With apologies to the lovely Liz Johnson and Revell for my very late posting of this super fun bookchat! It got lost in the mire that was 2020!! I’ve been reading Liz’s books since her debut for Love Inspired Suspense and she has a gift! Contemporary romance is in safe hands 🙂 Not only does Liz dazzle with her character development and sparkling romance, her locations come alive too.

If you haven’t added A Dazzle of Diamonds to your bookshelf, make sure you spend those Christmas gift cards on it and the whole Georgia Coast series!

Over to you, Liz…

BOOKCHAT

Share a little about your characters, Penelope and Tucker.

Penelope and Tucker have been best friends for 25 years. They’ve seen each other through every major life event—Penelope earning her MBA, Tucker’s two tours to the Middle East, and even Penelope’s wedding, which her fiancé failed to show up to. It’s been three years since that terrible day, and now they’re facing the biggest challenge of their lives—clearing Tucker’s family’s name in time to win him an election and save her job.

What drives them in life and relationships?

Penelope cares about people. She’s taken the old adage—love God and love people—to heart. She loves helping strangers have the best day of their lives as their event manager or holding fundraisers to support local charities. Most of all, she loves supporting her best friend Tucker, helping him launch his business and run for office.

Tucker is a protector at heart. He served his country with honor and wants to serve his county as sheriff, protecting it from the other candidate on the ballot. He also wants to preserve his family’s good name and take care of Penelope. So when her ex-fiancé shows up, he’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she isn’t hurt again.

Penelope Hunter loves her job as the events manager at one of Savannah’s premier historic venues–until her ex-fiancé walks into her office with his new bride-to-be. To make matters worse, a scheming social matriarch is intent on seeing Penelope fired, especially if she insists on being seen with Tucker Westbrook.

Since returning from serving two tours in the Middle East, Tucker has built a thriving security company. His work is nearly as stabilizing as his friendship with Penelope, who has been by his side since childhood. But when the lone candidate for county sheriff goads him, Tucker loses his cool and ends up on the ballot–and on the receiving end of a smear campaign claiming the Westbrooks were traitors to the South.

To clear his name, Tucker and Penelope must join forces to find the truth behind a 150-year-old lost treasure. But the more time they spend together, the closer she comes to losing her job–and falling helplessly in love.

Describe your book in 5 adjectives

Funny – in the way best friends tease and laugh

Sneaky – best friends pretending to be more

Flirty – when the pretending turns to falling for each other

Peckish – as in there’s more than a couple really good kisses!

Hopeful – in the reminder that hope is never lost

What is Tucker’s greatest challenge?

Tucker has struggled with a reading challenge his whole life, which made school hard. His father is a doctor, who has always implied that Tucker’s choice to join the Marines instead of attending college made him somehow less than. Even after serving with honor and opening his own security company, Tucker has never felt good enough in his dad’s eyes. And it’s a battle he’s going to have to conquer if he wants to prove to himself that he’s good enough for Penelope.

Tucker and Penelope have been friends from childhood. How does that help their burgeoning relationship? How does it hinder them?

Some couples struggle with communication. Not Tucker and Penelope. They can talk each other into just about anything—and they often do. They genuinely like each other from the beginning. But because their relationship is the most important one in either of their lives, they fear that if their fake relationship becomes real and doesn’t last, they’ll lose what neither of them can afford to.

Share a favourite line or passage from the book that made you smile

I’m such a fan of first lines, and I usually write my first lines long before I’m ready to start on the rest of the book. In this case, the line came to me, and I fell in love.

“Penelope Jean Hunter loved every wedding she’d ever been to. Except her own.”

Which character did you enjoy writing most?

That’s too hard! I loved writing both Penelope and Tucker. But my favorite character to write in the book was a secondary character—Tucker’s Aunt Shirley. She was the best, and I want to be just like her when I grow up.

Which character gave you the most grief?

Both of them were challenging in their own ways. I’m not much like Penelope with her lists and constant organization, so I had to put on a new hat to write that part of her. Tucker is fearless and brave, and I’m a creature of comfort, so I had to take myself out of my comfort zone to get in his head.

What emotions did you experience writing this book?

All of them! But I tend to get really cringey when I witness embarrassing situations. When Penelope accidentally spills a secret, I was so embarrassed for her. Even though I wrote it and knew it was coming! 😊

Share some books you have loved reading this year.

Because I spend so much of my free time writing, my TBR pile is out of control. And most of my reads are from years past. But recently I listened to the audio of The Curse of Misty Wayfair by Jaime Jo Wright—SO GOOD! I was creeped out the whole time (in a good way)! I re-read a couple of Kasie West YA books, which felt like getting a hug from an old friend. In non-fiction, I’m reading Draw the Circle by Mark Batterson, a 40-day prayer journey. I recently finished writing my 2021 release, so I’ll finally be able to dive into Lindsay Harrel’s The Joy of Falling and Sara Ella’s Coral. Both have been in my pile for ages.

What’s in your writing pipeline?

At the moment I’m working through edits on my August 2021 release—the first book in a new series, Prince Edward Island Shores. I’m so excited to take readers back to the island I love with this story about Meg, her high school nemesis Oliver, and the lobster fishing business they both want. Later this fall, I’ll start writing the second book in the series about Oliver’s brother Eli. And in the meantime, I’m working on re-releasing my first three romantic suspense novels, which have been out of print for a while now. It’ll be a fun year!

Liz Johnson is the author of more than a dozen novels, including A Sparkle of Silver, A Glitter of Gold, The Red Door Inn, Where Two Hearts Meet, and On Love’s Gentle Shore, as well as a New York Times bestselling novella and a handful of short stories. She makes her home in Phoenix, Arizona.

Relz Reviewz Extras
All Things Johnson @ Relz Reviewz
Visit Liz’s website and blog
Buy at Amazon: A Dazzle of Diamonds or Koorong

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