“You cannot define people by one moment in time. By their mistakes alone. People do change. People learn, they grow, they evolve. That’s life. Yeah, some people don’t. And that’s a shame. But some people do, baby, and I’m one of those people. You’ve got to trust me. Cause I want to hold onto you for as long as I’m breathing, Hallie baby.” — Ace O’Hanlon, Tempting Hallie. Coming December 2022!
Tag Archives: Romance
Just A Little Chat – (Tempting Hallie)
Normally I drop a teaser every Monday morning.
Today, instead, I’m going to chat about Tempting Hallie. Casual. Easy. Like we’re just a couple of buddies having a drink, talking romance novels.
So let’s get into it, shall we?
First off, Ace. — He’s a straight shooter, a no holds barred, don’t give a damn kind of man. He’s also incredibly protective, sexy, tatted, curses like a sailor, and spends a lot of his time behind the bar—The Cricket, which he owns—slinging drinks. He’s incredibly multifaceted, and if you’ve met him in any of my other books in the Sweetgum Valley series, you’ll know he’s a real handful sometimes. But there’s so much more to him than what’s been shown on the pages before now.
Then there’s Hallie. — She’s sharp, wise beyond her years, incredibly loyal, a little playful, but so very vulnerable with a depth of layers so many don’t see because she’s so good at hiding behind master manipulating the pieces on the metaphorical chessboard that is life. — But not in a malicious way. Just in a way that is very Hallie.
Tempting Hallie itself is the story of two somewhat lost souls, very different from each other, colliding. But it’s told with all the playful banter, sexual tension, and humor that I find I just love pouring into my novels. But as always, the threads of something more run deeper. In Tempting Hallie, that’s honesty, fear, vulnerability, trust, forgiveness. It’s growth, it’s being willing to shed armor and wade into that messy thing called love. It’s family and friendship. It’s finding strength in those things.
It was so fun to write. When I was mulling over all my characters years ago, I knew almost immediately that Ace and Hallie were going to end up together. I was really excited because I knew it was going to be a challenge to get two people so very stubborn together without losing my mind. And if you’ve read previous books, then you’ll know that Ace and Hallie each have strong personalities. — But very different ones. And so making that work in a way that was fun and would have you, along with me, rooting for them, was something I loved every second of.
I literally told my mom the other day as I was working through some edits, I said, “Look, I love my husband, but I want an Ace, dammit.” 😂 – I love him as a character that much. And I love that of all my characters, I was able to gift him to Hallie. Because if he’s everything I’ve made him out to be, make believe as he is, he’s perfect for her, and she deserves nothing less.
So there’s an overall look at Tempting Hallie, and some of my thoughts about it as I’ve worked on it over the last year and a half. I could go on and on, but then we’d be here all day, and I won’t ask you to read a book until, well, I publish the actual book.
And speaking of… keep an eye out. It’s coming in December!
Tempting Hallie Teaser #8 – (Sexy Footwear After Dark…)
So all I’m going to say about this one… is if you want to know how this scene ends… Tempting Hallie will be out mid-December. (You know you’re going to want to know! I want to know and I wrote it!)
Hallie sprinted to her apartment, grabbed her keys and her wallet, climbed into her truck and took off. Ace lived about five minutes up the road, and that was with traffic. As it was, it was almost one in the morning, and there was no traffic.
Aware that she was in powder blue pajamas with smiling sunshine faces and white puffy clouds all over them—no bra to speak of because she’d just climbed into her bed when Clara Belle knocked on her door and asked for help—Hallie braced herself for the picture she’d present when she showed up on Ace’s doorstep, praying she didn’t have to go in search of him at the bar.
It was going to be nothing short of humiliating.
And that was before she remembered she’d forgotten to throw on flip-flops or sneakers, and instead was wearing fuzzy, black and white moo-cow slippers with giant, floppy pink ears…
Tempting Hallie Teaser #7 – (It’s All Fun & Games!)
Gonna give you a little snippet of a playful Hallie and Ace on this beautiful Monday morning!
Enjoy! ❤️
———
“Scale of one to ten, how bad do you hate life right now?” Hallie asked, smiling as she stared at Ace’s fine ass backside. It was making hiking with a headache worth it.
