And Then
Forever
Fortune’sIsland # 1
Fortune’s
By: Shirley Jump
Releasing July 28,
2015
Inside the Covers
Welcome
to Fortune’s Island ,
where the only rule is to follow your heart.
Love is an extravagance Darcy Williams can’t
afford. She prefers the simple life, which includes waitressing at The Love
Shack and avoiding temptation. But when a forbidden part of her past steps off
the ferry, her safe, guarded existence is turned upside down.
Kincaid Foster has never gotten over his
first love. When he sees the wild, beautiful blonde again, dancing her way
around The Love Shack, the memories of Darcy’s soft skin, gentle touch, and
heated kisses come rushing back. As the privileged son of a wealthy family,
Kincaid was too young to stand up to his overbearing father when he and Darcy
were together. Now, he’s back on the island—free of the family shackles—and the
chiseled, big-time lawyer wants a second chance.
But, Darcy made a promise to keep a secret
from Kincaid—a secret that is now a six-year-old girl who looks just like her
daddy. If Kincaid finds out about their daughter, Darcy could lose everything.
But, she can’t resist the man who stole her heart all those years ago. And it
doesn’t take long before both of them realize that anything can happen on a hot
summer night.
My Review:
AND THEN FOREVER is a well told story filled with charm. I loved the sense of family and friendship it has. The secondary characters are Darcy's true family and she is a good mother. Kincaid is a good man, too. He and his sister Abby have long lived under their wealthy and controlling father's thumb. They both realize that drastic changes have to be made in their lives. Abby is escaping from a bad marriage and Kincaid hasn't been happy since he and Darcy split up.
I must say that I liked this second chance romance and it was a good start to the Fortune Island series. Darcy is a hard working "wild child" single mother, daughter of a single mother. Her childhood wasn't great and she is determined to make sure that her daughter will have a good life. In fact, she made a deal with the devil in order for that to happen.
Darcy is in panic mode because she is afraid that she will lose her child. Even though Kincaid is back and he hasn't returned for her, they keep running into each other and the spark is still there. She tries to keep her distance because she feels there is no future for the two of them.
Although I would have liked more scenes dealing with Kincaid and his daughter, it doesn't stop me from wanting to read more books in this series. This was more than just a beach read, it was a moving story that will touch the heart.
Excerpt #2
She knew she should stay away from him. Knew she should protect
her heart. Knew that falling for him could have far-reaching consequences. But
knowing all that and sticking to it when he was touching her were two entirely
different things. “Why don’t you come by after I get home tonight?” she said,
before she could think twice. “I’ll bring home some dessert, and we can share.”
Abby arched a brow and smiled at her brother. Kincaid’s gaze
stayed on Darcy’s, those eyes a girl could lose herself in, as Darcy had, a
hundred times before. “It’s a date.”
She nodded, as if this was no big deal, but as she turned away,
a smile curved across her face and her heart stuttered, and her steps became
lighter. She went through the rest of her shift with this giddy undertone to
her every thought, like a song that carried on her breath.
Kincaid and Abby ate their desserts, then paid their bill and
headed for the door. At the last second, Kincaid turned back, flashed Darcy one
of his amazing smiles, and then mouthed see
you soon. She blushed like a schoolgirl, and nearly dropped the drink order
on her tray.
By the time the last song was sung at The Love Shack and the
lights were turned off, Darcy was moving at a record pace. It was as if she
couldn’t clean the tables or set the chairs up fast enough. Jillian and Grace
just gave her a knowing smile, and shoved her out the door a little early.
Darcy walked home in the dark, quiet night, but this time her
steps were quick, and her mind on her destination. She carried a bag with two
pieces of cake, and wondered vaguely if she had enough time to shower before
Kincaid arrived.
She rounded the corner to her house, saw the waiting light and
Nona sitting in a chair inside. Darcy hurried up the stairs, rushed Nona out of
there in a blip, then hopped in the shower and scrubbed off the worst of the
work day. Five minutes later, she had changed into a sundress, brushed her
stubborn curls into loose waves, and pulled a bottle of white wine out of the
fridge.
