Ahhh, spring in New England. . . Longer days, green grass, the sound of lawn mowers in the evenings and kids back out to play after dinner. Then there is the fog, the cold rain, the heat on in the house one day and off the next. It’s a mixed bag around here. You never know what to expect from the weather, and that’s one thing I love about being a native New Englander. We have a saying in these parts: If you don’t like the weather, stick around. It’ll change.
Spring in my family also means boat launch time. My dad has had a boat of some sort or another my entire life, building up to the thirty-six foot cruiser he bought back when I was college. At that time it was sleek and fancy and nicer than any boat we’d ever had before. Twenty years later, we’ve done some hard living on that poor boat, and it’s starting to show it’s age. We couldn’t care less. We love every minute we spend on the water. It’s the ultimate in family time. We swim, we lounge, we eat, we drink, we laugh—a lot. I can’t imagine life without the boat.
My dad took a fall this spring in the boatyard when he was getting the boat ready for another summer. His foot caught on the stand holding up the boat behind his and down he went, fracturing his pelvis in two places. He’s seventy-eight and in great health, so he is bouncing back quickly, thank goodness, but he’s aggravated that he can’t work on the boat the way he’d like to right now. My husband, son and brother have pitched in to finish the last of the essential jobs, such as putting in plugs that will keep the boat from sinking, so it’s ready for launch. Because my dad is the only one who knows how to run the sucker, we’ll have it towed to its summer home at the marina until he is able to manage the ladder to the bridge that houses the controls. So this spring and summer promise to be a little different at the outset than years past. But whether we can take the boat out or just sit at the dock and watch the world go by doesn’t matter to us. All we care about is that the boat is in the water, and the captain is recovering.
Out on Gansett Island, home to my fictional McCarthys of Gansett Island, spring has sprung and I like to imagine Mac, Luke and Big Mac getting the marina ready for another busy season. But before we get to spring, we have an offseason winter story to look forward to in Season for Love. Yes, my seasons are all out of whack, but my readers assure me they will take the McCarthys at any time of the year! Watch for Season for Love in June.
To get you ready for Season, I will give away the first five McCarthys of Gansett Island stories as ebooks to one commenter today. Tell me some of your favorite things about spring! Winner will be selected using random.org on 5/14.
Nice to be with you!
Marie
Visit Marie’s website http://www.mariesullivanforce.com/
Season for Love, Book 6, Coming in JUNE
The McCarthys of Gansett Island, Book 6
His idea of permanence is the VW van that takes him from one gig to the next. . .
Owen Lawry has made a living as a traveling musician and enjoys his footloose and fancy free lifestyle. But after meeting Laura McCarthy and helping her to land the job as manager of his grandparents’ hotel on Gansett Island, Owen decides there’s something to be said about a roof over his head and a warm, sexy woman in his bed.
Laura, a newlywed who discovered that her husband never quit dating, came to Gansett for her cousin’s Janey’s wedding, but ended up staying after she met Owen and took on the renovations to the dilapidated Sand & Surf Hotel.
As Owen and Laura’s attraction simmers during months of close proximity, they form a tight bond that will be tested when her estranged husband refuses to grant her a divorce. As summer turns to autumn and Laura and Owen take baby steps toward love, favorite characters from past Gansett Island stories continue to live their happily ever afters.
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Maid for Love
The McCarthys of Gansett Island, Book 1
Maddie Chester is determined to leave her hometown of Gansett Island, a place that has brought her only bad memories and ugly rumors. Then she’s knocked off her bike on the way to her housekeeping job at McCarthy’s Resort Hotel by Gansett’s “favorite son,” Mac McCarthy. He’s back in town to help his father with preparations to sell the family resort and has no intention of staying long. When Mac accidentally sends Maddie flying over the handlebars, badly injuring her, he moves in to nurse her back to health and help care for her young son. He soon realizes his plans for a hit-and-run visit to the island are in serious jeopardy, and he just may be “maid” for love.
Fool for Love
The McCarthys of Gansett Island, Book 2
Joe Cantrell, owner of the Gansett Island Ferry Company, has been in love with Janey McCarthy for as long as he can remember. At the same time, Janey has been dating or engaged to doctor-in-training David Lawrence. When things go horribly wrong between David and Janey, she calls her “fifth brother” Joe, one of the few people in her close circle who lives on the mainland. Janey decides a few days with Joe is just what she needs before she goes home to the island to face her parents and family with the news of her broken engagement. It was bad enough for Joe loving Janey from afar, but having her in his house is pure torture. Will he take advantage of this opportunity to show her what they could have together? And what will Joe’s best friend and Janey’s protective older brother Mac have to say about it?
