EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY
Catch My Breath
(Catch My Breath Book 1)
(Catch My Breath Book 1)
by Lynn Montagano
Catch My Breath is the first in Lynn Montagano's Catch My Breath trilogy. Also available: Unravel Me. Coming soon: Effortless.
Description
Lia Meyers’ plan for a relaxing Scottish vacation is short-lived when one uncharacteristic moment of clumsiness lands her in the arms of a dangerously attractive Englishman.
The perfect opportunity for a much needed holiday romance? Wrong! Lia’s still reeling from the mother of all bad breakups, and she really doesn’t have the patience for Alastair Holden – despite his effortless charm and cute British accent.
Arrogant and totally inscrutable, he’s exactly the sort of guy she wants to avoid but can’t: the man behind the mystery proves just too tempting to resist.
Drawn to him, Lia is forced to battle with her own insecurities, and the closer they become, the more she recognizes her own weaknesses as she peels away his layers with every night they spend together. Discovering the past Alastair is so desperate to conceal, Lia must decide if they can heal one another together or if their deepest fears will tear them apart.
Meet the Characters
Amelia “Lia” Meyers
The feisty TV news producer has her world turned upside down when she crosses paths with one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors while on vacation in Scotland. The oldest of two daughters, Lia is smart and strong-willed. She’s direct and to the point and doesn’t put up with anybody’s nonsense. Still reeling from a nasty break up, Lia’s become more buttoned up and in control of her emotions. While she’s fiercely loyal to the ones she loves, she’s also guarded and cautious when it comes to new relationships, especially with guys like Alastair Holden.
Alastair Holden
The wealthy heir to his grandfather’s media empire, Alastair is known for being standoffish and private. Sexy, charming and mysterious, he only lets people see what he wants them to see and keeps everyone at arm’s length. Some say he’s arrogant and cold, and even a little dark. He’s a complicated man. A man with a past. A man who never lets his guard down or lets his emotions get the best of him. It’s that mysterious side that makes him all the more attractive to Lia.
Excerpt
My heel snagged on the carpet, sending me flying. I landed nose-first in a charcoal gray tailored Armani suit. Momentarily stunned, I clutched onto the toned arms that were wrapped around me. As I looked up my heart nearly stopped.
Wide emerald eyes fringed with long lashes gazed down at me with guarded curiosity. His sculpted mouth twisted into a cautious smile, softening his jawline.
“Are you alright?” he asked as he loosened his grip on me. His voice was rich and smooth, like a full-bodied wine. The English accent he had could charm the pants off a nun. It made me want to fall into his arms again.
I stepped back, smoothing down my dress. He didn’t look much older than thirty, but his worn eyes betrayed his youth.
“I’m fine. I’m not usually that clumsy. Sorry.”
His brows furrowed. “I kept telling them someone was going to stumble over that patch of carpet. You’re sure you’re okay?”
“Aside from my bruised ego and general lack of grace, I think I’ll be alright.” I smiled up at him in an effort to thwart the growing blush from creeping up my neck. I wasn’t the type who embarrassed easily and needed to regain some sort of composure. No luck.
His expression altered subtly as his stare intensified. Something shifted in the air between us. It was as though he’d tethered me with some freakishly strong invisible rope. My pulse quickened. I was caught smack dab in the middle of his magnetic pull without any means of escape.
Not that I wanted to get away. His tall frame filled out the suit with powerful elegance. The quiet control with which he held himself mirrored royalty. A tousled mass of thick, dark red hair framed chiseled features that would inspire Michelangelo. But it was those eyes that got me.
They were so astute, yet veiled. I wanted to know what was behind them.
“Would you like a drink?”
How he made such an innocent question sound so seductive was beyond me. His dark stare was unflinching. If I said no, he’d probably take it as a personal insult. And I did want another one of those fruity-minty drinks; I just couldn’t articulate the words.
“I hear the signature drink is rather good. Would you like that?”
“Yes, please,” I finally managed to say.
Forget my cheeks, my whole body flushed as I watched him move toward the bar. A silver cufflink glinted off his crisply pressed gray and white pinstriped shirt. I noticed he paired it with a solid gray tie before he caught me looking. A smile ghosted across his lips as his languid gaze traced my curves. I made a big deal out of inspecting the carpet for more hidden traps that my shoes could fall victim to.
He handed me the drink, my fingers brushing his when I clasped the glass. Against my better judgment I fell captive to his stare once more. Luckily, I remembered my manners and thanked him.
“My pleasure. Have you been enjoying yourself?”
“Yeah. Well, aside from making an ass of myself just now.”
A flash of white appeared revealing a dazzling smile. It was extremely sexy and charming. And dangerous. I felt myself falling deeper and deeper under his spell.
“Trust me, stumbling on a carpet is not the worst thing I’ve seen at these events.”
“No?”
