Blog Tour: FRENCH KISS by Gloria J. Goldsmith

 

FRENCH KISS

by Gloria J. Goldsmith

 

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GENRE:  Contemporary Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

I was DONE! I ditched graduation, dumped my repressed college boyfriend, and dropped my sexual insecurities for a wild ride with Destiny. Unpredictable Fate beckoned with a European adventure!

 

In a chance encounter, I met Jean Louis. From the instant we met, the dashing young Frenchman soothed my bruised heart, rejuvenated my spirit, and convinced me that leaving my old life was no mistake. Together, we set out to explore southern France.

 

Jean Louis was torn from my life almost as quickly as he had entered it, yet leaving the haunting memory of his caress permeating my every thought. Driven by love and passion, I journeyed to find my lover, even if it meant scouring all the hidden corners of France.

 

Would I ever reunite with the man I believe to be my one true soulmate? Would I ever hear him say he feels the same for me as I do him? What twist of Fate will it take for me to find him?

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

Dan found a path leading up the side of a rocky hill called Mount Puget. After a hundred feet or so, the way branched off into three choices. There were various colored lines painted on the rocks beside the trail. We chose to follow the red route. At first, it was a fairly steep climb, then it leveled out, and we spotted a hole in the rock. Naturally, we had to investigate. The mountain was of dolomite, a soft rock that often has caves. Climbing higher, we found several more caves that morning.

 

We switched path colors and went for yellow because that was what we last found. It was a forty-five-degree rock climb. I yelled to Dan, who was twenty feet ahead of me.

 

“Dan, I think we missed the red marks. All I see is yellow.”

 

“I know. We must have missed it farther back. Let’s see if we can get to the top.”

 

The January wind was so strong we were scaling upward on our hands and knees. My foot slipped; I had had enough. That was as far as I was going. I turned around and sat down on the mountainside.

 

Concentrating on going up, I gave no thought to what was behind me. I was so surprised; all I could do was gasp at the sight. Finally, I yelled, “Dan! Dan! Turn around and look!” I heard him have the same surprise as me at the incredible view. He scrabbled down by me, and we sat admiring the beauty below us.

 

All of Marseille was at our feet. We could see no farther than the tall ridge on the far eastern side of the city, but between the distant crest and Mount Puget, a giant valley floor spilled out into a broad Mediterranean harbor.

 

The roofs of thousands of houses glinted in the bright winter sunshine. The blue colors of the sea ranged from a pale teal to a very dark blue. We feasted our eyes on the beauty of the coastline. Then came the delightful sight—an adventure for the eyes—all sizes of sailboats streaming out of the heart of the old Port of Marseille. The regatta left the harbor with their colorful sails billowing in the wind. They sailed around Les Iles and Chateau d’If—made famous by Alexander Dumas’ setting for The Count of Monte Cristo.

 

Soon the cold winds made us look for some kind of shelter or windbreak.

 

“Nora, look. I thought it was a drop-off, but it’s just a couple feet down to a seat of rock.” We scrambled into the seat and enjoyed the panoramic views while eating our cheese, fresh-baked bread, and sharing the wine.

 

 

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Review: Nora is a college student who’s just been kicked to the curb by her boyfriend—they were on a “break.” At the peak of her sexuality, she begins to question her own attractiveness. It was time to explore her sexuality with other men and Paris seemed to be just the place.

We follow her as she tests out her sexual attractiveness with all these guys. It was rather interesting and we get her views through a nice, easy, diary-style narrative. However, it can be a bit slow and repetitive at times. Some of the dialogue felt superfluous and didn’t really seem to contribute to the story.

It takes a while to get to Paris, but when we finally do get there, we see and experience Europe through the eyes of a “virgin.” What I liked best about it was the travel memoir aspect—being a fish out of water and experiencing a new world.

In this journey, we enter a topsy-turvy world of “He loves me, He loves me now.”

It’s a nice New Adult read overall.

 

Rating: 3 stars

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

As a Special Education teacher, I became fascinated by the English language. I still marvel at how it changes and expands over time. My most pleasurable teaching moments were showing children how a wondrous story can take their imaginations to other times, places, even other worlds. When the pandemic began, I started my first foray into publishing⸺ a nonfiction book, The Sensible Parent’s Little Homeschooler Handbook.

 

My secret pleasure-writing has always been focused on romance. French Kiss is a Contemporary Romance based on a fictionalized version of experiences during eighteen months of living and working abroad before the formation of the European Union.

 

Next year, my first Historical Regency Romance That Wylde Woman will be published.  It has allowed me to indulge my curiosity and enthusiasm for history by incorporating in the storyline a historical geologic event which affected weather and farming and even how England’s war with Napoleon impacted clothing styles.

 

 

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

Website: https://gloriajgoldsmith.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gloriajeangoldsmith/

Email: gjgoldsmithauthor@gmail.com

 

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GIVEAWA:

 

THE AUTHOR WILL BE GIVING AWAY $50 Amazon/BN GIFT CARD

a Rafflecopter giveaway