The day has finally arrived! RETURN TO AUDUBON SPRINGS is officially available for world-wide consumption! My days of hiding in the romance writer’s closet have come to an end.
The Cover
So, let’s get this PRE-Release party underway! First…in case you have yet to see it, I give you my very first official book cover!
Holy cow…yep, my name is on that baby!
Next…the official blurb!
When Emma Grant returns to her family’s Audubon Springs beach house to fulfill the stipulations of her father’s will, she has every intention of forcing her former lover out of the house for good. She’s never fit into her wealthy family and would prefer avoiding her past, but with her brother threatening to reveal her young daughter, she has no choice.
Rafe Iuliano has other plans. The wealthy Grants tried to bribe him out of Emma’s life years ago, but he’s determined to prove once and for all that a master carpenter is worthy of Emma and the house.
Their ridiculous and steamy battle for the house reignites the love and passion that bloomed between them years ago. But when Rafe discovers she’s kept their daughter a secret for two years, can he overcome anger and pride to claim his family and the love of his life, or will the deception drive a final wedge between them?
Finally, a little Sneak Peek:
“This is your fault!” Emma shouted.
“My fault?” Rafe blinked through the thick coat of flour. “You’re the one who started this.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, you—Miss Macrobiotic Princess!” They used the barstools for support, and pulled themselves up from the slippery floor. “You’re immovable just like your mother.”
“And you’ve got about as much depth as a toenail. For the life of me, I can’t remember why I was ever with you.”
With a predatory look in his eyes and gait, Rafe advanced. In two long strides he pinned her to the counter, his hands grasping her hips. “Don’t!” His voice, low and dangerous, and his near proximity overwhelmed, charging her body with a jolt of electricity rendering breathing impossible. His gaze locked on hers for an eternity, then without warning, he dipped his head and licked lavishly at the syrup on her chest and neck.
Need and heat consumed her at his touch, fraying what was left of her nerves. She dropped her head back, shivered, and her knees buckled. He held her steady, fully pinned against the counter and continued to feast on her neck. Then with a shake as if waking from a dream, he stepped away, taking his heat with him.
Emma swayed and gripped the counter. Goose bumps rose on her flesh at the storm brewing in his eyes.
“Say or do anything you want to push me out of this house, but don’t ever say you don’t remember
***
I love Rafe and Emma. They really and truly are one another’s soul mate having shared a special bond in friendship since childhood that bloomed into romance. I loved writing this story of rediscovering a love that refuses to die.
And now Drum Roll Pah-Lease….
The buy link 🙂
→RETURN TO AUDUBON SPRINGS
Yay! I have a buy link! 🙂
In honor of my very first (Pre) Release I’m going to give away a $5 Amazon gift card to a randomly selected commenter. To be sure to give this enough time to percolate, I’ll select the winner a week from now and will include comments from this post and any other posts I throw up during this first week’s excitement palooza. I’m excited. Can you tell?
As always, thanks for stopping by and for your support.
RoseAnn DeFranco - Where Laughter, Passion and Love Bloom 
Eeeeeek!!! I am doing a happy dance right now in my chair at work not caring who sees me. You are such an inspiration and I am so lucky to have you in my life. I am so proud of you and I cannot wait to watch the rest of your writing career blossom. This is only the beginning BFF! And what a way to start…Rafe and Emma are perfect. (Okay, Rafe is VERY perfect haha) Love you so much! Congratulations!!!! Now I must go tell everyone I know to buy it! xoxoxoxo
THANK YOU! You are the BEST Beta Reader and largely responsible for motivating me to the finish line for this book.
That is so awesome RoseAnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m so proud of you. I love this story. Congratulations on your series…can’t wait to read!!! 🙂
Thank you so much for your friendship on this journey, Chris!
RoseAnn, I could not be more thrilled for you! Congratulations, my friend! This is only the beginning!!! And, yes, of course I followed that link & can’t wait to read this Iuliano Bro! ; )
Jenna, Can’t wait to hear what you think since you will now have read the brothers out of order! Thank you for your friendship and support!
Fabulous cover! I’m loving the story. Finally put it down at chapter five, so I could get some work done. But wait…is that Rafe calling me? ; )
Congratulations! wishing you huge success!
Thank you for your kind words, Robena! I’m glad you’re enjoying the story. If it’s loud and hard to miss, then yes, it must be Rafe!
RoseAnn, many, many congratulations! I just bought it for my Kindle and look forward to plunging into it as soon as I get my current WIP turned in to my editor. So excited for you! Woohooo!
Thank you so much for your support, Nancy! I can’t wait to read your current WIP, not to mention your current release!
Forget to say how much I love the sunshine-y, beachy feeling of your cover.
Thank you!
Congratulations to you RoseAnn! I hope the sales are a smashing success…I know I’m buying it! Wow, that Rafe is sizzling. Love the excerpt.
Best!
Nicole
Thank you, Nicole! Rafe does like to make a statement. He’s a larger than life hero and I really enjoyed writing him.
