SPARKLE OF GLASS—contemporary romance new release

Scheduled for release on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, from The Wild Rose Press, my latest contemporary romance novel, SPARKLE OF GLASS by USA Today Bestselling Author Shawna Delacorte.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Sparkle-Glass-Shawna-Delacorte-ebook/dp/B0DHW7959Q

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sparkle-of-glass-shawna-delacorte/1146283517?ean=2940185712221

And other online vendors

Darvi Stanton is a glass artist specializing in stained glass windows. She has recently relocated from Laguna Beach, California, to the small coastal town of Sandy Cove, Oregon, in an attempt to get a new start and put the end of a painful relationship behind her—a relationship breakup that has had a very negative, controlling impact on her life for the last year. She has secured a marvelous new assignment, one very important to advancing her career. She'll be providing all the stained glass windows for the extensive renovations of a century old Victorian style bed and breakfast inn on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Rance Coulter, a resident of Sandy Cove, Oregon, for ten years is the contractor on the renovation project. He had someone else in mind to design and construct the stained glass windows, someone he had worked with in the past and whose work he knew and trusted. The inn's owner had chosen to hire Darvi. Rance also has his share of emotional baggage, his from a long ago short-termed marriage that continues to impact his life. Where Darvi covers her hurt with anger, Rance uses arrogance and aggression to cover his.

They clashed from day one on the main street of Sandy Cove before either of them knew who the other was. Their challenge? Getting the project completed on time and on budget while trying to ignore the attraction and emotional strings pulling them together.

And then there's the emotional baggage each is bringing to every encounter.

G-Excerpt #1:

“Hey, you there—Red!” An angry male shout shattered the morning quiet on the tree-lined main street of Sandy Cove, Oregon.

Darvi Stanton turned her head in the direction of the shout as she closed her car door. Her gaze fell on a tall man with a scraggly beard, shaggy hair, wearing frayed jeans, and a faded T-shirt. His stance screamed confrontation—one long leg on the pavement and the other on the floorboard of his old, battered pickup truck.

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yeah…you with the red hair. You’re in my parking place!”

She squinted into the morning sun as she brought her hand to her forehead to shade her eyes. “Since my car is already parked here, I’d say it’s my parking space.”

“Everyone in town knows that’s where I always park.”

She glanced up and down the road, then returned her attention to him. “This is public parking on a city street. There isn’t any sign indicating parking restrictions.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?” His angry question left no doubt in her mind that she had violated his sense of the order of things.

“I know who I am.” She fixed him with a hard stare, then a condescending smirk that said as much as her words. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

Darvi turned her back on him and walked away, but even as she hurried toward her destination, she couldn’t dismiss the incident from her mind. She felt his stare bore into the back of her head.

G-Excerpt #6:

Darvi took a deep breath, held it for a second, then slowly exhaled. She finally started to speak, her words cloaked in defensiveness. “I had my life under control until I ran into you. I’m taking care of some simple errands and you turn it into a major confrontation over some stupid parking spot on a public street. You’ve been going out of your way to antagonize me at every opportunity. I know you wanted George to hire someone else to do the stained glass, but he hired me in spite of your objections. I have a signed contract. The least you can do is make an effort to be decent about it.”

Her words caught him off guard. “I don’t have any—”

“I’m not a helpless little thing who cries at the drop of a hat. I’ve always been able to take care of myself, handle any situation that came along. You’re pushing me too hard, asking too much…demanding too much, things that have nothing to do with you or with this job. Things that are none of your business.”

The tears welled in her eyes as her veneer began to crumble. “You apparently believe that I should just trust you because you say so even though you’ve done nothing to show me your sincerity or that you can actually be trusted. How do I know what your intentions are? Why should I believe that you will keep anything I say to you in confidence rather than using it to humiliate me? Stop pushing me so hard. It’s very difficult for me…very painful.”

