DARE TO DREAM by CA Harms SERIES: A Carolina Beach Novel GENRE: Contemporary Romance RELEASE DATE: February 14th 2017 Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34102639-dare-to-dream Blurb: After the sudden death of his wife two years ago, Darren Griffin has finally found peace. He has a good life, good job, two daughters he’d do anything for, and a beautiful home on the beach. Greer Monroe is grieving the loss of her father. It’s the final rung on the broken ladder that’s become her life—crappy job, no friends, and a cheating ex-boyfriend. At the insistence of her aunt, Greer decides to spend some time at her family’s beach house. When the glee-filled sound of children’s laughter dances through the breeze, Greer finds herself smiling again. The neighbor girls are carefree, depicting a life Greer has only dreamed about. Husband, children, happiness—a family. And their father, Darren, he’s everything a woman could ever want. But it is, of course, only a dream. She can’t stay at Carolina Beach, no matter how much she adores Darren and his daughters. She has responsibilities at home, a mother who needs her. Where there’s love, there’s heartbreak, and she can’t go through that again. And she sure as hell won’t do that to those little girls. But Darren isn’t letting her go that easily. It’s been so long since he’s felt this way for anyone. Greer is his missing piece, a piece he never thought he’d find. Saying goodbye is hard, but sometimes starting over is even harder. Only when they dare to dream again, will they ever dare to love. Buy Links: (Amazon Kindle Unlimited) AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/2klBTvB AMAZON CA: http://amzn.to/2klfkan AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/2kw9ZiG AMAZON AU: http://amzn.to/2jHi3IY Teasers Author Bio: C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict. She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time. Social Media Links: NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/1xsgHCS Twitter: https://twitter.com/charms0814 Blog: http://authorharms.blogspot.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcaharms/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6895633.C_A_Harms Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-CA-Harms/354791947956151 Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/702393513116443/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/C.A.-Harms/e/B00BM5QT9S Excerpts:
Two Different Scenes one in male POV, one in female POV. Scene 1 - Between Darren (H) & Greer (h) after she met his girls for the first time. Darren’s POV “Are they both asleep?” Greer asked as I stepped out onto the deck and handed her a glass of wine. “Yes,” I said. “They both slowly gave in after they talked about you for at least ten minutes.” She smiled as she lifted the glass to her mouth. I couldn’t help but watch closely as it came in contact with her plump, full lips, distracting me from my thoughts. The way she tipped the glass and the way her throat bobbed when she swallowed was so sexy. “I had a great time; they’re both amazing,” she assured me as she lowered her glass and brought it to rest on the deck railing. I was lost for a moment watching her profile as she looked out toward the water in the distance. She appeared so at peace, so settled. It was a feeling I wasn’t familiar with. Instead I found myself wanting to do whatever it took to keep her. I stepped closer and my movements caused her to look up. Without any further delay, fearing if I didn’t do it now, I wouldn’t make the move, I lifted my hand and skimmed my palm over her cheek as I slid it farther into her hair. “I don’t think I told you that you’re amazing,” I whispered as I moved my body even closer to hers, feeling her chest pressed firmly to mine. “You did, but I sort of like hearing it,” she confessed as her eyes shifted from mine to my mouth, then back again to meet my gaze. There was a silent pause just before I moved in, finally closing that last amount of distance between us. Her lips pressed to mine, and I hooked my arm around her waist and held her as close as I possibly could. A gentle brush of my tongue caused her lips to part, and I moved in, taking full advantage. That was the kind of guy I was, demanding, greedy. I just hadn’t been him for so long. But Greer ignited a need inside me that had been hidden someplace down deep. It felt extraordinary to be a man with needs and wants and to act on them again. It was freeing and natural, and I knew in that moment that had I allowed my desires to go as far as my mind was screaming for them to go, I would have had her backed up against the house and panting my name in seconds. But I had to move slowly, not only for her but for me. Because Greer, I could already tell, could be very addicting. I pulled back from the kiss and rested my forehead against hers, and for a moment we both just remained connected, breathing as evenly as possible. My pulse raced and my body hummed from just one kiss. My lips tingled, begging for more. She slid her hand beneath the back of my shirt, and the connection ignited my need again as I took her mouth once more. This time, I devoured her lips. The desire to stop was now long gone, replaced by deep hunger. “Darren,” she panted against my mouth as she dug her fingers into my back. “I know,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe I was telling her I felt it too, or maybe I was agreeing that this was just too much. I was torn between stopping this before it went further and taking what I needed. “Daddy.” My daughter’s voice broke us apart, and I backed away from Greer as if an ice-cold glass of water had been dumped over me. Greer fumbled to right herself and knocked her wineglass onto the floor in the process. The look on her face gave me all the confirmation I needed that