New Fantasy Romance: (excerpt PG) THE AWAY PLACE

THE AWAY PLACE

Author: Susanne Marie Knight

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Available electronically at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com

Price: $3.99

Buy link:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GM9MPNK/ http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1039949

In print at amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GVGC6D5

Blurb:

Down-and-out Marta Jordan gets a second chance when the magical North and East Winds stage an intervention. Will she accept their challenge and to learn to love again?

A HEALING HEARTS ROMANCE

THREE STRIKES AGAINST HER: Marta Jordan has hit rock bottom... and she’s only twenty-one. Her parents are killed in a tragic accident, her new husband steals from her, and a serious health diagnosis threatens her life. Marta is in desperate need of an intervention. Enter her fairy godmother and fairy godfather: Sola and Quill--the East and North Winds. Providing an enchanted cabin so Marta can heal, they also offer her a do-over... and a chance to walk on the wild side. Will Marta throw all caution to the wind (pun intended!) and listen to her magical helpers?

SECOND TIME’S A CHARM: Joe Noble is every woman’s Mr. Wrong. So much so that his wife not only divorced him, but their ten-year-old son, Nicky, too. Now only looking for a good time with no strings attached, Joe gets a wake-up call when the consequences of his irresponsible actions finally catch up to him. He has a choice: he can continue to drift or he can “man up” to become a good father, in addition to wooing and winning the woman of his heart, Marta.

BONUS: The fairytale, “The Princess’ Soulmate” is also included!

Scene Set-Up:

On hearing a student say his father calls her Ms. Jugs, substitute teacher Marta Jordan sets up a meeting with the father, Joseph Noble, to correct his son’s behavior. Mr. Noble is late to the classroom.

Excerpt:

“Hey,” came a deep-timbered voice. A voice so distinctive it set off warning bells inside Marta. “Sorry I’m late.”

An almost identical version of Nicholas Noble--but twenty years older--walked into the classroom. An overhang of glossy dark hair fell onto the man’s lined forehead, a few days worth of stubble darkened his jaw, while the rest of his face was bronzed by sun and wind. An outdoor type of guy. Maybe he worked under blue skies for a living.

He obviously hadn’t given much though to dressing to make a good impression. His unbuttoned plaid shirt hung loose over worn blue jeans, his undershirt looked more grey than white, and his left running shoe was completely missing its shoelace.

When his warm brown--or was it hazel?--eyes looked at her though, her wits, to use a phrase, went begging. He was, in a word, gorgeous. She felt her mouth go slack.

The silence in the room hung heavily.

“Er, you’re Nicky’s teacher, aren’t you?” He tilted his head and ran his gaze up and down as if scrutinizing her from head to toe. “You’re awfully young.”

Such a peculiar tingling vibrated through to her inner core. Absolutely devastating. But when he blinked those devastatingly hypnotic eyes, reason returned.

Taking a steadying breath, she stood, squared her shoulders, and then held out her hand. “I’m Ms. Jordan.” She paused for effect. “Not Ms. Jugs.”

A barely detectable flush could be seen through his thick stubble. Obviously, he had the good sense to be embarrassed. One point in his favor.

He laughed a bit nervously as he shook her hand. “Ah, right. You know how boys can be. So, I’m Joe Noble. Good to meet you...?”

He wanted to know her first name. Ha! No way.

She gestured toward one of the student desk/chair combos in the front row of the classroom, right by her desk. “Please, have a seat, Mr. Noble.”

There. She’d put him in his place, clearly signaling that they were not on a first name basis.

He was a tall, lanky man, and now he was crammed into a miniature elementary school chair.

Sitting securely behind her desk, she smiled at his discomfort. “I regret that I had to call this meeting so soon after taking over the class from Mrs. Lillian, but I’m concerned about Nicholas.”

“Nicky?” The man shifted in the chair as if to get comfortable--which was impossible given the size of the furniture. He then used both hands to smooth back his thick hair. “What’s the young scrot, er, boy done now?”

She pressed her lips together for a moment. “First, his reading level is below average. At the third grade level, in fact.

Letting that sink in, she then continued. “Second, when Nicholas does read, it’s inappropriate material.”

She removed a girly magazine from her desk drawer, held it up for him to see, and then set it down. “Nicholas tells me this is your subscription.”

The man’s gaze darted from the busty female model on the cover to her. He didn’t speak.

She tapped her foot. “Does your wife condone this kind of behavior, Mr. Noble?”

His mouth hardened. “She doesn’t condone anything, Ms. Jordan. We’re divorced. She left.”

Marta wasn’t thinking straight. Normally, she’d never say anything derogatory, especially to a parent. “Hmmn, I wonder why.”

Gracious! That just slipped out. Fortunately, the man didn’t take offense at her comment.

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