“Twelve.”
“Really? I’d think it was more like twenty.”
He turned his head to the side and called over his shoulder, “I took points off cause you’re nice to look at.”
She laughed. “You can’t even see me back here.”
“Yeah, well I’d hate to deprive you of that view you’re so fascinated with.”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
“I can feel you objectifying me back there, baby.”
“You like when I objectify you.”
“You damn right I do.”
Tempting Hallie Teaser #6 – (Best Friends)
We’re taking a little detour from Ace & Hallie this week… because every Hallie needs an Olivia! So here’s to best friends! ❤️
Hallie’s phone rang and she picked up immediately. “Hey, what’s going on?” she answered.
“Are you dressed?” Olivia, her best friend, asked.
Hallie glanced down at her sweats. “Yep.”
“For going out in public?”
“Sure.”
“I don’t mean down to the corner store for midnight snacks.”
Hallie glanced down again. “Yeah, that’ll be a no.”
“Exactly. Put on something nice. A dress or something.”
Hallie scowled. “Why?”
“I’m coming to get you.”
“For what?”
“We’re going out.”
“Out?” Hallie checked the time. “Out where? It’s nine-thirty already.”
She heard Olivia’s exasperated sigh come through the phone. “Do you hear yourself?”
“Loud and clear.”
“Get dressed.”
“But I’m not finished with my popcorn.”
“Well finish it real fast then put on something fancy.”
“How fancy?”
“I told you already. A dress or something.”
“Or something leaves a lot of options.”
Olivia laughed, and Hallie heard a car horn in the background. “No jeans. No tees. No comfy shorts. No sports bras. No work boots. Absolutely no sweats.”
“That doesn’t leave much, does it?” Hallie muttered, waving bye to Clara Belle and heading to her apartment above the garage.
“It leaves plenty. You have nice clothes. Put them on. Oh, and wear sexy panties.”
Hallie stopped, pulling up short just before reaching her front door. “What do you mean wear sexy panties? For what?”
“Do I have to explain everything?”
Hallie walked into her apartment. “No, but you definitely have to explain the panties.”
“We’re going out to meet men.”
“What men?”
Olivia’s heavy sigh came through the phone again. “Whatever hot men we meet, and we’re doing it in sexy panties. Now come on, Grandma. Get dressed.”
“Did you just call me grandma?”
“Did you just imply it was too late to go out at nine-thirty on a Friday night?”
“I’m sure I did no such thing,” Hallie said, knowing full well she had.
“Whatever. Change the sweats. I’ll be there in fifteen.”
“Bold of you to assume I’m wearing sweatpants.”
“Hallie?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you wearing sweatpants?”
“Yep.”
“Change. Now. Fifteen minutes!”
Tempting Hallie Teaser #5 – (A Protective Ace)
“Hallie, honey.” Natalie’s voice filtered in, penetrating her thoughts. Hallie turned and gave Natalie a wide smile. “What’d you think of Jack?”
“He’s seems nice, Nat, but I don’t really think–”
“Before you make up your mind, let’s have dinner. You and Jack. Me and your dad. It’ll be fun.”
Hallie’s eyes widened. That’s what Natalie called fun?
“He’s not really my type,” Hallie said.
“But you’ve barely spoken to him.” Natalie smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “When I met your dad, dating him didn’t even cross my mind at first. But after I got to know him… well…” Natalie laughed and turned her hands up. “Here we are, getting married soon.”
“And that’s great,” Hallie said. “I’m happy for you, but—”
“Just give it a shot, honey. Maybe he could make you happy—”
“The hell, woman?” Ace growled, interrupting Natalie. “She said no. Drop it.”
Hallie turned wide eyes on Ace, Natalie did the same… and Olivia grinned like a Cheshire cat.
Ace had both arms—those damned arms again—crossed over his chest, an angry, hard gleam in his eyes. He looked ready to snap a person in half. That person being Natalie.
Natalie cleared her throat, looking flustered. “I don’t have any idea who you are, but this doesn’t concern you. You’re here to tend bar, not get in the business of customers.”
