Lisa Emme. Home Again.

Recently, I had the chance to read Canadian author Lisa Emme’s contemporary romance Home Again and enjoyed it. I’m so glad she’s able to visit today and share it with this audience. If you love feel-good romances, add this to your TBR list! Lisa and I shared a book birthday on Feb. 29. Congrats, Lisa!

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Hi, my name is Lisa Emme, and I am a romance writer.  This might surprise some of you because you may know me as the author of the urban fantasy series, the Harry Russo Diaries, but I’ll let you in on a little secret…it’s a romance too.

Honestly, I don’t know how you can tell someone’s story without talking romance, or at least sex – unless they’re a monk or something.  Romance as a subplot can be found in much of mainstream fiction.  Even a sweeping epic like Lord of the Rings, has several romantic subplots.  Relationships are part of the human (or even Elvish, it would seem) condition.

I guess that’s why I’m always a little taken aback when people are surprised that I’m publishing a romance.  As if, with two books published in the Harry Russo Diaries universe, I’ve established myself as an urban fantasy writer and therefore I’m not allowed to write in a different genre.  Say what?

My short response to anyone that says that to me is “I’m self-published.  I can do what I want.” I’m an eclectic reader –  romance, fantasy, PNR, UF, horror, thriller, mystery, to name a few – so why would I only have one type of story to tell?  Quite frankly, my brain can be a scary thing.  There’s always a story or two or four percolating.  When a story is ready, the urge to set it to paper can be overwhelming and whether it’s romance or UF or PNR or something else entirely (I know there is an epic fantasy rattling around in there), I’ll write it and hope that when it’s ready you’ll do me the honour of reading it.  I feel very lucky to have had that opportunity with Harry’s stories and now I have the privilege of releasing Home Again, my first foray into the romance genre.  I’m very happy to be able to share it with you.

I would love to hear from you.  Email me at lisa.emme@mymts.net or find me on social media:

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Home Again
by Lisa Emme

They say you can’t go home again.  Allie Daniels hopes they are wrong, whoever they are.  After a series of misfortunes, she and her small son have come home to the town she thought she had left behind.  She’s just looking for a safe place to raise her son.  The last thing she wants is any more complications.

Mike Finn didn’t roll into town on his Harley looking for love; he just wants to find a place to call home.  Hoping to escape the fast-paced, anonymous life in the city, he’s bought a partnership in the local veterinarian practice.  The small town has a lot to offer – especially after a chance encounter with Allie.

When Mike first sets eyes on Allie, sparks fly.  He knows there’s something there, but the reluctant, single mom is going to take some convincing.  Good thing Mike is a persistent man.  When strange things start to happen around town, his protective instinct is sent into high gear.  It’s just as well, because when Allie starts playing detective, she may find herself in over her head.

Don’t let the sweet cover fool you.  This story brings the heat too.  Intended for a mature audience.  Graphic sexual content and language.

Available now for pre-order. Release date: February 29, 2016

Buy Links:
Kobo, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple

 

Excerpt

Allie’s eyes drifted back to Mike where he stood by his bike, surrounded by Dougie and the boys, all animatedly chattering about the motorcycle.  As if sensing her gaze, he looked up and smiled his 1000-kilowatt smile.

“Holy crap!  Do you see how he looks at you?”  Becky hissed at Allie.  “That man has it baaaad.”

“Oh, don’t be silly.  He’s just being friendly.” Allie waved her friend off.

“No, he wants to jump your bones, no doubt.”  Lori threw a sideways glance at her friend and smiled cheekily.

Choosing to ignore the teasing of her friends, Allie got up and ambled over to the crowd of men and boys.  “Hey Mike.  Glad you could make it.”

“Hey yourself, Allie.  Thanks again for the invite.”  He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek and Allie silently cursed her fair complexion as she felt the heat rush to her face.

Brian clasped Mike on the shoulder. “Hey man.  Want a cold one?” He gestured to the cooler sitting by the barbeque.

“Yeah, sure.  Sounds good.” He paused and smiled at Dougie who was regaling the boys with details of Mike’s bike.

“And it’s a fuel-injected, air cooled, twin cam.”  Dougie rushed along, his eyes full of excitement.

Allie laughed.  How did he remember all that when he couldn’t even remember to flush the toilet? “Okay boys, run along back to your game and leave poor Dr. Mike alone.”  She shooed the reluctant boys away and shook her head with a smile.  Boys and their toys.

Mike bent over the back of his bike and pulled something from the saddlebag.  Allie found herself staring at his ass when he suddenly stood up, catching her mid-ogle.  He smiled at her, a gleam in his eye, and Allie blushed again.

“Here, I didn’t want to come empty-handed, but didn’t really know what to bring.”  He held out a rectangular shaped plastic food container and a bottle of red wine.

“Oh, you didn’t need to bring anything.”  Allie opened a corner of the container and peeked in.  “Mmmm!  Rice Krispie squares.  I love these.  Thanks!”  She smiled up at him and then looked at the label on the bottle of wine.  “Hey, ‘Finn’s Folly’ by Finnovar Estates.  Isn’t that funny?  Did you pick it because of the name?”

“Yeah, something like that.”  Mike shrugged.

“Mike, come on.  I need you to tell this lunkhead what he’s doing wrong,” Brian shouted.

Allie smiled and shook her head, “Go on, or we may never get to eat.”  With a laugh, Mike headed over to the barbeque.

Allie sat down with her friends again, angling her chair so she could watch the men at the barbeque.  The three seemed to have already become fast friends and were now in at heated debate over coals versus gas when it came to the perfect barbeque.  Allie sighed.

“What’s up girl?” Becky asked.

“Oh, I don’t know…”

“You’ve got it bad for him too, don’t you?”

“What? No. Well…” She looked at her friend’s knowing glare.  “Okay. Yeah, I do.”

“So?  What’s wrong with that?  The guy obviously has the hots for you too.”

“I don’t know.  It’s just…”

“Complicated.”  Becky and Lori intoned together.

“Well, it is.” Allie scowled at her friends and crossed her arms over her chest.  “I mean it’s not just me, there’s Dougie to think about too.  And, my life is such a mess right now.  I don’t know what I’m doing or how long I’m even staying – ”

“See?  You’re totally over-thinking again.” Lori wagged an accusing finger at her.  “Why can’t you just enjoy the guy’s company?  It’s not like you have to plan out your entire life this very second.”

“Yeah, but you should definitely plan to get some action from that fine hunk of man.”  Becky leaned forward and with a quick glance at the men whispered, “Do you have condoms?”

Allie laughed and threw a small pillow at Becky.  “You’re incorrigible.”

Lisa Emme bio:

Lisa Emme is a Canadian who proudly ends her ABC’s with ‘zed’. A self-professed book-a-holic, she has spent the last few years trying to stem her book hoarding tendencies by writing her own stories including the popular urban fantasy series, the Harry Russo Diaries, and by avoiding the bargain table at the bookstore like the plague.

A bit of a thrill seeker, Lisa has tried such death defying activities as bungy jumping off a bridge and rappelling down the side of a 17 storey building. She’s also single-handedly raising a teenager.

Lisa has worked as a veterinary assistant, playground instructor, bank teller, store clerk, waitress, telephone solicitor, research writer for an environmental think tank, computer programmer, and systems analyst. Her passion however, is writing.  What else is she going to do during the long, cold prairie winter?