After the Red Carpet

 

 

AFTER THE RED CARPET

Patricia Leavy

GENRE:  Contemporary Romance

 

For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”

After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?

In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.

Enjoy an Excerpt:

“Socrates basically argued that love was bullshit. He was fancier about it, so I’m paraphrasing,” Marni said as the others laughed. “But I’m serious. He philosophized that we only want what we can’t have, and thus it’s always fleeting, never deep. I know this puts me in the minority in our romance-obsessed culture, but I think he was on to something.”

“Of course you do,” Ella replied with a giggle.

Marni shrugged and helped herself to another stuffed grape leaf off the Greek meze platter Ella prepared for their meeting. “These are delicious. The hummus too. I so love it when you host our club. I’m the worst.”

“Nonsense. Who doesn’t enjoy stale crackers and tap water? And so clever to use toilet paper in lieu of napkins,” Ella joked.

Jade laughed, covering her mouth.

Dante looked at Marni. “When you’re done gorging yourself, try to remember that we’re supposed to be inspiring Ella for her book project. Your doom and gloom is more likely to put her off the whole thing.”

“First of all, you went to town on that olive tapenade,” Marni rebuffed, giving him the side-eye. “Second, what can I say? I’m a realist. Besides, take a look around. We’re basically having this discussion in Prince Charming’s castle, and Ella’s growing another one of his love children as we speak. I don’t think she’s falling off the romantic love bandwagon anytime soon.”

Ella smiled and touched her belly. “Fear not, I am resistant to the pessimism. These days, I feel especially hopeful.”

“That may be the pregnancy hormones talking,” Marni quipped.

Ella smirked.

“I’m a terrible friend, I admit it. Seriously, how have you been feeling?” Marni asked.

“Never better. I can feel our little one fluttering around. I’ve hardly had the time to write a thing because I want to give Betty as much attention as possible before she has to share me, but I do feel inspired. It’s strange because I used to think of love as something we want for ourselves, but now . . .”

Marni raised her eyebrows.

“I’m not sure. All I do know is that I feel consumed by love, and it’s all directed at my family. Being with them, nurturing them, experiencing life with them.” She crinkled her nose and shook her head. “It’s the way I feel most alive.”

“Sounds like you’re an Aristotle girl. He believed that love requires us to focus on what is best for the other, not ourselves. There’s nobility in that, beauty,” Dante said.

“But to do that, he believed we must first love ourselves so that we can best love others,” Jade added.

“Ah, finally something I can get behind,” Marni said. She turned to Ella and asked, “What do you think?”

“Wouldn’t that create a dialectical? If we focus on what’s best for those we love, then they would simultaneously be focusing on what’s best for us. It’s reciprocal,” Ella said.

“When you cut through it all, the question becomes: is love about focusing on what’s best for others, or should self-love come before all else?” Marni said.

“Maybe that’s not really the question.” Ella leaned back on the sofa. “Perhaps it’s more complicated. I think the question is: when it comes to love, is it even a question of self and other, or something else entirely?”

About the Author:

Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than one hundred book honors. Her last novel, The Location Shoot, was featured on Ms. Career Girl‘s “10 Perfect Books to Get Your Fall Reading List Started” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in 4 categories: Contemporary Novel, Pop Culture Fiction, Romance and Summer Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.

Q&A With the Author: 

Who is your favorite author and why? 

This is an impossible question partly because I know so many authors and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. Recently I’ve enjoyed novels by Sarahlyn Bruck, Meg Donahue, and Colleen Hoover. In each case, I was sucked into the story and found the book hard to put down. 

What is something unique/quirky about you? 

I literally sit at my computer everyday crying hysterically or laughing at something I wrote. It doesn’t even feel like I wrote it because I get so swept up in the emotions.

What was your inspiration for writing this book? 

This is the second novel that follows Ella Sinclair and Finn Forrester. In The Location Shoot, they meet on a film set in Sweden and fall in love. In one of my favorite scenes, they take a sweet bubble bath together and talk about their dreams for the future. The book ends with the pair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. So, I wanted to write another book to explore what happens “after the red carpet” and whether their romance unfolds the way they dreamt it would. It’s very much a book about what happens to us when “me” becomes a part of a “we.” How do you build a life with someone? What does partnership mean? How do you retain your identity? What does love look like and feel like over the long haul? Of course, because it’s a Hollywood-themed romance, all these questions are explored in a very sweet, aspirational, fairy tale kind of story.

What did you enjoy most about writing this book? 

This book is warm, cozy, and so full of love. Each day, as I was writing it, I felt like I was being wrapped in a huge hug. I hope that’s how readers feel when they read it. 

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

My novel Shooting Stars Above is the first book in a romance series I’ve written. It will be out in March 2025. For fans of After the Red Carpet, Ella and Finn’s story continues in a final book coming out in September 2025 but we’re keeping the title under wraps for now. One tidbit, it takes place thirty years after The Location Shoot.

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

I can’t express how much I’ve loved writing Ella and Finn’s story. They’ve taught me a lot about the magic of love and the comfort of partnership. If you’re looking for a joyful escape, I hope you’ll check out their romance. 

Buy Link: 

https://www.amazon.com/After-Red-Carpet-Patricia-Leavy-ebook/dp/B0D3FJGP55/ref=sr_1_2

Website:  

https://patricialeavy.com/

GIVEAWAY

Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Be sure to visit the other tour participants for more opportunities to win.

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