Hallie’s eyes widened further, and she’d not thought that possible. Uh Oh.
Ace smiled. But it was a lethal smile, one that did not bode well for Natalie.
He, once again, rested his arms on the bar and leaned onto it, that same hard glint in his eyes. He didn’t even look at Hallie. “Every damn customer in this bar is my business, and it’ll be the day that someone walks in and tells me what the fuck to do here.” Natalie’s gaze grew stormy. That didn’t stop Ace, though. “Now you can go back to your table, finish your drink, whatever you want to do… but you’re damn sure going to leave Hallie the fuck alone. You got me?”
Hallie glanced at Olivia, who sent her a wide-eyed look of disbelief. Yeah, Hallie thought, whoa.
“Ace, that’s not necessary—”
“Hallie,” he warned, his voice a low growl.
She didn’t know what to do. Part of her wanted to help Natalie out. The other part of her, though, loved having Ace come to her defense.
But she was a grown woman, and she could defend herself.
“Ace,” she whispered, waiting until his unforgiving gaze held hers. “It’s alright.”
“None of this is alright,” Natalie snapped, arms crossed. “In fact, I’d like to speak to your manager.”
“Yeah?” Ace said, lifting an arrogant brow. “Well, let me see if I can get Julian for you.”
Hallie shook her head and fought a smile, one that was entirely inappropriate given the volatile situation she was smack in the middle of. “Stop it.” She turned back to Natalie. “Ace owns the place. This is his bar.”
Natalie’s back went ramrod straight. “Well, then, I certainly won’t be frequenting it anymore.”
“What a shame,” Ace drawled sarcastically.
———
Seriously, protective Ace is my favorite Ace. Ya love to see it. Okay, the softer, walls-down Ace has a special place in my heart, too, but ya don’t see that as often, and I can’t tell a lie… Protective Ace is totally my fave. ❤️
Keep an eye out for more teasers from Tempting Hallie! Release date coming soon!
Tempting Hallie Teaser #4 – (An Eavesdropping Ace)
From where Ace stood, he could hear Chris and Hallie talking.
“You going?” Chris asked.
“Yeah. Are you?”
“I’ll be there.” Chris hesitated. “You don’t think Natalie is going to do weird crap, do you? That pink flamingo t-shirt shit was horrifying.”
Hallie laughed. “No. Doubt it. And her kids will be with their dad this weekend.”
“Ah, well there’s a silver lining.”
Hallie sighed. “Are we horrible people?”
Chris laughed. “Because we don’t get overly-involved in their lives? No. We know what they don’t.”
“Yeah, give it a couple years…”
“Exactly. We’ll likely never see them again.”
“What if she’s the one that sticks?” Hallie asked.
“Then we get more involved. No need to do that now.”
Their family dynamic was a weird one, and Ace knew Natalie was just another soon-to-be stepmom in the long line of stepmoms they’d had. It was a small town. Most people knew all about it. But Ace couldn’t pass judgment on strange family dynamics. He’d had his own.
“Listen, Hal… Anna met a guy—”
“Oooo, don’t tell me you’re not enough man for her these days,” Hallie said, laughing.
“Ha. Ha,” Chris deadpanned. “No, she thinks that maybe you and he would hit it off and—”
Hallie groaned. “Oh, no. Absolutely not. You’re not match-making for me.”
“Ya never know, Hal. You might like him.”
She laughed. “Yeah. What’s he like?”
“Well, he’s a lawyer—”
“Strike one.”
Chris laughed. “What’s wrong with a lawyer?”
“I don’t want one.”
“They make good money.”
“I make good money. Try again.”
Chris laughed harder, and Ace found himself smiling. Atta girl.
“Well, Anna said he’s blonde, blue-eyed, and gorgeous. Whatever the hell that means,” Chris muttered.
Hallie laughed. “Jelly, are you?”
“No.”
“Strike two.”
“You kidding me?” Chris sounded taken aback. “Isn’t that like… everything women dream of?”
“Not this one.”
Just what do you dream of, Hallie?
He sighed, exasperated. “Alright, well, apparently he doesn’t drink, he’s never been married, he’s thirty-one, and he just moved here.”