There was a soft knock at her door, and her pulse skittered. Kincaid, her mind sang. Kincaid is here.
It was how she had felt every single day that summer, as if the
world had suddenly turned right side up, just because he was near. She crossed
the room, gave one last nervous pat to her hair, then pulled open the door.
“Hi.”
His gaze roved over her. “Wow. You look…incredible.”
“Thanks.” She felt her cheeks heat again, and wondered who this
new Darcy was. Before this, she never blushed, never got embarrassed. She had
her shit together—until Kincaid came back in her life. Then she was eighteen
again, and hopelessly in love. “Want to sit on the porch? It’s a small house
and I don’t want to wake Emma.”
Truth be told, she was afraid that if she invited him in, she’d
be all too aware of how few steps it was to her bedroom. How she could just
take his hand and lead him in there, let the whole night stretch before them.
So instead she grabbed the dessert, the bottle of wine and two glasses, and
headed out to the two Adirondack chairs on
her porch. She set a small table between them, then handed Kincaid a slice of
cake and a fork. “It’s peanut butter chocolate. One of my favorites from that
bakery.”
He took a bite and rolled his eyes. “Oh my God. That is good.
Have you had this before?”
She nodded. “It’s one of my favorites.”
“Here, have a bite.” He forked off a morsel, then held it out
to her.
Darcy leaned forward, her eyes on Kincaid’s, his on hers, thinking
that sharing food was one of the sexiest things a couple could do. Her lips
closed over the fork, and hunger flickered in Kincaid’s features. She chewed,
swallowed, and moaned. “I think they put pheromones in those cakes. It’s
almost…orgasmic.”
“Orgasmic, huh?” His gaze met hers, those hazel eyes dark and
mysterious in the dim light on the porch. Heat unfurled in the small space
between them. “Maybe we should compare the two. Purely for research.”
“Purely.”
“It could lead to the next scientific discovery.”
She swallowed hard, the dessert, the wine, forgotten. “So, it
would be a contribution to science?”
“Might even win us a Nobel Prize.”
“Hmmm…that would be good on my resume.” She smiled at him, then
decided there was no point in pretending she gave a damn about the cake or the
wine, and got to her feet. “Suddenly I’m in a very scientific mood.”
“Me, too.” He took her hand, and they abandoned everything on
the porch, and headed inside, across the front room and into her bedroom. She
flicked on the bedside lamp, then stood beside her queen-sized bed and thought
it looked both way too big and way too small.
Then Kincaid laid
his hands on her waist and leaned down to kiss her, and she stopped caring
about anything other than the taste of him in her mouth, and the way he touched
her, and how very, very much she wanted him.
Meet The Author:
New York Times and USA Today
bestselling author Shirley Jump spends her days writing
romance so she can avoid the towering stack of dirty dishes, eat copious
amounts of chocolate and reward herself with trips to the mall. Look for her
all-new novella in the anthology ASK ME WHY (with Marie Force, Virginia Kantra
and Jodi Thomas), as well as the Sweet and Savory Romance series, including the
USA Today bestselling book, THE BRIDE WORE CHOCOLATE, on Amazon, and her
Sweetheart Sisters series, starting with THE SWEETHEART BARGAIN.
Visit her website at www.ShirleyJump.com for author news and a booklist, and follow her on
Facebook at www.Facebook.com/shirleyjump.author for giveaways
and deep discussions about important things like chocolate and shoes.
Review Copy Provided By:








Good review, I pretty much agree! Want book two
ReplyDeleteGood review, I pretty much agree! Want book two
ReplyDeleteThanks. It was a nice way to spend an afternoon. I want to read her friend's story, too.
DeleteThank you so much for hosting AND THEN FOREVER!
ReplyDeleteIt was my pleasure!
DeleteThis was a very enjoyable story and I would read the next one in the series. Nice review.
ReplyDelete