Hi! I’m Opal Carew and I’d like to thank Delilah for inviting me to be a guest blogger today!
Do you enjoy old movies? I love watching old B&W classic romance movies. I used to watch them with my mum when I was a kid.
I loved musicals, like Singing in the Rain, and any Fred Astaire movie, but I particularly liked the fun and poignant romances that would make you laugh and cry. One of my favourites was An Affair to Remember.
Knowing my love of old movies, my husband suggested that I write a book called A Fare to Remember with a female taxi driver, which I thought was a great idea! When he asked me when I’d write it, however, I told him it would probably be about five years.
Fast forward fifteen years and it’s finally done!
Originally, it was scheduled to be released on his birthday (Jan 3rd), which was so wonderfully appropriate. Unfortunately, it got moved to April 4th. But, finally, he can now see it out in the world!
And the cover… Oh, I just LOVE it! A close friend told me it looks like a movie poster and that gave me the idea to have it made into an actual poster, which I gave to my husband for Christmas and we now have hanging on the wall!
A fun fact: I hadn’t finished the book when my publisher (St. Martin’s Press) showed me the cover for the first time. When I saw it, I knew I had to work in a scene to fit that sexy image! I’ve included an excerpt of that scene below.
Now if you think that because this book is based on an old movie that means it won’t be my usual sizzling hot erotic romance, check out the teaser below! 😉
So a few of my favourite old B&W romance movies are:
- An Affair to Remember
- Bell, Book and Candle
- The Desk Set
- The Apartment
- Some Like It Hot
What are some of yours?
Remember the mention of free books?
I’m not offering a contest where only a couple of peple will win, because every one of you can get several free books by signing up for my Reader Group (OpalCarew.com/ReaderGroup) and by taking advantage of the great new InstaFreebie anthology (instafreebie.com/free/U3fBd) I’ve put together with several other authors. This gives you a chance to sample my writing (and the other authors’ too) to see if you enjoy it. If it’s not your style, you can unsubscribe anytime. No worries! 🙂
A Fare to Remember
A chance encounter leads to a passion they can’t forget in Opal Carew’s newest erotic romance!
Stevie has given up on love and just wants a simple life driving her taxi. But her plans are turned upside down when gorgeous billionaire Reid Jacobs steps into the back of her cab. Commanding and mysterious, he’s a temptation she can’t resist―and soon their torrid one night stand leads to an intoxicating affair.
In Reid’s strong arms, Stevie finds herself falling harder than she ever imagined. But is she ready to trust again? And when his business partner falls for Stevie, will it change everything? One thing is clear: she’s about to take the ride of her life….
“Carew brings erotic romance to a whole new level…she sets your senses on fire!” – Reader to Reader
A Fare to Remember by Opal Carew is one sexy ride!
Buy Link (goes to all major vendors):
Excerpt of A Fare to Remember
This is the scene that was inspired by the cover. It’s one of my favourites in the book!
~ ~ ~
Stevie drove to the office tower, then pulled up in front. Dylan strode out the door and over to her cab.
“Hey, thanks for picking me up,” Dylan said with a smile as he got in the back of the cab.
She gazed at him in the rearview mirror and smiled. “It’s what I do.”
He laughed. “Yes, well, I appreciate it. It’s murder getting a cab on a wet night like this.” He pulled off his damp suit jacket and lay it down beside him.
“So where to, sir?” she asked with a grin.
“Well, I have this great penthouse. How about you take me there and we both go up and I’ll show you the fabulous view?”
She caught his gaze in the mirror. “I might be persuaded.”
He opened his briefcase and pulled out a shopping bag from a designer store. “Would it help if I gave you a gift?”
She grinned. “I don’t know. Depends on what it is.”
She pulled off the main road and down a quiet street, then pulled over. She turned and took the bag he offered and peeked inside. She pulled out the tissue and found a lovely white shirred dress. It was very elegant, but at the same time, sexy, since the slinky fabric would cling to her every curve.
She gazed at him questioningly.
“We thought we’d dress for dinner.”
“Should I be insulted?” she teased. “My plaid flannel shirt isn’t good enough for you fancy penthouse dwellers?”
