Author: Rhonda Helms
Title: One Broke Girl (Edgewood Falls #1)
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance
Anna Parker’s life disintegrates with one phone call. Her dad’s selling their ritzy New York City condo because her Wall Street banker mom emptied their bank account and ran off with another man. Which means Anna has to drop out of her elite college and move with Dad back to their small Ohio hometown. Anna’s determined to reclaim her life ASAP, so she’ll use the next few months to save money, help Dad get back on his feet, and find and confront her mom.
But Anna doesn’t anticipate things going so wrong. The only job she can get is working as a lunch lady in an elementary school. Their money-pit duplex is falling apart around their feet. And her dad is depressed without her mom, who’s proving hard to find.
One bright spot in the chaos is Gavin Metcalf, a kindergarten teacher she dated when they were young teens. With his easy wit and sexy smiles, he makes her forget her stresses—and the fact that her boyfriend Steven back in New York doesn’t know the truth yet about her dire circumstances. When past and present collide, Anna has to decide where her future lies…
The song pouring through the speakers changed to a deep, throbbing bass, and the crowd’s mood shifted into a sensual vibe.
“Will you dance with me?” Gavin asked in a sexy tone that made my belly flutter.
I should say no, because I was beyond attracted to this guy, despite my efforts. But I found myself starting to sway. He didn’t touch me, just let the inches of space between us thicken with tension. We moved in silence, eyes locked in an intensity I’d never experienced before. It was like he could see inside me, knew the inappropriate thoughts I was having.
I was so turned on, even as I fought against it.
All too soon, the song ended. With heated eyes, Gavin brushed his fingers along my forearm then turned and walked off the dance floor.
“Wow,” Bianca said as she joined me, tugging Natalie’s hand to draw her into our circle. “That was hot. I almost had an O just watching you two.”
I barked out a laugh as my face flamed. I said to them both in a casual tone, “Oh, he apologized for being a jerk. It was nice of him to do so when he didn’t have to. And he asked me to be his friend, too, which I think is great. Everyone could use more friends, right?” My excuses were paper-thin, a barfing of words, but they were all I had right now, so I clung to them.
Bianca’s grin widened. “Girl, if that’s friendship, I’m obviously making the wrong kind of friends.”
“Will you dance with me?” Gavin asked in a sexy tone that made my belly flutter.
I should say no, because I was beyond attracted to this guy, despite my efforts. But I found myself starting to sway. He didn’t touch me, just let the inches of space between us thicken with tension. We moved in silence, eyes locked in an intensity I’d never experienced before. It was like he could see inside me, knew the inappropriate thoughts I was having.
I was so turned on, even as I fought against it.
All too soon, the song ended. With heated eyes, Gavin brushed his fingers along my forearm then turned and walked off the dance floor.
“Wow,” Bianca said as she joined me, tugging Natalie’s hand to draw her into our circle. “That was hot. I almost had an O just watching you two.”
I barked out a laugh as my face flamed. I said to them both in a casual tone, “Oh, he apologized for being a jerk. It was nice of him to do so when he didn’t have to. And he asked me to be his friend, too, which I think is great. Everyone could use more friends, right?” My excuses were paper-thin, a barfing of words, but they were all I had right now, so I clung to them.
Bianca’s grin widened. “Girl, if that’s friendship, I’m obviously making the wrong kind of friends.”
Q: How did you come up with the idea for ONE BROKE GIRL?
A: I brainstormed the story in an online writing group, first looking for embarrassing/crazy/weird jobs to help me develop ideas. All I knew at that point was I wanted a heroine working a job she never thought she’d do. When someone mentioned “lunch lady,” the story started writing itself. I realized it was going to be a riches-to-rags story with potential for laughs and heartfelt moments.
Q: Who are your favorite New Adult authors?
A: Oh man, I go through big reading spells where I devour a ton of New Adult because I can’t quit it. I love the intimacy and immediacy of the narrative. Some of my fav authors are Erin McCarthy, Lexi Ryan, Caisey Quinn, Tammara Webber, Sophie Jordan, Marilyn Brant, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover… I could go on and on, lol.
Q: What’s your writing routine like?
A: I’m an editor by day, so I typically write in the afternoons or early evenings after my work is done. I write 5-10 pages a day, 5 days a week when I’m in drafting mode. Because I plot out scene by scene beforehand, I can sit down and bang out the story pretty quickly.
Q: What’s next in the Edgewood Falls series?
A: Book 2 is Natalie’s story, coming out in June. I’m working on it now, yay. Book 3 will be Bianca’s story, coming out in August. And if readers love these books as much as I do, I’ll probably write more in the series. I’m loving these so much.
Q: What’s one random/weird fact about you?
A: Oh man, I have tons of quirks. Lol. Probably one of the biggest things is I carry at least 2-3 different lip balms on me at all times…in case I have a dry lip emergency or something, I guess. Hah. I can’t quit my lip balm.
A: I brainstormed the story in an online writing group, first looking for embarrassing/crazy/weird jobs to help me develop ideas. All I knew at that point was I wanted a heroine working a job she never thought she’d do. When someone mentioned “lunch lady,” the story started writing itself. I realized it was going to be a riches-to-rags story with potential for laughs and heartfelt moments.
Q: Who are your favorite New Adult authors?
A: Oh man, I go through big reading spells where I devour a ton of New Adult because I can’t quit it. I love the intimacy and immediacy of the narrative. Some of my fav authors are Erin McCarthy, Lexi Ryan, Caisey Quinn, Tammara Webber, Sophie Jordan, Marilyn Brant, Samantha Young, Colleen Hoover… I could go on and on, lol.
Q: What’s your writing routine like?
A: I’m an editor by day, so I typically write in the afternoons or early evenings after my work is done. I write 5-10 pages a day, 5 days a week when I’m in drafting mode. Because I plot out scene by scene beforehand, I can sit down and bang out the story pretty quickly.
Q: What’s next in the Edgewood Falls series?
A: Book 2 is Natalie’s story, coming out in June. I’m working on it now, yay. Book 3 will be Bianca’s story, coming out in August. And if readers love these books as much as I do, I’ll probably write more in the series. I’m loving these so much.
Q: What’s one random/weird fact about you?
A: Oh man, I have tons of quirks. Lol. Probably one of the biggest things is I carry at least 2-3 different lip balms on me at all times…in case I have a dry lip emergency or something, I guess. Hah. I can’t quit my lip balm.
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Rhonda Helms started writing several years ago. She has a Master's degree in English and a Bachelor's degree in Creative Writing. She also edits for Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin Publishing) and freelance edits.
When she isn't writing, she likes to do amateur photography, dig her toes into the sand, read for hours at a time, and eat scads of cheese. WAY too much cheese.
Rhonda lives in Northeast Ohio with her family.
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Up for grabs: $10 Amazon or B&N gift card; eCopy of All I Ever Wanted (Kindle or Nook version)
Thank you for hosting my blitz!
ReplyDeleteHappy to host a fellow Buckeye! I'm also in Northeast Ohio, and I can't wait to read your books to see if I can pinpoint the town they take place in ;)
DeleteThis sounds like Anna's going to have some serious issues on the table. I'd love to see the showdown between her and her mom! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a sweet and interesting story.
ReplyDeleteInteresting premise
ReplyDelete