Book Spotlight : Rough Around the Edges Meets Refined by Rachael Anderson

 

Around the Edges Meets Refined (Meet Your Match #2) by Rachael Anderson

For Noah Mackie, life is finally back on track. He has a great support system, a promised promotion is on its way, and he's finally getting the hang of this single father thing. But when the job falls through and his neighbor's matchmaking efforts become more aggressive, Noah is in for yet another unwanted detour. With his career and two spirited daughters to worry about, he doesn't have time for dating—especially not someone like Cassie Ellis, his girls' beautiful and sophisticated dance instructor, who is about as open and approachable as a brick wall.

Rough around the Edges Meets Refined is about two people who think they know exactly what they want but who have no idea what they really need. It's about learning that people aren't always what they seem and that sometimes life’s detours take you exactly where you need to go.


Book Excerpt

“So . . .” Becky hedged. “Did you get a chance to meet Cassie when you picked them up?” To most people, the question would have sounded so innocent. But after all of her hints about how Cassie was single, and pretty, and talented, and a wonderful person, and single, Noah knew better.
“I did,” he said, and left it at that. He wasn’t about to tell Becky that her friend was the most standoffish person he’d ever met. Cassie’s expression had been too serene, her posture too perfect, and her sense of humor too nonexistent. She wouldn’t even shake his hand. There was no denying she was beautiful, but if Noah was actually looking—which he wasn’t—it would be for more than a pretty face. He’d want someone who knew how to have fun; someone who could be a wonderful mom to his girls. Cassie didn’t seem to fit that description.
Becky wasn’t about to let it drop. “And . . . ?” she prompted.
“And what?”
She rolled her eyes. “What did you think?”
“Uh . . . she seems nice.” Sort of.
“Nice?” Becky said. “That’s it? Really?”
“We talked for a total of five minutes. And yeah, she was nice.” Sort of.
“Did you think she was pretty?”
“Sure.”
“Intelligent?”
Noah was ready to end the conversation and eat the soup. “Like I said, five minutes.”
Becky frowned. “I can’t believe you only talked to her for five minutes. You should have given it at least fifteen.”
“And let the girls smell up my cab even more? I don’t think so.”
Becky leveled him a hard stare. “Just promise me the next time you’re able to pick them up, you’ll give her a chance.”
He sighed. Becky had done so much for him and the girls, and he would bend over backwards to return all the favors. But this? This made him incredibly uncomfortable. If he was going to meet a girl, he wanted to do it on his own terms and in his own way—not be pushed into something that wouldn’t have a chance of going anywhere but down.
“I don’t know,” he finally said. “She doesn’t really seem like my type.”
“Wow, that’s pretty amazing you could know that after only five minutes,” Becky said.
“Hey, sometimes that’s all it takes.”
“And most of the time, it takes a lot longer.”


 

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Author Rachael Anderson

USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

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Author Interview: All I Want by Rachael Anderson, Jolene Perry & Kaylee Baldwin

Describe your book in five words or less.

A fun Christmas romance.

How did the ideas for your books come to you?

Usually I start with a character. With Six Days of Christmas (my story in All I Want), I wanted to write about a girl who loved structure and planning and had everything set for her life--but this one Christmas was really going to shake things up. From there, I just tried to have fun and think: what would Natalie do if THIS happened? It was a ton of fun to write.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I just hope that people really get into the Christmas mood after reading this book. I wanted it to be a feel good story, reminding us all that sometimes the roads we didn't plan to go down turn out to be the best ones of all.



What is the hardest part of writing for you? What's the easiest?




The hardest part of writing for me is finding the time to write. I have four little kids that keep me really busy, so I have to make writing time a priority. I have arrangements so I can write every Tuesday and Thursday morning, and I disconnect the email, I won't answer the door or phone, and don't care if my house is a mess... that is my sacred writing time.




The easiest part of writing for me is when the story flows and my fingers can't hardly keep up with it. I LOVE those times. It's usually my best writing, too, probably because I'm not over-thinking everything (as I have a tendency to do!)




What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future projects?




I am currently working on a young adult romantic comedy right now. I am at the very end of it, so it should be done soon and then off to my beta readers.




Why did you choose to write for specific genre?




I write what I love to read. I love to read romances. I love to read comedies. I love young adult. And it's way fun to mash them all together.




What's it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book's release date?




It's really humbling. Every time I see the cover for All I Want, I can't wipe the smile off my face.




What is one question that you've always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?




That's a hard one... I don't know if I have a question that I've always wanted to be asked, but one of my favorite questions that I love hearing answered is: What is your favorite book(s) on writing? Every time I start a new work-in-progress I pull out my copy of Plot and Structure of James Scott Bell. And Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott changed my attitude toward my writing. I highly recommend both books.




What was your road to publications like?


Rachael contacted Jolene and I about a year ago to see if we wanted to each write a novella and compile them into a book together. We tossed around several ideas--from having three completely unrelated stories, to similar themes, and in the end decided that we wanted to write Christmas stories.




After writing our stories, we sent them to each other to make sure we all liked each other's stories (which we did) and then sent them off to critiquers and editors. After that we picked out a cover that we all loved--which was really fun to do--and then worked on formatting and polishing it.




My first book, Meg's Melody, was traditionally published, which was a different road for publication involving query letters and revisions, then more query letters, the acceptance email, contracts, edits, and the whole nine yards that took a year and a half from submission to holding a book in my hands--but was also very exciting.




thank you so much for the interview!