Please welcome Shirley Jump to Book Reviews & More by Kathy.
Kathy: Thank you so much for chatting with us today. Can you tell us a little about your new release, The Secret Ingredient for a Happy Marriage?
Ms. Jump: Thank you so much for having me! I loved writing The Secret Ingredient for a Happy Marriage. It’s the second book in the O’Bannon sisters’ series, and picks up where The Perfect Recipe for Love & Friendship ended. This time, it’s about “perfect” sister Nora, whose life has fallen completely apart at the beginning of the book. She’s lost her home, her family, pretty much everything. She has to face some hard truths about herself and her life in this book, and also deal with an overbearing mother and running the family bakery.
Kathy: What do you think Nora’s best trait is? What would you consider to be her worst?
Ms. Jump: Her loyalty to her family is huge. It’s also, like many best traits, also a bad trait, because her loyalty has her making decisions that aren’t necessarily in anyone’s best interests.
Kathy: What inspired your O’Bannon Sisters series?
Ms. Jump: Well, I love food (especially dessert!), I love the city of Boston, and I love family. I grew up in Massachusetts and although my mother wasn’t like Colleen O’Bannon, I have known that suffocating but well-meaning family. Everyone always asks me where my ideas come from, but I just don’t know. I sit down, and things emerge—like the opening scene with the hummingbird in the first book. I didn’t know where that was going or what it was going to be when I started it. It wasn’t until I had Bridget think about her husband dying and her family left behind in the house that the O’Bannon family became a story.
Kathy: Do you relate more to one of the sister in the series than the other?
Ms. Jump: I’m definitely more like Nora and Bridget than anyone else. I like things organized and in place, and I’m all about family. And food. Definitely food.
Kathy: What made you choose a bakery as the center of the series?
Ms. Jump: Because…dessert. LOL. Seriously, I love, love, love cooking. I did a recipe-centered book series a few years ago (the Sweet & Savory Series that started with The Bride Wore Chocolate) and I, of course, had to test all the recipes before I put them in the book. But I, uh, gained like 9 pounds with each book because of that. So this time, a bakery with no recipes to test…lots of food thoughts and no calories 😉
Kathy: What project(s) are you currently working on?
Ms. Jump: I’m working on more books in my Stone Gap series for Special Edition, and also working on a new women’s fiction and a new contemporary romance that are still in super, super early stages. And of course, taste-testing lots of great food, just in case I do another food-centered book!
Kathy: Thank you again for dropping by!
Ms. Jump:Thank you!
Title:The Secret Ingredient for a Happy Marriage by Shirley Jump
O’Bannon Sisters Series Book Two
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 400 pages
Summary:
From New York Times bestselling author Shirley Jump comes a heartwarming tale about friendship, family, and the unbreakable bond between sisters.
THE SECRET INGREDIENT FOR A HAPPY MARRIAGE
Nora has always been the sister who binds the O’Bannons together. No matter what crisis hits, smart, dependable Nora knows how to fix it. But for Nora, the pressure of perfection is taking its toll.
Nora’s marriage is in trouble, and she has been reluctant to worry her sisters with just how dire her situation is. Now though, faced with losing her husband, her home, and the life she’s worked so hard to build, Nora can no longer pretend.
As the O’Bannon women rally around her, Nora begins to see that failure is nothing to fear. It’s like they say in the bakery: if you want to make something good, you can’t be afraid to get messy. When her husband returns, asking Nora to give their family a second chance, Nora must decide if their relationship can be saved-or if it’s time to throw out the old recipe and start from scratch.
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Author Bio
When she’s not writing books, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shirley Jump competes in triathlons, mostly because all that training lets her justify mid-day naps and a second slice of chocolate cake. She’s published more than 60 books in 24 languages, although she’s too geographically challenged to find any of those countries on a map.
Visit her website at http://www.ShirleyJump.com for author news and a booklist, and follow her on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/shirleyjump.author for giveaways and deep discussions about important things like chocolate and shoes.
Author Links: Website * Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads
Giveaway
I am giving away ONE PRINT copy of The Secret Ingredient for a Happy Marriage (US Addresses ONLY). To enter today’s contest, fill out the form below. PLEASE NOTE: Contest is open to US mailing address ONLY. Contest ends 5 PM mountain time Monday May 14th.
CONTEST OVER
The book for this giveaway is generously provided by Forever Publishing. Winner will be selected by random.org. Forever will mail the prize to the winner. Not responsible for lost or misdirected packages.
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Thanks so much for the chance!