On Tour with Prism Book Tours.
(Shores of Indian Lake #8)
Catherine Lanigan
Catherine Lanigan
Adult Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 pagesHe's ready to settle down…with or without her
Scott Abbott has always loved Isabelle Hawks. And he's always been her rock. Patient, dependable, strong. But lately, she's been acting like that rock is weighing her down. With her art career taking off, Isabelle has been spending less and less time in Indian Lake…and with him. Scott isn't even sure what they are to each other anymore. They might be friends with a history, but it sure doesn't feel like a future. Maybe it's time for Scott to set her free and focus on his own dreams. A real home. A family. All the things he had hoped to share with her…
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EXCERPT:
“Isabelle.” Scott wrapped his arm around her waist. He’d walked up from behind, surprising her.
“You look amazing,” he said as she turned toward him, his hands still on her waist.
She shrugged, sending ripples through her iridescent silver crepe de chine gown. “I thought I’d blend in. Match the décor.”
Scott’s lips quirked into a rascally grin. “You couldn’t blend in any more than fireworks in a midnight sky.” He pulled her closer. They were nose to nose. “You’re a knockout.”
“I could say the same about you,” she said, glancing down at his blindingly white tuxedo shirt, black silk bow tie. He wore his immaculately cut tuxedo every New Year’s Eve.
Scott in a tuxedo was nothing short of a woman’s dream. His wide shoulders were enhanced by the jacket, though she noticed that this year, his biceps seemed to be straining against the sleeves. But all that was eclipsed by his ease and manner when he wore his tux.
That first New Year’s Eve when Scott had moved back to Indian Lake, she’d commented on the fact that he owned a tux. He told her then he’d bought it his first year at the Tribune and had intended to wear it when he won prizes for his journalism.
She lingered on the gold flecks that sparkled in his eyes. Did he think about those days anymore?
“I aim to please,” he said, holding her gaze.
Isabelle didn’t know what was happening, but she could swear Scott wanted to kiss her. Not one of his friendly pecks on the cheek, but a real kiss. Suddenly she felt uneasy. Why was she noticing how handsome Scott was? He was just Scott. He would dance with her at midnight and she’d finish her chores like they always did on New Year’s Eve. Wouldn’t they? She looked around nervously and gave him a wide, friendly smile.
“Scott, I have to get back to work. I was just checking the champagne glasses.”
His eyes never left her lips. He lifted his hand to her neck and touched her tenderly. “Right. The glasses.”
His thumb traced the line of her jaw. She was melting and she never melted. Everything about this night was orchestrated for romance, including a torchy love ballad being played by the Milo Orchestra in the background.
“Glasses,” she repeated, trying to recover her composure and remember her job. What had she been doing before she’d slipped into this dreamy state?
“Isabelle.”
She’d never paid much attention to his voice before, but now, when he said her name, her stomach fluttered. Why was she reacting to him as if she had a crush on him? She didn’t need a mirror to know her cheeks were flushed.
All she could feel was his hand on her waist. The sound of Scott saying her name echoed in her head.
She swallowed hard. She had to snap out of this. It was this kind of romance that lured women into domesticity.
She had to force herself to focus. “Yes, the glasses. Uh, for the midnight toast.”
He brushed his lips against her cheek. “And I’ll find you for my kiss to ring in the New Year.”
Isabelle hadn’t realized she’d shut her eyes, immersing herself in the moment with Scott.
She felt a whoosh of air, the temperature dropped and she blinked, returning to the present. Scott had left her.
“Isabelle.” Scott wrapped his arm around her waist. He’d walked up from behind, surprising her.
“You look amazing,” he said as she turned toward him, his hands still on her waist.
She shrugged, sending ripples through her iridescent silver crepe de chine gown. “I thought I’d blend in. Match the décor.”
Scott’s lips quirked into a rascally grin. “You couldn’t blend in any more than fireworks in a midnight sky.” He pulled her closer. They were nose to nose. “You’re a knockout.”
“I could say the same about you,” she said, glancing down at his blindingly white tuxedo shirt, black silk bow tie. He wore his immaculately cut tuxedo every New Year’s Eve.
Scott in a tuxedo was nothing short of a woman’s dream. His wide shoulders were enhanced by the jacket, though she noticed that this year, his biceps seemed to be straining against the sleeves. But all that was eclipsed by his ease and manner when he wore his tux.
That first New Year’s Eve when Scott had moved back to Indian Lake, she’d commented on the fact that he owned a tux. He told her then he’d bought it his first year at the Tribune and had intended to wear it when he won prizes for his journalism.
She lingered on the gold flecks that sparkled in his eyes. Did he think about those days anymore?
“I aim to please,” he said, holding her gaze.
Isabelle didn’t know what was happening, but she could swear Scott wanted to kiss her. Not one of his friendly pecks on the cheek, but a real kiss. Suddenly she felt uneasy. Why was she noticing how handsome Scott was? He was just Scott. He would dance with her at midnight and she’d finish her chores like they always did on New Year’s Eve. Wouldn’t they? She looked around nervously and gave him a wide, friendly smile.
