In my novel “Her Best Man”, Sarah and
Will find themselves sharing a cabin on a cruise ship. The forced closeness
hastens their romance, and helps them fall in love forever. In real life,
holiday romances happen with great frequency. How often have you heard this
story; two people meet on vacation in a tropical paradise or a romantic city,
and fall in love. People are more relaxed during a break, more ready to take a
leap of faith. Sometimes this love affair is a moment in time, a brief
interlude to be remembered fondly upon return to the real world. But sometimes it’s
the beginning of a lasting relationship. How do you tell the difference? Is it
even wise to let yourself fall for someone while on vacation?
It goes without saying to be careful when
considering a liaison with someone you’ve never met before, especially in a
foreign country. But if your love interest has passed the safety test, the
consensus seems to be ‘go for it!’ The
Singles Warehouse says that if you’re looking to fall in love on vacation, or
you just want to meet someone new to have fun with, keep yourself open-minded
and accessible. For example, if you’re a woman, don’t dance in the middle of a
group of other women if you want a man to approach you. The advice to men is to
“make yourself a source of enjoyment and pleasure. Participate, dance, laugh
and make a name for yourself as someone who thrives in the joy of life”.
If you do make a connection, Keen.com
offers a four point plan to discover if a vacation fling can turn into a real relationship.
1.
Make sure he’s single and available. Keen.com says that “Plenty of men get good at
being single during business trips’. Look
him up on the Internet, and make a speedy getaway if a search turns up a wife
or girlfriend.
2.
Examine his values. Connect with him on
social networks to discover how he presents himself to the world. You’ll also
discover whether your values can co-exist. If he loves the night life and you
want a family, this relationship probably isn’t going anywhere.
3.
Reconnect. You can keep in touch by
phone and over the Internet, but real connection happens in person. Don’t quit
your job, but meet for a weekend. Is there still a spark?
4.
Transition to the Long-Distance Relationship. If you pass the first three
steps, it’s time to move to the long-distance relationship. Keen.com
says: “Alternate visits to your place with visits to
his part of the world. Introduce him to your life first, then to your friends,
then to your extended social network and finally to your family. Follow the
same pattern with his world for best results. Enjoy your time together and make
use of your time apart to understand what it was about the magic encounter you
had on vacation that changed two lives forever.”
Sometimes a vacation fling doesn’t work
out. What seems like magic on a tropical beach loses its shiny luster in the
‘real’ world. Kim Gamble met Alex on vacation in Greece. But when he followed
her back to New York City, the relationship wasn’t the same: “We had a
passionate reunion for a week, but soon — without alcohol and sunshine — the
initial thrill began to fade. Once we were confined to my small apartment,
navigating the thorns of daily life, our relationship became prematurely
serious and painfully pedestrian.” Ms.
Gamble writes in Marie Claire: “Oddly, it reminded me of the vacations my
family used to take — how at the beach I'd pay to have my hair braided Bo
Derek-style. It was a look I could pull off on the sand, but once back home,
waiting for my school bus in the snowy Pittsburgh winter, the braids looked
absurd. I was starting to suspect that bringing Alex home was the starry-eyed
equivalent of wearing cornrows in January.”
Though Ms. Gamble’s affair didn’t work out
in the end, I’m sure she didn’t regret the experience. What might be truly
regretful is having
a connection with someone while on vacation on not acting on it.
Whether it works in the long term or not, if
you’re single and available, leave yourself open to falling in love. Even if
your vacation fling doesn’t turn out to be your soul mate, you’ll always have
the memories.
Have you ever fallen in love on vacation?
Did that relationship last once you got home?
Her Best Man
Left at the Altar Series
Book One
Jana Richards
Genre: Humorous contemporary romance
Publisher: Uncial Press
ISBN: 978-1-60174-019-9
ASIN: B004I6E4ZY
Number of pages: 166
Word Count: 55,000
Cover Artist: Judith B. Glad
Book Description:
Sarah Stevens experiences a bride's worst nightmare; being dumped at the altar. When she goes on the Caribbean cruise meant to be her honeymoon in order to lick her wounds, she discovers her ex-fiancé has sent his brother, Will Marshall, the former best man, on the cruise as well. Everyone on board thinks they're newlyweds, and Sarah is too embarrassed to set them straight. How is she supposed to share a tiny cabin with a man she barely knows? Even worse, how is she supposed to pretend that she and Will are on their honeymoon? Sarah discovers the best man for her really is the best man.
