Which brings me to the point of this email. It’s that time of the year again, y’all: vacay!
Since it’s my turn to plan, we’re going to do this in a methodical fashion. (Shut up, Nic!) Unlike checking the safest places in the past year (Ava), suggesting the place she last heard about (Nic), or consulting a Tarot reader (Lacey), I’ve made a list of three destinations. Rank 1–3 in order of your preference. The place with the lowest total ranking score wins. Let’s not take forever to send these back, please. A week is plenty of time. (Looking at you, Lacey.) Once we’ve chosen the destination, I’ll begin looking at accommodations.
I don’t know what I’d do without you, ladies. You all are my lodestars, my inspirations, and the people who keep me grounded. You have my back and you know I will always have yours. Any time you need me, anywhere you are. Can’t wait until we’re all together again, talking, laughing, and sipping on one of Lacey’s potent concoctions.
Here’s to best friends who ride or die and our next vacay!
Love,
Caila
Acknowledgments
In my first year of college, I met four women who would change my life. Our friendship—the love, laughs, and loyalty—form the basis of this series. I’ve swapped, merged, and reshaped everything to protect the guilty (*wink*), but the bonding, affection, and major fun will still come through. I hope you enjoy Sweet Talkin’ Lover and consider yourselves an honorary member of the #LadiesofLefevre as you follow the escapades of Caila, Nic, Lacey, and Ava.
And now, as the saying goes, it takes a village . . .
To my husband James, I say it every time, and it only grows truer: I adore you. You’re my favorite person in the world and the best man I’ve ever known.
To my children, Trey, Graysie, and Will, I love being your mom. You’re smart, funny, creative, and so damn amazing. I can’t believe I birthed you, but I’m grateful that I did.
To Nalini Akolekar, agent extraordinaire, I appreciate your steady guidance, support, and advice. I’m so lucky that I get to go on this journey with you by my side.
To my editor, Tessa Woodward, thank you for advocating for me and for using your magic to always make my story better.
To the team at Avon publishing: Elle, Michelle, Kayleigh, Pam, Angela, Ellie, Guido (who designed my gorgeous cover), and everyone else who worked on this book. Thank you for your time and expertise and for helping me share my dream with readers.
To the talented, funny, and wise Mia Sosa, my Soul Train dance line partner. Thank you for your friendship, your advice, for talking me off the ledge more times than I can count, and for keeping me accountable and semi-sane.
To the #Thermostat crew, Mia, Tif Marcelo, Pris Oliveras, Nina Crespo, and Michelle Arris, you ladies inspire me. Thank you for being “open” travelers with me on this journey called Publishing.
To Alleyne Dickens, thank you for your friendship and honest critiques, even when the turnaround for said critique was brief and the request was a little manic.
To the LaLas, Sharon McGowan, Ashley Motley, Petra Spaulding, Leigh Florio, Chrissy Kuney, and Annette Carillo: We’re not running as much these days, but our friendship is as enduring as our last marathon. (Which means forever!)
To Ann Rezelman, who, in October of 2017, told me an awesome line about two hands that I knew I had to use in my next story.
And finally, to my readers. In today’s market, you have an infinite number of choices. Your continued support means the world to me. You guys are literally making my dreams come true.
Until the next one,
TL
Like Lovers Do
Don’t miss the next outrageously fun Girls Trip novel from Tracey Livesay,
LIKE LOVERS DO
Available from Avon Books
Summer 2020
About the Author
A former criminal defense attorney, TRACEY LIVESAY finds crafting believable happily ever afters slightly more challenging than protecting our constitutional rights, but she’s never regretted following her heart instead of her law degree. She has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, the Washington Post, and CBS This Morning. Tracey lives in Virginia with her husband—who she met on the very first day of law school—and their three children.
Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.
Also by Tracey Livesay
Love on My Mind
Along Came Love
Love Will Always Remember
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
sweet talkin’ lover. Copyright © 2020 by Tracey Livesay. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.
Digital Edition JANUARY 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-297955-1
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-297954-4
Cover design by Guido Caroti
Cover illustration by Reginald Polynice
Cover photographs © Alextov/iStock/Getty Images; © Dean_Fikar/iStock/Getty Images; © Shutterstock
Avon, Avon & logo, and Avon Books & logo are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
HarperCollins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.
first edition
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