He chuckled. “Personally, I love your plaid flannel. It’s so”—he grinned—“soft to the touch. Especially with you inside it.”
The thought of him touching her shirt . . . stroking over the fabric . . . cupping her breast . . . sent her hormones spinning.
“The fact that you gave this to me now rather than when we reach the apartment . . . I assume that means you want me to put it on now?”
He nodded. “That way from the time you park the cab and we start upstairs, it’s like we’ve started a date.”
She smiled. “A date with two men. I could go for that.” She pulled away from the curb. “I’ll take us somewhere I can change.”
* * *
Dylan was looking forward to this evening. He and Reid had put their heads together to plan the perfect evening to convince Stevie that what Reid could offer her surpassed anything she could get from being with her ex-fiancé, in case she was having second thoughts. Reid felt his biggest weapon was Dylan—a second man to ramp up the excitement.
Dylan was thrilled to be a part of it.
Stevie turned down a quiet street, then into a dark alley. She pulled over and stopped the cab.
“What are we doing here?” he asked, glancing around.
She tossed the shopping bag into his lap, then she got out of the car, opened the back door and climbed into the backseat beside him. Then she started unbuttoning her shirt.
“You’re changing here?” he asked, his eyes widening as she slipped off her shirt, then tugged her navy tank top over her head, revealing her black lace bra.
“Sure. Why not?”
“I . . . uh . . . guess.”
She’d kicked off her shoes and was already slipping off her jeans, pushing them to the floor of the car. At the sight of her in her tiny bra and panties, his groin tightened. She held up the dress.
“Hmm. It’s off the shoulder, and I definitely don’t want a black bra underneath.”
She dropped the dress and reached behind her. His cock swelled as she peeled away her bra and dropped it on the seat. She grinned at him, clearly aware of the effect her perfect, round, naked breasts were having on him.
She pulled the dress over her head and let the slinky garment glide down her body. She pulled it into place, smoothing it down. It lovingly hugged every curve. And he couldn’t help noticing that her hard nipples were clearly visible through the thin fabric.
She pushed herself up on her knees. “Do you like it?” she asked, swiveling a little to give him different views.
“Oh, yeah.” His gravelly voice made it clear how much.
She smiled. “Can you see my black undies through the white fabric? Because I wouldn’t want that.”
His gaze jerked to her groin.
“I . . . uh . . .” Just say yes, a little voice shouted in his head.
“Better not to take any chances.” She tugged the hem up a little and slid her hands under the dress, then began to wiggle.
“What are you doing?” But he knew damned well exactly what she was doing.
Dylan almost salivated as Stevie sat down again, then glided her panties down her shapely calves and slipped them off her feet.
“Any shoes?” she asked. “My sneakers will just ruin the look.”
“Uh . . . yeah. In the bag.”
God, she was totally naked under that dress. His cock swelled some more.
She pulled out the shoes—white satin stilettos with rhinestone trim—and slipped them on.
“Nice.” She smiled at him and pushed herself onto her knees again, but this time she pulled up the hem of the dress enough to straddle his legs.
Her fingertips moved down his chest and he realized she was unfastening the buttons of his shirt. She pushed it open and smiled as she stroked his naked flesh.
“Thank you for the pretty gift.”
“It was from Reid, too,” he said absently, mesmerized by the glitter in her eyes.
She rested her hand so her palm cupped his nipple, keeping it warm, then she teased his other nipple with her fingertips.
“I’ll thank him later.”
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About Opal
As a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of erotic contemporary romance, Opal Carew writes about passion, love, and taking risks. Her heroines follow their hearts and push past the fear that stops them from realizing their dreams… to the excitement and love of happily-ever-after.
Opal loves nail polish, cats, old movies, crystals, dragons, feathers, pink hair, the occult, Manga artwork, Zentangle, and all that glitters. She earned a degree in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo, and spent 15 years as a software analyst before turning to her passion as a writer. She grew up in Toronto, and now lives in Ottawa with her husband, huge nail polish collection, and five cats. One of her sons just finished his second Masters degree in Geopolitics (first at Sussex University in the UK and second at Carleton University in Ottawa.) The other son has an undergraduate degree from Carleton University and is now working at Apple. Yes, mom is proud!
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