T.I. Lowe returns with her second Carolina Coast contemporary romance and it sounds – and looks – delightful. I’m so pleased to be featuring Tonya and this series on my blog having had the joy of ‘meeting’ her last year when I selected her bestseller, Lulu’s Cafe, for my book club. It was so much fun learning about how her writing career came to be and how God has used that gift to bless so many people. I highly recommend her books and can’t wait to read Driftwood Dreams. The covers for this series are so restful and enticing, and I’m grateful to Tyndale House for a giveaway copy. Be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

Josie Slater has allowed the circumstances anchoring her in Sunset Cove to become a life sentence. Since her mother’s death years before, she’s spent most of her waking hours helping her dad run the Driftwood Diner. As her best friends, Opal and Sophia, make their dreams come true, Josie watches her own art school aspirations drift on by. But when a French-speaking Southern gentleman from her past moves back from Europe, Josie is launched into a tizzy of what-ifs and I-sure-do-hope-sos.

August Bradford left Sunset Cove six years ago to sow some life oats and conquer his ambitious career goals. Finally ready to lay down some roots, the successful artist is back in town and determined to win Josie’s heart. When he enlists Josie’s help in the preparations for a children’s art camp, Josie finds herself unleashing her artistic side in a way she hasn’t since before her mother’s death. August hopes to convince Josie to paint a life with him, but the problem is convincing her to let go of her apprehensions and give him—and her dreams—a fair chance.

Introducing Josie & August

Physical Stats

Height:

Josie Slater: 5’10”

August Bradford: 6’2”

Hair colour & style:

Josie: Long, white-blonde hair with beach waves. August calls her a beach babe.

August: Black hair worn in messy disarray. Usually with splatters of paint highlighting sections.

Eye colour:

Josie: Baby blue

August: Silvery gray. Almost void of any color, which is unique for an artist who lives for color. His eyes need no color to tie Josie in knots.

Dress sense:

Josie: Dresses like the tomboy she is, typically in baggy jeans or cutoffs and T-shirts. Her favorite shoes are a pair of scuffed Converses.

August: He’s a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy and owns nothing that doesn’t have paint stains.

Resembles… 

Josie: Josie could be Charlize Theron’s younger sister. She’s a natural beauty.

August: Josie’s friend Opal says August looks like Superman, aka Henry Cavill.

Can’t live without…

Josie: Her family and friends. They come before any and everything. I’m not saying that’s always a good thing for her.

August: A paintbrush and a dream to chase.

Strengths

Josie: The woman is all about taking care of everyone. She’s compassionate to those in need.

August: He loves big and only wants to be an encourager to those around him. He’s dedicated time and money to several ministries to help the underprivileged and to also help students have access to fine arts.

Vulnerabilities

Josie: She won’t let anyone take care of her.

August: He was abandoned to fend for himself and his younger brother during most of their childhood years. It’s why he wants to love big and has a difficult time accepting when Josie keeps him at arm’s length.

Passions

Josie: Loves pop art and is always doodling intricate designs at every chance.

August: Art and adventure is where it’s at for this charismatic artist.

Both are passionate about family loyalty and would lay anything down for their loved ones.

What book or movie would they recommend?

Josie: She would jokingly recommend the movie Pleasantville to poke fun at a time her silly friend Opal made her dress up in ’50s attire and cruise the beach boulevard in a teal-and-white ’57 Chevy Bel Air convertible.

August: He would recommend the Magic Tree House books. Due to his turbulent childhood, he was basically an illiterate teenager. A librarian used this book series to teach him to read, but it also introduced him to a passion for adventure.

With my two close friends – we are as as tight as the Sand Queens from the Carolina Coast Series!

Your inspiration for the character

Josie: She interested me the most and was also the most challenging to write. Josie comes off as passive and shy, but she’s fiercely loyal. I liked the idea of showcasing a strong heroine who didn’t show off that respected quality in the normal way. Readers will have to give her a closer look.

August: Good ole boys are always inspiring to me. I like showing readers that these types of heroes can be just as swoon-worthy as the brooding bad boy. August is also affectionate. I wanted to spotlight this quality in a genuine proper way through his gentle hugs, soft kisses on Josie’s cheek, and holding her hand. He always respects her by asking permission too. Sigh . . . a good ole boy . . .

Background to the story 

The idea of overcoming circumstances in order to live out dreams and conquer goals inspired me to write this story. Our hero overcomes a childhood of neglect and poverty to pursue his passions, not letting anything get in his way. On the other hand, we have our heroine, who had a wonderful childhood but let go of dreams and goals after she endured a tragedy that left her fighting depression and losing sight of her own life. It’ll give us insight on how differently we can respond to circumstances while never giving up on overcoming them.

Thanks Tonya – love this spotlight!

Tonya “T. I.” Lowe is a native of coastal South Carolina. She attended Coastal Carolina University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she majored in psychology but excelled in creative writing. In 2014, Tonya independently published her first novel, Lulu’s Café, which quickly became a bestseller. Now the author of twelve published novels with hundreds of thousands of copies sold, she knows she’s just getting started and has many more stories to tell. She resides near Myrtle Beach with her family.

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Buy at Amazon: Driftwood Dreams or Koorong

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