🏞️💗 “Bonita Creek Series” (2021/2022) 💗🏞️ – Blog Spotlight
Welcome to the Blog Blitz for the Bonita Creek series by June McCrary Jacobs, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Books
Title: Robin's Reward Is a relationship which began with both parties harboring secrets destined to survive?
Welcome to friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookDepository | BookBub
Excerpt
Robin put on her sunglasses as they headed toward the park across the street. "Ready for the official tour now?" she asked.
"Whenever you're ready."
"This is Veterans Memorial Park. My Grandpa John Chaplin's name is on the World War II memorial wall here. He was in the Army and was wounded in Europe. I think it was in France. After he recuperated, he worked in intelligence at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. until the war ended. He worked on codes and communications."
"Sounds like a smart man."
"He was. He was intelligent, clever, compassionate, and kind. I was blessed to have him as my grandfather. His name is also shown on the Korean War memorial wall over here."
They walked further into the park to see the Korean War wall.
"He served in both wars?" Jeff asked.
"Yes. In the Korean War he was stationed in South Korea and saw some combat. Fortunately, he wasn't wounded in that conflict," Robin said with a slight smile.
"I'm in awe of anyone who saw combat in not only one, but two wars!" Jeff replied.
"It's pretty amazing, isn't it?" she asked.
"Definitely amazing. Maybe more like astonishing since I don't come from a military family. Is this all right?" Jeff gestured to a bench engulfed with shade.
"Yes, it's nice and cool here."
They both sat down and then Jeff handed Robin her ice-cold smoothie. She slid the straw through the lid and took her first sip.
"Delicious. Thanks."
"You're welcome. Tell me more about your family." Jeff sat back with his legs stretched in front of him and began sipping his smoothie through his straw.
"My grandparents raised me from the time I was fourteen. My mother died of colon cancer after a lengthy battle. My dad was an emotional wreck after she died. We appeared on his parents' doorstep in Bonita Creek one July afternoon about three months after Mom's death. He asked his parents to look after me while he tried to 'find himself.'
© June McCrary Jacobs, 2015
Title: Jorie's Journey PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | BookBub
Excerpt
As she approached the front counter in her Cowgirl Bakery shop located on Main Street in old town Bonita Creek, California, Jorie Woodstone wiped her wet hands on the fluffy towel buttoned to her crisp white apron. Her long, thick hair was pulled into a ponytail peeking out from beneath her red gingham scarf. An urge to make a detour to check her reflection in the nearby mirror kicked in when the man standing at the counter turned to face her. His emerald green eyes were set off by a head of thick, wavy dark brown hair.
Jorie recited her usual greeting, "Hi, may I help you?" in a slightly more-friendly-than- usual tone. To her surprise, the newcomer was so busy checking her out that he hesitated for nearly thirty seconds before responding. When he spoke, his rich southern baritone vibrated through her ears.
"Hello, miss. I need to pick up a couple of pies to take over to my friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow. The Cowgirl Bakery was highly recommended to me by my hostess at the bed and breakfast inn where I'm staying. Please don't let me down by telling me it's too late to order pies for the occasion." His mouth settled into a sweet pout.
"What flavors did you have in mind?" Jorie tried to sound thrilled to have his business at this late hour. In truth, she was exhausted from the multitude of Thanksgiving orders for pies and other baked goods she'd received from her ultra-supportive hometown. She dreamed of going home early tonight to soak her exhausted body in a luxurious bubble bath and watch a couple of episodes of her favorite Masterpiece Mystery series.
"What do you recommend? I mean, you're the one who works in a bakery and all."
"I think it's always nice to offer an assortment of pies. How about one organic apple cinnamon and one organic pumpkin nutmeg? Most people seem to like one or both of those flavors."
"I'm from New Orleans, so I was dreaming of a pecan pie . . ."
"No can do," Jorie clipped off. "We don't usually do pecan pie here in California. Well, I mean we don't do pecan pie without some advance notice. It's too late to order organic pecans for tomorrow."
"What a shame," the customer shook his head sadly. "Well, I guess I'll just have to accept the fact tomorrow will be my first Thanksgiving feast ever without a slice or two or three of pecan pie."
He looked as if he were already grieving the loss of pecan pie on his Thanksgiving menu. Jorie felt a twinge of regret for his loss, but the line of customers behind him was stacking up and she was short-handed today. Her most-experienced employee, Connie, had requested the day off so that she and her husband could travel to spend the holiday with their family in Idaho. Her other experienced employee, James, was home nursing a bad case of strep throat and was unable to serve the public.
