We’ve seen Jayne Denker’s books before with Picture This and By Design.  I’m super excited not only to have the newest Marsden book for you, but to also have Jayne agree stop by and answer a few questions.

AAAAANNNNDD, to sweeten the deal – major retailers (including Amazon) have it for only $0.99 right now!  I so can’t wait for you to meet Jordan – I’m sure you are going to love her as much as we do.

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What do you like best about writing romances?

All the happy, for sure! There’s so much unhappiness everywhere, and so much entertainment with “dark” themes, that when I decided to write my first book several years ago, I knew it had to be a romance, specifically a romantic comedy, because I didn’t want to put more darkness out into the world. One of the best things you can do in life is make people laugh and lift their hearts, even for a little while. I hope all five books I have published so far have done that.

What is your favorite romantic story (movie/book, fact/fiction)?

Aaaahhh don’t make me choose! There are so many. I could go for one of the oldest love stories, Diarmuid and Grainne (precursor to Tristan and Isolde, precursor to Lancelot and Guenevere), all the way up to whatever TV show I’m watching right now (again, too many to list) or whatever new novel I’m reading, and I’d be telling the truth. They all matter. They’re all my favorites because they make with the warm fuzzies. At this very moment I’m watching my son watch Parks and Recreation, so Leslie and Ben once again have pulled to the forefront, breaking my “awww” meter. It’ll change in about five minutes, though, when the episode ends, my kid wanders off to do other things, and I go back to editing my latest work in progress. Then that’s my favorite love story.

If you could be any romantic character, who would it be and why? 

The best part about writing and reading romances is I get to be all of them, at least for a little while, while I’m immersed in the story. If I had to choose an all-time favorite, I’d have to go with Lizzie Bennett, because she has the best spirit, is the cleverest person in the room, and is so confident (which I’m so not). Plus, when she makes a mistake, she owns up to it (eventually)—a rare and admirable trait.

Which of your characters/books was the most fun to write?

I love writing each book the most as I’m writing it, for completely different reasons, but I have a special place in my heart for Jordan Leigh, the main character in Lucky for You. Even though she’s prickly all the time and even downright annoying once in a while, she has a huge heart. She gets frustrated when she can’t express herself properly within the confines of a typical social structure. I have massive amounts of sympathy for her. She matures, learns, and grows over the course of the story, becoming kinder and more considerate of others, truly earning her happily-ever-after, which makes it all the more special.

If you weren’t a writer and could be anything you want, what would it be?

Oh, a rock star or Broadway diva, of course! Maybe both. Why not?

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Lucky For You

A Marsden Novel

by Jayne Denker

Blurb:

It’s where everyone remembers your name—and your mistakes. But the quaint Catskills town of Marsden has a way of inspiring the unlikeliest reunions, flipping the script on the best laid plans, and opening even the most stubborn hearts…

Jordan Leigh’s always had a reputation for being bad news. So she figured it was only a matter of time before she got into serious trouble. But serving house arrest in her hometown of Marsden is truly cruel and unusual punishment. Plus she’s under police officer Will Nash’s up-close-and-all-too-personal supervision…which could make things worse—or more fun.

To make amends, Jordan throws herself into making nice with her neighbors, taking in stray animals, and helping teenage girls get back on track. But what she really wants is to get on the right track with Will. To do that, she’ll have to show him she’s grown up. And if that means making him break his own rules and face down his own fears, she’s up for the challenge …

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Review:

I loved how spunky Jordan is.  She’s hiding a world of hurt behind humorous sarcasm.  She’s not mean-spirited but she is quite snarky and unless you look further you might mistake it for just being awful.  She’s also a little socially awkward which makes it even worse 🙂  Will is one of those people who has a huge heart.  He’s patient and understanding, which Jordan needs in spades, and he’s the only real support she has in town.  They are so fun together … once they stop letting their pride get in the way.

My only complaint with the story is how Jordan handles the end.  She’d done so much growing through the book that I would have thought she would have done so much better.  I mean I understand that she might have fallen into old habits but she let it go too long, I think.  And when she comes back she doesn’t do much better, but Will is such an amazing and understanding guy that together they figure it out.

As with Picture This, it is the characters that make this such a hit.  While we do get a good cast of supporting characters (and I’m SUPER interested in what Denker has in store for Will’s brothers), it is Jordan and Will that drive this story.  The growth and development is so satisfying (with a few hiccups) and I was so excited when they finally got their happy ending.

I’ve loved both of the Marsden books that I’ve read so far and I’m definitely looking forward to see what comes next.

*****

Author Info:

Jayne Denker divides her time between working hard to bring the funny in her romantic comedies and raising a young son who’s way too clever for his own good. She lives in a small village in western New York that is in no way, shape, or form related to the small village in her Marsden novels Down on Love, Picture This, and Lucky for You. When she’s not hard at work on another novel, the social media addict can usually be found frittering away startling amounts of time on Facebook (Jayne Denker Author) and Twitter (@JDenkerAuthor).

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Don’t forget to get your copy for just 99 cents!