Blog Tour + Interview + Giveaway - Love's Last Call by Beth Matthews

Find the tour schedule here.

Love’s Last Call by Beth Matthews
(Ladies of Jezebel’s #1)
Publication date: October 20th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Synopsis:

Lucy York is an aspiring mechanical engineer working as a shot girl serving watered-down drinks to drunken frat boys at Jezebel’s Bar & Lounge. The job isn’t so bad—it pays her bills, and she’s managed to make a surrogate family for herself at the bar. But now, at 24, she’s ready to spread her wings and fly north to attend UC Berkeley and, maybe, distance herself a little from the all-consuming social scene at Jezebel’s.

Then her boss hires a new bouncer, Norm, a literature dork who seems like everything a bouncer shouldn’t be: tall, gangly, sweet (and, you know, named Norman). But as she gets to know him, ol’ Norm turns out to be everything Lucy never knew she wanted and the best friend she’s ever had. He’s not a bad bouncer either.

One obstacle to their happily ever after: the owner has a strict no-dating rule for employees. If anyone at Jezebel’s finds out she’s dating a bouncer, Lucy will lose her job, her surrogate family, and the money she needs to go to Berkeley.

But, if she loses Norm, is she losing her best chance at happiness?

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon | B&N

----

AUTHOR BIO

Beth Matthews is a California girl, born and raised. 

She’s a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. 

She lives in sunny SoCal with her boyfriend and two of the neediest housecats on the planet.

Author links:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

When did you start writing? 

 I first started dabbling in (very bad) short stories as a kid, and I wrote my first (very bad) novel the summer after sixth grade. My first novel, a fantasy romance, was published in 2010 by a small press.

What makes you want to write? 

 I love telling stories, I love writing witty banter and blocking action scenes. It's just fun to imagine and let my mind play.

Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it? 

If it gets really bad I go to a coffee shop with no WiFi and tell myself I'm not allowed to leave until I hit a certain word count.

Do you have a special way of going about writing? 

Not really. Just turn the laptop on and type. Occasionally, if I'm having trouble with a scene I might switch to hand-writing it to jog my brain a little.

Do you have any works in progress? 

I'm working on a novella right now in my Stage Kiss contemporary romance series about theater actors in Southern California.

What are your hobbies? 

Swing-dancing is one of my favorites, and my boyfriend is slowly but surely picking it up.

How did you choose the character names for Love's Last Call? 

For the hero Norm I wanted something that would immediately single him out. An unusual name and not your typical strong "hero" name like Jack, Mike, etc. For the heroine, Lucy, I kind of went the other way and tried to think of something that screamed wholesome girl next door. Also, "Luce" means "light" and I play on that a little in the book.

Who is your favourite character in Love's Last Call? 

Definitely the hero Norm. I have a soft spot for betas. He's self-deprecating and sweet, but he's not afraid to stick up for himself when necessary.

How did you get the idea for Love's Last Call?  

My boyfriend was a bouncer in the LA bar scene for several years and he would always come home with these interesting war stories. It's a crazy, fun, chaotic world that I thought would be great for a romance novel.

What was your favourite part of writing Love's Last Call? 

The banter between Norm and Lucy was really fun.

What are you currently reading? 

I just (like five minutes ago) finished The Year We Hid Away by Sarina Bowen, which is an excellent New Adult romance.

What is your favourite book? 

Probably Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel. It's about a Regency soap opera (and was written decades before Downton Abbey was a thing.) 

Who is your favourite author? 

Jennifer Crusie. Her books are so hilarious and romantic. BET ME is one of my favorite comfort reads.

What is your favourite film? 

Return of the Jedi is my sentimental favorite. I grew up watching that film and I still get a little happy kick in my gut every time I hear the Ewok song.

What is your favourite TV show?

My boyfriend and I are working our way through Parks and Rec together. That show is so adorable and I love all the couples on it. They do romance really well, and I think it's wonderful how many established couples they have on there to show that romance goes on even after you say "I love you."

Quick-fire questions:

Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate ice cream! With peanut butter!

Paperback or ebook? Ebook. It's easier to multitask.

Dogs or cats? Cats (I have two.)

