A Laugh Out Loud RomCom About Booknerds and High School Reunions!
If you've ever been to your high school reunion, you know they can be awkward. But nothing's more awkward than when your twin brother falls for your high school enemy...
This RomCom is all about how high school sometimes doesn't leave us, even when we leave it. Tortured by Josephine all through her high school years, Maylee thought she'd moved on from that difficult life chapter. .At her ten-year reunion, though, a spark ignites between her twin brother, Mitch, and the all-grown-up Josephine. Will Maylee fall into old patterns? Or will she be able to find a way to make Josephine disappear from her life once and for all? Along the way, she also rediscovers a guy named Benson, a super nerd from her high school days who has definitely matured in all the right ways. This book is about friendship, mean girls, and how love comes along right when we least expect it. Check out a FREE excerpt below, and then be sure to snag your copy of this laugh-out-loud romcom! EXCERPT I guess that’s the thing about high school reunions, though. They make you snap a little. At least I can admit to it. This has to be the first step to admitting psychosis, right? Mitch thinks I’ve taken it too far. Shauni, of course, thinks I’m doing the right thing. “Show those snotty jerks just what you’ve become,” she told me yesterday. “Especially the blonde. Show her you’ve won.” I’d smiled, munching on my lunch of celery and carrot sticks in my attempt to shed a few more ounces of water weight. Nevertheless, the whole time I was asking myself a very hard question: Have I really won? If I’m going to so much trouble to fool my classmates into thinking I’ve done so well for myself, aren’t there deeper problems than booblessness and a flabby waistline? Maybe the problem isn’t my body type, my hair, or any of it. Maybe it’s because at twenty-eight, I thought life would be a little different, a little bit more… grown-up. Looking in the mirror, however, I know I can’t pretend to be all introspective and mature about it. Even though I know it’s ridiculous, there’s a part of me deep down that does want to show her I’ve done okay for myself, no matter what. I want the girl who tortured me in high school, who convinced me I was a mousey nerd, to realize I blossomed. Even if it is a bit of a lie. Or a lot of a lie. “Let’s go,” Mitch yells from the living room. I sigh. No more introspection. It’s go time. It’s time to face my past.
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The Importance of Honesty in Mental Health
Don’t tell me you’re okay when you’re not.
Don’t paint on the fake smile that hurts the crevices of your mouth when you feel like you can barely hold it together. Don’t nod and say you agree when you don’t. Don’t try to point out the glitter when really, your deep-rooted wounds are bleeding. Don’t feel like you have to tell me you’re okay when you’re not. So many times, society demands us to put on a mask, to hide the dark truths of ourselves and of humanity. We smile for the camera. We put the rosy update on social media. We paint on the smile and take our voice up an octave in the professional setting because that’s what we have to do. That’s what nice girls do…they never make someone uncomfortable with realities or truths that might be less than beautiful. They tuck away the dark colored paints and only display the sunshine landscape. But I’m here to say….don’t tell me you’re okay when you’re not. Because I’m a safe space to lean when things feel shitty. I’m a listening ear when your world is falling apart or you’re barely holding it together. I don’t need you to pretend you’re okay when you’re not. I don’t need you to smile through the pain. I need you to be real, to be honest, even when it’s hard. I want you to cry if you need to. I want you to tell me you’re horrible when you are. Because I think there are too many women out there who propagate this ridiculous lie that women always have to be just fine. Life is hard, and, in truth, we’re always just seeing a tiny glimpse of who someone else is. But I think, especially as women, if we can bust up the ridiculous notion we must always smile, must always say we’re okay even when we’re not, must put on the high heels and just muscle through…if we can say no to that facade and, instead, be courageous enough to be honest…well, that’s when we can change things. That’s when we can save things. Because I think so many of us, behind the scenes, are breaking, unhappy, struggling BECAUSE we’re forced to lie about how we are. So don’t tell me you’re okay or great or fine if you’re not. Tell me you’re shitty. Tell me you’re tired. Tell me you’re breaking. Tell me you need a minute to cry or tell me you don’t want to talk because life is too hard. Tell me the truth…and I think if we can all vow to do just that, we’ll find a realer world, where no one is under the impression that they’re alone in their struggles. So don’t tell me you’re okay if you’re not. And I’ll do the same.  Since I’ve started writing romance, one of the criticisms I get from publishers and other industry names is that my characters are too complicated, too moody, too difficult, too imperfect. To me, though, I wear that criticism as a badge of honor. Because part of the reason I started writing romance stories was that I was tired of seeing the overly glossy, perfect smile kind of characters and love stories.