“Stick around long enough and you just might see some of these well-dressed ladies toss off their shoes and throw some shapes when the band starts playing.” He grinned.
“Throw some what?”
“Dance.” His eyes flared with humor.
“You Brits and your crazy sayings,” I laughed.
“We like to keep you Americans on your toes.”
I took a long sip of my cocktail to prevent a stupid grin from spreading across my face.
“Don’t have too many of those. They’re rather potent.”
“But they’re so good. Don’t piss on my fireworks.” I smiled broadly.
A deep, throaty laugh filled the space between us.
“’Throwing shapes’ baffled you, but you know ‘piss on my fireworks?’”
“My sister only taught me the fun slang,” I laughed.
“Does she live here?”
“Not in Glasgow, no. She lives in London.”
“Well then, you’ll have to thank her for me,” he said, smoothing down his tie.
“Thank her for what?”
“Pretty Americans who know British slang are rare in these parts.”
“Interesting.” I looked up at him through my lashes.
“What?”
“Someone just warned me that you guys have a thing for American girls.”
His eyebrows arched. “And what did they say?”
“It has something to do with our accents.”
“You have an accent?” He angled toward me. “I hadn’t noticed.”
The way that he was looking at me caused me to completely forget my exhaustion. His dark eyes and sexy grin woke me up in more ways than one, pushing several of my hot buttons.
“Be careful,” he said, clasping the glass in my hand. “You don’t want to spill it all over your dress.”
Way to go. “You must think I’m a hot mess. First I take a nose-dive into your suit and now I’m dropping drinks.”
“Like I said, I’ve seen worse.”
The longer I held his gaze, the faster my heart raced. There was something…forbidden in the way he looked at me.
“I should probably get back to my friends.”
“Do you have to?”
A suffocating aura of want enveloped me. He was closer, dominating the space between us. Our quick, breezy exchange was light years away from the hazy, thick fog of desire that hung in the air. Get it together, Lia. Walk away.
“You’re rather deep in thought.”
I blinked. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I thought maybe I was boring you.”
A shrill ring sounded from his pocket. He fished out a cell phone, frowning at the screen.
“I have to take this.”
And just like that, I was pulled out of his engaging aura and plopped back into reality.
Featured Review
By sgalley
The story of Amelia Grace Meyers and Alastair Holden kept me turning the pages until I reached the end (at 1:30 a.m.). I just couldn't put it down. Both of them are broken souls that are not looking for a relationship. He is the CFO and heir to his grandfather's multi-media empire. She is a television producer in Orlando, Florida. They meet in Glasgow, Scotland, where Alastair lives. Amelia is there for her sister's wedding. After running into Alastair (literally), Lia is feeling stirrings that she thought were long dead - killed by her stalking ex-boyfriend, Nathan. Alastair doesn't do relationships, but keeps being drawn back into Lia's orbit. Why does she make him have feelings? He fights them - which actually makes him act like a jerk - but Lia sees a vulnerability flash in him at times that she wants to explore. He, is not willing to open up. The story is their journey to each other.
This is a hard book to review without spoiling. It focuses on Amelia and Alastair's delicate on again/off again relationship. I would like to have known more about her relationship with her ex, Nathan, There are references made about Alastair's exes, but they are also not explained. Amelia had questions about them, but she never asked. It was also never really explained why Alastair "doesn't do" relationships. You make the assumption that it is because he fears getting close to anyone - that he fears loss. It was definitely a gut-wrenching journey for these two. I loved that Amelia was a strong character when it came to her job and her ability to stand up to Alastair. He was not accustomed to hearing the word "No" and their banter with each other was fun and brought a break to the tension and angst. I feel there is more to their story, and look forward to reading it. This book does NOT have a cliffhanger ending. Thank goodness for that!
This is a wonderful debut novel for Lynn Montagano. I see good things on the horizon, and can't wait to read her next book.
About the Author
A fresh, new voice in contemporary romance, Lynn is a former TV news writer who decided to take the plunge and write a novel. She's thrilled that her debut series is being published by Harper Impulse. The first book, Catch My Breath, was released in April 2014 to rave reviews. Its follow up, Unravel Me, hit the market in July 2014.
Lynn grew up in a small town in Rhode Island before venturing out into the world. She's lived everywhere from Los Angeles to Boston to Orlando. An avid traveler, Lynn's been as far away as Australia and as close as Canada. Her favorite place to visit is London.
The small town girl is back on the east coast after a brief stint in Northern California. Lynn currently resides in Massachusetts, comfortably close to her beloved football team.
Giveaway
Enter the giveaway for a chance to win an ebook copy of Catch My Breath by Lynn Montagano. The prize will be sent out after 24 September.
Plus, everyone can download a FREE copy of Loving New Year, Love Romance, a sampler featuring nine first chapters, including Catch My Breath by Lynn Montagano.
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