Go out or stay in? Stay in and snuggle!

Summer or winter? Winter! I love the rain.

Tour-wide giveaway

Open to US

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz - A Midsummer Night's Fling by Beth Matthews

A Midsummer Night’s Fling by Beth Matthews
(Stage Kiss Series #1)
Publication date: June 2014  

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

After dating her childhood sweetheart Max on and off for years, aspiring actress Nicola Charles is finally ready to move on. It’s time for her to focus on her stage career and stay away from Max–before he can break her heart again.
Max regrets hurting Nicola, but he wants another chance. So when his play loses its leading lady, giving Nicola the part seems like the perfect opportunity to win back his old flame.
But the course of true love—and a theater production—never do run smooth. As Max fights to reignite Nicola’s love, the onstage antics can’t rival the bedlam backstage: a neurotic cast, a prickly crew, and an evil diva of a director who’s got designs on Max.
As Nicola and Max battle to keep the drama onstage, Max can’t help wondering if their romance will end with the last performance. Or have the two of them finally captured what they’ve dreamed of all their lives? True Love.

A contemporary romance that should appeal to fans of the wry humor and playful sexiness in the works of Julie James and Victoria Dahl.

Goodreads

Purchase:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | ARE

----

AUTHOR BIO

Beth Matthews is a California girl, born and raised. 

She’s a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. 

She lives in sunny SoCal with her boyfriend and two of the neediest housecats on the planet.

Author links: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | New Releases Mailing List | Goodreads 

Excerpt:

As soon as her lips touched his, Nicola knew she'd made a terrible mistake.
But, wow, did she not give a shit.
This kiss was an inevitability, the climax of the sexual tension that had been kindling inside her since they began the scene. Since I opened the door this afternoon and saw him. She sighed into his mouth, her eyes prickling.
Five years. Five years and it might as well have been a second. Or a lifetime. I don't know him anymore. Didn't know what he'd done for the last few years, didn't know how he'd changed, who he was.
And yet.
Skin remembered skin. And her mouth opened against his with the ease of tender familiarity. She didn't really know him anymore, but her body remembered every inch of his, every touch, every breath they breathed together, every feeling.
His mouth was soft and warm as his tongue swept into her mouth. Heat pooled between her thighs, a greedy, selfish want for all he could give her.
Don't start this again. But she wanted to give in, to let go, to lose herself to him. I don't care. I don't care. With a small sigh, she deepened the kiss, her tongue clashing with his. Delicious friction. Primal need. Yes.
Max groaned into her mouth and pushed his body close to hers, backing her against the doorframe. Backing her up hard enough her head knocked into the doorframe.
He broke away. "Shit. I'm sorry."
"Ow?" Nicola rubbed her sore spot and shot him a laughing glance. "Boy, this really is like old times."
"Ah, intermissions." He grinned. "The one time I could kiss you as much as I wanted."
"Until you inevitably knocked me into a wall."
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I never meant to bang you into that wall backstage."
"Old habits. Ha. Is this a kiss or a concussion?"
"Both?" He leaned toward her, so warm, so familiar.
He'll never be what you need him to be. The thought seared into her mind, sucking all the sweetness out of her surrender. She drew away, her body tingling in anticipation of the delights which would never come now.
"Nicola?"
She ducked, dodging his hands when he tried to stop her retreat. "I have to go."

Promo + Interview - A Midsummer Night's Fling by Beth Matthews

Title: A Midsummer Night's Fling (Stage Kiss Series, #1)

Author: Beth Matthews

Pages: 400

Publisher: EDW Books

Release date: 4th July 2014

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

After dating her childhood sweetheart Max on and off for years, aspiring actress Nicola Charles is finally ready to move on. It’s time for her to focus on her stage career and stay away from Max–before he can break her heart again.

Max regrets hurting Nicola, but he wants another chance. So when his play loses its leading lady, giving Nicola the part seems like the perfect opportunity to win back his old flame.

But the course of true love—and a theater production—never do run smooth. As Max fights to reignite Nicola’s love, the onstage antics can’t rival the bedlam backstage: a neurotic cast, a prickly crew, and an evil diva of a director who’s got designs on Max.

