Excerpt and Giveaway Secondhand Romance (Brothers of Audubon Springs #2) by RoseAnn DeFranco

Published December 28th, 2013

Description:

Annie O'Malley's dream of owning a secondhand bookstore in tight-knit Audubon Springs is coming true. Still reeling from her parents' sudden deaths, she believes that signs or messages can be found within the pages of books. She loves her job and has made plenty of friends but longs for the acceptance only love and a family can provide. 

Tony Iuliano is there to fix the wiring in her shop. He doesn't believe in fate, magic, or the power of a good book. All this combined with his sexy-as-sin presence and all-knowing attitude infuriates Annie. The quirky bookworm intrigues him enough to accept her bet to read a book from her shop. When he discovers a stack of fifty-year-old love letters in the book, he wants to leave the past alone, but seeing it as a sign, Annie challenges him to read the letters and search for the long-lost lovers or lose the bet. 

While shaking the dust off several ill-fated romances and fighting their attraction at every turn, the pair soon become the town gossip daily special. If they can stop arguing long enough, they may just discover this particular sign was meant for them all along.

When Emma Grant returns to her family's Audubon Springs beach house to fulfill the stipulations of her father's will, she has every intention of forcing her former lover out of the house for good. She's never fit into her wealthy family and would prefer avoiding her past, but with her brother threatening to reveal her young daughter, she has no choice.

Rafe Iuliano has other plans. The wealthy Grants tried to bribe him out of Emma's life years ago, but he's determined to prove once and for all that a master carpenter is worthy of Emma and the house.

Their ridiculous and steamy battle for the house reignites the love and passion that bloomed between them years ago. But when Rafe discovers she's kept their daughter a secret for two years, can he overcome anger and pride to claim his family and the love of his life, or will the deception drive a final wedge between them?

EXCERPT

“Are we going to shake on this?” He extended his hand and grinned. 

Annie hesitated for a split second. Had she ever touched Tony? Shaking his hand with that sexy, superior glint in his eyes unnerved her, but she needed to seal the deal. 

His warm hand engulfed hers, shooting a jolt of electricity through her veins. He had a solid, firm grip, the kind to hold a shaky person steady. Lifting her gaze to his, she smiled when his eyes widened in a flash of surprise. It had been a long time since she’d really touched another person. When the warmth from his hand made its way dangerously close to parts of her that had lain dormant for years, she abruptly let go. 

“There, deal.” Flushed, she returned her focus to the book in his hand. “Open it, but first, look at how worn it is, you can tell it’s been read a few thousand times.” 

Tony flipped the big, hardcover book open. Instead of the expected well-worn pages, a small stack of what looked like letters bound by a string sat nestled inside. The pages were yellowed, the string frayed. The owner cut a neat and deep square into the center of the pages, nearly removing the entire contents of the book. Tony pulled them out, squinted, and weighed them in his hand. 

Equally stunned, a burst of adrenaline hit Annie. Of all the treasures she’d uncovered in the two years since dealing in secondhand books, she never came across anything quite like this. This was a sign – from her parents, or other forces at work in the universe – but this book, and all its possibilities, was important to someone, somewhere. 

“Now do you believe me when I say every book has a story to tell?”

*******

He glanced at the book she left on the counter and picked it up, weighing it in his big hand as if it were a foreign object. “I don’t get it. What is it about a book that so completely captures your attention?”

Annie’s eyes widened. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Hmmm, no, I don’t think so.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’m not going to try to explain this to a non-reader.”

A dark expression flashed across his face. “I read.”

“Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and Playboy do not count.”

“I said I can read!”

“Calm down there, big guy. I’m sure you can read, but I own the only bookstore in town, and I’ve never seen you in here to buy a book. To my way of thinking, that puts you in the category of a non-reader, as in someone who does not read for pleasure.”

“Okay, fine. You’ve got me. Humor me. What is it about a book that completely grabs your attention, leaving your store vulnerable to theft and you to bodily harm?”

Annie regarded him through narrowed eyes, not entirely sure if he was serious or seriously trying to provoke an argument. She found both options interesting. Up until now, they shared very little in the way of one-on-one dialogue. The nature of this question indicated a certain level of contemplation he’d already given on the subject. “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

“No.” He revealed just the slightest crack of a smile.

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About the authors:

RoseAnn DeFranco grew up in upstate NY with her nose in a book and a song in her heart. Following the pursuit of a musical theatre career in NYC, she turned her creative energy to writing funny, steamy romance with heart. A NJ shore transplant, she enjoys time spent at the beach with her family and would love to one day live in a quaint shore town like the fictional town from her BROTHERS OF AUDUBON SPRINGS series. More information about these Contemporary Romantic Comedies can be found at radefranco.com.

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