Guest Blog, Review & Giveaway: Connecting Strangers by Rachel Carrington ~ Diaries of 2 Thick Chicks

Today we have the honor of welcoming author Rachel Carrington to our blog to talk about her new book Connecting Strangers. Rachel will be introducing us to the supporting character Francine and telling us more about her!

An Introduction to Francine

By Rachel Carrington

When I first started writing Connecting Strangers, I knew Emily would need a friend who stood up to whomever or whatever got in her way. Francine was born. Francine runs Baby’s Diner along with her brother, Art. She quickly becomes Emily’s best friend and fiercest defender.

When I created Francine, I mirrored her, in a lot of ways, after myself. She is outspoken, fearless, loyal, protective, and loud at times. She’s not a perfect size ten (neither am I), but she’s a woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. Does that sound like someone you know?

Many times in the book, Francine stands up for Emily and is even willing to risk her own life for this woman she barely knows. That does come directly from my life. The friends I have I made quickly, and they are my friends for life. That is exactly who I wanted Francine to be.

Never one to back down, even from the cops, Francine will go to any extremes to protect those she loves. There’s another side to her, though. There’s a softness underneath all that gruffness, and though it hasn’t been shown quite yet, it’ll make an appearance.

Francine will be back in the other books in the series, and I even have a novella planned to tell her story. And she needs to her own happily ever after, too! So who do you think she’ll find it with?

About the Author

I started writing years ago, and my first attempt was a contemporary romance that will never see the light of day. I think I may even have thrown it away by now. It was absolutely horrific as I knew nothing about well…anything to do with writing.

After that, I started writing fantasy romances about wizards and wizards, and once those took off, I segued to paranormal romances (hello, vampires and ghosts) and romantic suspense.

I also write articles for various magazines, including The Writer’s Journal, Writer’s Magazine, Writer’s Weekly, Writing for Dollars, Absolute Write, Freelance Writing.com, and Funds for Writers.

I’m fortunate to make my home in historical Charleston, South Carolina. Beautiful city. Beautiful people. When I’m not writing, I love to read, watch Bones, Castle, Blue Bloods, and Hawaii Five-O, create videos, keep Target in business, play visitor in my city, and drink lots of coffee.

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Title: Connecting Strangers
Series: Discovering Emily, Book 1
Author: Rachel Carrington
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Rating: 5 Notes, 5 Flames

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Book Description

Getting close is dangerous…

He’s too close, and I start to fidget, needing to keep my hands busy so they won’t grab hold of his shirt. Because that’s what they want to do. Draw him closer. So I can Inhale his scent. Taste his skin.

I didn’t run because I was in an abusive relationship; I ran because my soul was being crushed. I’d forgotten how to live, how to be happy. Running out of gas in a small town, I catch the eye of the local sheriff
when the very last thing I want is to come under the scrutiny of the police. I left my boyfriend with blood on my hands, and I know as soon as the wound heals he’ll come looking for me.

Adam Madison draws me to him so easily I can’t even pretend to fight. And the closer we get, the more combustible we become. I’ve never experienced such passion or power. My need is as great as his, but I’m sure he’ll walk away from me once he knows my secret. No other man would stay.

I’ve had enough complications in my life. I’m not looking for more, and that’s exactly what Adam is—a sexy, magnetic complication with secrets of his own. And with my ex on the hunt, I can’t risk bringing him down with me. But he won’t leave…even when vengeance could kill us both.

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Book Review

Connecting Strangers was AWE-SOME!!!!! I just want to run away and get pulled over to see if the cop will be Adam....i mean Sheriff Madison. Dang that man is the bomb.com. Anyway about the book. Emily finally gets the balls to leave her has-been-star-football-player BOYfriend. Mark is in no way a man so I needed to put emphasis on the boy part. None of Emily's plans work when it's time for her to leave Mark. A hug fight breaks out between them and she ends up shooting him in the shoulder. Emily takes her chances and hits the road just to have enough gas to make out the county. That's a blessing all on it's own. An even bigger blessing is not the cop that pulled her over, Adam, but the best person ever....Francine. I now have a new girl crush and it's on her. Francine can see all the signs that there is something going on with Emily so she becomes Francine's new mission. Adam has an immediate attraction to Emily but he also knows that the information she gave him at the stop was a lie and that she is on the run from something. Emily found the best bunch of people ever!

While trying to figure out what to do next, Emily, Adam, and Francine grow close. Francine opens her home to Emily and Adam is trying to open her heart to him....he definitely got her legs open. LOL Just when things start looking up, Mark starts sending his goon squad out to find Emily. This dude has the backing of his whole town and it doesn't help that his dad covers up all this bad deeds. To the town folks, Mark is the best thing since slice bread. Emily still has not told the whole story to Adam and Francine about what happened when she left Mark but it's all about to come crashing down on her. Just when she notice the grass is greener on the other side, she gets pulled right back in but at least this time she has Adam and Francine.

I loved this book so much. There is not a slow moment in this book. Just when I thought I knew everything, I got a curve ball. The stuff that Emily finds out about made me cry. I didn't think a person could be worse than a dick but Mark accomplished that. SMDH. Just prepare yourself for the ending. The cliffhanger we are left is an ultimate WTF moment.

Connecting Strangers gets 5 notes and 5 flames because the story was GREAT and Adam is a panty dropper!

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