“Strikes three, four, five, and six.”
Ace nearly laughed out loud.
A pause, and then, “You kidding me?”
“Any tattoos?”
Ace thought he heard Chris growl. “Hallie, I told you… stay the hell away from Ace.”
Tempting Hallie Teaser #2 – (But What About You?)
One quick thing…
This conversation takes place at a recreation department ball field during a little league game. Ace is helping coach one of the teams. Hallie’s brother is a coach on the competing team. And they do not get along.
As for this week’s teaser… it’s a short one… but here ya go…
“Your brother looks pissed off,” Ace said twenty minutes later, standing next to her along the fence line near third base.
“He thinks you’re interested in a little vengeful seduction.”
Ace’s brows shot up. “He what now?”
She tossed him a cheeky grin. “Yeah. He thinks you’re trying to get in my pants. Or rather… get them off.”
“Why the hell would he think that?”
The way he said it stung; she’d be lying if she said it didn’t, but it went to her point that he wouldn’t be interested.
“Because he wouldn’t like it, and you would like that he wouldn’t like it.”
After a minute, Ace said, “But would you like it?”
… 😉
Stay tuned! More Ace and Hallie coming at you next Monday! ❤️
Teasers Incoming!
Prepare yourselves!
No, really. Prepare yourselves.
… Are you prepared?
I’m going to assume that you took my advice and are now adequately prepared.
Not sure you know what you’ve prepared yourself for… but I’m about to tell you.
Ready?
You should be.
Okay, here goes…
Teasers!!!!
That’s right… you’re about to get bombarded with teasers from my upcoming novel, Tempting Hallie! It’s a couple of months out from publication, and once a week I’ll be dropping little snippets right here for your romance reading pleasure! (I think they call this marketing, but I like to call it early Christmas. Because who doesn’t love the gift of teasers?) — Okay, I, personally, don’t, because I’m hella impatient. I’m sure you’re not, though. I bet you love teasers. So I’m going to give them to you. Right here. Every week. Specifically, every Monday, so you can start your week out right. (It occurs to me that I just lied. Upon further inflection, it is clear I like teasers. I’ve watched every Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power teaser trailer like a wacko fanatic the last couple of months, so clearly I’m a liar, and I love teasers.) Hence my point, who doesn’t love teasers?! — No one. So I’m giving them to you. Every week. Like clockwork. Starting next Monday. September 12th.
So get ready to spend some time with Ace and Hallie!
I’ll see y’all next Monday!
Update On All Things Books!
I have not written a blog post for this site since I revamped the entire thing several months back, so I figured the best way to start out again was to give you all the updates and insider info. — Imma try to make this short and sweet.
I have four published romance novels out at this time. Fighting For Annaleigh, Chasing Charley, Loving Lynsey, and Enchanting Ella. They are part of my Sweetgum Valley romance novel series and can be found on Amazon. (Ebook, paperback, and Kindle Unlimited subscription) While each book shares the same world and characters cross over, they are stand-alone reads and can be read in any order.
I am currently editing the manuscript for the fifth book in this series, Tempting Hallie, which will be published in the coming months. Alongside that, I am currently writing the sixth book, Dazzling Jane. — I was hoping to get Jane out late this year, but I’m thinking it may be an early 2023 release. — We will see what happens.
There are, at this time, sixteen books in this series. That may change as I meet new characters along the way. Sometimes I put them on the page, and they speak to me, demanding I tell their stories, so that number is not set in stone. (I won’t list all those forthcoming titles here, but if you check out my Sweetgum Valley Series page on my website, they’re all listed there. If you’ve been keeping up with the series, and you’re curious about which characters are getting books, you can check that out.)
I think that’s it. Following this series, I’ll dive into another one. I don’t yet know if that’ll be my hockey romance series or my billionaire brothers, but it’ll be one of the two. Those won’t be out for several more years, though, so that’s a more far off look into the future.
And I think that’ll wrap things up here. I’m about to start dropping teasers for the upcoming releases, so keep an eye out for that.
Y’all take care, and as always, happy reading!
Heather.
Heather Threatte, Author 