Straight Reading from the Library - December Wedding by Emelle Gamble

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Emelle will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC plus a digital copy of December Wedding to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during this tour and the Virtual Book Tour, here. A $25 Amazon GC will be awarded to a randomly drawn host also between the two tours.  Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour. 

READ THE BLURB

Molly Harper is a movie star who fans think ‘has it all’. Cruz Morales is Molly’s true love, and he hates the media intrusions into their life. Molly and Cruz are going to have a baby. And throw a secret wedding for her brother Harry. What could go wrong? Read DECEMBER WEDDING, the sequel to DUETS and MOLLY HARPER, and find out if there really is a happy ever after for Molly and Cruz.





MY REVIEW

What a sweet conclusion to the Molly Harper series. This short novella is just a feel-good kinda read. There are a couple of tense moments, but there are no major conflicts in this book.

This could be a read alone, but the reader will enjoy it so much more if she has read the others in the series first. It wouldn't hurt to read other of Ms. Gamble's books as well, because there are subtle nods to them in this book --it always makes me smile when she does that.

At just 100 pages, DECEMBER WEDDING can easily be read  in one sitting-- so grab a cup of tea or a glass of wine, settle back, and enjoy Molly, Cruz, and the rest of the family in this really great wrap up.  5 stars.

READ AN EXCERPT

“Hello, Dr. Morales,” a woman called out.

Cruz stopped and looked to his right. In the side yard, at a small teak table where the gardener did the potting, a dark haired woman sat smiling at him. She was glossy and pretty, wearing an acid yellow dress. He recognized her from the TV.

The reporter. Diane something.

“Hi.” He walked over and extended his hand. “Call me Cruz.”

“Nice to meet you, Cruz. I’m Diane Kinsey.” They shook hands.

“I know. Have you finished with the interview?” He let his arms relax at his side, aware the woman was cataloguing everything about him. Dusty jeans. Old boots. Hair that needed cutting. Good thing she can’t see the titanium plate in my skull, he thought.

“Just about. The crew is doing some lighting work, but I’m done grilling your lady, until tomorrow. I’m sure you’re relieved to hear that.”

Cruz’s neck tightened at the woman’s use of ‘your lady’. “Very relieved.”

“I wanted to be the first to tell you that we made some news today. Molly acknowledged that you’re her baby daddy. She said she’ll confirm you are the father when we film the final interview,” Diane said. “I guess congratulations are in order.”

“She did?” All his defenses went up. Molly warned himt she might give the news to the press, but he wondered if the woman was trying to trick him.

“Scout’s honor.” Diane stood and crossed her heart quickly and then held-up her hand. “You already have a child, don’t you? Jesse, is it? Does he live with you and Molly?”

“I’m not answering questions about my son,” Cruz said.

“Oh, okay. Sorry.” She smiled brightly. “I just asked for background, to fill out the story in my mind. I know you never married Jesse’s mother...” she paused, “did you?”

“No comment.”

“Oh come on, it’s public record. I could check.”

“Be my guest.” Cruz narrowed his eyes. “But keep my son out of your story.”

“Oh, of course. I already promised Molly I would. I’m a mother myself, and I understand how you both feel.”

Cruz crossed his arms across his massive chest. He knew his size and the scar that ran along the left side of his face were intimidating to people. Sometimes it bothered him.

Today it didn’t.

He waited.

Diane took a deep breath. “I am a little bit upset, however, that Molly won’t admit that the wedding she’s having here next weekend is yours. That would be such fun news for her fans to share!”

Cruz cracked the knuckles on his left hand and stared at the journalist. “We’re not getting married next weekend.”

“No?” Diane smiled provocatively. “Would you tell me if you were?”

“No.”

“Well then, can you tell me who is getting married here? Bake Glory bakery swears they’re delivering a wedding cake next Friday. And Lana Del Ray’s people say she’s singing at a private engagement in Montecito during Thanksgiving weekend. So someone important is getting married around here.”

“No comment.”

Diane laughed. “You’ve got that down, Cruz. Care to wager how many times you’ve had to say that since Molly divorced Ben Delmonico?”

“Too many.” His voice was harsh, too harsh, Molly would chide. The woman had flinched at his tone and volume.

Cruz cleared his throat, reminding himself that since he’d recovered from the accident, the anger he felt at the invasion of his privacy had to be controlled. He just had to slow his brain down, relax.

Molly could handle these jackals, but so could he. He just had to remember not to get emotional. “It was nice to meet you, Diane. Do a great job with your story. Molly worked very hard on her new movie, and she’s excited to be talking about it. I’d like you to remember, if you can, that she tires easily these days.”

“Of course I will. You love her very much, don’t you?” Diane took two small steps closer and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s written all over you. I’m happy to see that, too. Molly suffered so much these past couple of years, thanks to that snake she was married to. She deserves to finally have a man like you.”

Cruz didn’t believe the woman cared at all about Molly. She was baiting him. He wasn’t going to bite and give her a quote about his feelings for Molly that she would cheapen by sharing with the world.

“Have a good day.” Cruz nodded and began to walk away.

“Cruz, is it by any chance Molly’s brother who is getting married next Friday?” Diane asked suddenly.

Cruz turned slowly and stared at her. “What brother?” It was the wrong thing to say, he realized too late.

“Molly said she was hosting a family event. But she doesn’t have much family, does she? So if it’s a wedding...”

Cruz blinked, but said nothing.

“When she said that, it didn’t make any sense to me. Because her only brother, Jason, is already married, right? Does Molly have another brother we don’t know about?” Diane’s green eyes glowed.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Emelle Gamble became a writer at an early age. As ‘M.L. Gamble,’ she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin Intrigue. She is now self-publishing and also working with Soul Mate Publishing who have released two romantic women’s fiction novels, Secret Sister, in July of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an April 2014 release.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Gamble’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. Emelle celebrates the adventurous spirit of readers, and hopes each will enjoy the exciting and surprising journeys her characters take.

Emelle welcomes any reader interested in emailing her at emellegamble@aol.com and hopes they will visit her website, www.EmelleGamble.com , her FaceBook page: https:// www.facebook.com/Emelle.Gamble or follow her on Twitter @EmelleGamble.