BP Note: We would like to welcome HelenKay Dimon to The Bookpushers with a treat from her upcoming book No Turning Back and a giveaway. Keep reading to find out how to enter to to win a digital copy of No Turning Back. If you are curious to see out thoughts our review went up earlier this morning here.
Thanks for having me here today to talk about my upcoming release, No Turning Back, the first in a new contemporary series.
This series centers on sons of a notorious con man. I love writing romance and love writing heroes. But there is something special about writing brothers. I have two of those. They are both older and very different. They can infuriate me and make me smile…and I love them to death.
When writing about the Hanover brothers – Callen, Beck and Declan – I called on some of those brother memories from growing up. I remember a general sense that they could argue with each other, even wrestle and fight, but no one else was allowed to touch them or say a bad thing. They protected each other.
Bringing a bit of that push and pull into the brother dynamic in this series, starting with No Turning Back and continuing through the rest of the books, was great fun. Take a look:
Declan stared across the kitchen table at his brothers. Papers had been shuffled and lay in piles in front of them. Cal hadn’t looked at even one line. He was too busy nursing a bottle of water and doing nothing to hide his amusement as Beck laid out every argument, pointed to every expense they’d have to incur, and generally tried to quash any talk of keeping Shadow Hill.
Beck finally wound down. He flopped against the chair with his fingers wrapped around the arms. “So, after all that, do you want to keep this run-down piece of crap?”
It was an impressive presentation. Declan understood how his baby brother scored government and community services for people that no one else could get. Still, Declan’s answer hadn’t changed. If anything, he was entrenched in his position. “If you’re referring to the property, yes.”
“Wh . . .” Beck threw his hands in the air. “Why?”
“It’s a home.”
“They have those everywhere.” Beck glanced at Cal but got nothing. “Places that aren’t in this town.”
“Real estate is always a good investment.” Declan guessed that was true. He sure heard that piece of advice often enough as he got moved around with the Army and debated living off base. He also watched some people he served with get stuck trying to unload places when they deployed and that didn’t always work out so well.
Beck grabbed for the beer in front of him and started peeling off the label. “At least real estate is a better argument. Not convincing, but better.”
Cal moved then. Slightly and only to sit up straighter in his chair, but it was enough to get everyone’s attention. With those stealthy moves and the superior command over a room, Declan thought Cal would have done well in the military. Instead he stuck to odd jobs and constant relocations, which was why Declan had hoped Beck would be an easier sell on keeping the house and that, together, they could make a run at Cal.
“Then there’s how the house happens to be located in the same town of the woman you’re having sex with.” Cal flipped the water bottle top through his fingers as he stared Declan down.
Beck’s beer hit the table with a crack. “You finally had sex with Leah?”
This is exactly where Declan did not want the conversation to go, but . . . “Finally?”
“You seemed to be stumbling around in your attempts.”
Last thing Declan wanted or needed was a play-by-play on his sex life from his baby brother. “The answer is no and—”
“He means, not yet.” Cal kept flipping the top.
“— this conversation is over.”
“I’m guessing the thought of the two of you getting horizontal is clouding your judgment,” Cal said.
No way was Declan getting sucked into this conversation. Not when it was two against one and he had the most to lose. “I want a chance to fix Shadow Hill up. If we still want to sell on the back end, we’ll get even more money for it.”
“What about Leah’s offer?” Beck grabbed for a notepad and clicked his pen against it to bring the point up. “What is her purchase price? Let’s see if we can make it work.”
Cal smiled this time. “She offered to buy the place?”
There was just no way to separate Leah from the property. They were wrapped up together and Declan couldn’t figure out a way to break them apart. “Not really. Not for the kind of money she’d have to raise to afford it.”
Cal emptied the bottle then chucked it over his shoulder. The damn thing landed right in the sink without him taking aim. “Shutting down her real estate deal could put a wrench in your sex life.”
“I’ll worry about my sex life. Thanks.”
“Okay then.” Cal leaned over with his elbows balanced on the edge of the table. “Fine.”
Declan scoffed. Like he had any idea what that meant. “What?”
“The house. Let’s do it.”
BP Note: To enter leave a comment talking about your favorite scene from a family centered romance series. And since we like to push books the author/series title would be great *grin*. The winner will be announced Wed 20 Mar. Good luck!
I love HelenKays books. Am away an glad my friend has a computer. Count me in.
Congrats to Helenkay on her new release! It sounds awesome! Man… that’s a hard question… ummm… I’m just starting to read Ruthie Knox’s Camelot series that’s centered around Clark siblings. The first is a novella called How to Misbehave. One of my favorite scenes is the very end! When Amber and Tony are discovering their HEA. Not to give it away, but their playful flirting/banter is awesome!
Thank you for this great giveaway. Among the last books that I read, I liked the Chesapeake Bay series by Nora Roberts , I liked the interaction between the brothers, with many discussions at the kitchen table.
I’m having a total brain freeze, but I will be taking note.
Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski brothers books are great!
I can’t pick out just one scene, but I love the entire Brown Sibling series by Lauren Dane. The oldest son, Brody, takes on the care of his younger two siblings at 18 when their parents die. They all love and support each other unconditionally, so it has a great message.
I love books with family, siblings..etc. I love Kelly Jamiesons – Heller Brothers, Lauren Dane’s Brown siblings, Jaci Burton’s Play by Play series.. Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski’s series…
I agree with all the books mentioned above, especially the Chase Brothers by Lauren Dane and Shannon Stacey’s Kowalskis. I also like Jill Shalvis’s “Animal” series (Animal Magnetism, etc.). The heroes in those books are brothers, I believe.
I’m fond of Victoria Dahl’s Donovan Brothers Brewery series…two brothers & a sister. One of my favorite scenes is from Good Girls Don’t where Tessa (the Donovan sister) has to admit to her brothers that she is in fact NOT a virgin and is dating/sleeping with one of Eric’s (oldest brother) best friends!
I like family romance novels. I like any scene with the family gathered together and working through situations or just enjoying each others company. I really enjoy reading Christine Feehan’s Dark Series.
Thanks,
lorih824 at yahoo dot com
I can’t think of any specific scenes now, but I do enjoy the ribbing between the Cynster cousins from Stephanie Laurens.
THANK YOU FOR THE GIVEAWAY. CONGRATS HELEN, I LOVE FAMILY TRADITIONS!!
I love the scene in “A Long Way Home” by Mariah Stewart, where Ellie and Cameron went to Grace’s inn to spend Thanksgiving. It was a discovery for Ellie to learn more about her mother and the house she inherited from her Mom. What better way to connect to your roots and learning to be yourself with someone you care about.
when Dodger stole Cat’s garter from Lisa Kleypas’ Hathaway series
From Lisa Kleypas’ Travis family in The Blue-Eyed Devil there is a scene where Haven has been beaten by her husband and gets to her brother Gage and I cry every time I read it because he makes her feel so safe.