Hello! Thank you for being here today. I also want to say thank you for contributing to the 2023 Reader Poll. I'm looking over every response and shaping content to give you what you've asked for.

One thing someone suggested was adding fun personal items about myself to my weekly email. In the spirit of sharing: I love meeting friends for breakfast but don't particularly like typical American breakfast food. I love to bake, but don't eat many sweets. I listen to 60s soul, oldies, new pop, a little country, and love hair band classic rock. Music inspires me and gets me moving. I'm listening to a playlist I made a long time ago on my computer. Sorry, I'm not on Spotify.

A friend recommended Naked by Ella Mai to me a long time ago. I love it. It's about wanting someone who loves the whole person, flaws and all. Boo'd Up from the same Ella Mai album, is another song on my playlist. What song or musical artist have you been listening to lately? Hit reply and tell me about it.

What you'll find in today's email:

• Power of Love chapter 1
• Second chance & friends to lovers
• Books by Jenna Gunn and Marty Vee
• January Sales & Freebies

Scroll for everything, including a sneak peek at what's coming Thursday. Psst...it's a sneak peek at my next book! I'm excited. Are you?

INSTALOVE SPOTLIGHT'S ON...

Power of Love! Raine returns home with a big secret. Her political career is in jeopardy with blackmail and betrayal hanging over her head. Jackson's ditched the playboy life after his college dreams of becoming a pro-baseball star are shattered by a career-changing accident.

Second chance, friends to lovers, small town, low drama *political betrayal, with a high stakes chance at forever love.

*Political theme touches on people's personal interaction within a career field. There are no political rants, slants, or judgments regarding real-life political parties.

Why I wrote this story: The Sinclair children experienced a devastating loss growing up without their biological parents. That loss leaves a scar on each of them. Raine's scar is feeling second best, accepting the love and affection she's given without asking for what she needs and wants. But now she's all grown up and not afraid to speak her mind.

Do you have a "the one that got away" memory? The one that makes us wonder, what if things had been different? What would happen if we met up with that person? Would things be the same, or would things be wonderfully, wildly different?

Start the journey with Raine and Jackson. Scroll for Power of Love Chapter 1.

Slow to Love contains copyright material.

Chapter 1

Raine

Once Drew and Bree slip off to their honeymoon, things finally get back to some sense of normal. Whatever normal is. I finally drop the bomb on my family that I quit my D.C. job. The fact I was pushed out is a minor detail they don’t need to know. Speech writing for a high-profile political candidate just isn’t my thing. It is, actually. I’m damn good at it. But I’m not good at all the backstabbing and lying it takes to make it in that world.

Kenneth Blake blindsided me with his double betrayal. I thought our friendship was solid. Solid enough for a whirlwind hush-hush one-night stand. What can I say? He swept me off my feet with his suave sophistication, intellect and I’ll admit, flattery got him everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. In my blouse, pants, and ultimately into my briefcase when he stole my speech of a lifetime. Then he turned tail and ran. Straight to the boss with my speech, claiming it as his own.

I made my case, ranted and raved, but in the end, Kenneth accused me of lying and trying to sleep my way to the top. Of all the gall. I’m too by the book to sleep my way anywhere. It’s difficult enough for some people to see me for my brains instead of my double-D knockers. Add in my curvy hourglass figure, and you’d think I was made just to stand still and look pretty. I’m smart. Too bad smart didn’t kick in quick enough to see Kenneth for the smarm he is.

But that’s all in the not-so-distant past. I’m crashing with Theo and Ilene until I find a place of my own. Just when they think they’re empty nesters with Drew off on his honeymoon, I come knocking on their door. They’ve been so good to me and my family. Taking in four children whose parents died couldn’t have been easy for them. Especially with a four-year-old of their own. But they and Drew rolled with the punches and took the four of us in without batting an eyelash.

Jayden, my older brother, would’ve been a better option to stay with, but he announced shortly after Drew’s wedding that he was renovating the old house. The last thing I want to do is get in the way. I packed my bags and hit Theo and Ilene up for a room until I find my own place.

Cupid recently struck my little sisters with oversized arrows loaded with love potion. No way I could stay with them. All this wedded bliss and love in the air is enough to make me choke. I’ll take a martini and mystery novel over a man any day of the week.

