What do you hope readers will take with them after they’ve read it?
I hope this story will make you think and yet still be an escape. Because, tbh, 2020 just sucks. And we all know it. We all need a bit of a break. A blip in the constant chaos. And I want to help my readers find that. And because my faith is the foundation of my character, it’s always between the lines and I hope it can be a comfort to the readers as well. Like it is to me.
I trust him with my life. Just not with my heart.
Elizabeth Bennet remembered using those words to describe her relationship with Koby Knightly—if one could even call it that. But was that trust enough of a justification to dial her ex-boyfriend’s number? She looked back over her shoulder at the dark, snow- lined sidewalk. Seconds prior, she’d been certain she heard feet chasing her, but now, there was nothing. Only the sound of her high heels clicking on the uneven concrete as she hurried home from dinner. Why hadn’t she called a cab? Or even hopped on a bus?
Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It does both. And somehow it does it at the same time. There are times during a first draft, when everything is so new, that I’ll sit down and start typing and the next time I look up hours have passed. I feel like I could write forever and what’s more is that I want to. I want to push through until I can write ‘The End.’ But on the second through fifteenth drafts—not an exaggeration—it feels like I’m constantly running up hill. My body is tired. My brain is telling me to stop. I need a break. But I know that when I reach the top, I’ll be in love again and ready to do it all over.
“Lizzy!”
She gasped and her whole body tensed. “Koby? What are you doing here?”
He stood in front of the glass doors to her apartment building. After pulling his hands out of the pockets of a pair of faded jeans, he started toward her, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open. “What happened to you?”
“I really enjoyed reading Sprinkled with Sabotage by Allison Pearl. . . . If you are a fan of this genre, I really think that you will enjoy Sprinkled with Sabotage as much as I did. Not only will you be entertained, but you will also be uplifted. I definitely recommend this book to fans of Christian romantic suspense novels.”
Why I Love Jane.
“What are men to rocks and mountains?” Unless those men happen to be the likes of Misters Darcy and Knightley. I’m all for a good view, but I prefer a swoon and I think Jane Austen did too. If you’ve read any of the Love and Danger in St. Claire series, you’ll have seen more than one nod to the romance master herself. . . .
“Sprinkled with Sabotage keeps you on the edge of your reading chair – both from the suspense and from the romance. Layered characters and a well-plotted mystery combine with the cozy small town vibes (with a little of big city bustle thrown in) to deliver a read that hits the spot. Perfect to curl up on a chilly fall or winter day!”
When did you first know you wanted to be an author?
At first, I thought I wanted to be an actor. I was a child movie snob who loved the characters and adventures of film. Whatever magic was happening on the screen in front of me was something I wanted to create. I wanted to play every hero and villain. To walk out every storyline to its finish. But when I got old enough to realize that Luke Skywalker was in a desert on planet earth rather than a galaxy far way, I knew I didn’t want to be a part of the story. I wanted to be the author of it.
“This was a great escape novel for me. My interest and imagination were captured from the first page. . . . I loved the blend between the genres. There was just enough romance and suspense to keep me turning the pages. This is the third book in a series but can be read as a stand-alone. I look forward to reading the first two books at a later date.”
Was that static? The message sounded odd. After grabbing the red pouch from behind some dish detergent, Koby turned toward Lizzy and rested a hand on the counter. Another moment of the strange noise made it clearer. Not static. It was someone breathing. The exhales were loud and ominous. The message wasn’t a pocket dial filled with muffled background noise. Someone had left that message on purpose.
The breathing lasted another moment. “I know who you are. I know what you’ve done,” a distorted voice said.
What is on your nightstand?
Too many things, I promise you. I often joke that I need a night-desk instead of a nightstand. And that is just for the books. Like when I go to the grocery store hungry, my reading eyes are always way bigger than my stomach. There’s always a cornucopia of genres stacked by my alarm clock, lamp, and cup of pens and crochet needles. Right now, there’s a book about home-buying, Dostoevsky’s The Idiot and a Russian-English dictionary, my bible, the new Tana French, and my Kindle stocked with selections from Prime Reading.