The arrogant Rance persona started to speak, the spontaneous outburst coming out as a harsh sound. “Pushing you? I haven’t—” The rest of the sentence stuck in his throat. His totally inappropriate reaction to what she said meshed with his own unspoken fears. He pulled her into his embrace as a mass of apprehension swirled around inside him. What to think…what to do…he didn’t have any answers. He stroked her hair as he thought over what she had said. He had no idea he had been pushing her that hard. Or that she harbored a secret so frightening for her that even what he thought of as teasing banter had been too painful for her to handle.

And her comment about not trusting him, fearing he would turn her secret against her in such a callous manner… He didn’t like hearing it, knew he would never do such a thing, but quickly realized why she would think it.

Blurb:

Putting a painful past behind her, Darvi Stanton has a new job in a small coastal town in Oregon. Designing the stained glass windows for a Victorian-style inn under renovation is right up her alley. She's determined to impress the owner in spite of the obnoxious, know-it-all contractor with gorgeous eyes and a charming smile.

Rance Coulter had another artist in mind for the decorative windows of his new project, someone with more experience, someone less…attractive. When he's overruled, he gives in grudgingly, but they clash over every decision. The only time she's not arguing with him is when he's kissing her.

Will mixing business with pleasure lead to ruin or a happily ever after.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Sparkle-Glass-Shawna-Delacorte-ebook/dp/B0DHW7959Q

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sparkle-of-glass-shawna-delacorte/1146283517?ean=2940185712221

And other online vendors

More excerpts and other information about SPARKLE OF GLASS and my other books are available on my website:   www.shawnadelacorte.com   https://shawnadelacorte.blogspot.com 

THE BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR Release date May 30, 2022

A beautiful socialite…a jaded bachelor… Can Katherine make Scott see beyond the newspaper headlines to the woman she really is?

My latest novel, a contemporary romance titled THE BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR, is scheduled for release on Monday, May 30, 2022, from The Wild Rose Press in both ebook and print. www.thewildrosepress.com

 BLURB:  

When billionaire construction mogul Scott Blake is asked to participate in a charity bachelor auction, he wants no part in the games of the idle rich or social-climbing gold diggers that come with them. He’s traveled that road before. However, the beautiful socialite seeking his help won’t take no for an answer. Showing up at his office with a fiery determination and a heartfelt plea, she convinces him it's his duty to help with the plight of abused children, and he just might have her all wrong.

 Due to dark secrets from her childhood, Katherine Fairchild is dedicated to the charity she founded to help abused children. As she introduces Scott to her world, he meets a homeless teenage boy who is fiercely loyal to Katherine and a darling little three-year-old girl, the most recent child in need of her help. He seems to fit right in, but can she trust him with her past…or with her heart?

Can the socialite win over the jaded billionaire?

 G-Excerpt #1:  (opening)

“Mr. Blake, that Miss Fairchild is in the outer office. She’s phoned three times this morning, and now she’s here in person. I told her you couldn’t see her without an appointment, but she said she’d wait—no matter how long it took.”

 Scott Blake reluctantly tore his gaze away from the panoramic view of San Francisco Bay out his office window. He swiveled around in his leather chair until he faced his secretary, Amelia Lambert. The expression on the prim, older woman’s face showed her unhappiness with him…again.

 “She’s a very persistent woman, Mr. Blake. I truly believe she means to remain seated there until you’ve spoken with her. She has one of those electronic devices and seems to be reading a book. She’s obviously prepared to spend the day, if necessary.”

 A withering sigh of resignation escaped his lips as he picked up a letter from the corner of his desk. The letterhead belonged to the Coalition for the Prevention of Child Abuse, a worthwhile charity well respected for its efficient operation and good work. The letter was signed by Katherine Fairchild, the director of the fund-raising committee as well as chairman of the board.

 “Very well, Amelia.” He loosened his tie, then his nimble fingers unfastened the top button of his shirt. He had never been able to get comfortable with the restrictive dress code of the boardroom and that morning had been the annual Blake Construction board of director’s meeting. It had been five years since his father’s untimely death from a massive coronary with the reins of the company passing to him. And, at the age of thirty-four, Scott still disliked suits and ties.

