Virtual Book Tour and Giveaway: French Kiss by Gloria J. Goldsmith

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for French Kiss by Gloria J. Goldsmith. This book tour was organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. On my stop, I have an excerpt from the book as well as a lovely guest post from the author. There's also the tour wide giveaway for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card. Be sure to visit the other stops on the tour for more content. Enjoy!

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Title: French Kiss

Author: Gloria J. Goldsmith

Publisher: Plum Products

Publication Date: September 6th 2021

Print Length: 205 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance

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I was DONE! I ditched graduation, dumped my repressed college boyfriend, and dropped my sexual insecurities for a wild ride with Destiny. Unpredictable Fate beckoned with a European adventure!

In a chance encounter, I met Jean Louis. From the instant we met, the dashing young Frenchman soothed my bruised heart, rejuvenated my spirit, and convinced me that leaving my old life was no mistake. Together, we set out to explore southern France.

Jean Louis was torn from my life almost as quickly as he had entered it, yet leaving the haunting memory of his caress permeating my every thought. Driven by love and passion, I journeyed to find my lover, even if it meant scouring all the hidden corners of France.

Would I ever reunite with the man I believe to be my one true soulmate? Would I ever hear him say he feels the same for me as I do him? What twist of Fate will it take for me to find him?

Goodreads * Amazon

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EXCERPT:

They said he was “very mean.” He threw people off the bus all the time. Some tried to speak what they could in English, to tell me this bus driver was evil. He would call the police!

I smiled and said with American confidence, “Pas d’aujourd’hui.” Not today.

The bus driver came back and again threatened to call the cops.

I said, “Ahh, M. chauffeur de bus, le flic, il viendra ici, il me dit, ‘Avez-vous un billet?’”

Ahh. Mr. Bus Driver, the cop, he’ll come here, he’ll say to me, ‘Do you have a ticket?’ I pretended to talk to an imaginary cop standing beside the bus driver.

“Et moi, moi je dis… And me, me I say…” I used my theater training to perfection. I put a finger in my cheek to make a pretend dimple and spoke in a honeyed, childlike voice in French.

“Oh, Monsieur Flic, bien sûr, j'ai un billet, avec la date et l’heure d’aujourd’hui, les mêmes que toutes les autres ici.” Oh. Mr. Cop of course, I have a ticket, with today’s date and hour, the same as all the others here. I leaned forward, acting as if I were whispering to the pretend cop. “Il est un peu malade, tsk, tsk.” He is a little sick, tsk, tsk. I twirled my index finger in a small circle, signaling the French gesture of “mental.”

All the bus riders burst out laughing at my sugar-coated, sweet face and voice to the imaginary cop. The red-faced bus driver threw his hands up and went to his seat. His arms across his chest, he stuck out his bottom lip in a Gallic pout and refused to move the bus for nearly ten minutes before finally giving up and moving off.

As each of the riders got off the exit by me, they patted my arm, smiled, and said things like, “Oh, you Americans, you are so amusing. Very good, very good!”

There were still about ten passengers when they got to my stop. I waved at the bus driver and shouted, “À demain!” Until tomorrow. He threw up his hand in a friendly salute before he remembered who I was, then flung his hand forward and scowled.

I laughed and shouted at him, “J’aime la France!” I love France!

In his big mirror at the front, I saw his eyebrows raise, and he lifted his head at me in agreement and gave a tiny smile.

Victory is sweet!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As a Special Education teacher, I became fascinated by the English language. I still marvel at how it changes and expands over time. My most pleasurable teaching moments were showing children how a wondrous story can take their imaginations to other times, places, even other worlds. When the pandemic began, I started my first foray into publishing⸺ a nonfiction book, The Sensible Parent’s Little Homeschooler Handbook.

My secret pleasure-writing has always been focused on romance. French Kiss is a Contemporary Romance based on a fictionalized version of experiences during eighteen months of living and working abroad before the formation of the European Union.

Next year, my first Historical Regency Romance That Wylde Woman will be published. It has allowed me to indulge my curiosity and enthusiasm for history by incorporating in the storyline a historical geologic event which affected weather and farming and even how England’s war with Napoleon impacted clothing styles.

Website * Amazon * Blog * Bookbub *

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GUEST POST:

- Where is the most romantic place you've been?

Two locations are brilliant memories, but for different types of romance.

The first one is Mount Puget. It was simply a Sunday adventure. Something to do as travel on Sunday was never good because everything was closed. We followed some trails to see where it would lead us.

