Blurbs & Excerpts
THE CATCH
Book 1 of the Catch & Hold series: a very Gen X, San Francisco, second (and third!) chance romance.
Jump to The Hold or The Compass
BOOK BLURB
Julia Dunphy’s husband just left her for the second time, her thirteen-year-old won’t stop swearing in public, and to top it all off, her four-year-old just asked to buy condoms. Needless to say, this isn’t how she’d expected her life to pan out. Then, Julia's new work in an aquarium shop washes up old memories of a whale-watching business she once imagined - and of William Quinn, the man she imagined it with. William walked into her life with striking blue eyes and constant surprises. Before she knew it, she was head-over-heels in love. However, the realities of life eventually pulled them apart. When Julia and William’s paths cross again, despite their baggage, an undeniable spark remains. When she learns that William has made a success of their ideas, she wonders if it's too late to finally make a success of their relationship. But Julia has already blown her first two chances at happiness with William, so a third one seems like wishful thinking. Then she uses her prowess as a paralegal to save William's business, and when he shows up to thank her, she dares to wonder - is another chance with him possible, after all?
READ AN EXCERPT
His voice was unsteady, his face warped with apprehension. Finally, he pointed to the slips across the water. “Do you see that boat docked over there?” “Yeah?” “That’s a catamaran. It has a double-hull, so it’s more stable and smooth out on the open ocean. Good for carrying passengers.” “Okay,” she said, unsure why he was telling her this. He looked out at it and said quietly, “It’s for sale.” “Are you thinking of buying it?” He shrugged. “Or something like it.” “What are you going to use it for?” she asked, and instantly knew the answer. “Whale watching.” He turned to her now, his face sphinx-like. “William. Is that what all your questions were about in the pub? Asking me whether or not I would do it if someone would hire me?” He shifted his weight and looked back out at the catamaran. “Oh,” she said. “Oh.” Against her better judgment, against her will even, her spirits soared. He was thinking of her. Making plans that involved her. “It will take a lot of time,” he said so quietly that she almost couldn’t hear him. “I would have to get a license. I’d have to actually buy the thing. We’d have to make a business plan.” “We.” She reddened, realizing she had said it out loud. He turned a piercing gaze on her. “Give me a minute,” she said, sitting down right there on the pier. To her further amazement, he sat down next to her. “If you’ll do it with me, you’ll be my business partner.” She took a few deep breaths. Collected herself. “Forgive me, but – how are you going to buy a boat like that?” “I saved most of the money I made in Alaska.” Had he really made that much money? “William. Like I told you, I don’t know if I have the time or the luxury to work on this. Also, my future is a bit uncertain right now. I’m still married. I don’t know what will happen if he ever comes back.” “Will you go back to him?” She saw the pain in his eyes, the creases in his forehead. She drew her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. “This is all so sudden,” she murmured. “I need a little time. I’m not saying no. To any of it. I just need time.”
THE HOLD
Book 2 of the Catch & Hold series, The Hold is a stand-alone sequel to The Catch.
Jump to The Catch or The Compass
BOOK BLURB
Since high school, aquarist Julia Beale and whale watching captain William Quinn have been each other’s one that got away. Now a gift from the past has brought them one more chance at happily ever after. Their bond runs deeper than ever, and their chemistry is still off the charts. But none of that matters if they can’t navigate disdainful kids, aging parents, erratic siblings, and the San Francisco housing market – all while staying afloat as small business owners. Along the way, stir in an ex-husband on the rebound, and garnish with an ex-girlfriend reappearing in a major way. It’s enough to test the strongest of bonds, so when fate throws Julia and William one more curve ball, can they hold on to the trust they’ve worked so hard to rebuild? Set in 2012, The Hold is perfect for readers who can relate to life’s shades of gray. It celebrates the full humanity of humans with two X chromosomes – even when they’re moms staring down the barrel of middle age.
