DIY Star Must Rehab Her Life in Marissa Clarke’s ‘Accidentally Perfect’ [EXCERPT]

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When a lifestyle star’s career implodes, she may need more than a hammer to knock her life back into shape. (Photo courtesy Canva)

We will be the first to admit that we are HGTV junkies. Since buying and rehabbing an old farmhouse early in our marriage, we love watching others take on similar challenges. There’s something addictive about resurrecting old homes and making them better. But the stars who do this on a regular basis take the experience to a whole other level, and sometimes it takes a toll. Meet Lillian, the star of Marissa Clarke’s Accidentally Perfect. These days, she’s got to rehab more than just a house. Now she has to tackle her life. Keep reading to enjoy an excerpt from this hilarious romantic comedy! —J&H

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And just when she was certain her day couldn’t get any worse, Lillian’s car motor sputtered.

Grumbling every swear word she knew, she pulled off to the side of the road as the car fizzled out right along with her last remaining shred of composure.

She shifted the dead car into park and rested her forehead on the top of the steering wheel. After blinking back tears she refused to allow—she never cried, never— she took a deep breath and reached for her purse. She snorted. Why bother? Her wallet had been lifted at the McDonald’s several towns and many hours back. This time, a tear broke through, and she wiped it away with her sleeve, then checked her makeup in her rearview. All good.

“Look for the bright side,” her mom had always said. “When things are bad, make a list of the good things.”

Well, her makeup was still okay. She had run out of gas near civilization, at least. Her stolen wallet could be easily sorted out with her bank. She had a twenty-dollar bill in her console for emergencies just like this. And hey! At least it wasn’t raining.

With a deep inhale, she opened her car door and struck out for the diner. The side of the road was rocky and uneven. She should have at least changed her Ferragamo pumps before leaving New York to something more practical. No. She loved these shoes. They were one of her pairs of power shoes, and they made her feel feminine and invincible.

She adjusted the purse strap on her shoulder and lifted her chin, then glanced into the woods off the side of the road. Yeah. No way she could outrun a bear in these shoes, but she could impress it with her sense of style, right?

She picked up her pace and pulled out her phone and called Erin. No answer. Of course there was no answer. It wasn’t even daylight yet.

Crack. Aaaaand, there went her heel on her favorite shoes. She leaned down to check the damage with her fingers. Yep, broken off and hanging on by a strip of leather. She’d be making an entry on this date in her planner officially ranking this as the worst day ever.

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Entangled: Amara

Workaholic Lillian Mahoney has given everything to her job. The hugely popular lifestyle show she helped create monopolizes her time, energy, creativity, and anything remotely resembling a life. But all it takes is the show’s womanizing, egomaniac star throwing a massive hissy on live TV to utterly implode Lillian’s career in a New York minute.

Now Lillian’s hiding out in the gorgeous and completely unknown seaside village of Blink, Maine. Out of gas. A stolen wallet. A broken heel. And worse, she’s somehow managed to completely piss off the town’s resident hunk, Caleb Wright. She’ll show that hot, grumpy single father exactly what she’s made of.

But Blink isn’t quite what Lillian expects—and neither is Caleb…or his feisty teen daughter she can’t help but love. And while her entire life and career are in shreds, Lillian might just discover what happens when she gives her bad first impression a second chance.

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Marissa Clarke is the author of Three Day Fiancée, Dear Jane, Chance of a Lifetime, Love Me to Death, and the forthcoming novel, Accidentally Famous.

A multi-award-winning, RITA®-nominated author of romance for adults and teens. She lives on the Texas Gulf Coast with her ever-patient husband, two cantankerous Cairn Terriers, and an abundance of bossy chickens.

She loves to hear from readers, so please reach out to her via the contact form on her website, MarissaClarke.com, or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

ACCIDENTALLY PERFECT
By Marissa Clarke
400 pp. Entangled: Amara. $8.99

Marissa Clarke
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Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card from Marissa Clarke! But hurry, the giveaway is open to the US only and ends August 19.

This promotion is powered by the Rafflecopter platform and is not sponsored, administered, or endorsed by Jathan & Heather, Jadeworks Entertainment, or any of its subsidiaries.

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Order Accidentally Perfect direct from Jathan & Heather Books or from one of these other fine online retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Half Price Books | Hudson Booksellers | IndieBound | Powell’s | Target | Walmart.

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About Jathan Fink
Jathan is a journalist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He is also a travel junkie, foodie and jazz aficionado. A California native, he resides in Texas.

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