Welcome to the blog tour for UNDERTAKING LOVE, the second book in the adult contemporary romance series, Last Chance Responders, by Megan Montgomery. See below for information on the book and series, buy links, an exclusive excerpt, and details on her giveaway.
UNDERTAKING LOVE (Last Responders Romance Series #2) by Megan Montgomery
About the Book – Read for Free with Kindle Unlimited
Title: UNDERTAKING LOVE
Series: Last Responders Romance #2
Author: Megan Montgomery
Publisher: Advancing Wolf
Release Date: April 25, 2023
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
Synopsis
Bethany West upgraded her lucrative career as a sex worker for her dream job as a death worker when she partnered at Smythe & Co. Mortuary. She expected her eco-friendly innovations and death positive attitude to blow the roof off the Victorian-era relic. But that was seven months ago, and during that time, she’s only managed to piss off her embittered business partner, George Smythe, a man dead set on maintaining the status quo and driving Bethany out of his namesake business.
When the pair reluctantly travel together to a mortuary conference in New Orleans—and compete in dueling embalming demonstrations—George finally recognizes the value of Bethany’s business model for the first time. He’s also starting to recognize a growing attraction to his blonde bombshell business partner. Meanwhile, Bethany learns the truth behind George’s cold contempt, and it’s much worse than she thought, stemming not from a single incident, but from the constant on-call status, the compassion fatigue, and the overwhelming stress of the job.
Bethany has 4 days to crack open his tough outer shell to reveal the compassionate man she knows is inside, and she has a plan, but unless George learns to open his heart and lean on her, at the risk of succumbing to their cremation-level attraction in a dangerous way, he’ll jeopardize both the business and their hearts by refusing the true partnership they both need.
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Excerpt #3
Bethany
I’d never been so turned on to hear my own name. My own church mouse-y name sounded wicked the way it shot off his tongue.
He said my name like it had already been in his mouth. Like he’d been playing with it, flipping it over frontways and back like a hard candy, waiting for the right time to pull it out.
“Sorry,” I said, pulling myself together enough to look sorry rather than fall to my knees at his feet. “I said I wouldn’t talk about work.”
His eyes stayed on me, lingering. His lips parted as he looked at my eyes, then down to my neck before blinking, forbidding himself to look any lower. His self-control was intoxicating.
When he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbed. Reaching up, he loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, which was objectively the hottest thing a man could do besides rolling up the sleeves of his starched button-down. He’d already assaulted my willpower with that show a few minutes ago.
Finally, he took a sip of his drink. I thought he was going to let it languish on the table until the condensation dripped down his glass, leaving more puddle than ice, but he downed it in two big gulps.
The song changed and so did his expression. Again. I’d been watching him this whole time, studying the way he subtly nodded in approval when the song morphed from chaotic dissonance into a melody he recognized. I loved those moments, when the entire audience was in synch with the music and with one another.
I loved this music, but quickly realized I wasn’t nearly as well versed in jazz as George. He seemed to know every song except the pop covers. His eyelids drifted closed at certain times, when he was fully immersed in the music, the interpretation, maybe even the vibe of the room. I shuddered from the thrill of watching him enjoy himself.
But this song I knew. I knew it from our funeral music. It was on my favorite playlist to run when guests were arriving or during slideshows. Every song was meaningful and special. In no way trite or saccharine. I had no idea he’d put that playlist together until now.
That look of pleasure, of satisfaction on his face was . . . gorgeous on him. I didn’t know what the song meant to him. I didn’t even know the name, but from the look on his face now, it must have some special significance.
I stood and held my hand out to him.
Take my hand, George.
His eyes opened. He drowsily looked at me before looking around the room. I had brought him back down to earth. I didn’t know who this George was, but I wanted him down to the cellular level. The chemical level. Every molecule in my body cried out for him.
“Dance with me?”
He said nothing, but looked uncomfortable again, because I brought that out in him. I wasn’t having it tonight, though.
“No one else is dancing,” he said as if I couldn’t see that for myself.
“We play by our own rules.” I dared him to take my hand.
He let his head drop and I thought that would be the end of it. I’d have to find some other way to stand a little bit closer to him. To hold him. To connect.
But for the second time tonight, he shocked me to my core. He stood, taking a step gingerly toward me. He grasped my proffered hand and held it tightly in his own, moving it closer to his body. His other hand inched behind me, finally, finger by finger, settling at the small of my back.
I could hardly breathe. It didn’t even matter that we had the attention of the band and the audience. For what felt like an eternity, we commanded the room but not even George seemed to care. Bar service had all but ceased. Nothing mattered but his hand on my waist. His hand wrapped around mine. His eyes looking down at me. Mine looking up into his.
My confidence had taken a vacation. I had nothing more to babble about. I didn’t remember how to move. My plan to break George was wrecked. In this moment, he had broken me.
We were too close. We weren’t ready for this yet. Why had I asked him to dance? Did I really think I was Teflon enough to dance with him then brush it off like it was any other flirtation?
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Get Caught Up on the Series
Book 1: MORGUE TO LOVE
Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU | Amazon DE | Amazon IT | Amazon FR
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Author Megan Montgomery
About the Author
Megan Montgomery writes romance. Sometimes they’re funny. Sometimes they’re morbid, but all her characters have cool jobs. She and her husband, Johnathon Olavarria co-host Forced Proximity podcast, a weekly romance book and movie club.
Her debut novel, Well . . . THAT Was Awkward was inspired by her homesickness for southern Maryland. She now lives halfway across the US on the prairie with her husband, son, and mom.
When she’s not writing, reading, lifting weights, or cooking dinners her son won’t eat, you’ll find her toiling in the garden or brewing potions from her medicinal herbs.
Where to Find Megan Montgomery
Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub
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Giveaway
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