Can’t Buy Me Love

Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for Can’t Buy Me Love by Andrea Christenson presented by Susan May Warren, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

ABOUT THE BOOK

Title: Can’t Buy Me Love Series: Deep Haven Collection #2 Author: Andrea Christenson presented by Susan May Warren Publisher: Sunrise Publishing Release Date: March 16, 2021 Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance

He can’t buy his way out of trouble this time…

Housekeeper-slash-entrepreneur Ella Bradley prides herself on being ready for anything. After all, with a father who died—and lied to her—and a stepmom and stepsister who despise her, she has no one else to depend on. But on the biggest night of her life, she’s unprepared to be trapped in an elevator with the man of her dreams. Wealthy prince-to-a-fortune Adrian Vassos wants nothing more than to shed his reputation as a party boy and prove that he is a savvy businessman. Even, a gentleman. But when he’s trapped with a woman who knows his reputation but not his face, he gives into the temptation to be someone else—and lies. When serendipity brings them together again—this time to work off community service—can their combined sentences spark a new ending? Maybe…if Adrian’s lies don’t find him out. Again. The magic of Deep Haven enchants in this modern-day Cinderella story.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE

These shoes were going to be the death of her.

Ella wiggled her toes and waited for the elevator to arrive, refusing another glance at her watch. Yes, she was late, but what did they say about being fashionably late?

Just down the hall and through the lobby, music spilled out of the bar area of the Century Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. Elegance dripped from the high-hanging chandelier of the foyer, the deep blue and gold carpets, and the massive floral arrangement on a center table. Through the glass ceiling that arched over the lobby expanse, the night sky had turned to diamonds, while just below it the breath of the underworld pumped out of the massive vents in the sidewalks like a dragon aslumber.

It was a fairytale night.

A fairytale she didn’t belong in. Ella should be at home in Deep Haven in her flannel pajamas instead of freezing to death in this skimpy ice-blue satin dress. Colleen Decker, her former college roommate, had loaned her the dress, an ankle-length ball gown that hugged Ella’s slim curves before flaring out at the knees. The neckline dropped to just below her collarbone in the front and just below her shoulder blades in the back. The shoes—Manolo Blahnik stilettos that Colleen had found on eBay—would probably cut off all feeling from her toes by the end of the night. She should have worn her pink Converse.

The price she paid for her dreams.

She inventoried the contents of her tiny handbag for the third time in as many minutes. Lip gloss? Check. The 3×5 notecards for her pitch? Check. Thumb drive with a backup copy of her pitch? Check. Shareholders’ Gala invitation with “Ella Nicole Bradley” embossed in gold across the front? Check.

She squeezed the clasp back together. If only Colleen would have let her bring her own normal-sized purse along. That bag had been relegated to the same pile as the flannel

and jeans. But she probably wouldn’t need the Kleenex, sewing kit, hand sanitizer, Band-Aids, granola bar, and other supplies she usually kept fully stocked in her oversized purse.

Probably.

Ella adjusted the white faux mink stole Colleen had thrown across her shoulders at the last moment.

“You’re going to need something warm,” her friend had said earlier that evening. “It may be nice outside now, but it’s still winter in Minnesota. The weatherman said we may get a late-March snow tonight.”

“No way.” Her conversation with Colleen drifted back to her as she watched the elevator lights crawl down from the twenty-first floor. “That dress is way out of my comfort zone.” She turned to look at the back of the borrowed dress in the mirror.

“Nonsense. This color is perfect with your blonde hair, and it will bring out the blue in your eyes. You want to knock ’em dead tonight. After all, you might meet the devastatingly handsome and irredeemably rakish Adrian Vassos.” Colleen had given her a wink. “Did you hear he drove his car into the nearly frozen Lake Kellogg a month ago? Silly man. He should

know that the ice wasn’t going to be thick enough this late in the winter. He’s lived there all his life. Good thing that boy is hot. He can get away with things like that.” Colleen fanned her face with her hand, pretending to swoon at the thought of Adrian Vassos.

Adrian Vassos was the last person on Ella’s mind tonight. He could drive into as many lakes as he wanted, woo any girl he came across, as long as he stayed out of her way. He might be the son of the owner, but her goal was a face-to-face with the man at the top of the food chain.

Her last chance to salvage the life she hoped to create. The lights dinged at floor fourteen.

“A good pair of shoes make all the difference.” Colleen had reached to the back of the closet and pulled out a shoebox. Nestled under the lid inside a few sheets of tissue paper lay a pair of pale blue slingback heels with tiny crystals sewn in a star pattern across the toes.

If only they fit. Her feet screamed, even after only ten minutes. Why hadn’t she stuck to her Converse sneakers?

“Over my dead body! Girl! You don’t wear Chucks to the party of the year.”

So, yes, she’d tried on the shoes, a little mesmerized. Maybe these shoes would bring the confidence she so desperately needed.

“Fine, I’ll wear them, but if I fall on my face and die, I’m coming back to haunt you.”

Colleen had grinned at her. “Haunt me all you want. I’m on your side. Want to practice your pitch one more time?”

“Let’s just get going. Wouldn’t want to be late to the party of the year.”

COPYRIGHT: Sunrise Media Group, LLC

BOOKS IN THIS SERIES

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Susan May Warren is the USA Today best-selling novelist of 80 books. With more than 1.5 million books in print, she is beloved by reviewers and readers around the world. Visit Susan at www.susanmaywarren.com.
CONNECT WITH SUSAN: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Andrea Christenson lives in a Minneapolis, MN suburb with her husband and two daughters. When she is not busy homeschooling her girls, she loves to read anything she can get her hands on. She believes that a great loaf of artistic bread can turn a meal into a masterpiece. Andrea’s prayer is to write stories revealing God’s love.
CONNECT WITH ANDREA: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Merging the creative energies of best-selling authors Susan May Warren and Lindsay Harrel, Sunrise Publishing is the matchmaker for established authors who want to build on their current success for future growth and aspiring authors looking to break out, build an audience, and hone their writing skills.
CONNECT WITH SUNRISE: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | admin@sunrisepublishing.com

TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $15 Amazon gift card + 3 Can’t Buy Me Love ebooks (one ebook for the winner and two to give to friends)!

Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight March 16, 2021 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on March 23, 2021. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.

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Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!