Please welcome author, Elizabeth Harmon. She joins us today with an interview as she promotes her latest book, Getting it Back. Enjoy it after my thoughts on the book.
Date of publication: April 2016
An unexpected phone call
from the man who broke her heart offers Amy Shepherd an opportunity to return
to the work she loves, training elite figure skaters. Except it’s just one
figure skater: Him. Can she finally forgive and forget?
Figure skater Mikhail
“Misha” Zaikov once had it all: medals, money and the adoration of millions.
But a devastating injury put an end to his career and his romance, leaving him
with nothing but regret over what could have been. His last chance to re-join
the world’s top skaters is now. And there’s only one person who can help him:
Her.
On Russia’s unyielding ice,
Misha must reclaim what he's lost while facing off against a talented young
rival and risking further injury. But Amy soon discovers Misha's much bigger
challenges lurk off the ice. And she's determined to keep Misha whole and
healthy, even if doing so ends his shot at the gold.
My thoughts:
I thought Getting it Back was a very sweet second chance at love story. I haven't read the first books in the series, but it stood up very well as a stand alone. MIsha and Amy were a great couple and deserved to find happiness again. There is not only a second chance at love in this book, but a second chance for Misha to connect with a long lost parent. They also have a chance to get back to the careers that they both love. I don't think you need to be a lover of ice skating to enjoy the story. Although after reading the book. I did find myself looking up certain things like a jump harness and what a quad looks like in real time. I do recommend picking this one up. Make sure to check out the excerpt below for a little taste!
Kari& Autumn:
What inspired you to become a writer?
Elizabeth: I’ve
been an avid reader from a young age. In third grade, I devoured every one of
my mom’s old Nancy Drew mysteries. My sixth grade teacher returned a story I’d
written for an assignment with a note that said, “I expect to see you published
someday.” I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. By junior high, I
discovered romance novels and in the ninth grade I wrote a teen romance for a
school assignment. I had a blast writing it, it got an A, and from then on, I
knew what I wanted to do when I grew up.
Kari& Autumn: Where do you come up with the ideas for your books?
Elizabeth: Lots
of things inspire me, but I’d say that the biggest thing is that I write stories
I want to read, but can’t find anywhere else. The best way to describe them is
romance with a dash of different. For example, I was inspired to write my debut
novel Pairing Off, because I was in the
mood to read a sports romance about figure skating, but could only find books
that featured figure skating heroines. I wanted to read about male skaters too!
Getting It Back, which also features a sexy male skater hero grew out of that
story.
Kari& Autumn:
What exciting projects are waiting in the wings?
Elizabeth: I’m
working on a novella that will introduce a new series, set in a very unusual
place! Another Red Hot Russians book is a possibility too. I also write historical romance and have a
series that’s been on the backburner for a while and I’d love to work on again.
Kari& Autumn: Who is your favorite literary character and why?
Elizabeth: Oh
my gosh, that’s a hard question! There are a lot them…my childhood idol Nancy
Drew for her courage and resourcefulness. Hermione Granger from
the Harry Potter series for the same reasons. In Romanceland, I’d have to include Sarah from
Lisa Kleypas’ “Dreaming of You,” Winnie from Judith Ivory’s “The Proposition,”
Margaret from Courtney Milan’s “Unveiled,” and Phoebe from Susan Elizabeth
Phillips’ “It Had To Be You.” None of these heroines are perfect, they all have
their challenges, but they grow and change, and end up with dreamy heroes!
Kari& Autumn: Just for fun, if you could be any animal, what would it be and why?
Elizabeth: A
cat, because I love cats, but I might also choose to be a bird, because I think
flying would be really cool.
Excerpt:
He was coming through the kitchen, a basket of laundry in his arms, when she came in the back door. “Amy. You are back early. Did you have a nice time with your family?”
She gazed at his beautiful face, high cheekbones, and brilliant blue eyes. His sandy- colored bangs fringed his forehead and gave him boyish charm, but the memory of his body and the way she’d felt in his arms yesterday reminded her that he was very much a man. And though her family might see her as a child, Amy was very much a woman. A woman who was ready to take what she wanted. She took the basket from his hands and set it aside. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her body against him and claimed him in a hungry kiss.
From the way he tensed, she knew she’d surprised him. He wasn’t the only one. Nice girls from small town Wisconsin didn’t return from Sunday brunch with Mom and Dad and push men up against their kitchen counters. Even men as handsome as this long, lean Russian she’d been admiring from a distance for weeks. But now that she’d jumped into the deep end, Amy didn’t want to think.
She wanted only to feel.
She smoothed her hands over the muscular contours of his shoulders and threaded her fingers through his thick, soft hair. The strands were still damp from the shower, and the clean, crisp scent of him spiked her desire. Her belly tightened and a pleasant fullness settled between her legs as she imagined him naked, his skin bare for her to touch and taste as she pleased. The idea drove her to kiss him even harder.
But Misha seemed to want a slower pace. He cupped the back of her head and took his sweet time kissing her. The sensuous movement of his tongue in her mouth sent tingles along her nerves and when he pulled back, a little smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “This I did not expect. Amy the Tiger is full of surprise.”
She looked up into his eyes, which were soft and blue as a summer sky. “A good surprise, I hope.”
“Da. Very good.” He brushed his thumb across the moist swell of her bottom lip. “Is this what you want?”
It was an understandable question, given her earlier reluctance. And if she were going to Moscow as his athletic trainer, it could only be this once. But she needed to get this out of her system. “Yes, Misha. I want it very much,” She took a step closer and gripped the counter on either side of him, making sure he wasn’t going anywhere. Not that he seemed eager to leave.
“Here?” he asked, a brow cocked with amusement.
Why the hell not? After an infuriating day of family togetherness, hot sex on the kitchen floor sounded like just the ticket. Tired of talking, Amy answered with a bold, passionate kiss.
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About the Author:
Elizabeth Harmon loves to read and write romances with a dash
of different. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she has worked in
advertising, community journalism and as a freelance magazine writer. She feels
incredibly blessed to have a career that allows her to spend her days imagining
“what if?” and a loving family that keeps her grounded in the real world. Her
debut novel, Pairing Off is a 2016 RITA Award Finalist.
An adventurous cook, vintage home enthusiast, occasional
actress, and entry-level figure skater, Elizabeth makes her home in the
Midwest, where life is good, but the sports teams aren’t. She loves to hang out
on her front porch, or at her favorite local establishments, enjoy good food
and wine, and talk writing with anyone who will listen.
Kari and Autumn, thanks for hosting Getting It Back's release blitz and for giving me a chance to share a little about myself and my writing. I'm so glad you enjoyed Amy and Misha's story!
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