• Shop
My Account
  • Register
  • Login
Header Logo
You are here: Products Summer Spark by Ginnie Carmichael
Cover image of the book
Cover image of the book

Summer Spark by Ginnie Carmichael

Desperate to keep her teenage daughter from running with the wrong crowd again, Elsie Anderson makes the painful decision to leave Seattle for good. For her, solitude is a small price to pay for keeping Sophie out of trouble. Love is the last thing on Elsie’s mind, especially in a small town like Smithfield, Virginia.

Alex Becker is the star of Smithfield’s firefighting department. He may be a hero, but at night he sees a broken man in the mirror. There was a time when he believed in love, but that all disappeared after he unexpectedly lost his wife late last year.

They both need a second chance at love. Will Elsie be able to overcome her fear of getting another broken heart? Will Alex ever be able to love again?

SKU: B00QVT7M5U Categories: Contemporary, Romance Tags: contemporary romance, firefighter, single dad, Single Mom, small town
360 product view

    Warning: count(): Parameter must be an array or an object that implements Countable in /home/102028-77823.cloudwaysapps.com/jqxysxqutc/public_html/wp-content/themes/megashopNEW/inc/theme-functions.php on line 1233
0%
  • Description
  • Reviews (0)

Description

Find more from this author on:

Buy this book on Amazon
Amazon
Buy this book on Barnes&Noble
B&N
Buy this book on Smashwords
Smashwords
Author's Website
Author Site
Find this book on Goodreads
GoodReads
Find this author on Facebook
Facebook
Find this author on Twitter
Twitter
Find this author on Pinterest
Pinterest


About the author:

Ginnie write in her spare time, between a bike ride into town and a hike in the jungle. She loves a good cup of tea and watching her favorite TV shows. She can’t go anywhere without her own ebook reader and loves to get lost in a good story. That’s why she decided to create her own.

Here is a short sample from the book:

