How To Handle A Heartbreaker by Marie Harte-Review, Guest Post and Giveaway
How To Handle A Heartbreaker
The McCauley Brothers #2
by Marie Harte
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance, erotic
Release Date: August 5, 2014
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HOW TO HANDLE A HEARTBREAKER (McCauley Brothers #2) by Marie Harte
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 5, 2014
It’s lust-at-first-sight when Brody Singer first sees Abby Dunn. Abby looks a lot like a woman he once knew, one who died years ago. But Abby’s definitely different—shyer but sexier.
Abby’s still trying to put her last disastrous relationship behind her and overcome the flaws her ex wouldn’t let her forget. But somehow Brody isn’t getting the hint. It doesn’t help that when writing her steamy novels, she keeps casting Brody as the hero.
Only Abby can write her own ending—will she choose her own happily-ever-after, or stay safe in her shell?
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REVIEW: HOW TO HANDLE A HEARTBREAKER is the second instalment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult, erotic McCauley Brothers romance series. This is Brody Singer and Abby Dunn’s storyline. Brody has been and always will be part of the McCauley family and this story will show how that it isn’t the blood that runs in your veins that makes you a family but the love of the people who accept who you are. Although this is the second storyline in the series it can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty-any previous storyline information is revealed where necessary.
The premise follows the building relationship between Brody and Abby. Brody co-owns a plumbing business with his ‘brother’ Flynn McCauley, and web designer Abby Dunn is the woman who has caught his attention. Never one to stick in a relationship for very long, Brody’s attraction to Abby is immediate and unwanted. Brody’s early years have left a mark on his heart and his soul, and he believes that he will never be worthy of anyone’s love and affection. He has a reputation with the women but he has always been a one-woman man.
Abby has a secret –she writes erotic romance novels- and only a few close friends know the truth. When Brody discovers Abby’s secrets she makes him an offer he cannot refuse. Abby’s ex has done a number with her heart and her self esteem, and she is hoping that Brody won’t run away when the truth about what she desires is revealed.
The relationship between Brody and Abby is a friends to lovers storyline although their friendship had always been one of subtle innuendo and teasing. Having met Abby only two years before, all of the McCauley’s see that Brody and Abby have an attraction for one another but in truth Brody is frightened by his feelings and his past. Growing up as part of the tight knit McCauley family has made him feel wanted and loved, but in the end he is still not a part of the family by blood. Brody and Abby’s love scenes are intimate, sexy, arousing and hot. Brody is a plumber who likes to talk dirty in bed.
The secondary characters include the entire McCauley clan-they are colorful, funny, supportive, revealing and complement Abby and Brody. Then there are those characters who will destroy our hero with one look or one word, and if you have a heart, you can’t help but feel for a man whose former life had brought him to hell and back.
Marie Harte has written an emotional and sometimes heartbreaking storyline. There are moments of family love and friendship; humor and brotherly teasing; ugly tears and painful shame. We watch as one man must overcome the shame of his past, the memories of his childhood, and the pain and anguish of the family that destroyed his life.
HOW TO HANDLE A HEARTBREAKER is a story where two people will discover that life is about the here and now; that our past does not define who we are but will only make us stronger in the end.
Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
Reviewed by Sandy
Click HERE for our review of book 1-The Troublemaker Next Door
Developing the leading characters in How to Handle a Heartbreaker
People always ask me how I write. Do I plot it out beforehand or let the characters lead the story? Pantser or plotter?
I’m a little bit of both. For my McCauley Brothers series, I had to send in short synopses of stories two through four. Book one had been accepted, but not the others. So when I started writing How to Handle a Heartbreaker, I had a rough outline of how the characters got from A to Z. That changed a bit when I was writing, but what never changed were the characters and how they reacted to obstacles throughout the book.
I think that even if you’re a pantser, you need to have solid characters. Before I write a story, I know my protagonists inside and out. If I don’t, I find out while writing the story and get stuck in spots. And let me tell you, getting stuck is no fun.
When I wrote How to Handle a Heartbreaker, I’d already introduced Abby and Brody, the main characters, in the previous book, The Troublemaker Next Door. From the start, Abby and Brody had to be more than two-dimensional. Abby is at heart shy and vulnerable, suffering from a bad breakup that made her question her merit as both a woman and a lover. Brody, the hero, is the unofficially adopted McCauley. He’s always felt like less than his brothers because of the abuse he suffered as a child from his biological family. As much as he wants to be loved and acts like he’s Prince Charming, he’s actually hiding insecurity and the feeling that he’s not worthy.
From these vulnerabilities, the characters grow and react throughout all four books. How to Handle a Heartbreaker shows how Abby deals with her attraction to Brody, a man she considers far outside her league. And in Brody’s actions, we see that he’s much more than a blond Adonis with sex appeal, but still that little boy who never thought he’d be good enough.
What makes the characters shine, in my opinion, is how they not only deal with adversity, but how they deal with each other. Family is the key element in this series, and watching the other brothers handle Brody was both funny and heartbreaking. (I admit I cried writing a few scenes, and I never cry.) I had worried about writing a character who’s a writer, since I’m a writer and that can come off as cliché. But Abby is much different than me. (Lucky girl gets Brody!) I could understand her motivations and loved putting her in awkward positions to deal with her reality—not how she perceives things, but as they really are.
I hope you enjoy Abby and Brody. They were a thrill to write about and made my heart happy giving them an ending that fits. Surprisingly, the most difficult part of this book to write was giving Mutt his name. I had no idea what it would be until I came to that point, which struck me as odd considering he was one of my favorite characters in this story. When I learned his name, it all made sense. *grin*
I love How to Handle a Heartbreaker, and I hope you will too.
Thanks for having me, The Reading Café!
~~Marie~~
HE CAN’T GET HER OUT OF HIS HEAD
It’s lust at first sight when Brody Singer first lays eyes on Abby Dunn. The dark-haired beauty looks a lot like a woman he once knew, who died years ago. At first, Brody fears his attraction is a holdover from that secret crush, but Abby’s definitely different. She’s a lot shyer, a lot sexier, and despite her attempts to dissuade his interest, absolutely mesmerizing.
SHE CAN’T GET HIM OUT OF HER BOOKS
Abby isn’t having it. She’s still trying to put her last disastrous relationship behind her and overcome the flaws her ex wouldn’t let her forget. But somehow Brody isn’t getting the hint. It doesn’t help that when writing her steamy novels, she keeps casting Brody as the hero.
Brody is more than happy to serve as her muse and eager to help make sure her “research” is authentic. But when their research turns into something real…will she choose her own happily ever after?
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Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit http://marieharte.com and fall in love.
Marie and her publisher are offering a paper copy of HOW TO HANDLE A HEARTBREAKER to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.
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TRC: The Troublemaker Next Door is the first book in this series. Can you please give us a brief description of this story?