His eyelids fell closed as he winced. Great. Now, she’d hurt his feelings. She was already bleeding, and now, she’d managed to wound him, too. “Koby…”
He held up a hand. “Don’t. It’s fine.”
Fav Fives: Romantic Suspense Movies:
Maybe I’m just too old, but I feel like the golden age of action-packed romance film has passed us by. It’s been decades since a movie’s come close to a spot on this list. But I’m hopeful that 2021 will bring with it some challenges to these Top Five Romantic Suspense Movies. #SPOILERALERT . . .
“But now what?” Her voice was soft, but he sensed an urgency in the tone. “Why did you stay?”
His heart pounded in his ears. If he could only kiss her one last time. “I think I stayed because a part of me always thought you’d come back, and if I was gone… i-if you changed your mind about us and came back… I didn’t want to miss my chance.”
“Sprinkled With Sabotage is a great mystery with sweet romance and awesome faith and friendships. The mystery keeps you guessing the who, when and where and what’s next. The characters are all well-developed . . . I highly recommend this story to everyone. There is something for every reader in this story.”
Like all small Pennsylvania towns, St. Claire never runs out of sugar. Stop at Apple’s Fritters or Poppy’s Pies and Tarts for the treat of your choice. . . .
Because sometimes, you just need a doughnut. Why you should read romantic suspense?
Maybe the better question would be why not read Romantic Suspense? Sure, you can read heavy war novels, self-helps, memoirs, historical non-fiction, tear-jerkers, and tragedies. And you should… on occasion. But don’t you sometimes want your heart to race for something other than, COVID, bills, politics, work, drama, and your family stress? . . .
“I just figured the paranoia was all in my head and that there had to be a logical reason for the other stuff. I mean, I have been a little off since everything happened in the sheriff’s department down home. What if I overreacted?”
Koby shook his head as he grabbed the towel off the counter and flicked the faucet handle to let the water cascade over the cloth. “You are a lot of things, sweetheart. Easily spooked ain’t one of them.”
Who’s who? Love and Danger in St. Claire
Sprinkled with Sabotage may be part of a series, but readers can start anywhere. But while you may not need to rush out and get books 1 and 2, I think it will be fun to give you a breakdown of just who you will be meeting in the small Pennsylvania town of St. Claire. . . .
“This was a fast paced suspense sprinkled with not only sabotage but romance. I liked that I wasn’t able to guess who was after Lizzy. . . . The suspense was fast and the romance was sweet.”
Her dad rose from his worn green leather armchair in front of the fireplace. “Lizzy Lu.”
How many evenings had she spent on the rug at the foot of that chair, playing with the dogs or reading a book so she could be just like him? She tossed Koby’s keys onto the thin table against the wall, and then, he pulled her into his arms.
“Hi, Daddy.” Pressing her head into his neck, she breathed in the familiar smell of sawdust and leather and then let him go. “You didn’t have to wait up.”
Lizzy Bennet loves life as a lawyer in the city. And not just because of the miles it puts between her and her ex. However, when she’s attacked on the street just hours after learning her identity was stolen, she tries to call home for help and ends up with the last person she expects: the very same high school boyfriend who broke her heart. He says he’s there to help, but she’s not so sure, and now, all the endless questions and regrets are clouding her judgment and preventing her from seeing the dangerous saboteur closing in.
Small-town auto mechanic, Koby Knightly, is looking forward to seeing a car show in the city. But when an unexpected call from his old girlfriend disconnects suddenly, he rushes to her aid. Throwing his plans out the window, Koby makes it his mission to protect her and discover the identity of the person trying to frame her. Will he also be able to figure out what went wrong between them back in high school or will a killer get to her first?
About the Author
Allison Pearl is a small-town girl who’s lived just about everywhere. She loves books, tea, chocolate, and watching old movies with her husband, black lab, and orange tabby. To keep in touch and get updates on new releases follow her Facebook page ‘Books by Pearl’ at www.facebook.com/allisonnicolepearl/ or follow her on Twitter at @AllisonPearl5 and Instagram at @allisonnicolepearl.
Tour Giveaway
1 winner will receive a $50 Amazon eGift Card (open internationally)
Ends November 29, 2020
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