Series: Paradise Bay #8
.png)
Publication date: April 24th, 2025
Synopsis:
The plan was simple: fake the wedding, save her career. Then she met the best man.
Vivian Whitlock's social media empire is about to crumble. She's closing in on thirty, and her fans are moving on to their 'weddings and babies' era. About to be dropped by her management team, she pretends she and her secret boyfriend are ready to take the plunge.
There's just one problem: he doesn't exist.
Enter Dominic James, a charismatic actor working at the idyllic Paradise Bay Resort. He's got Broadway dreams and the perfect cover story. The two strike a deal--he'll play her doting fiance, and she'll launch him into New York stardom.
But Vivian's picture-perfect plan takes an unexpected turn when she moves into the beachside bungalow Dominic shares with his brother, Ben--an intense, fiercely-devoted single dad with no time for romance.
Surrounded by swaying palms, ocean breezes, and a precocious five-year-old who steals her heart, Vivian starts to wonder if she's been chasing the wrong dream all along.
Is she about to lose everything she built--or finally find something that lasts?
My Big Fat Beach Wedding is a STAND-ALONE laugh-out-loud, banter-filled tale of two people who can't fall in love but do anyway. It's the perfect heartwarming, feel-good escape from the real world.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
Single Dad who would do anything for his young son
Opposites attract
Living in the Same House
World's most adorable 5-year-old (with cute red glasses)
Loads of witty banter
A slow burn, plenty of steam, and a hint of spice
Available at:
Excerpt
Okay, so this is strangely... nice. The air has been cleared. It's clear. My future sister-in-law and I can hang out together, alone, and it's all fine. It's comfortable. We're laughing at the movie. I'm sipping a beer, and letting sense of relief settle in. I made up with her, which will mean Dominic will be happy with me and my mother will be proud. (Not that I need her to be proud, of course. I am a grown-ass man, after all. Well, a grown-ass man who called his mum to tell on his brother, so...)
But most importantly, Vivian and I are fine now, which means when they move, we'll be on good terms. And theoretically, that means they'll come back to visit more often, which is all I really want. I want my brother to live his dreams, but also to be an important part of my son's life, and mine.
Vivian holds out a bowl of popcorn to me. I glance down at it before I take some. "Are those...?"
"Chocolate chips, yes," she answers without looking at me. "Try it. I know it's a little unorthodox but it's frigging delicious."
I take some out of the bowl and give it a try, even though I'm quite skeptical. "Mmm, that is good."
"I know. Paige introduced me to this," she says setting the bowl between us on the couch.
Taking a bigger handful, I say, "How did I go this long without knowing about this?"
Vivian chuckles. "It's because it's a very strange combination."
"I guess sometimes strange combinations just work," I say, thinking about her relationship with my brother.
She offers me a smile out of the side of her mouth, and I know she gets what I meant.
We watch the rest of the movie, and I tease her when the part with the immigration officer comes up as the credits roll. "Are you taking notes? You'll need to know which side of the bed Dominic sleeps on."
She laughs and tosses a piece of popcorn at me. "Why don't you tell me?"
"That doesn't count because we're being forced to share a bed. Neither of us picked a side."
Vivian chuckles some more. "Fair. I'll have to ask him that one. Although, I've been sleeping on my own for so many years, I pretty much take up most of it myself."
"Really?" I ask, trying not to imagine her sleeping. Oh wait, I'm not trying that hard. Instead, I'm actively picturing her in a little silk tank top and shorts on top of the covers.
"Yes. And I'm a terrible cover hog. Honestly, I'd be a nightmare to sleep with."
"That bad?"
She nods gravely. "Snoring, muttering in my sleep, rolling around, the whole deal."
Shutting the TV off, I say, "Is that why you're single? Too afraid to actually sleep with someone?" I gave her a little grin so she knows I'm just kidding, not prying.
"Oh yeah, totally. I'm more of a 'love 'em, then tell 'em I have to work early so you should go' kind of girl."
I burst out laughing. "You know, when I first met you, I thought that might be the case."
Vivian stands and stretches, her t-shirt lifting up a little at the waist as she does, showing the tiniest bit of flesh on her stomach. God, that's hot. I quickly turn my head so she doesn't catch me drooling. She picks up the bowl and her glass and walks into the kitchen. I get up and follow her to rinse out my beer bottle. After putting her dishes in the dishwasher, she glances at me. "It's pretty full."
I grab a packet of dishwashing detergent and pop it into the soap compartment, while Vivian holds the door open. It's the closest we've been since she moved in, and I can smell her perfume. It's something light and airy and wonderful, and it does something to me it shouldn't. We lock eyes for a second, and there's a shift in the room from friendly to a longing that I haven't felt with anyone for years. There's a seriousness to her, to the way she's staring up at me, that says she feels it too.
Nope. Bad idea.
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.
Hosted by:
