Guest Post by Author Adrian R. Hale - A TASTE OF BLISS! + Giveaway!
Super excited about the guest post from Adrian Hale, author of A TASTE OF BLISS today!!! Make sure you check out all of the info about the book and the awesome giveaway!
A Taste of Bliss Synopsis:
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All Bliss Kaufman wanted was a sandwich and a nap after a grueling day beautifying this week’s bridal party. So when a bartender with a panty-melting grin offers her dinner and a ride on his motorcycle, Bliss swerves from her plans for one unexpected night with Talan McGregor. Just one. It was never supposed to go further. But once isn’t enough for Talan who returns demanding more--and his timing couldn’t be worse.
A life-changing diagnosis forces Bliss to abandon her carefully crafted plans. Even though she can make anyone beautiful with enough makeup and hair product, she can’t fix everything with her 50-pound bag of beauty tricks. Bliss is starting to think she might need Talan after all, but letting him in means cracking open her heart and embracing a life without a safety net.
After all, love is life’s greatest complication, and might just be worth the risk.
*Due to sexual content and graphic language this book is intended for readers 18+*
Buy Links:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Hey there! I’m Adrian R. Hale and I wrote A Taste of Bliss. It’s a little surreal for me to say that, as I have been writing for years but never--NEVER--thought I would finally publish. I want to begin by thanking you for taking the time to host me, and to anyone who picks up my book. I big squishy love you for it! I’m kind of a bubbly, enthusiastic dork, so bear with me should I go off on a tangent or express my undying love for something. It happens. You have been warned.
Do you ever wonder how much of a novel is based on the author’s life? Yeah, me too. What I can say about A Taste of Bliss is that I poured a lot of my own life into the story in many different ways.
Let’s start with the basics.
I live in Austin, TX now, but was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. San Jose, to be precise, which is where I had Bliss grow up and where her mom Lisa still lives. I sent my characters to some of my favorite places around the Bay Area because I was missing home when I wrote it. Gorgeous wineries in Sonoma, Aqui Cal-Mex, Frost Cupcake Factory, and “that bakery in Los Gatos” (aka Icing on the Cake) are all real. Fun fact: in the last few years before I moved to Texas, I only ever went to San Francisco when I was being paid to be there. If I booked a wedding or a show or shoot there, I was happy to go, but you couldn’t get me to just go have fun in the city without a reason. SF is tough to navigate and so stressful, man.
Like Bliss, I am a freelance hair and makeup artist in my “non-writer” life. I, too, have a 50-pound black rolling case full of products and tools that I drag across the country to beautify people for weddings, photo shoots, film and TV, and fashion shows. Some of my friends call me a “fairy godmother” because I am liable to spring open my kit and make them feel their cutest ever for some random event, just because I can. My amazing career has allowed me to do things I only ever dreamed about, like travel, have my work published, win awards for wedding hair and makeup, and work on music videos. I wanted Bliss to have the same enthusiasm and respect for her career that I do, so of course I gave her a terrible boss and a horrible situation to leave in order to chase her dreams. I mean, isn’t Louisa just the worst? Thankfully, I never had a boss like that!
Like Bliss, I have an amazing mother who not only supported and encouraged me at every turn, but loved me enough for two parents. From the beginning, I knew I wanted this story to be as much about the relationship between Bliss and Lisa as it was about the sizzling romance with Talan. I have read so many novels in the NA and contemporary romance genres that show the main characters having awful relationships with their parents, and I didn’t want that. I wanted to see this amazing connection that was built on love and the struggles of a single parent, and let that be the emotional arc that Bliss had to travel as she deals with the medical concerns that are raised in the story. I don’t think Bliss could have grown and developed as much if she hated her mom, or at least it would have been a completely different story. Unlike Bliss, my mom is healthy and whole and still awesome, but I know of too many people who have been down the cancer road, and it breaks my heart. I hope I did the situation justice.
I have a real life Finch. His name is Josh and he shot the cover and promo images I used for this book. He is a tall, blond ball of frenetic energy that demands I step outside my “beauty and bridal” comfort zone to try new and creative things with hair and makeup. He also knows EVERYONE in Austin. I swear.
Now, on to a topic I am sure is of more interest to you: Talan. Oh, that sexy and sweet man-candy was awesome to write. I didn’t want him to just be another generic alpha male that was demanding and rude. I wanted him to be a genuinely good guy, with a little mystery surrounding him and a whole lot of sexy to work with. I wanted Bliss to have to work to get to know who he really was, and I wanted him to have the strength and perseverance to not only chase her, but to give her the support and love she needed to make it through the story. He’s pretty dreamy, right? Fun fact: my hubby drew his own line in the sand with me, which made me write the hell f*@king yes concept. Talan’s look was inspired by Tyler Hoechlin. Just Google image search that fine specimen and nod along with me if you don’t already know who he is. Sexy as hell.
Now, I have a question for you! There were a few characters in A Taste of Bliss that I thought should get their own stories. I am currently writing a companion novel called Drift Heat that stars Talan’s foul-mouthed, bad-boy brother Griffin. Are there any other characters that you would love to know more about? I am always eager to please, so let me know.
Thanks for letting me take up some of your time! If you have more questions about the book, or just want to get to know me better, I love receiving messages on facebook and through email. Connect with me at www.facebook.com/adrianrhale and by [email protected]
Adrian R. Hale Bio:
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Adrian R. Hale loves sugar and spice and everything nice--so of course she loves a good happy ending, in fiction and otherwise.
When she’s not writing, she is making people beautiful as a hair and makeup artist, or trying to run off her overconsumption of sugar. A born and raised California girl, she now resides in Austin, TX with her husband and fur babies.
Playing with her imaginary friends is as common to her now as it was when she was a child; the only difference is now she lets other people know about them through her writing. She would love to hear from you at or Facebook.com/adrianrhaleauthor.
Willa!! I would love to see a story about Willa!
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