*
**Author’s Note**
This book deals with the issue of early-onset dementia. This disease, in its many different diagnoses, steals more than memories from those affected, it steals their lives.
In Say You’ll Marry Me, I mention the multi-award winning documentary, Alive Inside. This 2014 Audience Award Winner at the Sundance Film Festival was written and directed by Michael Rossato-Bennett. The emotional film follows social worker Dan Cohen, founder of the nonprofit organization, Music & Memory, in his fight to restore dignity and a sense of self to those suffering from dementia it all its forms by using music to help combat memory loss.
I cried when I watched the documentary, as much for the memories relived and people reawakened, as for the unfairness of such a cruel disease. To find out more about this beautiful film, and see how you can help enrich the lives of those suffering, please visit Alive Inside and Music and Memory.
Thank you, and God Bless.
~ Stacey
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Recommended Reads
For more heartwarming, small town romance, read the USA Today bestselling Romancing Wisconsin Series by Stacey Joy Netzel.
To everything there is a season…
Love finds a way during the four seasons in the Romancing Wisconsin Series. Starting with Christmas/Winter, then moving on to the rest of the seasons, check out this bestselling, heartwarming series set in small town Wisconsin, where hope springs eternal for each happily ever after. Sexy military heroes, runaway brides, surprise babies, single parents—meet the Rileys, the Walshes, and best of all, Butch…a.k.a. Santa Butch. The mischievous matchmaker makes a cameo in each story—adding a touch of magic to the lives of everyone he loves, and even those he’s just met.
Romancing Wisconsin Series
Mistletoe Mischief, book 1
Mistletoe Magic, book 2
Mistletoe Match-Up, book 3
**Mistletoe Rules – short bonus story – FREE through newsletter sign-up
Autumn Wish, book 4
Autumn Bliss, book 5
Autumn Kiss, book 6
**Autumn Glimmer – short bonus story – FREE through newsletter sign-up
Spring Fling, book 7
Spring Serendipity, book 8 (early 2016)
Mistletoe Mischief (book 1): Christmas in July at the zoo is the last place single parents Eric Riley and Marissa Wilder expect to find love. Thanks to some mistletoe mischief in the form of their two young daughters and Santa, they discover mistletoe rules were not made to be broken.
*
“Daddy, you’re under the mistletoe.”
Eric glanced up at a sprig of leaves and holly berries attached to the roof of the cart, then dropped his gaze to Marissa’s. “So we are,” he murmured.
Her face flushed, but he couldn’t tell if it was from embarrassment, or anticipation of a kiss. He knew the reason his pulse raced like an out of control locomotive.
“You have to kiss her,” Reese stated.
God Bless you, Reese.
Santa laid his arm across the back of the front passenger seat and craned his head around, his brown eyes twinkling. “’Tis tradition.”
“It’s the rule,” Reese argued, frowning at Santa before turning back to Eric. “You say so every Christmas when we stand in the doorway at Grandma’s.”
“I do, don’t I?”
Reese nodded emphatically. “Every year.”
Eric faced Marissa and sighed with exaggerated reluctance. “I might’ve been able to buck tradition, but a rule’s a rule.”
*
Get your First in Series FREE copy of Mistletoe Mischief HERE
When a kiss…
All reporter Sadie Barton wants is to be taken seriously and judged on her own merits, not her stepfather’s money. She and her actress sister left Wisconsin to get out from under his controlling thumb and leave behind the malicious whispers that they’re no better than their gold-digging mother. But California isn’t all sun and fun, and paying the rent while trying to prove herself is harder than she ever imagined.
…is more than a kiss…
Something about Sadie drew self-made millionaire Zach Robinson—and it wasn’t just the amazing kiss they shared as impromptu actors in his company’s commercial. He’s used to women being interested in his wealth, and Sadie’s fierce independence is an enticing breath of fresh air. He’s falling fast—until his brother suggests acting runs in her family and Sadie might not be exactly what she seems…
EXCERPT:
Zach stood back, shoulders hunched, hands shoved in his front pockets while she started the car. The engine sputtered to life, chugged a few times, backfired once, then died. Her next attempt turned the engine over a couple times, then all he heard was a series of clicks and muted quacks through the back window.
He rocked back on his heels, thinking maybe his wait wouldn’t be as long as he’d expected. Her final try completely killed what was left of the battery, and Zach stepped forward to rap his knuckle on the glass before opening her door once more.
“Your battery is shot.”
“Of course it is.”
Giving her no chance to wallow in the embarrassment staining her cheeks, he had the box of ducks in his arms by the time she exited the front seat. When he started toward his convertible instead of her apartment building, she stuttered to a stop.
“Where are you going?”