She wanted nothing more than to hurry this man along. However, she accepted long ago the reality that a large part of being a successful small business owner was to project the image that said owner actually enjoyed working with the public. She always attempted to give the illusion of being the queen of customer service in Bonita Creek.
© June McCrary Jacobs, 2022
Title: Christmas in Bonita Creek After seeing more than two years of combat in the Korean War, will the homecoming of two men from Bonita Creek be filled with the joy and romance they are yearning for or will it bring them even more heartache?
It's late summer, 1952, in friendly Bonita Creek, a small town in the Coastal Mountains of the Mendocino Coast of California . . .PURCHASE LINKS: Amazon | BookBub
Excerpt
Bonita Creek, California
August, 1952
Estelle carefully cut out another construction paper leaf as she prepared the decorations for the Back-to-School window display she was designing for the Bonita Creek Drugstore where she had worked since graduating from high school six years earlier. She loved her job serving customers, stocking shelves, and helping the pharmacist and owner, Mr. Randall, in any way she could. By far, her favorite job duty was decorating the store for the various holidays and seasons throughout the year.
She had enjoyed making arts and crafts in school. Since kindergarten, her favorite subjects had been reading and art. As she grew older she also enjoyed creative writing and history, especially world history. She dreamed that someday she'd be able to travel to the faraway places she loved to read about. Greece, Egypt, Australia, South America, and other exotic places appealed to her sense of adventure.
For now, she was content to work in the drugstore and live at home with her parents while she waited—not so patiently—for her someone special to return from his military service in Korea. She had been writing faithfully to John Chaplin since he left for Korea with her brother, Sam, two long years ago.
John and Sam, who were both World War II combat veterans, had been placed on active reserve rather than being discharged when the war was over in early September, 1945. They were both reactivated and assigned to serve in South Korea in this new conflict that President Truman felt the United States should enter at the end of June, 1950. Two years was far too long to go without seeing her brother or her beau.
Estelle stopped what she was doing, sighed deeply, and looked out the front window of the drugstore to see what was happening on Main Street in her small coastal mountain hometown of Bonita Creek, California.
She didn't know how long she had been staring into space when the service bell on the counter dinged. She looked up to see her best friend, Gloria Marino, snickering in Estelle's direction.
"Earth to Ellie, come in," Gloria said with a big grin.
"Oh, hi, Glo. I didn't see you come in. Sorry."
"You looked like you were a million miles away in—let me guess—South Korea, right?"
"You got it. You're so lucky you don't have a fiancé or a brother in South Korea. It's a real drag. What brings you in today?"
Estelle noticed her friend was no longer smiling. The color had drained from Gloria's cheeks, and she looked as if she might cry. Estelle quickly rushed around the counter and took Gloria's hand.
"What is it, Glo? What's happened?"
"Nothing. I just felt like seeing my best friend for a minute. I came to town to pick up a few things at the market for my mother, and while I was here I . . ."
Estelle's friend's fidgeted with the Peter Pan collar on her blouse and swiped a hand down her silken black ponytail. Gloria looked directly into Estelle's concerned eyes. She took a deep breath before saying, "Someday soon you'll know everything, and then you'll understand why I'm so moody sometimes."
"Why don't you just tell me everything now so I can help you?" Estelle pleaded with her best friend.
"No. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone."
"Is someone hurting you or bothering you?" Estelle asked firmly.
Gloria blinked her eyes a few times in surprise. "No one is hurting me or bothering
me. I'm fine. I'd better go."
© June McCrary Jacobs, 2022
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About the Author
Connect with June by visiting authorjunemccraryjacobs.blogspot.com to follow her on social media or subscribe to email newsletter updates.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon Gift card + Bonita Creek Series e-books!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight January 18, 2023 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on January 25, 2023. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
Thank you so much for participating in this Blog Blitz, Marie! I appreciate that you included the excerpt for each book in your post. :0}
ReplyDeleteSounds like a book series I would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your positive words, Shelly! :0}
ReplyDeleteall the excerpts are great!! ty for sharing
ReplyDeleteHello, Nova ~ I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpts. Thanks for your kind remarks. :0}
DeleteWhat inspires your ideas for your main characters?
ReplyDeleteHi, Tracie ~ Thank you for your question. Many times my characters are inspired by a blend of the traits and hobbies of people whom I have known in my life. Sometimes a character's personality literally pops into my head when I least expect it. From there I begin picturing the setting and developing the story line. :0}
Deleteall the excerpts were fun!
ReplyDeleteHello, Nova ~ I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpts. :0}
DeleteThis sounds like a really good series!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Debbie. :0}
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