“Scott, I have to get back to work. I was just checking the champagne glasses.”
His eyes never left her lips. He lifted his hand to her neck and touched her tenderly. “Right. The glasses.”
His thumb traced the line of her jaw. She was melting and she never melted. Everything about this night was orchestrated for romance, including a torchy love ballad being played by the Milo Orchestra in the background.
“Glasses,” she repeated, trying to recover her composure and remember her job. What had she been doing before she’d slipped into this dreamy state?
“Isabelle.”
She’d never paid much attention to his voice before, but now, when he said her name, her stomach fluttered. Why was she reacting to him as if she had a crush on him? She didn’t need a mirror to know her cheeks were flushed.
All she could feel was his hand on her waist. The sound of Scott saying her name echoed in her head.
She swallowed hard. She had to snap out of this. It was this kind of romance that lured women into domesticity.
She had to force herself to focus. “Yes, the glasses. Uh, for the midnight toast.”
He brushed his lips against her cheek. “And I’ll find you for my kiss to ring in the New Year.”
Isabelle hadn’t realized she’d shut her eyes, immersing herself in the moment with Scott.
She felt a whoosh of air, the temperature dropped and she blinked, returning to the present. Scott had left her.
Other Books in the Series
About the Author
Catherine Lanigan is the international bestselling and award-winning author of forty published titles in both fiction and non-fiction, including the novelizations of Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, as well as over half a dozen anthologies, including “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living your Dream”, “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul”, and more. Ms. Lanigan’s novels have been translated into dozens of languages including German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. Ms. Lanigan’s novels are also available in E-books on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com, Apple Store, Mobi and Kobo. Several of her titles have been chosen for The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs. Her Vietnam war-based novel, The Christmas Star, won the Gold Medal Award Top Pick from Romantic Times Magazine and has also won Book of the Year Romance Gold Award from ForeWord Magazine as well as Book of the Year Romance from Reader’s Preference.
Lanigan is the author of a trilogy of non- fiction books regarding angelic intervention in human life: Angel Watch, Divine Nudges and Angel Tales published by HCI and Cedar Fort. Skyhorse published Lanigan’s “how-to” book on writing: Writing the Great American Romance Novel. Lanigan was tasked by the NotMYkid Foundation to write a non-fiction book addressing teen addictions. Ms. Lanigan’s first Young Adult adventure novel, The Adventures of Lillie and Zane: The Golden Flute, was published by Cedar Fort.
Currently, she has published eight novels in the Shores of Indian Lake series for Harlequin Heartwarming: Love Shadows, Heart’s Desire, A Fine Year for Love, Katia’s Promise, Fear of Falling, Sophie’s Path and Protecting the Single Mom. Family of His Own pubs July, 2016. She has recently contracted for one more in the series: His Baby Dilemma.
As a cancer survivor, Ms. Lanigan is a frequent speaker at literary functions and book conventions as well as inspiring audiences with her real stories of angelic intervention from her Angel Tales series of books. She is an outspoken advocate for domestic violence and abuse and was honored by The National Domestic Violence Hotline in Washington, D.C. (THE EVOLVING WOMAN). She has been a guest on numerous radio programs including “Coast to Coast” and on television interview and talk show programs as well as blogs, podcasts and online radio interview programs.
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June 24th: Launch
June 25th: Brooke Blogs & Reading Is My SuperPower
June 26th: It's All About the Romance & Hearts & Scribbles
June 27th: Katie's Clean Book Collection & Christian Suspense Author Mary Alford
June 28th: Rockin' Book Reviews & Mel's Shelves
June 29th: Getting Your Read On & Thoughts of a Blonde
June 30th: Paulette's Papers & I Am A Reader
July 2nd: Becky on Books & deal sharing aunt
July 3rd: Sylv.net & Wishful Endings
July 6th: Heidi Reads..., Inside The Mind of An Avid Reader & Nicole's Book Musings
July 7th: Grand Finale
Tour Schedule
June 24th: Launch
June 25th: Brooke Blogs & Reading Is My SuperPower
June 26th: It's All About the Romance & Hearts & Scribbles
June 27th: Katie's Clean Book Collection & Christian Suspense Author Mary Alford
June 28th: Rockin' Book Reviews & Mel's Shelves
June 29th: Getting Your Read On & Thoughts of a Blonde
June 30th: Paulette's Papers & I Am A Reader
July 2nd: Becky on Books & deal sharing aunt
July 3rd: Sylv.net & Wishful Endings
July 6th: Heidi Reads..., Inside The Mind of An Avid Reader & Nicole's Book Musings
July 7th: Grand Finale
Tour Giveaway
- 1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card (open internationally)
- 1 winner will receive a tote bag and three Shores of Indian Lake books: Katia's Promise, Fear of Falling and Sophie's Path (US only)