The car was quiet. Everybody was sleeping except me. And by everybody, I meant Sophie, my daughter, and Apollo, our dog. We’d been driving for days already, leaving Seattle behind us.
I was looking at the road, thinking about the changes that were going to come into our lives. It was definitely going to be different. We were moving from a big, bustling city to a smaller one, where there wouldn’t be half as many things to do. It would take some getting used to, but I knew we could do it. Our little family would recover. Besides, I had done it before: leaving the world I knew and was comfortable in for what seemed like a better one. And I was doing it again, in a very different way.
I looked in the rear-view mirror at Sophie. Her blonde hair was falling over her shoulders, her head against the window. She was sixteen years old and so beautiful. She had grown into a fine young woman, but it was for her protection that we were leaving Seattle.
We were moving to Smithfield, Virginia because of an incident involving my daughter, her friends, and the police. She was mad at me now, but it was for her own good. She didn’t understand yet, but she would one day. In the meantime, she wasn’t talking to me. After four days of driving, I had gotten used to it.
I remembered our interaction two days ago, which hadn’t gone the way I’d planned.
“What do you want to eat?” I’d asked her.
It had been a bit before lunch, and I was getting hungry. There was a rest area in a mile, and I wanted to know where to stop. When I looked in the mirror, Sophie had been looking outside, ignoring me.
“Sophie, stop that. Say something,” I had said. I was getting tired of her little game. If she wasn’t going to share her secrets with me, that was fine. She’d been doing that for a while, but I needed her to tell me the basic stuff: when she was hungry, when she was thirsty, when she had to go to the bathroom.
“You ruined my life,” she’d replied.
And that was the last time I’d tried. It had been two days since that event, and she still hadn’t said a word. I had tried not stopping to eat or pee, so she would have to ask me, but the little devil lasted longer than I did. She was winning the battle, but not the war.
We were only three hours away from our new life now, and I couldn’t wait to get there. I was exhausted, and Sophie not talking to me was driving me crazy. On day three of our road trip, I had started talking with Apollo, our German Shepard.
“You’ll see, Apollo. You’re going to like Virginia. We’ll be in a nice house in the suburbs, with a backyard just for you.”
He answered by moving from the backseat to the passenger one and curling up in a ball. I guessed I had his attention, so I kept talking with him. For some reason, it felt good to talk, even if Apollo couldn’t answer back.
“We should stop soon so you can run a little bit. And I’ll buy you a treat. You’ve been such a good dog during this trip.”
He stood up and let a little bark out, and I started laughing. That caught Sophie’s attention, and I heard her sigh in the back.
“Apollo, come here,” she said abruptly, disturbing my plans.
She wouldn’t talk to me, but she’d talk to the dog? I looked at Apollo, begging him to stay at the front of the car with me, but after giving me a pitiful look, he went back to his spot, his head on Sophie’s lap. I had lost a battle again.
I parked the car in front of the house. Number 34. It was the right one, according to the email from the realtor. It looked exactly like the one in the picture. It was a two-story house, colonial-style with plenty of windows on the façade, white bricks, and gray shutters. It was elegant and had character. It was exactly what I wanted.
I looked around, trying to find Angela, the realtor, but I couldn’t see her anywhere. We had never met, so I only knew what she looked like from her profile picture on the company website. I should probably have waited for her, but I was too excited.
I got out of the car and opened the door for Apollo to come with me. I had his leash in my hand, but instead of putting it on him; I put it in my pocket like I had always done with him. I didn’t like using it; Apollo would never hurt anyone or run away. He’d always come back home.
I smiled at him and led him up the driveway to take a peek at the house. According to Angela, it had been empty for a while now, so there was no problem with me walking around. I couldn’t go through the front door—I had to wait for her for that—so I decided to open the back gate and go exploring a little bit.
The house didn’t have a pool, but there was a beautiful flower garden and three tall trees at the back. The only thing I could think, seeing all that space, was that I’d have to buy a swing set. In Seattle, we had lived in an apartment, and the only outdoor spaces we had were public, which wasn’t great for privacy and a feeling of belonging. Sophie was probably going to think I was childish for wanting something like that, but that was how we were. She was the adult, and I was the child. She wanted serious when I wanted fun.
“Elsie!” yelled Sophie from the car.
She’s talking! That was my first thought. She had been calling me by my first name lately, and it was starting to annoy me a little. She had never done that before leaving Seattle.
“Come on, boy,” I said as I turned back to the house.
Apollo followed me like the good dog he was, and in a few seconds, we were back at the front of the house. Sophie was leaning against the car, looking away. It made me sad that she wouldn’t even look me in the eyes when I was talking to her, or in general.
I sighed, exhausted by this game of hers. That was when I noticed the black car on the other side of the street. The woman that came out of it was wearing a black skirt, the expensive kind that fit her body perfectly. She had long blonde hair, sleeker than what I could achieve with my straightener. Her manicured nails betrayed the fact that she cared a lot about her appearance. I was the complete opposite. My brown curly hair was in a loose bun at the top of my head, and I was wearing a simple white t-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. The contrast was so obvious.
“Hi! You must be Angela,” I said, trying to break her perfection by sounding personal.
“That’s me. And you are Ms. Anderson?” she replied. I could see in her eyes that she was trying to make an effort to meet me halfway, but she still had to sound professional.
“Call me Elsie,” I said, making it easier for her.
“How was the trip, Elsie?” Her smile told me that she had agreed to set professionalism aside.
“Long!” I said, laughing at the same time. Angela laughed with me, and it made me feel more at ease with her.
“Shall we go in?” she said, leading the way to the door.
I followed her inside. The place was empty, and there was a musty smell in the air, but that was something that I could work with. Opening the windows and getting our furniture would help a lot. The truck would be here tomorrow, so today would be all about cleaning and ventilating our new house. For tonight, Sophie and I had air mattresses to sleep on. It was the best we could do without furniture.
Angela started talking, but I wasn’t listening to her. I was too absorbed by my thoughts and had already started visualising the whole house. I knew where the couch and the TV would go. I already had an idea of the colors I wanted for the kitchen and which light fixtures I was going to change.
The house was around 150 years old, but still charming. From the pictures I had seen on the realtor’s website, the furniture had been classical, fitting the outside of the house, but that was going to change. I would bring a bit of modernity to this old house and make it mine.
Sophie finally came inside when Angela and I were visiting the second floor. I knew because Apollo was running around in the empty rooms and Sophie was trying to calm him.
“Stop, Apollo. Sit! Mom won’t be happy if you scratch her floor on the first day.”
The sound of the claws on the hardwood stopped, and I knew that Apollo had listened to Sophie like he always did. He was my dog, but he liked Sophie a lot because she kept giving him food under the table. I had known since the beginning, but she still thought that I didn’t have a clue about what she was doing.
“That’s better. Stay here. I’ll get you some food,” said Sophie as she left the house to go get something out of the car.
I had bought Apollo three years ago when Sophie started spending more time with her friends than me. She was busy at school during the day, and even at night, she would sometimes take the bus to go see her friends. Apollo had been my new companion, spending all of his days with me.
He was my best friend now, and it had always been hard for me to leave him, even if it was just for five minutes. Since I had nobody in my life, he could also be considered my platonic boyfriend, protecting me from thieves and sleeping at the end of my bed every night.

