Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for After the Prodigal Returned by Cassandre Brissot, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! I’m delighted to have Cassandre on the blog today to chat about her book!
AFTER THE PRODIGAL RETURNED by Cassandre Brissot
Sequel to: Six Years and a Quarter Way Through
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: November 5, 2021
PAGES: 298
The sequel to Six Years And A Quarter Way Through, After The Prodigal Returned, is a relevant tale about the guilt that condemns and the remorse that leads to repentance.
Leah Albanese thought the hard part was over. Little did she know it had only just begun. It’s been seven months since Leah heeded God’s voice and returned home to the life she was all too happy to flee. She quit Star Quality, the reality show that was her best and possibly last chance at stardom. Leah gave back the six-carat diamond engagement ring and sent Trenton Shaw packing.
When filming for the reunion episode brings familiar faces back into her life, some welcome some not, Leah begins feeling the same tugs at her heart that led her to stray from God in the first place. Can Leah resist temptation, or will she go back to the things, future, and fiancé she gave up?
Leah came back. She never imagined staying would be the real challenge. What happens after the wayward daughter returns home?
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Hi Cassandre! Welcome to the blog!
Cassandre: Summer, for sure. I’m a summer baby. My birthday’s at the end of July, so I’m always looking forward to that plus, I feel like the summer is a magical time of the year. I’m from NYC. Summer is ice cream trucks, open fire hydrants, and kids playing in the water. Street musicians crooning, light late into the evening, cute clothes, and an expectancy of excitement and fun.
Carrie: that does sounds like a pretty fun summer!
Cassandre: Netflix. This one was hard for me because I enjoy the Hallmark channel. I ultimately decided on Netflix because I enjoy rewatching “old” sitcoms and action flicks. Netflix gives me the variety I prefer.
Carrie: that is definitely the appeal of Netflix
Cassandre: Music. I don’t enjoy audiobooks. I don’t want to be read to. Reading the book yourself is half of the enjoyment of the reading experience.
Carrie: Yes! I feel the same way.
Cassandre: Print books, hands down. I need to feel and touch a book. And I love the smell of a new book. However, I was a flight attendant for a long time. I lived out of a suitcase and had limited space for non-essential items. As such, I began buying ebooks. I have a substantial ebook catalog. I’m currently working on purchasing print copies of all my ebooks.
Carrie: what a fun project – every delivery feels like Christmas 😀
Q: Around here I like to say that reading is my superpower. If YOU had a superpower, what would it be?
Cassandre: If I could have a superpower, I would want the ability to control the elements. With the ability to control the elements, I’d be connected to everything and be able to bend it to my will.
Carrie: oooo that sounds like a powerful superpower!
Q: Which books are “on your nightstand”?
Cassandre: For Christmas, my sister got me The Complete Novelsof Jane Austen. This volume has all six Austen novels bound in a beautiful hardcover. It looks like a book from the nineteenth century, except that the cover is lavender and has some embroidery. It’s beautiful. I love Jane Austen’s work, so it was the perfect gift. It’s currently on my nightstand as I make my way through each story again. The first story is Sense and Sensibility, followed by Pride and Prejudice, where I am currently.
Carrie: i bet that’s a beautiful book!
Q: Tell me some good books you’ve read recently.
Cassandre: I’ve recently completed Bamboozled by Jesus: How God Tricked Me into The Life of My Dreams by Yvonne Orji and Fervent, written by Priscilla Shirer. The former is a quick-witted, humorous, modern-day guide on how God can change your life. Yvonne Orji infuses 90’s hip hop, pop culture references, and The Bible to take readers through how Jesus brought her to her best life. Warning: Orji isn’t a Bible teacher. Her references are sometimes shaky, and on the extreme end, a little cringy. However, there are only a few of those. If you can look past them, you’ll read a real-life testimony of Jesus doing amazing things in the life of a believer. Fervent is the book every believer needs. It’s not a book that teaches how to pray. Its aim is to open readers’ eyes to the importance of ardent and avid prayer in ten specific areas of our lives. These two books work together because Bamboozled by Jesus: How God Tricked Me into The Life of My Dreams is undoubtedly the result of a Fervent prayer life.
Carrie: I haven’t read either of those yet but I adore Priscilla Shirer’s books & studies
Q: If I asked your characters to describe YOU as an author, what would they say?
Cassandre: If my characters could describe me, I feel they’d describe me as thoughtful, unhurried, and gracious.
Carrie: What a lovely description!
Q: Which of your characters in After the Prodigal Returned is most like you?
Cassandre: The protagonist, Leah Albanese, is most like me. In many ways, I inspired her. Many of the situations she deals with I’ve experienced. While not all her experiences are mine, the lessons she learns are mine. Her character arc is also very reminiscent of my own.
Carrie: “the lessons she learns are mine” – i love that!
Q: If Hollywood wanted to produce After the Prodigal Returned as a movie, who would you want to be cast as the lead roles?
Cassandre: If Hollywood wanted to make After The Prodigal Returned into a movie the cast would be as follows:
Leah: China Anne McClain/ Kylie Bunbury/Kiersey Clemons
Brice: Jordan Calloway or Keith Powers
Trenton: Lance Gross/T.C. Stallings/Luke James
Cashmere: Francia Raisa/ Brittany O’Grady
Ms. Albanese: Karen Abercrombie
Carrie: excellent choices!
Thank you so much for taking time to talk with me! 🙂 Before we say goodbye for today, tell us what‘s coming up next for you.
Cassandre: Up next for me is my third novel. Readers will see many of the characters they’ve grown attached to from my first title, Six Years And A Quarter Way Through, and the sequel, After The Prodigal Returned. However, the focus will be on a new set of characters.
Cassandre Brissot is a Brooklyn, NY native. She earned her bachelor of fine arts in television and radio production at the City University of New York Brooklyn College. Cassandre is the author of Six Years and A Quarter Way Through. When she’s not writing for her blog, she enjoys dance parties with her nieces.
CONNECT WITH CASSANDRE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
(1) winner will receive a copy of Six Years and a Quarter Way Through, a copy of After The Prodigal Returned, and a $25 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight January 31, 2022 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on February 7, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
This giveaway is hosted by JustRead Tours, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
What about you? What makes you want to read After the Prodigal Returned by Cassandre Brissot?
Captivating and lovely story.
Great interview, Cassandre, After the Prodigal Returned sounds like a great book for me to read! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a spectacular weekend!
Sounds good. I love the cover.
Sounds like a great book and love the cover
Thank you for the interview!
This book sounds fabulous. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
Sounds like a good book.
Sounds like a lovely story!
Thanks for sharing!
Great interview, thanks for sharing
I like hearing from authors like this.
Thanks for the contest.
I’m going to wait until the third book is ready and read them all at once. I don’t have the patience to read and wait!
This sounds like an excellent book and series.