Welcome to
Romance Sweet Reads! Today, we’ll be featuring
Daytona Do Over, by Author
London James, the first book in the new multi-author series,
A Summer Vacation Romance. Over the course of the next few weeks, we will be sharing all twelve books in this wonderful new sweet/inspirational, contemporary romance series set among some of our vacation destinations. Sit back, enjoy a sneak peek, and let’s see just how far we can arm-chair travel!
Lexi Carter was sure of two things. One, she loved her boyfriend, Shane, and two, although she planned an elaborate trip to see the Coke Zero 400, she knew nothing about cars. Nothing. After she catches Shane sneaking off with another woman, Lexi now has two choices—go on this expensive, already-paid-for trip or be out thousands of dollars. Not wanting to waste money, and figuring she can just skip the race, Lexi packs her bags and heads off to sunny Daytona, Florida, and her fabulous rented beach house.
Racecar owner and driver Max Stone has one thing on his mind—the NASCAR Championship Series at the end of the year. He has all the qualifying points needed, several wins under his belt, and was in the prime of his career. At least he was until the association found tainted gas in his race car after the last race. His crew chief isn’t talking and although he knew nothing of the gas, Max is facing a horrible scandal and one that could end his season. To hide away from the press, he flees his home to hide out in a rented beach house in Daytona while he awaits his trial.
When the pair find out that the travel agent double booked their private beach house, they must either spend their vacations together under one roof or find other accommodations. With the race coming up, however, any available rooms are lackluster at best. Can they make the most of an awkward situation? And will Max get the okay to race again before it’s too late?
I don’t know why I’m doing this for him. Lexi Carter stood in the middle of her San Francisco apartment, surveying all the birthday decorations. It was her boyfriend, Shane’s birthday, and she was throwing him a surprise party.
Him.
The same man who she had been arguing with all week over what they would and would not do on their vacation to Florida next week.
So why was she still throwing him a party? She didn’t exactly know, but she was sure that although they’d been fighting about everything from the trip to her moving into his apartment, they still loved each other, and she still wanted to be with him.
Perhaps the party would not only cheer him up, but it would set things right between them.
“When is Shane supposed to be home?” Tori, Lexi’s best friend from longer than she cared to admit, stood next to the coffee table unrolling another pack of streamers. The diamond on her wedding ring flashed in the light from the ceiling, and her growing pregnant belly popped out under her dress.
So much had changed in the year since Lexi left Clarksville to move to San Francisco to be near Shane, and whenever she saw her friend, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. Or perhaps it was regret. They always talked about being married and pregnant at the same time so their kids could grow up together.
“Shouldn’t be long. I think about a half an hour, and he’ll be here.”
“Where does he think you are?”
“On my way to visit you for the weekend.” Lexi laughed and reached out for the roll of streamers. “I told him I would be back in time to get everything together for our trip, though.”
“Have you guys decided what you’re going to do the entire week in Florida?”
Lexi shook her head. “Not exactly. We have the race day, so that’s one day planned, but we haven’t been able to agree on the other six days. I want to see the sights like there is a manatee island.”
“I know how much you love marine life.”
“I know, right? I swear I still think I was a fool not to go to college and become a marine biologist.” Lexi bent down and wrapped the streamers around one of the legs of the coffee table. “It was just too much school, though. I didn’t have the patience . . . or the money.” She moved over to the next leg, and, after wrapping all four, she stood. “But I also wanted to see some historical sites, maybe go for a hike or a bike ride in a nature preserve or state park.”
“And what does he want to do?”
“Park himself on the beach with a cooler.”
“The whole time?”
“The whole time. He said it’s his birthday vacation too, so he should get dibs on what we do.”
“Well, it may be his birthday, but you’re the one footing the bill.”
“Yeah, I know. And a week at a rented beach house in Florida didn’t come cheap. Plus, the tickets to the Coke Zero 400. They were a pretty penny, too. But he’s looking forward to it, and it is a vacation. Even if I’m stuck on the beach, it will still be relaxing.”
Tori cocked her head to the side, and her eyebrows furrowed. “Is it odd to you he’s suddenly into car racing?”
“At first it was, but he’s a sportswriter. I figure one of them is bound to become an obsession.” Lexi waved off her words and moved around to the kitchen, setting the unused roll of streamers on the counter. She made her way to the refrigerator and opened it, bending down to grab not one but two vegetable trays from the shelf before she set them on the kitchen table and went back for the two meat trays and the two fruit trays.
“What else do you need help with?” Tori asked.
“Nothing. I put everything out. We are just waiting for a few more guests—” A knock rapped on the door. “Which are probably here now, and we should be all set.” She motioned over to the couch where Dane, Tori’s husband, sat looking through a magazine he’d grabbed off the end table. “Go sit with your husband and relax.”
While Tori did as Lexi said, Lexi answered the door, welcoming the last guests to the party. She texted Shane and smiled as her phone buzzed. “He said he’s almost home,” she said, shaking her phone in the air.
All the guests quieted down. Some hid behind pieces of furniture while others just took their seats on one of the couches or dining room chairs. Lexi stood by the door. Her heart thumped, and although Shane had said in his text that he was tired and would probably just go to bed when he got home, her excitement sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
She couldn’t wait to surprise him and see his reaction.
Keys jingled from the other side of the door, and one slid into the lock. It flipped, but before the door opened, a woman giggled on the other side.
Lexi froze.
Welcome to my little corner of the internet! So who am I? Well, it's quite simple actually. I'm an author who writes in her fuzzy pants and loves her family, horses, and cats! I write Sweet Historical Romance and Sweet Contemporary Romance. If you're looking for something with just a bit more heat (not too much) or love Women's Fiction, check out my pen name Angela Christina Archer!
Growing up in Nevada, reading was always a pastime that took second place to trail riding and showing horses. When I did find the time in my youth to curl up with a book, I found enjoyment in the Saddle Club Series, the Sweet Valley High series, and the classics of Anne of Green Gables, The Box Car Children, and Little House on the Prairie. Although writing always piqued my curiosity, it wasn’t until September 2009 that I worked up the courage to put my passion to paper and started my debut novel.
I live on a ranch with my husband, two daughters, and many farm animals. When I'm not writing, I spend my days from dawn to dusk as a stay at home, homeschooling mom. I also work in my garden and takes care of my many farm animals, as well as I love to bake and cook from scratch. While I don't show horses anymore, I still love to trail ride my paint horse, Honky, as well as I, enjoy teaching my daughters how to ride their horses, Chubs and Cowboy.
I hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation to one of our wonderful locales. Come back again soon to see where we’re going next.
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Thank you for stopping by. Please come back again soon for more authors and great books.
Blessings,
Nancy
