Thursday, June 2, 2016

Tempting Isabel (Paradise South #1) by Rissa Brahm


Tempting Isabel by Rissa Brahm
Release: May 24, 2016
Type: Contemporary Romance
Series: Paradise South #1
Luck. Lust. Love.

 Wedding planner Isabel Ruiz is cursed. Her hometown of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico agrees, considering her tragic track record. Alone and loveless, she creates fairy-tale weddings for others. Her only distraction? The occasional anonymous fling. So to avoid further tragedy, her rule, one–night–only, is never broken…

Until Zack.

Self-made millionaire Zack James is in town for his brother’s wedding, when a sudden spell of depression hits. Maybe burned out by his fast and luxurious lifestyle? Not even his two female companions hold any interest.

That is, until he meets Isabel.

She humbles and captivates him, reigniting his thirst for life. With her, Zack feels more alive than ever. To his delight—and her dismay—they share a deep bond, a sensual connection, and one mind-bending night.

Zack must have her – to complete him. And Isabel must escape him – to save him.

Their game of catch and chase leads to lust-turned-love. For Isabel, it's fate’s cruelest joke. But Zack won’t quit, positive he’s the cure to her curse. Can he convince her to risk everything with him? Or will it all go south…in paradise.




I'm excited to have author Rissa Brahm on the blog today to
discuss her new book, Tempting Isabel.
Thanks for sharing, Rissa!



Rockin’ the Romantic Road Trip…
(And A Top Ten List) by Rissa Brahm

Solo or with company, I love to travel. A change of scenery—of personas, even—surrounded by romantic out-of-the-usual possibilities.

And what I especially love is a road trip.

In fact, when I hit a writing “road block”—unsure of the next plot point or character conflict—I drive. It breaks me free, shifts my perspective. And the longer the drive the better—besides nudging me out of my writing-freeze, wow, do I get some great story sparks for next books to come!

And…to further the inspiration, what’s a road trip without killer music?

Scanning the radio to find that one crystal-clear station playing that certain song, bringing you back to that moment—the hottest, saddest, or most thrilling time when…?—as the landscape out your car window rushes by. Remember mix tapes you made after that breakup—“Total Eclipse of the Heart” anyone? Or belting out the chorus of Don McClean’s “American Pie” or whatever epic track on that burned-CD mix your best friend or boyfriend or sister gave you? And now we’ve got our custom playlists on our oh-so-smart devices.

Whatever the sound source, our road trip’s “soundtrack” sits at our fingertips while the road takes us through the sights, sounds, and scents of new scenes and chapters, delivering real-life romance at its best—newness, “now-ness”, endless possibilities…

Our own stellar romance novel in living color.

So here’s a list of my top ten favorite U.S. road trips… Put down that hot read for a quick second ;), and imagine your next rockin’ road trip. Whether it be a soul-searching solo-cation (with or without a book boyfriend taggin’ along), a celebratory excursion with friends or family, or a romantic getaway, just go for it!

10. Upper Delaware Scenic Byway/NY Route 97 Hawk’s Nest: Some parts are 200 feet above the Delaware River with photo-taking pull-offs. Drive it in the autumn, you won’t believe! (Car commercials have been shot here.)
9. Virginia/North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway: This drive is stellar in spring, summer or fall. And some gorgeous hiking trails to check out for stretching your legs.
8. Idaho/Montana Lemhi Pass: Over the Beaverhead Mountains, part of the Bitterroot Range in the Rocky Mountains, I RV’d this one with the family. Mountain Goats along the mountainsides—enough said.
7. South Dakota-Yellowstone Loop: Rushmore, Crazy Horse, buffalo, bear, Old Faithful… An unbelievable experience.
6. Arizona/Sedona Red Rocks: Like you’re on another planet. And, hey, fill up when the opportunity presents…trust me!
5. Florida Keys/US1: 113 miles of clear-blue amazing. I went in the winter—avoiding hurricane season (June-November) is a good call. And, Woot!—scuba diving once you’ve settle in.
4. Washington/Olympic Mountain Loop: I always took the ferry across The [Puget] Sound, then hunted for the perfect camping spot along the route—rain or shine (if you’re hard core.) If not, just drive the loop; it’s breathtaking. Grab a bite to eat in Forks, WA (Twilight fans ;))!
3. Denver to Vegas: I70: Over the Rockies, gorgeous. Then down I15 to Vegas, baby! Did this with my bestie after highschool—total Greyhound awesomeness!

2. California Red Woods/US101: I’m short, under 5’. The Rockefeller Tree, a 362' tall, made me know my insignificance. Bucket list item, for sure!

1. Oregon Coast/Route 101A: At 19, I bought a motorcycle (lowered the shocks of the Suzuki 450 so my feet could just touch the ground) and tore down 101A from Seattle. No earbuds in the late 90s, so I had the Beatles and Led Zeppelin in my head, backed up by the Pacific’s trade winds filling my awestruck ears. My favorite road trip of all…hands down. Truly a one-on-one romance.

There it is—my top ten favorite road trips Stateside. Motivated to pick up and drive off? Go for it! Drive, listen, and romance-on, loves—the long and winding road awaits you.

P.S. Next time…my list of top ten “World Wide Road Trips”—the glorious winding coastal Route 200 running through my current home of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico sits at #1, for sure.




Rissa’s Romantic Road Trip Post Extras:

Road-Trippin’ Romance Reads:

Tools and links for creating your “Great Romantic American Road Trip”:

Playlist-Making links:

Road Trip Flick Picks:

Themed Road Trip Ideas:

Rissa's Personal Playlists!

Hey, do you have any must-do road trips that you’ve been on? To-die-for playlists you’ve made? Hot romance reads that take a road trip journey to their HEA… Do share!

About Rissa Brahm

Contemporary romance author Rissa Brahm grew up in New York and has since lived in all four corners of the United States, and beyond. The beautiful paradise of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico—the core setting of her soul-deep & sensual debut series, Paradise South—is Rissa’s most recent and beloved home.

When not chained-by-choice to her MacBook, she is embarking on outdoor adventures with her husband and little girl, eating amazing Indian food with something chocolate for dessert; reading good, hot scorchers in bed; biking, long walks, and yoga; zoning out to killer music from across the decades and the globe; and getting lost only to discover a new exciting route home again.

Her debut series Paradise South includes: Tempting Isabel (May 24th, 2016), Taking Jana (June 14th, 2016), and Catching Preeya (July 8th, 2016)… and all her stories feature multi-cultural couples on soul-deep journeys. To learn more about Rissa and her latest romance and next romances in the series, visit her website or shout out to her on Facebook or Twitter!

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