Learning to Love by @FeliceStevens1 Release Day Blitz | Spotlight, Author Interview, Excerpt & #giveaway {@CreativMindsPR}

TITLE: Learing To Love

AUTHOR: Felice Stevens

COVER ARTIST: Reese Dante

LENGTH: 150 Pages

RELEASE DATE: May 2, 2016

BLURB: After ten years away from home, bad boy caterer Gideon Marks has a lot to prove. Getting the holiday catering job at his childhood synagogue is the first step in demonstrating to everyone he didn’t turn out to be the failure they predicted. What he doesn’t count on is Rabbi Jonah Fine, his high school nemesis and secret crush, stirring up old feelings Gideon thought long gone and secrets he’s buried deep for years.

An unexpectedly passionate encounter shocks Gideon, but he pushes Jonah away, convinced he isn’t good enough to be in a relationship and would never be accepted by Jonah’s father. But Jonah hangs tough—he won’t allow Gideon to hide or run away from life again. And when it comes to love, Gideon learns the most important lessons aren’t always taught in school.

    

“You realize we always talk about me, but I know nothing about you and what you’ve done for the past ten years.” I stood at my kitchen counter and after debating a moment, grabbed the flour. Not that I wanted to show off, but having Jonah here to cook for was an unexpected treat, and I might as well make him some biscuits to go along with the omelet. “What happened when you went to law school? Why did you really leave?” I turned on the oven to preheat it for the biscuits.

I poured the flour into a bowl, mixed in baking soda, baking powder, and salt, then crumbled the shortening mixture with my fingers, all the while waiting to hear about Jonah’s life. He lay stretched out on my sofa, as supremely comfortable as a cat in a patch of sunlight, and with a pang I wished this could be any normal Saturday for us—me making breakfast in the kitchen while chatting with Jonah.

He turned over on his stomach as I finished the dough and floured the marble slab I’d splurged on. I’d done this for so many years it was all second nature now and I could concentrate on Jonah.

“Like I said before, I hated it. I’m not a competitive person by nature; I never needed to be the best or number one.” He laid his cheek on his hands and stared off into space. “But I’d been dating someone, and we started getting into silly arguments about summer jobs and where we’d like to apply.”

I’d never imagined myself the jealous type, and realistically I understood Jonah was no virgin, but if the painful twist in my stomach at the thought of anyone else touching or kissing Jonah was any indication, I was in deep shit.

“Oh?” My voice remained neutral, but I was busy kneading the life out of the poor dough. Since it had never done anything personally to me, I willed myself to calm the hell down and set about rolling it out for the biscuits. “Were you two that serious?”

“Ben and I? Not really. He thought so and wanted more, but I made it clear from the beginning I wasn’t going to fall in love with him. I cared for him deeply and felt badly I couldn’t give him what he wanted.”

“What was that?” I jammed the biscuit cutter into the dough with sharp angry jabs.

“My heart.”

My hand stilled on the biscuit cutter, and I looked over at him. He met my gaze unflinchingly, and I could feel the heat rise in my face.

“Why not?” I had to ask.

Jonah stood and joined me in the kitchen, hemming me in against the counter. I admit to not putting up too much resistance, but it still took me by surprise.

“I was keeping it for when I met you again.” He cupped my cheek in his hand. “No matter what I would’ve ended up doing with my life, Gideon, finding you was always part of my plan.”

What could I say to that? Jonah’s words rolled around in my head like brilliantly colored marbles, setting off a kaleidoscope of emotions that scared the hell out of me.

I sidestepped out of his embrace, muttering, “I have to get these biscuits in the oven,” and grabbed the cookie sheet. My back was to Jonah, shielding my badly shaking hands gripping the pan. I placed the biscuit dough on the sheet and slid it into the oven. The familiarity of being in my kitchen and cooking balanced me, and I was grateful that Jonah, most likely having sensed my unease, had returned to the living room and his place on the sofa. Once he left the kitchen I found it easier to breathe.

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I have always been a romantic at heart. I believe that while life is tough, there is always a happy ending around the corner, My character have to work for it, however. Like life in NYC, nothing comes easy and that includes love.

I live in New York City with my husband and two children and hopefully soon a cat of my own. My day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. I practice law but daydream of a time when I can sit by a beach somewhere and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

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Where are you from, and where do you call home?

I’m from NYC –Brooklyn to be exact

What inspired you to start writing?

I’ve always wanted to write, from when I was a child. Reading Nancy Drew made me want to write my own mysteries.

How long have you been writing?

My first book was published in August 2014

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Take as many writing courses as you can-learn the craft and don’t’ be in a hurry to publish. The readers are out there but you only have one time to put out a quality produt.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

                Absolutely. I put the computer away and watch some television or talk a walk.

What Author’s in the genre do you read?

I read Josh Lanyon, Cardeno C, Riley Hart and Mary Calmes

What comes first, the plot or characters?

Hmm, the characters but they tell me their stories.

Are you working on anything at the present you would like to tell us about?

I’m writing a story about two men, one who has the responsibility of raising his much younger brother  who suffers from some emotional and some physical issues . He wants to protect him so he only meets men once a month as a hook up. He meets a man who hides his anxiety and ADHD from people and they  agree to an Arrangement for the once a month meet-up, but of course, things always don’t stick to plan.

Describe the perfect writing space.

I wouldn’t know! I write at many different places, my sofa, my dining room table…anywhere

Do you do research for your books? If so, what does that entail?

I do! For this release, Learning to Love, one of my men has dyslexia. My daughter had a friend with dyslexia growing up and I did tons of research on the topic.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

Learning to Love is my 12th book. They are all my babies but there is something special about Gideon and Jonah in Learning to Love. I don’t know what but I just love them.

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?

I’m so thrilled whenever I get an e-mail or PM from a reader. Whether they like my books or not, the fact that something touched them enough to write to me means the world to me.

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