Island Bound, Kiru Taye
Blurb (Author Provided) Marriage has stripped their relationship of its thin, rose-tinted coating, and bared their monochromatic existence for what it was. Will Joshua and Christy get a second chance this holiday season?
When Christy Inemi-Spiff discovers that the man she vowed to love and honor has no such feelings for her, she’s determined to cut her losses and move on with her life. A quick, quiet divorce is all she wishes for Christmas.
However, Joshua has other ideas. He’s not ready to walk away yet, especially when he doesn’t understand why Christy wants out of their marriage. So he demands she agree to spend a quiet Christmas on a remote African Island with him, hoping they can salvage their relationship. If she still wants a divorce after these two weeks, he will let her go. But not before he’s had his fill of her.
But with the sparking tension between them, and the secrets behind the disintegration of their marriage threatening to explode, will either of them get their wish? Or will this season of good will show them what really lies at the bottom of their hearts?
Bookswagger Marcia: Island Bound reminded me of the books I used to read when I first started reading romance. I mean really reading, those Harlequins where the couples are already married, yet the wife wants to separate because her hot rich husband is scheming with her controlling father, who loves her but smothers her and ruins her life in the process. Well ladies and gents…Hello, are there any gents out there? Well ladies and gents, this brought back lovely memories. But the best thing about Island Bound is Mrs Taye gave me a story I enjoyed in a place I have never read about in a romance story, Nigeria, with multicultural characters, where race was not mentioned once, yay.
The hero Joshua Inemi-Spiff was an alpha male, I quote from the book: “He was still in command of his life and their relationship. His role was to care for her. She would have to get used to it.”
I loved it! The heroine reminded me of the sheltered heroines I read about when I first started reading romance, but she was still a successful business woman, but Mrs. Taye through carefully placed back-story helped me understand it was a cultural and privilege thing. Check it out, it has the comfort of something as old as apple pie, with a new twist!
Giveaway: $10 Amazon GC to commenter, leave email address, gift from author and chance to win on Rafflecopter
Kiru Taye, Author Interview
What is one element all your heroines must have, even if it is Historical, contemporary or paranormal and what is unique about the heroine in Island Bound Christy Inemi-Spif?
Simple. They all have to be likeable. I noticed romance readers are pickier about female leads than the male ones. Readers are happy to accept domineering, egotistical male leads but aren’t too happy if the female lead is snobbish or displays similar characteristics are the male leads.
I noticed you have written historical romances in periods I have never read and I have read more than my fair share of historical romances (I would be rich, I tell you, rich, if I earned a nickel instead of paid aprox. $7.00 for every historical romance I have read), How do you literally brush the dirt off your brain to go from dust to the beach and get to Island Bound?
LOL. I know what you mean about historical romances. It is easy to get swept away into historical eras where men are allowed to be men (instead of the emasculated versions we get these days ) and feisty women fight to break rules restricting them.
I read a varied range of romance categories so, I guess, it’s easier for my muse to jump across eras when he decides. And when characters start shouting loudly in my head, there’s only one thing I can do. Write their stories.
One thing I found unique about your background is you helped establish a Romance Writers organization, what are some differences you noticed in the romance market in the US and abroad as far as multicultural romance or in general?
When I started reading romance novels many years ago as a teenager in Nigeria, the stories were dominated by Caucasian characters with settings in Europe (mainly England) and the USA via publishers like Harlequin and Avon. It wasn’t until 2005 that Harlequin established its African-American line in Kimani Romance.
Time has since moved on and readers want more stories that reflect the global community we live in. Publishers are now responding because there are so many readers interested in multicultural stories.
For example, Harlequin has shown interest in Indian romance and runs an annual competition to attract Indian authors. Decadent Publishing has set up the new Ubuntu line to focus on African Romance, which Island Bound is published under.
Any advice for aspiring romance writers or something you wish you had known when you first started writing?
For aspiring writers, my advice is: finish writing that manuscript. If you never finish it, you’ll never know if you could have made it. Signing up for NaNoWriMo is a good motivator. Get yourself on writing group or work with critique partners who enjoy reading your genre.
Available at: Amazon, B&N, Allromanceebooks
Dawn
I just went back to school and English and writing has been my sore point. My daughter told me to start reading it would help me enjoy the subjects more. One of the reasons I look at blogs is to find books. I have also never read a book that took me to Nigeria. Looking forward to it!
adorngrace
Kiru Taye is great with description and I could see the beautiful scenery and the characters very clearly. Kiru is an exceptional writer who has written a great romance. Can’t wait for the third! 3 Crowns!
Sherry J
Thanks for the giveaway.
dragonkeep62(at)gmail(dot)com
Natasha
Thanks for the chance to win!
Sounds really good!!
natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com
bookswagger
Thanks everyone for stopping by hope you enjoyed the post! Dawn, reading is what made me a great english student and a horrible one at the same time because after a point I only wanted to read what I wanted to read lol.
Kiru Taye
Thank you so much to Bookswagger for such a wonderful review and for hosting me. It tops off a fabulous week. I would’ve stopped by earlier but I gave birth on March 8 to my 3rd child, a boy, and we only got home on Sunday night. 🙂
bookswagger
Congrats! Nothing tops a brand new baby!:)