This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Shawn M. Verdoni will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
At first glance, Damon MacGregor is living his best life as a bachelor and veterinarian in rural Wisconsin. That is until a wounded crane and an enchanted stranger bring his house-of-cards life crashing down. Not exactly where she expected to be at this time in her life, Catrina “Cat” Carneri has left her dreams in Montana to move back to her hometown where she is nursing a broken heart and working for an ungrateful boss.
A chance encounter at a wildlife rescue changes everything. Cat’s calm and organized demeanor impresses Damon. However, it is how her hair reminds him of autumn and is complimented by her curvaceous figure that beckons him to pull Cat into his arms, claiming her as his own. Damon’s compassion and gregarious personality intrigues Cat. Yet it is his cobalt blue eyes that first capture her heart; so infinite in their depth, she knows the moment he touches her, he takes a hold of her soul.
Soon after forging their passionate bond, a secret from Cat’s past has her facing a difficult decision. If she tells Damon the truth, he may leave or give her the chance to rebuild his trust. If she keeps the secret and Damon finds out, he will leave her forever.
Canoodling Up North is a love story about building fulfilling relationships; fostered in traditional values, confronted by modern complex challenges, while being nurtured by Wisconsin’s natural, cultural, and spiritual beauty.
Read an Excerpt
Damon MacGregor was the kind of man people noticed. Towering at 6-feet 6-inches with a shock of red shaggy hair that melded into a closely trimmed beard and mustache, it was easy to see that he would stand out in a crowd. It also helped that his preference of clothing made him look like a lumberjack most of the time; jeans, brown work boots, and a plaid cotton shirt during spring and summer switched to flannel in the fall and winter. Damon took up space when he entered a room because of his broad shoulders and muscular thighs that showed through his jeans. He didn’t deliberately wear tight jeans; it was just that he always found it difficult to find jeans long and wide enough to fit his build, and he wasn’t about to spend an obscene amount of money on clothes that he could easily buy at a big box store.
As much as his appearance screamed, “Notice me!!!” he had other features that were just as intoxicating. Against his creamy white skin and shocking red hair, his ice-blue eyes were striking. A person could look at them and feel like they were looking out into an immense ocean, the color so crystal clear that you could see to the bottom. Just above his beard line lay another surprise. When Damon smiled or laughed, twin dimples appeared in his apple cheeks.
With her eyes still closed, Cat tried to clear her head. However, being a firstborn child, that was hard to do. Always trying to pay attention to the details, always trying to be the best, always trying to be perfect took a toll on her in more ways than one. At least she granted herself this moment to not do anything or be there for anyone else. This was her time and her time alone. She deserved it. She deserved to not do anything at all. Though she was no longer a kid, in Marshall’s eyes she would always be one, and therefore the one and only rule for Loon Lake, “kids rule,” was guaranteed to Cat if she came to the cabin to visit.
After her sun-kissed meditation, Cat squinted her eyes open and looked at the sky. If she had to guess, it was getting close to dinnertime. She felt something prickly on her leg and looked down. A pale-blue dragonfly with black wings had landed on her thigh. For such a beautiful creature, she was surprised at how coarse their legs felt on her skin. Cat smiled, noticing how the dragonfly’s coloring matched her swimsuit. She wondered if the suit attracted it to her. Since no one was around, Cat talked to the dragonfly as if it could understand her. “Hello, Mr. Dragonfly! I want to thank you for eating up the mosquitoes up here.
About the Author:
Shawn M. Verdoni is the author of Canoodling Up North: Book One, Canoodling Out West: Book Two, and is working on her third book. She attended UW Whitewater for her degree in secondary education and is currently attending MSOE to complete her Master’s in Business Administration. Her best days are spent with her husband, two children and two dogs just hanging out. She loves living in Wisconsin, especially in fall when you can find her in a pumpkin patch or an apple orchard collecting tart baking apples for her famous crumble crust apple pie.
Web site: http://shawnverdoni.com/
Order Canoodling Up North: Book One today https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088MKFWMC
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShawnVerdoni
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Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Shawn_M_Verdoni_Canoodling_Up_North?id=IRvsDwAAQBAJ
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good Morning, Edgar! I am thrilled to be sharing my book, my characters and lauch day with you and your followers! -- Shawn M. Verdoni
ReplyDeleteGreat post and awesome giveaway, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGlad you like what you've read so far, Victoria. I am excited to hear your thoughts about the rest of the book.
DeleteShawn
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteSounds great, I love romance books.
ReplyDeleteHello, Susan. I am a sucker for a good romance. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on which romance author and/or book is comparable to Canoodling Up North.
DeleteShawn
We're so excited for Shawn's book release! Thanks everyone! And Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteIs this strictly a stand-alone story or is there a possibility for a sequel?
ReplyDeleteGreat question, Bea. This is the first of 3 books. Book 2 is in editing now with a goal to launch in summer 2021. Book 3 is still in the writing stage. Need to push a little off my plate to dedicate more time to that storyline.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I am such a doofus, I just now noticed that it clearly says book one Do the other stories feature the same couple or different characters?
DeleteHi Bea!
DeleteSorry it's taking me a few days to get back to you. I was off the grid for several days, up north:)
Yes, all three books have the same characters in them, however only "Canoodling Up North" and Canoodling Out West Book Two" have Cat and Damon as the main characters.
My focus group requested I write a book focusing on Cat's best friend, Aurelie. That is the book I am currently writing. Cat and Damon will be in this book as well, but as supporting characters.
Great question!
Shawn
I enjoyed the excerpt, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed the excerpt, Marisela. Hope to hear your thoughts about the rest of the story when you read the whole book:)
ReplyDeleteShawn