He had worked summers on his father’s construction crews while attending the University of California at Berkeley where he graduated with a degree in environmental sciences and had planned a career in that field. As a child, he had wanted to be a forest ranger. Upon graduation, his father had talked him into remaining in the family business, allowing him to ramrod crews working outdoors in the fresh air rather than being confined to an office even though he carried the title of vice president.

“Why couldn’t she just ask for a donation?” He had followed his father’s long tradition of supporting various charitable organizations. “I’d be happy to write her a check. But this...” He waved the letter in the air, then swiveled his chair around until the breathtaking view of San Francisco Bay capped by the hills of Marin County once again came across his line of sight. “Let’s get it over with. Send the officious Miss Fairchild in, but if she’s still here after ten minutes, buzz me. And Amelia—” He turned his head toward her, flashed a mischievous grin, and winked. “Let her cool her heels out there for another fifteen minutes before you send her in.”

In spite of his own wealthy status, he had never thought of himself—of his family—as part of that socially elite group. Women like Katherine Fairchild irritated him. He had personal experience with them—pampered, phony, shallow, self-centered, and vain. And now this. He stared at the letter referring to a bachelor auction to raise money for the charity. She actually wanted him to stand up on stage wearing a tuxedo and posing in front of an audience and the media. Then the members of the pampered rich bid money to buy an evening with him as if bidding on confiscated items at a police auction or making a purchase at an estate sale. It seemed more akin to a cruel game played by the frivolous socially elite than a legitimate charity fund-raiser. He did not like it, not one bit.

THE BILLIONAIRE BACHELOR by Shawna Delacorte, contemporary romance novel from The Wild Rose Press   www.thewildrosepress.com 

Currently available for pre-order at:

https://www.amazon.com/Billionaire-Bachelor-Shawna-Delacorte-ebook/dp/B09THTD6DG

and other online vendors

More excerpts and other information available on my website:  www.shawnadelacorte.com

 

THE ROCKY ROAD TO ROMANCE—A Character Chat with Sarena Fallon and Drew Braden

She wants more than friendship…he's afraid of repeating the worst mistake of his life.

THE ROCKY ROAD TO ROMANCE by Shawna Delacorte is a contemporary romance novella that's part of the One Scoop Or Two summer series from The Wild Rose Press. This book is scheduled for release July 27, 2020.

Let me introduce you to Sarena Fallon and Drew Braden. Their story is one of good friends moving toward a romance, but their journey is marred by a deception that nearly destroys a blossoming romance and true love.

Good morning Sarena and Drew. Thank you for taking time from your busy schedules to share your story with my readers.

Sarena:  Thank you for inviting us.

Drew:  I'm ready. Hit me with your first question.

Okay, Drew. You sound eager so let's start with you. How did the two of you meet?

Drew:  That's an easy one. Three years ago when the summer businesses at the lake marina were preparing to open for the boating season, I saw this beautiful woman inside the ice cream shop. She was unpacking boxes and putting things away. I tried to meet all the summer business operators each year, but usually on an informal basis after they open their doors for customers. This time, I immediately went to the marina property management office and obtained a full list of all the marina summer tenants and there she was—Sarena Fallon, history teacher at Coltonville High School. Unfortunately, due to business needs, I was out of state for the next month. I didn't have an opportunity to actually meet her until I returned to the ranch.

You said 'the ranch.' That's another of the Colton properties?

Drew:  The place where we are now, the original start of the Colton Dynasty five generations ago, is the cattle ranch.

Colton dynasty? That sounds a little over the top.

Drew:  [slight frown followed by laughter] It's totally over the top and definitely pretentious, but that was my father. He's the one who declared the family history a dynasty. The acquisition of additional land two generations after the start of the cattle ranch allowed for the expansion of the operation to include a dude ranch as a separate operation. From there, came the purchase of the large lake already being enjoyed by boating enthusiasts and water skiers. And finally the addition of a boardwalk and businesses as part of the boat marina. And along the way came expansion into many different types of businesses around the state, in other states, and finally internationally. We eventually constructed a corporate headquarters building on the property as a separate facility from the cattle ranch and the dude ranch. My house is also on the property. It's been in the family for three generations. I recently remodeled and updated the house.

