Fortuity, an all-new inspirational and moving standalone contemporary romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jewel E. Ann, is available now!
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Blurb
Forty-something Gracelyn Glock is living the dream.
No husband.
No retirement plan.
And since her self-imposed man-ban—no need to shave above her knees.
After a tragic accident, Gracelyn inherits her ten-year-old nephew. She signs a lease on a San Diego beach house and learns their neighbors for the summer are a sexy anatomy professor and his young daughter.
Professor Nathaniel Hunt has spent the last decade being a single dad … and not having sex.
So when he discovers Gracelyn has a peculiar outdoor stripping ritual, a million inappropriate thoughts fill his responsible mind.
When kisses are stolen, man-bans are broken, and summer comes to an end, will hearts stay in one piece and hope stay alive? Or will saying goodbye destroy everything?
Review
5 stars!
Wow, what a book! A funny, poignant, beautifully written story all about second chances, moving on and finding what you want in life, and a stunningly gorgeous and romantic love story that completely swept me away. Realistic, and all-consuming, this book sucked me in and I loved every moment of it.
This is the third book in the Transcend series, a spin-off to the original duet, and it can absolutely be read as a standalone, with very little crossover. Just beware that it contains spoilers for the original duet.
I, like most readers, fell in mad love with Professor Nathaniel Hunt in the Transcent Duet, and I was beyond thrilled when I learned that he would be getting his own book. A loving and devoted single father, if ever anybody was deserving of a happy ending, it’s him, and I loved watching him finally get his.
Gracelyn is a 41-year-old woman loving her self-imposed single life after a series of heartbreaks, when the death of her brother and sister-in-law leaves her the legal guardian for her ten-year-old nephew. Children weren’t anything she planned for her life, but she takes it in stride, determined to do the best she can for Gabriel. So, she uproots her life and moves to his home in San Diego, and the two of them move into a rental on the beach as they settle in to the new life together.
Nathaniel and his daughter, Morgan, have been travelling the world for the last eight years. He’s given her a childhood full of incredible experiences, and now they’ve returned to the US to settle back into ‘normal’ life. They have rented the beach-house right next door to Gracelyn for their final summer before returning home.
The set-up is great, and with little Morgan desperate to make a friend, Gracelyn and Nathaniel are brought together as their kids play and hang out, and sparks fly.
“Hello, Sassenach …” he whispers.
Okay. Not really, but I’d love to hear him say it.
“Hi, I’m Nathaniel Hunt, Morgan’s dad.” His American accent tramples my Scottish fantasies as he holds out his hand.
If I lick his hand, will it be weird? Too desperate? Too personal for a first encounter? Too immature for forty-one?
Probably.
It’s funny, and lots of fun, and Gracelyn and Nathaniel very quickly find themselves wrestling with feelings neither of them were expecting to feel. Both of them are committed to their single lives, and to their kids, and they don’t have room for anything else. But their attraction is strong and their chemistry is undeniable, and the flirting and banter soon leads to them breaking their celibacy and just going for it.
“Ten years of embracing celibacy. Ten years of settling into a new normal. Ten years and you had to derail me at the finish line.”
Every moment is just gorgeous as they open up to each other and explore all that they are feeling. They’ve both been through a lot, they’ve experienced gut-wrenching loss and grief, but they find something special together, and it’s gorgeous to watch them allowing themselves to feel, and embrace their mad passion for each other.
In just over two months, a stranger and his daughter crawled into our lives and left a permanent mark on all of us. We made each other smile, laugh, and cry. We shared good food, endless days of playing on the beach, and drinking lemonade on the deck at sunset.
But their lives are on different sides of the country, and both of them are trying to settle into a new normal. A lasting relationship seems impossible… or does it.
This is it. This is what it looks like to love someone deeply … madly … to the depths of your soul. So much it rips your fucking heart out of your chest to let go.
This story plays out beautifully. It’s unexpected and brings the feels, and this wonderful sense of anticipation as you wonder how they’re going to figure it all out. I could feel everything between Nate and Graceyln, and I loved them together so, so much. Their relationship is mature, honest, functional and blissfully playful, and they have this feeling of ‘meant to be’ about them. They don’t have an easy road, but I loved watching them work through it all to finally get their HEA.
“I’ve traveled for eight years and countless miles to get here. Right. Here. It’s my turn to get the girl. I’ve earned it. So … yeah … I call dibs. Dibs. Dibs. Dibs! I will fucking level anyone in this life or the next that tries to steal you from me.”
