Interview: Meadows Shore Series by Eva Charles #Romance #Giveaway

Eva Charles will be awarding a $75 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Tell us one fascinating thing about yourself.

I’m not sure if this is fascinating, but it’s fun! I collect perfume, especially hard to find perfume. I’m addicted to fragrance, and it shows up in all my books. I try to match the character with the kind of scent that I think best suits her personality. For example, classy Sophie Clayton wore the light and beautiful Après L’Ondee on her wedding day, Alexa Petersen falls in love with Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune, a sexy grapefruit fragrance, and Ella Clayton will wear Tobacco Vanilla and Carnal Flower in an upcoming book that takes place in New Orleans.

How did you get into writing?

I’m trained as a lawyer, so I’ve written for many years, although not fiction. My husband and I moved to Western Massachusetts about two years ago, and I found myself in a new place without family, friends, or a job. A close friend of mine had been encouraging me to write about a Portuguese family for some time, but I’d always scoffed at the idea of writing a book. After the move, with so much free time on my hands, I decided, why not? And I love it! I’m only sorry that I didn’t do it sooner.

What are your favorite types of movies to watch?

I love almost any kind of movie, but when my husband’s away, and I’m in the mood to curl up on the sofa, I look for a romantic chick flick. I guess it’s no surprise that I’m a romance writer. Who can resist a cheesy, sexy, happily-ever-after on a cold evening while wearing comfy pajamas? Certainly not me.

Your characters come from wealthy families. Did you have to do a lot of research about the lifestyle?

I did very little research on the lifestyles of the rich and the famous—it wasn’t really necessary. Many of my characters are financially very well off, but they’re not über wealthy. They’re not billionaires who fly all over the world on private jets, or spend every evening dining at a fancy restaurant. They all work for a living, and grew up with very traditional values that included doing household chores. I wanted them to be approachable, or as Cole Harrington is fond of saying, “We put our pants on one leg at a time, just like everybody else.” In many ways, they’re regular people.

What made you give the characters a Portuguese heritage?

I gave the characters a Portuguese heritage because there are few, if any, romance novels written in the United States about Portuguese families. As a Portuguese-American woman, it gives me an opportunity to share little bits and pieces about the culture, like the food, customs, and the important role that family plays in the lives of individuals. Some of the books have more cultural references than others.

Why should people buy your books?

People should buy my books because they’re great fun and will warm your soul, and leave you with a smile on your face. In the books, I touch upon some heavy subjects, domestic violence, death, mental illness, and breast cancer to name a few, and you might shed a few tears along the way, but you’ll laugh too. I promise, by the end of each book, your heart will sing.

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

BLURB:

Prepare to fall in love with the Claytons and Harringtons and their rich Portuguese heritage. A Wedding at Meadows Shore is the first book in the series. In it, you’ll meet the family and visit their beloved Meadows Shore nestled along the moody Atlantic in the charming seaside town of Fair Harbor.

It all begins with Sophie’s story, where she discards the past and learns to trust herself and others. The series follows the lives of her sisters and cousins while they, too, sort through their baggage and fall in love. Travel with them on their romantic journeys, stopping in rural Minnesota, New Orleans, and other enchanted places along the way.

They are wealthy and powerful, but suffer pain and loss much like the rest of us. Even great privilege can't shield them from those experiences. But despite their wealth and power, I think you'll find them approachable and down-to-earth—or as Cole Harrington would say: “We put our pants on one leg at a time, same as everybody else.” 

There's an old Portuguese adage, "the rooster crows loudly, but it’s the hen who’s in charge.” And so it is with the Claytons and Harringtons: strong women, alpha males, and of course, Avó Angelina, the family matriarch who keeps them all on their best behavior. 

Bem vindo à família, Welcome to the family!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

My Sweetest Sasha

Alexa rose from her chair and stood in front of Cole’s desk with her chin high and her spine straight. “I know your friend Clarisse is married to Dr. McKenna. I also know you’ve been sneaking around with her behind his back. You were alone in your office with her after hours, you planned dinner together at least once, and you have hushed phone conversations with her that end abruptly whenever anyone walks into the room. Even if, and it’s a big if, you haven’t been physically intimate with her, it’s not appropriate to involve yourself in their marriage in that way. He works for you.”

“You think that’s what’s happening? Christian’s all pissed off because I’m boinking his wife?” He shook his head. “This is Boston General Hospital, not ABC’s General Hospital. You need to stay the hell out of my business.”

“This isn’t just about you, or about the morality or lack of morality involved here, it’s about the hospital, too. You’re in an executive position. I work for Risk Management. This is a huge problem, with the potential to send ripples throughout the system, putting patients at risk. I have an obligation to report this.”

“Bullshit. You have no evidence I’ve done anything wrong. Just put it in your damn report. Go ahead. You’ll look like an idiot.”

“I can’t wait for the report to disclose this incident. Dr. McKenna left here livid. You took him off the schedule. His surgeries are either being performed by another doctor or they’ve been delayed. You’ve cut off his source of income, and interfered with his right to earn a living.”

Cole blanched.

“Tell me something that will allow me to keep this confidential, at least until the report is finalized. Offer some reasonable explanation—toss me a bone.” She was pleading with him now, but he said nothing.

She placed her fingers on his desk and leaned toward him, imploring him to look up at her. “If it’s not like it looks, then tell me what’s going on, Cole. Please give me something,” she begged.

He searched her face with stormy eyes, angry and conflicted. “I’m giving you nothing. Nothing,” he repeated.

“This is your choice. I wanted it to be different,” she whispered and left the room with slumped shoulders, shutting the door behind her.

Cole whipped his pen at the closed door, and when it didn’t make him feel any better, he hurled his keys, and then his water bottle. He wanted to tell her, he desperately needed her help with this, but he wouldn’t risk his friend’s reputation and career. Not even with her.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Eva Charles is the author of the multi-titled Meadows Shore Series chronicling the lives and loves of the Clayton-Harrington family. She invites you to visit their beloved Meadows Shore, nestled in the charming seaside town of Fair Harbor, where you’ll enjoy love, laughter, loyalty, and an abundance of mouth-watering food, Portuguese style.

After being a confirmed city-girl for more than thirty-five years, Eva moved to beautiful western Massachusetts in 2014. There, she found herself living in the woods with no job, no friends (unless you count the turkeys, deer, and coyotes roaming the backyard), and no children underfoot, wondering what on earth she’d been thinking. But as it turned out, it was the perfect setting to take all those yarns spinning in her head and weave them into a romantic tale.

When she’s not writing, trying to squeeze information out of her tight-lipped sons or playing with the two cutest dogs you’ve ever seen, Eva’s creating chapters in her own love story.

Website:   www.evacharles.com

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Eva-Charles/e/B0140FZ442

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/evacharlesauthor/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14223913.Eva_Charles

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