The Crock Pot Novel by Kim Boykin

Crock pot novel? Yeah, Caught Up in You was a slow cooker all right. I started this Tule novella last summer before RWA, excited about the storyline and the characters. Ready to dive into the it every morning, almost desperate to escape real life.

The desperation started when my husband was put on paid leave because of a dispute over commissions with his employers. After writing full-time at home for years. Alone. Just me and the dogs. I suddenly had a "buddy" who wanted to go to lunch and who also wanted me to be his assistant,  his IT guy, and staff of 75 employees he was missing. He had no idea what I've been doing all these years and would get on the phone with his colleagues and marvel,

"Yeah, she works all the time. Yeah. Writing. I had no idea."

Suddenly, all those tongue in cheek Facebook posts about authors killing folks and burying the bodies, or in this case, body in the backyard made perfect sense to me. So, to avoid committing multiple felonies, I kept throwing myself back into this Southern Born story about a second chance at first love.

I wrote and I wrote and I wrote, but the story never wanted to end, or maybe I never wanted the story to end. For whatever reason, I just couldn't finish it. So, I put it aside and started and finished my Christmas novella. No problem. Wrote my Berkley novel in less than two months.

And life sorted itself out. Turned out it was a good thing my husband had all that time off. His mom was put in hospice in January and passed away July 30. He got to spend a lot of time with her and was there to say goodbye instead of being on a plane somewhere far away when she passed. August 1, he went to work at his new company and got out of my house so that I don't have to murder him for interrupting me every five seconds. And lo and behold, when I pulled out Caught Up in You again, I could actually see the ending that I'm sure was there all along.

Caught Up in You is another fun romp in Magnolia Bay with the Six Chicks. I love this story. It was a long time coming, but it was definitely worth the wait.

CAUGHT 

UP inYOU

Available 4/21/15

After attending her baby sister’s destination wedding, Shelby Worthington decides she’s ready to do some husband hunting of her own. The only problem? She’s still insanely attracted to Declan Enright, her high school and college crush. He’s now a wildly successful painter who’s temporarily back in Magnolia Bay, but Declan should be Shelby’s last choice for possible husband material.  He didn’t earn the reputation of runaway groom for nothing…

Declan has worked hard to make his mark on the New York art scene and has succeeded at everything he’s ever done…except love. But Declan has come back to the Bay to change that and care for his dying father, even if he’s still never forgiven Declan for leaving the family business. Shelby is determined to steer clear, but while her lips keep saying no, her heart is pounding out yes each time she and Declan are together.  While she can’t deny her attraction, Shelby’s convinced that Declan’s track record means he will break her heart. Or has Declan changed for good, and made love worth the risk?