MARKING TIME with Marie Force Back to Blog
Update: The winner of Marie’s giveaway is…Savannah Miller. Congrats, Savannah!
It’s no secret that I’m a Marie Force fan. I love her stories! Can’t get enough. So I’m very, very happy that she’s got a new release out now–one I can load onto my e-reader right away. I’m also happy because she’s my next guest. And you should be happy, too. Know why? Because she’s awesome fun and because one commenter will win her tales, Treading Water and Marking Time.
Second Chances
By: Marie Force
I love writing and reading stories in which the hero or heroine—sometimes both—get a second chance at love. Don’t you? There’s something so poignant about a wounded souls finding the magic they thought they’d lost forever with someone new and unexpected. That’s exactly what happens to Clare Harrington and Aidan O’Malley in Marking Time, book 2 in my new trilogy that began last month with Treading Water.
Marking Time is a book I never intended to write. In Treading Water, Clare makes a selfless gesture that results in her being single for the first time in more than twenty years. I can’t say too much about that selfless gesture without giving away the ending of Treading Water, but let’s just say, it’s a whopper. Early readers who loved Treading Water kept telling me they needed to know what happened to Clare. They chipped away at me until I wanted to know, too. That’s how Marking Time came to be, and it’s a story I’ve come to love so much because it’s all about second chances and new beginnings for Clare—and her daughter Kate, who strikes out for Nashville in search of fame and fortune in the music business. Their intertwining stories take us from Newport, RI, to Stowe, VT, and Nashville, TN, from the Green Mountains of Vermont all the way to Graceland. In Marking Time we meet the irrepressible O’Malley family, which is featured in Starting Over, book 3 in the trilogy, which is out December 27.
Since today is Marking Time’s launch day, I thought it would be fun to share a brief—and never-before-seen—excerpt. This is from one of my favorite scenes in which Clare realizes the hot carpenter she’s hired to help renovate her brother’s ski house in Vermont is actually interested in her. Up to this point, they’ve most bickered with each other—and not in a good way. So here is Aidan O’Malley and Clare Harrington on the cusp of that second chance we all love so much…
***
“Can I ask one more question?” Aidan said.
“I don’t know. You’re starting to irritate me again.”
For some reason, that seemed to please him. “Then I’ll make sure it’s a good one.” He waited for her nod of approval before he said, “Will you have dinner with me?”
Clare tried to hide her shock at the question. “I am having dinner with you.”
“I mean a real dinner with waiters and tablecloths. Maybe even candles, if you’re extra nice to me.”
She sat back, stunned. Okay now that would be a real date. No denying it. “I thought you didn’t date.”
“Where’d you hear that?”
“Bea said—”
He hooted with laughter. “You’ve been checking up on me, haven’t you?”
“Don’t flatter yourself,” she said, startled by how laughter softened his hard edges.
“She volunteered the information.”
“Whatever you say.”
“She said you’ve got women in this town falling over themselves to go out with you. Why would you want to go out with me?”
“Because I like sparring—I mean talking—to you. Besides, you seem to have a very low opinion of me, so there’s no way I can disappoint you.”
“Have you disappointed lots of women?”
“Scores. The stories are legendary, but I’m sure you’ve already heard them all.”
She’d heard just the opposite, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. “You’re doing a hell of a job selling yourself, O’Malley.”
“So?”
“I’ll have dinner with you, but it’s not a date. Not a real date.”
He unfolded himself off the floor and stood up. “You know what? I think I’ll hold out for the real deal. How about you let me know when you’re up for it.”
Once again he surprised her. “All right, but it might be a while.” If ever.
“Lucky for you I’m a patient man. I’ve done as much as I can in the kitchen until the cabinets come in, so I’ll be starting on the downstairs bathroom. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
At the door, he turned to study her with those sleepy, sexy green eyes of his. “I don’t know what happened to you, Clare, but you don’t need to be afraid of me.”
She held his gaze for a long moment. “I like talking to you, too.”
