Heute erscheint Tracey Alvarez’ “Hide
your Heart”!
Ich war eine der
Glücklichen, die vorab ein digitales Leseexemplar erhalten haben und kann euch
sagen, Tracey hat mich nicht enttäuscht. Meine Rezension findet ihr hier. Jetzt zum Buch:
Titel | Hide Your Heart (Far North Book 1)
Autor | Tracey Alvarez
Cover Design | Book Cover By Design
Genr | Contemporary Romance
Autor | Tracey Alvarez
Cover Design | Book Cover By Design
Genr | Contemporary Romance
Erscheinungstag | 18. April 2015
Goodreads
Goodreads
Kaufen
Love will bring them together. Distrust will
tear them apart…
Alexandra Lauren Knight has reinvented herself in
the safety of her rural New Zealand hometown to become Lauren Taylor. She’s cut
all ties with her past as a former model whose ex-husband turned out to be
ruthless in both the boardroom and the bedroom. While Alexandra allowed other’s
expectations to propel her into the spotlight, Lauren prefers the safety of
anonymity; restoring classic cars with her brother, and snuggling with her
four-year-old son.
Nate Fraser, a burned-out photojournalist, plans to fix up the property next door to Lauren and sell it as a celebrity retreat. Always on the move, Nate is only comfortable with short-term assignments and even shorter-term relationships. But it’s not just his buyer’s tight deadline or that the restoration is far beyond his expertise which turns a short-term project into an ordeal. Nate’s plan of travelling the globe is in jeopardy—created by the intensity of his growing feelings for Lauren and her little boy.
As the sparks of passion ignite between them it reawakens Nate’s long forgotten dream of having a home and family. Lauren must find a way to trust Nate not only with her secrets, but with her heart—before her safe haven is exposed and she can no longer hide in the shadows.
Nate Fraser, a burned-out photojournalist, plans to fix up the property next door to Lauren and sell it as a celebrity retreat. Always on the move, Nate is only comfortable with short-term assignments and even shorter-term relationships. But it’s not just his buyer’s tight deadline or that the restoration is far beyond his expertise which turns a short-term project into an ordeal. Nate’s plan of travelling the globe is in jeopardy—created by the intensity of his growing feelings for Lauren and her little boy.
As the sparks of passion ignite between them it reawakens Nate’s long forgotten dream of having a home and family. Lauren must find a way to trust Nate not only with her secrets, but with her heart—before her safe haven is exposed and she can no longer hide in the shadows.
With
Drew in preschool and her ear buds blaring Lady Antebellum at a teeth-rattling
volume, Lauren tightened mounting bolts in the Impala’s engine bay. She
couldn’t carry a tune if her life was in jeopardy, but that didn’t stop her
shaking her tail feather as she attempted to harmonize with Charles Kelley’s
sex-on-a-stick voice. The tap on her shoulder catapulted her heart past her
vocal chords, and she narrowly missed clunking her head on the hood as she
whirled around. Nate stood in sawdust-speckled blue jeans with one hand still
raised, green eyes twinkling.
“Sorry.”
The flash of white teeth behind his firm lips translated the word as Lady A.
continued to blare.
Tugging
out the ear buds, she sucked in a deep breath and tried to slow her heartbeat
by shoving a fist against her chest.
“Sorry,”
he repeated. “I did knock, but you were, ah, kind of engrossed under there.”
His
gaze flicked to her coveralls. Her unsexy, grease-smeared coveralls that
sometimes rode up her rear end when she bent over.
Heat
speared through her, and she half turned aside, switching off the music and
stuffing the ear buds into her pocket. “Not your fault; I was in the zone, and
I didn’t hear you arrive.”
Nate
moved to stand next to her, ducking a little to peer under the Impala’s hood.
Chrome gleamed, the V-8 engine so clean she’d bet a month’s wages Nate couldn’t
find a speck of dirt on it—or anywhere else in her workshop.
“Nice
car. Are you almost done?”
She
swiped a finger across her lips, hoping she didn’t have the remains of this
morning’s muesli bar snack smeared around her mouth. “Todd’s mostly finished
the bodywork and I’m just working on the last of the mechanical stuff.”