Sarena:  I'm a high school history teacher with my summers free. I thought leasing the ice cream shop at the marina would be a good way to spend my summers and earn some extra money. I distinctly remember the day he came into the ice cream shop. He was dressed in jeans and a work shirt, certainly not the type of summer casual clothes being worn by the people who used the marina for their boats. And most definitely not how I assumed a high-powered business executive would be dressed. I assumed he worked at the ranch. He introduced himself as Drew Braden. It was an instant friendship, very comfortable and fun. He seemed to just appear almost every day. Sometimes just for a few minutes. Other times he'd buy an ice cream cone—rocky road was his favorite—and stay for a couple of hours. [embarrassed chuckle] And every time he stopped by, I secretly wished he'd ask me out on a date. The second summer that I leased the ice cream shop, he showed up opening day to welcome me back. Then on the third year, he showed up a week before opening, the day I was checking everything out and making a list of what I needed to do before opening.

It sounds as if he was always around yet you two never had a relationship beyond just friends in spite of what you secretly hoped for?

Drew:  Totally my fault. I had…uh…well, I guess you could say I had a bad case of commitment phobia—emotional baggage that basically scared me when it came to pursuing any type of personal relationship that had the specter of an emotional attachment connected to it. My biggest fear was repeating the worst mistake of my life.

Sarena:  Drew wasn't alone in the emotional baggage department. My ex-husband lied to me about everything. It turned out that I didn't even know who he really was. I swore I would never become involved with someone who didn't tell me the truth.

Well, Drew—even though you didn't know that about Sarena, I guess the most logical question is why did you present yourself to her as someone you're not, even to concealing your real name?

Drew:  Actually, Drew Braden is my real name—just not all of it. Andrew Braden Colton V to be exact. I use Drew Braden with everyone who isn't a business associate or employee. I'd been doing it for fifteen years, the result of the emotional baggage I mentioned. As to my job, I never said exactly what I did. It was that third summer when she finally asked me directly.

Sarena:  I had assumed he worked at the ranch, but not as a cowboy. It was obvious that he was highly educated. I had him pegged for some sort of mid management position like ranch foreman. Who he really was remained his secret. Even when he finally asked me out on a real date, he did not correct my erroneous assumptions. But reality crashed around me when a horrible situation happened right after I opened the ice cream shop for the summer season.

Drew: I had already been wrestling with the reality of knowing that I had to tell her who I was, wanting to tell her, needing to tell her. I knew I couldn't pursue the serious relationship I wanted without telling her the truth. What I didn't know was how to tell her…what to say that wouldn't alienate her. Then that disastrous Saturday morning hit.

That sounds ominous. What happened? Sarena…what was this horrible situation?

Sarena:  [glances at Drew as a hint of a grin tugs at the corners of her mouth] I think you need to read the book to find out.

Drew? Can you tell me what occurred that disastrous Saturday morning? What kind of incident threatened to destroy your relationship?

Drew:  [makes overly obvious show of checking his watch] Will you look at the time! I didn't realize it was so late. I'm sure I must have some sort of really important meeting that I need to attend.

In other words, you're not going to tell me what happened?

Drew:  [allows a mischievous chuckle] That sounds about right.

Well, I guess that leaves me with nothing to say other than to thank the two of for being my guests today. The book is THE ROCKY ROAD TO ROMANCE published by The Wild Rose Press and scheduled for release on July 27, 2020.

www.amazon.com/Rocky-Road-Romance-One-Scoop-ebook/dp/B089P3TBFV  

BLURB:

History teacher Sarena Fallon has leased the ice cream shop at the Colton Marina for the last three summers. And every year, she looked forward to spending time with her friend, Drew. Only this summer, she wants their relationship status to move beyond the friend zone he seems to prefer.

