Title: Only Love (The Atonement Series)
Author: Elle Chardou
Release date: March 2013
Publisher: Midnight Engel Press, LLC
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tour organized by: AToMR Tours: http://atomrbookblogtours.com/
To find/buy links:
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17372484-only-love
Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Only-Love-Atonement-Series-ebook/dp/B00BVLNIOC/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1366583326&sr=8-7
Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/only-love-elle-chardou/1114849077?ean=2940016242750
Book Description:
Deidre Bardot flees Seattle after finding out a secret that potentially destroys the relationship between her and Colin van der Meer.
She settles in La Jolla and as soon as she arrives, tragedy strikes and it is her neighbor, sexy chef and restaurant owner Drake O'Connell.
Although Deirdre still has very deep feelings for Colin, can she get over the past -- and her growing attraction to Drake -- to be with him? Can love alone hold a relationship together?
The second novel in The Atonement Series. Can be read as a stand –alone.
Excerpt:
Deidre Bardot flees Seattle after finding out a secret that potentially destroys the relationship between her and Colin van der Meer.
She settles in La Jolla and as soon as she arrives, tragedy strikes and it is her neighbor, sexy chef and restaurant owner Drake O'Connell.
Although Deirdre still has very deep feelings for Colin, can she get over the past -- and her growing attraction to Drake -- to be with him? Can love alone hold a relationship together?
The second novel in The Atonement Series. Can be read as a stand –alone.
Excerpt:
I set the iPhone on the coffee table and rushed to the front door. There are times when one shouldn’t answer their door and I soon felt like this was one of those times when I swung open the door and faced one of the most handsome men I’d ever seen.
Hair the color of chocolate with burnished blond-auburn highlights and pale greenish blue eyes faced me in a face of absolute perfection. His looks were finished off with perfect features featuring a Roman-shaped nose, high cheekbones and sensually full lips; a creamy complexion with just a hint of color and a build that was tall though far from imposing. At approximately six feet, three inches and a slim one hundred and eighty pounds, everything about him was just perfect.
“Hey,” I greeted feeling like a bit of an idiot.
I had absolutely no idea who the hell this man was nor what he was doing on my doorstep.
“Hello,” he began before a pink tongue slid over those perfect soft lips. “I’m your next-door neighbor. Name’s Drake…I am a chef at Rouge, an upscale restaurant on the beach and I am trying out a new recipe. I know it’s a terrible cliché but do you have any Sugar in the Raw? The recipe calls for it and I could have sworn I picked some up but I can’t find it.”
I raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow in a sarcastic manner. “You’re joking, right?”
His pale aquamarine eyes lit up in faint amusement. “About what exactly? Being a chef or needing to borrow sugar?”
“I’m not sure…both actually? And are you really my neighbor?”
He nodded his head before he fingered a hint of stubble along his jawline. “Listen, I know I sound like a walking cliché. Welcome to my life. Yes, I am your neighbor and I am indeed pathetic enough to need sugar for a recipe despite being a chef at Rouge, an obnoxiously expensive seafood and steak restaurant with a location literally on the beach.”
I had no intention of allowing my tough resolve to break but I began to laugh hysterically and he joined me shortly afterwards.
“The name is Deirdre Bardot.”
“You mean like the famous French actress?”
“Yes.”
“Drake O’Connell at your service. You have no idea how embarrassed I am about the situation which we are meeting one another. A beautiful woman like yourself deserves a dozen white roses and a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio to welcome you to the neighborhood. Sorry I haven’t brought either one and come asking for something from you instead of giving to you,” he explained in a hypnotically deep and sensual voice.
I crossed my arms against my breasts. “You’re lucky I am a health nut and the only sugar I keep on hand is in the raw. How much do you need?”
“A cup should do,” he replied in a voice that sounded extremely relieved.
I left the door open as I walked to the kitchen and opened the pantry. Since I had nothing but time, everything was organized as if I had lived in the place for years instead of a week. I grabbed half a package of Sugar in the Raw and walked it back to the doorstep where Drake still stood.
“I know this is more than a cup but you can keep the rest. Think of it as a present from me to you.”
Our hands touched only slightly at the exchange and it was pure electricity. I didn’t want to imagine those hands anywhere near any other part of my body and secretly hated myself for feeling anything at all when the situation between Colin and I was far from resolved.
I was the first to pull away and attempted a warm smile of encouragement but fell short.
He turned to walk away but then he stopped and faced me again. “Why are you being so nice to me? All I know about you is you turned up into town rather suddenly and bought Ground Beans from its struggling owner. I’m a bit concerned about what it seems you’re running from…or is it whom you are running from?”
My whole body language changed from open to guarded almost immediately. I grimaced at the sheer audacity of this Drake person asking me any personal questions at all. “I am not running from anything or anyone. Believe me, if I was a fugitive, I wouldn’t tell you but since I’m not, I don’t owe any sort of explanation to you. Enjoy the sugar for your recipe.”
Before he could reply, I slammed the door in his face and leaned against the locked door, my heart thundering in my chest.
How the hell did I end up with such a nosy freakin’ next door neighbor and why the hell did he have to be so damn good looking?
