NBTM + #Giveaway: Meadows Shore Series by Eva Charles @GoddessFish

Meadows Shore Series

by Eva Charles

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

BLURB:

Prepare to fall in love with the Claytons and Harringtons and their rich Portuguese heritage. A Wedding at Meadows Shore is the first book in the series. In it, you’ll meet the family and visit their beloved Meadows Shore nestled along the moody Atlantic in the charming seaside town of Fair Harbor.

It all begins with Sophie’s story, where she discards the past and learns to trust herself and others. The series follows the lives of her sisters and cousins while they, too, sort through their baggage and fall in love. Travel with them on their romantic journeys, stopping in rural Minnesota, New Orleans, and other enchanted places along the way.

They are wealthy and powerful, but suffer pain and loss much like the rest of us. Even great privilege can't shield them from those experiences. But despite their wealth and power, I think you'll find them approachable and down-to-earth—or as Cole Harrington would say: “We put our pants on one leg at a time, same as everybody else.” 

There's an old Portuguese adage, "the rooster crows loudly, but it’s the hen who’s in charge.” And so it is with the Claytons and Harringtons: strong women, alpha males, and of course, Avó Angelina, the family matriarch who keeps them all on their best behavior. 

Bem vindo à família, Welcome to the family!

Excerpt from A Wedding at Meadows Shore:

His voice took on a husky, seductive quality. “The women I date aren’t interested in my body, Sophie. What interests them is how I pleasure their bodies.”

She stared deep into his icy blue eyes and snickered.

Max never missed even the smallest of details. They were often the difference between success and getting your hat handed to you. Tonight, he noticed Sophie’s eyes betray her, even as she mocked him. Her pupils were dilated, the rich, whiskey-colored irises nearly overtaken by black. I have her attention.

Embolden by her body’s reaction, he took a step closer. He was so close that if she’d been breathing, her breath would’ve warmed his skin. “I can bring much more to your bed than my father does. So…much…more…” He drew out the words, emphasizing each in a voice that oozed sex. “And though I’m not an easy man to impress, I’m sure you’d have no trouble persuading me to finance your agency. None at all,” he drawled.

Neither of them spoke for a long moment, maybe two. The air was charged. The silence dangled between them like a ripe peach, fragrant and swollen, tempting the weakest among them to reach for it first.

“What do you think?” he asked softly, ending the silence.

While waiting for her response, a calculated kind of wait, he resisted the urge to lift his hand and run his fingers through the strands of hair that’d come loose, softly framing her face.

“I think you really are an ass.”

With that, she turned and walked away. Leaving him to gape at her magnificent back. 

My Ten Favorite Places

Most of my very favorite places to visit are either steeped in history and art, or made special by the people who live there. Italy is over-represented in the list because we recently traveled there, and the memories are so fresh. It was also my first trip to the country, and I’m still swooning, forgive me.

Boston, Massachusetts and Charlottesville, Virginia are my very favorite places to visit, because my sons live there. While it’s always wonderful to have them home, there’s something magical about visiting them, and seeing the local sights through their eyes.

Rome, Italy-The Ruins of the ancient city are truly a sight to behold, and it was humbling to stand in the midst of what was the greatest ancient civilization, where Caesar once marched triumphantly. I also loved wandering around the Villa Borghese and the Galleria in central Rome, where there are several stunning Bernini sculptures, including The Rape of Persephone, which is my favorite piece. But one of my most memorable Roman experiences was having dinner at Nonna Betta, in the Jewish Quarter, on the Sabbath. We ate a delicious dinner outside, and watched as the sleepy Quarter sprang to life after sundown.

Costa Rica—I loved Manuel Antonio’s pristine beaches where the monkeys came down to play almost every afternoon, and zip-lining through the rainforest. But my favorite part of the trip was Julio, who drove us over narrow windy roads, up and down mountainsides, from one end of the beautiful country to the other. On our last day, he invited my family to his home to meet his wife and young son. He was the highlight of our trip—my kids still talk about him.

