I couldn't be more excited today to welcome author Rachel Hawthorne to the blog as part of the promotional tour (thanks Hannah!) for her recent contemporary YA releases, Trouble from the Start and The Boyfriend Project. Rachel was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about her characters, romance, and reading locations, so I hope you all enjoy! Be sure and check the bottom of the post too for a fantastic giveaway as well as a list of participating blogs so you can follow along on the tour:)
To help us get to know Kendall, Jeremy, Fletcher and Avery a little bit better, what one word might each of them use to describe the other three?
Avery would describe Fletcher as trouble, Kendall as loyal, and Jeremy as dependable.
Fletcher would describe Avery as brainy, Kendall as serious, Jeremy as conservative.
Kendall would describe Avery as a Yorkie, Fletcher as a mutt, Jeremy as a golden-retriever. (Cheated a bit there with the 1-word answers but Kendall’s world revolves around dogs.)
Jeremy would describe Kendall as orderly, Avery as fun, Fletcher as tough.
If you could be the leading lady in your own sweet romance and could choose which author penned your story, whose interpretation of your fictional relationship would you be most curious to read?
What a great question! I’m a huge fan of Sophie Jordan’s young adult novels. They’re always different with a bit of a twist so I would love to see what she would do with a sweet romance where I’m the leading lady.
While I love reading a good romance any time of the year, I'm especially drawn to them during the summer months when I can sit outdoors with a goofy smile on my face. Please name three places that would be the perfect setting for a reader to pick up Trouble from the Start or The Boyfriend Project.
Stretched out on a towel on a sandy beach
Snuggled up in a cabin in the mountains
Curled up in bed
If one of your characters could turn the tables on you and write a story based on your teenage years, what would the title of that book be?
Going Nowhere, Doing Nothing (my teenage years were pretty boring)
Which three characters would top your all-time favorite list of bad boys?
Fletcher Thomas from Trouble from the Start
Sean O’Rourke from Sophie Jordan’s Uninvited
Alex Fuentes from Simone Elkeles’s Perfect Chemistry
Thanks so much for stopping by Rachel!
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TROUBLE FROM THE START
One of two companion novels from beach-read favorite Rachel Hawthorne, this cute, romantic paperback original is about a good girl who falls for a bad guy.
Avery knows better than to fall for Fletcher, the local bad boy who can’t seem to outrun his reputation. Fletcher knows he shouldn’t bother with college-bound, daughter-of-a-cop Avery. But when their paths cross, neither can deny the spark. Are they willing to go against everything and let their hearts lead the way? Or are they just flirting with disaster?
Trouble from the Start releases simultaneously with companion novel The Boyfriend Project. These heartwarming paperback originals are the perfect summer reads, great for fans of Jennifer Echols, Lauren Barnholdt, and Susane Colasanti.
THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT
Perfect for fans of Stephanie Perkins, Lauren Barnholdt, and Susane Colasanti, The Boyfriend Project is a romantic read about a girl who wishes her sweet boyfriend had a little more edge.
Kendall and her boyfriend, Jeremy, have been together forever, and Kendall is starting to wonder if Jeremy is a little boring. . . . So she embarks on a boyfriend makeover. But as Jeremy learns to strut his stuff, other girls start to notice him and, what's worse, he's noticing them back. Then Jeremy breaks up with Kendall and she realizes her makeover project was the ultimate disaster. Is the sweet boyfriend she loved gone forever?
A companion novel to Rachel Hawthorne's paperback original Trouble from the Start, this title is perfect for fans of summer beach reads and sweet treats.
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RACHEL HAWTHORNE
Rachel Hawthorne, who also writes as Lorraine Heath and Jade Parker, is the daughter of a British beauty (her mother won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero-who played the Joker on the old Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Herts, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan. She enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She writes for both adult and young adult readers. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award for Americana historicals. Her novels have been recognized with a RITA, Romance Writers of America’s most prestigious award for excellence, a HOLT medallion award honoring outstanding literary fiction, a Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice Award, five Texas Gold Awards, the Golden Quill Award, the Rising Star Award as well as other awards and recognitions. Her novels have been selections of the Doubleday and Rhapsody Book Club. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA Today, Waldenbooks, and most recently, the New York Times.
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GIVEAWAY
Thanks to the extraordinarily generous team at HarperCollins, I have copies of either Trouble from the Start and The Boyfriend Project OR One Perfect Summer to give away on the blog today (winner's choice)! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
WEEK ONE
Mon., 4/27 - The Irish Banana Review (Guest Post & Review)
Tues., 4/28 - My Guilty Obsession (Review)
Wed., 4/29 - FictionFare (Review)
Thurs., 4/30 - Swoony Boys Podcast (Q&A & Review)
Fri., 5/1 - Andi's ABCs (Guest Post)
WEEK TWO
Mon., 5/4 - Book Rocky Betty (Review)
Tues., 5/5 - Supernatural Snark (Q&A)
Wed., 5/6 - Reading W/ABC (Review)
Thurs., 5/7 - No BS Book Reviews (Q&A)
Fri., 5/8 - Gone With the Words (Review)
