River sunsets, campfires, and a summer romance that might not last. River sunsets, campfires, and a summer romance that might not last. Will Sally have only bittersweet memories or a broken heart when autumn comes?
Wild Women Authors focus
on I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight, an over-forty romantic comedy, written
by Christine Columbus, and released by the Wild Rose Press
About the Book:
Sally has
sworn off relationships. At forty-seven, she finds herself stuck in a rut and
feels as if she’s going nowhere. Until her mother needs help to fix up her
house, now Sally spends her weekends driving three hours to plaster and paint
walls.
Ty is also
lending a hand with the repairs, and their attraction simmers just beneath the
surface. As the house takes on a new life, so does Sally’s heart. By day, they
work on the house, but in the evenings, they escape to a local campground,
overlooking river sunsets and diving into a summer romance.
As summer
ends and Ty gets ready to leave, Sally has to choose: should she follow her
heart and risk getting hurt again, or play it safe and keep things as they are?
An Excerpt:
The sound of a
deep male voice shifted my attention to the left. A smile split my lips. This
was the same man who walked in behind me. His eyes were the color of a sea
before the storm. Never having seen an ocean, I couldn’t swear this was true,
but sometimes, you didn’t have to see something to know it. This was one of
those times. This man stirred a mix of emotions in me…a cocktail of curiosity,
attraction, and a hint of apprehension.
“Is this seat
taken?”
I stared, no
longer remembering what the question was.
He pointed a
finger at the chair. His shoulders strained against the fabric of the cotton
dress shirt.
Warmth spread
across my cheeks as I remembered the question. “No, it’s not taken.”
His eyes and smile
drew me closer.
The bartender
rushed over, sliding chips before him. “What can I get you?”
He tilted his chin
to the left. “What is she drinking?”
My stool swiveled
toward him. Our knees bumped. But instead of mumbling an apology. I maintained
eye contact. “The bartender can’t tell you. It’s like doctor-patient
confidentiality. Although if you ask me real nice, then I’ll tell you.”
I flashed a toothy
smile. Why am I flirting? The sight of my half-empty glass supplied the answer.
Bourbon. Instead of shying away or summoning the anger and frustration from two
years ago, I sat with a poker face.
The bartender
smirked.
He held out a
hand. “Ty.”
“Sal.”
He had a firm but
gentle handshake. “Short for Sally?”
A simple question.
Yet I hesitated, wishing I could think of something clever and knowing I should
leave. “Is this also confidential information?”
The right corner
of his mouth twitched. He released my hand and slid both chips across the
wooden bar. “Give me what she’s having. And give her another?”
I motioned for him
to come closer. “If you’re trying to get me tipsy, it’s too late. This is my
second, and I don’t normally drink anything other than an occasional beer.”
“Why tonight? Were
you close to Bernie?”
“Yes and no.” I
tried to clamp my jaw shut, but the words kept coming. “Bernie was my mom’s
significant other for ten years. Long story. I didn’t put any effort into
getting to know him, and now, it’s too late.” I picked up my glass. The ice
cubes clinked, and the faint fragrance of fruit and whiskey rose from the short
tumbler.
The bartender
appeared with two drinks and another bowl of popcorn. After nodding my thanks,
I caught the wink she flashed at Ty. Well, who wouldn’t? The guy was hot and
handsome.
“So—” He turned
and held my gaze.
I sensed a
connection but feared the attraction had more to do with liquor, the social
lubricant, than any actual feelings. The last thing I wanted was to be played for
a fool, so I searched for a safe subject and drew a blank. Every day, I had
dozens of impersonal conversations, and now, I couldn’t think of one generic thing
to say.
The tip of his
tongue swiped across his bottom lip.
A jolt of desire
shot through me. I crossed my legs to counter the sudden pleasure and tried to
remember all the hurt and pain from my relationship with JR. Recanting why I
was happier without a man did little to squelch my interest. The man beside me
with the kind blue eyes and gentle voice lulled me into believing not all men
were jackals waiting to devour a woman’s heart and drag her into a den of
financial ruin.
“Are you from River
City?”
“I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight” can be purchased at:
Amazon US https://www.amazon.com/Rather-Kiss-Goodnight-Surf-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FGDGP3MN
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/Rather-Kiss-Goodnight-Surf-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FGDGP3MN
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rather-Kiss-Goodnight-Surf-Romance-ebook/dp/B0FGDGP3MN
Barnes
& Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/id-rather-kiss-you-goodnight-christine-columbus/1147712653?ean=2940184331522
Apple https://books.apple.com/us/book/id-rather-kiss-you-goodnight/id6748141643
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/i-d-rather-kiss-you-goodnight
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/237870286-i-d-rather-kiss-you-goodnight
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/books/i-d-rather-kiss-you-goodnight-by-christine-columbus
A Bit About Christine Columbus:
Eighteen
years ago, while living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I published children’s
stories, creative non-fiction, poetry, and flash fiction, then stumbled into
romance, writing several short stories and a novel with The Wild Rose Press.
Then,
I took a brief hiatus that lasted thirteen years, traveling the United States
in a 40 foot 5th wheel camper with my husband. This journey, from the Midwest
to the West Coast to the East Coast, has inspired my writing. Now, we’re
settled in North Carolina, living the dream in a stick-and-brick dwelling
(apartment).
And
I am back to doing what I love-spinning tales that captivate and inspire with
two releases in 2025, Chance Meeting and I’d Rather Kiss You
Goodnight. These novels culminate my passion for storytelling, and I can’t
wait to share them with you.
More
About Christine Columbus Can be Found at:
https://www.ColumbusChristine.com
https://www.facebook.com/christinecolumbus/
https://www.instagram.com/Christine_Columbus/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinecolumbusnet?
https://bsky.app/profile/christinecolumbus.bsky.social
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/christine-columbus
Thank you for spotlighting I’d Rather Kiss You Goodnight. Your blog is always a pleasure to read!
ReplyDelete