As with the other books I’ve read by Jewel, the characters are just phenomenal. I was already in mad love with Nathaniel, but seeing him as a romantic hero just about did me in. He’s funny, sweet, caring and so freaking sexy. He’s just perfection, and I loved him so much! Gracelyn is fantastic – funny, strong and confident, but with realistic vulnerabilities, and a wicked sense of humor, I could relate to her, and she’s such a wonderful match for Nate. The big treat in this book though, is little Morgan. Now ten years old, she is intelligent, adorably precocious and shamelessly inquisitive. I adored her interactions with her dad, with Gracelyn and with Gabriel, she made me laugh so many times, and she stole every scene she is in. She’s a wonderful reflection of her Dad and their incredible relationship, and she brought so much to the book.
This is such a special read. Funny, emotional, sweet, sexy and beautifully romantic with so much heart, it’s everything that I want in a contemporary romance. I absolutely loved it!
5 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Transcend
Transcend (#1)
Review
Buy: Kindle Ebook | Paperback | Audio
Epoch (#2)
Review
Buy: Kindle Ebook | Paperback | Audio
Fortuity (#3) (spin-off novel)
Review
Buy: Kindle Ebook | Paperback
Excerpt
“What took you two so long? Don’t worry, we saved you some cake.” Mr. Hans smiles from his recliner with Hunter on the sofa, her thumbs dancing along her phone screen. Gabe will get along well with her.
“Cake, Morgan?”
My steps falter when I hear Nate’s voice from the kitchen.
Mr. Hans winks at me. “I invited Nate for cake too.”
I nod slowly. “I see. Whose birthday is it?”
“Life is a celebration. Cake needs no excuse.”
So much for having some time to digest what Nate said to me and my flirty reaction to his kiss comment. I put on a neutral face and drag my timid ass into the kitchen.
“Cake, Gracelyn?” Nate glances up from the counter, a knife in one hand and a plate in his other hand.
“Mmm … yes, Gracelyn. You want cake.” Morgan rolls her eyes back in her head as she slowly chews a bite, standing next to Nate.
How am I supposed to look at him when I saw him barely an hour ago and he said he wanted to kiss me, and I returned the desire without the actual kiss? I guess we’re going to be two people who want to kiss but know that it will never happen.
“Thank you.” I take the cake, giving Nate a two-second glance. It’s all I can give him without completely self-combusting into a pile of ashes.
“Mr. Hans … this is so good.” Morgan traipses out of the kitchen.
“It is good. I haven’t had cake in a long time.” I slowly lick the frosting from the fork.
Nate glances at the floor, eyes narrowed, and hunches down. After a few seconds, I move around to his side of the island.
“Did you drop something?”
Hunched like a baseball catcher, gaze still to the floor, he crooks a finger at me.
I set my plate on the counter. “Did you lose a contact lens?” I squat next to him behind the counter.
He lifts his gaze to meet my squinted eyes. The corner of his mouth bends just as his hand slides behind my head and his lips press to mine.
What the hell?
My lungs freeze while my heart pauses and my mind explodes. There’s no tongue to this kiss, just hungry lips. It knocks me off balance, and I fall to my knees, resting my hands on his shoulders.
Nate pulls back half an inch, letting his lips hover next to mine, the warmth of his breath covering my stunned mouth. “I’m not even sorry.” He shrugs.
My mouth opens as if it wants to speak, but I have no idea what to say.
“Dad …”
Nate bolts up, leaving me on my knees. “Yes?”
“Can Hunter use—” Morgan’s eyes narrow at me, my head barely peeking over the counter. “Gracelyn, what are you doing?”
“I’m …” I give her a tight smile.
Nate says, “Picking up a few crumbs.”
At the same time, I say, “Tying your dad’s shoe.”
His explanation is much better.
Morgan laughs. “Um … okay. You’re both acting weird.”
I climb to my feet.
“Can Hunter use what?” Nate asks.
“Your bike so we can go for a bike ride.”
“Are you going to stay around here?”
Morgan nods. “Pinky swear. We won’t go too far.”
“I’ll need to put the seat down for her.”
“Yes! Thanks, Dad. I’ll go tell her.” Morgan runs out of the kitchen.
Nate covers the cake with plastic wrap and nods to my plate with the half-eaten piece of cake. “Are you going to finish that?”
Cake. He wants to talk about the cake?
My head inches side to side.
“Too good to let it go to waste.” He picks up the plate and finishes my cake.
YOU KISSED ME!
“By the way …” His gaze remains on the plate as he scoops up the last bite. “Morgan knows I know how to tie my own shoes.”
About Jewel
Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor.
With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business.
After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing.
When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.
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