Sunday, February 21, 2016

Meet Natalie J. Damschroder--Author of Aftershocks, Romantic Adventure via Karen Rose Smith




From Natalie J. Damschroder--

Thanks so much for allowing me to visit your blog today, Karen!

To me, Aftershocks is a romance. But then, I have a pretty broad definition of the genre. Do two people fall in love and wind up together at the end? Romance. A lot of people don't share my perspective, but there's a section of readers who do like a little bit of uncertainty added to the basic tropes of the genre. Now, I promise, NO ONE DIES. That's a hard and fast rule. I refuse to read books or go to movies where one of the two main characters dies. (I'm looking at YOU, City of Angels!) But I think it's fun to read or write a book where the heroine doesn't know who she's going to wind up with. Where I, the author, didn't even know until the end! So that's at the core of this book. Zoe's dilemma—does she belong more with the rough-and-tough guy from her past, or the more polished guy from her present?

Because I also like high stakes and lots of adrenaline, this book also has the following things: treasure, trains, bad guys, crazy bad guys, sweet little sisters that need protecting, and a big battle scene. It also has the beach, Boston, and road-tripping, which somehow seem to find their way into a lot of my books! LOL 

So, I'd love to hear from Karen's readers...do you like or loathe a love triangle? I'll see you in the comments!



AFTERSHOCKS by Natalie J. Damschroder



Her past and her present collide with earthshaking results. Who will be her future…assuming she has one?

Sixteen years ago, Zoe Ardmore was abducted and held for a year before she escaped. After struggling to overcome the damage done by that year, she has put it behind her—completely. Her fiancĂ©, Kellen Stone, doesn’t even know it happened. She has a successful career and social life untainted by the past.

Now her abductors have been released from prison, jeopardizing every part of that new life. She took something from them, a treasure they’ll never stop seeking, and they’ve threatened her new family if she doesn’t return that treasure. The problem is that she has no idea where it is. The solution? Grant Neely, the one person who knows everything about that dark time. He’s now a mercenary with the connections and skills to help her resolve this mess. He’s also the man whose proposal she refused ten years ago.

Zoe breaks her engagement and sells her company in an effort to remove the threat hanging over the people she cares about. But the only permanent solution is to find the treasure and destroy it so her enemies have no reason to come after her or anyone else. Grant’s the one man who can help her, even if it means dredging up old feelings. But then Kell shows up, refusing to be sidelined and showing Zoe that none of them are who they seem to be. At the end of her quest will be the hardest decision she’s ever had to make—if she’s around to make it. 


My PhotoAUTHOR'S NOTE: This book defies conventional romance tropes in that it contains a love triangle. Some readers don't like this because of the possibility that the heroine will choose the "wrong" guy. Some love the added excitement of uncertainty. I want every reader to have a great experience when they read my books, so please keep this in mind when deciding whether or not to buy this book. Thank you!






NATALIE'S SOCIAL LINKS:



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Coming in May from Karen Rose Smith...









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USA TODAY Bestselling Author Karen Rose Smith is an only child who delved into books at an early age. She learned about kindred spirits from Anne of Green Gables, solved mysteries with Nancy Drew and wished she could have been the rider on The Black Stallion. Yet even though she escaped often into story worlds, she had many aunts, uncles and cousins around her on weekends. Her sense of family and relationships began there. Maybe that's why families are a strong theme in her novels, whether mysteries or romances. Her 95th novel will be released in 2016.

Readers often ask her about her pastimes. She has herb, flowers and vegetable gardens that help her relax. In the winter, she cooks rather than gardens.  And year round she spends most of her time with her husband, as well as her four rescued cats who are her constant companions. They chase rainbows from sun catchers, reminding her life isn't all about work, awards and bestseller lists. Everyone needs that rainbow to chase.

Karen looks forward to interacting with readers. They can find her at the links below. 


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1 comment:

Natalie J. Damschroder said...

Thanks again for having me today, Karen!