I wanted to read about women who felt REAL. Women who were complicated and didn’t have it all figured out. Women who made mistakes, who changed their mind, who struggled sometimes. Women who got pissed when they spilled their iced coffee or didn’t always say the right thing. Women who weren’t wearing ten carat diamonds, who weren’t getting whisked away to private islands, and who still had to sort out what to eat for dinner. I wanted to write about women like me, like my friends, and about the problems we all face but don’t always talk about. Tillie Ashby in my next romance “The Summer Song” isn’t a glossy, perfect character. She’s struggling with some big letdowns. She’s a little bit down in the dumps at the beginning of the book. She’s sarcastic sometimes. She wears her pajamas to run errands some days, and she doesn’t have it all figured out. Not by a long shot. But in “The Summer Song,” we get to watch her rediscover who she is–a dreamer who doesn’t give up. We see her find her groove again. We see her connect with those around her and remember what community is all about. We see her blossom again, like so many of us are craving to blossom. LIfe isn’t perfect, and neither are we. “The Summer Song” is about how no matter who you are in life or what people think you have going for you, we all struggle. I hope this book inspires readers that even when you are at rock bottom, life can always surprise you–and there’s always hope. Grab your copy of “The Summer Song” and find out how a run-in with a popstar complicates Tillie’s life even more–but might just be the reminder she needs that life and love can be magical.  One day, she looked in the mirror and realized she didn’t recognize herself.
The hair, the lipstick, the eyes were different, yes. But it was deeper than that. For when she looked in the mirror, she saw the beyond, saw the girl she used to be simultaneously with who she was and who she wanted to be–and realized how far she’d come, how much she’d changed, and how far she had yet to go. The unfurling of herself, the unraveling from their expectations and their predispositions and her own conformity had been long and winding. She hadn’t noticed the almost imperceptible changes–the rejected dogmas, the new beliefs, the ignited fire in her eyes. The desire for something more, and the willingness to step up in her high heels and grab it, even if it meant kicking in a few doors. Still, for all she knows she’s achieved, for all the better she’s found, it still scares her sometimes to look in the mirror and see that person she didn’t think she could be. For that’s the thing they don’t talk about; how becoming someone new is terrifying. To step so far out of the comfort zone, to abandon old cages you were trapped in, to wander so freely you can become anyone is to become someone you don’t know sometimes. It’s terrifying to go so far outside the lines you have to make new ones. She’s different now, true, and it’s cost her things along the way. She’s lost friends and connections. She’s lost some of the beliefs she used to hold in her heart. She’s lost perspective of who she thought she was once. She’s lost her reputation as the “always nice girl.” Sometimes, she doesn’t even feel like the same person. But in the unfurling process, she’s also gained things too, she realizes. She’s gained confidence in the knowledge she can do things that terrify her, from getting tattoos to taking ballet classes to pursuing new jobs to listening to her gut when it says she needs yet another new beginning to understanding when she’s not on the path she should be. She’s gained a belief in herself, that she is worthy of respect, of grace, of opportunity. And more than that, she’s gained her voice, not in an Ariel sort of way…but in a deep-rooted, ruffling feathers, I am here, hear me, sort of way. She looks in the mirror and sees the red lips, the fire in her eyes, the long hair. She doesn’t quite recognize herself, but she smiles because she knows that’s more than okay. Because to really live, to really truly find fulfillment, you sometimes have to undo yourself completely. And you might not recognize yourself at first…but as she fixes that red lipstick, she smiles, knowing that’s sometimes what it takes to grab the reins of your life and become the person you were always meant to be. Thanks Plum Deluxe Tea for my free tea!
