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Marron Kaye wrote her first book at the age of 40 in the midst of the pandemic! A long-time lover of soap operas and romantic fiction, she credits her grandmother for introducing her to the genre. She lives in Toronto, Canada, with her two sidekicks, her dogs Connor and Bella. The geography of Llyn Lakes is loosely based on a town nearby to her family’s cottage, which is her forever happy place.
Lucy likes to have fun. The one-night, no-strings, no-emotions kind. It’s safer that way. If she doesn’t let anyone get too close then they won’t be able to hurt her when they inevitably leave. But lately, this philosophy has left her feeling … a little empty. Unfulfilled. Lonely. Until one drunken night with the man she least expected changes everything. Now she has a chance for the one thing she thought she’d never have. Will she take it?
Noah’s been the outcast, the outsider, for most of his life, desperately seeking acceptance from his wary peers and approval from parents that will never give it. He has to be the best. Always. He has a carefully laid plan for his success … and it’s entirely dependent on maintaining order and routine in every aspect of his life. No surprises – that’s the way he likes it. That is until Lucy’s news throws everything into chaos. And it turns out, he wouldn’t have it any other way.
*This is book 2 in an interconnected series but can be read as a standalone*
Trigger Warning: References to abortion, childhood trauma, violence, and abuse (none actually depicted).
When it’s time for Noah to go he lingers at the door, playing with his car keys. We’re making silly small talk, going over things we’ve already discussed, and reliving the ultrasound for the fifteenth time. He doesn’t really want to leave and I don’t want him to. Neither of us can admit it, though, because we know it’s a bad idea.
“I had fun today,” he says softly.
“Me too.”
“I always have fun with you,” he admits.
“Even when I make you listen to early 2000s rap?”
He snorts and rolls his eyes. “Even then. But I could do with never hearing the thong song ever again,” he says wryly.
I shrug. “Sisqo’s my boy.”
But Noah’s mouth is screwed to the side as he does sometimes, and I know he hasn’t registered my attempt to continue our banter. He’s chewing on the inside of his cheek–a telltale sign that he’s worried or thinking too hard. In this instance, I suspect he’s mulling over something he’s not sure he should say.
I nibble on my own lip while I watch the wheels turn in his mind.
When he locks eyes with me, I know he’s decided to say it and I brace myself for impact.
“You’ve changed my whole life, Lucy. I’ve never been so happy.”
Warmth floods my chest.
“I’m happy too. The baby–”
“Not just the baby,” he interrupts. “The baby is a gift I’ll never be able to thank you for, but … it’s you too. I love spending time with you. You’ve become my best friend, and I wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else. Just wanted you to know that.”
Friends.
Right.
But … just friends? Something about the way he’s looking at me says it’s so much more.
And we both know it.
I can’t find my voice. I can only nod as I stare up into those beautiful brown eyes, so much warmer than they used to be. I think about how much has changed between us. Once there had been angry glares … then eventually, friendly nods. Now we share secret smiles and heated glances. Noah reaches out a hand, lightly brushing my cheek before tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. It bounces back almost immediately and he smiles fondly at the stubbornness of my untamed curls.
I’m not quite sure when he drifted so close, but, now he’s leaning in, his clean fresh scent washing over me. My breath catches and for a brief moment, I think he’s going to kiss me. I lick my lips, lust flaring to life and wetness pooling instantly at my core. My head is screwy but my body sure as hell knows what it wants.
Then … he hesitates.
Something flashes in his eyes and I see the moment he reconsiders. He course corrects, wrapping me up in a tight hug. Then he just holds me there, warm in his embrace and with not an inch of space between us, for a long, long, time.
I studied English at university and took some copy-editing courses as well. I’d always aspired to write a novel but struggled in the past with keeping the motivation and momentum. When the pandemic hit I found myself with more time on my hands as my work had slowed. I decided it was the perfect time to finally attempt to realize my dream – and I did! I wrote my first book that winter.
I mostly like to write in a linear fashion, so I have the whole book loosely plotted by chapter before I start. I say loosely because I do still let things evolve as I go and adjust accordingly, but generally I have the overall plan solidly in mind beforehand. I try to schedule a couple of hours a night to write at least 4 days a week, but this often goes long when I get on a roll.
Reading! I’m also very handy and enjoy DIY home reno projects and gardening. In the warmer weather I love to spend time outdoors swimming, hiking, and boating.
Dinner and drinks with friends!
Haha, dinner and drinks with friends again!
The first book in the series, The Clearing, was inspired by a writing prompt I found online. As I worked to plot it out the other characters, tropes, and storylines just naturally started to take shape. The Beach is book two and it centers around two fairly prominent side characters from book one. I have four books planned now for the series, plus a novella.
Yes! Quite a few details and personality traits of friends and family are reflected in my characters – names too! Lucy, the female main character in The Beach, is partly inspired by one of my best and oldest friends.
Never having been pregnant myself, I had to do a lot more research for this book than I did for my first. I read a ton of birth stories and even signed up for one of those ‘what to expect’ apps that give you daily and weekly updates so that I could portray the character’s experience realistically. I hope I succeeded!
The banter! And the little text exchanges I added at the start of most chapters. I think I succeeded in portraying their unique personalities and senses of humor through those exchanges and … it’s cute, if I do say so myself 😉
Too many to name, but I definitely love the way Claire Kingsley and Devney Perry do their small towns.
I’m mesmerized–hypnotized–by the sight of her.
This is it, the thought hits me. Smacks me right in the face, more like.
This right here.
This is the moment when I fall.
Probably Lucy – she knows how to keep things interesting. Or maybe Riley – I’d ask him where he’s been all this time (no seriously, if he could tell me that would really help me out with the plotting for book 3)!
© Romance me with Books | 2023