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “Summer Spark by Ginnie Carmichael” Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Related products

Prev Next
  • Cover image of the book

    Coffee Break by Hayet Brach

    0 out of 5

    A girl putting herself on display. An unexpected guest. A couple overwhelmed by desire. Three new tales of love and lust – enticing, enthralling, and exciting.

    Includes the stories ‘Coffee Break’, ‘The Guest’ and ‘Something In The Water’.

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    SEDUCTIVE SUPERNATURALS: 12 Tales of Shapeshifters, Vampires & Sexy Spirits by Erin Quinn, Caridad Pineiro, Erin Kellison, Lisa Kessler, Chris Marie Green, Mary Leo, Maureen Child, Cassi Carver, Janet Wellington, Theresa Meyers, Sheri Whitefeather, Elisabeth Staab

    0 out of 5

    Bad boys, tortured alpha heroes, and kick-ass heroines all come together in 12 steamy full-length paranormal romance novels and novellas from NY Times, USA Today, and national bestselling authors! Whether you’re looking for tantalizing dark tales or the humorous side of the supernatural, you’ll get werewolves, vampires, fallen angels, monster hunters, and ghosts—every one of them a hot temptation you won’t be able to resist…

    DIABLO SPRINGS by Erin Quinn: Gracie Beck vowed that she would never to return to Diablo Springs, but the haunted town lures her back—along with the man who betrayed her years ago. Reilly broke her heart with his lies. Now, he wants a second chance to win her, but can they survive the ghosts of Diablo Springs?

    VAMPIRE REBORN by Caridad Pineiro: Would you be reborn for love? Ryder Latimer, sexy Southern vampire, will have to make one of the most difficult choices in his undead life: Become human again or protect his new wife and child.

    SHADOW FALL by Erin Kellison: Just discovering her magic, ballerina Annabella Ames didn’t mean to summon a dark wolf from Twilight, nor the tempting fallen angel Custo Santovari, who has no place in Heaven. The cunning wolf stalks them relentlessly, and danger seduces as they fight for redemption and love.

    NIGHT ANGEL by Lisa Kessler: When Colin Flynn returns home to Ireland, the immortal Night Walker’s flesh has healed, but the scars hide a broken spirit. Juliana Duffy plays piano in spite of her deafness, challenging him to redefine himself and find the strength to battle an ancient enemy.

    SHADOWS TILL SUNRISE by Chris Marie Green: Two monster hunters fighting a star-crossed attraction and one bloodthirsty phantom leaving a trail of death… Can love survive till the sun rises?

    A SHADOW AT TWILIGHT by Mary Leo: They say Hotel Colorado is haunted, but when Dillon Spencer appears in his hotel room to find Hilly Thompson, his assistant, soaking in the tub, he begins to question whether or not he’s alive, dead, or caught in another dimension.

    MORE THAN FIENDS by Maureen Child: At 32, Cassidy Burke discovers she’s a legendary Demon Duster. But she’s got bigger problems than some pesky demons. Like, Logan Miller–first love, baby daddy to her genius daughter is back. Then there’s Devlin Cole, a walking orgasm with too many secrets. Cassidy’s life is out of control and about to get way too interesting.

    IMMORTAL POSSESSION by Cassi Carver: When Dr. Evelyn Vale is paired with Immortal Bounty’s sexy commander to go undercover and infiltrate a supernatural body-trafficking ring, she’s eager to get to work. Until she learns the catch… To crack this case, he’ll need to possess her body.

