Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Love Overboard by Shannon Sue Dunlap, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!
About the Book
Title: Love Overboard
Series: Love Overboard #1
Author: Shannon Sue Dunlap
Publisher: Kregel Publications
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Genre: Christian Romcom
A snort-laughing, cruise ship romance takes readers into topsy-turvy waters.
When a group of four quirky friends retire on a neverending round of cruises, their attire consists of more than floral shirts and gaudy skirts. Armed with walkie-talkies and battle plans, these relationship experts--who've dubbed themselves the "Shippers"--target hostess Lacey Anderson and director Jonathan King in their romantic schemes. But the young couple refuses to cooperate. They've been on the "love boat" together before, and it went down in flames.
Boss matchmaker Emily Windsor has orchestrated multiple romantic successes, and these two upstarts certainly won't get the best of her. The chemistry between Lacey and Jonathan is obvious, but the couple rebuffs every outlandish plot and "coincidental" meeting, forcing the matchmakers to chart a new course to true love--all while inadvertently thwarting drug smugglers threatening to ruin their floating home on the ocean.
This laugh-out-loud rom-com features loveable characters, over-the-top situations reminiscent of 1950s sitcoms, and a dash of mystery. The toe-curling romance will push the reader overboard and all in with Shannon Dunlap's new series.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub
About the Author
Lacey froze at the familiar sound. She recognized that voice.
Maybe it was a coincidence. There were lots of people on this deck.
Lacey moved again, at a cautious pace this time.
No need to be paranoid. The sweet- but- salty meddler couldn’t possibly know where she was. Lacey had avoided Emily Windsor ever since she recognized the gleam in the lady’s eye. She used to laugh at the incorrigible woman’s matchmaking schemes, but now that they were focused on her, Lacey’s stomach quivered like a lifeboat in a hurricane.
Romance wasn’t on her to- do list. Ever.
Static crackled, and Lacey heard the whispered words she feared.
“Target located.”
She fought the urge to run. It wouldn’t be dignified for a Monarch Cruises employee. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t take evasive maneuvers.
She swung on her heel and skulked away.
The shiny faux- wood doors of the ship’s cabins zoomed by as she hurried through the connecting corridor that led to the parallel hallway.
The heels of her navy pumps sank in the carpet and slowed her progress. Lacey glanced over her shoulder and saw a flash of floral print coming into view.
Not today!
(pg9)
About the Author
Shannon Sue Dunlap writes books with a dose of laughter and a spoonful of love. One of the greatest compliments you can give her is saying her stories made you laugh-out-loud. She loves traveling around the world, singing tunes from classic musicals, and drinking Dr. Pepper. Shannon is a die-hard fan of happy endings and believes God has designed one for each of us.
Connect with Shannon at shannonsuedunlap.com to follow her on social media and sign up for email updates.
Author Interview
Shannon: I saw a report on TV about a woman in her 80s who skipped the nursing home and retired on a cruise ship. The image of her smiling and dancing with the cruise director stayed with me, and my mental wheels started to churn. What if there wasn’t just one woman? What if there were four? And their secret mission in life was to help the poor, clueless youngsters find love!
Q: How long did it take you to write this book?
Shannon: *Insert teary, laughing emoticon here.* Honestly, I’m not sure. The process goes something like this: You “finish” the book chapter-by-chapter as your critique group suggests changes. You “finish” it again and an author or agent you meet at a conference offers advice. You “finish” it again and a publishing house picks it up and sends it through four or five editors. I’m guessing from start to final finish may have been six or seven years.
Shannon: That cruise ships have a jail and a morgue. They truly are floating cities. As I researched the different aspects from the tiny worker accommodations to how they restock all that food for the buffets, the details can be fascinating.
Shannon: That would probably come from the big-hearted, unfiltered, hug-first-and-ask-later golden girl, Althea. “You sound like someone set your Spanx on fire.”
Shannon: While growing up, I loved to read but didn’t really consider being an author. Books were such precious things that it seemed like you had to be a genius to create them. I didn’t decide to be a writer until I was getting close to finishing my college degree studying music. I think I was 20.
Shannon: I can drive a stick-shift Combi (small passenger van) on the British side of the road with the steering wheel on the right side of the vehicle. It comes from the school year I spent teaching in Botswana, Africa.
Shannon: A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventures: A Novel by Angela Bell. Part romance, part historical fiction, and part steam punk. It’s delightfully unique. Funny, poetic, and thought-provoking all at once. I highly recommend it.
Shannon: Traveling. The red clay beaches of Prince Edward Island, the Austen-esque homes of England, the Biblical sights of Israel, the crashing waters of Victoria Falls, and the exciting bustle of Seoul, South Korea. I recharge my spirit through travel. I hope, like my cruising septuagenarian characters, to keep exploring this big, beautiful world God created until the day I pass from this life to the next.
Shannon: Autumn. It’s grown more precious to me since I moved from Virginia to Houston. Here the seasons aren’t as distinct, and I rarely get to see the leaves change as I did on the east coast. This last winter, for some reason the weather differed and we got to see the riot of reds and oranges and yellows on the trees. It fed my soul.
Tour Giveaway
(1) winner will win a signed copy of Love Overboard plus character-themed items for each matchmaker!
Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight May 20, 2024 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 27, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