READ AN EXCERPT
“I’ve been stand-offish, haven’t I?” Wincing, Julia stammered in vain for a tactful reply. "I’m sorry.” With his free hand, William raked his fingers through the close-cropped hair on his scalp. “I think I’m a bit overwhelmed.” Her heart sank. She had often been too much for other people, including, sometimes, Kevin. But she had never been too much for William. “I’m–” “No,” he blurted, squeezing her hand. “Not like that. I just...” Finally, he blew out a ragged breath and lifted his eyes to hers. They broadcast so much raw vulnerability as he quietly admitted, “I’m overwhelmed being in your presence again. Dazzled, I guess. Trust me, I’m trying, but you have me tongue-tied.” In that moment, Julia remembered what it meant to swoon. She bit her lips, but she could no more stop the irrepressible smile than she could stop herself from loving him. Seeing it, he succumbed to his own smile of relief. “I’ve been pretty tongue-tied, myself – which, as you know, is rare,” she admitted with a laugh. “I’ve been nervous, and I sensed your nervousness; but also... you’ve been keeping your hands to yourself a bit, and I wasn’t sure what that meant.” He clasped her hand between both of his. “I know in the past, I’ve probably pressured you to move faster than you felt comfortable with. I didn’t want to make the same mistake, so I thought it would be better to take things slower this time. But I guess I went too far in the opposite direction and gave you the wrong impression.” Julia went almost limp with relief, and her heart overflowed with longing. “Maybe you’re right – maybe we should take our time getting reacquainted. But I’d like to at least be able to do this,” she added, glancing down at their clasped hands. “And to kiss you. Like, a lot. Like, maybe even make out a little.” He laughed and tugged her hand. She came around the table to stand beside him. He pulled her down into his lap, searching her eyes to make sure that was okay. It was more than okay. Her pulse raced out of control at just how okay it was. She stroked his hair; touched the side of his face. He pulled her to him for a kiss and pressed her hand to his heart so she could feel its breakneck speed.
THE COMPASS
The Compass is a stand-alone novel – a tie-in with the Catch & Hold series. It is not a romance, but it tells the story, through William's point of view, of what happened to him in between his and Julia's first and second chances at happily-ever-after.
Jump to The Catch or The Hold
BOOK BLURB
From the author of The Catch comes THE COMPASS, its stand-alone “midquel.” With brand-new material as well as flashbacks to The Catch, all told from William’s point of view, The Compass is equal parts hilarious, harrowing, heartwarming, and hopeful. In 1995, twenty-year-old William Quinn’s quest for reprieve after a painful breakup reunites him with Serafima “Haze” Temkina, a tattoo artist with an opaque background who’s twice played a pivotal role in his life. Although their friendship and blooming intimacy promise a foothold, traumatic memories and perilous temptations threaten to bury him beneath their weight. Soon, William is losing his already-tenuous grip on himself, his mental health, and everything he values. But when he finally resurfaces, his oldest friend Haze is waiting – and this time, she bears a bombshell about William’s past that could clear the way to his future. Told in non-linear fashion, The Compass alternates between William’s present and past. Equally enjoyable as a stand-alone novel, it offers an intriguing look at how William got his albatross and compass tattoos.
READ AN EXCERPT
“William recognized the piercing hazel eyes of the woman on the other side, but for a few seconds, it wouldn’t quite register. “Haze?” She blinked, apparently just as dumbfounded to find him there. “William? Is that really you?” Turning back to Mike, he jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Her?” Grinning, Mike pushed past William and held his fist out to her. “What up, Haze?” “You’re not black, Mike.” Haze stepped aside and waved them in. “Mike,” William began carefully. “Let me just make sure we’re all on the same page. We’re here for what we talked about at the pub, not tattoos – right?” “Dude, are we at her studio?” Mike scoffed and looked toward Haze, as if to say, can you believe this fool? But Haze did not look at William as if she thought he were a fool. Her restrained gaze put him at ease as he crossed the threshold into her foyer. “Nowadays I only do this for a select few,” Haze explained, closing and locking the door behind them. “Jimmy and Mike have been loyal customers for years.” “Of both enterprises, apparently,” William observed. "Jimmy and I have single-handedly kept her in business all these years,” Mike quipped. “In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a one-month wait list at the studio,” she retorted. Fantastical creatures stampeded down her arms from somewhere beneath the short sleeves of her black peasant top. The décolletage above its neckline hinted at more. She had never once removed her eyes from William. “Mike didn’t tell you it was me?” William ventured. “No, he did. You just look... different.” He felt the familiar heat rising to his face, along with his old insecurities around women. Every instinct in his body commanded him to look away, but he forced himself to hold her gaze. She blinked first. “Make yourselves comfortable,” she offered, gesturing toward the couch. She settled herself on the adjacent chair, at right angles to them. Her eyes swept past Mike’s grinning leer in favor of William again. “Haze,” he said. “And all this time I thought it was because of your eyes. Or because you were in Hayes Valley.” She returned his smile, circumspect. “After they tore the freeway down, the yuppies moved in. That’s why I’m in the Mission now.” Her voice still bore traces of her Russian origins. A silver barbell septum piercing adorned her nose. She had deliberately streaked her long, shaggy dark hair and bangs with gray. She reached up with slender fingers to tuck a lock behind her ear, showcasing a scaffold piercing with an arrow-shaped earring. She said, “How is your albatross?” “I followed orders, and kept it out of the sun.” Her features remained Russian-stoic. “Are you ever going to let it out of its cage?”
HELPFUL LINKS
Buy my books, connect with me, and subscribe!
