Today I have the blog tour for After The Fall by Katy Ames!
Check it out and grab your copy today!
Check it out and grab your copy today!
After the Fall
Seven Winds Series, Book Two
Author: Katy Ames
Genre: Contemporary Romance
About After the Fall
If there was one man in the world Grace Fitzgerald never wanted to see again, it was Mark Donovan.
Sinfully handsome and notoriously cocky, as a guest at her luxury hotel, Mark was impossible. As the new owner, he’s become a nightmare. The kind that wakes Grace in the middle of the night wishing she could forget how right his lips felt against her own, or how tempting his fingers were on her skin.
But despite all the challenges Mark and Grace face working together, it’s impossible to ignore the attraction that flares every time they fight for control. Or the secrets that refuse to stay hidden in the luxury of the Seven Winds Resort.
They’re engaged in a battle of wills. But the real war begins when Mark and Grace realize just how much they have to lose. When mistakes from their pasts threaten everything they’re working for, they have to decide: admit defeat or join forces to save the hotel and each other.
A steamy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance from Katy Ames, author of After the Island.
Katy Ames has spent most of her life on the East Coast and hopes to spend more of it in the UK. In part, so she can indulge in her serious plaid obsession. There isn’t a teenage drama on the CW or a period British TV show she hasn’t binge-watched at least twice. And she can be persuaded to do most things with the promise of bourbon, coffee, chocolate, or a nap, not necessarily in that order. Katy is mom to a small human who has an obscene amount of energy and a blissful ability to ignore swear words, and wife to a man whose reading habits are far too serious. Katy and her family reside in Washington, D.C., a city she where never planned to live and loves so much she’d be happy to talk about for hours. Just ask.
Sinfully handsome and notoriously cocky, as a guest at her luxury hotel, Mark was impossible. As the new owner, he’s become a nightmare. The kind that wakes Grace in the middle of the night wishing she could forget how right his lips felt against her own, or how tempting his fingers were on her skin.
But despite all the challenges Mark and Grace face working together, it’s impossible to ignore the attraction that flares every time they fight for control. Or the secrets that refuse to stay hidden in the luxury of the Seven Winds Resort.
They’re engaged in a battle of wills. But the real war begins when Mark and Grace realize just how much they have to lose. When mistakes from their pasts threaten everything they’re working for, they have to decide: admit defeat or join forces to save the hotel and each other.
A steamy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance from Katy Ames, author of After the Island.
Grab your Copy Now!
Catch Up on the Series!
Excerpt
“Shouldn’t you be working?”
“Shouldn’t you?” Mark tugged his shirt free from his pants and pushed through the doors onto the flagstone patio.
Jack’s laugh reached him through the phone. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Hardly.”
“You’re lying.”
“And you’re an asshole.”
“No more than you, my friend.”
“Debatable,” Mark retorted.
“Did you call for an actual reason, or did you just want to shit on me from 2,000 miles away?”
“I needed to end a meeting so I could take a call.”
“You realize that makes no sense.”
“Yes”—Mark dragged one hand through his hair—“I’m aware of that. I needed an excuse,” he sighed. “An excuse to end a meeting earlier than planned.”
“And I’m the excuse?”
“Bingo.”
“So you asked her?”
Unable to keep still, Mark paced across the patio, careful never to wander too close to the edge of the pool. “Yup,” he muttered.
“And she said yes?”
“Yup.”
“Then what’s wrong with you? Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”
“Yup,” Mark conceded.
“Mark....” Jack adopted a tone Mark knew well. One that said he wasn’t interested in buying any of the bullshit his friend was about to sell. “After all that went down months ago, you weren’t sure she’d accept the job. Hell, you didn’t even know if she’d stay once she knew you bought the hotel. And you’re telling me that not only is Grace staying, but she’s taking the position you really wanted her to. You should be in the mood for celebrating, not grumbling down the fucking phone.”
Mark was about to grunt out an answer when Jack cut him off, “And if you say ‘yup’ one more time I’ll fly there myself and knock some sense into you.”
“Ha.” Mark gave a short laugh. “You wouldn’t. It would take you too long. You’d have to fly commercial.”
“Don’t be such a prick. And don’t forget that I’m still a majority stake-holder in our company. I could vote that little plane of yours out of existence before you have a chance to paint your new fancy logo on the tail.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Keep up this bitching and we’ll find out.”
“Fuck you, Jack.” Mark was tempted to throw his phone in the pool when Jack responded with a hearty laugh.
“You didn’t think it would be this hard, did you?”
“I didn’t think what would be this hard?”
“Seeing her again.”
Mark stared at the mirrored surface of the pool, the reflection of the afternoon sun almost blinding in its intensity. His silence was answer enough.
“That bad, huh?”
“So much worse.” Mark rubbed his jaw with one hand, hoping the roughness would scrub from his fingers the need to touch her. “She wanted to shake my hand, Jack.”
“So?”
“So...? I couldn’t. I offered her the job, she took it. She wanted to shake on it, held out her hand. And I just stared at it, like some sort of idiot. I couldn’t even bring myself to fucking touch her. Not when I knew a hand- shake was all I was going to get.”
“Oh, man,” Jack managed between laughs, “you are so royally screwed.”
