I’m thrilled to welcome my dear friend, Kathryn Hills, back to the blog today. She’s here to talk about her short story “Secondhand Hearts” and the romance collection to which it belongs: Last Chance Beach: Summer’s End. Take it away, Kathryn!

Can you feel it, something special in the air?

August offers a hint of things to come. Hot days, cool nights. Leaves greener and grasses more golden. It’s transitional. A time of changes. The perfect setting for a love story!

For me Summer’s End is magical. And unique this year, as I join forces with thirteen other romance authors to create a collection of contemporary short stories set on the island paradise of Last Chance Beach.

There’s something for every romance reader there, whether you prefer sweet or sexy, or something in between. New sparks, second chances, enemies to lovers, family dramas, secrets and hidden identities. All with one thing in common – a happy ending.

Join me, and I’ll share a bit about my contribution to this limited-time-only collection of beach-themed, summer’s end romances.

A little about “Secondhand Hearts”:

Life takes you down many winding paths. Will theirs lead to love on Last Chance Beach?

Tasked with convincing her beloved grandmother to move back to the mainland, Kat Worthington returns to Last Chance Beach. This vacation island paradise is filled with cherished memories, and the thought of relocating her loved one weighs heavy on Kat’s heart. Is the alternative to uproot her life, stay on the island, and help run Gran’s charming B&B and antique shop?

Handsome neighbor, Ben Hadley, sure hopes it is. He and his playful pup are doing their best to upend Kat’s plans. Will their efforts convince her to stay?

Or will it require some of Gran’s special island magic?

A peek between the pages:

“Look at that… Didn’t even break the pot.” Gran gave her a sassy little wink. “You’ve always been one for divine timing, Kitty.”

“Pot?”

“Yup, I knew I had a matching teapot to the set that came in yesterday.” Gran stood a little straighter and squared her chin. “Besides, I’m not alone. Ben is here.”

“Who the heck is Ben?”

“That’d be me.” A deep voice came from behind, startling Kat. Spinning with a gasp, her eyes widened when connecting with six feet plus of drop-dead gorgeous, dark-haired man. He met her stare full on without so much as a hint of humility, and he nodded a curt greeting.

“Haddie Marshall are you up to your old tricks again?” Ben brushed passed Kat. “I told you to wait and I’d look with you.”

“Well, I didn’t want you to fuss. I know you’re busy.”

“Excuse me,” Kat interrupted, not bothering to disguise the irritation in her voice. “Who are you, and why would you allow my seventy-seven-year-old grandmother to climb to the scorching top of a barn and up a ladder for a teapot?”

The man stared in silence. One dark brow cocked in obvious annoyance.

“Ben Hadley meet my first grandbaby, Kitty Worthington,” Gran announced with a proud smile.

“It’s Kat, Gran. Or Katrina,” she grumbled. “No one has called me Kitty since the fifth grade.”

“Oh, shush child, you will always be Kitty to me and Grandpa Mike.” The elderly woman’s smile fell away. She took a wobbly step forward to hand Ben the box. “Be a love and take this down for me. I think I’d better hang on extra tight to the railing after all this excitement.”

“I’ll take the box,” Kat snapped. “You help my grandmother back to the house, where we can turn on some air conditioning.”

A bit about the entire collection:

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End, 14 all-new romantic short stories set in the island paradise where Dreams go to live again, and Wishes may come true.

The beach houses, condos, and hotels are full for Summer’s End, but there’s still time left to find love, new romances, second chances, hot alpha males, heartwarming heroes, love at first sight, romantic delight—and time left for enemies to become lovers and opposites to attract.

Throw another log on the beach bonfire and celebrate LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End, stories created especially for this romance collection by NY Times and USA Today bestselling authors and other bestselling and award-winning authors. These summer love stories will thrill the hopeful romantic in you. Some are sweet; some are sizzling! Some are humorous; some, serious. All will make you want to book a vacation to this island of legend and love.

LAST CHANCE BEACH: Summer’s End, the place where soul mates find each other and love at first sight happens all the time!

Buy the book:

Only 99 cents on Amazon!

Did I mention there’s a special add-on book?

Cocktails on Last Chance Beach is FREE!

About Kathryn Hills:

The rich history and many mysteries of New England are the perfect backdrop for most of Kathryn’s books. Winding roads lined by old stone walls, forgotten cemeteries, grand homes with shadowy pasts…all sparks for her imagination. Whether it’s a quaint seaside town or the vibrant city of Boston, it’s easy for this “hauntingly romantic” author to envision the past mingling with the present.

Taking it further—to have characters experience the past and present, opposite to “when” they belong—is the fun part. No surprise, some of Kathryn’s favorite stories involve time travel. And ghosts! Sprinkle in some magic, and you’re off on a great adventure.

When not writing, this award-winning author is researching, taking photographs, gardening, or cooking up something special in her chaotic kitchen. Kathryn shares her colonial home in the north woods with those she loves most – her wonderful husband and daughter, and three crazy dogs.

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Thanks so much for joining us today, Kathryn. I wish you great success with “Secondhand Hearts”!