the moment we’d shared was now over. Scene 2 – When Greer finally gives in and tells her mother about the man she met. Greer’s POV “Hey, sweetheart,” she said, and I could almost see the smile in her voice. “How are things in Carolina Beach?” I knew that tone well. She used it when she already knew something but wanted to give me a chance to spill before she dragged it out of me. “Things are great,” I said vaguely. It felt great to tease her again. Lately we only seemed to talk about our loss, and on most days we ended our calls in tears. Hearing that old spunkiness in her voice felt good. “Just great?” she said. “Don’t you mean, ‘amazing,’ ‘life-changing,’ or something bigger?” I remained silent, letting her fire herself up even more. “Damn it, Greer Jean Monroe,” she groaned, which only made me laugh, “you better fill me in or I will be hoping on the next plane to come and beat it out of ya.” Ah, there was the pushy, prodding mother I knew. My laughter only irritated her more. “That’s it. Stella,” she hollered, “book me a flight. I have a daughter who thinks she can hide the new man in her life.” “Well, that’s what you get for having Uncle Mark’s friends report my every move to you,” I said as I leaned back in my chair. I knew she wouldn’t come here. She loved Vermont and being with my dad’s family entirely too much. She just didn’t like for us to be so far away from each other. “Okay,” I said, finally bringing an end to her hissy fit, “his name is Darren, and he has two little girls.” “Darren,” she repeated. “Darren who?” “Griffin,” I replied without hesitation. “Wait a minute,” she said, and suddenly her voice was muffled, as if she’d covered the mouthpiece so she could talk to someone without me hearing. “I’m putting you on speaker,” she said then. “Mom.” I leaned forward and placed my elbow on the countertop. “Mother,” I tried again. “Listen to me, woman.” Speakerphone. Really? “Okay we’re here,” she said, and I closed my eyes tightly. “Who is we?” “Me,” Aunt Stella yelled. “Me too,” Uncle Mark followed. “Don’t forget me,” Gran called out, then I heard a thud, like a chair had fallen over. “Damn it, Norma.” My uncle’s voice sounded strained. “Did you have to steal the chair I was going to sit in?” I covered my mouth to muffle my laughter as I listened to their crazy bickering. “Well, yes,” she replied, sounding completely innocent. “I needed to get closer so I could hear our Greer talk about her new man, and this chair right here was the only one available.” “That’s the thing, you crazy ole bat,” he grunted. “It wasn’t available. I was in the process of sitting in it.” “Hm,” Gran huffed. “Guess next time you should move a little faster. And call me an ole bat again and I’ll show you how this ole bat can still shove a size six and a half straight up your fat ass.” I laughed before I could stop myself, and my gran laughed too. “Okay, sweet Greer, now that your sourpuss uncle has removed himself from this conversation, let’s carry on.” She clapped her hands together. “Give us the details and don’t leave out the juicy stuff. I want to hear it all. I’ve been trapped in this house with all these duds. Granny needs something good to help me dream at night.” Oh my, she never seized to amaze me. She was a firecracker. “Now what was his name, hun?” Aunt Stella asked. “Darren Griffin,” I said again. “He lives in the yellow house behind this one.” “Larry and Fiona’s boy?” I wasn’t sure if Aunt Stella was asking me or Gran, so I remained quiet. “They have two boys. Is Darren the one that lost his wife a couple years back?” When no one answered, I realized they were directing the question at me. “Um, yes, her name was Lynn.” I wasn’t sure what they were thinking, but their silence had me worried until Aunt Stella finally spoke again. “Darren is a good boy, a strong soul. He went through a devastating event, but I heard he’s doing great with his business now. And Ben Berry said he’s done an amazing job raising those girls.” “They’re amazing, that is for sure,” I assured her. “Vivian and Violet are the sweetest little kids. They’re always smiling and are both so happy. The love between all three of them is impossible to miss whenever you’re around them.” Silence set in again, and I wondered what they were sharing on the other end of the line. Not being able to see their faces made me nervous. “Does he make you happy, Greer?” my mother asked, and my stomach knotted. “Does he make you feel like you’re his world too, and does he give you a million reason to feel special because he knows you are?” “Yes,” I said, knowing she was referring to the way my father treated her. “Does he make you feel like you’re riding on a cloud, where nothing can hurt you because he’s there to keep you safe?” Her voice was strained, as if she were fighting back her own emotions. I guess this would be yet another conversation that we ended in tears. “Then you grab on tight to that man,” she whispered. “Live your life, Greer. Cherish every moment like it’s your last, because you never know when it just might be. Love, laugh, and live, without regret.” “But what about—” “None of that matters. We’ll worry about home when the time comes. Right now, just live, sweetheart.” She was telling me to forget about my life in Missouri and make my time here count. And if I was going to take anyone’s words to heart and allow them to change my path, it would be hers. My mother only made drastic decisions when she felt strongly that any other course of action would be wrong. I trusted her. “I love you, Mom,” I said, feeling my throat burn. “Love you too,” she replied. “Now go see those people that are now your future.” I took in a deep breath. I’d set out to find the right path for me and never counted on finding Darren or the girls. Could they really be that?
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