Sponsored (I did receive the tea for free, but I don’t get any money or anything for this post <3)
Since January, I’ve been on a deep self-care journey…eating healthier, trying to find more peace, and trying to take better care of myself all week long. One of the habits I’ve added is a hot tea in the evening along with extra time to read, one of my favorite pastimes. It’s been really fun, too, playing with different flavors and kinds of tea, so when Plum Deluxe reached out, I was so excited! Plum Deluxe Loose Tea A few weeks ago, Plum Deluxe reached out to offer me a free gift of some of their literary lover-themed teas, and I was all game! They sent me:
I gave them a try, and honestly, they’re sooo good! The Comfort Blend is my favorite because it has just a hint of orange and cinnamon, which is my favorite kind of tea. The teas are only around $7 per bag, and totally worth it in my opinion! They have so many fun flavors, too, so this makes a great gift option for your mom, grandma, or friend. They also have a lot of gift set options and a Tea of the Month Club. I’m really a fan of their packaging as well, and how beautiful the tea looks! It’s perfect for a self-care Sunday ritual...or any day of the week. Head over to their website and give them a try…and then come back and let me know what flavors you’re loving! 
 To all the girls whose worth was reduced to a number on a scale by others, by yourself…I want to say, rise above that twisted belief.
You deserve to feel beautiful, worthy, unstoppable. You deserve to know you are a damn Queen. You deserve to feel at home in your body, to eat the cookie without a guilt fest, to savor every tiny part of life just as you are. You deserve to rest when you’re tired, to step off the treadmill, to stop hiding from the clothes you don’t think you can pull off. You are not a number on a scale. You are not a tag on your clothes. You are not the lumps and bumps or a smooth stomach or the thickness of your arms. You are, my Dear, wonderfully, beautifully magic, exactly as you are, today. It’s perfectly fine to pursue the healthiest version of yourself, to eat in a way that makes you feel good, to move your body. It is not fine, however, to let anyone dictate to you that you have to weigh a certain amount to be valued. It is not okay for anyone to make you feel like you would be more worthy if you shed some pounds. It is not okay to live in a status of depravity and punishment. It is never okay to let anyone define you by a number on a scale. Ever. Not your boyfriend or husband or wife or girlfriend. Not your sister. Not your parents. Not your boss. Not that agent who wants to work with you. Not that friend. Not that social media influencer. Not that stranger at the grocery store. Not that personal trainer. And most of all, not you. You are worthy and beautiful and deserving of living life to the fullest. You do not have to be a certain # on the scale to do that. You do not have to look a certain way to believe you are worthy of incredible things. So eat the cookie. Choose joy. Celebrate how your body moves and looks today, as it is. Congratulate yourself on being a whole person, beautiful and magical and true. Live life wildly, boldly, and unapologetically. And never let the number on the scale dictate your worth. Ever.  Last week, I did something I never do at Starbucks: I ordered a different drink than my plain black coffee or my iced vanilla coffee. I’d seen a recipe on TikTok for a customized Iced Shaken Espresso and decided to give it a try. And you know what?? It’s now my FAVORITE drink. Like seriously, so good (Order an iced shaken espresso, no sweetener, Oat Milk, one pump of white mocha syrup, and cinnamon on top. That's it!)
I’ve been saying a lot in this space that mixing up your life is so underrated when it comes to making big changes, to finding your passion. So often, we get stuck in routines and monotony. We get up and do the same things, eat the same things, see the same people, watch the same shows, drive the same routes. Our lives become endless days on a Merry-Go-Round. Predictability becomes our guiding light…and then we wonder why so many of us feel a little dead inside. But I’m here to tell you that today, right now, you can choose differently. It doesn’t have to be as big as jumping on a plane and uprooting your life for Fiji. It can be little. In fact, it’s crazy how little changes add up in big, inspiring ways. Take the different route to work. Get that new coffee you’ve never tried. Wear the shirt you never thought you would. Try the new lipstick color. Switch up your exercise class. Try a new tea in the evenings. Put on that show that never quite seemed like you. Put out the fancy plates for dinner. Paint your toenails a different color. Buy a new pen. Go out for dinner on a night you normally wouldn’t. It’s in the little changes that you can rediscover your vibrancy. This world is so big. Ridiculously big. Stop living small. Stop boxing yourself in. Start adventuring more in the tiniest ways and soon, you’ll understand the power not just in mixing it up…but in taking control of your life, today, right now. You can decide to be different, to do something different. And when you understand that principle, I really do believe life opens up tenfold. The Summer Song Excerpt
They always say you can’t go home again, but let me add to that advice. If you do return home to live with your stoic, lawyer father and meddling mother, make sure you’re not thirty with a bankrupt business and a failed romance.
