"Reminiscent of Sex and the City and the Shopaholic series in the best possible way. Her stories are a lot of fun and yet she still tugs at your heartstrings."--Gail Chasan, Special Edition Editor
Release Date: January 25th, 2022
It’s never too late to put your best foot forward
From the outside, Reagan “Rae” Doucet has it all: a coveted career in Washington, DC, a tight circle of friends and a shoe closet to die for. When one of her crew falls ill, however, Rae is done playing it safe. The talented but unfulfilled writer makes a “risk list” to revamp her life. But forgiving her ex, Jake Saunders, might be one risk too many…
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Darby Baham’s Washington Post bylines
I had the perfect date dress. Why did it hang in my closet unworn for more than a year? -- March 201
When it comes to relationship advice, sometimes it’s best to ignore your friends -- February 2016
I’m the oldest sister in my family and I’m single. And that’s okay. -- March 2016
I was afraid to say ‘I love you.’ Here’s how I found the courage. -
I had the perfect date dress. Why did it hang in my closet unworn for more than a year? -- March 201
When it comes to relationship advice, sometimes it’s best to ignore your friends -- February 2016
I’m the oldest sister in my family and I’m single. And that’s okay. -- March 2016
I was afraid to say ‘I love you.’ Here’s how I found the courage. -
GUEST POST
RUNNING INTO AN EX
Every woman I know watching the Ja Rule & Fat Joe Verzuz saw Nelly walk up to Ashanti, arms wide open, and cringed just a little at the memory of having an ex-boyfriend approach you at the exact wrong time. But at least she looked amazing when it happened; that was definitely the saving grace.
I lived in the same city for 15 years, so I think it's safe to say that I've had my fair share of running into exes. Some have been the way you always hope for it to happen--I looked amazing, lipstick was popping, clothes were fitting just right, another dude was on my arm. And some, well... let's just say I think it should be a crime to run into an ex after you've just died in a spin class.
Regardless of the circumstances, though, it's always the same initial thought for me. "Is that who I think it is? Crap, it is. Can I get away without him seeing me? Nope? Sigh, nope. Well, here we go... heyyyyyy."
Probably one of the funnier instances I experienced in DC was when I spotted a guy who I'd dated for a couple months, but things had sort of naturally fizzled out. And there he was, at a football tailgate with his kid. I was so scared that he would assume I’d planned this impromptu sighting that I literally ducked down and tried to hide from him while running away for at least 2 minutes. I'm fairly sure he didn't see me (let's hope, it was pretty embarrassing! Not a good look for your girl.) but many, many people at the tailgate did.
And still, overall, I'd consider it a success. Because despite all the antics, I didn't have to subject myself to what would only have been Issa Rae-level, awkward conversation with him.
Reagan Doucet, the main character in The Shoe Diaries, also has one of those cringe-worthy ex encounters. Like me, she sees her ex and tries to quickly assess if she can run away from the situation. Unfortunately, he notices her, and everything that many of us are scared will happen, does. He is incredibly condescending, tries to get her to forgive him without any genuine work for it, and generally leaves an awful taste in her mouth.
Thankfully, she has her friends to laugh with her after the experience and remind her that she's a badass despite how she feels. Not everyone is as lucky. So, if you, like Reagan (or me!), ever need a reminder that your ex should be the one hiding from you when he sees you… take this as your prompt. And maybe you can be like Ashanti; fabulous and unbothered while he drools.
Goodreads ** Amazon ** Barnes&Noble ** BooksAMillion ** IndieBound ** Harlequin ** GooglePlay ** Target
NOTE: Here is the link to subscribe to receive books specifically from Harlequin Special Edition --
Darby's book will be included in the January edition.
Darby Baham (she/her) is a debut author with Harlequin Special Edition and a New Yorker of five years who sometimes desperately misses the sprawling shoe closet she had while living in Maryland. She’s had personal blog posts appear in The Washington Post’s relationship vertical and has worked in the communications industry for more than two decades. The New Orleans, LA native is also a lover of big laughs and books that swallow you into their world. Her first book, The Shoe Diaries, debuts in 2022.
Author's Giveaway
the more you comment, the better your chances of winning
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing my guest blog post! I hope readers enjoy :)
ReplyDeleteThanks @Rita Wray!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds really good
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading the guest post. sounds like a fun read.
ReplyDeleteThanks @marisela zuniga!! I hope you get the book and enjoy it :)
ReplyDeleteThanks katieoscarlet! I'm glad to hear you liked the guest post.
ReplyDeleteThis book looks so cool
ReplyDeleteThe book sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, zelda! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dale Wilken! Really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteLove this guest post! Definitely makes me want to read the book. Added to my TBR and wish list!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good read. Is this strictly a stand alone story or is there a potential sequel in the works?
ReplyDeleteLove the cover - makes me smile
ReplyDeleteThanks Mick Loves Books!! I'm honored to be added to your TBR list!
ReplyDelete@ Bea LaRoccao, great question! The Shoe Diaries is the first book of a series; the second book comes out at the end of May 2022!