As Nicola and Max battle to keep the drama onstage, Max can’t help wondering if their romance will end with the last performance. Or have the two of them finally captured what they’ve dreamed of all their lives? True Love.

Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon  | B&N  | AllRomance

About the Author

Beth Matthews is a Southern California girl, born and raised. She’s a total geek, a movie buff, and a mediocre swing dancer. She lives in sunny SoCal with two of the neediest housecats on the planet. She also does freelance editing on the side if you’re an indie author looking for someone to read your books.

Author links:

 Website | Facebook | Twitter

When did you start writing? 

About sixth grade I wrote my first (very bad) novel, and I've written about a book a year or so ever since. Hopefully they've gotten better as the years have gone along. :) 


What makes you want to write? 

I like making up my own worlds and people. It's pretty fun when the story is flowing. 


Do you ever get writer's block and what do you do to get over it? 

Unfortunately, yes. Usually I have to take my laptop to a coffee shop and just sit for a few hours. That's how I finished something last year. I wasn't allowed to leave the coffee shop until it was DONE. The sun set and I was freezing but, by God, I finished that story. 


Do you have a special way of going about writing?

On my laptop and sometimes by hand in a writing notebook. 


What are your hobbies? 

I really love swing dancing. I'm competent at it, but not great. I won't step on my partner's toes but my sense of rhythm is a little lacking. 


How did you choose the character names for A Midsummer Night's Fling? 

I actually don't remember choosing. Nicola and Max just kind of told me those were their names when I started writing. 


Do you have any works in progress? 

Right now I'm polishing up a New Adult romance, Love's Last Call, for release later this year. It's about a dorky bouncer and the cocktail waitress he's sure is out of his league. If people want to learn more they can check out the book's info-page on my website. 


Who is your favorite character in A Midsummer Night's Fling? 

Well, of course I love the leads and I love their chemistry together, but one of the secondary characters snuck up on me too and became a real scene stealer. That was Lachlan, the hero's main rival in the theater company. Lachlan is really fun to write because he is snarky and sneaky and British and sexy as hell. Lachlan is going to get his own book at some point--he's just too much fun to write! 


How did you get the idea for A Midsummer Night's Fling? 

I've been in A Midsummer Night's Dream twice as an actor (once as a fairy and once as Hermia, the ultimate Shakespeare bimbo) and I met my boyfriend during one those productions. So, for various reasons, it's kind of my sentimental favorite of Shakespeare's plays. Reunited lovers is also one of my favorite tropes so, when I started brainstorming ideas for a contemporary, the idea of reunited lovers having to work together to play Titania and Oberon (the ultimate Shakespeare power couple) just got all of my creative juices flowing. 


What was your favorite part of writing A Midsummer Night's Fling? 

I really loved writing all of the banter between my hero and heroine. Writing two witty people who have chemistry together is one of my favorite parts of crafting my romantic comedies. 


What are you currently reading? 

I just finished re-reading Cotillion by Georgette Heyer. I love the hero Freddy and the ending of that book is so satisfying. 


What is your favorite book? 

Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. The hero Cazaril is so compassionate and witty. I reread that book at least once a year. 


Who is your favorite author? 

Probably Jennifer Crusie. Her classic books are so hilarious, and she writes fabulous banter. I waffle between Bet Me and Faking It as my two favorites of hers. 


What is your favorite film? 

I'm a movie buff, so this is a hard question. I guess I have to go with my sentimental favorite Star Wars: A New Hope. I've been crazy about that series since I was young. 


What is your favorite TV show? 

Murder, She Wrote. I used to watch it every day during the summer when I was little. These days I put it on when I'm doing editing or other mindless business stuff for my books. 


Quick-fire questions: 

Chocolate or ice cream? Chocolate ice cream! 
Paperback or ebook? Ebook. Although my Kindle sadly died just this weekend. :'( 
Dogs or cats? I've got two cats at home, but I'm not opposed to dogs. 
Go out or stay in? Stay in and snuggle with my man. 
Summer or winter? I live in SoCal so our summers get awful. But I love our rainy winters.