Hi Readers! Happy September!
I have to say, I'm enjoying this time of year. We're returning to a normal routine with school in session, but we haven't hit the craziness of the holidays yet. I'm enjoying being back in the groove of things after a crazy summer.
Today, I wanted share an excerpt of my novel,
The Vegas Proposal. This is my most recent full length novel. I hope you enjoy!
Here's a little about the book:
A celebrity wedding would save her family’s Las Vegas chapel—as long as she doesn’t fall for the groom.
The Traditions Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas has been in Claire Grigg’s family for three generations, and she dreams of restoring the struggling chapel to its original glory. When Claire discovers the chapel’s financial problems and the strain it’s putting on her parents’ marriage, Claire commits to doing whatever it takes to save the business.
Vegas is the last stop on Ben Karr’s tour, and he’s afraid he’ll soon be added to a long list of one-hit wonders. He’s determined to prove that his talent deserves to be taken seriously and all the sacrifices his grandmother made were worth it. He’s known more for his frequent break-ups with famous women than his music. Until he can repair his public image, Ben’s label refuses to invest in another album.
Ben devises a radical plan to save his career––a fake wedding to his starlet ex-girlfriend—but the adorable chapel director and her talk of true love and commitment is making him rethink the scam. Will Claire and Ben let go of their dreams and risk it all to grab onto a shot at true love?
Excerpt:
The
bright Las Vegas sunlight flooded through the open doorway into the dim lobby.
Claire stepped forward to greet the guests. “Welcome to…”
Her gaze landed on Benjamin Karr, and her mind went blank. “Um. Welcome to…” She’d listened to his song
on the radio as she’d
driven across town this morning. Faithful and true. No matter what we go
through. Our love will be faithful and true.
“Traditions Wedding
Chapel?” the
crooner asked.
Claire
nodded. “Uh, yes.
Exactly. Welcome to Traditions Wedding Chapel.”
He
flashed a smile and pointed the hat in his hand toward the entrance. With his
crisp white shirt, the thin black tie, and the signature fedora in his hand,
Benjamin could have been a member of the Rat Pack. “Is your neon sign outside original? It reminds me of
old school Las Vegas.”
Claire
was still nodding like an idiot when a laugh she couldn’t control slipped from her lips.
A
petite blonde stepped beside him. “Well,
I’m glad we got
all that figured out.”
The
blonde pulled the designer sunglasses from her face, and Claire gasped. “You’re Evelyn Lee.”
Reality
hit Claire like a handful of rice to the face. The young Hollywood couple was
standing in the foyer of a wedding chapel—her wedding chapel. The news had reported that they’d split, but here they
were, staring at her.
Famous
for being a former teen beauty queen turned actress, Evelyn showed off her best
pageant smile. “Apparently,
you read People. And you are?”
Claire
chided herself for allowing the professionalism she prided herself on to slip
away. She swallowed her excitement. “I’m Claire Griggs. This
is my family’s
chapel.”
Benjamin
moved the gray hat into his left hand and reached out to her. “Hi, Claire. I’m Ben.”
Benjamin
Karr slid his hand into hers, and Claire’s heels wobbled underneath her. Probably more famous
for the tabloid stories about his short-term relationships with beautiful
starlets than for his music, he was even more handsome in person than on
television. His strong jawline, dark brown hair, and green eyes rivaled any
movie star’s. Claire
pulled her hand away, hoping they couldn’t see that inside she was doing back flips. “It’s great to meet both of
you. What can we do for you?”
Evelyn
slipped her arm in the crook of his. “Benny
and I wanted to talk to you about a wedding.”
The
spark of hope ignited in Claire’s
chest. They were here to get married! The notorious bachelor was actually going
to settle down. The problems Traditions had competing with the newer chapels
and the fancy hotel wedding services would be over the moment the story of
their ceremony hit the celebrity blogs and news sites. Couples from everywhere
would want to get married in the same chapel as Evelyn Lee and Benjamin Karr.
Benjamin
turned his face toward Evelyn, and a look of discord passed between them. It
looked like the stories about his fear of commitment were more than rumors.
You can find the book on Amazon here!
Hi, Readers! I'm thrilled to announce my latest release - Molly from the Perfect Match Series. It's been an exciting week with the release and watching the reviews and readers response come in. I'm so glad readers are enjoying these characters as much as I did.
A celebrity wedding would save her family’s Las Vegas chapel—as long as she doesn’t fall for the groom.
Meg Mullen's community theater is on the verge of closing if she can't raise the money to save it, but she's running out of time and needs a miracle. Television producer, Elliot Campbell, finds a message in a bottle from the perfect female contestant for his reality dating show. All he has to do is talk Meg into taking the job, convince her to choose one of the contenders, and figure out how to keep from falling in love with her himself.
Julie Jarnagin is a USA Today bestselling author of sweet and inspirational romance. She grew up in a small Oklahoma town where her family farmed and ranched. These days she lives in a not-so-big city in Louisiana with her amazing husband and two young sons who tolerate all her nerdy quirks. Julie earned a B.A. in Journalism / Professional Writing from the University of Oklahoma and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. 