About the Author:
Hair the color of chocolate with burnished blond-auburn highlights and pale greenish blue eyes faced me in a face of absolute perfection. His looks were finished off with perfect features featuring a Roman-shaped nose, high cheekbones and sensually full lips; a creamy complexion with just a hint of color and a build that was tall though far from imposing. At approximately six feet, three inches and a slim one hundred and eighty pounds, everything about him was just perfect.
“Hey,” I greeted feeling like a bit of an idiot.
I had absolutely no idea who the hell this man was nor what he was doing on my doorstep.
“Hello,” he began before a pink tongue slid over those perfect soft lips. “I’m your next-door neighbor. Name’s Drake…I am a chef at Rouge, an upscale restaurant on the beach and I am trying out a new recipe. I know it’s a terrible cliché but do you have any Sugar in the Raw? The recipe calls for it and I could have sworn I picked some up but I can’t find it.”
I raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow in a sarcastic manner. “You’re joking, right?”
His pale aquamarine eyes lit up in faint amusement. “About what exactly? Being a chef or needing to borrow sugar?”
“I’m not sure…both actually? And are you really my neighbor?”
He nodded his head before he fingered a hint of stubble along his jawline. “Listen, I know I sound like a walking cliché. Welcome to my life. Yes, I am your neighbor and I am indeed pathetic enough to need sugar for a recipe despite being a chef at Rouge, an obnoxiously expensive seafood and steak restaurant with a location literally on the beach.”
I had no intention of allowing my tough resolve to break but I began to laugh hysterically and he joined me shortly afterwards.
“The name is Deirdre Bardot.”
“You mean like the famous French actress?”
“Yes.”
“Drake O’Connell at your service. You have no idea how embarrassed I am about the situation which we are meeting one another. A beautiful woman like yourself deserves a dozen white roses and a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio to welcome you to the neighborhood. Sorry I haven’t brought either one and come asking for something from you instead of giving to you,” he explained in a hypnotically deep and sensual voice.
I crossed my arms against my breasts. “You’re lucky I am a health nut and the only sugar I keep on hand is in the raw. How much do you need?”
“A cup should do,” he replied in a voice that sounded extremely relieved.
I left the door open as I walked to the kitchen and opened the pantry. Since I had nothing but time, everything was organized as if I had lived in the place for years instead of a week. I grabbed half a package of Sugar in the Raw and walked it back to the doorstep where Drake still stood.
“I know this is more than a cup but you can keep the rest. Think of it as a present from me to you.”
Our hands touched only slightly at the exchange and it was pure electricity. I didn’t want to imagine those hands anywhere near any other part of my body and secretly hated myself for feeling anything at all when the situation between Colin and I was far from resolved.
I was the first to pull away and attempted a warm smile of encouragement but fell short.
He turned to walk away but then he stopped and faced me again. “Why are you being so nice to me? All I know about you is you turned up into town rather suddenly and bought Ground Beans from its struggling owner. I’m a bit concerned about what it seems you’re running from…or is it whom you are running from?”
My whole body language changed from open to guarded almost immediately. I grimaced at the sheer audacity of this Drake person asking me any personal questions at all. “I am not running from anything or anyone. Believe me, if I was a fugitive, I wouldn’t tell you but since I’m not, I don’t owe any sort of explanation to you. Enjoy the sugar for your recipe.”
Before he could reply, I slammed the door in his face and leaned against the locked door, my heart thundering in my chest.
How the hell did I end up with such a nosy freakin’ next door neighbor and why the hell did he have to be so damn good looking?
About the Author:
Elle Chardou is a world traveler and author of several different series.
Ms. Chardou is the author of The Ties That Bind Trilogy, The Atonement Series, The Hart Family Saga, The Vamp Saga, The Supernaturals, Beginnings: Book I (The Plague) series.
She is currently working on Only Time (The Atonement Series), Submit, A Novel and Immortal Dawn: Book Four in The Vamp Saga.
Ms. Chardou has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Author Social Media links:
Blog: The Beautiful People: A Writer’s Journey located http://thebeautifulpeopleawritersjourney.blogspot.com.
Join Ms. Chardou’s Mailing List for early notification of New Books HERE!
Follow Elle Chardou on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dblanchbenz007
Like Elle Chardou on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elle.Chardou
Ms. Chardou is the author of The Ties That Bind Trilogy, The Atonement Series, The Hart Family Saga, The Vamp Saga, The Supernaturals, Beginnings: Book I (The Plague) series.
She is currently working on Only Time (The Atonement Series), Submit, A Novel and Immortal Dawn: Book Four in The Vamp Saga.
Ms. Chardou has lived abroad in Stockholm (Sweden), Manchester (England), Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Portland. She currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Author Social Media links:
Blog: The Beautiful People: A Writer’s Journey located http://thebeautifulpeopleawritersjourney.blogspot.com.
Join Ms. Chardou’s Mailing List for early notification of New Books HERE!
Follow Elle Chardou on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/dblanchbenz007
Like Elle Chardou on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elle.Chardou
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Love the excerpt! Book sounds pretty good!
ReplyDelete~Veronica Vasquez~