Today I'm thrilled to welcome guest author Lucette Nel as she shares about her book, Love in the Bargain. Read all the way through to find out how to enter a random drawing for a print copy (US only) of The Bounty Hunter's Bargain.

About Love in the Bargain:

Driven to rekindle her relationship with her ailing grandfather, Amelia Scott returns to her childhood home. However, her unyielding grandfather is determined to control her future and poses an ultimatum. Marry and inherit the iconic Scott Hotel or return to New York penniless. Amelia is determined to stay, and formulates a plan to ensure proprietorship of her last connection to family. But love is not a part of the deal. She can’t risk another man having control of her.

Ex-convict, now town carpenter, Micah Kelly struggles to raise his deceased sister’s children. When Amelia proposes marriage without love as the answer to both of their problems, he knows better than to say yes. While partnering with his childhood friend may yield an answer to his monetary challenges, he cannot agree to a marriage in name only. His heart is already involved, and that always leads to trouble. Circumstances put them together, and while they struggle within their new marriage, outside forces are determined to snatch the Scott Hotel from them. Even if it means killing them.

Excerpt from the book:  

Chapter 1

Scottsville, Texas

1889

“Grandfather, what are you still doing awake?” Amelia Scott squinted at the shadowed profile behind the massive cherry wood desk in the office, the room mostly dark, except for the faint glow from the light in the hall.

“I’ll go to bed in a moment.” As he lit the lamp, a warm glow illuminated only a part of the spacious room. The morning’s newspaper along with papers and notes were scattered askew over his desk. Age had yellowed some pieces. An orderly creature, George Scott let nothing else rule his coming and going. It seemed unlike him to possess memorabilia.

The sweet and familiar scent of tobacco mixed with dried ink, hung thick in the room, filling her with dread. As he tapped his pipe, and then laid it aside with a heavy sigh, she bit her lip. Only this morning Dr. Montgomery stressed the dangers of smoking his beloved pipe, which of course only evoked Grandfather’s ire.

“Can I get you anything?” She should retire before he once again reminded her how her presence inconvenienced him. How the last thing he needed was for her to expect his death like the other vultures.

“A word with you, please?” He gathered the papers, straightening them, then lowered the stack into the drawer. His expression pinched as the drawer closed with a squeak.

When she remained inert, he motioned to the seat across him. “Sit.”

“Is everything all right?” As she lowered into the chair, the leather creaked.

“Hardly.” While drumming his fingers on the desk, he pierced her with a look. Each tap of his fingers pricked her façade. Before she could leap to her feet and flee to her room, Amelia crossed her ankles.

Share some Fun facts about your creative process or other things that come to mind when we ask you, “What’s a bit of interesting information from ‘behind the scenes’ at your book?”

Tears. All. The. Tears. Most from frustration.

All right – that sounds a tad dramatic, and it might be, but this book has been through numerous rewrites, and some were veryyyyy intense. But I’m a panster, and all I had when I first wrote this novel were the characters’ names, some titbits of their past and I wanted them to have a conversation where Amelia ‘proposes’. I might relocate to Plotterville with my next novel.

Love in the Bargain had several different first chapters. Amelia’s father had a much bigger role in one of the earlier versions and Grandfather was never mentioned in another version and Pearl was the baby sibling. Oliver had the most name changes in the book, as nothing seemed to capture his character initially. Also, he used to be the ‘big’ brother, and not the cute-as-a-button tyke readers will meet. Instead of a hotel, the first version had a General Store, the more I wrote, the more I realized some changes were needed.

Please describe yourself with three words.

Introvert

Dedicated

Stubborn

How did you get started writing?

I started writing fervently when I turned 13, mostly as a tactic to deal with my parents’ divorce, as well as some more difficult challenges I faced. I found that in creating characters, and in a sense, putting myself in a nicer world, very therapeutic.

Giveaway: Leave a comment to enter a random drawing for a print copy (US only) of The Bounty Hunter's Bargain.

About Lucette:

Lucette Nel is a coffee addicted work-in-progress daughter of the Lord Almighty. She's a mommy to a rambunctious boy and sweet toddler girl and wife to her best friend and real-life hero. Along with a spoiled Pug, a pampered cat, they make their home in Gauteng, the smallest of nine provinces in South Africa.

You can find out more about her and her books by vising her website Lucette Nel and to stay up to date with news about her writing, sign up for her newsletter.

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