Beverly Jenkins GuestBlog: First Love
CONTEST TODAY: One RCC wins a copy of "Bring on the Blessings!" Rules here
From Michelle: Talk about TGIF! Beverly Jenkins, yet another crown princess of romance is with us today! Last time she and her friends visited RBTB, Beverly had us talking even more like best girlfriends than usual. Today's no different ('cept she's got a gorgeous new novel out -- "Bring on the Blessings" -- that just might woo you toward
some uplifting women's fiction. But, do check out her fab romance, too!). Please give Miss Beverly your warmest "Oh, I remember this boy..." Bella buongiorno...
From Michelle: Talk about TGIF! Beverly Jenkins, yet another crown princess of romance is with us today! Last time she and her friends visited RBTB, Beverly had us talking even more like best girlfriends than usual. Today's no different ('cept she's got a gorgeous new novel out -- "Bring on the Blessings" -- that just might woo you toward
some uplifting women's fiction. But, do check out her fab romance, too!). Please give Miss Beverly your warmest "Oh, I remember this boy..." Bella buongiorno...From Beverly: Hello to the Bellas! It's always great to visit with you, and thanks so much for having me back.
"Bring on the Blessings" is my first venture into women' s fiction (Avon, Jan 27). The story revolves around wealthy divorcee Bernadine Brown and the historic all Black township she buys on eBay.
During the 19th century, Henry Adams was a thriving community founded after the Civil War by Black pioneers. Now, in the 21st, although the legacy remains the town is flat broke. It is Bernadine's dream to rebuild this unique place, and offer it as a haven to a group of foster kids needing a second chance at life.
Blessings has all the elements readers enjoy: romance, family, humor, hope, and the children provide their own Young Adult (YA) arc.
Another thread of the story involves first love. Do you remember that first love? Did he take you to the prom? Did he give your first kiss? Better yet, did he even know you were alive?
All firsts dealing with the heart usually stay with us as fond memories, but what if something you did caused that first love to never want to see you again? It's an issue Lily Fontaine has to contend with when she returns to her home town of Henry Adams as Bernadine's assistant and comes face to face with her old high school sweetheart, now town mayor, Trent July. She knows there is no excuse for what she did to him. Even though decades have passed she is determined to set things right, but he wants nothing to do with her.
I hope you will have as good a time reading "Bring on the Blessings" as I had writing it. In the meantime,
Do you remember your first love? Tell us about it.
Thanks again for having me. B
Ain't It (A) Grand! -- There's more romance fun to be had when you sign up for Michelle's NEW RBTB Newsletter List
here (NOT in the myLifetime sidebar). That way you'll be able to keep utd on the RBTB dl when Michelle and RBTB move from myLifetime Jan 31.
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Who's GuestBlogging soon at RBTB? 27 Lori Foster
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Michelle Buonfiglio loves her husband, two kids and cat. She's passionate about romance fiction and the people who write it and read it, as well as the industry that builds the books. She says romance reading changed her life. More...
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So, I love that young people, especially girls, have the opportunity to read these two YA novels of yours. I think back to my favorite YA, one of my fave books of all time, "The Witch of Blackbird Pond," and how it changed my life as the protagonist's eyes were opened to so many things. Imagine all the young girls' lives that will be changed when they read your books.
Ahhh..my first love. I thought my ex-husband was my first love, but high school sweethearts can sometimes be quite overrated. I think my first love happened by accident. I met him at a car dealership while I was married. I was there as a customer getting an oil change early in the morning. I had on sweats and no make-up. He was a salesman at the time and I was checking out the cars on the showroom floor because this chick digs cars! He approached and asked sales-type questions. I answered like the married woman I was and we left it at that. I didn't show interest and neither did he. Fast forward 1 year and I'm at the dealership again buying a new car and dealing with his cousin. At the time, I didn't know he was still at the dealership and I didn't know I was talking to his cousin. I had recently separated from my husband and it was the end of 1999. His cousin invited me to a party his cousin was having and took me to the body shop to meet him. Guess who comes walking out? My salesman who was now the body shop manager. I couldn't believe it was him and I was now going to his house for a party.
We hung out for about 3 years and remained friends until he passed away in 2006 from lymphoma. I miss him and our talks. We lived 3,000 miles away but still maintained a connection. He was my first love.
(I found the right "love" later in my life and I've been happily married over 23 years!)
Ahh, amore.... My first crush was in the second grade that went on until he moved in the 5th. I was devistated but got over that when a cutie moved in next door. Little girls can be so fickle. ;p
My first real sweetheart was in high school. Started dating as freshmen and broke up senior year. He was a true sweety and got me through the roughest spots of teenage-dom.