The Sweetheart Dance

The Sweetheart Dance was reviewed by Melinda at Night Owl Romances. Thank you so much, Melinda. I'm once again stunned and humbled by how much everyone enjoyed Meg and Bret's story.

Hearts: 5.00 / 5 - Reviewer Top Pick

Review:
Welcome back to Echo Falls where the matriarch of the Applegate family is up to her sleeves in matchmaking again. Meet Meg Applegate who is once again mooning over the police officer that her family has adopted. He is everything she wants in a man the problem is Bret Cara doesn't acknowledge her as a woman. Meg has been seeing him at social events, lunches and nightly dinners at her grandmother's house but other than that nothing else. At this year's Sweetheart dance she is ready to make her move. However, other people want something from her and she ends up drunk and acting like a fool by kissing him. Although somewhere in her befuddled mind she recalls someone kissing her back. Can it be true? Is Bret Cara really interested in her? Or is it just her imagination that each time she teases him he has this don't tempt me woman or you will get more than you want look that makes her shiver all the way to her toes.

Bret Cara has endured years of torture attending the Applegates dinners and lunches. Torture because all he wants to do is spirit Meg away and make her his girl in every way. He always thought she looked at him like a big brother but when she kissed him after a drunken night he knows she is the woman for him. The thing is that he is not a commitment guy but instead a no-strings kind of guy. With Meg though he feels something more and the passion between is nothing like he has ever had with other women before. Meg shows him a life he wishes he had but is afraid of committing to. Can he commit to one woman? Bringing Meg into his work life was stupid but she is the greatest help he needs in breaking a case. Can he walk away from Meg's kisses and love without his heart breaking?

Oh my god I was so thrilled when I got this book and read that it was a sequel to the Daddy Spell. Patti Ann Colt had me with the first book and enchanted me more in this beautiful tale. Bret and Meg are perfect for each other yet they are both stubborn. I loved that Meg is definitely all woman for Bret but he is cautious of his love. Burned in the past and raised by terrible parents he is definitely cautious of Meg's affections. What started as a not marrying kind of guy is making him realize that he might lose the best thing in his life. I loved The Sweetheart Dance and can't wait for more of this author's works. I loved that Patti Ann Colt brought back the whole family in this enchanting tale.

Great job Patti!

Melinda, Night Owl Romances

Thoughts for the Fridge

You too can own this for your refrigerator - visit allposters.com.

It's Olivia!

Thanks to my writing partner, Kelly McCrady, for sending me the link to this great clip. This delightful woman, Rachel Veitch, captures the essence of Olivia Applegate, my family matriarch from THE DADDY SPELL and THE SWEETHEART DANCE. She's described, accurately I think from the video, as 90 years old, drives a '64 Comet, loves her country, and carries a Taurus .38. If you want to see Olivia come to life take a bit of time and go view this video.

Happy Father's Day

Orval Fredericksen, 1921-2005

I Had a Father Who Talked With Me

I had a father who talked with me.
Allowed me the right to disagree,
To question -- and always answered me,
As well as he could -- and truthfully.
He talked of adventures; horrors of war;
Of life, its meaning; what love was for;
How each would always need to strive
To improve the world to keep it alive.
Stressed the duty we owe one another
To be aware each man is a brother.
Words for laughter he also spoke,
A silly song or happy joke.
Times runs along, some say I'm wise,
That I look at life with seeing eyes.
My heart is happy, my mind is free,
I had a father who talked with me.
-- Hilda Bigelow

Excuses

It's been a week since I posted anything. Two weeks since I posted any actual comments on my life in general. Trying to come up with a righteous excuse. How about this?



Update on Foot: Stitches out. Cut pretty much closed, although tender. Nerves are not my friend. They are regenerating in the top of my foot and down one tendon into my toes. Hurts. That's actually mild phrasing. Using the pain smiley faces to depict my discomfort, well :-( doesn't suffice. Bang your funny bone on something and multiply it by ten. That's how my foot feels. Apparently 3-6 months of this. Nothing to be done until the nerves have a chance to heal.

Weekly Reader - Yes, there will be one this weekend. Yes, Alyssa's book rejuvenated my need to read, but not in the way you think. Watch for that blog this weekend.

Am I writing? Why, yes I am. Thank you for asking. Slow . . . like a rusty old truck with a flat tire, but at least I'm back at it. When I get to racecar speed, I'll let you know.

I'm blogging over at Happy Endings today. Come visit me.

Refrigerator Art

Update on All Things Patti

Welllll... my life has been a tad too complicated lately. I suppose I am way overdue for an update in all the things going on. So we'll start with the second most tramatic thing that has happened since I last posted an update. (If you've been reading my blog, you know the first was that we had to have our oldest dog put to sleep. Unexpected. Heartbreaking. Sigh. Still miss him).

Last Thursday, I was being an appropriately well-organized home owner and getting all our trash bags to the curb for the garbage man. One problem - forgot there was a broken mirror shard in one of the bags. Yes, you can say ouch now. Nice little cut on my leg; annoying trip to the emergency room; 9 stitches and no cute doctors later, I'm on my way home. Numb foot - as all the nerve endings to the top of my foot were in that cut section, but walking on it, no infection so far, and counting the days to get these pulling, tight stitches OUT. Picture below, if you like the Frankenstein thing.



Grandson is growing like a weed, inhaling all foods as long as they aren't vegetables, and focused on the words "GO!" and "Car!" Working to expand that vocabulary to include ball, mama, up, and Grannie is Fantastic! Well, maybe not that last one.

Pool is now 88 degrees and of comfortable swimming temperature. This just means that everyone comes to visit more [grin], and they all smell like sunscreen and are towing along friends. Hmm. Keeps the conversation flowing. Another picture - Zach's first day in the pool this year . . .



So, Patti, does everything revolve around Zach at your house? Apparently. 200 pictures of him on the camera. Do the math.



Still not reading. Books piled by the bed. Stack is enticing, but Dr. Mario and a new simple cross-stitching project are winning out. Oh yes, and went to Star Trek for the third time -- if you're keeping track.

As for the writing - it's going pretty well. One of these days I'll update the widgets on my blog to accurately reflect the word count, I promise. Here's the update on all things writing:

The Rock Star's Sheriff proposal is just about ready to go to Harlequin American. Keeping fingers crossed.

My out-of-comfort zone - futuristic military romantic suspense is crawling along at a snail's pace. But that's okay. Gives it more time to percolate.

My joint Echo Falls project with Kelly McCrady now has 6 chapters, 31,000 words, and a title: Canyon Hearts. If you're keeping track, this one is fourth in the Echo Falls sequence, coming after Kiss Me Goodnight - which is only a partial manuscript at the moment. Interesting experiment to write the goings on in Echo Falls with the gap, but I'm up to the fun and challenge.

I'm also partially into part two of Olivia's romance with Thomas, If I Give My Heart - Thomas has come home from the war and the adjustments are more than they both bargained for. Hoping to have it posted on June 22nd - what would have been my parents 68th wedding anniversary.

Finally, taking a great workshop from Margie Lawson on using body language in your writing. Her workshops are so high-powered, but worth the time and effort - plus she's great fun!!

I guess that's all I can think of. Still posting recipes over on my Worth A Damn Recipe Site. Come on over and visit if you need some everyday cooking ideas.