Dream Vacation…Writer’s Style by Melissa McClone

Dream Vacation…Writer’s Style by Melissa McClone

With three kids, pets, bills, and deadlines, the odds of me taking a luxurious vacation in a far off land (or winning the lottery so I could afford to do this) are slim-to-none. But that doesn’t stop me from daydreaming or adding exotic places to my bucket list. I won’t be tied down forever, right?

That bucket list provided me with the perfect place—Fiji—to research and plan a romantic vacation…for two of my characters who win a honeymoon trip complete with new wardrobes in my book THE HONEYMOON PRIZE!

I’d spent my honeymoon in Antiqua and Grenada so this brought back fond Caribbean memories, but I’d never been to the South Pacific so I watched scoured resort websites, read blogs, and scoured websites in order to create just the right locale for two friends to fall in love. Here’s my heroine Addie’s first impression of the place from the air:

The seaplane made a pass around Starfish Island, giving her a bird’s eye view of her vacation home for the next ten days. She stared in wonder at the gorgeous sights below: white beaches, several hidden among rocky coves, lush greenery and rolling hills on the island’s interior and clear, blue water all around. “This is the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. I need to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

I may have gone overboard in the research, but it was so fun reading about various resort amenities from paddle-boarding to couple massages. I also ended up with a secondary character when I read about Bure Mamas who see to guests needs. Meet Mama Lani:

A large woman wearing a long blue dress greeted them outside their bure, a thatched roof cottage surrounded by palm trees and sand. “Welcome, welcome. I am Lani, your bure Mama. Call me Mama Lani. I will see to all your needs while you are on Starfish Island. You will have the most romantic honeymoon ever.”

Mama Lani took care of my couple in typical ways, but also dispensed no-nonsense advice and shared her wisdom.  

Of course, not everything is as perfect as the honeymoon couple imagined. There are strings attached to their prize. Of course, neither read the fine print when they signed the entry forms. Oops! But sometimes the best things that happen on vacation are unexpected.

He needed a wife.

She needed a home.

A completely platonic arrangement.

When sexy, single bodyguard Nick Cahill and his childhood friend, sweet and jobless Adelaide Sinclair, agree on a marriage solely for convenience, they have no idea what's in store. Winning an unexpected dream honeymoon turns into a nightmare when they find a reality TV crew waiting for them on the island paradise. With cameras rolling, filming their every move, the lines blur between fantasy and reality. Acting like passionate newlyweds wreaks havoc on their platonic agreement.  Will Nick and Addie succumb to their feelings off camera, turning their make-believe marriage into a real fairytale?

If you’d like to escape to Starfish Island with Addie and Nick, you can find The Honeymoon Prize at major eBook retailers:

Kindle: http://melissamcclone.com/THP_Kindle

iBooks: http://melissamcclone.com/THP_iBooks

Nook: http://melissamcclone.com/THP_NOOK

Kobo: http://melissamcclone.com/THP_Kobo

GooglePlay: http://melissamcclone.com/THP_GooglePlay

COMMENT & WIN!

 Do you have any dream vacation places you’d like to visit? Tell me and I’ll pick a winner from the comment section to receive a $5 Starbucks e-Card. 

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author, Melissa McClone has published over thirty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three school-aged children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds and cats who think they rule the house.

 

Contact links:

Website: http://www.melissamcclone.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaMcCloneBooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/melissamcclone

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/melissamcclone/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/292027.Melissa_McClone