“We are going to the wildlife sanctuary.”
“I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not—I’m offering. As long as you come with me.”
She moved closer to his vehicle as he deposited the ducks in the back. “Don’t you have a date tonight?”
“She turned me down. Twice.”
That only slowed her down for about three seconds. “No get together with friends or parties to go to?”
“Nope.” None that interested him as much as her, anyway.
She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed him with suspicion. “You seriously expect me to believe you’ve got nothing better to do on a Friday night than help me with ducks?”
He held open the Mustang’s passenger side door for her. “You’re not trying to imply I’m pathetic, are you?”
“No.” With a resigned sigh and the barest a hint of a smile, she slid into the convertible. “Can’t do that without implicating myself.”
“Good point.” Zach rounded the front of the car and vaulted behind the wheel with practiced ease. “So, where is this place?”
“The Wildlife Waystation. It’s an animal rescue off Little Tujunga Canyon Road in the Angeles National Forest.”
She pulled a sheet of paper from her purse and soon they were following the exact directions from the address he keyed into his phone.
“Are you a California native?” she asked after a few miles.
“Born and raised. How about you?”
“Gemma and I moved here from Wisconsin in February.”
“Ah, the other dairy state.”
“The best dairy state,” she corrected.
“According to the commercials, our cows are happier.”
“Commercials don’t exactly show things the way they really are.”
Zach recalled their visible chemistry on screen and slid her a glance. “And sometimes they do.”
She didn’t have an immediate comeback for that. In fact, she completely avoided looking in his direction, tucking her windblown curls behind her ears while focusing her attention on the purse in her lap. Out of nowhere, she ask
ed, “What’s your favorite color?”
“Red. You?”
“Blue. Favorite ice cream?”
What was this…twenty questions? Okay, fine, he’d play. It was certainly better than silence.
Flipping on his blinker, he switched lanes and maneuvered around a mini-van and a big black Escalade. “Baskin Robins Gold Medal Ribbon. Y—”
“Favorite sports team?”
“Wait, hold on, what’s your favorite ice cream?”
“I ask the questions, not you.”
He looked over to see she’d pulled out a small notebook and a pen. Now the game made sense and he bit back a smile. She’d changed her mind.
“So we’re starting on the interview already?”
“Why wait until Monday when we can start now, right?”
“Right. Sure.” He returned to the former question to demonstrate his cooperation. “Which sport? Football? Baseball? Hockey? Basketball?”
“Might as well give me all of them. Never know what the readers will want.”
They certainly wouldn’t care about a rundown of his favorite things, but he didn’t tell little miss Julie Andrews that. Instead he added to the list. “49er’s, Dodgers, L.A. Kings, and the Lakers.”
“California all the way.”
“Born and raised, remember? Are you a sports fan?”
“I watch the Packers, and I’ve been to a few Brewers games, but I wouldn’t consider myself a fan in the fanatical sense.”
“No cheese head for you?”
“Uh-uh. Moving on…what’s your favorite movie?”
“Too many to pick just one.”
After a contemplative glance, she said, “Considering your business, I’ll let that slide. Do you read?”
“I’m not illiterate if that’s what you’re asking.”
“You know I’m not. What genre do you read?”
“I probably shouldn’t tell you this…”
She tapped her pencil expectantly when he didn’t finish the sentence.
“Okay, fine,” he said, pretending resignation. “After a long day at the office, I’ve been known to enjoy a good, steamy romance.”
“I’m talking about books, not your love life.”
“So am I.”
Zach spotted the sign for the wildlife sanctuary and switched lanes for the exit for Modjeska Canyon Road. Sadie watched him, not the road. Only there was no surprise in her expression, just skepticism.
“This is going to be over real quick if you’re just going to mess with me.”
“You’re more than welcome to come back to my place and check out my bookshelves,” he invited. Her gaze narrowed as he slowed to make the turn at the bottom of the ramp.
“I’ll take your word for it.”
“Hey, I’m just making sure you can see I’m being honest here. And to be completely accurate, you should also note that mysteries and thrillers are my true favorites.”
She scribbled in her notebook. There was a brief pause, then she asked, “Boxers or briefs?”
That question surprised a chuckle from him. “Now who’s messing with who?”
“It’s a legitimate question,” she replied with a hint of defensiveness.
“Bikini, thong or granny panties?” he countered.
“Questions from you are not part of this deal, remember?”
“I didn’t say anything when you asked about my favorite color, or what kind of ice cream I like, but trust me, Sadie, no one is going to care about my underwear.”
“Trust me, Zach, one look at your picture and there are plenty of women who will want to know. Especially once they also find out you’re single, rich, and you enjoy a good, steamy romance.”
