Blog Tour: Half Empty by Catherine Bybee: Exclusive Excerpt
About the Book
Title: Half Empty
Author: Catherine Bybee
Release Date: July 31, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Trina Petrov’s marriage-by-contract was
only meant to be temporary. But when tragedy strikes, Trina is left one of the
wealthiest women in the world. To recover from the shock, she takes some time
off in Italy, swearing not to fall for any men while there. But that doesn’t
mean she can’t fall for anyone on the trip home . . .
Country-music superstar Wade Thomas is
lying low in a hotel bar when he gets the cold shoulder from the woman next to
him. He’s used to fans fawning at his boots, and Trina is a refreshing
change—so is the fact that she has no idea who he is.
As things begin to heat up, Trina
discovers that the circumstances of her late husband’s death are not what they
seemed. Now she’s in trouble, and Wade isn’t about to let her out of his sight.
Getting close to love and danger could get them killed . . . or it
could sweep them both off their feet.
RATING/REVIEW: ☕☕☕☕☕ (5 cups for this deceptively sweet contemporary romance that leads into dangerous waters right at the start)
Catherine Bybee always, always delivers when it comes to suspense thrillers. Half Empty might be considered contemporary romance but it’s so much more. The second book in the First Wives series it has an overarching plot carried over from the first book, definitely recommended to read that one before Half Empty to get a fuller appreciation for the whole plot. The romance is between instant and slow since there was dating! But of course the thriller suspense aspect definitely pushed the romance as quickly as the action. Highly recommended if you like your romance with a lot more suspense thriller in them.
Excerpt: Half
Empty by Catherine Bybee
They closed the bar and took their
last round to the hotel lobby.
Wade had to admit he was a bit more
than tipsy, and Trina wasn’t exactly sober. She’d tucked her feet under her on
the lobby sofa as she described Venice in a way that made him want to visit.
“There isn’t one car?” he asked.
“No place for them. You only get
around on foot or boat. Which is probably best to help counter the pasta you
consume while you’re there.”
“So why did you pick Venice?”
Her eyes drifted away, something Wade
had noticed happened a lot when she was lost in thought. A hint of sorrow
quickly came and went, almost as if she caught herself. The smile she flashed
felt forced. “I wanted isolation so I could study.”
“Study?” She rattled off something
that went completely over his head.
Her dark brown eyes glistened with
her smile. “I’m learning Italian.”
Wade blew out a breath. “Oh, thank
God. I thought maybe that last beer was one too many.”
“I like languages.”
“As in many?”
“A few.”
He was happy to speak English. “I’m
impressed.”
“Don’t be. Most Europeans are fluent
in a minimum of two languages.”
“Are you from Europe?”
“No. Born and raised in Southern
California. My grandparents on my mother’s side are from Mexico. Spanish was
always spoken in our home.”
“So you speak Spanish as well?” He
squirmed in his chair.
“Yup.”
“Now I’m feelin’ a bit inferior.”
“Language is my hidden talent,” she
said.
“So how did you end up in Texas?”
Her gaze met his before she wrinkled
her nose and gave a quick shake of the head. “It’s a long story.”
“Which is your way of saying don’t
pry.”
She stretched out her arms. “It’s my
way of saying that we’ve had a pleasant conversation, and bringing up my recent
move will change all that. I’d just as soon keep this light.”
Wade wasn’t expecting her reply. “Now
you’ve piqued my interest.”
“Another time,” she said.
He offered a smile that usually had
women crawling all over him. “Am I going to have that chance?”
“Chance for what?”
“Another conversation.”
Her eyes bored into him as if he
wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. “I told you, I’m not interested.”
He lifted one eyebrow, flashed a
dimple. “What if I told you I was rich?”
She burst out in laughter.
His smile fell.
“Sorry…” She appeared to pull in her
mirth. “You’re gonna have to do better than money.”
“Good lord, woman.”
“Sorry.”
He scratched his head. “I’m famous.”
She bit her lip. “That explains the
arrogance.”
Wade placed a hand on his wounded
chest. “I am not.”
Trina tossed her head back, and her
deep laugh filled the empty lobby. “My name is Wade Thomas, you don’t know who
I am?” Her mimicry of him was off by several octaves.
Her laughter tickled his gut.
“I can teach you the two-step.”
She pinched her lips together, trying
to contain herself.
His pride was starting to dim.
“I’m not bad looking.”
She looked him up and down … twice.
“I’ll give you that.”
He lifted both hands in the air.
“Finally.”
For the span of a full minute, she
stared. Her smile slowly started to fall, and he knew she was talking herself
out of dating him.
“Tell you what. I’m flying home
tomorrow. Private charter, because I’m rich, famous, and arrogant.” He moaned
on that last word.
“And good-looking.”
Now they were getting somewhere.
“I can give you a lift home.”
Trina blew out a breath. “I’m
avoiding going home,” she reminded him.
“And I was thinking I needed a quick
stop in Nassau … where the plane might not be able to leave right away. That
tropical depressed storm and all.”
She pointed a finger in his
direction. “I like the way you think.”
About the Author
New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA
Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee has written twenty-eight
books that have collectively sold more than 4.5 million copies and have been
translated into more than a dozen languages. Raised in Washington State, Bybee
moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After
growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a
registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now
writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite series, the Weekday Brides
series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series.
Social Media Links
Website: http://www.catherinebybee.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinebybee
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2905789.Catherine_Bybee
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