Spring Fling Blog Hop - Love is in the Air!

Welcome to the Spring Fling Blog Hop! This hop is offering some fabulous prizes including:

One Kindle Fire--Donated by Blushing Books
One $75 Gift Card to Amazon (or Barnes and Noble)--Donated by Jane Wakely
One $25 Starbucks Gift Card--Donated by Sue Lyndon
One $25 Gift Certificate to Blushing Books--Donated by Patty Devlin
One $25 Gift Card to Loose Id Books--Donated by Cara Bristol

I'm offering an e-copy of my latest release ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. More on that below.

It's been a very long, cold winter and I can't wait for spring! When the snow finally melts, I'm looking forward to seeing some spring flowers.

It'll be so good to be able to get out into yard and plant some flowers. These Gerbera daisies grew in my garden a couple of summers ago.

My husband and I (especially my husband) like to golf. As soon as the weather warms up, we'll be out on the course.

Here's how you can win an ecopy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID:

1. Comment below and answer one or both of these questions: What are your favorite things to do in the spring? What are you looking forward to most this spring? If you are unable to comment here, you can send your answer to me at jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

2. Follow me on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_ Let me know you've done so by emailing  jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

3. Like my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/JanaRichardsAuthor Send me an email to jana.richards@hotmail.com to let me know. Don't forget to put SPRING FLING in the subject line.

4. Sign up for my newsletter. I send out info on contests and new releases a few times a year. Sign up at http://www.eepurl.com/m3UnT Let me know you've done so by emailing jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

5. Follow me on Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2892274Jana_Richards And once again, please let me know at jana.richards@hotmail.com with SPRING FLING in the subject line.

You can enter at all five of these spots for five chances to win. The more ways you enter, the more chances you have to win. I'll pick one entrant at random using Random.org and award them an ecopy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, book three of my Left at the Altar series. Entries close at midnight March 23, 2014 Central Standard Time, and I'll pick the winner on March 24. I will announce the winner on this blog. Chances of winning depend on the number of entrants received.

Here's a blurb:

Dani Dipietro has always considered herself an ugly duckling in a family of swans. She's always the bridesmaid her friends count on, but never the woman any man wants for his bride. So she plays the funny girl and guards her emotions, and her secrets, closely.

When Zach Morrison was dumped at his wedding, Dani was there to help him through the humiliation. A year later they meet again and once more Zach needs her help. To fend off the unwanted attentions of his former fiancé, he asks Dani to pretend to be his girlfriend. They both play their roles a little too well, and make-believe turns into reality. Their invented relationship comes crashing down when Zach's trust issues cause him to accuse Dani of cheating. Telling the truth means that Dani will betray a friend, something she will never do. But keeping her secrets means she may be destined to remain a bridesmaid forever.

And an excerpt:

A knock sounded at her door, so soft her banging almost drowned it out. She jumped to her feet, listening.

"Dani, are you awake?"

It was Zach. She tamped down the sudden elation at hearing him at her door. He likely just wanted to talk about Chantal, or worse, check to see if she was all right.

She closed her eyes. She couldn't bear his pity.

But she couldn't make herself pretend to be asleep and leave him out in the hallway either. She wiped tears from her face with the back of her hand and opened the door a crack. He smiled, and  her foolish heart fluttered.

Stupid heart.

She did her best to steel herself against him. "It's late Zach. What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you," he whispered, glancing toward Jonathan's door. "I can't do it here. Can I come inside?"

"It's late, Zach," she repeated." I'm tired. Can't we do this in the morning?"

"This can't wait till morning. Please Dani."

She hesitated. She was telling the truth. She was tired. Tired of fending off Chantal's barbs, tired of pretending they didn't hurt. And she was tired of pretending she wasn't in love with Zach.

I'm in love with him. The thought filled her with elation and trepidation at the same time. How could she feel so much for him after such a short time? How did she avoid getting her heart broken?

Part of her wanted to tell him to go away and leave her alone, but she found she simply couldn't turn him away any more than she could leave his knock go unanswered. She opened the door and stepped aside, wordlessly closing it behind him when he entered. She turned to look at him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Here comes the pity. She made herself smile. "Of course. It takes more than a dose of Chantal to get me down."

"That's good. I'm glad." He paced to the window before standing in front of her once more, his gaze intense. "Chantal told me she loves me and wants me back."

Her heart plummeted. She could barely make herself breathe. Squeezing her eyes shut, she steeled herself for what came next. He'd tell her thanks for her help, but they didn't need to pretend anymore because he was in love with Chantal and wanted to be with her. She just hoped she didn't break down and cry in front of him.

He put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look into his face. "I told her she and I were through. This time I didn't go running back to her when she called. And I have you to thank."

"Me?" She squeaked out the word. Her mind raced as fast as her heart. What did this mean?

"Even though the arrangement between us was just an act, you've shown me what a good relationship should look like. I don't want to go back to a one-sided relationship again, where I do all the giving and Chantal does all the taking. Thank you for helping me realize that."

"You're welcome." She turned away. His gratitude was almost as hard to bear as his pity.

"Dani? Are you okay?"

"Yes, of course. I really wish you'd stop asking me that." She couldn't face him. If he looked into her eyes he'd see the truth. She was so not okay. "You deserve someone who wants to make you happy, someone who loves you through everything."

"So do you." He gently took her by the shoulders and made her turn around. "I'm sorry about the stupid remark Chantal made at dinner tonight. It was uncalled for. I know she hurt you."

She tried to laugh it off. "Maybe I should thank her for reminding me how fat I was so I don't overeat."

"Was that why you wouldn't eat tonight?"

"I can always stand to lose a few pounds."

"Why? You're perfect the way you are."

She snorted. "Please, don't patronize me. I know what I look like."

He cupped her cheek, his eyes searching hers. "Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Make a joke or accuse me of being patronizing when I try to compliment you?"

Because I can't believe you mean it. "I know I'm not perfect, not in looks, not like Chantal. Far from it."

"Maybe I don't want perfect." His thumb traced lazy circles over the delicate skin under her eye. "Maybe I want sweet and kind and funny. Maybe I want someone who makes me laugh, and makes me believe happiness is possible."

She stared at him, his gaze rendering her immobile. She wanted to tell him not to say things like that to her, not unless he was very, very sure he meant them. Because if he didn't really mean it, she might not survive.

But her heart lodged in her throat, making speech impossible. All she could do was pray that when he left her, her heart would still be in one piece.

Zach lowered his mouth to hers. His lips touched hers, softly, sweetly. She wanted more, so much more. She stepped closer to him, stretching on tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and press herself against him. His kiss changed in a heartbeat, consuming her, devouring her in a vortex of sensation and need. Nothing mattered except this moment with Zach in her arms.

I hope you enjoyed my excerpt! Don't forget to comment (or Like, Follow or Join) for a chance to win an ecopy of ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID. (By the way, book one in the series is HER BEST MAN, and book two is THERE GOES THE GROOM). And don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter contest for your chance to win the Grand Prizes. Good luck!  

To keep hopping please click here: www.hopswithheart.blogspot.com

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