Stranded by Jessica Frances
Series: In Midsummer #1
Publication date: May 29th, 2020
Synopsis (according to Goodreads):
One small town. One hot sheriff. One night of passion. One massive cold shoulder. One murder. One suspect. One chance.
I'm furious when my car breaks down in the small, quiet town of Midsummer, Arkansas. Then I meet the incredibly hot town sheriff and hope that things might be looking up. Unfortunately, that encounter sours fast, leaving me ready to put this town in my rearview mirror. That won't be easy though, since my car has left me stranded here. Now I'm trapped in a town that has nothing to offer me.
Or does it?
When an opportunity presents itself that could see me staying longer than expected, I begin to notice Midsummer's charm. I start to wonder if maybe staying won't be such a bad thing. Even the sheriff is beginning to thaw toward me.
That is until someone commits murder and I become the number one suspect.
Can I convince everyone I'm not the murderer? Or will the real killer walk free?
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Excerpt
"Do you have a spare toothbrush?"
He nods, opening a few drawers before he pulls out one in a packet.
I open it, load it up with toothpaste, and feel weird at the total domestic feeling of brushing my teeth next to Rocky. It feels both normal and alarming.
When I'm done, I rest my toothbrush on the vanity and notice Rocky's frown when he places his own toothbrush next to mine. I have no idea what thoughts are running through his head, but frankly, I'm too tired to even think about it.
I leave him to his staring contest with the inanimate objects and crawl into bed.
I never actually made it under the covers the other night. I shake my head as I snort.
I fantasied about coming back here last night after that kiss; saw all the ways I would have done things differently. None of the scenarios didn't have us both coming hard, but they all did have an ending that didn't leave me getting kicked out of bed. And now I'm getting to live out the end of the fantasy, without any of the enjoyment of the beginning.
"My side," Rocky grumbled in my ear, moving behind me and lightly pushing me over to the other side.
I smile at his bossy tone but hold my breath when he wraps an arm around me from behind and pulls me back against him.
"I got you," he whispers in my ear, leaning back so he can flick the switch to turn the lamp off before wrapping his body back around me.
"Thank you," I murmur, already feeling my eyelids grow heavy.
I don't know if he responds; I just know that, when I begin to have a nightmare, the image of the dead body plaguing my thoughts, he's there to wake me up and soothe me back to sleep.
Briefly, I wonder how I got so lucky to have him, even if I can never be lucky enough to keep him.
He nods, opening a few drawers before he pulls out one in a packet.
I open it, load it up with toothpaste, and feel weird at the total domestic feeling of brushing my teeth next to Rocky. It feels both normal and alarming.
When I'm done, I rest my toothbrush on the vanity and notice Rocky's frown when he places his own toothbrush next to mine. I have no idea what thoughts are running through his head, but frankly, I'm too tired to even think about it.
I leave him to his staring contest with the inanimate objects and crawl into bed.
I never actually made it under the covers the other night. I shake my head as I snort.
I fantasied about coming back here last night after that kiss; saw all the ways I would have done things differently. None of the scenarios didn't have us both coming hard, but they all did have an ending that didn't leave me getting kicked out of bed. And now I'm getting to live out the end of the fantasy, without any of the enjoyment of the beginning.
"My side," Rocky grumbled in my ear, moving behind me and lightly pushing me over to the other side.
I smile at his bossy tone but hold my breath when he wraps an arm around me from behind and pulls me back against him.
"I got you," he whispers in my ear, leaning back so he can flick the switch to turn the lamp off before wrapping his body back around me.
"Thank you," I murmur, already feeling my eyelids grow heavy.
I don't know if he responds; I just know that, when I begin to have a nightmare, the image of the dead body plaguing my thoughts, he's there to wake me up and soothe me back to sleep.
Briefly, I wonder how I got so lucky to have him, even if I can never be lucky enough to keep him.
About the Author:
Jessica lives in Adelaide, South Australia. When she is not writing, you can find her reading, napping or watching excessive amounts of TV. Connect with her on Facebook and Goodreads.
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The cover is super nice.. I love the scenic beauty in the background.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a great read! I am excited to dig into it. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the excerpt. It sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThe cover is super awesome! I can't wait to read this book
ReplyDelete