A Tour of Wildflower Island, led by a story character

Give a hearty "hello" to one of our blog friends, Kimberly Rose Johnson! She's a regular visitor to this blog and this time, she brings a special treat for you, my lovely readers! :)

Today, the hero of her book Island Dreams is going to give you a tour of Wildflower Island which is the setting for the story. Enjoy the tour! 

Hi there, my name is Chase Grayson. I’d like to take you on a tour of my home, Wildflower Island! 

It’s best to start from the ferry landing. You may notice that we don’t have a sandy beach. I suppose most people would prefer sand, but God gave us a pebbled beach instead, which suits me fine. If we had white sandy beaches the tourists would be flocking to my small island in the Puget Sound. It’s not really my island, but I love it as if it were my own. 

Just yesterday I was reminded when the ferry dropped off Piper Hunt—a land developer whose family owns about half of Wildflower Island—that this land is not mine. In fact, I own a very small portion. I still can’t believe what she wants to do. She plans to build a resort. A resort! And her land abuts mine. No way do I want a resort next door. 

Sorry, I get distracted thinking about that woman and her plans. Anyway, back to the tour.

Up ahead and on the left is the driveway to Wildflower B&B where Piper is staying. The B&B is a nice place and has a great view of the Sound from the backyard. 

If you continue on inland you’ll pass by the general store, but don’t blink or you’ll miss it. A little further on and you’ll happen upon the golf club, which has the only nice restaurant on the island. I’m meeting Piper there tonight for dinner, so she can show me her new plan for her resort. She seems to think I have the ability to push her project though to the town council. But as far as I’m concerned we don’t need more people clogging our roadways. Plus there aren’t enough businesses to service the amount of people Piper’s resort would bring anyway. I digress. Sorry about that. 

I know you want a tour, but there’s really not much more to see except a few churches, an old schoolhouse, a bunch of trees with houses sprinkled in here and there, and a few lakes. We’ve done a good job at preserving the natural beauty of the island. People who come here to visit enjoy water sports, hiking, biking, and relaxing. I personally enjoy kayaking. It’s a favorite pastime. 

Oh, but before you go I’d love to give you a tour of my yard. I’ve worked hard making it a showpiece for my landscaping business. I designed a lookout that has an amazing view of the Sound. And here we are. The driveway is long and private just the way I like it. Isn’t the view something? The sailboats are my favorite to watch on nice days like today. Feel free to enjoy the view, but I need to head in and get ready for my dinner date with Piper. Somehow I have to convince her that this island is a bad choice for her development. I know I’m playing with fire when it comes to Piper, but I actually like her. She’s nice and seems to want to do right by the land. I at least need to give her a chance to pitch her proposal to me. Not that what I think matters, but I suppose anyone would appreciate a supporter. 

Thanks for visiting. I’m sure you can find your own way back to the ferry.

~*~

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.

 

~*~

Book blurb:

Piper Hunt arrives on Wildflower Island to develop family property into an upscale resort knowing this may be her last chance to prove her worth to her father. With grandiose ideas, she soon finds herself at odds with adjoining property owner, Chase Grayson.

As she begins to appreciate the simplicity of the island, she struggles to maintain balance between her father’s wishes, preserving the natural beauty of the island, and her attraction for Chase.

Chase Grayson values the peace and quiet of Wildflower Island. That serenity is threatened when Piper Hunt discloses her plans to develop an upscale resort that not only butts up to his property, but will turn the island into a busy tourist destination.

In fighting her plans, he also finds himself fighting his attraction to her. If he doesn’t stop her plans for the resort, his life will be altered forever. If he succeeds, it means he will never see her again. Can he live with either choice?

Book review and excerpt: Island Dreams by Kimberly Rose Johnson

Today, I'd like to share this special feature with you: an excerpt from Kimberly Rose Johnson's new novel Island Dreams! But first, I'd like to share one of the many positive reviews about Kimberly's book. 

Here's one example of a five-star review for Kimberly's book:

"Island Dreams is the second book in the Wildflower Bed and Breakfast Romance series. It's a marvelous story with a beautiful setting. I love the characters and how each one has their own unique personality. The romance between Chase and Piper can relate to many of us. Sometimes both have to find a compromise to make a situation or romance work. This book attracted my attention from the first chapter. I enjoyed reading Island Dreams and looking forward to the next book. I highly recommend reading this book by a great author. I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for my honest review. This review is one hundred percent my opinion." 

~Barbara Thompson writes on Sept. 3, 2015, in review of Island Dreams (Kindle edition) on Amazon.com "Marvelous Story With A Beautiful Setting!" 

~*~
Chapter One (excerpt from Island Dreams):

PIPER HUNT HATED TO BE LATE but this time it couldn’t be helped. She rushed into the general store where the smell of coffee permeated the air. She’d give anything for a good cup right now. She hoped this place had a decent brew but was doubtful. She already missed the Starbucks in her Tacoma office building.

She stopped abruptly as her surroundings registered in her brain. “Whoa.” She’d stepped back in time at least fifty years. Her dad had warned her about Wildflower Island, but this was the kind of place one had to see to believe.

