Guest Post (and a Giveaway!): Regina Rudd Merrick & Rebuilding Joy

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Rebuilding Joy by Regina Rudd Merrick, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m delighted to have Regina on the blog today to share what we can expect from her books!

REBUILDING JOY by Regina Rudd Merrick
Series: RenoVations #2
Publisher: Bellville Street Books
Release Date: June 2, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance

A waitress, a contractor, and an FBI agent walk into a café …

Single mom Darcy Emerson Sloan has enough to do raising twins and running a restaurant. She’s doing fine on her own and doesn’t need the complications of a man in her life. But when her café turns into a crime scene, putting her and her children are in danger, she begins to take interest in the handsome young FBI agent that comes on the scene.

Contractor Del Reno is as even-keeled as they come, but even he has his limits. And Darcy Sloan has pushed him too far. Every time he tries to help, it backfires. But now that Darcy and her kids are in trouble, he has no choice but to come to her aid and to protect her. She’s just going to have to deal with it.

Secret tunnels, organized crime, adorable children, and a wedding.

Just another day in Clementville.

affiliate links used

ALSO AVAILABLE

by Regina Rudd Merrick, author of Rebuilding Joy

When I started writing, the last thing on my mind was “Regina Rudd Merrick’s books will always include THIS, THAT, or THE OTHER THING.” Fill in the blanks. You get the idea?

One thing I knew for certain, even at the beginning, was that it would have a happily ever after. That’s what contemporary romance is all about, isn’t it? I am morally opposed to a story in which I get my hopes up only to find myself angry at the end. I need some kind of warning! Those are the books that sometimes experiment with the concept of flight—across the room!

At first, when an author writes, she just WRITES, and until she has a few books under her belt, she really can’t tell you what her shtick is.

After mulling over five novels, three novellas, and scads of fanfiction, I’ve found the following to be true of my writing:

1. The main characters will not be dewy-eyed high school sweethearts (even though that’s what my husband and I were!), because then you have to add issues like graduations, siblings and parents, colleges, breaking up and getting back together … you get the idea. Older, more settled people can trust their own judgment and don’t want to waste any time!
2. The couple WILL fall head-over-heels in love, or else.
3. There will be a good reason (to the character, anyway) why falling in love might not be a good idea.
4. There WILL be kissing scenes, and they won’t all be alike. (I love writing those scenes … sigh) Might I just say that writing fanfiction gave me lots of practice with the kissing scenes? 🙂 Note from Carrie – yes you may because I read your fanfiction & those kisses were delightful ♥
5. There will likely be an engagement, a wedding, or at the very least, an unmistakable declaration of undying love.
6. Children and pets are optional, but in my June release, Book 2 of the RenoVations series, Rebuilding Joy, I added two adorable tykes, and writing them was so much fun!

Eventually, I’d love to add more suspense elements, more humor, etc., but those can stand alongside the six “expectations” above.

My favorite parts of the book? In this particular book, it comes down to three scenes:

1. Del is babysitting for Darcy and she comes in to find them all asleep on the sofa. Sigh.
2. When Del’s and Darcy’s eyes meet, across a crowd of people, after her rescue.
3. When Del asks Darcy if they’re done taking pictures at Lisa’s and Nick’s wedding, because he wants to mess up her hair … 🙂

Intrigued? Here’s the back-cover copy from Rebuilding Joy:

A waitress, a contractor, and an FBI agent walk into a café …

Single mom Darcy Emerson Sloan has enough to do raising twins and running a restaurant. She’s doing fine on her own and doesn’t need the complications of a man in her life. But when her café turns into a crime scene, putting her and her children in danger, she begins to take interest in the handsome young FBI agent that comes on the scene.

Contractor Del Reno is as even-keeled as they come, but even he has his limits. And Darcy Sloan has pushed him too far. Every time he tries to help, it backfires. But now that Darcy and her kids are in trouble, he has no choice but to come to her aid and to protect her. She’s just going to have to deal with it.

Secret tunnels, organized crime, adorable children, and a wedding.

Just another day in Clementville.

CONNECT WITH REGINA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

(3) winners will receive their choice of ebook or signed print copy of Rebuilding Joy!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 7, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 14, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

This giveaway is hosted by JustRead, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!

*NOTE: This post contains affiliate links.

What about you? What makes you want to read Rebuilding Joy by Regina Rudd Merrick?