I’m
Your Man
Joanne Rawson
Blog
Tour December 8-14, 2014
Bottom Drawer is proud
to present I’m Your Man by Joanne
Rawson, a rising star in the chick lit genre.
Book Details: Novella
Genre: Contemporary Chick Lit
Author: Joanne Rawson
Summary
Ruth Jones
loves her boyfriend Justin. He is handsome, has a killer body, and the sex is
awesome. He does have one major fault though. He travels so much with work that
she only gets to see him once or twice a week, and that is his reasoning for
always wanting to . . . stay in. At first she’s happy that he only wants to be
with her, but over time, his habit of jibbing out at the last minute for every
family occasion, work function, or any bloody occasion that involves
socialising, really does her head in. All she wants, for goodness sake, is for
people to get to know her boyfriend. Okay, so she wants them to see she has a
hunk of a boyfriend, but is that so wrong?
When Ruth
wakes up in a hotel room one morning suffering from a major hangover, she tries
to piece the events of the previous night together. Feeling let down by yet
another no-show by Justin at a work function, she headed to the bar and ordered
a drink. The last thing she remembers is sitting next to an average-looking guy
with a nice accent and large hands, and wondering just what those hands could
do given half the chance. When the bathroom door opens and Mr. Average walks
out, she realises that at the ripe old age of thirty-three, Ruth Jones has
experienced her first one-night stand.
A one-night stand
that is about to send her world into utter turmoil.
Excerpt
“A BURGER?” yelled Jenny, “After you paid for a first
class meal and wine, all he did was buy a sodding Big Mac?” sarcastically
followed by, “Hold on to him, he’s a keeper, Ruth!”
“No, no, Jenny,” said Vikki. “It’s a start, and the
toiletries and stuff . . . that’s good right?”
“A razor and some dirty Y-fronts hardly say
commitment. Least of all that marriage is on the horizon,” Jenny snapped. “So
what else has he promised?”
It had taken all my self-control not to open up with
my next news. “Tonight, Justin is coming to Ester’s birthday dinner.”
Jenny groaned.
“Look I know you hate Justin, but tonight can you make
an effort for me please, Jenny. Anyway, Danny says—” Jenny spat out her cappuccino.
Vikki began to choke on her blueberry muffin.
“Yankee Doodle Danny?” questioned Vikki, as if she had
incorrectly heard me.
“He popped by my office on Monday, we had lunch
together,” making it sound as simple as a sandwich in the office, when in fact
it was a little more than that.
This had been our third lunch date, but today Danny
had chosen the restaurant. A cosy table in the window at Brown’s. Danny had
taken the liberty of ordering before I arrived. Smoked salmon with horseradish
crème fraiche to start followed by a grilled chicken breast with prosciutto,
taleggio, and basil oil, and salad. Courteously saying he had ordered two
glasses of Chablis rather than a bottle. Afterwards we took a leisurely stroll
down by the Thames, both deciding it was too late to now go back to work. We
spent another hour in a tiny coffee shop in Covent Garden, before Danny walked
me to the tube station, arranging lunch for the same time next week.
I could not stress the next point strongly enough.
“We’re going to have a platonic friendship.”
“Is that what you kids call it nowadays?” mocked
Jenny.
Disregarding her comment, I continued, “Danny has just
gone through a whole commitment thing. Admittedly his didn’t turn out,” I said,
filling them in on the whole Maria saga.
“But, he says this is a good start for me and Justin.
At least he is making an effort, however small it is.”
“And Justin is okay with this companionable
relationship with a man you’ve not told him you had sex with?” enquired Vikki.
“Well, I haven’t actually mentioned him to Justin just
yet. I thought I would break Danny in gently.”
“From all accounts, you’ve already done that,” sneered
Jenny.
“And pray tell, how in the world are you going to do
that? You’re hardly the world’s best liar, Ruth.”
I performed my next move like a true thespian.
