Fortuity by Jewel E Ann had me going from laughter to tears and back again! Review and blog tour

Fortuity, an all-new inspirational and moving standalone contemporary romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Jewel E. Ann, is available now!

Forty-something Gracelyn Glock is living the dream.
No husband.
No retirement plan.
And since her self-imposed man-ban—no need to shave above her knees.

After a tragic accident, Gracelyn inherits her ten-year-old nephew. She signs a lease on a San Diego beach house and learns their neighbors for the summer are a sexy anatomy professor and his young daughter.

Professor Nathaniel Hunt has spent the last decade being a single dad . . . and not having sex.

So when he discovers Gracelyn has a peculiar outdoor stripping ritual, a million inappropriate thoughts fill his responsible mind.

When kisses are stolen, man-bans are broken, and summer comes to an end, will hearts stay in one piece and hope stay alive? Or will saying goodbye destroy everything?

Review

4,5 stars

Someone on Jewel’s group, I think it’s Casey Allen had the genius idea to use these emojis 😂😭😂😭 and I think

it sums up this book perfectly!

Now, my biggest problem will be to write a review without drowning you in quotes and honestly, no promises here as Jewel’s writing is too amazing not to be quoted here and there!

First things first: my feelings while reading: roaring with laughter, crying, laughing, crying …. Yes you got it: I was a mess. Same as Gracelyn I think.

These two characters were amazing apart as individuals and extraordinary together. They had waited so long in their lives to find happiness.

Oh yes, they did happy have happy moments but they had been robbed from them by death.

I haven’t read Transcend yet but I had no problem reading this book even if I guess it would have added another dimension to this experience.

Meet Gracelyn, in her forties who has recently become the mom of her ten year old nephew after Gabe’s parents both died in an accident.

“I’m just a woman with my life tipped upside down because my brother and his wife died and left me with their son. I don’t have children of my own. I have no clue how to be a good parent. I’m just trying to keep my head above water and not screw anything up beyond repair.”

Gracelyn has had no luck in love so far after her first love, Brandon, died when they were in their twenties. She made me laugh with her thoughts about beginning menopause and hot flash and being a mess. Gracelyn is truly funny and being in her head, reading her inner monolog made me laugh so hard I sometimes was in danger to pee in my pants!

TMI? Well deal with it as it sets the tone for this book! 😉 

I loved the first time she saw Nate and all her thoughts about her neighbor looking like Jamie in Outlander! I bet Jewel was binge watching the series while writing this book!

“If I lick his hand, will it be weird? Too desperate? Too personal for a first encounter? Too immature for forty-one? Probably.”

And of course Nate also had some reaction while meeting Gracelyn as she reminded her of …someone. So that first encounter and banter was truly funny.

“You remind me of someone too,” I say. “Oh? Who’s that?” Jamie Fraser, my Outlander crush. “Just … this guy. He’s not from around here. He’s actually from Scotland.”

So that’s been established that this story will be a dance between “Queen Hot Mess” auntie Gracelyn and her “hot without a kilt but nearly a Mohawk” neighbor Nate but that’s not all that will be!

You have the kids too and I loved Morgan so much!

She was a firecracker, so smart for her ten years and I would love a book about her as a grown-up Jewel!

I love kids in books even if being parents here will complicate their relationship because sometimes being a parent means you do the right thing that may not be the best thing for you!

The relationship was not without hiccups or without drama as both had a past to deal with and Gracelyn had to let go of her former love, something that was not easy even if it happened twenty years ago.

“It was young love. That never lasts, right?” My tears join the shallow water at our feet. “And maybe it wouldn’t have lasted, but his death … it lives inside of my heart like an incurable disease.”

I loved that she was loyal and truthful.

That certainly did not make her life easy but let’s say that it will be so worth it.

Even if it won’t be a smooth ride…

“Our love story will end from a bad case of lice. I can’t wait to hear Brandon’s thoughts on that.”

I also really loved that Jewel let both these characters to keep their former love alive in their heart and that talking about them with each other didn’t make the other recoil and turn tail but rather listen and understand.

Add to this story an old landlord with a golden heart and you nearly have the complete cast of amazing characters.

Switching between laughter and tears, reading Fortuity has been a marvelous rollercoaster of emotion and proved once more that Jewel is an exceptional writer.