WooHoo!! Congratulations! I just downloaded your gem! Can’t wait to read it! Wishing you great success!
Hello to the other Rose Ann! Thank you for stopping by and for your support. It means so much to me!
Congratulations on release day, RoseAnn! I just bought my copy. Can’t wait to read it!
Emma
Thank you, Emma! Love your name, btw…which is why I stole it for my Heronie!
RoseAnn,
Congrats on release day. I hope everybody picks up a copy of RTAS. I didn’t need to excerpt to know it’d be good but it was much appreciated.
Mia
Hi Mia! Glad to know you enjoyed the excerpt. I really enjoyed writing the food fight that preceeded this moment. These two really know ho to push one another’s buttons. THANK YOU so much for your support. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.
Congratulations! Wishing many sales to you.
Thank you for your well wishes and for stopping by, Lita.
Congratulations, RoseAnn!! I knew you’d be published way back when I first met you. I love the cover too.
Rachael! Thank you for stopping by. I’m not sure, but there is a CHANCE you may have read the original opening to this MS eons ago. Not sure. I do know that it was discussed during a plotting party at one point where the name Squatter’s Rights was tossed around. Thank you for your support.
We are so proud of you. Congratulations!
Much love, your Hubs and your littles.
Awww…the lights of my life. THANK YOU! Could not have made it to this day without you.
Congratulations, RoseAnn! That is a smokin’ hot excerpt. I can’t wait to read it!!
Thank you, Nia! Rafe Sizzles. Emma has a tough time keeping her wits about her at times!
Congrats, RoseAnn! Much luck with the release!
What a wonderful time for you. Congrats on the book release!
JUDY!!!! I can’t tell you what it means to me to “see” you here. Thank you so much for your support and friendship.
Congrats on being published❗ Now you are a professional writer! I downloaded it onto my iPad last night. ‘Love the cover and especially love your dedication. Good sales to you, and I’ll spread the word(s). Nancy Brancato
Nancy, Thank you so much. Seeing you here means so much to me. Glad you noticed the dedication.
Congrats! I can’t wait to read it!!!
HELLO!!! I love to see the number of people coming out of the woodwork to celebrate with me. Thanks for stopping in, Jen! I hope you enjoy the book.
So excited for you!!! Congratulations. You must eat cupcakes in celebration! If you’d like, I’ll eat one to celebrate with you. If you insist… ha ha!!!
Sign me up for the cupcake party! 🙂
Excellent cover and I love the tension between the two main characters! I’m excited for you and wish you mega success!
Thank you, Ashantay. Thank you for stopping by!
I can’t wait to read this. I love a good romance! 🙂
Hi April! Thank you so much for stopping by. I hear you on the romance! 🙂
To my release buddy – congratulations and best of luck with sales. I love your cover and the story line. Can’t wait to read it. Maria
Thanks, Maria. I wish you all the same!
This is so exciting!!! I can’t wait to read it!!! And when you’re #1 on The NY Times Best Seller list I’ll get to say, “Oh! I knew her way back when!” So proud of you, Zann!!!!!
Mary! Thank you for stopping by. I’m feeling the love! I’m thinking I need to create a character and name her Zann!
Congratulations on your big day and many, many sales!
Barbara thank you for stopping by and for your well wishes.
I am so proud of my beautiful daughter for all of your hard work. Thank you for such a beautiful dedication. It brought tears to my eyes. I love Rafe and Emma and the continual sparring between the two.
Mama! Thank you for stopping in and commenting. You remind me above all else that I am blessed with a wonderfully supportive family. I meant every word of the dedication.
Congratulations Roseann. So Happy for you. Can’t wait to read it. Rafe sounds to die for! Don’t forget the little people when you are a big-time writer!
Woo Hoo! Hi Annette! Rafe does make a statement. Emma is prety lucky. I hope you enjoy reading the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.
I just finished reading this book for the second time, the first in its draft form.I had forgotten all the emotions I had experienced then and it has all come flooding back. Laughter and tears. Sadness and joy. The Italian family in the story is so believable and of course there are hints of family members, including my husband, son, son-in-law and family, daughter and granddaughter. But I would be remiss if I did not say that there is also a realization that we raised a daughter with a lot of heart and soul
Aww….Mama! You forgot to mention, there is a pretty impressive Italian mother in the story as well! Wonder where I got that from? I believe in book two she is referred to as “Award worthy” and not just for her gardens and food!
I’m glad you enjoyed it. If I made you laugh and cry, then I did my job! 🙂
OMG! I can not wait to get to the bookstore and get this!! I would get it on my Kindle, but I want this one live and in person!!! The cover looks AMAZING and the excerpt sounds YUMMY! I am not a romance book type of girl, but you may be responsible for a change in my reading habits! (well, you and Rafe!)
Congrats to you! I know you worked so hard on this! You were dedicated and now you get to sit back and savor the sweetness!!!!!! oxoxooxoxoxo
T! Thank you so much for stopping by and for all the support! You have NO idea how much it means to me!