“So. Royally. Screwed.”
“Shouldn’t you?” Mark tugged his shirt free from his pants and pushed through the doors onto the flagstone patio.
Jack’s laugh reached him through the phone. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Hardly.”
“You’re lying.”
“And you’re an asshole.”
“No more than you, my friend.”
“Debatable,” Mark retorted.
“Did you call for an actual reason, or did you just want to shit on me from 2,000 miles away?”
“I needed to end a meeting so I could take a call.”
“You realize that makes no sense.”
“Yes”—Mark dragged one hand through his hair—“I’m aware of that. I needed an excuse,” he sighed. “An excuse to end a meeting earlier than planned.”
“And I’m the excuse?”
“Bingo.”
“So you asked her?”
Unable to keep still, Mark paced across the patio, careful never to wander too close to the edge of the pool. “Yup,” he muttered.
“And she said yes?”
“Yup.”
“Then what’s wrong with you? Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”
“Yup,” Mark conceded.
“Mark....” Jack adopted a tone Mark knew well. One that said he wasn’t interested in buying any of the bullshit his friend was about to sell. “After all that went down months ago, you weren’t sure she’d accept the job. Hell, you didn’t even know if she’d stay once she knew you bought the hotel. And you’re telling me that not only is Grace staying, but she’s taking the position you really wanted her to. You should be in the mood for celebrating, not grumbling down the fucking phone.”
Mark was about to grunt out an answer when Jack cut him off, “And if you say ‘yup’ one more time I’ll fly there myself and knock some sense into you.”
“Ha.” Mark gave a short laugh. “You wouldn’t. It would take you too long. You’d have to fly commercial.”
“Don’t be such a prick. And don’t forget that I’m still a majority stake-holder in our company. I could vote that little plane of yours out of existence before you have a chance to paint your new fancy logo on the tail.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Keep up this bitching and we’ll find out.”
“Fuck you, Jack.” Mark was tempted to throw his phone in the pool when Jack responded with a hearty laugh.
“You didn’t think it would be this hard, did you?”
“I didn’t think what would be this hard?”
“Seeing her again.”
Mark stared at the mirrored surface of the pool, the reflection of the afternoon sun almost blinding in its intensity. His silence was answer enough.
“That bad, huh?”
“So much worse.” Mark rubbed his jaw with one hand, hoping the roughness would scrub from his fingers the need to touch her. “She wanted to shake my hand, Jack.”
“So?”
“So...? I couldn’t. I offered her the job, she took it. She wanted to shake on it, held out her hand. And I just stared at it, like some sort of idiot. I couldn’t even bring myself to fucking touch her. Not when I knew a hand- shake was all I was going to get.”
“Oh, man,” Jack managed between laughs, “you are so royally screwed.”
“So. Royally. Screwed.”
About Katy Ames
Katy Ames has spent most of her life on the East Coast and hopes to spend more of it in the UK. In part, so she can indulge in her serious plaid obsession. There isn’t a teenage drama on the CW or a period British TV show she hasn’t binge-watched at least twice. And she can be persuaded to do most things with the promise of bourbon, coffee, chocolate, or a nap, not necessarily in that order. Katy is mom to a small human who has an obscene amount of energy and a blissful ability to ignore swear words, and wife to a man whose reading habits are far too serious. Katy and her family reside in Washington, D.C., a city she where never planned to live and loves so much she’d be happy to talk about for hours. Just ask.
Katy writes contemporary romances that feature heroes who are strong but not so silent, heroines who aren’t afraid to kick ass, and stories that get a little messy before they end happily ever after.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Book + Main
Enter Katy’s Giveaway
Check out Katy’s fun new romance in her newsletter!
#ChooseYourOwnRomance, by Katy Ames
When I joined this wonderful and wild world of romance, I fell in love instantly - with the readers. You guys are enthusiastic, supportive, and passionate. And some of the loveliest people I’ve every had the pleasure to chat with, either in person or online.
I created #ChooseYourOwnRomance not just to thank you for being so awesome, but to bring readers into the heart of the story. Literally. By answering a few “this or that” questions, my followers on Instagram selected the trope, the location, the hero, and the heroine for the romance I’m currently writing.
Every week, I post a chapter on Instagram and readers get to decide how the story continues. Do they kiss? Does he stay? Does she go? Is there a love triangle? Do they have sex...?
And every Thursday, around 8 PM EST, I post the next installment, based on the winning votes from the previous week. It’s like an old-school Choose Your Own Adventure book, but for romance. (gasp!) (and, yes, I dated myself just then)
The current story focuses on Eden and Jude, childhood friends from a small town who haven’t spoken in years. The silence and distance have turned these once-friends into enemies. But a tragedy brings Eden home and Jude is doing everything possible to make her stay. And, maybe, if readers are kind, to show her that he’s never thought of her as anything but the love of his life.
Readers can catch up on Eden and Jude’s story.
And if you want to get in on some hot and heavy decision making, please join me every Thursday on Instagram (at) katyamesbooks and/or search for #ChooseYourOwnRomance.
Hope to see you there. You’re the best. Romance rocks.
Lots of love,
Katy
Sounds like a good read.
ReplyDelete