The Fate of a Crush

 

 

 

The Fate of a Crush

by Marie McGrath

GENRE:   YA Romance

Falling in love with a senior was risky … especially when he was your best friend’s brother.

Allie Duncan started sophomore year with two aspirations, make her school’s volleyball team and keep her crush on Hunter Baylor, her best friend’s brother, a secret. If Mia found out, she would feel betrayed. The crush was useless anyway. Hunter was a star basketball player and she was a nobody. Or so she thought until his attention was piqued after Allie went on the Baylors’ summer vacation. When Hunter goes to homecoming with Allie’s sophomore rival, she’s devastated and her confidence is destroyed, especially after his date tells her the Baylors pity her. Hunter tries to make it up to Allie, which leads to a kiss, leaving Allie confused.

Can she push this crush out of her heart to save her friendship? Or is Hunter worth the risk?

Excerpt:

“You came out to the shore without Mia? That’s dangerous in the dark.”

“So did you.”

“And?”

“And what? I’m some defenseless girl who needs a chaperone?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

I retreated to my flip flops and plopped into the sand. I kept my gaze on Hunter’s back as he stared into the water. Of all the places on the beach, he had to stand at this one? This was my escape from my feelings, and I hated that the other part of me was secretly excited that we were here … alone. What did I expect to happen? I was his sister’s best friend. Some useless sophomore. This was just a convenient spot, directly in front of the house.

I stood and slipped my feet back into my flip flops. “I’m heading back. Have a goodnight.”

“Duncan, wait. I didn’t mean to crash your walk and then insult you.”

“No harm done, Hunter. I should head back anyway.”

“I can walk with you.”

I waved the flashlight, sending it haphazardly across his chest. “I’ll be fine. Enjoy the view.” I turned to walk back.

I would be lucky if I could sleep picturing what could have happened on that beach. What I wished would happen. If only we were different people, and it wasn’t forbidden.

About the Author:

Marie McGrath lives in a small rural town in Maryland. She hopes to inspire others with her stories. Her favorite genres to read are YA Romance and Contemporary Fiction. She loves the color turquoise, tigers, and listening to music.

Q&A With the Author
What did you enjoy most about writing this book? 

I loved the dynamic between Allie and Hunter. It’s something that’s special about the trope: best friend’s brother romance. They know each other and familiar with each other prior to something happening and that magic spark between them is what made this book the most fun to write and then read back. They just fit together differently, then someone you are learning about from school or work and slowly get to know each other. In this story, they’ve been around each other their whole lives. They’ve shared moments together before it “mattered” and now that feelings are involved, it just feels more special.

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about? 

I feel like I am constantly writing and working on new books/ ideas. The next two books I am working on are quite different. The first and farthest along book is a fake dating novel in the same county as The Fate of a Crush. It is a standalone book, but still is around the same area as this book. The other book is a little mermaid retelling that mixes magic and a classic tale in a very different way. This book will be the first of several fairy tale retellings I plan to write.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future? 

The future has many novels planned and hopefully will come to fruition. My focus is on this standalone series: Rosewood County, where it will focus around a specific trope for each book. Some characters will be recognizable from book to book, but they will be able to be read in any order. Of course, if read in publication order easter eggs and little tidbits will be more noticeable. The other focus for future publications are my fairy tale retellings. So far I have outlined ideas for a Little Mermaid retelling, a 3-part Sleeping Beauty retelling, and a Beauty and the Beast retelling. I have always loved fairy tales and can’t wait to step into the fantasy world and put my own spin on them.

How long have you been writing? 

Officially, I started writing in January of 2019. I actually wrote my second novel: The Fall Changes during that time. However, I have had ideas for novels as early as middle school, if not before then. I have always kept a journal/diary and loved the idea of telling stories to help others. Since 2019, I have taken it more seriously and try to write enough to put out at least two books a year.

Anything more you would like to say to your readers and fans? 

Thank you. I am extremely passionate about my stories. This book is special to me, but all of my books hold a dear place. I love stories, especially romance ones, and I thank you for reading them to let me continue doing what I love. To then hear that you enjoy them or like them, is even better. I will always be grateful for that. So, thank you.

Website: https://mariemcgrathauthor.wixsite.com/books

Find her on social media:

@Marie_McGrath

Instagram.com/marie_mcgrath_

facebook.com/MarieMcGrathAut

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/Fate-Crush-Marie-McGrath-ebook/dp/B0BBD42D73/

GIVEAWAY

Marie McGrath will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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