G is for Giveaway

I have a book review scheduled for today, A Comedy of Erinn by Celia Bonaduce. The main characters are Erin and Jude and Massimo. Not a single G in sight. Not even at Valley Forge where a memorable scene takes place. So, I’m going with Giveaway. Read to the end for details.

Title: A Comedy of Erinn

Author: Celia Bonaduce

Category: Contemporary Romance

Published: September 19, 2013 by Kensington

Rating: 3½ out of 5 stars

Add: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository

Erinn is 43, not old by any means, but she acts like she is. She’s a playwright who’s out of ideas, a bit of a hermit, and just about broke. She’s a know-it-all character, who corrects people’s grammar and knows all kinds of random information that she’s not afraid of sharing. I have to admit, I really liked her. She made me laugh, maybe because I could see bits of me in her – not that I would ever correct anyone. 🙂 And she likes words and phrases.

There are two men in the picture. One, Jude, she sees as too young, too hip for her. The other is her age, a sexy Italian, but he has a total lack of boundaries and judgement. Or he’s a user, hard to tell, either way not right for her.

Erinn ends up working on a tv show directed by Jude. She learns from Jude and the other guys working on the show how to relax some, she’s still her uptight self, but she’s learning to have fun again. The sparks between her and Jude are not blinding, but they’re a good couple who each grow because of knowing the other. I smiled when they finally got together. There’s not big surprise; we know they’re going to end up together, the fun is in seeing how they figure it out. And I like how Erinn and Jude interact. They can be so different but they make each other laugh.

I really enjoyed it. It’s a light romance, the kind I like. It made me smile.

Excerpt:

Erinn tried to relax, but the car kept sliding sideways, the weight of the vehicle causing it to pick up speed. Clearly, they weren’t on completely flat ground or the SUV wouldn’t be hurling itself sideways, but Erinn decided now was not the time to argue this point.

Erinn felt the vehicle tipping. She was jolted violently sideways and caught, suspended, by the seatbelt. She craned her neck to look at Jude, who was looking UP at her from the passenger seat. The SUV was completely on its side, like a gigantic dead beast.

“Now, we’re doomed,” he said.

Erinn tried without success to free herself from the seatbelt. With every gyration, the belt tightened around her neck. She tried to hold still. She craned her neck and watched Jude brace himself against the passenger door with his right arm. This gave his seatbelt some slack and he was able to release the lever. He thudded against the passenger door, but at least he was free. Erinn felt her breastbone pressing into the seatbelt as she hung sideways. She watched as Jude twisted himself around, crablike, and faced her. She looked into his eyes.

“The camera case,” she said.

Jude sat back on his heels.

“Dude,” he said. “Seriously? Forget the gear right now. We’re in deep shit.”

“The camera…” Erinn breathed heavily. “Check the camera…”

“What are you…one of those freaks who needs to record their own death?

“His or her own death,” Erinn corrected, gasping. “ ‘One freak’ is singular.”

“You are so pushing your luck, lady,” Jude said.

Erinn was running out of breath, and she hung limply forward.

“Come on, Tin Lizzy,” Jude said, wedging his back against her.

He must look like Atlas with me on his back instead of the world.

She had her eyes closed, but she vaguely sensed that he must be standing on the passenger window…or the passenger arm rest. What if he broke one of them? Would the rental company charge them? Did she buy the right insurance? Weren’t they in enough trouble having skidded into a ditch?

Erinn heard Jude’s voice through the fog. His back was to her.

“When I lift you up, you need to unhook your seatbelt. Come on, Erinn, you can do this.”

Jude gave the faintest of pushes, but not enough to lift her.

“Crap,” Jude said. “I can’t get enough traction with the console in the way.”

Jude turned around so that he was facing her. Their eyes met.

“The camera case,” she said.

Jude ignored her, and tried to lift her off the seat belt, but there was no way around the console.

“Shit! Crap!” Jude said.

“Jude…there’s a knife…” Erinn croaked.

“…in the camera case!” he said.

Erinn could hear him scramble to the back of the SUV and unlock the camera case. Erinn was reminded of sounds one hears when one is drifting off to sleep. Every noise sounds strangely amplified – and yet the sound is of no interest. She had the vague sensation of falling and when her head cleared, she was laying on Jude, up against the passenger window. Jude was panting for breath, knife held aloft. She could hear the slit seatbelt clanking behind her.

She reached around Jude’s neck. His expression changed, softening. She touched the passenger window behind his head.

“Thank God it’s not broken.”

“Lady, I have a knife.”

Erinn was suddenly very aware that she was pressed up against Jude. She tried to lift herself off him, but each time she thudded back against him.

Wanna read it?

I’m giving away one paperback copy. This contest is open to anyone, as long as the Book Depository will deliver to you. Or a kindle version if you’d prefer. To enter just fill out the rafflecopter below. The contest will end on 4/22 and I’ll e-mail the winner.

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