Hands
well away from her handiwork, Nate stepped back, glancing toward the organized
benches loaded with her dad’s tools, then looking across to the small,
sectioned-off area with a fold-out futon couch where Drew often played with his
toy cars while she worked.
“You’ve
got quite a setup here. Your dad must be proud of the work you’re both doing.
Does he live nearby too?”
“No.”
And because she didn’t want to field any more awkward questions, she added, “He
died when I was a teenager.”
“I’m
sorry. Todd mentioned the Caddy was yours and your dad’s…” His voice trailed
off.
“It’s
okay,” she said, even though it wasn’t. How different might her life be if
David Taylor, her biggest supporter and cheerleader when it came to her
following her own path, hadn’t collapsed in his workshop?
Nate’s
gaze skimmed over her, warm and sympathetic. Most people broke eye contact when
faced with another’s grief, but not him. He studied each line of her face as
though through his camera lens. Very unsettling.
She
ducked back under the hood and picked up her dropped socket wrench. “How’s Todd
working out?”
Nate
cleared his throat and leaned against the side of her station wagon. “He’s
doing great. We’ve made a plan of attack, and tomorrow morning we’re ripping
off the roof.”
“Progress.”
“Yeah,
which is why I stopped by—Todd said you have a chainsaw I could hire instead of
mucking around with getting one from town.”
Her
fingers tightened around the socket wrench. “You need a chainsaw?”
“I’ve
got to clear the road back before I get the new roofing iron and timber shipped
up. It’s crazy overgrown.”
“And
you’ve used a chainsaw before?”
“Nope,
but I’ve used a skill-saw, so how hard can it be?”
That
startled a laugh out of her, and she cut him a glance, drinking in the tee
shirt taut against his chest but a little loose over his flat stomach, and his
long legs crossed at the ankles, the only parts of him she could see. “Such a
guy thing to say, usually right before someone hacks off a limb.”
“Ah.”
One
hand disappeared from view followed by a raspy sound she identified as
fingertips scratching stubble.
“Hadn’t
thought of that.”
“No
offence, but you don’t look like the chain-sawing type.”
“Not
much call for chainsaw skills in my usual working day. My Auckland apartment
only has a balcony, so the last time I even used a lawn-mower was as a
teenager, when I helped pay my way through university by doing yard work.”
With
the last radiator bolt tightened, Lauren backed out from under the hood. “Mac’s
place must feel strange to you.”
He
flashed a crooked grin. “So much solitude and fresh air, it’s kind of spooky
when you’re used to the city or being around crowds of people living in
third-world conditions.”
“It
does take some getting used to.”
“But
you enjoy it?” Pushing away from her station wagon, he shoved his hands into
his pockets and wandered over.
“It’s
home.” As soon as he moved into her little hemisphere of safe space, her skin
started to prickle, so she grabbed the first rubber radiator hose off the
bench. This was an opening, a chance to put her
change-Nate’s-mind-by-being-nice plan into action. “Listen, since you were kind
enough to help with the whole stuck car thing, I’ll chainsaw for you a couple
of mornings to clear the road.”
“You
know how to chainsaw?”
She
shot a glance at his incredulous tone, found him shaking his head, fists on his
hips. “Don’t look so stunned—you’ve already witnessed how I can outdrive you in
your own car.”
“Going
to make me eat humble pie?”
“Double
helping, now that you’ve called my chain-sawing skills into question.”
She
returned with the radiator hose and he moved aside, but leaned over the Impala
to watch her work. Having him this close made her fingers function like ten fat
sausages, and she nearly dropped the hose as she ducked under the hood.
“You
sure you can spare the time?”
“I
can spare it. The Impala can wait until the afternoons. Besides, I don’t want
to feel responsible if you accidentally amputate something.”
He
chuckled, low and husky. “I appreciate your concern for my body parts remaining
intact.”
Underneath
the baggy cotton coveralls, the fine hairs on her arms stood to attention, but
she managed a droll tone as she said, “It’s the neighborly thing to do.”
“We’re
not big on neighbors and community in the suburb where I live—not that I’m
there much.”
“Well,
it’s a little different up here. When a neighbor needs help, we pitch in and
get the job done.” Lauren popped each end of the radiator hose in the clamps
and wriggled them into place. “Can you pass me the screwdriver from my tool-box
before you go?” Rude, but his concentrated focus propelled her blood pressure
higher and higher.