There Goes the Groom
Left at the Altar Series
Book Two
Jana Richards
Genre: Humorous romantic comedy
Publisher: Uncial Press
ISBN: 978-1-60174-159-2
ASIN: B00CUQR7RG
Number of pages: 157
Word Count: 52,500
Cover Artist: Judith B. Glad
Book Description:
Eight years ago Tony left Olivia at the altar. He was sure she didn't really want to marry him. Now he's back, and they're forced to work together.
Coming home isn't easy for Tony, because his father wanted him to work at a trade instead of going off to college. Their relationship is still unsteady. Even before Tony's return, Olivia began questioning the depth of her love for her fiancé, a man she chose because he was safe and reliable. Yet the last thing she wants is a loveless, faithless marriage like the one her parents suffered through.
When Tony, who never stopped loving her, insists her fiancé is the wrong man for her, Olivia sets out to prove him wrong. But the sexual chemistry between them is still strong, and so are her feelings for him. Even so, how can she break her engagement, hurt her fiancé as she was once hurt? And how can she trust Tony not to abandon her as he did before?
If anyone does the jilting this time, she will.
Always a Bridesmaid
Left at the Altar series
Book Three
Jana Richards
Genre: Humorous contemporary romance
Publisher: Uncial Press
ISBN:
ASIN:
Number of pages: 201
Word Count: 61,000
Cover Artist: Judith B. Glad
Unical Press ARe Amazon BN
Kobo Untreed Reads Itunes
Sony Chapters
Book Description:
Dani Dipietro has always considered herself an ugly duckling in a family of swans. She's the bridesmaid her friends count on, but never the woman any man wants for his bride. So she plays the funny girl and guards her emotions, and her secrets, closely.
When Zach Morrison was dumped at his wedding, Dani was there to help him through the humiliation. A year later they meet again and once more Zach needs her help. To fend off the unwanted attentions of his former fiancé, he asks Dani to pretend to be his girlfriend. They play their roles a little too well, and make believe turns into reality. But their relationship comes crashing down around them when Zach's trust issues cause him to accuse Dani of cheating. Telling the truth means Dani will betray a friend, something she will never do. But keeping her secrets means she may be destined to remain a bridesmaid forever.
About the Author :
When Jana Richards read her first romance novel, she immediately knew two things: she had to commit the stories running through her head to paper, and they had to end with a happily ever after. She also knew she’d found what she was meant to do. Since then she’s never met a romance genre she didn’t like. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and historical romance set in World War Two, in lengths ranging from short story to full length novel. Just for fun, she throws in generous helpings of humor, and the occasional dash of the paranormal. Her paranormal romantic suspense “Seeing Things” was a 2008 EPPIE finalist.
In her life away from writing, Jana is an accountant/admin assistant, a mother to two grown daughters, and a wife to her husband Warren. She enjoys golf, yoga, movies, concerts, travel and reading, not necessarily in that order. She and her husband live in Winnipeg with their Pug/Terrier cross Lou and several unnamed goldfish. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached through her website at www.janarichards.com
Website: http://www.janarichards.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JanaRichards_
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/janarichards
Newsletter signup: http://www.eepurl.com/m3UnT
Jan 20 Guest blog
Midnight Musings with Bertena
Jan 21 Spotlight and review
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! http://3partnersinshopping.blogspot.com
Jan 22 review
Musings From An Addicted Reader
Jan 23 Guest blog
The Creatively Green Write at Home Mom
Jan 24 Spotlight
Paranormal Romance and Beyond
Jan 24 Spotlight
Sapphyria's Book Reviews
Jan 27 Spotlight and review
Snarky Mom Reads…
Jan 28 Guest blog
Cloey's Book Reviews and Other Stuff
Jan 29 Interview
Books Direct
Jan 30 Guest blog
Roxanne’s Realm
Jan 31 Spotlight and review
Ramblings of a Book Lunatic
Jan 31 review
My Favorite Things –
Feb 3 Spotlight
Booker Like a Hooker
Feb 3 review
Adrienne Woods Books and Reviews
1 comments:
Thanks so much for having me on your blog today!
Post a Comment