These were the TED Talk-like thoughts running through my mind as I hunched over boxes in the mildewy basement of Tino’s Italian restaurant, thankful there wasn’t a mirror for me to peruse the assuredly disastrous state of my hair. I rolled my eyes at my senseless inner monologue as the wind howled outside, threatening to send the ancient boardwalk restaurant crumbling. “Let’s face it,” I said aloud, admittedly like someone who was one incident shy from a complete meltdown. “No one’s calling your disastrous self for a TED Talk anytime soon.” My shirt covered in food and my mood as low as it gets from what happened before retreating to the basement, I moved box after box, looking for the mysterious serving dish. Plumes of dust and probably death-inducing mold wafted into the air, but I was a bit thankful for the escape. The Italian music blasted up above, and there were footsteps dashing about as the dinner rush was on. My own feet ached from waitressing all night–and not well if I was to be honest. Still, it felt good to have a moment away from the hustle and bustle of Tino’s, of spilled drinks, and of the constant reminder that everything had fallen apart. And just as I had told myself life couldn’t possibly get any worse, it did. Because as I stepped backward, I lost my balance. The bare bulb shined brightly, now illuminating what I imagined was a horrific face as I tumbled down the stairs, the box and heavy silver platters clanging on top of me. I crumpled down, down, down, thinking this was where it all ended—on the dingy steps of Tino’s basement. Maybe they could use the silver platters at my funeral. When I finally landed at the bottom of the stairs, time warping back to normal speed, everything was fuzzy and fading. My entire body hurt, and I felt myself slipping away. But before it all went black, I heard what I thought was a distinctively British voice yell out a punctuated and startled, “Oh no.” Oh no, indeed, I mused as everything turned inky.  We hear so many things about how if you keep dreaming, good things happen–and I really do believe that. However, sometimes you find yourself in a season of life where you’re just stuck. Where it feels like the dream is so far away. Where you just keep getting rejected.
That was the inspiration for my book “The Summer Song.” Tillie Ashby isn’t your typical stars-in-her-eyes romance character at the beginning. She’s really struggling–with a failed business, a failed financial situation, a failed relationship, and a lost best friend. When she moves back to her hometown of Ocean City, Maryland, at the age of thirty, it feels like things can’t get any worse. But Tillie’s story is also about how sometimes magical, once-in-a-lifetime dreams and love can come from unexpected, chance encounters. When a UK pop sensation who is hiding for the summer literally runs into Tillie, a series of life-changing events take place. But can Tillie and Leo’s worlds really mesh? Or is Tillie destined for heartbreak again? This is a book about rediscovering your dreams. It’s a book about pulling yourself up from the ground–again and again. It’s a story, too, that reminds us popstar or down on our luck, we’re all just trying to find happiness. “The Summer Song” is a sweet romance ready for pre-order now. Grab your beachy read and find out why falling in love with a popstar can be a bad idea…or so it would seem.  To the little girl still inside so many of us
who was taught she had to be small, To be the quiet one, The kind one, The never ruffle feathers one. To the little girl who was taught she shouldn’t chase butterflies Or stare at the stars too long because Life was on the ground. To the little girl who was taught The worst thing of all was to not fit in, To not belong, To not be seen as sweet. To the little girl who quickly became afraid of being Too bossy, Too mean, Too rude, Too loud, Too boisterous, Too different, Too weird, Too much. To that little girl that sits in so many of us still, At the age of twenty or thirty or fifty or eighty, Lingering and whispering to us that We have to be careful or “they” won’t like us, That we have to stay quiet, nice, and delicate still. That we should stay silent, that we should wear the black Dress because that’s what they’re wearing. That we Shouldn’t stick out, that we shouldn’t want something Different. That we should appreciate and say please and thank you For the life we were granted. To that little girl, I say—it’s time to chase The butterfly, to stare at the stars freely. It’s time to get out of that corner we were put in, To raise our voices and to step into the girl We wished they’d have let us be. It’s time to be unruly and boisterous sometimes. It’s time to speak up at the meeting even if they think You’re a bitch. It’s time to wear the sequin outfit or the t-shirt or Whatever you want without worrying about what They’re going to wear. It’s time to stop settling for the life on the ground They told you that you should want. It’s time to be loud, to take up space, to be unruly And wild and FREE. It’s time to chase the butterflies and look at the stars—or Do whatever the hell you want, whatever makes your soul shine. It’s time to get back in touch with that little girl that’s still inside And give her the permission no one else did-- The permission to be who she wants, what she wants, how she wants And to stop worrying about getting permission to live big. |
 
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