Love Tools

November 22, 2022

Love Tools

Bluestone Series Book One

by Isobel Reed

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

What happens when the king of casual meets the queen of picking the wrong men?

Lily is running. From a dead-end job, a neurotic mother and all the losers she dared to date. Moving halfway across the world to Bluestone County seemed like a good idea at the time. So did reopening her estranged father’s hardware store. But now she isn’t so sure.

Small town living has its perks though. Wide-open space, clean air, and sexy cowboys. Well, one sexy cowboy. Jake. Who also just so happens to be the new bane of her existence. At least when he’s not talking, she can admire the view.

Jake is the king of casual. The love of his life has always been his ranch, and that was fine with him. He never really saw the point in long-term. But all that changes when a mouthy, blonde sasses him into oblivion. He should have known she’d be trouble as soon as he laid eyes on her. Now it’s too late. She’s all he can think about. All he has to do is convince her that he’s finally the right man.

Excerpt:

Lily stared at the boarded-up windows and took a deep breath. There was no turning back now. Pulling the keys from her handbag, she unlocked the door and followed the creaking sound of the floorboards into the dimly lit store.

To her surprise the shelves were still stocked and brimming with power tools, each item covered in a layer of dust that had already started to make its way up her nostrils.

“What the hell are you doing here Lily?” she muttered to herself as she ran her fingers across the counter.

To get this place up and running, it was going to be more work than she ever imagined. She just hoped the apartment upstairs was in better condition.

After exploring the shop floor, she went to find out. She followed the beige hallway into the living room, taking a seat on the squeaky leather sofa and looking around. The space was depressing. Habitable but depressing nonetheless.

How could he have lived here for so long, and it still feel so empty?

Furniture was sparse, and other than the chair she sat in, the only other items that remained were a flatscreen TV, a scratched wooden coffee table and a small shelving unit scattered with a few books and a couple of picture frames.

She looked over at the kitchen adjoining the living room and noticed some basic appliances. It felt strange to be in his space. His home. Surrounded by his things. Was there a right way to feel?

About the Author:

Isobel was born and raised in London. She still lives along the River Thames with her husband and her substantial book collection. Ever the hopeless romantic, she fell in love with the genre from a young age and was inspired to write her own stories. When she's not feasting on romantic comedies or binge reading her hoard of contemporary romance novels, Isobel is writing.

Q&A With the Author

Have you ever had an imaginary friend?

No, never. But now I feel like I was missing out. Does talking to yourself count? I still do that now.

Do you have any phobias?

Spiders. Oh God, I hate them. Why do they have so many legs? When I was younger, I visited Tanzania and we were advised to turn our boots upside down before we went to sleep at night, so spiders didn’t crawl into them. One of my friends did not turn her boots upside down (ever the rebel) and guess what? The next morning her boot was home to the biggest spider I have ever laid eyes on! A baboon spider. I still have nightmares about it.

Do you listen to music when you're writing?

Yes, I airplay Spotify to the television and listen to my daily mixes. I like all different genres of music, but my favorite right now is bluesy rock.

Do you ever read your stories out loud?

Yes, when I’m editing. And alone. If my husband is sat next to me on the sofa, I’m not about to start reading out all the flirty or steamy scenes. No one needs to hear the voices I put on either. I’m not about to give him grounds for a divorce.

Tell us about your main character and who inspired him/her.

My friends are the inspiration for most of my leading ladies and Lily is no exception. Like her, they are all strong, funny and a little bit quirky. As for Jake, I apologize in advance for the cheese, but he was inspired by my husband. Like Lily (and most women) I didn’t always have the best luck with men, but you really do learn from past relationships. If I didn’t have such rubbish exes, then maybe I wouldn’t appreciate what I have now quite so much. Like Jake, when my husband decides he wants something, he goes for it. And you have got to love a leading man who knows what he wants.

Social Links:

https://www.facebook.com/isobelreedbooks

https://www.instagram.com/isobelreedbooks/

https://www.isobelreed.net/

https://www.amazon.com/author/isobelreed

https://www.goodreads.com/Isobel_Reed

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/isobel-reed

Buy Links:

AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJZ1QW41

KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-tools

BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-tools-isobel-reed/1142547867

APPLE: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id6443957300