BooksChatter: ☀ℚ In Pursuit of Perfection: Pursuit [1]

Thank you for joining us on the Virtual Book Tour for In Pursuit of Perfection, a Romance by Jacki Kelly (1 August 2019, Intrigue Publishing LLC, 285 pages).

Don't miss our interview with author Jacki Kelly.

PREVIEW: Check out the book's synopsis and the Kindle Cloud Reader Preview below, as well as full details of the series.

Author Jacki Kelly will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour. Please do take part: comment on our post and follow the tour where you will be able to read other excerpts (☀), interviews (ℚ), reviews (✍) and guest blog posts (✉).

|| Synopsis || Teaser: Excerpt || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

Synopsis

The next man in Macy Rollins's life must be perfect. She's had enough impostors and isn't willing to settle for anything less. All she has to do is get through the company contract negotiation season and she will get that promotion she has been working so hard for.

Avery Malveaux--one of Philadelphia's most eligible bachelors--has been hired to work with her as legal counsel for the company. From the moment they are forced to work together tensions are high and expectations are low. He questions her ability, she questions his intentions.

After Macy is suspected in an accounting shortage, she accuses Avery of betraying her confidence. Has she once again been deceived by a man she thought she could trust? Can she clear her name and win her job back? And can there be any hope for Macy's pursuit of perfection.

Teaser: Excerpt

     From the moment Macy agreed to go out with Avery, she couldn’t focus on any of the important things. Instead of pursuing Michelle, she thought about what to wear. Instead of rechecking the few audit documents she had, she was wondering what she and Avery would talk about. This was a real date. Everything up to now was only practice. Dating Avery was playing with an open flame.
     She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. All her thoughts whirled around the hurt little girl her father left standing in the doorway. That was the 202 area code number that kept showing up on her phone. She sighed. Brian had been too young to understand the destruction their father had caused. But she couldn’t forget, and she couldn’t forgive.
     The intoxicating expression on his face made her heart thump harder. There were good reasons to pull away from him. But she couldn’t. As risky as being with Avery was, she couldn’t walk away. She needed to forget about the past, to stop glancing backward and focus on the offerings of the future. Maybe now was the perfect time to open the lock on her heart.
     The HR Director shook his head. “That’s not a possibility.”
     For a moment the room was quiet. There had to be something she could say to make this right. “How soon—”
      “Immediately. We’d like you to gather anything personal from your office that you’d like to take home with you and exit the building.”
     She sat up straighter in the chair. “It sounds like you’re firing me.” “Until we have finished our investigation, please do not return to the building.” He stood. The meeting was over.

In Pursuit of Perfection
Available NOW!

Author Q&A

A very warm welcome to Jacki Kelli; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for In Pursuit of Perfection?

"This book was inspired by my years in finance for a large chemical company. There was always a lot of office politics and gossip, plenty to fuel a few stories."

How much of yourself is reflected in this book, and how?

"Yes, this book is special to me for several reasons. I fell in love with the characters first. Macy reminds me of me. There is a little bit of me in her personality. She’s passionate about her family and protective of her heart. I wanted her to find happiness because I thought no one deserved it more."

The first thing that draws me to a book is its cover. Can you tell us about your cover for In Pursuit of Perfection - why you chose that concept and who the artist is.

"This cover was chosen because the couple is in a loving embrace which eludes to the happily ever after ending. Also, the city skyline in the background was chosen to depict Philadelphia where the story takes place."

Why should we read In Pursuit of Perfection and what sets it apart from the rest? What makes your book unique?

"If you like romantic suspense, then you’ll like this story. Macy’s story is universal, a young woman who wants to help improve the lives of her mother and brother. She has to address the challenges of working in a large company, where everyone doesn’t want to see her succeed."

Can you tell us something quirky about In Pursuit of Perfection, its story and characters?

"Well before publishing this book, I entered it in a contest. One of the judges told me Avery’s surnames – Malveaux – meant dead veal. As you can see, I never forgot that because I thought it was such an odd thing to say."

What is your writing process?

"I’m a plotter. I don’t start writing until I’ve worked out the story from beginning, middle and end. Once I start writing, I try not to edit until I’ve finished, instead I keep story notes in a booklet. Once the book is complete then I go back, and make the changes. If I stop to edit as I write it shuts down my creative process."

What is in store next?

"My next release will come out later this year. It’s another romantic suspense entitled Trouble in Paradise. It’s the second book in my Sebastian Island series. I’ve begun work on the next in the Pursuit series also. It’s entitled In Pursuit of Payback."

About the Author

Men and women have always sought the promise that only love can offer. Jacki invites you into an intriguing world where romance abounds around every corner and down every street. You’ll be amazed at the crazy things we do and don’t do for the promise of love.

Jacki has been writing since her fourth grade teacher made her keep a journal for a grade. Now she does it to keep track of all the fascinating and heartbreaking moments that life throws our way. Poetry, personal essays, short stories and novels have all occupied space in her heart and her hard drive.

Jacki lives in the northeast where the winters are too cold and the summers are warm. But, she wouldn’t trade it for anywhere else, well maybe for a fabulous house on the sunny sands of Miami Beach in February. Her loveable husband and adorable floppy eared dog endure her long periods behind the computer creating happy-endings for her amazing hero and heroines. Romance makes the world go round and Jacki is enjoying the ride.

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