Drew Braden was taken with Sarena the first time he saw her. But a disastrous marriage to a scheming woman has left him seriously commitment phobic. Then there's also the matter of his true identity. If she discovers who he really is, he could lose her forever.

G-Excerpt #1: (opening)

Sarena Fallon entered the ice cream shop and set her purse on one of the chairs. A quick glance around told her everything appeared to be in order. She ran her hand across the counter, then rubbed her fingers together. She wrinkled her brow into a scowl. It definitely did not feel very clean. I have the uneasy feeling a more detailed inspection is going to discover—

“Hi. I hoped I’d find you here.”

She turned at the sound of the smooth, masculine voice. She couldn’t stop the smile that came to her lips as her gaze fell on Drew Braden, all six feet one inch of him. Her breath came a little quicker, and her heart beat a little faster. His blue eyes sparkled as he blatantly looked her up and down. He wore his medium brown hair longer than last summer, but it was a length that looked good on him. It gave him a sexy appearance—even more sexy than she remembered from last year. She liked it longer. She definitely liked it.

“Hi, yourself.” Her smile widened, conveying her pleasure at seeing him. “I just unlocked the door. If you had arrived five minute ago, you would have beaten me here.”

He looked even more desirable than he did at the end of last summer, right before she returned to her teaching job at the beginning of the school term, when he had suddenly pulled her into his arms and captured her mouth with the hottest kiss she had ever experienced. A kiss that curled her toes and confirmed how much she wanted more of him. But more apparently wasn’t to be, much to her disappointment.

Fall, winter, spring—not a word from him, as if he had totally forgotten she even existed. But now, here he stood, as if he had been waiting for her to show up. The situation left her slightly perplexed. She briefly touched her fingers to her lips. All these months later, his parting kiss still burned hot against her lips. “You’re looking well. I like your hair longer like that.”

“Thanks…I think it might be the result of a bit of mid-life crisis. Trying to recapture a little youth.” His teasing grin said far more than his words.

“Mid-life crisis? You can’t be old enough for that.”

“I’ll be that dreaded forty in a couple of months.”

“There’s nothing old about forty.” Especially considering that I’m thirty-five.

He winked. “How would a sweet young thing like you know anything about old?”

“You’re incorrigible.” Her laugh surrounded her words. “It looks like you managed to survive the winter without any mishaps. Your brittle old bones didn’t snap?”

His spontaneous laughter filled the air. “No broken bones from slipping on the ice or falling into any snow drifts if that’s what you meant. And no broken bones from being thrown off a bucking horse, either.” His smile slowly faded as he pulled her into his arms. “I’ve missed you. I’m so glad to see you back this summer.”

“I have a phone, you have the number, and I only live fifteen miles from here in Coltonville. It’s not like you need to drive for several hours to get there.” She teased, but her comment contained a lot of truth.

A hint of something darted across his features but disappeared before she could read it. He slowly released her without kissing her, almost reluctantly so. After the goodbye kiss from last summer, she had anticipated more than just a hug.

“I haven’t checked the shop to make sure it’s been properly cleaned.” She touched the counter again. “And from what I’ve found so far, I suspect it hasn’t been.” A scowl darted across her face. “At least not adequately. Do you want to help me with my inspection?”

“Sure, I can handle that.” Drew nodded, pleased with the opportunity to check out the management office’s efficiency without it appearing to be his objective.

Drew Braden—Andrew Braden Colton V, to be exact—was fifth generation of the wealthy and powerful Colton family and at thirty-nine years of age, the corporate head of all the family holdings. He went by his nickname and middle name to separate himself and his personal activities from the family name and business empire. He found he accomplished more if people didn’t know he was one of the Coltons, specifically president of Colton Enterprises, Chairman of the Board, primary share holder, and in control of all the family businesses and investments of the privately held corporation.

Available in ebook at:

www.amazon.com/Rocky-Road-Romance-One-Scoop-ebook/dp/B089P3TBFV  

And other online vendors.

Excerpts and other information available on my website:  www.shawnadelacorte.com