Author Kimberly Rose Johnson returns to the blog today to share a review of and excerpt from her book Island Refuge.
Enjoy!
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Blurb for Island Refuge:
Five-Star-Chef Zoe Griffin walked away from her dream job. Did she make a mistake?
Her engagement off, Zoe Griffin retreats to tiny Wildflower Island in the Puget Sound. Hiding out as a cook and maid at a shabby bed-and-breakfast seems crazy for a chef who’s used to running her own five-star kitchen. And just as she starts to feel at home, her klutzy mishaps make Zoe fear her handsome new boss will fire her.
Dr. Nick Jackson is done with medicine, and owning a B&B is as far from doctoring as he can get. He needs help, but his only employee’s mistakes give him doubts. As Zoe lets her defenses down, Nick begins to see a competent and caring woman. One whose wounds are as deep as his own. But as they fall for each other, Nick and Zoe must learn the hardest lesson of all—to forgive. Only then can they heal the past and embrace the future . . . together.
Her engagement off, Zoe Griffin retreats to tiny Wildflower Island in the Puget Sound. Hiding out as a cook and maid at a shabby bed-and-breakfast seems crazy for a chef who’s used to running her own five-star kitchen. And just as she starts to feel at home, her klutzy mishaps make Zoe fear her handsome new boss will fire her.
Dr. Nick Jackson is done with medicine, and owning a B&B is as far from doctoring as he can get. He needs help, but his only employee’s mistakes give him doubts. As Zoe lets her defenses down, Nick begins to see a competent and caring woman. One whose wounds are as deep as his own. But as they fall for each other, Nick and Zoe must learn the hardest lesson of all—to forgive. Only then can they heal the past and embrace the future . . . together.
~*~
Review of Kimberly’s book, Island Refuge: This is a sweet romance set on Wildflower Island in the Puget Sound. Leaving his past behind, Nick Jackson is starting a new chapter in his life as the owner of an old B&B. Heartbroken Zoe Griffin leaves her past behind and is now the chef/housekeeper at a B&B. As they work together, can they really leave their pasts behind, or will it follow them to Wildflower Island? Will they open their hearts to forgive and allow healing of their past hurts?
I enjoyed Nick and Zoe's story showing their struggles as they deal with past hurts. The other characters staying at the B&B capture your heart as well. I like the way the author showed the characters vulnerability and their struggles with life-challenges much like the ones we all have faced in our own lives.
I received a proof e-copy by the author for my honest review
~ Review written by Tina Rice on GoodReads
Source - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25175903-island-refuge
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Kimberly says, “The excerpt is taken from chapter 11 and found on page 94-96” (of the novel Island Refuge):
From his place at the reception desk, Nick looked out the window beside the front door and breathed a little easier. Zoe was home! The day hadn’t been a disaster, but it could have gone more smoothly. The front door swung open, and he smiled. “Welcome back. How was your day?”
“Interesting. Yours?”
“The same.” He stood and walked around the reception desk.
She glanced from side to side, obviously trying to see if Olivia had destroyed the house. She had more than made her opinion clear about her lack of faith in the new girl, and unfortunately Zoe had been at least partially correct. Olivia did not know her way around a kitchen.
“But I’m glad you’re back.”
A smug smile rested on her face, and a gleam lit her eyes.
This was a side of Zoe he hadn’t witnessed. “The couple staying in your room checked out early, and I forgot to have Olivia clean it.”
Zoe shrugged. “I’ll take care of it. Why’d they leave after making such a fuss about staying until Monday?”
“Some work emergency.” He stepped past her and ambled into the kitchen.
Zoe followed and caught her breath. “What happened in here?”
“Olivia tried to make scones. I sent her home and told her I’d clean up. Kind of reminds me of your first morning here.”
Zoe crossed her arms. “That was an accident. This is—”
“A disaster zone. I’m still not sure how egg got on the ceiling.”
“Looks like she used an electric mixer instead of stirring by hand.” She turned to him with a sweet smile. “I’m glad you’re cleaning this and not me.”
“I’ll get right on that, but first I need to make sure everything in your room is intact. You can’t be too careful.” Nick slid the key into the lock and pushed her bedroom door open. He walked around the room. “Looks like everything is here.”
“I should hope so. I can’t imagine people running off with your stuff. Then again, things disappeared from the restaurant all the time.”
“Exactly. When you’re free, would you mind making up a checklist for Olivia? She’s insecure, and I think a list would help her.”
“Sure.” She strode to the bed and yanked the covers back. In the process, a decorative pillow flew up and smacked Nick in the side of the head, making him jump. She giggled. “Oops.”
He waggled his brows, grabbed the pillow from the floor, and tossed it at her hitting her on the back. “Oops.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips tipped up. She gripped a bed pillow in her hands. “You asked for it.”
He ran around to the other side of the bed and snatched up the other pillow. “I’m armed and dangerous.” He chuckled, unable to hide his pleasure in their game. Zoe looked ready to pounce.
She darted around the bed and swung the pillow, hitting his shoulder.
“Is that the best you can do?” He wiggled his fingers, egging her on.
“Nope.” She belted his head, laughing.
