Contemporary author Rachael Johns - and A house is a home when...

A house is a home when…

What does a house or a home mean to characters in a book? With the upcoming release of my fourth book in the Swallow’s Fall series, The Turnaround Treasure Shop, I decided to go outside my four walls and ask my neighbours - authors of contemporary and historical fiction. 
For twelve days special guest authors talk us through A house is a home when…


It's THURSDAY and I’m welcoming RACHAEL JOHNS!
(And there’s a giveaway too.)

"Much loved international bestselling author Rachael Johns writes feel-good romance and women’s fiction ‘from red dust to big smoke’." 

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The Book: The Road to Hope (released March 1st 2015 so available now) – a story that is linked to Rachael's bestselling book, Jilted (the giveaway book!).

Character: Lauren Simpson, the heroine of The Road to Hope.

Rachael is offering one lucky person who leaves a comment the chance to WIN a paperback copy of Jilted. Open internationally too. 

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Character bio: Lauren Simpson, a nurse at the Hope Junction hospital has reached the age where everyone she knows seems to be getting married and having babies. Although she loves her career, she also wants more. The problem is, she’s got a reputation in town (secured when she pursued the hero in Jilted) as the local slut.

The House: Lauren lives at her parents place, a large, renovated turn-of-the century house, typical of rural country towns. It has big, wide verandahs all around, a corrugated iron roof and high-ceilinged rooms. This house is on the outskirts of the main town site of Hope Junction, a small (fictional) farming community in the Great Southern of Western Australia and has a well-established country garden.

What makes a house a home for Lauren?

Although Lauren lives in a big, beautiful house, it is empty except for her parent’s furniture and her. She dreams of a place that is truly a home – filled with the love and laughter she craves; a family of her own and maybe a couple of dogs. It is only when Tom (the hero) moves in (not her decision) that the place comes alive for her. The actual house she lives in is not important to Lauren – she is a firm believer that home is where the heart is or rather where your loved ones are, and this is what she’s  hoping and dreaming for.

Excerpt from The Road to Hope by Rachael Johns: 

Lauren froze in the doorway as the door swung back and hit the wall. There was a man standing before her. And what a specimen of man he was, wearing nothing but black board shorts that left precious little to her imagination. She looked from his tanned washboard abs to his broad chest and finally his chiselled jaw. It took about five seconds to place him.

Dr Tom Lewis.

She forced her jaw upwards, but couldn’t seem to find any words.

That easy smile curving his lips, he nodded towards her right hand. ‘You got a flat? Need me to change your tyre?’

Still confused, she twisted the jack in her hand and stared at it. She imagined him crouching down again as he levered her car up, his gorgeous arm muscles bunching and tensing as he worked. Her mouth went dry at the thought and she suddenly remembered she didn’t even have a flat.

‘No, it’s fine.’ Searching her mind for the other words necessary for this surreal conversation, she put her bag, keys and of course the jack on the hall side table and noticed a strange key ring with a tiny surfboard already there. Right next to the spare key her parents had always kept hidden out the front. She prodded the strange key ring with one finger as if it might bite her and then looked back to Tom. ‘These yours?’

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The Road to Hope by Rachael Johns

Back cover blurb for The Road to Hope:

Bestselling author Rachael Johns takes you back to Hope Junction and the characters from Jilted.

Nurse Lauren Simpson is known in Hope Junction for the wrong reasons – and she’s over it. Watching the man she’s always loved marry someone else is the last straw – she decides to get out of Hope. But her resolve is tested when the hot new locum doctor arrives in town.

Doctor Tom Lewis also has skeletons in his closet – including a painful breakup and devastating family news. He’s hit the road with his vintage ute and surfboard, to travel the outback and live in the moment.

When Tom and Lauren meet the attraction is instant, but for Lauren Tom threatens to be just another fling and Tom has his own reasons for hesitating. Everyone else – their friends and patients – can see how perfect they are together, but just what will it take for them to admit this to themselves?

A brand new Hope Junction story of fresh starts and second chances.

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Rachael is giving you a chance to WIN a paperback copy of her bestseller JILTED - the first book linked to The Road to Hope.

Jilted is available in eBook and in paperback 
and as befitting all international bestsellers, Jilted has two covers!

Jilted by Rachael Johns - USA cover

Jilted by Rachael Johns - Australian cover

Find all the links of where to buy The Road to Hope (and Jilted, and more), and discover more about Rachael Johns and her internationally bestselling contemporary romance books and upcoming Women's Fiction books over on Rachael's webpage: rachaeljohns.com 

Leave a comment to go into the draw to WIN a paperback copy of Jilted, courtesy of Rachael Johns.
International residents will get a USA paperback and Australian residents an Aussie paperback.  
Good Luck!

And pop back tomorrow because it's release day for me.
I'll be offering an eBook copy of 
The Turnaround Treasure  Shop
"Lily Johnson is looking after two teenage children and an impossible dream..."

    Jennie, in the company of Rachael Johns x

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After you’ve left a comment or question for Rachael, scroll down or click the links and visit previous days and maybe win another book:
Monday 18th: USA & Australia bestselling author Anne Gracie with The Spring Bride
Tuesday 19th: Award winning author Fiona Lowe with Truly Madly Montana
Wednesday 20th: Historical Fiction author Eliza Redgold with Naked: A Novel of Lady Godiva

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