Nonchalantly, I picked up two sachets of sugar and dramatically flicked them
with my fingers, “I sort of introduced him to the girls at the office as an old
friend. Not very well, I must admit.” Explaining the mix up in names. “We
thought it more convincing to carry the story on. So tonight at dinner, if I
mention Danny, will you act as though you know him?”
Vikki took my hand. “You know I think Yankee Doodle is
good for you. He’s bringing out a whole new Ruth I’ve never seen before, and
I’m beginning to like her. What do you think?” She turned to Jenny.
“You know me, I call a spade a spade.” This was
embarrassingly true. Jenny’s Yorkshire bluntness had indeed caused many heated
confrontations over the years, in shops, nightclubs, and restaurants. It was
hard to believe she was a guest relations manager at one of London’s five-star
hotels. “To be honest, Ruth, Justin is a prick. He’s as good as a twig holding
up a building: snaps under pressure. Mark my words, it will all end in tears.”
“Jenny!” Vikki shrieked.
“Stop being a Southern softy, Vikki, and strap one on.
Just admit it, you feel the same.” Looking over at Vikki to see if this was
true, she kept her eyes firmly locked on Jenny. “And I’ll tell you something
else for free.” Like I am going to pay her to abuse my boyfriend. “If he
turns up tonight, I’ll run around Camden Lock naked. As sure as eggs are eggs,
you’ll be dateless again tonight, Ruth.”
Review
Summary
Ruth Jones
loves her boyfriend Justin. He is handsome, has a killer body, and the sex is
awesome. He does have one major fault though. He travels so much with work that
she only gets to see him once or twice a week, and that is his reasoning for
always wanting to . . . stay in. At first she’s happy that he only wants to be
with her, but over time, his habit of jibbing out at the last minute for every
family occasion, work function, or any bloody occasion that involves
socialising, really does her head in. All she wants, for goodness sake, is for
people to get to know her boyfriend. Okay, so she wants them to see she has a
hunk of a boyfriend, but is that so wrong?
When Ruth
wakes up in a hotel room one morning suffering from a major hangover, she tries
to piece the events of the previous night together. Feeling let down by yet
another no-show by Justin at a work function, she headed to the bar and ordered
a drink. The last thing she remembers is sitting next to an average-looking guy
with a nice accent and large hands, and wondering just what those hands could
do given half the chance. When the bathroom door opens and Mr. Average walks
out, she realises that at the ripe old age of thirty-three, Ruth Jones has
experienced her first one-night stand.
A one-night stand
that is about to send her world into utter turmoil.
Excerpt
“A BURGER?” yelled Jenny, “After you paid for a first
class meal and wine, all he did was buy a sodding Big Mac?” sarcastically
followed by, “Hold on to him, he’s a keeper, Ruth!”
“No, no, Jenny,” said Vikki. “It’s a start, and the
toiletries and stuff . . . that’s good right?”
“A razor and some dirty Y-fronts hardly say
commitment. Least of all that marriage is on the horizon,” Jenny snapped. “So
what else has he promised?”
It had taken all my self-control not to open up with
my next news. “Tonight, Justin is coming to Ester’s birthday dinner.”
Jenny groaned.
“Look I know you hate Justin, but tonight can you make
an effort for me please, Jenny. Anyway, Danny says—” Jenny spat out her cappuccino.
Vikki began to choke on her blueberry muffin.
“Yankee Doodle Danny?” questioned Vikki, as if she had
incorrectly heard me.
“He popped by my office on Monday, we had lunch
together,” making it sound as simple as a sandwich in the office, when in fact
it was a little more than that.
This had been our third lunch date, but today Danny
had chosen the restaurant. A cosy table in the window at Brown’s. Danny had
taken the liberty of ordering before I arrived. Smoked salmon with horseradish
crème fraiche to start followed by a grilled chicken breast with prosciutto,
taleggio, and basil oil, and salad. Courteously saying he had ordered two
glasses of Chablis rather than a bottle. Afterwards we took a leisurely stroll
down by the Thames, both deciding it was too late to now go back to work. We
spent another hour in a tiny coffee shop in Covent Garden, before Danny walked
me to the tube station, arranging lunch for the same time next week.
