It’s #ChickLitMay! Otherwise known as Chick Lit Chat’s celebration of International Chick Lit Month! Today we’re teasing our chick lit/romantic comedies by talking about what’s on page 45. And you can enter to win some yummy caramels! Keep reading!

Picture This, the second book in my small-town Marsden series, is the story of Celia, a sweet woman in her thirties who left behind a failed marriage, but an otherwise comfortable existence, in her Catskill Mountains village in central New York. She’s working as an assistant to a high-powered, famous photographer in New York City, when she meets comedic movie star Niall Crenshaw at a photo shoot.

Niall immediately falls for the lovely Celia and pursues her even though he’s ostensibly dating Tiffany, his costar from his last flop (in an unfortunate string of flops). Celia doesn’t know it’s a fake relationship ginned up by the studio to give the movie a boost. While he’s wrapping up his contractual obligation with Tiffany, Niall can’t talk about it with anyone…even Celia. Although he’s dying to tell her the truth, of course.

After sharing a kiss with Niall at a party at his loft, Celia feels massively guilty and stays away from him, even going so far as to go on a blind date with a “normal” guy. But Celia can’t concentrate on Mr. Normal when Niall’s inundating her with a series of silly texts. When she comes home from the date—alone—she finds Niall on her front stoop, surrounded by balloon animals he’s made.

Who can resist a guy who can make balloon animals? Plus he’s there to apologize for disrespecting Celia by asking her out when he’s still “seeing” Tiffany, but Celia stops him in his tracks.

“You’re too good of a person for something like—”

“How do you know?”

Niall stopped stretching out an uninflated green balloon. “What?”

“How do you know I’m a good person? Too good to sully her virgin ears with that kind of a proposition?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“It’s what you meant. But you don’t know anything about me, let alone what kind of a person I am. I could be evil to the core.”

“Doubtful.” He laughed softly, and Celia smiled.

“Okay, maybe not evil. But my point stands. You don’t even know if we like the same things. Like what kind of food—”

“Moroccan.”

“Seriously?”

“No. I’ll eat anything that’ll stay still on a plate…What else do you want to know about?”

“I don’t know…Movies?”

“Don’t say mine. I don’t even like mine.”

Do Niall and Celia get together? Well. It is a romantic comedy. Do they have an easy time of it? Where’s the fun in that? Find out what happens next—grab Picture This while it’s on sale for only 99 cents all month, all e-formats! Although all my Marsden books can be read as standalones, if you want to start from the beginning, the first one, Down on Love, is only $1.99 this month as well. And No. 3, Lucky for You, is publishing August 18!

 

More about Picture This:

Now…what about that candy contest, you ask? Here are the deets: You can win a 1 lb. package of caramels from Whitney’s Goodies! Your choice of the following flavors:

To be entered to win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this blog post—in just a few words, say why you think Picture This would be a good read. (No, this is not just blatant trolling for compliments! It’s a legitimate contest question! Really!) Anyway, be sure to leave your full name and e-mail address so we can contact you.

A winner will be chosen via Random.org on Tuesday, May 19.

Please note: This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

Check out all the other great “What’s on Page 45?” entries in our blog hop! Leave a comment on each blog and you’ll be entered almost 40 times!

• Kristina Knight
• Pippa Franks
• Laura Kenyon
• Amy Gettinger
• Gina Henning
• Jennifer Ammoscato
• Lauren Clark
• Laura Chapman
• Celia Kennedy
• Jennifer Farwell
• Glynis Astie
• Clodagh Murphy
• Stacey Wiedower
• Bethany Turner
• Franky Brown
• Tracy Krimmer
• Jillianne Hamilton
• Catherine L. Hensley
• Becky Monson
• Georgina Troy
• Zanna Mackenzie
• Jennifer Collin
• Monique McDonell
• Samantha March
• Sky Greene
• Whitney Dineen
• Maggie Le Page
• Kathryn Biel
• Meredith Schorr
• Karen M. Cox
• Rachel L. Hamm
• T. A. Munroe
• Heather Balog
• Jennie Marts
• Serena Clarke