His pulse gave a little leap. Had she just told him she thought he was good-looking? Things were definitely looking up. He decided to extend the fun a little bit, especially since she’d introduced such a promising subject. Plus, for some illogical reason, this word play didn’t make him nervous like when he’d asked her to dinner.
“Why? It’s just underwear.”
“Why do men like lingerie?” she shot back. “Or thongs for that matter? It’s just underwear.”
He snorted as he guided the convertible into a parking space. “That’s like saying the Superbowl is just another football game.”
“And women can’t look at men the same way?”
“Like we’re the Superbowl? Hmm, I like that idea.” He shut off the car and removed the keys from the ignition before shifting in his seat to face Sadie. “Any chance you might be one of those women who’s interested in what’s under my pants?”
Her cheeks flushed bright red as if she’d been out in the sun too long. “I just ask the questions.”
“Why this question?”
She shoved her things in her purse to open her car door, and Zach quickly pushed up in his seat as she got out. He swung his legs over his door while pocketing the keys. When Sadie leaned over the side for the box in the back seat without answering, Zach pulled it out of her reach. The ducks squawked, feet thumping against the cardboard as they struggled to keep their balance.
“Sadie?”
She lifted her chin stubbornly. “Answer my question and I’ll answer yours.”
Ducklings in hand, he joined her on the other side of the car and they walked toward the main building. “I don’t think so.”
“You said I could ask you anything,” she accused. “That you’d be an open book if I did the interview.”
“I didn’t expect you to ask about my…” He paused when a couple of kids ran past, then lowered his voice as they entered the building. “…underwear.”
Sadie nodded to an older lady down at the end of the hall, then leaned her elbow and forearm on the counter, hand dangling over the edge as she faced Zach.
“Tell me, Mr. Robinson, if you can’t answer a simple personal question now, what’s it going to be like when I’m at your office asking the tough questions?”
*
“Stacey Joy Netzel has a gift for writing and creating characters with amazing chemistry. The passion between Zach and Sadie was natural and realistic. More Than a Kiss is a hidden treasure, an undiscovered jewel in a pile of books.”
~ Danielle, Book Whore Blog
*
Grab your copy of More Than A Kiss to read the rest of Sadie and Zach’s story!
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About the Author
I fell in love with books at a young age, and growing up, whenever Dad realized I’d disappeared when I was supposed to be working, he usually found me hiding out somewhere with a book. Writing evolved from reading, and the first book I ever finished was in high school, about my celebrity crush. I got an A on that creative writing assignment, though I’m not sure my teacher actually read all 187 pages (I read it when I got older—I wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t). I started writing again in my mid-twenties, and no matter the journey my characters take, the end result is always the same—Happily Ever After.
After years of being a travel agent while writing on the side, I am now able to live my dream of being a full time writer. I’m still an avid reader, and also a fan of movies with that HEA. I live in my native Wisconsin with my husband and kids, and in my limited free time, I enjoy gardening, canning, and visiting my parents in Northeastern Wisconsin (Up North) at the family cabin on the lake.
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~Thank you, and happy reading~
Other Titles by Stacey Joy Netzel
&n
bsp; ITALY INTRIGUE SERIES
Lost In Italy*
Run To Rome
Vanished in Venice
(*2012 Write Touch Readers’ Award Winner)
COLORADO TRUST SERIES
Evidence of Trust
Trust by Design
Trust in the Lawe
Shattered Trust
Dare to Trust
WELCOME TO REDEMPTION
A Fair to Remember, Book 2
Grounds For Change, Book 4
The Heart of the Matter, Book 6
Hold On To Me, Book 8
Say You’ll Marry Me, Book 10
(books 1,3,5,7,9 written by Donna Marie Rogers)
ROMANCING WISCONSIN SERIES
Mistletoe Mischief*
Mistletoe Magic*
Mistletoe Match-Up*
Autumn Wish**
Autumn Bliss
Autumn Kiss
Spring Fling
Spring Serendipity (Early 2016)
(*2010 Write Touch Readers’ Award Winner)
(**2014 Write Touch Readers’ Award 2nd Place)
STAND ALONE ROMANCE TITLES
More Than A Kiss, contemporary romance
Chasin’ Mason, contemporary western romance
Ditched Again, high school reunion novella
Dragonfly Dreams, Christmas novella
PARANORMAL ROMANCE TITLES
If Tombstones Could Talk
Beneath Still Waters, Part One
Rising Above, Still Waters Part Two
FREE READS
Holding Out For a Hero
Say You’ll Marry Me
Welcome to Redemption, book 10
Copyright © 2015 by Stacey Joy Netzel
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
Say You'll Marry Me (Welcome to Redemption #10) Page 19