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Today’s post is an excerpt from a new contemporary romance from Susan Mallery. Make sure to scroll to the end to see all the other participants – we are all featuring different, consecutive excerpts!
Title: Before Summer Ends
Author: Susan Mallery
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 27, 2021
Source: @TLCBookTours
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
A long, hot summer with her secret crush…
What could possibly go wrong?
Nissa Lang knows Desmond Stilling is out of her league. He’s a CEO, she’s a teacher. He’s gorgeous, she’s…not. So when her house-sitting gig falls through and Desmond offers her a place to stay for the summer, she vows not to reveal how she’s felt about him since their first—and only—kiss.
Desmond should’ve known better than to bring temptation into his house. He decided long ago that his best friend’s sister was too sweet, too good, for him. She deserves a guy who can give his heart. For her sake, he’s stayed away. But as her laughter breathes life into his lonely mansion, he’s not sure how long he’ll be able to resist.
From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Excerpt #12
“You’ve never set me up, so we don’t actually know that.” She tempered her words with a smile. “But thank you for thinking about me.”
“I always think about you. You’re my baby sister and I want you to be happy.” He grinned. “And safe. Why else would I have told Desmond to walk away after your prom date?”
She’d been about to take the last bite of her sandwich. Instead, she stared at her brother, her mouth hanging open.
“What?” she managed, trying to make sense of his words.
Shane winked. “I know. You’re impressed, right? Like I said, I look after you.”
She put down the sandwich. “Wait a second. Are you saying Desmond wanted to go out with me after prom?”
“Sure. He had a great time and was all into you, but I pointed out that he was too old and too experienced. He was in grad school and you were a senior in high school. No way that was happening on my watch.”
The adult side of her brain could appreciate what her brother had done. He was right about both the age and experience difference between them. But the teenaged girl that would be with her always nearly shrieked in protest. She’d liked Desmond—she’d liked him a lot. When he’d disappeared after their one date, she’d been devastated.
“Besides,” Shane added, obviously unaware of what she was thinking, “he’s a part of the family. I reminded him that he owed my folks for taking him in and stuff, and he shouldn’t repay them by going after you.”
“You’re pretty proud of yourself, aren’t you?” she asked, reaching for her coffee.
“I am and you should thank me.”
She held in a sigh. He’d done what he thought was right, and at the time, it had been. Her broken heart was her own business. But the information did leave her with some interesting questions, such as if he’d liked her, why hadn’t he tried dating her later, when she’d been all grown up? And most important of all—what did he think of her now?
- Sunday, April 11th: From the TBR Pile
- Monday, April 12th: Books and Spoons
- Monday, April 12th: Seaside Book Nook
- Tuesday, April 13th: Jathan & Heather
- Wednesday, April 14th: Palmers Page Turners
- Thursday, April 15th: Pacific Northwest Bookworm
- Friday, April 16th: Book Reviews and More by Kathy
- Saturday, April 17th: The Lit Bitch
- Sunday, April 18th: Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
- Monday, April 19th: Novel Gossip
- Tuesday, April 20th: Moonlight Rendezvous
- Wednesday, April 21st: The OC Book Girl – ME!
- Thursday, April 22nd: Romantic Reads and Such
- Friday, April 23rd: Books and Bindings
- Friday, April 23rd: View from the Birdhouse
- Saturday, April 24th: What is That Book About
- Sunday, April 25th: Books Cooks Looks
- Monday, April 26th: Nurse Bookie
Purchase Links
About Susan Mallery
No.1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery writes heartwarming, humorous novels about the relationships that define our lives – family, friendship, romance. She’s known for putting nuanced characters in emotional situations that surprise readers to laughter. Beloved by millions, her books have been translated into 28 languages. Susan lives in Washington with her husband, two cats, and a small poodle with delusions of grandeur.
Connect with Susan
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The OC Book Girl 
I’m super excited to read this! Thank you for being on this tour! Sara @ TLC Book Tours
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