Rebuilding Joy Blog Tour: Author Interview + Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Rebuilding Joy by Regina Rudd Merrick, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

Title: Rebuilding Joy
Series: RenoVations #2
Author: Regina Rudd Merrick
Publisher: Bellville Street Books
Release Date: June 2, 2021
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

A waitress, a contractor, and an FBI agent walk into a café … 

Single mom Darcy Emerson Sloan has enough to do raising twins and running a restaurant. She’s doing fine on her own and doesn’t need the complications of a man in her life. But when her café turns into a crime scene, putting her and her children are in danger, she begins to take interest in the handsome young FBI agent that comes on the scene. 

Contractor Del Reno is as even-keeled as they come, but even he has his limits. And Darcy Sloan has pushed him too far. Every time he tries to help, it backfires. But now that Darcy and her kids are in trouble, he has no choice but to come to her aid and to protect her. She’s just going to have to deal with it. 

Secret tunnels, organized crime, adorable children, and a wedding. 

Just another day in Clementville. 

PURCHASE LINKS*: Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository | IndieBound

ALSO AVAILABLE

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Regina Rudd Merrick is a multi-published writer, church musician, wife, mother, former librarian, lover of all things beachy and chocolate, and grateful follower of Jesus Christ. Married to her husband of 35-plus years, she is the mother of two grown daughters, and the keeper of a 100-year-old house where she lives in the small town of Marion, KY. Connect with Regina on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or on her website at https://www.reginaruddmerrick.com

CONNECT WITH REGINA: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Welcome Regina! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and allow my readers a chance to get to know you and your newest book Rebuilding Joy.

I like to start these interviews the same way, with something fun to break the ice. Can you share 5 random facts about you that we will not find in your bio. 

1. I had a crush on Fess Parker, the lead in the tv show “Daniel Boone,” at age six.

2. I graduated from high school in Martinsville, Indiana.

3. My favorite pizza is ham and onion.

4. I played in the orchestra pit in a local theatre production of “Oklahoma!”

5. I wrote more than 300,000 words in fanfiction dedicated to the TV show, “Sue Thomas: FBEye.”

When did you first discover you had a passion and talent for writing?

I always enjoyed writing – it came easily to me in school, and when I discovered fanfiction in 2008, I decided to try it for myself. I was hooked!

What drew you to creating romance stories?

I like creating romance because it’s what I love to read. Whether it’s contemporary, historical, suspense, etc., I look for romance in my reading. I guess it goes back to discovering Grace Livingston Hill romances when I was a teen!

What was the most challenging part of bringing this story to life?

For this story, it was the suspense element. There is much more research to be done, and you have to tie up all the loose ends, but not make it too easy to figure out. Another kink I threw in was that I introduced a new point-of-view character about mid-way through the story! Early readers loved the plot twist! 

On your website, you mention that you enjoy HGTV and I think that certainly shows in this book/series! If you could renovate any home yourself, what would that dream home be?
 

If I could renovate any home, it would be a historic home. My own house is a 105-year-old Craftsman, and we’ve done so much through the years. An old farm house in the country, like the one in Heart Restoration, would definitely be my dream renovation!

Can you tell us a little bit more about Rebuilding Joy? 

Rebuilding Joy is Del Reno’s (the other Reno in the RenoVations Construction Company!) and Darcy Emerson Sloan’s stories. 

Darcy is a widow with two young children and a grudge against God for taking her “happily ever after” away from her. She doesn’t want to risk getting hurt.

Del finds himself in a rut. He loves his work as co-owner and contractor with his sister, Lisa, and future brother-in law, Nick, but it seems like everybody around him is pairing off except him. When he finds out that he is as predictable as Darcy Sloan is stubborn, and for some reason, he doesn’t care, as long as Darcy is in the picture.

He’s over-protective, she’s determined not to depend on anybody. He needs to trust God with Darcy, and Darcy needs to trust God with her life.

What do you hope readers will take away from the book? 

I want readers to be reminded that God is trustworthy, and that our ways are not His ways, and our timing is not His. 

Rebuilding Joy is the second book in the RenoVations series. Will readers who have not yet read the first book still be able to enjoy this one on it’s own? 

I think so. You still meet the characters from book one and the Christmas novellas, “RenoVating Christmas” and “The Twelve Days of Mandy Reno,” but it’s clear where they belong in the story. 

Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. Before you go, are there any other projects you are currently working on that you can share?

I’m finishing a Christmas novella entitled “Mr. Sandman” for a beachy 2021 novella collection with Scrivenings Press, and starting to make plans for a new series beginning in 2022 that will spin off of my Southern Breeze series, set in South Carolina. I can’t wait to get started!

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(3) winner will receive their choice of ebook or signed print copy of Rebuilding Joy!

Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight June 7, 2021 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on June 14, 2021. 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 the policies found here.

ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE

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