The general store looked like something out of Little House on the Prairie only somewhat modernized. She looked around the expansive space. It really wasn’t bad. On one side groceries and sundries were lined up neatly on old-fashioned wood shelves reminiscent of a simpler time in history, on the other side a small café.

She squared her shoulders and strode to the right toward the café. Now to find Chase Grayson. She looked around the room and didn’t spot anyone that could be described as six foot tall and in his early thirties. She glanced at her watch. The ferry to the island had been a little late this morning thanks to a stalled vehicle. The man was supposed to meet her here ten minutes ago. Had he given up and left? She’d sent him a text, but he hadn’t replied. Maybe he never saw it.

A guy who looked to be in his late teens stood at the café’s register. “May I help you?”

“I hope so. I’m looking for Chase Grayson. I was supposed to meet him here.”

“You missed him. He left a few minutes ago. Are you Piper?”

“Yes.”

He held out a piece of paper. “He asked me to give this to you.”

“Thank you. Could I get an iced coffee to go, please?” “Sure.”
 She unfolded the note while the young man prepared her drink.

Ms. Hunt, 
I had to run. Will catch up with you at the property.


Chase

She frowned. “Great.”
“That’ll be three dollars.” He slid the drink across the counter. “Problem?”

She handed him three ones and picked up the cup. “Thanks. No problem, other than I lost my guide. Any idea how to get to the Hunt property?” She sipped the coffee and grinned, surprised. At least she knew where to find good coffee even if she didn’t know where to find Chase Grayson.

“Sorry, Ma’am. I’ve never heard of it. Are you sure you have the right name?”

“Positive. Maybe the people at the Wildflower Bed-and-Breakfast will be able to help. Thanks.” She rushed to her black Jeep Wrangler, hopped in, then paused. The GPS should be able to guide her to the property with the latitude and longitude coordinates and would save her a trip to the B&B. She pulled out the file in her brief case and entered the coordinates into her GPS.

Mr. Grayson or no Mr. Grayson, she would find the six- hundred-and-forty acre parcel she’d come to see. She backed out, eased onto the main road, and followed the winding curves. She passed a golf club that apparently also had a restaurant. At least that building looked up-to-date and much nicer than anything else she’d seen so far on the island. She continued on until the road ended at a wooded area where her GPS indicated she’d arrived. “This must be it.”

A knock sounded on her window. She jumped and spun her head to the left. A frowning man with short-cropped brown hair stood a foot from her door.

She stepped out. “You must be Chase Grayson.” She held out her hand noting his rough callouses, but was pleased by his firm grip. Her dad always said you could tell a good man by his firm handshake. Dad would like Chase. “I’m Piper Hunt. It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry I missed you at the store, but the ferry was a little late. Someone’s car stalled, and as luck would have it I was stuck behind them.”

He softened, flashing perfect white teeth. “I’m glad you made it off.” The man stood at least six feet tall to her five-foot- seven inches. He wore Levis and a tucked in, button up, plaid shirt. Kind of outdoorsy, but he looked safe enough.

“I was a little confused by your message. Are you with a development company or is this family property?”

His forced nonchalance sent alarm bells ringing in her head. Would he try to stop her if he knew her plan? She could lie, but that was no way to start off a potential project. She needed to have a good working relationship with this man. “Both.”
 He crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. “I see. And what exactly do you have in mind?”


So much for that good working relationship she’d hoped for.
~*~

Author bio:

Kimberly Rose Johnson, soon to be empty-nester, lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and their yellow lab.  

Island Dreams is her seventh published book and the second in a series of three. 

Kimberly enjoys long walks, chocolate, and mochas, not necessarily in that order.
~*~
Book blurb: 

Piper Hunt arrives on Wildflower Island to develop family property into an upscale resort knowing this may be her last chance to prove her worth to her father. With grandiose ideas, she soon finds herself at odds with adjoining property owner, Chase Grayson. 

As she begins to appreciate the simplicity of the island, she struggles to maintain balance between her father’s wishes, preserving the natural beauty of the island, and her attraction for Chase. 

Chase Grayson values the peace and quiet of Wildflower Island. That serenity is threatened when Piper Hunt discloses her plans to develop an upscale resort that not only butts up to his property, but will turn the island into a busy tourist destination. 

In fighting her plans, he also finds himself fighting his attraction to her. If he doesn’t stop her plans for the resort, his life will be altered forever. If he succeeds, it means he will never see her again. Can he live with either choice?

~*~
Buy Island Dreams: 
Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1GaS8i7
Barnes & Noble - http://bit.ly/1LfmmrP
~*~
Connect with Kimberly: 
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseJohnson
Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/krose1990/
Twitter - https://twitter.com/kimberlyrosejoh
Website - http://kimberlyrjohnson.com/

Island Dreams author interview with Kimberly Rose Johnson

Let's welcome a familiar face back to the blog today: Kimberly Rose Johnson! 

She's visiting today to celebrate the release of Island Dreams, her second book in the Wildflower B&B Romance series! Today is the release date so you can buy it on Amazon.com tonight if you wish! 

Here's a picture of the cover to Kimberly's new book:

Isn't the cover lovely? 