Civil War Battle Fields, U.S.—Antietam is my favorite, perhaps, because it was my first. It was a long time ago, but I’ll never forget it. A burly park ranger guided us through the battle from Miller’s cornfield to the West Woods, bringing it to life. His descriptions were so vivid, I could almost smell the gunpowder and hear the dying wails outside Dunker Church. This extraordinary experience instilled in me a love of history that I’ve kept all my life.

Casanova di Ama, Italy—A tiny gem tucked in the Tuscan countryside. We enjoyed a wine tasting with a spectacular multi-course meal prepared by Daniela, in her home, set in a picturesque vineyard. She epitomized a warmth, generosity, and hospitality that words can’t begin to describe.

My back porch in the spring—There are few things that make me as happy as sitting on the back porch on a sunny, spring morning with a cup of coffee. Looking out over the woods while birds, of every imaginable color, fly tree-to-tree searching for a place to nest, or just playing and serenading me with joyful tweets. It’s always an amazing gift after a long, harsh New England winter. One that even a city-girl can appreciate.

Florence, Italy—The entire city is an open-air art museum, and everywhere you look there is some amazing piece of work to admire. Even non-descript churches are filled with magnificent paintings and sculpture, and merchants make their homes above the street-level shops where they craft fine, leather shoes and belts. I loved sitting with my husband at the edge of the Arno in the evening, eating gelato, and imagining a time when Michelangelo visited the Medicis, just steps away from where we sat.

The ocean—I’m partial to the Atlantic, but any ocean, whether or not there’s a beach, will do. I grew up a few blocks away from the ocean, spent lazy days as a teenager slathered in baby oil on the beach, and wiled away the evenings, kissing behind the seawall. I love everything about it, although these days I prefer, early morning and evening walks, to sunbathing.

Toledo, Spain—An ancient city where Christianity, Judaism, and Islam coexisted peacefully for centuries. Can you imagine? My favorite El Greco painting The Burial of the Count of Orgaz hangs in a church there. The highlight of the trip was when we visited a ceramic tile shop, owned by the same family for generations. After chatting about the religious history of the tiny city, the owner took us to a backroom with a staircase that led to five floors hidden underground, some of which were not accessible to us. It had once been an underground, “apartment complex”, caves really, where Jews lived after being banished from Spain. It was so unexpected, and mind-blowing.

Meadows Shore in Fair Harbor, Massachusetts—Yes, it’s a mythical place straight out of my imagination—well almost. The town of Fair Harbor is actually a composite of a few of the towns along the Southeastern Massachusetts shore. I cherry-picked the best of each, my favorites, and put them all into one charming little town. Meadows Shore is the childhood home of those loveable and meddlesome Claytons and Harringtons, where the days are filled with love, laughter, loyalty, and lots of mouthwatering food. Come visit, we’ll set a place at the table just for you!

AUTHOR BIO:

Eva Charles is the author of the multi-titled Meadows Shore Series chronicling the lives and loves of the Clayton-Harrington family. She invites you to visit their beloved Meadows Shore, nestled in the charming seaside town of Fair Harbor, where you’ll enjoy love, laughter, loyalty, and an abundance of mouth-watering food, Portuguese style.

After being a confirmed city-girl for more than thirty-five years, Eva moved to beautiful western Massachusetts in 2014. There, she found herself living in the woods with no job, no friends (unless you count the turkeys, deer, and coyotes roaming the backyard), and no children underfoot, wondering what on earth she’d been thinking. But as it turned out, it was the perfect setting to take all those yarns spinning in her head and weave them into a romantic tale.

When she’s not writing, trying to squeeze information out of her tight-lipped sons or playing with the two cutest dogs you’ve ever seen, Eva’s creating chapters in her own love story.

Website ~ Amazon ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads

Giveaway:

$75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC
 

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