Series: An Accidentally in Love Story #6
Publication date: December 27th, 2021
Synopsis:
I'm Toni Capella and I'm a bad-man-o-holic. (Hi, Toni!). If a guy lives on the eastern seaboard, is covered in tattoos, muscles, and motor oil, I've probably already dated and dumped him. But it's a new year and for the first time in my twenty-nine years I'm determined to attract Mr. Right. I'm doing this by changing my type and my look.
So when super-hot contractor Cooper Flint walks into my office, I immediately put him on my 'no way' list. He embodies every bad boy trait there is. Besides, my eye is on another new co-worker, Sumner Livingston. Handsome, well-heeled, and professional, Sumner is nothing like my usual type, which I assume makes him perfect for me.
Determined to take things slowly for once, I insist Sumner and I keep our budding relationship separate from work. I even suggest we do our initial courting via text while we get to know each other better. Things are going beautifully and just when I'm starting to think he's 'the one,' I find out there's been a horrible mix-up. My boss accidentally gave me Cooper's number, not Sumner's, and I'm falling for Mr. Wrong, again.
Unfortunately, after I break it off with Cooper, I discover that Sumner isn't the good guy he portrays himself to be. When Cooper rescues me from a compromising situation, I belatedly realize I might be been missing out on the man of my dreams.
Have I lost my chance at true happiness or is there some way I can convince Cooper I'm the woman he needs?
Available at:
Excerpt
This Year I Commit to:
1) Only consume processed sugar on special occasions (and no, Fridays do not count).
2) Exercise five times per week for a minimum of thirty minutes per session.
3) Write daily journal entries, even if it's just one sentence.
4) Set aside time for self-care, including long baths, walks, getting out into nature, and other things my favorite Instagram lifestyle gurus say I should do.
5) Find a new apartment without Creepy Hallway Guy and with a bedroom big enough that I can't touch both sides at the same time.
6) Find lasting love with a good man. Translation: NO bad boys/grease monkeys/construction workers/unemployed but sexy men who want to use me as a crash pad or cash cow. Henceforth a good man shall be defined as an adult human who wears a suit to the job he goes to every day. He will also have an apartment or house he pays for without the help of a roommate, his parents, or the government. He will not ask me to fund his band, sure bet at the races, start-up automated vegan hot dog vending cart business, or any other whackadoo endeavor that has failure written all over it. I'm talking to you Dillion, Xander, Taylor, and Bart.
Number six is obviously my top priority, but according to Kaylie, the Lifestyle Queen, the other stuff must come first. I write today's date, then add: Took hot bath. Otherwise failing. Must do better. Sighing, I close my journal and put it back on the porcelain throne, then sink into the water until it's over my head. This time last year, I knew exactly where my future was heading--I was going to marry my boyfriend Joey, buy a house in Flushing, have a couple of kids, and live happily ever after. The old-fashioned American dream.
That was before Joey got fired from his third job in the two years we were together, then proceeded to take out his frustration on me in front of our friends at the Suds 'N' Bowl. After him I went on a slew of crappy first dates that didn't take before waving the white flag of surrender on dating altogether.
My mom didn't take the news well and announced in her Christmas letter she was "learning to be comfortable with having a spinster daughter." What century is this again?
In addition, I've been fending off calls, texts, and visits from my well-meaning aunts, who refuse to believe I've given up on love. Here's a sample text conversation of how they view me.
Aunt Jean: Honey, I just read the news. You poor girl. I don't want you to worry though, because Julia Roberts always got the man in her romcoms. If she can do it, so can you.
Me: Um, thanks.
Aunt Jean: Of course, she didn't get hitched in real life until she was in her late thirties, unless you count that weird looking musician she was married to for a minute (which I don't).
Me: Okay.
Aunt Jean: Although she did have to break up a marriage to get her happily ever after. I'm not saying that's okay, but after a certain age...
Me: Are you suggesting I start dating married men?
Aunt Jean: I refuse to put that in writing. And don't tell your mom I said that. But it does seem to have worked out well for them, so...
Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries--not always in that order.
Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.
She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.
Gold Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2017.
Silver Medal winner at the International Readers' Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.
Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.
Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.
Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017.
Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017.
Melanie Summers also writes steamy romance as MJ Summers.
Melanie made a name for herself with her debut novel, Break in Two, a contemporary romance that cracked the Top 10 Paid on Amazon in both the UK and Canada, and the top 50 Paid in the USA. Her highly acclaimed Full Hearts Series was picked up by both Piatkus Entice (a division of Hachette UK) and HarperCollins Canada. Her first three books have been translated into Czech and Slovak by EuroMedia. Since 2013, she has written and published three novellas, and eight novels (of which seven have been published). She has sold over a quarter of a million books around the globe.
In her previous life (i.e. before having children), Melanie got her Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta, then went on to work in the soul-sucking customer service industry for a large cellular network provider that shall remain nameless (unless you write her personally - then she'll dish). On her days off, she took courses and studied to become a Chartered Mediator. That designation landed her a job at the R.C.M.P. as the Alternative Dispute Resolution Coordinator for 'K' Division. Having had enough of mediating arguments between gun-toting police officers, she decided it was much safer to have children so she could continue her study of conflict in a weapon-free environment (and one which doesn't require makeup and/or nylons).
Melanie resides in Edmonton with her husband, three young children, and their adorable but neurotic one-eyed dog. When she's not writing novels, Melanie loves reading (obviously), snuggling up on the couch with her family for movie night (which would not be complete without lots of popcorn and milkshakes), and long walks in the woods near her house. She also spends a lot more time thinking about doing yoga than actually doing yoga, which is why most of her photos are taken 'from above'. She also loves shutting down restaurants with her girlfriends. Well, not literally shutting them down, like calling the health inspector or something--more like just staying until they turn the lights off.
She is represented by Suzanne Brandreth of The Cooke Agency International.