    FOREVER ROSE by Janet Wellington: Tarot cards predict a dangerous journey for Taylor Rose, but she doesn’t expect to travel back to 1888 San Diego. What the cards didn’t predict was falling for a man bent on revenge, a helpful ghost, and spooky séances. Is she there to prevent a murder or to find love?

    WELCOME HOME, VAMPIRE by Theresa Meyers: Corporal Cole Wagner lost his humanity in war – literally. Turned into a vampire by the military’s Vector Force, he’s the ultimate weapon, but when he returns home to set the past right, will the enemy stop at nothing to get him, including threatening the life of the woman he loved, and lost, before?

    VAMPIRE MAGIC (Blood Genie, books 1 and 2) by Sheri Whitefeather: Two tenderly romantic, wildly erotic stories featuring supernatural hybrids (vampires/genies) who grant wishes for the exchange of blood.

    WILD NIGHTS WITH A LONE WOLF by Elisabeth Staab: A mandatory vacation lands Agent Sherri Walker in bed with a local werewolf. Asher Hughes walked away from his outlaw pack but couldn’t ditch the bad blood. Together they’ll have to pull off one hell of an act to get out of treacherous territory alive.

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Finding Alice by Stephane Morris

    0 out of 5

    Romantic, sensual and enlightening.

    This novel creates a new genre by taking a refreshingly different angle to other romantic novels. A love affair leads to a journey of self-discovery that is both thought provoking and enlightening.

    John Mason is a successful businessman. A beautiful free spirited woman brings out passions John never knew existed, with consequences he could never have imagined. What unresolved inner conflicts from his youth does the love affair expose? Can he overcome them? If he does where will that leave him? The outcome is unpredictable.

    A life-changing journey that is both fascinating and confronting.

    Literally, a page-turner that starts slowly but will ultimately grip you and hold you to the end.

    For mature readers.

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Click: An Online Love Story by Lisa Becker

    0 out of 5

    Click: An Online Love Story – Fast approaching her 30th birthday and finding herself not married, not dating, and without even a prospect or a house full of cats, Renee Greene, the heroine of Click: An Online Love Story, reluctantly joins her best guy pal on a journey to find love online in Los Angeles. The story unfolds through a series of emails between Renee and her best friends (anal-compulsive Mark, the overly-judgmental Ashley and the over-sexed Shelley) as well as the gentlemen suitors she meets online. From the guy who starts every story with “My buddies and I were out drinking one night,” to the egotistical “B”celebrity looking for someone to stroke his ego, Renee endures her share of hilarious and heinous cyber dates. Fraught with BCC’s, FWD’s and inadvertent Reply to All’s, readers will root for Renee to “click” with the right man.

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Perfect Need – Seven Tales of Love and Passion by Barbara L.B. Storey

    0 out of 5

    Close your eyes.

    Fall in love.

    Stay there.

    ~ Rumi

    You never know who you’ll fall in love with, or why, or whether it’s a good idea – ask Rowan in A Star, A Stone. A sudden rainstorm – Stormy Weather – or even an exercise class – The Queen of Heaven – can be the spark that creates abandon and exhilarating passion between two lovers. In Dolce, a full-course Italian meal prepared with love whets . . . other appetites.

    The stories in Perfect Need explore what love and passion can become, how they can affect two people for a moment, or for a lifetime; when they tumble into a love they never expected; when they decide it’s worth the risk to stay . . . or not.

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Killer Romances: 10 Dark, Deadly & Delicious Suspense Novels by Dana Delamar, Tallulah Grace, Sandy Loyd, Kristine Mason, Dale Mayer, Nina Pierce, Chantel Rhondeau, K.T. Roberts, H.D. Thomson, and Susan Vaughan

    0 out of 5

    Ten of today’s hottest romantic suspense authors have joined forces to bring you an amazing boxed set of ten full-length novels–all for one low price! Romance, mystery, and thrills abound in these dark, deadly, and delicious tales of lethally sexy heroes and the women who bring them to their knees. Love bad boys? We’ve got ’em. Love good guys? We’ve got them too! There’s something for everyone who picks up this red-hot bundle. Ready to dive in?

