Excerpt Tour for 'Smitten at First Sight' by Marie Astor

Smitten at First Sight

by Marie Astor

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BLURB:

Maggie Robin has been dating the irresistibly good-looking, successful Jeffrey Preston for two years. But when Jeffrey proposes marriage a week after Maggie’s college graduation, she is no longer sure if she wants to marry a workaholic TV producer.

Maggie’s doubts culminate when during a ski trip to British Columbia, she meets Taylor Denton, a handsome, free-spirited big mountain skier who is the complete opposite of Jeffrey. It does not take Maggie long to realize that she has fallen in love with Taylor and she decides to break off her engagement with Jeffrey. But just when she thinks she has found the love of her life, an ill-fated misunderstanding tears Maggie and Taylor apart.

A week later, Maggie is told that Taylor has died in a tragic ski accident; yet, her heart refuses to believe in Taylor’s death. When Maggie returns to Taylor’s native town, she learns that Taylor is indeed alive, but has been seriously injured. Resolved to bring her lover back to life Maggie stands by Taylor’s side, convincing him to embrace life again.

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Read this exclusive excerpt!

Maggie’s room at the Owl Lodge was on the top floor, and she immediately fell in love with its slanted roof and modest, but cozy furnishings: a full-sized bed with a firm, springy mattress, an armoire with a TV, and most importantly, an ample-sized writing desk that faced the window with a picturesque view of the mountain.

She was busy editing her photographs from the day before when the blaring ring of the telephone stunned her into jumping up from her chair as she reached for the receiver.

“Maggie?”

Jeffrey’s voice in the receiver caught Maggie off guard, but then she should have foreseen that it would not take long for Bethany to spill the beans.

“Hi, Jeffrey.”

“Why haven’t you returned any of my calls – I left you five messages.”

Maggie remained silent - did it really matter how many messages Jeffrey had left? In her mind no amount of messages could make up for what he did.

“Do you mind telling me what’s going on? One minute we’re in love and the next you walk out on me without so much as a word. Bethany told me that you just upped and left.”

“Did she tell you why?”

“No, she didn’t. Would you care to explain?”

“I think it’s you who has all the explaining to do.”

“For the last time, what are you talking about?” Jeffrey sounded genuinely perplexed.

“I’m not the idiot you think I am – I know that you haven’t changed and I’m not going to be fooled anymore. It’s over, Jeffrey.”

“Maggie, what are you talking about?” Jeffrey fumed.

God, he is a really good liar, Maggie thought. “I saw the photos on your laptop.” Jeffrey never let Maggie use his laptop, claiming that it had important work files on it. In uncharacteristic forgetfulness, he had left his laptop at the hotel, and now Maggie knew the reason why Jeffrey had always been so cagey about the gadget.

“Maggie, it didn’t mean anything.” Even now, Jeffrey sounded perfectly composed. “So I made a few mistakes… No one is perfect. Please, can’t we talk about this?”

“Why? So you could go on making a fool out of me? I don’t think so Jeffrey – we’re through. You can have your ring back when you return.”

“This is not over, Maggie. We’ll talk when I come back.” Jeffrey’s voice rang with steely notes.

“Goodbye, Jeffrey.” Maggie slammed down the phone. The nerve of him - he thinks he can order me around like some puppet…

Maggie keyed in the combination into the hotel safe where she had placed Jeffrey’s engagement ring the night before. Prim and austere, the ring sparkled in the palm of her hand like a tiny piece of ice. She wondered if that was what Jeffrey had in his heart: a sliver of ice, just like the boy in The Snow Queen whose heart turned into a lump of ice after a glass shard from the Snow Queen’s mirror pierced it, but unlike the boy in the fairy tale, no amount of love could ever thaw Jeffrey’s heart.

About the author:

Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Lucky Charm, Smitten at First Sight, This Tangled Thing Called Love, romantic suspense novel, To Catch a Bad Guy, and a short story collection, A Dress in a Window. Marie is also the author of young adult fantasy adventure novel, Over the Mountain and Back.

If you would like to learn more about Marie’s writing, please stop by her website:

www.marieastor.com or visit her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

Books by Marie Astor:

For Young Adults:

Over the Mountain and Back – a fantasy adventure novel

Kindle link: http://amzn.to/ZeEhTH

For Adults:

To Catch a Bad Guy – romantic suspense

http://amzn.to/UzJy3w

This Tangled Thing Called Love – a contemporary romance about overcoming one’s inhibitions, learning to tango, and finding one’s true love match.

http://amzn.to/SINFe8

Lucky Charm – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.

http://amzn.to/UzJCR4

Smitten at First Sight – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.

http://amzn.to/SVzF3M

A Dress in a Window – a collection of short stories about love, coincidences, and fate.

http://amzn.to/Q2haeL

Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.marieastor.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor

Twitter: @marieastor

Marie will be awarding to five randomly drawn commenters at the end of the tour, one of the following five custom-designed jewelry prizes:

Prize 1: Blue quartz three strand necklace with sterling silver clasp

Prize 2: Jade and prehnite necklace

Prize 3:Green aventurine sterling silver earrings

Prize 4: Smoky quartz sterling silver earrings

Prize 5; Rose quartz sterling silver earrings

Follow the tour and leave a comment at every stop, to increase your chances of winning!