A new business. The wedding of the year. But when a health scare jeopardizes their plans, can Steven and Rose learn to dance or will this be their swan song?One double shift too many makes Rose an unhappy nurse, but all that overtime will not only help fund her upcoming nuptials, it might earn her the coveted head nurse position as well.
But when Steven suffers a health emergency, suddenly all of their plans—and finances—are thrown into a tailspin. Postponing the wedding makes the most sense, but Steven won't hear of it. Rose fears if he doesn't slow down, he'll make her a widow before she ever becomes a wife. As questions arise over whether they'll ever take that walk down the aisle, can a pair of swans help them find their way back to each other?
When Swans Dance continues the emotional saga of The Love Birds women’s romantic fiction series. If you like spunky heroines, tenacious heroes, and stories of rekindled love then you’ll adore Katie Eagan Schenck’s bittersweet tale.
Buy When Swans Dance to learn the steps today!
What inspired you to write this book?
After I wrote When Cardinals Appear, I realized I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to the characters. I’d also received a kind rejection letter from an agent that made me realize I had written a book that was so much than a romance. Between Cardinals’ elements of women’s fiction and family saga, I wondered what other stories I could tell about the McAllisters.
Then I remembered a video I had seen a while ago of two swans who had been separated when one of them took ill. When they were reunited weeks later, they shared a sweet dance together. I later learned that this is considered their mating dance, but it’s also used to strengthen their bond. The Love Birds trilogy is inspired by different bird species that mate for life, and I already had my eye on swans as one of the birds I would use in my stories.
Since the swans in the video were already a matched pair, I thought they would be perfect to represent Steven and Rose. At the end of When Cardinals Appear, Lanie’s brother, Steven, is on the precipice of marrying Rose. Weddings almost never go as smoothly as we would like, but I imagined there might be more to this particular wedding story.
Steven was pretty well established as a workaholic in the first book, and with his new law firm, it’s not hard to imagine how stressed out he is. So, I began to ask “what if” questions. What if Steven’s focus on his business causes him to neglect his health? What if his workaholic tendencies are already putting a strain on his relationship with Rose? And what if that strain becomes exacerbated after Steven has an accident?
As with When Cardinals Appear, I wanted to incorporate the bird in the title into the story; however, the swans serve a different purpose in When Swans Dance than the cardinal did in the first book. Here, the swans are meant to parallel Steven and Rose’s relationship. The familiar themes of family, second chances, and love are explored here, but there’s a deeper dive into the true meaning of commitment that I hope resonates with readers.
Then I remembered a video I had seen a while ago of two swans who had been separated when one of them took ill. When they were reunited weeks later, they shared a sweet dance together. I later learned that this is considered their mating dance, but it’s also used to strengthen their bond. The Love Birds trilogy is inspired by different bird species that mate for life, and I already had my eye on swans as one of the birds I would use in my stories.
Since the swans in the video were already a matched pair, I thought they would be perfect to represent Steven and Rose. At the end of When Cardinals Appear, Lanie’s brother, Steven, is on the precipice of marrying Rose. Weddings almost never go as smoothly as we would like, but I imagined there might be more to this particular wedding story.
Steven was pretty well established as a workaholic in the first book, and with his new law firm, it’s not hard to imagine how stressed out he is. So, I began to ask “what if” questions. What if Steven’s focus on his business causes him to neglect his health? What if his workaholic tendencies are already putting a strain on his relationship with Rose? And what if that strain becomes exacerbated after Steven has an accident?
As with When Cardinals Appear, I wanted to incorporate the bird in the title into the story; however, the swans serve a different purpose in When Swans Dance than the cardinal did in the first book. Here, the swans are meant to parallel Steven and Rose’s relationship. The familiar themes of family, second chances, and love are explored here, but there’s a deeper dive into the true meaning of commitment that I hope resonates with readers.
“Steven?” she called. The late-summer-evening sun poured into the room from behind her, basking the hallway in an orangey hue.
No response came, but the distinct sound of keys clacking on a keyboard drifted down the hall. Unbelievable. She prepared to catch him in the act.
Sure enough, Steven scrambled to shut his laptop as she entered the living room. He was in his chair beside the couch. His hazel eyes widened, and he bit his lower lip in quite possibly the guiltiest expression she’d ever seen. If she wasn’t so angry, she might have laughed.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She crossed her arms.
“Nothing,” he said a little too quickly. “I mean, it’s not what it looks like.”
“It looks like you’re working.” She raised an eyebrow.
