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My heroine doesn’t know she’s doomed 😱 🤭
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My heroine is on a date with a perfectly nice man who talks about cat probiotics. Naturally, she can’t stop thinking about the hot stranger she met in a restroom. Hiya, Reader! Welcome to August, a month when apparently my fictional characters are making questionable romantic choices while I juggle contractors, unpack boxes, and mull over the merits of giving my condo an exorcism. In other words, there’s a lot going on around here. Let’s start with Romy… Romy, Girlfriend, We Need to TalkMeet Romy, our practical, level-headed, sadly deluded heroine, who clearly hasn’t read the memo that she’s starring in a romance novel called The One That I Crave. Crave, of course, being the operative word. Let’s peek in on her for a second. It’s Friday night. She’s on a date. Everything is fine. Fine is good. Fine is… fine. Right? Our dinner conversation weaves between gaming, other hobbies, our jobs, and… cats. Lots of cat chat. Still, Toddrick is funny and quick and, all in all, much better company than my last three boyfriends. He’s interesting enough that I only drift into daydreaming about what my parting words should have been to the hot guy in the restroom a half dozen times.
It’s a promising start.
Because Sir Delicious really was a passing fantasy. Way out of my league and moving much too fast for my speed. A sleek, shiny express train compared to my pokey local.
The memory of my wince-inducing exit makes me cringe.
Toddrick breaks off with a self-deprecating laugh. “Sorry, that’s probably more information than you’ll ever need to know about cat digestive tract issues.”
“No, it’s fascinating. I had no idea there were feline-specific probiotics.”
It’s his turn to wince. “I can feel myself crashing and burning. Note to self—leave the crazy cat lover act for the second date.”
“It’s all good.” I pat his hand.
The guy deserves a fair chance. So do I. And if I’m lucky, he will finally break my unlucky-in-bed streak. Determined to get my head back into the game, I eject the pair of laughing blue eyes loitering in my brain—and the unexpected ache of a road not taken.
Better to stick with the very pleasant bird in hand than to go chasing into the unknown on a mythic quest for something more exciting.
I mean, we know there’s no escaping the mythic quest. Poor Romy. She has quite a journey ahead! What I’m Actually Doing on My Summer VacationAs I type this, I’m waiting for my contractor and his crew to show up so they can complete the final items on my condo renovation punch list. Honestly, it seems like it’s taken at least half of the eight months since the Great Condo Flood of January 2026 for them to finish the final 10–15% of this project. It’s true that words have always been more my deal than numbers, but, boy, that math seems hella sus. Do they not want to get paid? 🤨💸🤷♀️ So what am I doing on my summer vacation? Unpacking. For reelz this time. My mom and her partner are returning—they were here in June, the first time I was assured the project would be done. In between rediscovering my precious baubles and books and taking the parentals out to eat good food, it’s possible we'll undertake a smudge stick cleansing ritual—because, frankly, I’m open to anything that will help make my home all “mine” again. Your August Book Jam: A Room With A GroomI’m beyond excited to share this month’s free book. Sharon Wray is one of the Morning Crew—a group of ladies I’ve been Zoom-writing with each weekday since May 2020. She writes romantic suspense and motorcycle club romance. Talented and terrific, you’ll want to check her out, starting with this great free read. Fall Into a Book With Me on September 18Okay, But How Do YOU Cozy?I know, I know. We really are still in summer. I’m not normally a fan of wishing away time, but all this nesting I’ll be doing this month has me thinking cozy thoughts. Like, wrap-myself-in-a-blanket-with-a-good-book-and-some-hot-chocolate kinds of thoughts. Which made me wonder: What are your go-to rituals for getting cozy? And when fall hits, does making room for cozy climb your priority list? Hit reply and spill the tea (hot cocoa?) because inquiring minds wanna know! Ciao for now, Keely J. KEELY THRALL P.S. I've been listening to the Dungeon Crawler Carl series by Matt Dinniman. What a hoot! I’ve also been binge-watching the French police procedural Astrid. What a compelling character. I recommend both. P.P.S. I had a fancy night out with a friend a few weeks ago. Connor and Keira would have adored the bathrooms in this place—so swanky and discreet. And check out that coffered ceiling! So cool! I’m glad I wore the pearl necklace I picked up in Croatia last year or I would have been too outmatched by the sheer over-the-topness of it all to be let in the door, lol. |
Hi! I'm Keely.
Have a reading addiction? Same. Join my newsletter where I fangirl over awesome books, share stories about my travel adventures and updates about my writing and publishing schedule, and offer a quick, positive, feel good experience in your inbox about once a month.
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