He smiled and waved on his way downstairs. A minute later, she heard the front door close quietly behind him.
***
Ahhh, I love me some Aidan O’Malley—almost as much as I love Jack Harrington from Treading Water, but that’s a story for another blog. Talk to me about second-chance romances and your opinions of them. I’ll give away a copy of Treading Water and Marking Time to one commenter today. Thank you for having me today, Cynthia, and HAPPY LAUNCH DAY to you, too!
Marie Force is the author of the bestselling McCarthys of Gansett Island Series: MAID FOR LOVE, FOOL FOR LOVE and READY FOR LOVE with more books coming soon in the series. MARKING TIME continues a trilogy that began with TREADING WATER and continues with STARTING OVER. She is the author of the following contemporary romances: GEORGIA ON MY MIND, EVERYONE LOVES A HERO, LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT, TRUE NORTH, THE FALL and THE WRECK.
She is also the bestselling, award-winning author of the Fatal Series from Harlequin’s Carina Press. The series includes FATAL AFFAIR, FATAL JUSTICE, FATAL CONSEQUENCES and FATAL DESTINY. “This novel is ‘The O.C. does D.C.,’ and you just can’t get enough.” (RT Book Reviews, 4.5 stars for FATAL AFFAIR). In its July 2010 issue, RT Book Reviews named Marie a “Future Star of Romantic Suspense.” FATAL FLAW is coming in February 6, 2012.
She is a member of RWA’s New England and Published Author Special Interest Chapters.
While her husband was in the Navy, Marie lived in Spain, Maryland and Florida, and she is now settled in her home state of Rhode Island. She is the mother of two teenagers and a feisty dog named Brandy.
Find her at www.mariesullivanforce.com, on her blog at http://mariesullivanforce.blogspot.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MarieForceAuthor, and on Twitter @marieforce. Marie loves to hear from readers. Contact her at marie@marieforce.com.
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I love Second Chance stories because the couple is older and wiser. They are carrying around their own baggage and obstacles that must be overcome. They are usually more willing to take risks to be together. Their HEA is sweeter for it.
I love second chance stories because its about lost love found again!
Waving hello and wishing Cynthia a happy launch day! Thanks so much for having me. Looking forward to hearing all the second chance comments!
Hi, Marie! Thanks for coming by! And congrats on another great book! I can’t wait to read Marking Time!
Second chance storylines are my favorite to read about in romances. It doesn’t matter if it’s contemporary, paranormal or suspense I always anticipate the couple’s reunion and root them on. It’s emotional and restores the belief that the one that got away can still come back.
I like second chance romances. It always great to see a couple finally find their HEA.
I love second chance stories because it’s about hope and working things out and not giving up.
I like second chance stories. It’s always fun seeing how they resolve the old issues that tore them apart.
second chance romances are really great reads because its generally something that doesn’t happen in real life. Ppl don’t change, men don’t grow up (lol) ect. Its great to see someone that tried and failed once get back up and achieve their dreams in love.
Second chance stories are one of my favorite subjects (mostly because I am living one 😉 )Both me and my hubby went through terrible previous marriages and finding each other in the aftermath of both of our respective failures was a godsend. Nothing is sweeter than finding your best friend and life mate after living through a rough relationship on many levels and to find your best friend has been through the same thing and can understand you on all levels makes it that much easier to learn to trust and love again.
Mm, depends on how the author does it. I am on the line with second chances stories. It all comes down to how the author works on it.
I love second chance stories because I believe if you don’t get the happily ever after the first time, you deserve to get another shot at it!
2nd chance is why I’m married to my dh for the past 30 years. You get smarter as you get a little older…
Love all these comments! Thanks to everyone who has weighed in!
What a great prize! I love second chance stories when done right. But if I can’t find a redeeming quality…. then not so much
I, too, like second chance stories! Can’t wait to read it.
Love reading second chance stories, they are usually wiser and are more open to working out what tore them apart to start with.
I love SOME second chance stories. It depends on how and why the couple broke up in the first place and how they got back together.