I’m not a man-hater. My man radar is a little off-kilter, is all. The closest I’ve come to a long-term relationship is with Jackson Merrick. I’d call that more stop-and-go than long haul. We were nothing more than a series of one-night stands sprinkled between Jackson’s latest catch. Jock meets bookworm and falls in love only works in romance novels and rom-com's. But that never stopped me from wanting him to see me for who I am. The real me. Inside. But all he cared about was maneuvering my curves.

“Dinner’s ready,” Ilene calls up the stairs, a welcome distraction from my swirling thoughts.

“Be right there.” I plod down the steps. Whatever she’s cooking smells delicious. I kiss the top of Theo’s balding head, then scooch my chair up to the table.

“Hey, kiddo.” He folds the evening edition paper up and slides it to the empty spot next to him.

“This looks delicious, Ilene. Thanks so much for letting me stay.” I let out a long breath. “You two have always taken such good care of me and my siblings.”

“You’re always welcome, dear.” Ilene squeezes my hand. “Let’s eat.”

Ilene’s meals are always good. She tried to teach everyone in the house to cook, but her skills only stuck with Raven and Jayden. Raven runs the café now that Ilene retired from it. She’s a top-notch cook and can bake her way around any pastry chef. Jayden’s a highly requested personal chef. Having so many cooks in the family sure comes in handy around the holidays.

We make idle chit-chat through most of dinner. Theo pushes his plate forward, sits back in his chair, and folds his thick hands on the table. Ilene gets up and begins clearing the table. I make a move to help, but Theo clears his throat and asks me to stay.

“I want to talk to you about an opportunity opening up at city hall.”

I’m not sure I’m ready to step foot into another government building for a long time, but I listen.

“We didn’t want to cause a stir before Drew’s wedding, but I’m ready to retire, and the mayor spot will be open soon. You’d be perfect for it.”

“I don’t have the experience it takes to be mayor.” I’m flattered and perplexed. There are rules in place for succession. “What about Joe? He’s deputy mayor. Doesn’t he automatically take your spot when you retire?”

“That’s the way it’s supposed to work. But Joe and I have served for the past twenty years. We’ve both decided it’s time to pull the plug and get some younger people in a position to run things. We’re making a formal announcement this week.”

Theo’s not getting any younger, but I get his point. Why wait until he’s too old to enjoy retirement? Strike the iron while it’s hot, they say. He and Ilene deserve a quieter, relaxed life. They’ve raised five children and are pillars of the community. Still, I’m hesitant about what he proposes.

“I don’t know. I write speeches. I don’t implement the ideas of political candidates’ platforms. Isn’t there someone else who’s trained for this kind of job?”

“I’m sure there are qualified candidates, but you were born and raised here. You know the town, the people.” He reaches over, covering my hand with his huge paw. “Just think about it. You’ll have me to guide you with any questions.”

I spend the rest of the night on my computer, searching everything there is to know about being a mayor and the current council members.

By the time Theo and Joe make their announcement, my mind is made up.

♥♥♥

Continue reading for Raine’s decision, a steamy encounter with her past, and the criminal activity that might destroy all chances of happiness:

♥♥♥

Continue Reading Power of Love

Soulmates for the Sinclairs Series

Also available as a box set and paperback

Related Reading: This is another book with without related reading outside the series. But if you love second-chance romance, I suggest the Forever Stamps series, Black Tie Affair, and Ladybug Love.

If you love friends-to-lovers romance, I suggest Holiday Kisses, Firefly Fireworks, Fly Balls, Special Delivery, Parker, Kinsey, Cady, Everly, Lucky Charm, The Marriage Pact, His Plus One, and Sloane.

AUTHOR CORNER

Marshall Lake Marine trusted the wrong person once and got left at the altar. So, when a hot little spy shows up on his doorstep, he's ready for fighting words. Too bad the protector in him has something else in mind when it comes to Danee Swann.

Read Guarding Secrets

Two lies and a fake marriage later… Veterinarian Owen could blame being shy, but telling a donor at the dog shelter he works at that he’s married was… a mistake. Now, he has to figure out how to get out of the lie. And it doesn't help that he also told Emmeline, the woman he can't stop thinking about, the whole misguided tale.

Read Just Fake Married

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XOX Piper