Tuesday, March 14, 2023

Luci Adams finds her own ever after...plus a book giveaway

Today we are pleased to introduce Luci Adams, who is celebrating the publication of her debut novel, Not That Kind of Ever After. The story sounds adorable and we look forward to checking it out. We also love Luci's sparkling personality and we are excited for you to get to know her. Thanks to St. Martin's Press, we have THREE copies of Not That Kind of Ever After to give away!

Luci Adams (she/her) started out working in tax before moving into copywriting, creating social posts for Apple Music, and assisting with Amazon and BBC productions at Working Title Television. She now works as a senior analyst at The Guardian by day and writes uproariously funny and inventive rom coms by night. 

Visit Lucie on Twitter and Instagram.

Synopsis:

Bella Marble’s life isn’t what she imagined. She's working a job she's grown painfully bored of, she's been single for longer than she'd like to admit, and her best friend of twenty-nine years is moving out and marrying someone Bella finds heinously boring. Bella feels rudderless, and her best friend's brother, Marty, is the only person she feels like she can be her real self with. After another date gone very wrong, Bella decides to stop searching for "the one" and just have fun, and she starts posting fairy-tale retellings of her disastrous dates and one night stands on a storytelling app. Soon enough, her stories are viral and it feels like her wildest dreams of becoming an author are closer than ever.

Now that her stories are taking off, the pressure is mounting to find new fairy tales to write about—but she’s got to live them first, and avoid losing herself in the process.

"I adored this book from its reverse-cowgirl start to its swoon-worthy ending. In a single read, I devoured Luci’s wickedly funny exploration of finding one’s own Happily Ever After, cackling through Bella’s messy, sex-filled quests to satisfy both her personal and her professional life. The backbone of this hilarious romp is an honest female friendship that will tug at your heartstrings. If you’ve ever gone searching for The Fairytale within the hellscape of modern dating, Not That Kind of Ever After is for you." 
~ Alison Rose Greenberg, author of Bad Luck Bridesmaid

“As side splittingly hilarious as it is empowering and emotional, Not That Kind of Ever After is a sparkling debut.” 
~ Helena Hunting, bestselling author

In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like for you?
A simmering waiting game filled with fantastic people who have supported and inspired me, topped a grande finale that beats even Cinderella’s happy ending (she only got a man at the end of her story, I got a publishing deal!)

How is Bella similar to or different from you?
Bella and I share a love of writing, Disney, dogs and building IKEA furniture. Other than that, she couldn’t be further from me! In reality, I’m far closer in spirit to Bella’s best friend in the novel, Ellie. Bella is wild and calamitous and so filled with energy, while I’m the kind of girl who wants to do nothing more than curl up in bed with a cup of tea, my family around me and a movie marathon.
I might add that I first met my husband-to-be not long after moving to the capitol, so the book is definitely not a reflection on my own dating history around London! 

Oh, Bella and I also both like gin-based drinks too. How could I forget that one?

If Not That Kind of Ever After were made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
I love a bit of dream casting! Well Maisie Williams would get my vote for Bella. Fun, energetic, bold- Maisie would be perfect!

As for Ellie, Bridgerton’s Duchess herself Pheobe Dynevor would be perfect. Throw in Spiderman’s cheeky Tom Holland as her smoking hot twin brother, and *cough cough* ‘definitely not’ Bella’s love interest, and you’ve got my perfect line up!

What is the last movie you saw that you would recommend?
I ‘accidentally’ watch Crazy Stupid Love every six months or so. I know it isn’t new, but it’s a movie that feels like home to me- love in so many forms I can’t count. If that wasn’t compelling enough, it has Ryan Gosling in it, and for me that’s always a winner! 

What do you like most about springtime?
The English countryside in springtime is just magical. I spend a lot of my time outside on dog walks with my little pup, and watching the daffodils waving in the breeze always gives me a little moment of joy. 

If we were to visit you, what are some places you would take us to see?
In the evening we’d go to the West End for sure, as the theatre is something of a second home for me.
But I’ll let someone else take you on the full tour of London; I’ll take you instead on the tour of the countryside over in Hertfordshire. 

St Albans, close to where I live, is like something out of an Austin novel in parts. The whole city is steeped in history. Only half an hour from London, its park is filled with uncovered Roman ruins and a lake guarded by beautiful swans. Pubs all around the area are filled with wooden beams and deep mahoganies, with crackling fireplaces through the cold winter months. Houses through the decades are stacked on top of each other at odd angles that you’d never believe all down the winding side streets. Everything about the place screams romance to me.

And Nandos! I defy anyone to find me a portion of chips (the English kind!) that beat theirs.

Thanks to Luci for chatting with us and to St. Martin's Press for sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here

Giveaway ends March 19th at midnight EST.

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Listen to this book on Speechify!


16 comments:

Marta Suárez Mazaira said...

To be with someone you can trust, who makes you laugh, understands you, supports you, is fun to be with.....and health and a fulfilling job, of course

Rita Wray said...

When you find someone who is there for you in good times and bad. Someone to laugh with and who listens to you and makes you feel special.

traveler said...

A fantasy that should come true. Having a life filled with wonderful experiences, travel and family that is there for you. Enjoying life and appreciating every minute that you spend with those close to you.

Toni Laliberte said...

My version of happily ever after is being with someone who cares for you, laughs with you, and stands by your side no matter what.

Lindsey said...

I have my happily ever after, which is a caring and loving husband and my sweet, considerate son.

Mary C said...

Loving, supportive partner and a fulfilling job.

diannekc said...

I think of happily ever after is finding happiness within yourself and not depending on anyone else for your happiness.

Cherisse said...

Being happy and healthy with the person you fall in love.

Mary Preston said...

A good life together.

Suburban prep said...

Having a life that is fulfilling and is not full of stress. Having happiness.

Mary Patricia Bird said...

Living, loving, laughing... every day.

Nancy P said...

I was going to say I wouldn't know & likely never will. But then I realized Diannekc has it right. All comes from within, the rest is all up to luck & chance..

bn100 said...

family

Texas Book Lover said...

Someone I can be happy and relax with with with no pressures and enjoy our family together!

Xia Lee said...

Accepting each other

Lisa D said...

My idea of happily ever after is a house full of cats.