Life, Books, and More....: Plan Interrupted by Valerie J. Clarizio

Title: Plan Interrupted

Publisher: VJC Books

Release Date: November 3, 2015

Blurb:

Elizabeth Shaw’s professional life is going according to plan until she meets the handsome widower and his two young children next door. Having shelved her personal life to land her dream job, she disregards her romantic feelings for him. But the forces of nature have other ideas for her.

Joe Antonetti has made his children his main focus since the death of his wife. But his beautiful neighbor becomes an irresistible distraction and has him wondering if he can change her priorities.

Surrendering to their attraction for each other causes another player to step in with his own plan for Elizabeth. One that could not only end the budding romance but her life as well.

Tag Line: There's more to some women than meets the eye….and it takes the right kind of man to unleash her secrets.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26986776-plan-interrupted

Excerpt:

Joe couldn’t believe what Sam was telling him. “You’re kidding, right? You can’t possibly be serious.”

“I am serious. Elizabeth is coming with us to the Christmas party as your date, and you need to get a move on so we’re not late.”

“Absolutely not. I’m not taking a date to our employee Christmas party, especially her. She doesn’t even like me in that way. We’re two very different people.”

“Well, she must like you somewhat, she agreed to go,” Sam replied as he opened the entryway closet, retrieved Joe’s overcoat and handed it to him.

Joe shook his head. He wasn’t quite sure what to do. He couldn’t cancel with her at this point in the game that would be too rude. Yet, did he have the courage to show up with a date at his employee Christmas party? What will they think? On the other hand, it wasn’t like he hadn’t considered the idea of getting to know Elizabeth better, and helping her realize there was more to life than work, especially after the conversation they shared a couple of days after Thanksgiving.

Joe followed Sam to Elizabeth’s where they impatiently waited in the entryway for their dates to finish getting ready. His brain anxiously worked to find a way out of the situation. Nothing, outside of rude, presented itself.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention, and he glanced in that direction to find Elizabeth floating down the stairway, light on her feet like an angel descending from the sky. Her milky white skin looked soft and smooth against the bright red dress that hugged her thin, proportionate body. He couldn’t help but wonder how her skin might feel against his fingertips. Her big, bright, emerald green eyes caught his gaze. He tried to pull it away but it was as if she wouldn’t release him. She was absolutely breathtaking.

“Elizabeth, you look lovely,”

She smiled softly. “Thank you.”

She retrieved her long wool coat from the entryway closet. He immediately took it from her hands and held it open for her. Peering over her shoulder he caught a glimpse of her pale, soft-looking breasts. His heart skipped a beat. Raw, primal need rushed through his veins. He hadn’t been this stirred up in a long time. He tore his gaze from her breasts as she turned toward the door to exit the house.

Joe willed the rhythm of his heartbeat back to normal as he followed behind Elizabeth. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anything so beautiful as her, descending down those steps toward him a minute ago. He shut his eyes for a moment, squeezing them tightly as if that would help to extinguish the heavenly vision of her that kept replaying in his mind. A vision like this would only lead to complication; he was sure of it.

He opened the back driver’s side door of Sam’s bimmer for Elizabeth. Her jacket opened as she slid in, allowing him to catch a glimpse of her sexy, shapely legs. His heartbeat spiraled out of control again. He needed to get a hold of himself before his heart exploded altogether.

He shut the door and walked around the car and entered through the back passenger side door.

His friend started the car and backed out of the driveway. The banter in the front seat of the bimmer was nonstop between Holly and Sam. Joe simply listened to them and watched their interaction. He couldn’t help but notice how Sam gently held and caressed Holly’s hand as they rested their arms on the center counsel. They seemed so relaxed with each other. He wondered if he would ever hold a woman’s hand in his again like he did with Amanda.

A crater the size of the Grand Canyon filled his chest. Oh how he missed her. He’d hoped the pain would fade with time, but there were still moments where it seemed like she’d been taken from him just yesterday.

He shook his head. His thoughts shifted to Elizabeth and the party. Worry coursed through his veins. What are my employees going to think when they see me with another woman?

Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1RnAk9A
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1044123608
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/plan-interrupted
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1RnAm17

Review:

Rating: ☆☆☆☆

When a girl's got a plan, a girl's got a plan.  Career Focussed Elizabeth has a plan to achieve her ambitions, which doesn't leave time for anything or anyone else.

Single dad Joe, Elizabeth's neighbour, knows that plans can fall apart.  His children, Max and Molly, are his number one priority and he has made changes to his life to ensure this.

When they first meet, it is hate at first sight as Elizabeth's disgust for Joe's children is plain to see.  But children have a way of wheedling their way into your heart without you noticing.  This softens Elizabeth and makes her more likeable than the cold, judgemental woman she appears to be at the beginning.  Coupled with events that change her perspective, the plan becomes not that important.

I loved seeing the change in Elizabeth as she softens after being welcomed by Joe and his family.  She is able to see a life beyond work and the love she never had as a child.  Joe is a fantastic man: kind, compassionate and puts others first.  It was a fun and at times emotional read with a perfect blend of romance and plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat.

Bio:

Valerie Clarizio lives in romantic Door County Wisconsin with her husband and two extremely spoiled cats. She loves to read, write, and spend time at her cabin in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
She’s lived her life surrounded by men, three brothers, a husband, and a male Siamese cat who required his own instruction manual. Keeping up with all the men in her life has turned her into an outdoors enthusiast, of which her favorite activity is hiking in national parks. While out on the trails, she has plenty of time to conjure up irresistible characters and unique storylines for her next romantic suspense or sweet contemporary romance novel.