Second Chances...Amazon GC

I'm pleased to welcome Delaney Diamond to my blog. I read  The Ultimate Merger, the prequel to Second Chances and enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to reading Delaney's new book. Delaney comes bearing gifts too, so read to the end!

The Story Behind the Story Second Chances

Where did the idea for Second Chances come from?

Writers are often asked where we get the ideas for our stories. So I thought I’d kick off my virtual tour by telling you why I chose to tell this type of story.

The prequel to Second Chances is The Ultimate Merger, and when I started writing the prequel, I had only a vague idea of what the sequel would be about. Renaldo da Silva and Sabrina Porter had a whirlwind courtship. They fell fast and hard after meeting at a bar and spending the night together.

I knew I wanted to write a story about forgiveness, but I didn’t know the details. Until I wrote this scene in The Ultimate Merger after Renaldo asked Sabrina to marry him.

“Promise me something,” she said, looking deeply into his eyes.

“Anything.” He continued to smile down at her. Noting her somber expression, he frowned and asked, “What is it?”

“Promise me you’ll always love me.” He laughed, as if her request was ridiculous. She squeezed his hands in hers. “Promise.”

“Meu amor,” he said, “you have nothing to fear. My love is real. I know we will be happy together. Believe me, there is nothing you could ever do that would make me stop loving you.”

Infidelity

I was determined to test Renaldo’s love (can you tell I like to torture my characters?). For me, infidelity is the ultimate test of someone’s love. It’s hard to get past it, and some would say impossible.

In the case of Sabrina and Renaldo, it was important to show how hurt Renaldo was by her betrayal, and how guilty she felt about what she’d done. Therefore, during the first part of the book, you see them struggling with the emotions of anger, hurt, and remorse. There’s more to the accusation of infidelity, of course, and I drop heavy hints almost immediately. After all, this is a romance. But as I put them through the paces, it only made me want them to achieve their happily ever after even more.

As the reader, you’ll come to learn why they love each other. Sure, the sex is hot, but they work well together, too. They complement each other. And I hope you’ll be rooting for them to work things out and end up together in the end.

Below is an excerpt that shows the emotional response they both have when they see each other for the first time in six weeks.

Blurb

Renaldo da Silva’s near-perfect life in Brazil comes to a halt when he finds out about his wife’s betrayal. Now he doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. But because he needs her help finalizing the biggest deal of his career, he’s forced to make her a multi-million dollar offer and delay their divorce.

Sabrina da Silva can’t forgive herself after a reckless night destroys her marriage. She agrees to help her husband and then disappear from his life for good. But with passion still smoldering between them, it’s not easy for either to walk away. Will passion be enough to overcome the ultimate test of their love?

Excerpt

They moved through the crowded street in silence with Renaldo clearing a path through the other pedestrians until he pulled her down an alleyway between two buildings.

When they came to a stop, she yanked her arm out of his grip. She could still feel the harsh impression of his fingers. But in the past, those fingers had stroked across her damp skin, made her throb, ache, and beg for release. She fought down the erotic thought and summoned the strength to look him in the eye.

He stood before her, a six-foot-five bronze pillar, making her feel small because of his height, despite the fact that at five-foot-ten she was over six feet in heels.

He stared down at her, struggling to keep his anger in check. The planes of his face looked harsh, but none of it changed the fact that he was the most handsome man she’d ever laid eyes on. She missed him and what they’d had so much.

“You never walk away from a negotiation until every option has been exhausted,” he finally said, anger lending a rougher edge to his voice.

“I’m not interested in anything else you have to offer. I just want to get my divorce and leave. You’ve made it clear how you feel about me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Is this your way of getting more money? Because if it is, I’ve offered you plenty. You know it and I know it.”

“In case you haven’t noticed, this has nothing to do with money. I’m simply not interested anymore.”

“I don’t believe you. No one walks away from that kind of money.”

“I don’t care about it,” Sabrina shot back. “Aren’t you listening?” She wanted to scream at him but kept her voice at a level to match his.

“What is it then?” His eyes searched her face. “Is it him? Because I won’t allow you to see him, Sabrina. Do you understand me? So help me—” He shook with rage, his fists clenched at his sides.

“No!” Sabrina screamed in frustration. “It has nothing to do with him or anyone else. It’s you.” She stopped, afraid to share what she felt, but the words just kept coming. “I don’t want you to look at me the way you did in there.”

“And how did I look at you?”

She drew a shaky breath. “Like you hate me.”

A muscle in his jaw jumped. “And how would you prefer that I look at you?” he asked in a lowered tone.

She took her time answering, needing to gain some semblance of control. “The way you used to,” she said huskily, her voice trembling with emotion.

“With love in my eyes?” Renaldo asked caustically. “Those days are long gone.”

His eyes roved over her, and she felt it as if he actually touched her. The tips of her breasts became hard knots beneath her shape-hugging dress. Her whole body came alive in reaction to the slide of his dark gaze. She would do anything to touch him again—to have him touch her—with tenderness and love.

If he wanted to take her against the wall right this minute, she feared she would aid him by hiking up her dress.

 “I no longer want you,” he said, but she knew he was lying because of the flaring of his nostrils, and his breathing had become labored, making his chest move up and down beneath his expensive suit. When his gaze came back to hers, there was a heat in his eyes that hadn’t been there before. “I know the kind of woman you are now, and I can’t bring myself to touch you.

Buy it now at  All Romance Ebooks | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

I hope you enjoyed the excerpt from Second Chances! You can pick up a free copy of the prequel, The Ultimate Merger, from Amazon, B&N, and other online retailers.

Online Links

Website and blog: http://delaneydiamond.com

Facebook fan page: http://facebook.com/DelaneyDiamond

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/delaneydiamond

Giveaway

I’m giving away a $5 Amazon gift card and an ecopy of any one of my previously published titles (excluding Second Chances). All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me what you believe is the ultimate test of love in a relationship. I’ll post the winner’s name in the comments at the end of the tour by 11:59 PM EST on November 16, 2012. Comment at each stop of the tour. Each time you comment increases your chances to win. Visit the Second Chances Virtual Book Tour post on my blog for the tour schedule.

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Delaney Diamond writes sweet and sensual romance novels with multicultural characters. When she's not busy reading or writing, she's in the kitchen trying out new recipes, dining at one of her favorite restaurants, or traveling to an interesting locale. You can enjoy free reads and the first chapter of all her novels on her website.