Thanks for hosting me today, and thanks to the readers who’ve joined up as part of the Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream virtual blog tour. This is stop #2. Be sure to visit all stops to better your chance of winning swag!

First, let me introduce myself. My name is Sandra Sookoo. I write romantic fiction, but over the course of the last year, I’ve primarily focused on Contemporary and Regency romance. My latest book is a sweet contemporary.

Back in my childhood, I had two dreams. Sometimes, you remember stuff with clarity from back in the day, and when I was ten years old, there was nothing I wanted to be besides a writer. Well, I also wanted to be a cake decorator. Back then, you could go to the grocery store and at the bakery you could watch the bakers decorate cakes through a big plate glass window. Of course, you can’t do that now, but back then, I thought that was one of the most awesome jobs to have. So, when I grew up, I tried my hand at it… and failed miserably, over and over. Oh, I still love to bake, I just don’t have the decorating gene. LOL I guess that’s why I fell back on my other dream of being a writer. Now, I write about folks who are successful in the food industry. I’d say things worked out pretty good!

 
 
Here’s the blurb for Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream:

Sometimes the sweetest things in life don’t have anything to do with dessert.

Gwynn Flannigan wants respect from her father and freedom from her big, loud family. The icing on her cake would be to win a decorating competition hosted by her favorite food magazine writer. Cole Marshall’s one outlet from the stress of business life is writing his Cooking in the Buff feature. Who cares if he never has time for fun?

The answer for them both lies in the deep freeze at Sweet Endings, the struggling ice cream shop Gwynn manages and the one property Cole needs to secure a big promotion. He’s stuck in Madrigal, Indiana to unravel a knot of family drama that drives him crazy.

Things heat between Gwynn and Cole on the competition floor when Cole’s alter ego is revealed.  Cake and accusations fly while dreams and goals are left crumbling. In order to balance family, business, and love, Gwynn and Cole will need to work together and become partners—in more ways than one.
 
 

And here’s an excerpt:

“Cole, look at me.” Her request came with a hefty dose of throaty suggestion. How did it get there and why couldn’t she bring that out on command?

He turned his head. “Yeah?” His eyes glittered in the twilight shadows.

“You have a smear of icing on your mouth.” Before her temporary injection of courage could dissipate, she dabbed at the frosting on the side of his mouth. Not having a napkin, she licked the sugary glob from her finger.

Cole twisted his body toward her, his gaze twin caldrons of smoldering green. “Did you get it all?” His voice was equally low but with a smoky quality that prickled the hairs on her arms and nape into heightened awareness.

Insanity ruled over common sense as she said, “Nope, there’s still a little bit left.” Gwynn leaned into him. Her palm grazed his cheek as she cupped it and fit her lips to his in a fleeting kiss, being sure to ply that spot in the corner with a leisurely lick. The slight rasp of his stubble against her tongue sent tiny tremors into her lower belly.

Cole pulled away, but not far enough that she couldn’t feel the warmth of his breath on her face. He swiped a forefinger into the frosting of his cake then dabbed the icing onto the middle of his bottom lip. “How about now?”

“You know, homemade frosting is thick and stubborn. It clings to everything.” Gwynn kissed him again, taking care to nibble the icing until not a trace of it was left. She slid her hand to the back of his head. His silky hair flowed over her fingers and invited more than a brief touch. Cole moved his free hand to her waist, insistent at the small of her back, setting off a host of tingles. He glided his mouth over hers with a gentleness she hadn’t expected from him. Sampling chocolate from his lips was the sweetest thing she’d ever partaken of and she didn’t want the intimacy to end. She cupped the side of his face once more, seeking to deepen the connection and find out if the heat threatening to melt her was definitely from him and not the summer temperature.

He broke the embrace, and she thought she caught a soft, shuddering sigh from him. “Well, that’s one way of removing a smudge.”

You can purchase this book at the following locations:

 Desert Breeze

ARe

Amazon

 ibookstore

 Have we connected on social media yet? If not, here’s my info. I’d love to talk to you!

 Website

Believing is Seeing Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

Giveaway: One lucky random commenter will receive a Hollywood Dreams and Buttercream swag pack. Be sure to leave your contact information.

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