Monterey King
Claire Marti
(California Suits, #3)
Publication date: June 16th 2022
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
When former Army Major Cameron Taylor comes home a hero from his deployment in the Middle East his scars run deep – both physically and emotionally. But he’s starting over, running a luxury hotel with his best friends. And Lucy Goodwin, apparently…his high school sweetheart who he’s never quite managed to forget.
There’s only one reason Lucy’s been engaged – and walked away – three times and now he’s standing right in front of her. Cameron Taylor is the man she’s never stopped loving, even when he left her “for her own good” all those years ago. There was nothing good about it, that’s for sure. Just like there’d be nothing good about trying to break down Cameron’s walls now. But that doesn’t mean she’s not tempted to try…
***Monterey King is the third book in award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Claire Marti’s spin off contemporary romance series, California Suits. The series will follow the adventures of five best friends who are opening a string of luxury boutique hotels from La Jolla to Monterey to Beverly Hills as each one finds true love…usually where he least expects it. Each book is a standalone.
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EXCERPT:
But sharing the conference table with the hotel’s Managing Director, Cameron Taylor, who she hadn’t set eyes on since he’d dumped her thirteen years ago? Yeah, that explained why her pulse pounded in her temples like the massive surf crashing on the nearby Monterey shore. She paused in front of the closed conference room door, taking a moment to gather her composure.
“The door isn’t locked.” An unmistakable voice rasped from beside her.
She spun around and her throat tightened the moment her eyes locked with Cameron Taylor’s arctic blue gaze.
How could someone look so familiar yet like a stranger? Lucy studied his lean, angular face. His strong, slightly crooked nose was the same, as was the determined squareness of his jawline. Small lines fanned out from his arresting eyes and grooves bracketed his chiseled mouth, which was pressed into a firm line. His posture was ramrod straight––even more rigid after a dozen years serving overseas in the Army.
“Cam.” How many times had she imagined what she’d say if she ever saw him again? How many impassioned speeches had she rehearsed before moving on with her life?
He inclined his head. “Hi, Lucy.” His crisp tone was as remote as his stony expression. The voice of an acquaintance––not the man she’d shared the love of a lifetime with until he’d broken her heart.
Through impeccable self-control, if she did say so herself, she forced her lips to curve upward. “So… how are you?” Awkward, but it was the best she had to offer. She hadn’t expected to encounter him one-on-one, at least not yet.
“Fine, but we should go in. Ryan and Charlie are waiting.” Cam reached for the mahogany wooden door’s carved brass handle at the same time she did.
His long, blunt fingers brushed hers. A flash of heat sparked up her arm and she snatched her hand back. Muscle memory? Of course, Mr. Poker Face didn’t flinch as he pushed the large door open.
Bright light flooded the conference room and bathed the expansive space in a golden glow. Lucy blinked. January on the Monterey coastline wasn’t celebrated for clear blue skies, but the cloudy gray morning had cleared, and rays of sunshine exposed the rugged Pacific coastline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Author Bio:
Claire Marti is an award winning and USA Today Bestselling author of swoonworthy Contemporary Romance novels set in Southern California, including the Pacific Vista Ranch series and the spin-off California Suits series. She lives in San Diego with her husband, silly dog, and two clever cats.
Claire started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.
When Claire’s not writing, she’s teaching yoga. You can find her sixty+ online classes on the international website www.yogadownload.com. A breast cancer survivor, Claire is a sought-after speaker on the power of yoga and meditation. She’s been published in numerous magazines with articles on wellness and is the author of a memoir, Come Ride with Me Along the Big C, on her experience beating breast cancer.
Claire loves to hear from readers!
Reach out via email or sign up for her newsletter at www.clairemarti.com
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Congrats on the new release, looking forward to reading this, thanks for the excerpt.
hot cover
This sounds like a great read.
Good looking cover, this sounds great
Love the cover! Sounds like an amazing read!
I like the cover. Looks great. Sounds like a good book.
Sounds like a great read.
Happy Book Birthday, Claire! I enjoyed the excerpt and Monterey King sounds like a great romance for me to read and enjoy! Good luck with your book and the blitz! Thanks for sharing it with me and have a fantastic day!
Sounds good, I like the cover.
Wow that is one great hot cover!
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Adding this to my summer reading list.
Clair’s book series ‘California Suits’ is a really good read.
Monterey King by Claire Marti sounds like a fun romantic read in in an interesting series of books.
Very handsome cover. Sounds like a good read. I personally would love to run a luxury hotel
Love the cover, looking forward to reading the book.
i shared this one too
A gorgeous cover and I enjoyed the synopsis and excerpt, Monterey King is a must read for me. Thank you for sharing the author’s bio and book details
Love the cover! Thanks for sharing 🙂
sounds like an interesting book
Sounds great. Nice cover.
Sounds like a good read.
Sounds interesting. Great cover and excerpt. I’d love to read more.
This sounds great!
Handsome book cover and the book sounds interesting.
The excerpt is interesting. Thank you for sharing it.
Adding this to my TBR list, sounds like a great read!
Love the cover. He is a dreamboat!
Awkward start to the plot. I would have taken one look at him, shrieked and ran for the hills.
I want to win
Looks like a great book!
Looks like an interesting book.
Thanks for the contest.
This sounds like an interesting book and I also like the cover.
Definitely a must read for me for this summer!
This book sounds amazing!
How long was the writing process?
I enjoyed the synopsis & excerpt.
It is so HOT!
This sounds like one that I would so love to read this summer and I love the cover too.
i like the cover and excerpt. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds great.
looks good
I was drawn to the cover and stayed for the great read! Reunited, long lost loves are stories I simply can’t get enough of.
Sounds so good!! Love this cover too!