The sky's the limit for Mary Ellen Taylor...plus a book giveaway

We're pleased to have Mary Ellen Taylor visiting today! She's here to talk about her latest novel, The Sky Beneath Her, which is now available. We're excited for you to check it out and to learn more about Mary Ellen. She has THREE copies to share with some lucky readers!

Mary Ellen Taylor is the Amazon Charts bestselling author of evocative dual-timeline women’s fiction novels rich with history, family secrets, and atmospheric settings. She also writes internationally bestselling suspense novels as Mary Burton, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author known for psychological thrillers and romantic suspense. Across both pen names, her stories explore hidden truths, complex relationships, and the ways the past continues to shape the present. She lives in Virginia and the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Visit Mary Ellen online:

Website * Facebook * Instagram

Synopsis:

It’s been seven years since a tragic diving accident took her mother’s life, leaving Tula Cassidy with a crushing fear of the sea. The ocean she once loved is no longer a part of her. And she can’t imagine it ever will be again.

Until her return to the Outer Banks changes everything.

While clearing out an old beach house, Tula receives a mysterious manuscript about the Oceanus. The passenger ship’s final voyage ended in disaster in 1942, and its underwater wreckage ultimately became her mother’s final resting place.

As Tula unravels the ship’s haunting history, she uncovers not only an unexpected family connection, but also a story of survival that helps her understand her own journey toward healing.

With help from Nathan, the charming dive instructor she left behind years ago, Tula faces her deepest fears to unlock the secrets of both past and present. Sometimes the greatest journeys begin when we find the courage to dive back in. (Courtesy of Amazon.)

What is a favorite compliment you received on your writing?
One of my favorite compliments came from a reader who told me she stayed up until three in the morning because she couldn't stop turning the pages. As an author, there's no higher praise. We spend months—and sometimes years—creating these stories, so knowing a reader became completely immersed in the world and characters is incredibly rewarding.

How is Tula similar to or different from you?
Like Tula, I love the Outer Banks and feel a deep connection to the coast. We also share a curiosity about the past and the stories hidden beneath the surface. Where we differ is that Tula is far more adventurous than I am when it comes to the ocean. She's a diver who ultimately has to confront her fears beneath the water. I'm happiest exploring history from dry land!

If The Sky Beneath Her was made into a movie, who would you cast in the leading roles?
This is always a tough question because readers create such vivid images of the characters. For Tula, I could see someone like Florence Pugh bringing both strength and vulnerability to the role. Nathan would need someone with warmth and quiet confidence—perhaps Glen Powell. And for the mysterious Dr. Brooks, I'd love to see someone like Hugh Jackman, who could bring both charm and depth to the character.

Which book made you fall in love with reading?
As a child, I devoured everything I could get my hands on, but Little Women by Louisa May Alcott left a lasting impression. I loved the family dynamics, the strong female characters, and the sense that ordinary lives could contain extraordinary stories. Looking back, I think that book planted the seed for the kinds of stories I write today.

If your life was a TV series, which celebrity would you want to narrate it?
I'd choose Olivia Colman. She has a voice that's warm, funny, and full of heart. Whether I was celebrating a book launch, getting lost in historical research, or trying to untangle a stubborn plot, I think she'd make every chapter of my life sound both entertaining and meaningful.

If we were to visit you right now, what are some places you would take us to see?
I'd start with a drive along the Outer Banks, stopping at some of the quiet beaches that inspired scenes in The Sky Beneath Her. We'd visit the Wright Brothers Memorial, explore Jockey's Ridge at sunset, and wander through the charming waterfront in Manteo. If time allowed, we'd take a trip north to the Currituck Lighthouse. From there we’d hop in my truck, and I’d drive you along the beach so we could see the wild horses that live near the Virginia line.

Thanks to Mary Ellen for visiting us and sharing her book with our readers.

How to win: Use KingSumo to enter the giveaway. If you have trouble using KingSumo on our blog, enter the giveaway here. If you are still having issues, please contact us.

Giveaway ends July 7th at midnight EST.

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Book Review: Palms on the Cape

By Sara Steven

After a tumultuous childhood with a mother she describes as "a train wreck compounded by a dumpster fire that smelled like cheap perfume," Rachel Sinclair has made a life for herself. On the verge of turning forty, her upscale beach bar-Palms on the Cape-is packed with vacationers and regulars throughout the busy Cape Cod summer season. She has surrounded herself with a chosen family of devoted staff and great friends, including her best friend, Carlos...who she might be in love with.

When a visiting study group from a Vermont business school, known as the A-List, descends on Rachel's bar in late August, she gets pulled in by the charms of their leader, Tripper, a younger man with good looks, access, and tremendous connections in the restaurant industry.

But when Rachel learns of the A-List's plans to take over her business, she must decide if it's worth the gamble to join forces with an unlikely ally or risk losing everything she has worked for. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Palms on the Cape made me want to run my own beach bar! Rachel’s bar seems like such a carefree, easy-breezy type place, with plenty of regulars and vacationers to add to the charm. I’ve worked in a bar establishment and I know first-hand just how much work goes into successfully making them run, and while it’s obvious that Rachel and her staff work hard and put in a lot of effort, the vibe of the place would be a fun environment to work in. As the synopsis indicates, Rachel has done a lot to make a life for herself and wants to steer clear of any kind of potential drama. It’s a big reason she chooses not to date. Not to mention she doesn’t have the kind of time necessary to get into any kind of relationship with someone.

Enter Tripper. Rachel figures it could be fun to have a brief summer fling with the guy, only to find out later that he has ulterior motives. The path leading to that realization was sprinkled with tiny little breadcrumb clues, so when the truth is finally revealed, I couldn’t help but want to throttle the guy, and the rest of his so-called A-List team. To know that Rachel has put so much time and effort into her dream, only to have some jerk come along and try to derail that, only added fuel to the fire. As imagined, Rachel is lost on what to do or how to fix things. Tripper has a lot of connections and his team has been working behind the scenes to derail her. Suddenly, her goal to steer clear of drama becomes a situation where there is nothing but.

I thought the steps taken to save the bar had been clever and fun to read. Rachel needs to branch out and ask for help from unexpected places, and the reader isn’t even sure if that choice is the best one, given the circumstances. But Rachel doesn’t have much of a choice. When everything tumbles to a halt and everything is out in the open, it was a pretty exciting experience. Flipping the script and seeing Rachel take charge was nice to see, and watching the A-List squirm was even better!

A secondary plotline is the relationship between Rachel and her long-time best friend, Carlos. It always surprises me when I read about or hear someone say that a romantic relationship built on friendship can’t be possible. I think friendship can be a great foundation in a romantic relationship, and it’s something Rachel has to think hard about, as to whether Carlos could ever be anything more than friends. It was a nice plot to help give some levity to the seriousness of what’s going on in Rachel’s professional world, and I thought the two blended nicely together. Palms on the Cape was a definite five-star read!

Thanks to Jenn Bouchard for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Jenn Bouchard:
First Course
Considering Us

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