Book Crazy: Book Blitz & Giveaway: Deadly Paradise by Quinn Avery!

Excerpt!

In the days that followed, after Nova completed her homework—which had become increasingly difficult as she was a year ahead of other kids her age, and her uncle was both a math and science enthusiast—she helped Nikos memorize the food menu and hone in on the English he may need when dealing with customers. She also taught him everything she knew about wine and how to explain the different varieties.

Spending time with him eased some of the anger that came with having so many unanswered questions. Meeting someone from her father’s homeland also filled her with an urgency to learn more about her parents’ past. How could she ever have a normal life unless she got to the bottom of her parents’ murder?

Nikos eventually shed his shy, reserved mannerisms and engaged in conversations that went beyond their studies. The third time they got together, Nova realized he was flirting with her. She began to feel a little guilty about using him, even though there was something else at play. Being around him created a sense of yearning that overshadowed everything else.

Nova’s aunt and uncle had allowed Nikos and his mother to stay in one of the resort’s units until Katerina saved up enough to afford something in the small town nearby. The close proximity worked to Nova’s advantage, allowing her ample time with the hot Greek. She told Nikos about her uncle’s protective nature and asked him not to tell his mother about the time they spent alone. In the weeks that followed, the pair became quite stealthy. They’d share whispered lessons in each other’s languages while soaking in the pool after midnight, and then sneak into the cellar to share a bottle or two.

One night, they rested together at the edge of the pool, huddled close enough that their knees touched. She had stolen one of her aunt’s skimpy bikinis to use for their nightly swims, and she loved how often she caught Nikos sneaking a peek at her breasts. She finally felt comfortable enough with him to ask the one question that had been weighing extra heavy on her mind.

“Did your mom ever say anything about my parents’ murder?” she blurted. “Like who would want to hurt them, or why?”

“I am sorry your parents…they are gone,” he said, briefly dusting his thumb over the back of her hand. “But why do you think my mother knows this?”

She tried to ignore the way her belly tightened from his touch. “I don’t know. Maybe you could ask her…just to make sure. I just get the feeling whatever they were afraid of has something to do with Mykonos. We went there right before they died, on vacation, and something or someone spooked my parents.”

His eyes narrowed. “Spooked?”

“Scared.”

“My English…it still needs work.”

“You’ll get there.” She threw him a shy smile. “You’re very smart, Nikos. It won’t be long and you’ll be ready to test out of high school. It’ll be a piece of cake.”

Squinting, he wiped a hand over his wet face. “I do not understand.” In the moonlight, the water droplets on his thick eyelashes sparkled like diamonds. She watched one drip down to his sharp cheekbones and roll past the generous curve of his thick lips. “What does a piece of cake have to do with school?”

When she realized she had been staring at his mouth, she quickly turned her head away. “It’s a dumb saying, I guess. It just means it’ll be easy.”

He chuckled with a deliciously deep sound. “In Greece, we have strange proverbs.”

She glanced at him over her wet shoulder. She adored listening to him speak in his native tongue. His voice was so sensual, and the words sounded exotic, even as she was starting to understand the language. “Like what?”

His eyes lit with amusement as he said, “Agápi horís pízmata den éhi nostimada.”

Butterflies took flight in her stomach. “What does that mean?”

Now his eyes were focused on her lips. “Love without a bit of stubbornness isn’t tasteful.”

“You’re right, that is strange.” With heat rushing through her cheeks, she swam away.

By then, she had already sensed he wanted to kiss her. His eyes would sparkle when he laughed as she taught him American slang that he found amusing, and he watched with a spark of desire whenever she swam laps around him in the pool. He was a strong swimmer, but seemed to prefer treading water or floating in a way that elicited a peaceful look. In turn, she admired his deeply tanned, sinewy body whenever he wore swim trunks, and reveled in the muscles flexing across his back the rare times he raced her for laps.

Long before he finally did kiss her, Nova realized she may have already fallen a little bit in love with the handsome boy from Greece.

As a child, Nova witnessed the murder of her parents. She is whisked away in the middle of the night to start a new life, however Nova can’t stop questioning the circumstances surrounding her parents’ deaths.

As a teenager, Nova lives a lonely and sheltered existence until fate delivers a handsome Greek boy into her world. Although forbidden to speak to him, the teens navigate through first love until she discovers he’s guarding a secret that unravels everything between them.

As a woman, Nova finally goes after the answers that have plagued her entire life. Answers that involve her first love, throwing them both in danger when he returns to save her life. Can she risk the dark secrets of their tangled past to collide with what could become a deadly present?

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Author bio:

Quinn Avery is an award-winning author who has written over 38 novels, both romantic suspense and mystery/thriller. An avid fan of the beach, a good book, and Dave Grohl, she enjoys spending her free time with her favorite people and biggest fans--her husband and children.