Now Jewel, I want more! Give me an epilogue, a “special short Christmas story” with their “after”. You know what I mean.

Download your copy today or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon: Coming Soon!
Amazon Worldwide: Coming Soon!
Amazon Print: http://mybook.to/fortuitypb

Add FORTUITY to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2XVKDyc

Excerpt:

“What took you two so long? Don’t worry, we saved you some cake.” Mr. Hans smiles from his recliner with Hunter on the sofa, her thumbs dancing along her phone screen. Gabe will get along well with her.

“Cake, Morgan?”

My steps falter when I hear Nate’s voice from the kitchen.

Mr. Hans winks at me. “I invited Nate for cake too.”

I nod slowly. “I see. Whose birthday is it?”

“Life is a celebration. Cake needs no excuse.”

So much for having some time to digest what Nate said to me and my flirty reaction to his kiss comment. I put on a neutral face and drag my timid ass into the kitchen.

“Cake, Gracelyn?” Nate glances up from the counter, a knife in one hand and a plate in his other hand.

“Mmm … yes, Gracelyn. You want cake.” Morgan rolls her eyes back in her head as she slowly chews a bite, standing next to Nate.

How am I supposed to look at him when I saw him barely an hour ago and he said he wanted to kiss me, and I returned the desire without the actual kiss? I guess we’re going to be two people who want to kiss but know that it will never happen.

“Thank you.” I take the cake, giving Nate a two-second glance. It’s all I can give him without completely self-combusting into a pile of ashes.

“Mr. Hans … this is so good.” Morgan traipses out of the kitchen.

“It is good. I haven’t had cake in a long time.” I slowly lick the frosting from the fork.

Nate glances at the floor, eyes narrowed, and hunches down. After a few seconds, I move around to his side of the island.

“Did you drop something?”

Hunched like a baseball catcher, gaze still to the floor, he crooks a finger at me.

I set my plate on the counter. “Did you lose a contact lens?” I squat next to him behind the counter.

He lifts his gaze to meet my squinted eyes. The corner of his mouth bends just as his hand slides behind my head and his lips press to mine.

What the hell?

My lungs freeze while my heart pauses and my mind explodes. There’s no tongue to this kiss, just hungry lips. It knocks me off balance, and I fall to my knees, resting my hands on his shoulders.

Nate pulls back half an inch, letting his lips hover next to mine, the warmth of his breath covering my stunned mouth. “I’m not even sorry.” He shrugs.

My mouth opens as if it wants to speak, but I have no idea what to say.

“Dad …”

Nate bolts up, leaving me on my knees. “Yes?”

“Can Hunter use—” Morgan’s eyes narrow at me, my head barely peeking over the counter. “Gracelyn, what are you doing?”

“I’m …” I give her a tight smile.

Nate says, “Picking up a few crumbs.”

At the same time, I say, “Tying your dad’s shoe.”

His explanation is much better.

Morgan laughs. “Um … okay. You’re both acting weird.”

I climb to my feet.

“Can Hunter use what?” Nate asks.

“Your bike so we can go for a bike ride.”

“Are you going to stay around here?”

Morgan nods. “Pinky swear. We won’t go too far.”

“I’ll need to put the seat down for her.”

“Yes! Thanks, Dad. I’ll go tell her.” Morgan runs out of the kitchen.

Nate covers the cake with plastic wrap and nods to my plate with the half-eaten piece of cake. “Are you going to finish that?”

Cake. He wants to talk about the cake?

My head inches side to side.

“Too good to let it go to waste.” He picks up the plate and finishes my cake.

YOU KISSED ME!

“By the way …” His gaze remains on the plate as he scoops up the last bite. “Morgan knows I know how to tie my own shoes.”

About Jewel

Jewel is a free-spirited romance junkie with a quirky sense of humor.

With 10 years of flossing lectures under her belt, she took early retirement from her dental hygiene career to stay home with her three awesome boys and manage the family business.

After her best friend of nearly 30 years suggested a few books from the Contemporary Romance genre, Jewel was hooked. Devouring two and three books a week but still craving more, she decided to practice sustainable reading, AKA writing.

When she’s not donning her cape and saving the planet one tree at a time, she enjoys yoga with friends, good food with family, rock climbing with her kids, watching How I Met Your Mother reruns, and of course…heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, panty-scorching novels.

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