Ready for Love
The McCarthys of Gansett Island, Book 3
For four of the best summers of his young life, Luke Harris was in love with Sydney Donovan, a wealthy seasonal visitor to Gansett Island. Then Sydney went off to college and never came back. She married another man and had two children while Luke remained on the island, working at McCarthy’s Gansett Marina and wondering what had gone wrong between him and the only woman he ever loved. Fifteen months after Sydney suffers the tragic loss of her husband and children, she’s returned to Gansett to figure out what’s next, and that may very well be a rekindled love affair with the one man from her past she’s never forgotten. But is she ready for a second chance at love?
Falling for Love
The McCarthys of Gansett Island Series, Book 4
Since he won the Academy Award for best original screenplay a few years ago, Grant McCarthy’s personal and professional lives have fallen apart. Abby, the woman he was supposed to marry, is engaged to someone else, and Grant is back at home on Gansett Island helping to run the family marina business while his father recovers from a serious injury. While all Grant’s focus should be on winning back the love of his life, pesky Stephanie, who runs the marina restaurant, is working her way under his skin and into his bed. As Tropical Storm Hailey cuts off Gansett Island from the mainland, Grant suspects Stephanie is hiding something big from her past. When he finds out what it is, what will be more important to him? Winning Abby back or helping Stephanie to right a terrible wrong?
Hoping for Love
McCarthys of Gansett Island Series, Book 5
All her life, Grace Ryan was the “fat girl.” Taunted and teased and ignored by her peers, she tried every diet ever invented to no avail. Desperate to change her life as her twenties slipped away, she decided it was time for drastic measures and had lap-band surgery. More than a year later, she’s lost 130 pounds and is venturing into the dating world for the first time. During a boat trip to Gansett Island with the new guy in her life, Grace refuses to have sex with him and finds herself abandoned without a dollar to her name at McCarthy’s Gansett Island Marina. At home for the summer awaiting the launch of his debut CD, music star-in-the-making Evan McCarthy is performing at the Tiki Bar when he notices Grace looking lost in a sea of happy people. Evan comes to her aid and quickly finds himself smitten. But the last thing Grace needs after all she’s been through is a guy who “doesn’t do relationships.” Will Evan change his ways to win Grace’s heart?
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I have been in New England in May and it is beautiful…
I look forward to reading your books..
I love spring flowers and I LOVE the McCarthys of Gansett Island series! Ladies if you have not read these books you must! They are such wonderful love stories.
Some of the things I love about spring are the extra sunshine from the longer days, the cool breezes that keep the temps from getting too hot too early, the flowers, trees and plants all coming back to life and bringing beautiful colors back to life….that’s just a few.. I also like the warmer temps because I can wear sandals and show of my new pedicure! Thanks for the giveaway!
I live on Long Island in NY and thoroughly enjoy all 4 seasons. To me, New England is in a world by itself. It seems everything is preserved like when America was first discovered.
Hi everyone,
Nice to see you here! Didi, thanks for having me and for the fabulous post with all the books. Thank you for that! Look forward to chatting today! As me anything you want about writing, reading, books, boating, New England, Gansett Island… 🙂
Marie
I cannot wait to start this series =) Thank you Marie for the great post!
I have been to New England in the fall and was amazed by all the colors, in Texas our landscape has two basic color schemes – green and vibrant and then around the end of October it mysteriously, over night changes to brown and dead.
Spring in Tenneessee runs together with winter and summer. I can tell it’sspring when the hyacinths bloom. Your series looks really interesting- itis a TB on mylist.
Longer days, trees budding, flowers blooming, being to open all the windows and doors and letting the breeze blow through the house, going barefoot, sitting out on the deck and reading on the glider.
Thanks for the giveaway.
e.balinski(at)att(dot)net
Thanks for the fantastic post and giveaway! I’ve always read such great reviews for Marie’s books, I’d love to try them 🙂
I love spring b/c I can finally get my chubby four legged babies out for long walks! It’s a brief window of time, when we can walk as long and as far as we want and no one is dying from the heat 🙂
I love Spring because of the flowers. After months of gray skies and dead lawns I finally get to see some beautiful colors.