So without further ado, on to the author interview...

(Words by Alexis in bold, words from Kimberly not in bold)

~*~
Alexis: What inspired you to write Island Dreams, the second story in your Wildflower B&B Romance Series?

Kimberly: Honestly, there was nothing in particular like there was with Island Refuge. I knew I wanted to write a series, so brainstormed with my husband. We came up with the premise for the story together.

Piper Hunt is the leading lady in your book Island Dreams. She has quite a cute name! How did you create it? Tell us what makes Piper beautiful. What motivates Piper? Why does she find herself on Wildflower Island?

I’m so glad you asked about Piper’s name. It’s the not first time I’ve used it, but that manuscript was never published. I LOVE this name and knew I wanted to use it. I first learned of the name from TV. An actress who I like is named Piper. Then I met a lady on Twitter named Piper and told her someday I would give a character that name.

Piper is not beautiful in the classic sense of the word, but on the inside she is. She loves her family, even though they sometimes hurt and frustrate her. She cares about people and nature and she is an all around nice person. LOL that being said, she has her moments.

Piper is motivated to succeed because she feels like she has something to prove. She ends up on Wildflower Island because her family owns a great deal of property there. Her dad owns a development company and he has decided after holding onto the property for 35 years, it’s time to develop it.

In your book summary, you noted that Piper is trying to prove her worth to her father. Why? Share the backstory.

Piper’s dad is a workaholic and the only way she knows to be a part of his life is to follow in his footsteps, but when she makes a couple critical errors, her dad doubts her. She wants to prove she is a valuable asset to the family company and not a liability.

Chase Grayson is your leading man and with a name like that he must be hot. Am I right? Describe Chase’s looks, character, motivation, flaws and strengths.

Yes, Chase is a good looking man. He’s tall, muscled and an outdoorsy kind of guy. He’s a landscape architect and likes to get his hands dirty too. So it’s not unusual to see him working side-by-side with his workers on the job. Chase loves the peace and quiet of the island. He doesn’t want to see the feel of the island change and Piper’s plan threatens to destroy the place he loves most—Wildflower Island. He’s a stubborn and passionate man, but he admits when he’s wrong.

What is it about Chase that makes Piper angry? And what is it about him that makes her heart melt?

The thing that bothers Piper most about Chase is that he tries to stop her from doing her job. At the same time she likes him because he’s genuinely a nice guy and in spite of not supporting her plan, he tires to see things from her perspective.

Why does Chase live on Wildflower Island? What does he love most about it? Is there anything about the island that he does not like?

Chase lives on the island because he craves peace and quiet. It’s his escape from city life. I know I sound redundant, but what he loves the most is the peace and quiet. The island has a pace of it’s own—slow, and it hasn’t kept up with the times. There is still an old fashioned general store and the place operates like it may have 100 years ago, but with all of life’s conveniences.

Why doesn’t Chase like the idea of Piper building an upscale resort on his island?

Chase believes that a resort will bring a lot of tourists to the small island and destroy what he loves most—the peace and quiet. To make matters worse, the property to be developed abuts his.

Chase and Piper may be at odds when the reader first meets them but it’s obvious they’re experiencing a growing attraction to each other. As the author, share a glimpse into their minds. What are they thinking?

Piper can’t figure Chase out. He clearly doesn’t want the resort on the island, but he’s willing to help due process along and even sets up a meeting with the town council for her to pitch her idea to them.

Although Chase is against the resort, he sees how much it means to Piper and that she truly loves the land. She even went so far as to scale back the plans to better fit the island. He appreciates her obvious love of the island, but is torn between wanting everything to stay the same and accepting progress. He wants Piper to stick around, but if he succeeds and stops the development, she will be out of his life forever and if he fails, the island will never be the same.

Why does Chase feel that if Piper builds her resort, his life will be “altered forever”?

A resort will change the island. Wildflower pretty much lives in the past. There are few modern buildings or businesses. People take the ferry to the mainland if they need something other than the basics. For the most part the island is undeveloped and since Piper’s family owns half the island, a resort would dramatically alter the landscape and personality of Wildflower Island in his opinion. His quiet escape from the city would no longer be the same, especially since her property is next to his.

Now for the classic question: Can Chase live without Piper? Can Piper live without Chase? Explain as much as you can without giving away the story.

Yes, they can live without one another, but they don’t want to. That’s all I’m saying.

What did you enjoy most about birthing this book?

I tried something different with this book and included two additional points of view. I included Nick and Zoe from Island Refuge. It was a lot of fun to bring them into this story and continue to follow their love story.

If you could spend one hour with Piper or Chase, who would you choose and why? Explain what you’d do with that time.

Nothing against Chase, but I’d choose Piper. She is such a strong woman, I think it would be fun to just listen to her talk shop. I think she would be inspiring.

What’s next in the Wildflower Island B&B Romance Series?

Island Christmas, the final book in the series releases in October. I’m very excited about this story as the series comes full circle when Rachel Narrelli from Island Refuge returns to the island.

~*~

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.

~*~

Buy Kimberly's book:

Amazon.com - http://amzn.to/1gzlfWn