Interview & Giveaway with Brighton Walsh – Plus Our Reviews of Season of Second Chances

SEASON OF SECOND CHANCES

By: Brighton Walsh

Publication Date: December 5, 2013

When a storm strands Claire Hanlin in Chicago on Christmas Eve, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Logan Dawes, the man she almost married two years ago. The chemistry between them is dangerously potent, but with nowhere else to go, Claire accepts Logan’s offer to stay with him for the night.

Back in the home they shared, surrounded by reminders of Logan and his young daughter, Claire begins to realize how much she misses the family she almost had. After a few cups of Christmas cheer, she falls right back into her ex’s arms—even though she knows it means setting herself up for heartbreak all over again.

The magic of the season has thrown him together with the woman he’s never stopped loving, and Logan’s not about to pass up this gift. He’s not the workaholic he was two years ago—his family comes first. Now all he has to do is prove it to Claire, before the snow stops and she flies out of his life for good.

ABOUT BRIGHTON

Brighton Walsh is a storyteller at heart. Whether through words or pictures, she’s been weaving tales for as long as she can remember. After decades of cultivating her writing, she finally decided to give life to the voices in her head and set forth to write her first novella. Love is her first love, and writing about it is a dream come true. When she’s not overwhelmed by the incessant chatter in her mind, you can generally find her with her nose buried in a steamy book or partaking in some retail therapy. The setting of her life story takes place in the Midwest, characters including her very own real life hero she found in her supportive and swoony husband, and her two energetic kids who (fortunately) know nothing about the naughty things she puts down on paper.

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Logan is definitely a Hot Single Dad….where do you get your inspiration from?

Will it sound totally cheesy if I say my husband? Well, too bad, because where else would I get it from? No, he’s not single, but he’s an amazing dad who does all kinds of crazy/silly/wild/wacky/childish things all in the name of having fun with our boys.

The stars were certainly aligned for Logan and Claire to run into each other. Do you believe in fate?

I believe that everything happens for a reason, absolutely. But I also believe not everything is pre-destined, that we have a choice. So while fate might throw something in our path, we can choose to walk away.

This might be a tough question to answer but I’m curious…If Claire and Logan hadn’t run into each other at the airport do you think they would have eventually come back to each other or no?

Oh, man. That is a tough question! I’d like to think so, but who knows? Maybe Logan would’ve done some growing up on his own without the presence of Claire to help him along a little faster and taken that first step toward repairing what they once had. Maybe Sophie would’ve been able to help him see it, too. Now I’m all depressed thinking about them never finding their way back to each other.

Do you have any writing quirks or rituals?

Nope. I’m a pretty boring writer. I write to music (Pandora—Vedera radio), and I can write just about anywhere so long as no one I know is close by. I could be surrounded by a hundred strangers and be less distracted than if one friend was near.

What is the one thing readers would be surprised to learn about you?

My head-over-heels falling in love happened when I was fifteen. And it’s been the same guy since.

What authors have influenced you?

So many! And in different ways. Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Forman, Jill Shalvis, Tiffanie DeBartolo, and a hundred more. But the single author who probably influenced me the most is Stephanie Meyer. Love it or hate it, Twilight sparked my very dormant love of reading and writing. I quite literally would not be where I am now if I hadn’t picked up that copy in Target to read on a plane ride to Dallas.

What is the last book that you recommended to someone?

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Any advice for aspiring writers?

First, don’t give up. Second, connect with others online. Find friends, critique partners, betas, fellow ~~cheerleaders~~ writers. Do your research. Don’t get bogged down by the details. (For those who know me, you’ll find that particularly funny.) Be polite and gracious when an author shares things with you, and then pass it on when it’s your turn.

Do you read a lot and if so, what are some of your favorite books?

I try to read a lot, though this year I haven’t read as much as I would’ve liked. My favorite book of all time is How to Kill a Rock Star. I’ve only read it twice, and it gutted me both times, but it’s amazingly beautiful. Let’s see, some others are: Anna and the French Kiss, If I Stay, Easy, Altered, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, My Life Next Door, Sheltered, About Last Night, Pleasure Unbound, Graffiti Moon…to name a few.

If you could have written any book out in the world today, what would you pick and why?

This is a very difficult question. Whenever I read books, I don’t think, Oh man, I wish I would’ve written that. Sometimes I reflect it back to my work, wishing I could do XYZ in my own writing. I think in an overall sense, I’d love to write a book that people talk about, period. Something that moves people to want to share it with their best friends, their neighbor, the lady standing in front of them at the grocery story. Something that evokes emotion.

Are you working on anything right now that you can tell us about?

I’m working on a couple different projects. I’m about a third of the way through writing the second book in my new adult companion series, the first of which is scheduled for release in fall 2014. I’m also working on another new adult project that I can’t give many details about just yet. Two very different books, though, so it’s fun (and challenging!).

So, it’s my understanding that Tuesdays at your house are your favorite days ever. Care to explain?

It’s Taco Tuesdays. And sometimes we have Mexican food, too.

Did you have a celebrity in mind as your visual inspiration for Logan? If so, who?

No celebrity, but I did find a picture of a male model, and he was the starting point for this entire story. When I get struck by inspiration, it really smacks me over the head.

Do you feel like your heroines all reflect (even if it’s just a little) a part of you? How do you most relate to Claire?

A little bit, probably, but honestly not much. Their snark and how they talk definitely comes from me, but I’ve yet to write a heroine that reflects me much more than that. (Or at least I don’t think they do.) For relating most to Claire, I’d say definitely in her yearning for that romance. Even though she’s grown a little jaded due to life experiences, at her core, she’s a diehard romantic.

When you write, do you have many irons in the fire? Or do you prefer to focus on one project?