“Not really. I mean, I’m trying to catch up on email, I swear.” He raised his hands as if in surrender. “I’m not working on any briefs or pleadings, nothing that would cause me undue stress.”
She scoffed. “Knowing some of your clients, I find that hard to believe.”
With a wry smile, he slid the laptop onto the coffee table. He moved over to her cautiously. When he grabbed her hand and began pulling her into his lap, she stiffened, and he released her with a frown.
“What are you doing here?” He searched her face.
“I came to finish our argument,” she said coolly, narrowing her eyes. “But it appears we’re about to have another one.”
He sighed. “I told you Lanie brought the laptop here so I could catch up on work.”
“No.” She jabbed him in the chest. “Lanie brought the laptop home to write the advertisement for a law clerk, which you’ve done. She should have taken it back to the office where it belongs.”
“Be reasonable, Rose,” he whined. “I can’t just sit here day in and day out doing nothing while my business goes to hell.” He leaned closer to her, both eyebrows raised in a challenge. “Do you want me to fail?”
That caught her off guard, and she staggered back. “Of course not, but I don’t want your heart to either.”
Taking her hand, he placed it on his chest. His pulse pounded beneath her palm. “It’s still ticking.”
A faint smile pulled at her lips before she could stop it. She tried to rearrange her features into a sterner expression. “For now.”
But Steven took advantage of her faltering anger and brushed his hand over her cheek. She started to pull away, but he slid his other hand around her waist, pulling her into his lap and kissing her.
“Not fair,” she murmured against his lips.
He chuckled and released her. “But the best part of fighting is the making up.”
“You assume we’re done fighting,” she retorted as she stood and put her hands on her hips.
“I took a nap earlier, and I’ve taken multiple breaks. I promise you, even though I’m working, I am heeding Dr. Myers’s advice.”
Rose was losing the battle, but she held on to the last shreds of her aggravation at finding him typing away like he hadn’t just suffered a heart attack. “How long a nap?”
His gaze went to the ceiling. “I didn’t time it.” After a quick glance over his shoulder, he turned back to her. “But I’d guess maybe forty-five minutes?”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “I suppose that’s better than nothing.”
“And I have an idea for how to pay off the remaining balance for the wedding, though it might not be easy.”
Despite her apprehension about the direction of the conversation, she laughed. “What do you propose?”
“Mr. Willoughby,” he said. Her face must have betrayed her shock and misgivings because he hurried on. “I spoke to him this afternoon. While he’s still not happy with me for not taking his calls, he was much more focused on the latest response from his wife. She was open to the settlement I had sent her before my accident, but she had some minor adjustments, which he is, of course, blowing out of proportion.” Steven let out an exasperated sigh. “He’s bound and determined to take this to court, and that means if I can keep him happy, he’ll owe me an even larger retainer fee than what he’s already paid.” His teasing grin melted her heart. “The irony is he may single-handedly ensure our marriage through his divorce.”
She giggled, then her face fell. “But he’s your most demanding client.”
“And the law clerk will help alleviate some of that demand.”
“It’s a start,” she admitted.
Slipping his arms around her waist again, he pulled her close. “Can we make up now?”
No response came, but the distinct sound of keys clacking on a keyboard drifted down the hall. Unbelievable. She prepared to catch him in the act.
Sure enough, Steven scrambled to shut his laptop as she entered the living room. He was in his chair beside the couch. His hazel eyes widened, and he bit his lower lip in quite possibly the guiltiest expression she’d ever seen. If she wasn’t so angry, she might have laughed.
“What do you think you’re doing?” She crossed her arms.
“Nothing,” he said a little too quickly. “I mean, it’s not what it looks like.”
“It looks like you’re working.” She raised an eyebrow.
“Not really. I mean, I’m trying to catch up on email, I swear.” He raised his hands as if in surrender. “I’m not working on any briefs or pleadings, nothing that would cause me undue stress.”
She scoffed. “Knowing some of your clients, I find that hard to believe.”
With a wry smile, he slid the laptop onto the coffee table. He moved over to her cautiously. When he grabbed her hand and began pulling her into his lap, she stiffened, and he released her with a frown.
“What are you doing here?” He searched her face.
“I came to finish our argument,” she said coolly, narrowing her eyes. “But it appears we’re about to have another one.”
He sighed. “I told you Lanie brought the laptop here so I could catch up on work.”
“No.” She jabbed him in the chest. “Lanie brought the laptop home to write the advertisement for a law clerk, which you’ve done. She should have taken it back to the office where it belongs.”