    Books included:

    Dana Delamar ~ REVENGE (Blood and Honor, #1)

    Amazon Bestselling Author Tallulah Grace ~ Cliffs of Starsdale

    Bestselling Author Sandy Loyd ~ Deadly Misconceptions

    Kristine Mason ~ Shadow of Perception (Book 2 CORE Shadow Trilogy)

    USA Today Bestselling Author Dale Mayer ~ Haunted by Death (By Death Series Book 2)

    USA Today Bestselling Author Nina Pierce ~ Blind Her With Bliss, Book 1 of the Dangerous Affairs Series

    Chantel Rhondeau ~ Love & Deception (Agents in Love – Book 1)

    Amazon Bestselling Author K.T. Roberts ~ The Last Witness

    Award-winning Author H.D. Thomson ~ Shrouded in Darkness – Book 1

    Award-winning Author Susan Vaughan ~ Primal Obsession

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Fated Mates by Michelle Fox, Selena Kitt, Michelle McCleod, Cerys du Lys, Ava Catori, Deanna Roy, Eve Langlais, Ty Nolan, J.E. & M. Keep, Adriana Hunter, Liliana Rhodes, Lynn Red, A.T. Mitchell, Skye Eagleday, Alexis Dare, A.E. Grace, Georgette St. Clair

    0 out of 5

    If you like your men dark, dangerous and alpha, this exclusive shifter romance boxed set is for you. Featuring hot stories from popular New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble bestselling authors, including Adriana Hunter, Liliana Rhodes, Lynn Red, A.T Mitchell and more, these steamy books and alpha shifters will be sure to whet your appetite and leave you longing for more.”

    Purchase
    Quick View
  • Cover image of the book

    Top 100 Reasons to Love: 12 Book Boxed Set of the Most Popular Best Selling Shifter, Billionaire, Rock Star & Bad Boy Romances by Julia Kent, Aubrey Rose, Cerys du Lys, Adriana Hunter, Eve Langlais, Emma South, Marina Maddix, Deanna Roy, Dez Burke, Krista Lakes, Marian Tee, Michelle Fox

    0 out of 5

    “Her First Billionaire & Her Second Billionaire by Julia Kent — Two secret billionaires. One curvy woman. Zero reasons to choose.

    Me, Cinderella? by Aubrey Rose — A sweet BBW new adult Cinderella story with just a touch of spice.

    The Billionaire’s Ultimatum: His Absolute Need by Cerys du Lys — Falling in love wasn’t supposed to be a part of Jessika’s temporary job description.

    Taming the Alpha by Adriana Hunter — A contemporary BBW shifter romance.

    Two’s a Couple, Three’s the Law by Eve Langlais — Bad boy werewolf or suave vampire? Why choose when the law demands she take on two?

    Remember Our Song by Emma South — Can the lightning of true love strike twice after amnesia tears the perfect couple apart?

    Laid Bear by Marina Maddix– Can true love survive when worlds collide?

    Forever Innocent by Deanna Roy — Torn apart by tragedy. Reunited by chance. A love to never let go.

    First Moon by Michelle Fox — A curvy beauty feels the bite of the wolf and heeds the call of the wild.

    The Rockstar I’ve Loved for So Long by Marian Tee — A new adult billionaire rock star romance.

    Skin Deep by Dez Burke — A scarred race car driver. A beauty afraid to take a chance. Can their love overcome?

    Champagne Kisses by Krista Lakes — A contemporary romance with lost love & second chances.”

    Purchase
    Quick View

Book Categories

  • Collections & Anthologies
  • Contemporary
  • Erotica
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic
  • Historical Romance
  • Multicultural & Interracial
  • Mystery & Suspense
  • Paranormal
  • Romantic Comedy
  • Science Fiction
  • Time Travel
  • Westerns
  • Romance
  • Author Interviews
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest
banner-01testtesttesttest

Top Rated Products

  • More Than Everything by Delphie Gray
    5.00 out of 5
  • Her Majesty's Harem by N.J. Adel
    5.00 out of 5
  • Crashing Into Me by R.L JACKSON
    5.00 out of 5
  • Captured by Conner Kincaid
    5.00 out of 5
  • Hidden Embers by Jane Burrelli
    5.00 out of 5

Author Marketing Club

WantonReads.com supports indie authors!

for Authors

  • Submit Your Book
  • Submit an Author Interview
  • Get Featured Placement

for Readers

  • Discover New Books
  • Meet the Authors
  • About WantonReads

Thanks for visiting!

  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
© 2022 - WantonReads.com
View Cart Checkout Continue Shopping