It’s Victoria Day weekend in Canada and I want to celebrate the onset of summer with a sale and some pics from my keyhole garden ๐
First the sale. Sweetheart Cove is #Free from May 17- 21!
Josie Sparks is looking for escape after a disastrous relationship. A summer job on a small Pacific Northwest island seems perfect. That is, until she meets her irascible new boss. She thinks she can help his sweet little girl–he’s another story.
Jacob Samuels needs someone reliable to care for his special needs daughter, but is sorry he trusted his sister with the task when help arrives in the shape of a too-young, too-tempting therapist with pain-filled eyes he can’t ignore.
Sand, surf, and soft island breezes bring two lonely hearts together in this heartwarming tale of second chance romance and a love that lasts forever.
What Readers are Saying
โฅโฆโฅ Order Your Copy now! โฅโฆโฅ
International Link: http://books2read.com/SweetheartCove
Or add it to your TBR list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40766281-sweetheart-cove
Recommend on Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/sweetheart-cove-blue-haven-book-1-by-jacquie-biggar
Exclusive Excerpt
Josie smiled and waited patiently for Jane to make her move. โDonโt worry, youโve got this,โ she encouraged the little girl.
Jane grunted and leaned forward in her wheelchair, teeth scraping her bottom lip. โIโm stuck.โ
โTake your time, thereโs no rush.โ
She glanced out at the evening sky. โDaddy will be home soon.โ
Josieโs pulse skipped a beat. Two weeks later and still the thought of Jacobโs infrequent appearances sent her into a tizzy. He was just soโฆ masculine. Sheโd managed to keep their interactions to a bare minimum, but sooner or later he was going to want a report on his daughterโs progress. Hopefully, he understood her decision to take the time to build trust with Jane before attempting much in the way of therapy. Hence, the chess game she was currently losing.
โYour dad will have to play a game, so you can show him how good you are,โ she said.
Jane sighed. โHe doesnโt have time to play.โ She reached out to move a pawn, then changed her mind and slid the rook horizontally across the board, capturing an unsuspecting knight.
Josie looked at her dwindling pieces and grinned. โJust as well, it wouldnโt be fair to him.โ
Jane giggled.
She was such a sweetheart. Jacob should be here. It shouldโve been him teaching Jane the intricate moves of chess and taking pride in her aptitude for the game. She wouldnโt be six forever, these moments were precious.
The underlying sadness in the Samuels household carried an almost physical presence. โIs your father away a lot?โ she asked. Sheโd looked, but there were no pictures or really any feminine touches at all in the home. It was as though Janeโs mom never existed. She didnโt know the full situation, or if father and daughter shared treasured memories, but they were an important step in Janeโs recovery. She would have to corner the dragon, so to speak, and find out what could be done to help the child.
Jane fiddled with the knight sheโd captured, curls brushing her cherub cheeks. โMore now than he used to be. He says business is booming and he needs to strike while the ironโs hotโwhatever that means.โ
Or he was using his work to avoid the issues at home.
โWell, he has to have a good reputation to be that busy. You must be very proud of him.โ Josie moved a pawn and took a drink of the punch theyโd made before the game. โMmm, this is delicious. Did you try it yet?โ As with the chess, Jane had shown a natural aptitude in the kitchen, mixing and matching juices and ginger ale into a delightful cocktail beverage. They were going to bake brownies tomorrow. Everyday tasks like these would instill confidence as well as increasing dexterity without the connotations of physical therapy. Sheโd found her patients performed much better under positive reinforcement and exercises that pushed conventional boundaries.
Jane reached out to the fancy snifter theyโd used for the drinks, but her fingers caught the chess board and pushed it up against the glass, which was sitting too close to the edge of the table and tipped over, hitting the floor with a crash. Her mouth dropped open as the cold liquid splashed up her legs.
Josie smiled and was about to reassure the girl when Mount Samuels erupted.
โDonโt move,โ Jacob snarled, dropping the pack heโd walked in with and hurrying across the room to the wheelchair. โAre you hurt?โ he asked his daughter, leaning over her head like a dark cloud of doom.
