Headstrong, homebody farmer plus freedom-loving hippie chick equals the worst match ever, but their blazing chemistry is unstoppable.
Nursing a wounded heart, Gemma Moore
hopes a spell in her Aunt Zora’s metaphysical shop will soothe her stormy
emotions. But from the moment Jesse walks in, calm is a lost cause. The hunky
farmer is frustrating, stubborn, and oh so tempting. One hot night reveals his
hidden side—sweet, sensual, and determined to make her his.
When a harmless secret backfires,
Gemma discovers just how deeply she’s wounded the beautiful bull man, and how
desperately she wants to keep him.
Wild Women Authors welcomes author Rhonda Gilmour who, writing as Sadira Stone, celebrates tomorrow’s release [05/15/23!!] of Passion in the Cards, the first book in her new Trappers Cove series. With Sadira is organic farmer, Jesse del Toro who will go first.
Tell
us a bit about Passion in the Cards. I guess it’s the story of how I finally caught the eye of the woman who
stole my heart years ago when we met as teens around a beach bonfire. I’m a
natural homebody, deeply rooted in my hometown (‘cause I’m an organic farmer.
Sorry for the pun.) And she’s a vagabond, always flitting from place to place,
so you can imagine how hard it was to capture her interest long enough to make
my case. But like my namesake, I’m a stubborn and determined as a bull. Or so
Gemma tells me.
What
did you think the first time you saw Gemma Moore? I was sixteen, so she must’ve been fourteen. I went
down to the beach where some friends from school were having a bonfire. You
know—guitars, beers, teens flirting under the moonlight. It was summer, so
there was a mix of townies and tourists. And there she was, a slender beauty
with the brightest, deepest eyes I’d ever seen. All of nature’s most beautiful
elements swam in her eyes—moonlight silver and ocean blue and forest green. From
the moment she gifted me a smile, I was a goner. But it wasn’t for another
twenty years that I got a shot at getting to know her.
What was
your second thought? Well,
she left the bonfire with another guy, so I figured that was that—she’s not for
me.
Do you
feel it was love at first sight? I
mean, yes and no? To really love someone is to know them deeply. Let’s say I
was enchanted at first sight and never forgot her.
What
do you like most about her? Gemma is warm
and kind and funny. She’s game to try new things, and when she looks at me,
really looks at me, I feel seen like I never have before.
How
would you describe her? She’s as
beautiful and quick as a butterfly. But don’t be deceived—she’s as stubborn and
determined as, well, me! She’s not afraid to get her hands dirty and do hard
work, either. I really admire that about her.
How
would Gemma describe you? Stubborn.
She calls me her hunky bull man. Gotta admit, I love it when she says that.
What
made you choose organic farming for a career? I inherited this place from my grandparents. They were hippies and
taught me to grow culinary and medicinal herbs the natural way. I’m honored to
continue their legacy. Working with plants makes me feel—I dunno—is it too
corny if I say “rooted”? Sinking my hands into the soil brings me peace.
What
is your biggest fear? Losing Gemma’s
interest.
How
do you relax? Besides work? I love
sitting at the firepit with Gemma, all wrapped up against the coastal chill,
watching the stars come out and talking about everything. If a few friends show
up, that’s cool too, but when it’s just the two of us…man, there’s nothing like
kissing under the stars.
Who
is your favorite fictional character?
I guess Frodo Baggins? Even though he’s a tiny dude and I’m kinda huge, I can
relate to his passion for defending his home and friends from danger.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? Don’t be too quick to take offense. You never know
what other people are going through.
Thanks for
taking time away from your herbs, Jesse. We appreciate it. Now, we’d like to
chat with Sadira.
What
movies or books have had an impact on your career as a writer? Too many to count! I love the banter in the move French
Kiss, with Kevin Klein and Meg Ryan. So much crackling sexual tension,
combined with delicious, snarky humor. I aim for that kind of banter in my
books.
Is
there an event in your private life that you were able to bring to this story
and how do you feel it impacted the novel? Hmm. The bonfire on the beach is right out of my teen years. My
friends and I would gather on Manor Beach in Pacifica, CA. Sand like sugar,
crackling flames, the soft sigh of the ocean—it was a magical time and place.
And, like Gemma, I learned to read palms when I was a teen. People love to hear
about themselves, and they usually agree with my assessment of their character.
Of course, I dwell on strengths, not weaknesses.
Tell
us a bit about your publisher: how did you hear about them and what influenced
your decision to submit to them? This
book is indie published. Originally published as Taurus in the 2022 Zodiac
Encounters anthology, it’s been re-edited and revised to be Book One in my
new Trappers Cove series.
What
book[s] currently rest on your TBR pile?
So many! I recently discovered Jennifer Ashley’s delicious Regency romances. I’ve
also got a Jackie Lau book cued up—love her snarky humor!
Lastly, what's up next and
when can we expect to see it on the shelves? Book Two in the Trappers Cove series is Passionate Brew,
coming in June 2023. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance between Jesse’s best
friend Ryan Lee, owner of the Salty Dog Brewery, and his new head brewer Lilo
Eisinger, who can’t stand his smug a** for reasons dating back to childhood. I
love it when hostile characters are forced to work together!
His
grin slipped when a stunning woman stepped from behind the wooden screen and
froze, her plush mouth open, her eyes wide. A nagging sense of recognition
tickled his memory—and his body. Where had he met her before? His skin prickled
as he searched her face for clues, eerily certain they’d shared something
momentous. Then it clicked.
The
girl from the beach. She was back again—older now, but with the same tawny hair
that fell in heavy waves, the same piercing eyes whose colors shifted with the
light, the same tilt of her head like a clever bird who saw right through him.
His heart gave a powerful thump, then kicked into overdrive.
Zora
followed the beauty, her batik tunic billowing as she trotted toward him.
“See, I told you,” she called over her
shoulder.
“Pardon?” He blinked rapidly, his feet
rooted to the floor.
The old hippie mama beamed. “Jesse,
you remember my niece Gemma, don’t you?”
How could he ever forget?
Like the big, goofy teen he was when
they first met, he shifted awkwardly from foot to foot. “You look different,
Gemma. Your hair was longer last time, with purple tips, right? And you didn’t
have that squiggle tattoo on your hand.”
She
peered up at him through narrowed eyes. More green than blue today, they showed
zero sign of recognition. That stung.
Stepping
closer, she raised her slender hand and tapped the parallel zigzag lines. “Aquarius, my star sign. What’s yours?”
Her nearness made his tongue thick and
his brain sluggish. She smelled of lilacs and lemon verbena, like springtime on
his gramps’ farm. His farm now, though six months in, he still couldn’t get used
to thinking of it that way.
“Jesse’s a Taurus.” Zora patted his shoulder,
took the delivery from his arms, and set it on the counter. “A classic example.
Strong, steady, stubborn, and sensual.”
His cheeks flushed hot enough to fry
an egg.
“And he has the perfect Taurus
name—del Toro.”
Gemma tapped her pursed lips. “Why
does that sound so familiar?” Just like all those years ago, her sexy pout spun
his thoughts into a dizzy spiral of want and need.
Thanks so much for this chance to share Jesse's story! He and I both thank you. Gemma too!
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