I generally like to focus on one project at a time. However, this is the first time I’m writing two books at once. It’s challenging, definitely. Throw in promo for another book, and edits for yet another, and I expect to be hauled off in the back of a van by January at the latest.

Best moment of 2013?

Gah. Just one? 2013 has seriously been an amazing rollercoaster of a year. If I had to pick just one, though, I’d say when my agent called me and told me we had an offer for publication for CAGED IN WINTER.

Most anticipated moment of 2014?

Walking into a bookstore, picking up my book, and squealing like a thirteen year old Belieber.

Most romantic holiday memory?

It’s not really one specific memory, but every year, my husband and I try to watch at least one movie by just the light of the Christmas tree. Insert the obligatory spiked hot chocolate and snuggles, and it ends up pretty romantic.

Erin’s Thoughts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Logan is having a rough day. After getting a call that requires him to head out to a project and then having his flight get cancelled, all he wants is to make it home. To his surprise, he notices Claire and knows he should leave her alone but finds himself walking right up to her.

Logan ends up inviting Claire to stay with him until she can get home and this begins the rest of the story. These two characters still clearly love each other and regret the way things ended but they have been apart for two years. Things start out awkward and eventually they begin to see in each other just how much they still care and why they loved each other to begin with. They are also able to see just why they haven’t been able to get past it.

Claire wants to take a chance but remembers how much it hurt every time Logan would choose his work over her and that is something she isn’t really sure she could handle again. She definitely sees some changes in him, especially around his daughter, Sophia. Logan lets her paint his nails and she has put her stamp on the condo. All things that never would have happened two years ago when she left.

Through the rest of the story, both Claire and Logan come to realize what they want and what is really important to them. They also have to determine what they will and won’t do to be happy. Walsh does something in this story that isn’t always easy. She is able to bring the reader into the lives of these characters and over a fairly short period of time, gets you to care about what happens to them. I loved reading from both perspectives as it allowed me to see just how much the break up impacted them both as they came back together.

If you are looking for a quick holiday read, definitely check this one out. Logan definitely falls into the “hot, single dad” category and you don’t want to miss out! Another great story by Brighton Walsh!

Jaime’s Thoughts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Are you looking for a sweet, definitely sexy and absolutely wonderful holiday read?

You need to pick up this Novella by Brighton Walsh.

In Season of Second chances we meet Claire and Logan… exes who went their separate ways several years ago. Claire finds herself stranded in the airport and Logan just happens to come to her rescue offering her a place to wait out the storm… and spend her birthday.

Despite being apart for two years, their chemistry certainly hasn’t diminished and spending time in the place they once called home together reminds Claire of all the reasons they worked … but also all the reasons they didn’t.

If you guys have read other stuff from Walsh, you know she can create a swoony guy… Logan is no exception to that. Do hot, single dads make you swoon? Because Logan has a 7 year old daughter and the interactions we see between them will have you swooning just as much as Claire was.

And despite what I felt was an over-reaction on Claire’s part at one point, you can’t help but identify with her and the way she feels about Logan. Does she love him? yes… but sometimes loving someone isn’t enough to make a relationship work and that is the call she had to make years ago and the issue arises again, just when she thinks they will be able to make things work.

Realistic characters, a love story that will have you fanning yourself on one page and swooning over sweet stuff on the next, and excellent writing is what is in store for you when you pick up The Season of Second Chances! Get this one as soon as you can! It’s the perfect holiday read!

Cosmo’s Thoughts

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When I sat down to read Season of Second Chances by Brighton Walsh, I expected to enjoy it. Mostly because I love the author and her words, but also because we’re approaching the holidays, and from the description, it sounded like the perfect book to curl up with.

Well, it was.

And I loved it.

We meet Claire on Christmas Eve. She’s stranded in the airport in Chicago, trying to make it to her sister’s house for Christmas. But the snow is pouring, and all flights have been cancelled. This sucks for her. Under normal circumstances, this would suck for anyone. However, we learn that Claire needs to get the hell out of Chicago for other reasons – reasons far more pressing and personal than wanting to trim a tree with her family.

And that reason is Logan.

Logan…hnnnnggg. (More on him later.)

We find out that Claire actually used to live in Chicago, that she had a whole life there. A life filled with a man whom she loved, his daughter, and the promise of a future with a family she adored. Unfortunately for Claire, she always felt like she came in second place to Logan’s job. And for that reason, two years ago, she made the decision to walk away.

But she’s never forgotten him.

And beyond that – she still loves him.

Damn, I adore a good love story about reconnection. And when Logan happens upon the put-out Claire and offers her a place to stay to ride out the storm, it becomes clear that that’s where this story is headed.
Logan – by the way – is my actual dream man. I know I love to read about various different men with different traits and personalities. But what I fantasize about and what I actually want are, in reality, very different. He’s someone who has his shit together, he has a career, a home, and a daughter who he loves and cares for. Oh, and he’s hot…and swoony…and hot. (Please to be seeing what I will now refer to as the “sweater scene” because from now on, I will always be turned on by a man who fills out a sweater stretched across his chest and stomach muscles. Thank you very much for that visual, Brighton.)

These two definitely have a lot to work through – their past, their lingering feelings, and their palpable chemistry that jumps from the page. And if you know this author, you know she brings the swoons and the heat. And did I mention the Daddy swoons? Because that’s another thing that just killed me dead in this story. Because Logan’s daughter, Sophie, made me want a stepchild of my very own. (And I don’t even really like kids.)

This story is like a Peppermint Mocha on a cold night – rich and decadent and sweet. And steaming hot. It’s the perfect treat to curl up with. And fans of contemporary romance will adore it…just like I did. So, now I’ll be trolling airports looking for hot single dads. Thank you for that, Brighton.

Wonderful.