“Be reasonable, Rose,” he whined. “I can’t just sit here day in and day out doing nothing while my business goes to hell.” He leaned closer to her, both eyebrows raised in a challenge. “Do you want me to fail?”
That caught her off guard, and she staggered back. “Of course not, but I don’t want your heart to either.”
Taking her hand, he placed it on his chest. His pulse pounded beneath her palm. “It’s still ticking.”
A faint smile pulled at her lips before she could stop it. She tried to rearrange her features into a sterner expression. “For now.”
But Steven took advantage of her faltering anger and brushed his hand over her cheek. She started to pull away, but he slid his other hand around her waist, pulling her into his lap and kissing her.
“Not fair,” she murmured against his lips.
He chuckled and released her. “But the best part of fighting is the making up.”
“You assume we’re done fighting,” she retorted as she stood and put her hands on her hips.
“I took a nap earlier, and I’ve taken multiple breaks. I promise you, even though I’m working, I am heeding Dr. Myers’s advice.”
Rose was losing the battle, but she held on to the last shreds of her aggravation at finding him typing away like he hadn’t just suffered a heart attack. “How long a nap?”
His gaze went to the ceiling. “I didn’t time it.” After a quick glance over his shoulder, he turned back to her. “But I’d guess maybe forty-five minutes?”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “I suppose that’s better than nothing.”
“And I have an idea for how to pay off the remaining balance for the wedding, though it might not be easy.”
Despite her apprehension about the direction of the conversation, she laughed. “What do you propose?”
“Mr. Willoughby,” he said. Her face must have betrayed her shock and misgivings because he hurried on. “I spoke to him this afternoon. While he’s still not happy with me for not taking his calls, he was much more focused on the latest response from his wife. She was open to the settlement I had sent her before my accident, but she had some minor adjustments, which he is, of course, blowing out of proportion.” Steven let out an exasperated sigh. “He’s bound and determined to take this to court, and that means if I can keep him happy, he’ll owe me an even larger retainer fee than what he’s already paid.” His teasing grin melted her heart. “The irony is he may single-handedly ensure our marriage through his divorce.”
She giggled, then her face fell. “But he’s your most demanding client.”
“And the law clerk will help alleviate some of that demand.”
“It’s a start,” she admitted.
Slipping his arms around her waist again, he pulled her close. “Can we make up now?”
She has a promise to keep. But when her plans are thrown into a tailspin, will a persistent red bird show her how to let her dreams take flight?
With fate constantly throwing the man her mother always hated in her way, Lanie can’t seem to shake the wounds of the past. And when her current love makes a serious misstep and she discovers her ex harbors a secret, she starts to rethink what will make her truly happy.
Questioning her vow to her mother to never look back, is the cardinal a clue Lanie’s true happiness is hiding in plain sight?
Neither expected to fall in love again. But together they might just discover that the love of their lives came later.Max McAllister swore off love before the ink was even dry on his divorce papers. Between his attempts to salvage the strained relationship with his daughter and rekindling his passion for woodworking, he doesn’t have time for the drama that romance brings.
Carissa Owens has finally found her footing again after losing her husband five years ago. Her wedding business is thriving and she has her sights set on expanding to corporate events—if she can secure a meeting with a lucrative new client.
But when Max’s daughter hires Carissa to plan her wedding, he insists on being involved in every aspect of the process, ruffling Carissa’s feathers. As they spend more time together, an unexpected attraction sprouts wings. That is, until Max reveals a surprise for his daughter that puts Carissa’s professional reputation at risk. Can they find a way to dovetail their plans or will their budding romance have a crash landing?
💕 To be released December 26 💕
Katie Eagan Schenck writes sweet romance and women’s fiction that warms the heart and gives all the feels. She has an MFA in creative writing from Queens University of Charlotte and her debut novel, A Home for Christmas, was released in October of 2022. When she's not writing she's either drafting regulations for the federal government, baking delicious treats, or binging Hallmark movies. She lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter, and their three cats.
Win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!
Comment at a different blog each day for more entries!
Click Here for the list!
Click Here for the list!
Enter daily!
💕 Below is a third-party ad 💕
(Google gives me a small commission if you click on ads)
(Google gives me a small commission if you click on ads)
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.
ReplyDeleteSounds good.
ReplyDeleteI am really liking the cover on this one!
ReplyDeletesounds so good.
ReplyDeleteI love the birds in the titles. It sounds so good.
ReplyDelete