My favorite birthday memory was two years ago on my 40th birthday. My parents had invited me out for a family picnic to celebrate the occasion. I expected it to be a small event with my folks, my hubby and kids, and my brother and his family. When we pulled in the driveway, I noticed a gazillion cars parked in my uncle’s cow pasture, which backs up to my parent’s property. I remember saying “What are all those cars doing there?” and my husband saying, “Oh, they must still be hanging around because of the auction.” I literally panicked, thinking my uncle was selling his farm. My husband pulled up behind my parent’s house and there were tons of people there, yelling “Surprise!” The entire time I’m looking at my husband asking “What auction?” Yeah–I’m not real bright! Took at least sixty seconds for the truth to penetrate. The party was absolutely fantastic. My mother found old friends from elementary, middle and high school and she managed to track down my college roommates for the event. It felt like an episode of “This is Your Life.” Greatest night ever.
Blurb:
There’s only room at the top for one person…at a time.
A Black & White Collection story.
Back on American soil for the first time in nine months, Reed Donovan is ready to blow off some steam. The beauty he spots at the local bar not only catches his eye, she snags him by the balls when she announces she’s always fantasized about having sex with a stranger—a fantasy he is more than willing to help come true.
Explosive fireworks over, Francesca rebuffs his invitation to dinner. While the sparks may fly between them physically, she doesn’t believe they could spend more than a few minutes in the same room without arguing. Her suspicions prove correct when Francesca reports for her new position the next morning—and discovers she’s been hired as Reed’s new marketing partner.
When Reed and Francesca immediately begin butting heads about future pitches to prospective clients, Reed proposes a bet. For the next three presentations, they’ll both make a pitch. Whoever wins the campaign also wins a fantasy.
The competition is fierce—and hot. And the hotter it gets, the closer they come to the brink of something they never intended…or expected.
Product Warnings
Available from Samhain Publishing
Mari –
Wow – what a neat 40th b-day party you had! Sounds like it was a big hit.
Your book sounds pretty good, too.
Lea Ellen {night owl in IL}
borg_66@hotmail.com
Can’t believe there were so many people, but it sounds like a great birthday!
Morning Mari & Lissa,
sounds like you had a great birthday.
Loved Power Play!
Gigi
Hi Mari! Great story. It so sounds like you (the auction bit), and the party sounds perfect for you. What a wonderful mom you have.
Power Play is one of my favorite books, the heroine is just perfect.
I always wanted a surprise birthday party maybe if I hint to the hubby he will do one for me on my 40th :). Loved Power Play.
Surprise parties are awesome! And so much fun to put together. Thanks for sharing. 😀
mdwartistry at yahoo dot com
What a fantastic birthday story! Thanks for the excerpt!
junegirl63(at)gmail(dot)com
That’s a great surprise. Happy Birthday Lissa!
maw1725@gmail.com
great story 🙂
Great post! Thanks for sharing the story. Happy Birthday Lissa!
Love your birthday memory sounds like so much fun. Book sounds really good, great cover
What a great 40th birthday.
Power play sounds awesome. Looking forward to reading it
Love your party memory Mari-sounds like hubby is definitely a keeper. And your family sounds terrific, too.
Follower as nancyg5997@gmail.com
We did that for my mom’s 50th. She thought she was going on “Date Night” w/ my dad & 2 other couples that they’re friends with. She didn’t see it coming until the very end…LOL
aunt_cori@yahoo(dot)com
Oh, that was a great birthday surprise. I like surprising others but don’t like to be surprised myself….
Thanks,
booklover0226 at gmail dot com
This is so fun, Mari. And getting your family to pull it off without you knowing, deserves big kudos. While I’ve put on surprise parties for my kid’s, and mom and dad, I’ve never had one myself.
follower
caity_mack at yahoo dot com
Wow that party sounded like it was awesome. I think it’s fun planning a throwing someone else a surprise party.
This book looks really good and I definitely want to pick it up.
iqb99@yahoo.com
What a neat birthday memory!
Cheryl
Sounds like a great birthday surprise.
My family would never surprise me like that. I would have a heart attack. On my 40th birthday I managed to sneak my brother into town and have him meet us at a local historical site. When my family rounded the corner and saw him, they didn’t react at first and then there was lots of screaming and hugging. Way fun!
jepeb@verizon.net
Sounds like a fantastic birthday. Impressive that they were able to pull off the surprise with that many people.
I love surprise parties!
kissinoak at frontier dot com
Power Play is such a fitting title for this story. And with a bet like that both players win 🙂
lenikaye@yahoo.com
Sounds like a great 40th birthday! I also had a great birthday that year, but no surprises – I am so NOT a surprise type person!
susanmik@gmail.com
follower 🙂
I have Power Play but haven’t read it yet. I’ll have to move it to the front of the list.
lisagk at yahoo dot com
Wow! It sounds like you had a great B-day, Mari! It amazes me that your mom was able to track down that many old friends!! She had to have been planning that for quite some time to round-up that many different people!
What a nice surprise and a reunion as well.
Book cover looks great!
canadianluck[at]gmail[dot]com
Wow, that is a hot book cover and your product warning just sold me!!!
What an awesome get together. Thanks for telling us about your new book too, it sounds super good.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
Aahh, the Big 40> I have put that one astern as well! Power Play sounds awesome. Can’t wait to read it!
love love love mari carr!!! thanks
donnasing777@yahoo.com
I’m back again adding my email.
sstrode@scrtc.com
Oh I love your books. My all time fav of yours is the Wild Irish series. I really hope one day you write a story just with the fam getting together. It was so sad to see the end of the series. Thanks for 7 great reads!
forettarose@yahoo.com
“What auction” LOL tooo funny. Bet you got teased about that! Glad you had such a great birthday.
evelynmoly@yahoo.com
Sorry, forgot my email address – itmfiddler (at) gmail (dot) com.
Mari Carr is GREAT! I love love love her work
swkimbell@yahoo.com
book sounds great thanks
carol.byles@yahoo.com
wow that sounds like it was a great party. i was talking to my mom and could not believe that my dad had never had a party, not even as a kid. well my sibs and i got together and we gave my dad a 50th surprise party. we found ppl he had not seen for about 20 years. it was perfect, he never suspected a think!
terrilee.byles@yahoo.com
Nice birthday. I would have wondered where the auction was also. LOL Thanks for sharing. I love your books!
prettyunicorn78@yahoo.com
Surprise parties can be a blast.
linze_e at hotmail.com
And again…
I am a follower
jepeb@verizon.net
ROFL! That is completely awesome, Mari! Your family rocks! (Must be a reflection of how much YOU rock!) 😉
f dot chen at comcast dot net