This was indeed one of the unique locations I personally visited. The story in the book is precisely what happened. Well, I did leave out how many of the small caves we poked our heads into, some big enough to stand upright, some a perfect size for a critter to live in.

The romance of it was the surprise of the view. When we climbed up that steep hillock, we had no idea how far up we had climbed or that there was such beauty awaiting us when we turned around. To this day, the romance of it was so impressive, I can recall the view clearly.

Dan found a path leading up the side of a rocky hill called Mount Puget. After a hundred feet or so, the way branched off into three choices. There were various colored lines painted on the rocks beside the trail. We chose to follow the red route. At first, it was a fairly steep climb, then it leveled out, and we spotted a hole in the rock. Naturally, we had to investigate. The mountain was of dolomite, a soft rock that often has caves. Climbing higher, we found several more caves that morning.

We switched path colors and went for yellow because that was what we last found. It was a forty-five-degree rock climb. I yelled to Dan, who was twenty feet ahead of me.

“Dan, I think we missed the red marks. All I see is yellow.”

“I know. We must have missed it farther back. Let’s see if we can get to the top.”

The January wind was so strong we were scaling upward on our hands and knees. My foot slipped; I had had enough. That was as far as I was going. I turned around and sat down on the mountainside.

Concentrating on going up, I gave no thought to what was behind me. I was so surprised; all I could do was gasp at the sight. Finally, I yelled, “Dan! Dan! Turn around and look!” I heard him have the same surprise as me at the incredible view. He scrabbled down by me, and we sat admiring the beauty below us.

All of Marseille was at our feet. We could see no farther than the tall ridge on the far eastern side of the city, but between the distant crest and Mount Puget, a giant valley floor spilled out into a broad Mediterranean harbor.

The roofs of thousands of houses glinted in the bright winter sunshine. The blue colors of the sea ranged from a pale teal to a very dark blue. We feasted our eyes on the beauty of the coastline. Then came the delightful sight—an adventure for the eyes—all sizes of sailboats streaming out of the heart of the old Port of Marseille. The regatta left the harbor with their colorful sails billowing in the wind. They sailed around Les Iles and Chateau d’If—made famous by Alexander Dumas’ setting for The Count of Monte Cristo.

Soon the cold winds made us look for some kind of shelter or windbreak.

“Nora, look. I thought it was a drop-off, but it’s just a couple feet down to a seat of rock.” We scrambled into the seat and enjoyed the panoramic views while eating our cheese, fresh-baked bread, and sharing the wine.

The second romantic location is definitely about the romance of the heart.

The day began with Antonio, a man I met when I got off at the wrong bus stop, showing me what he believed to be the sights of Rome that I should absolutely visit. Tall, handsome, and English-speaking, Antonio was a charming Roman guide. When we got to the Mouth of Truth, I knew exactly what it was, having seen the Audrey Hepburn/Gregory Peck movie, Roman Holiday, many years before.

But his delight in trying to trick me, his playfulness set the tone for an extraordinary, and yes, very romantic day.

We walked a few blocks approaching a plaza near the Tiber River. On the Tiber side of the street was the Fontana dei Tritoni. On the opposite side was a brick building with seven arches, making a portico. We entered under the central arch and veered right.

“Oh, I know this.” In the far corner was a large disk with a man’s face, his mouth an open hole.

“Yes, it’s very famous, Bocca della Veritas, The Mouth of Truth. But of course, you have to be careful. The saying goes that you put your hand in there only if you are a truthful person. If you are not a truthful person, then it is—” he clapped his hands together, making a sharp, snapping noise, “—cut off!”

Antonio leaned toward me, his eyes dancing. “You want to try it?” I am sure I looked askance. He laughed at me, saying, “I show you; I am a truthful man!” He shoved his hand in, and his fingers came out whole and clean. “Now, you try it!”

I reached my hand in. Antonio grabbed my wrist, pretending my hand was stuck as if the mouth had closed on my hand. Of course, I gave an excited scream while he laughed and squeezed my shoulder.

“No danger. Look, you have all your fingers. You are a truthful woman!”

I laughed with him as he hugged me. He was giving me his version of Roman Holiday. I was lucky to have met this romantically entertaining and amusing man at a bus stop!

Just re-reading these events makes my heart yearn for another visit. But without my companions, the emotions would not measure up to the memories. Some things are better as a remembrance.

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GIVEAWAY:

Gloria J. Goldsmith will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card to one randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Good luck!

(All the Ups and Downs is not responsible for this giveaway, its entries, or the prize. Goddess Fish Promotions assumes all responsibility for this giveaway.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway