? It was a completely different experience.”

She wanted to be a little bit offended by his observation, but couldn’t. “If you can believe it, that’s the first time I’ve ever eaten baked goods for breakfast. It was never allowed.”

Hugh’s shocked expression was almost comical. “How is that possible? What about bagels?”

Aubrey shook her head.

“Donuts?”

“Definitely not.”

“Toast?”

She laughed. “That’s not a baked good.”

“Technically, it is. Bread is baked, therefore toast is a baked good.”

Aubrey rolled her eyes. “Okay, then to be clear, I’ve never eaten the kind of baked goods one would find in an actual bakery for breakfast.”

“That borders on child abuse.”

Full Name: Hugh Shaughnessy

Nickname (if applicable):

Occupation: Luxury Resort Owner/Designer                  

Height: 6’3

Hair Color: Dark Brown    

Eye Color: Blue        

Age: 32

Originally from: Coastal North Carolina

What makes you the perfect date? (50 words or less):  I am extremely attentive. I believe in taking a woman out for a romantic dinner with dancing and candlelight and making her feel like she is the most important thing in the world.

What do you look for in a woman? (50 words or less) She’s intelligent and easy to talk to but who isn’t looking for forever. I travel a lot and she would need to be understanding of that.

Describe yourself in 100 words or less: I’m a really regimented man. I mean really. I like things done a certain way and I’m a stickler for routines and schedules. Some say I’m overly cautious – in every aspect of my life – but that doesn’t mean that I’m boring. I have an appreciation for the finer things and I’m outgoing and enjoy being around people and making new friends.

*****

Samantha Chase has generously donated ONE autographed
book set of Made for Us (The Shaughnessy Brothers) and Love Walks In for the Blitz giveaway.

Answer the following question in the comments below for a chance to win –  When you are on vacation do you pack a suitcase full of books or an e-reader loaded to the max with e-books?

One winner will be randomly selected.

Be sure to follow Books I Love A Latte on the blog, FB and Twitter so you don’t miss the posting of the winner!

Contest ends on 6/28/16 at 11:59PM

The lucky winner must comment within 24 hours on the blog post to claim their  prize or a new winner will be randomly selected.

Author Info:

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller/contemporary romance writer Samantha Chase released her debut novel, Jordan’s Return, in November 2011. Although she waited until she was in her 40’s to publish for the first time, writing has been a lifelong passion. Her motivation to take that step was her students: teaching creative writing to elementary age students all the way up through high school and encouraging those students to follow their writing dreams gave Samantha the confidence to take that step as well.

When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading contemporary romances, playing way too many games of Scrabble or Solitaire on Facebook and spending time with her husband of 25 years and their two sons in North Carolina.

For more information, please visit Samantha’s website – www.chasing-romance.com