I like second chance stories. Just like in real life not everyone finds their HEA on the first try.
i love 2nd chance stories. Several come to mind. It’s fun to watch both parties figure out how to get past the 1st time and find love.
Lisa B
I think everyone should have a second chance… I am a sucker for all wrongs being righted… and everyone having the chance for happiness!
I love second chance romances because it proves love can overcome almost anything.
Second chances can be wonderful, the couple has probably grown & matured, they will appreciate life and how quickly it can fly and that they shouldn’t waste time.
Second chance story + a carpenter named O’Malley = win! This sounds fantastic, srsly!
I love Marie Force! I like second chance romances because everyone deserves one!
I love a second chance story in book form, but a friend of mine has a real jerk for a husband & is giving him a second chance. That “man” did’nt deserve a first chance.–Rachel
I am a sucker for second chance romances. I actually hope my son one day has one:) He dated a girl a few years ago but they were young, and broke up–BUT they’ve stayed friends and she comes over to see us quite often. We all love her and have secret hopes that one day they’ll get back together:)
Second chance romances are my favorite theme – I love it when two people who have made mistakes or had some kind of misunderstanding in their past get another chance to get it right.
I’ve not had the pleasure of reading Marie’s books yet but I do love these sort of stories. Thank you for this opportunity!
I love second chance romance’s because it gives me hope for myself and finding that love that got away.
I enjoy second chance romances as there is usually a degree of character development, which I love
Hi Marie! Thank you for the exerpt, it looks like a wonderful story. I love the second chance romance becuase the characters are more mature. All possible outcomes are going through their minds from past experiance. It keeps it suspensful to see how far they will go before they finally take the plunge. Thank you for the offer!
I like the mature characters, there is a bit more baggage for characters to deal with and let’s face it, in real life, the first time at love just always work out and no one should give up on the pursuit of love
I love second chance romances. There is a familiarity there they I enjoy.
I love second chance stories. Its so great getting a second chance to rekindle a romance. 🙂
I like second chance stories..because right now I am hoping to have one with the person I love.
Congrats on your latest Marking Time, Marie!
yadkny@hotmail.com
Confession time: it depends on what you mean by ‘second chances’–and on how it’s written, of course.
See, while my divorced was pretty amicable as these things go, and while (now that the kidlets are adults) our relationship post-divorce is friendly enough, I can’t conceive a world in which I would choose to attempt a romantic relationship with my ex a second time around.
And that personal, real life experience colors my perception of most second chance at love stories.
On the other hand, I love many novels in which a person who has had love finds it again, so if that’s what you mean… 😀
I enjoy reading them though I’ve never experienced it myself.
I think reading about second chances is a lot of fun. And make for some great stories.
I love second chance stories. It like going through their journal to find love again and have their HEA 🙂
I love second chance romance stories, because they are more real somtimes, because they have to get through their problems to get a HEA
I love second chance romances but only if the characters have grown or significantly changed. They have to resolve what didn’t work the first time around so that it can work the second time around. I like to see the character development and HEA
I love second chance romances but only if the characters have learned from their mistakes. if they haven’t learned and grown from what has happened then the story just doesn’t seem plausible.
Second chance romances show that love pops up when you least expect it – sometimes after you think it has passed you by.
I totally believe in second chance romances. If two people who love eachother are brought back together after years apart then I believe it was meant to be. This is actually my favorite kind of romance to read about, I love a H/H that have a past.
leaghchristensen@yahoo.com
Both of these books look great. I would love to win and read them. Marie is a new author for me and always looking for new books and authors to check out. Thanks for the giveaway and the chance to win.
I love second chance stories and I cannot wait to read this!!!!
That excerpt reminded me of why I love Marie’s books so much. She’s one of my favorite authors. What I love about second chance stories, is that we all have regrets about actions we’ve taken and choices we’ve made in the past and second chance stories give us a chance to almost turn back time and see what would have happened if we’d made a different choice.