Thanks so much for the giveaway, Marie!
geishasmom73 AT yahoo DOT com
You know i have never been to New England, but i do ahve family up there and they say it’s wonderful:)
Some of my fav. of spring? Hmmm, im going to say just about everything. I love the flowers blooming , all the wonderful colors and smells. Plus one really good thing is; It starts to get warmer out.lol
i can’t wait to read these books, they sound great, there going on my to read list!
Thank you for the chance to win them
elliott2668(at)yahoo(dot)com
After having New England winters, too, I love having a lower energy bill in spring. Also, it is fun getting into the whole garden thing and learning about that during this season.
I don’t know how I missed this series, Marie! I’ve really enjoyed your other books.
I miss New England sooo much! I grew up in Massachusetts. PA is pretty much the same weather-wise, though. This year has been weirder than most, with 80 degrees on February 29 and freeze warnings in early May.
I love spring most for the *light* and the fresh air, and the start of City Islanders soccer season.
I can open my windows and let the fresh air after being closed up all winter. I also like to hear the birds chirp and flowers bloom. It’s one step away from summer!
Thanks for the giveaway!!
bellzette_3@hotmail.com
Living in Texas, Spring is usually very short so we enjoy spending time outdoors as much as we can. I love it when my garden starts to bloom out, one of my favorite times of the year. No need to enter me for the book, I have and adore them all!!
Marie, I am so dang excited about this next book. This couple is so special and I can’t wait for their relationship to blossom!! I like spring because of the weather although I don’t like the spring thunderstorms or tornadoes. I enjoy seeing everything start to bud out and and bloom. Thanks for being here with us today Marie. As you well know I consider this series one of my favs of all time!!
I love all the beautiful flowers in bloom and the nice crisp air. Spring has such a wonderful feel about it, compared to all the other seasons. I LOVE SPRING!!
This series sound great, I can’t wait to read it!!
Thanks for the great post and giveaway
Ooooh this series sounds really good!
This sounds like a series I must start! I love spring! Living in Southern Illinois we get everything. I love the smell of the honey suckle and the lilac blooming. Just such a wonderful fragrant to wake up to in the morning.
Mel
I love spring because I can get out with my 2 energetic nieces who love to pick wild flowers for their mom. It is a great start to my day before going to school for the evening. My nieces are 3 and 1 and love collecting random spring items to make craft with, it is fun to watch their smiling faces say ” look what we found auntie” I love spring it’s not to hot and not to cold
Not sure how I missed this series, but I will be checking out these titles.
My favorite thing about spring are all the flowers blooming, trees budding, and the new animals. Plus I can sit outside and enjoy a book and a drink.
My favorite thing about spring is being able to spend more time outdoors.
I love spring especially when the trees first start to bud. Nothing prettier than a tree or a bush coming open to a new season. Also the smell after the rain. And let’s not forget the lialiacs!
The series sounds very good. I like all the blooming flowers.
bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com
Being in the Pacific Northwest region, I love it when Spring rolls around and we get warmer, sunny weather and longer days. 🙂
Great post and thanks for sharing!
the number one thing I love about spring is that I can sit in the yard or at the park and read, w/out it being too hot to breath or too cold to be comfortable.
yes I have to take my allergy medicine but it soo pretty I dont care if I sneeze a little.
I’ve read the first 3 books in the series, Need to catch up.
This sounds like an awesome series. Love the flowers of spring and how everything seems to “wake up”.
I like the longer days with the spring flowers.
Jess1
strive4bst at yahoo dot com
There’s nothing N the world like clam bakes ,milk shakes,lobsters& crabs..Swan boat rides,Mickey D’s fries,apple pies sunny skies their R less headaches & stress but days filled with New England’s emerald necklace..!N New England of course where I happen 2 live..goooooooooooo Celtic’s gooooooo!
redz041@yahoo.com
Love a change to win looks like a great set. Well Florida doesn’t really have much of spring. I like it when it’s cool enough that we can have the windows open and not run the air conditioning.
Darn Blogger! I have lost 2 comments. I am really enjoying all the spring plants.
I LOVE Spring, all the flowers and new life! I like seeing the babies of all the four legged variety. Now, if I didn’t have my silly allergies, I’d be MUCH better! Thanks for the blog 😀
I Havent Been To New England Wish I Could Go I Hear Its Beautiful This Time Of Year.
What a wonderful response and a great post!!!
Congrats to LorettaLynn//Temprance you won the first 5 Gansett Island books