โNโฆ no,โ she said, tears clinging to thick, dark lashes. โIโm sorry, Daddy. I didnโt mean to drop the glass.โ
He shot Josie a cold glare. โI know that, Pumpkin. Letโs get you washed up, shall we?โ
He backed the wheelchair away from the table and turned towards the bedrooms. โMiss Sparks, there are towels in the kitchen. See if you can clean the mess without cutting yourself.โ He strode a few feet and glanced over his shoulder. โAnd donโt go anywhere. I want to talk to you.โ
Josie frowned as he walked away. Accidents were bound to happen. He couldnโt wrap his daughter in bubble wrap. She was bound to get hurt now and then, it was part of life.
She rescued the chess board from the river of juice dampening the wood, then side-stepped the glass to hurry into the kitchen for towels and a container for the broken pieces. Maybe they should have used Janeโs plastic cups for their drinks, but Josie wasnโt sorry they hadnโtโeven with the unhappy ending. Sheโd seen the little girlโs eyes light up for the first time since theyโd met. She didnโt need to be treated with kid gloves. Most people thrived with a challenge and picking up a glass tumbler while playing a game of chess had allowed Jane to see the possibilities.
No, she wasnโt sorry.
โMiss Sparks, what do you think youโre doing?โ
The gravelly texture of Jacobโs voice rolled up her spine and caused an involuntary shiver just as she lifted jagged glass from the floor. Blood spurted. Josie gasped and dropped the offending piece into the container before reaching for a napkin to cover the wound.
โDonโt yell,โ she snapped. Uncomfortable with him towering over her, she stood then wished she hadnโt as the room swayedโor was that her?
โWhoa,โ he said, grasping her arm to steady her. โA nurse that canโt stand the sight of blood, huh?โ He urged her into a chair and left to wet a cloth in the kitchen sink.
โTherapist,โ she called, irritated with her temporary weakness and exasperated with him for noticing. โItโs not the same thing.โ
He returned with a damp rag and gently took her hand. He uncovered the injury, checked for glass, then wrapped her finger. โYouโll survive.โ He tipped her chin and gazed into her eyes. Somethingโฆ heated passed between them.
Josie swallowed and held her breath.
He released her and took a step away, clearing his throat. โMy daughter has limited mobility. Please take care in the future so that you donโt endanger her safety again.โ He waved a hand at the chess board. โAnd save the games for when youโre off-duty, if you donโt mind. I pay you to work with Jane and help her accept her lifestyle, not to throw a party.โ
He stomped out of the room and left her fuming. A party with a six-year-old and a glass of punch.
Go her.
Then the memory of the heat in his stormy blue-gray eyes washed over her and she felt dizzy all over again.
Now for the Garden
My garden is my happy place. It nourishes my soul as much as my body.
Happy Victoria Day Weekend everyone!
Happy Victoria day weekend Jacquie. I love your garden. The Rose of Sharon is particularly lovely.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Brigid. It’s almost in full bloom now- a mass of pink blossoms ๐
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Victoria Day weekend, Jacquie. I loved the excerpt and book cover. You have a lovely garden.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Mary! Hope you have a lovely weekend as well ๐
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Victoria Day Jacquie from Victoria, Australia ๐
Lovely pictures!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol, thank you, Iris!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Victoria Day, Jacquie. Your garden is beautiful! I can see why it nourishes your soul. And Sweetheart Cove is a delightful read. I hope many new readers discover what a pleasure it is to read!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Mae! I love a good heartwarming story and this one fits the bill ๐
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Jacquie! So generous of you. It’s on my Kindle. ๐
Have an awesome weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! Thank you, Natalie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love all the garden pictures. Jacquie:) Beautiful spot you’ve created. Thank for the free book. I added it to my TBR list. I’m curious to see what happens next. Enjoy your holiday werkend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Denise! It’s a small garden, but that’s okay ๐
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a stimulation for true love and a perfect Summer read.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, AOC! Have a lovely weekend!
LikeLike
I love the sound of this book, Jacquie. I have being enjoying reading romance lately. Your garden is beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Robbie! I love being outside ๐
LikeLike
Beautiful garden!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
I’m a bit late, but happy Victoria Day, and thanks for sharing such gorgeous pictures (now I no longer have a garden, so I live vicariously through other people’s gardens), and especially thanks for the gift. I’ll share around!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Olga! We moved from a house with a big yard to a small RV lot but that didnโt stop us from filling every square inch with plants ๐
LikeLike
Happy Victoria Day, Jacquie. I loved your garden. I wasn’t blessed with a green thumb, but the weed sure love me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lol, well they’re plants, too ๐
LikeLike