Today I am so pleased to welcome DJ Jamison to Joyfully Jay. DJ has come to talk to us about her latest release, Chance For Christmas. She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving her a big welcome!
My new book, “Chance for Christmas,” is all about second chances. It’s about a second chance for love, but also a second chance to find acceptance, family and success.
The two main characters, Chance and Joe, met eight years ago under less than happy circumstances. Chance was an emotionally wrecked 18-year-old who had just been humiliated with a sext that went viral. Joe was a young prosecutor working on a case against the boy who betrayed Chance. Despite the admiration they had for each other, it was the wrong time and situation for love.
When Chance visits town for the holidays and they reconnect, these two get a second chance at love, but of course, it’s not so simple. They both have to adjust to the changes in each other, as well as deal with the ugly that past that Chance wants to forget but which also brought them together.
Below, I’m sharing an excerpt in which Chance begins to realize the contrasts in who Joe was to him eight years ago, and who is becoming to him now.
While the story is connected to my series, Ashe Sentinel Connections, it tells the love story of two new characters and can be read as a standalone.
Excerpt
There was something special about a first kiss with someone, and Chance felt it all: The wild fluttering in his stomach, the heart pounding in his chest, the adrenaline shooting through his system from the edge of fear at taking that plunge with a new person.
Their lips brushed together once lightly and parted, before Chance shifted forward and pushed more confidently into the kiss. He leaned forward on his knees, letting Joe’s strong body support his weight as he pressed up against him.
Joe’s hands caressed his back, and in some region of his mind separate from the kiss, Chance realized they were trembling. There was something about that juxtaposition of strong and fragile that intrigued Chance.
When he first met Joe Stewart, he was the calm voice in a sea of madness for Chance. He was strong, confident and compassionate. Chance had spent countless hours in his office, talking with him about his feelings, treating Joe not just as a prosecutor on his case, but a grief counselor. He could see now that he spent far more time with Joe Stewart than what must be typical.
He’d needed someone to lean on, and Joe had been there for him.
The Joe Stewart he met tonight was different. He was not a perfect man, but one who had his own fears and insecurities. Joe was far more tentative outside of his role as a prosecutor. He was awkward and flustered with Chance, which he found terribly endearing, and vulnerable in ways Chance had never expected but which drew him to Joe even more.
He was no longer a hero figure in Chance’s dated memories, but a real man in all its complexities.
Chance cupped Joe’s jaw with a hand, feeling rough stubble against his palm, and smiled against his lips.
Blurb
Chance Rasmussen returns to Ashe, Kansas, eight years after his high school crush humiliated him with a sext that went viral. He’s low on holiday spirit with his personal ghost of Christmas past haunting him, but when his BFF asks him to attend a party as her fake date, he reluctantly agrees. The last person he expects to see there is Joe Stewart, the compassionate prosecutor he hero-worshipped during the lowest point of his life.
Joe Stewart is a great prosecutor, but when it comes to romance he’s out of his depth. He came close to love once, but the timing and circumstances were all wrong, so Joe ignored his feelings and threw himself into his work. But when two of his friends drag him to The Ashe Sentinel holiday party, placing him directly in the path of the man he let walk away, Joe realizes he’s been granted a second chance.
The spark of attraction is still there, but Chance isn’t planning to stay in Ashe past the holidays and the spectre of his past still looms large between them. Can they find a way to build a future together or will Joe only have Chance for Christmas?
Bio
DJ Jamison is the author of the m/m romance series Ashe Sentinel Connections. She worked in the newspaper industry for more than a decade before becoming a freelance blogger and social media marketer. She’s married with two sons and four glow-in-the-dark fish that are miraculously still alive. DJ loves connecting with readers, especially through Facebook. You can join her group at DJ and Company.
Giveaway
DJ has brought a $10 Amazon gift card to give away to one lucky reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Saturday, December 17th at 11:59 pm EST.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Congratulations on your latest release, DJ. It sounds really good, and the excerpt is great!
Thank you!
Congrats on your latest release, DJ – sounds like a story I’d really love to read, second chance and all. Adding this to my TBR! Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks so much!
Awwww! <3 So sweet excerpt! Very meaningful. Thanks for this, DJ!
Aww. A Christmas story in Ashe. Love it already.
Really enjoyed Chance for Christmas! <3 Thank you for the chance! I'm now waiting for Zane's story and actually any other lovely character's you have coming. I have all your books and really liked all of them.
I love Chance for Christmas. I’m so glad I discovered your books.
A lovely Christmas story. Perfect for this time of the year. I can’t wait to see whose book is next.
This looks a really good book. Will have to put it on my list.
I’ll be reading it this week. So excited!
Congratulations on the new book! I’m adding it to my wishlist.
Congratulations on your new release DJ I love second chance stories I have the book in my TBR pile.
I love the excerpt. You picked well because that was the perfect excerpt to hook me. 🙂
Congrats on the release & thanks for the excerpt!
This sounds sweet and lovely!
Sounds like a perfect read for this time of year. Never ceases to amaze me how low people can go.
Congratulations on the new release! It sounds great and just in time for the season.
Congratulations on your new release! I enjoy books involving second chances and add to that, it’s a holiday romance. I hope to pick it up soon.
Loved Chance and Joe!
Thanks for the post and congrats on the release! Chance for Christmas sounds great – i added it to my TBR list.
First kisses are so exciting. Chance for Christmas sounds like an awesome book!
Second chance romance is my favorite trope!! And done in Christmas/holiday season too?!? Double love *sigh*. Congrats on the release, and thank you so much for the giveaway chance.
Thanks for sharing the excerpt of Chance for Christmas, DJ. I hope that your Christmas is merry!
Thanks, all! Hope you enjoy. I’m so grateful for the “Chance” to share my writing with you! ?