Cape Cod and Romance: A Guest Post by Elisabeth Barrett w/a Give Away

Small towns, the ocean, food, and yummy brothers. Mix them all together and you get Elisabeth Barrett's new romance, "Deep Autumn Heat". It's the first in her Star Harbor series, about the Grayson brothers. DAH is about Sebastian Grayson, a chef and former bad boy.

Photo by Tim Herby

Elisabeth Barrett is thrilled to make her debut with Loveswept on July 9 with the release of DEEP AUTUMN HEAT, the first book in her Star Harbor series, featuring the too-tempting Grayson brothers. Elisabeth lives in Northern California with her husband and three children. She grew up in New England and can’t get enough of Cape Cod. You can connect with Elisabeth on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

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A huge thank you to Bea for hosting me. I’m thrilled to be here! Today, I’d like to talk about my debut novel, DEEP AUTUMN HEAT, the story of two stubborn chefs who butt heads, both in the kitchen and out, before falling madly, deeply in love. When Sebastian Grayson, chef-owner of New York City hotspot Helena, returns to his Cape Cod hometown of Star Harbor, Massachusetts, to recharge, the last thing he expects is to find inspiration. But when he steps foot into the Lexie Meyers Kitchen and takes one bite of Lexie’s delectable coconut cake, he immediately gets hooked – on her.

Several folks have asked why I decided to set the book on the Cape. There’s an easy answer – I lived there!

I spent three idyllic summers working at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on Cape Cod, and living on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard. Even back then, I knew how romantic it was—the long, sun-drenched days, the warm, star-filled nights. I have so many memories from my time there, it’s hard to pick just one, but I’ll tell you my favorite.

One summer night, some friends and I went swimming in the dark waters of Vineyard Sound. We were right by the shore, and in the water, there were millions of bioluminescent phytoplankton (which, incidentally, I was studying in my lab). When I swept my hand through the water, the tiny specks shimmered and glittered in the moonlight. I floated on my back, looking up at the full moon, my long hair twining around my shoulders like a mermaid’s. It was one of the most magical nights of my life.

Now can you understand why I had to set my first book on Cape Cod?

It also helps that I am from Connecticut, and have lived most of my life in New England. From the get-go, I knew that I’d have to depict the Cape in all its glory – every season represented to showcase the area’s beauty. That is actually the chief reason I decided to make the books into a series instead of standalones. I really wanted to bring the wonder and the beauty of each season on the Cape into the books.

Also, most of the towns on the Cape are small, and for those of you who’ve grown up in or even visited small towns, you know they sometimes take on a life of their own. Star Harbor itself becomes one of the protagonists – the character bringing everyone else together. People are drawn to Star Harbor because of its community, camaraderie, and beauty. DEEP AUTUMN HEAT releases on July 9, and I hope you enjoy reading about Star Harbor as much as I enjoyed writing about the little town.

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Book Blurb: 

 

In this sexy new Star Harbor romance series, featuring the too-tempting Grayson brothers, a celebrity chef turns up the heat for a local café owner—and things start to sizzle.

Lexie Meyers decides there’s nothing sweeter than watching Sebastian Grayson’s perfect, wicked mouth devour her coconut cake. He’s hot, he’s hungry, and he’s sizing her up like she’s the best thing on the menu. But she’s been burned in the past and flings just aren’t her thing. Too bad Sebastian can’t resist a challenge.

Worldly, famous, and notorious with the ladies, Seb had planned a weekend of fishing and relaxation with his brothers. Until Lexie, with her kissable lips and frosty “get lost” attitude, makes him want to forget his culinary empire and create some magic with her. After he fires up his charm—including challenging her to a televised cook-off to break through her resistance—it’s now hotter in the bedroom than it is in the kitchen and Lexie isn’t sure whether she’s lost her mind . . . or just her heart.

DEEP AUTUMN HEAT
By: Elisabeth Barrett
Publisher: Loveswept (Random House)
ISBN: 9780345534330
Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, CONTEMPORARY
Format: EBOOK
Length: 300 pages
Release Date: JULY 9, 2012
Website
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Buying Links: Amazon    Barnes & Noble      Random House

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Thank you Elisabeth, it's been a pleasure working with you. 

Elisabeth and Random House are offering one digital preview copy for giveaway. You will need a NetGalley account to access the book.

To enter the giveaway, post your answer to the following question in the comments, along with a way to reach you - email, twitter, etc. 

Are you a small town or a big town person? Why?

Elisabeth, I have a question of my own for you: What IS the secret to Lexie's coconut cake?