“I’m
happy to be your tool bitch if you need me.” Metal clanked as he rummaged
through her tool-box.
She
didn’t dare look up from the hose clenched in her hands. “You’ve got more than
enough work to do.” A screwdriver, held in long, tanned fingers, appeared in
front of her face, and she grasped the metal shank and slid it from his grasp
so their hands wouldn’t touch. “Thanks. I’ll see you at about half nine
tomorrow morning.”
“Okay
then, Lauren.”
The
sound of her name, so rich and deep in his sinfully smooth voice, sent a shiver
down her spine as he left the garage.
She
held tight to the screwdriver. In only a matter of days, her new neighbor had
gate-crashed her safe little world, turning everything topsy-turvy. She had to
take control and remember who he was - before it was too late.
Zur
Autorin Tracey Alvarez | I
live in the Coolest Little Capital in the World (a.k.a Wellington, New Zealand)
where I’ve yet to be buried under my to-be-read book pile by our infamous wind
- my Kindle’s a lifesaver!
Fuelled by copious amounts of coffee, I’m
the author of contemporary romantic fiction set predominantly in New Zealand.
Small-towns, close communities, and families are a big part of the
heart-warming stories I love to write. Oh, and hot, down-to-earth heroes - real
Kiwi men, in other words.
When I’m not writing, thinking about
writing, or procrastinating about writing, I can be found reading sexy books of
all romance genres and nibbling on smuggled chocolate bars. What? You were
expecting me to say free-dive training, hiking the world-famous Rakiura track
on Stewart Island, and restoring classic cars? Nope, sorry. I’ll leave such
excitement to my characters as they explore their worlds and find the love of
their lives.
Prize includes
~ New Zealand
design Paua tea towel (not sure what you'd call it overseas. Used to dry dishes
if you're so inclined...). Gorgeous colours in this, photo doesn't do it
justice.
~ New Zealand printed tote bag with super-cute kiwis!
~ Oh So Pretty soap. A luxurious handmade soap infused with the goodness of goat’s milk, cocoa butter, aloe vera, and kaolin clay, and is fragranced with notes of sea salt, ocean mist, fresh air, and soft musk. Pacific Breeze’s clean ocean scent will remind you of a day at a wind swept beach.
~ Hand-crafted Hide Your Heart bead bookmark with camera & heart charm.
~ Gorgeous hand-crafted for the Far North series pewter Koru pendant with Pounamu - Greenstone (nephrite jade) beads.
~ Hand-crafted for the Far North series pewter and jade earrings.
~ Author magnet.
~ Author pen.
~ New Zealand printed tote bag with super-cute kiwis!
~ Oh So Pretty soap. A luxurious handmade soap infused with the goodness of goat’s milk, cocoa butter, aloe vera, and kaolin clay, and is fragranced with notes of sea salt, ocean mist, fresh air, and soft musk. Pacific Breeze’s clean ocean scent will remind you of a day at a wind swept beach.
~ Hand-crafted Hide Your Heart bead bookmark with camera & heart charm.
~ Gorgeous hand-crafted for the Far North series pewter Koru pendant with Pounamu - Greenstone (nephrite jade) beads.
~ Hand-crafted for the Far North series pewter and jade earrings.
~ Author magnet.
~ Author pen.
Note: Treasured,
valuable and with spiritual significance, Pounamu is used by Māori to
show status and authority, for adornment, and for making peace. The
Koru shape is based on a new unfurling silver fern frond and symbolizes
new life, growth, strength and peace.
To
Enter: Just click on the below Rafflecopter giveaway link.
* Prizes are
not exchangeable for cash or anything else.
* All due care will be made in ensuring the prize arrives at the winner’s
address, but Tracey is unable to refund prize value in any way should it not arrive
due to postal disaster.
* Entries close on April 25th and winner will receive a direct e-mail from Tracey soon after. If she hasn’t had a reply from the winner in 48 hours, she will redraw a new winner.
* Entries close on April 25th and winner will receive a direct e-mail from Tracey soon after. If she hasn’t had a reply from the winner in 48 hours, she will redraw a new winner.
Thanks so much, Doris! A pleasure to be featured on your blog! ♥
AntwortenLöschenYou're very welcome! :-) <3
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