I could not stress the next point strongly enough.
“We’re going to have a platonic friendship.”
“Is that what you kids call it nowadays?” mocked
Jenny.
Disregarding her comment, I continued, “Danny has just
gone through a whole commitment thing. Admittedly his didn’t turn out,” I said,
filling them in on the whole Maria saga.
“But, he says this is a good start for me and Justin.
At least he is making an effort, however small it is.”
“And Justin is okay with this companionable
relationship with a man you’ve not told him you had sex with?” enquired Vikki.
“Well, I haven’t actually mentioned him to Justin just
yet. I thought I would break Danny in gently.”
“From all accounts, you’ve already done that,” sneered
Jenny.
“And pray tell, how in the world are you going to do
that? You’re hardly the world’s best liar, Ruth.”
I performed my next move like a true thespian.
Nonchalantly, I picked up two sachets of sugar and dramatically flicked them
with my fingers, “I sort of introduced him to the girls at the office as an old
friend. Not very well, I must admit.” Explaining the mix up in names. “We
thought it more convincing to carry the story on. So tonight at dinner, if I
mention Danny, will you act as though you know him?”
Vikki took my hand. “You know I think Yankee Doodle is
good for you. He’s bringing out a whole new Ruth I’ve never seen before, and
I’m beginning to like her. What do you think?” She turned to Jenny.
“You know me, I call a spade a spade.” This was
embarrassingly true. Jenny’s Yorkshire bluntness had indeed caused many heated
confrontations over the years, in shops, nightclubs, and restaurants. It was
hard to believe she was a guest relations manager at one of London’s five-star
hotels. “To be honest, Ruth, Justin is a prick. He’s as good as a twig holding
up a building: snaps under pressure. Mark my words, it will all end in tears.”
“Jenny!” Vikki shrieked.
“Stop being a Southern softy, Vikki, and strap one on.
Just admit it, you feel the same.” Looking over at Vikki to see if this was
true, she kept her eyes firmly locked on Jenny. “And I’ll tell you something
else for free.” Like I am going to pay her to abuse my boyfriend. “If he
turns up tonight, I’ll run around Camden Lock naked. As sure as eggs are eggs,
you’ll be dateless again tonight, Ruth.”
Review
Ruth Jones appears to have it all. Great job, wonderful friends
and a boyfriend any woman would kill for. Good looking and mysterious, Justin
seems like a dream come true - until it occurs to Ruth that he's unwilling to
commit to moving their relationship forward. He persists in making plans and
breaking plans without thought, to the point her work colleagues think Justin
is a mere figment of her imagination.
So, when Ruth finds herself once again at
a loose end and after having little too much to drink, she wakes up in the arms of the average-looking New Yorker, Danny and decides it's best for all concerned that their dalliance is kept a secret. It isn't long before she runs into Danny again, and from that moment on, the two of them strike up a friendship. Danny offers to fill in as Ruth's date
for any social occasions that happen to crop up while Justin is away for work...as friends, of course.
I found myself unable to put this book
down the moment I started reading it. Justin is Ruth's perfect match on the surface, but as we peel back the layers, all is not what it seems. This story is about being true to oneself, discovering love and friendship in unexpected places, and finding the one who makes your heart whole. My favorite
scene? When Danny meets Ruth's family. Brilliantly funny. I also loved Ruth's brazen
but lovable friend, Vikki.
Great story with a wonderful British wit.
Buy Links
The e-book is available for sale for the special tour price of 99c via the BDP Digital Shop:
And for $1.99 via other online booksellers:
The book is also available at Kobo, Bookstrand, Smashwords, Oyster, Scrib’d, and other select booksellers.
Blog Tour Giveaway
$10 BDP voucher
$5 BDP voucher
3 x I’m Your Man e-books
a Rafflecopter giveaway
1 comments:
Thank you so much for an amazing review, and a great blog post. Joanne x
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