He whipped a pillow to the side and swung, hitting her across the back as she bolted to the foot of the bed. “You can dish it out, but you can’t take it, huh?” He knew the woman was feisty, but she had a competitive streak too.
“Bring it on.” Zoe flashed white teeth.
A frenzy ensued that ended in fits of laughter and Zoe waving the white pillow case. “I surrender. I’m sorry I started it, even if it was accidental.”
He caught his breath and stopped mid-swing, struck by how beautiful she was when she smiled. Her entire face glowed. Granted the pillow fight had turned her cheeks pink, but it was more than that. She was gorgeous. He stepped closer and tucked a loose hair behind her ear, stopping himself barely in time from cradling her cheek in the palm of his hand.
Zoe’s questioning eyes searched his, her strawberry red lips parted.
He couldn’t take his eyes from her mouth. It begged to be kissed. He titled his head and inched toward her.
Stop!
He sobered and straightened. He ran his hand over his face. What was he thinking?
~*~
Kimberly says, “The excerpt is taken from chapter 11 and found on page 94-96” (of the novel Island Refuge):
From his place at the reception desk, Nick looked out the window beside the front door and breathed a little easier. Zoe was home! The day hadn’t been a disaster, but it could have gone more smoothly. The front door swung open, and he smiled. “Welcome back. How was your day?”
“Interesting. Yours?”
“The same.” He stood and walked around the reception desk.
She glanced from side to side, obviously trying to see if Olivia had destroyed the house. She had more than made her opinion clear about her lack of faith in the new girl, and unfortunately Zoe had been at least partially correct. Olivia did not know her way around a kitchen.
“But I’m glad you’re back.”
A smug smile rested on her face, and a gleam lit her eyes.
This was a side of Zoe he hadn’t witnessed. “The couple staying in your room checked out early, and I forgot to have Olivia clean it.”
Zoe shrugged. “I’ll take care of it. Why’d they leave after making such a fuss about staying until Monday?”
“Some work emergency.” He stepped past her and ambled into the kitchen.
Zoe followed and caught her breath. “What happened in here?”
“Olivia tried to make scones. I sent her home and told her I’d clean up. Kind of reminds me of your first morning here.”
Zoe crossed her arms. “That was an accident. This is—”
“A disaster zone. I’m still not sure how egg got on the ceiling.”
“Looks like she used an electric mixer instead of stirring by hand.” She turned to him with a sweet smile. “I’m glad you’re cleaning this and not me.”
“I’ll get right on that, but first I need to make sure everything in your room is intact. You can’t be too careful.” Nick slid the key into the lock and pushed her bedroom door open. He walked around the room. “Looks like everything is here.”
“I should hope so. I can’t imagine people running off with your stuff. Then again, things disappeared from the restaurant all the time.”
“Exactly. When you’re free, would you mind making up a checklist for Olivia? She’s insecure, and I think a list would help her.”
“Sure.” She strode to the bed and yanked the covers back. In the process, a decorative pillow flew up and smacked Nick in the side of the head, making him jump. She giggled. “Oops.”
He waggled his brows, grabbed the pillow from the floor, and tossed it at her hitting her on the back. “Oops.”
Her eyes widened, and her lips tipped up. She gripped a bed pillow in her hands. “You asked for it.”
He ran around to the other side of the bed and snatched up the other pillow. “I’m armed and dangerous.” He chuckled, unable to hide his pleasure in their game. Zoe looked ready to pounce.
She darted around the bed and swung the pillow, hitting his shoulder.
“Is that the best you can do?” He wiggled his fingers, egging her on.
“Nope.” She belted his head, laughing.
He whipped a pillow to the side and swung, hitting her across the back as she bolted to the foot of the bed. “You can dish it out, but you can’t take it, huh?” He knew the woman was feisty, but she had a competitive streak too.
“Bring it on.” Zoe flashed white teeth.
A frenzy ensued that ended in fits of laughter and Zoe waving the white pillow case. “I surrender. I’m sorry I started it, even if it was accidental.”
He caught his breath and stopped mid-swing, struck by how beautiful she was when she smiled. Her entire face glowed. Granted the pillow fight had turned her cheeks pink, but it was more than that. She was gorgeous. He stepped closer and tucked a loose hair behind her ear, stopping himself barely in time from cradling her cheek in the palm of his hand.
Zoe’s questioning eyes searched his, her strawberry red lips parted.
He couldn’t take his eyes from her mouth. It begged to be kissed. He titled his head and inched toward her.
Stop!
He sobered and straightened. He ran his hand over his face. What was he thinking?
~*~
Author bio:
Kimberly Rose Johnson, soon to be empty-nester, lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their yellow lab. Island Refuge is her sixth published book and the first in a series of three. Kimberly enjoys long walks, chocolate, and mochas, not necessarily in that order.
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Buy Kimberly’s book:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1IlZqmD
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1F1RmGC
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Amazon - http://amzn.to/1IlZqmD
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1F1RmGC
~*~
Connect with Kimberly:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/krose1990/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh
Website - http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/krose1990/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh
Website - http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/
Thanks for having me, Alexis!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, Kimberly. And thank you for taking the time to contribute a special book promotional post to my blog! :)
ReplyDelete