ReplyDeleteThanks @ Michele S. !! It makes me smile too :)
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
ReplyDeleteabfantom at yahoo dot com
I believe in love. Good work.
ReplyDeleteThanks @abfantom!! And the cover is the shoe closet I wish I had haha.
ReplyDeleteThanks @PAIGE. That's really nice to hear/read.
ReplyDeleteThe guest post has me wanting to read the book! Thanks for the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an interesting story.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that @Debbi Wellenstein !
ReplyDeleteThanks @clc408! I hope you get it and enjoy :)
ReplyDeleteI like everything about this book - genre title & cover!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing it with us.
Thanks @ Barbara Montag ! I was over the moon when I saw the cover; I just thought it perfectly represented the title and the tone of the book.
ReplyDeleteHope your day is going well too, @zelda!
ReplyDeleteDo you do anything special to treat yourself after finishing a book?
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag, that's a great question! Sadly, the answer is no, I haven't. My resolution this year is to get better at celebrating and enjoying the present... I think you can see why! I did buy myself a pair of SJP heels when I signed my deal with Harlequin, and I shared a bottle of champagne with a cute guy when I got my first box of The Shoe Diaries. So, progress. But now that you've asked me, I'm going to make sure I do something to treat myself when I finish Book 3. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good book to read and I also like the cover too.
ReplyDeleteWhat advice do you have for writers?
ReplyDelete@laurie nykaza , thanks a bunch! I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag , my best advice for writers is don't stop writing. Even when it gets hard or you don't feel like you're making good progress, your job is to keep doing it. And the more you write, the better writer you'll become.
ReplyDeletethis book looks amazing
ReplyDeleteWhat part of the book was the most fun to write?
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Running into an Ex and The Shoe Diaries sounds like a delightful read for me! Thanks for sharing it with me and have an awesome weekend!
ReplyDeleteYou rock!
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed reading the excerpt- well done!
ReplyDeleteI am adding this book to my to be read soon list!
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag, thanks for adding it to your TBR list! I think probably I had the most fun writing the scenes with the friend group-those characters make me laugh like my real friends do! Also, of course deciding what shoes she was wearing for each moment, and then the last chapter. It's my favorite!
ReplyDeleteThanks @zelda! Very much appreciated :)
ReplyDelete@Stormy Vixen, I'm so glad you enjoyed. Hope you had a great weekend as well.
ReplyDeleteThanks @zelda, I hope you had a great one too!
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag , mmm this is a hard one because truthfully, I don't love crying. Like at all. But the one that comes to my mind right now is Nikki Giovanni's Love Poems. The way she writes about love just breaks me down.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s the best way to market your books?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a amazing book!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHow many books have you written and which is your favorite?
ReplyDelete@laurie nykaza, thank you!!
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag, this is my debut book, but I've already written the 2nd one and have started writing book 3. It's hard to pick a favorite, because I love them all for different reasons.
ReplyDeleteRe: marketing, I'm still learning some of this, but I think the most important part is to be yourself and to be engaging, especially on social media. It goes a long way!
How many hours a day do you write?
ReplyDeleteHave a good week.
ReplyDeleteI don't write creatively every day @Barbara Montag because I write/edit daily for my "9 to 5" too. However, when I am in the zone, I try to write between 5 to 12 hours a week.
ReplyDeleteThanks @Debbi Wellenstein! I hope you have a great week too.
ReplyDeleteHow do you select the names of your characters?
ReplyDeleteIf you didn’t write, what would you do for work?
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag, my character names come from lots of places--people I know, names I've just heard and liked over the years, and Google searches :)
ReplyDeleteAs for what I'd do if I couldn't write, that's a hard one since I'm also a writer/editor in my day job too. But maybe I'd be a therapist. I'd certainly want to be doing something that helps people.
How long on average does it take you to write a book?
ReplyDeleteWhat part of the book did you have the hardest time writing?
ReplyDeleteI think I would have a hard time putting this book down after starting to read it.
ReplyDeleteHi @Barbara Montag! I don't have an average time just yet lol. It took me over a decade to write the first one and 3.5 months to write the 2nd one. We'll see about the 3rd, which I'm on right now.
ReplyDeleteThe hardest part for me was writing about the friend who has a chronic illness. I also have a friend who has a similar issue, and so it took me to a pretty vulnerable place.
I hope that you do have a hard time putting it down, to be honest haha. That's the goal!
I've only written 2 so far, and I can't possibly pick a fave. They are both my babies :)
Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! Darby, I LOVED this guest post. So relatable.
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag, not at all. I enjoy seeing my actual name on things I write :)
ReplyDelete@Kim, yay!! Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteDoes writing energize or exhaust you?
ReplyDelete@Barbara Montag, writing usually energizes me and helps me process things in my life. Of course there are times when it's tiring if I like I'm stuck on something.
ReplyDeleteCute cover and great excerpt!
ReplyDeleteShopping for shoes is addict! Great cover!
ReplyDelete@sheila ressel, thanks a lot!!
ReplyDelete@Denise, it really is! And thanks!!
ReplyDelete