Blog Tour: Lucky Charm by Mary Astor

EXCERPT:

The furnishings of Madam Aurora’s parlor were as old as the building, although slightly more dignified: an oriental rug lined the creaking parquet floor, a well-worn, but clean plush couch stood against the wall; a large wooden table covered with a fringed tablecloth, two chairs, and a plush armchair completed the room. The color of the walls had once been maroon red, no doubt for dramatic effect, but the paint had long faded and now resembled the hue of watered down cranberry juice.

Madam Aurora’s appearance was equally worn – she was dressed in a long black skirt and a red flowing blouse that did little to conceal the extra weight on her frame; her ample shoulders were wrapped in a flowered shawl that was tied around her bosom. Her face, however, was striking: a delicate, chiseled nose, large, brown eyes that looked at you as though they were able to see to the very depths of your soul, and red, full-lipped mouth that seemed to belong to a woman of a much younger age, as did her jet-black hair that did not have a speck of gray and was braided and pinned atop her head.

“Have a seat.” Madam Aurora motioned to the two wooden chairs that stood next to the round table and took a seat in a plush armchair that was clearly intended only for her personal use. “What is it you want, ladies?” she asked, keeping her eyes on Annabel the entire time.

“A reading,” Lilly chimed in. “We’d like to know,” she stammered, as Annabel kicked her foot under the table, “I’d like to know what’s in store for my boyfriend and I.”

“Hmmm,” Madam Aurora smirked, “wouldn’t we all. Very well – you are in luck – I’m running a special today – two readings for the price of one.”

“Oh, that’s all right,” Annabel ventured, “I’m just here as an observer.”

“This is not a TV show,” Madam Aurora snapped. “You want the two readings or what?”

“Yes,” Lilly cut in. “Yes. Please, Ann, for me?”

Oh, what’s the harm, Annabel thought – the whole thing was clearly a sham, but if her friend wanted to try it, she would play along.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Twenty-eight-year old Annabel Green is about to tie the knot with her college love, an aspiring author Jeremy Blake, but her plans for an ideal wedding are rudely interrupted when she catches Jeremy kissing his gorgeous book agent.
Shell-shocked by Jeremy’s betrayal, Annabel retreats into the quiet routine of TV dinners and solitary evenings. It is then that Annabel’s best friend, fashion designer Lilly Clayton, sets herself on a mission to draw Annabel out of her shell. In an attempt to persuade Annabel to keep an open mind on dating, Lilly takes Annabel for a stunning makeover, but after Annabel passes on a date with a dashing entrepreneur, Lilly decides that more drastic measures are needed. Lilly invites Annabel to see a palm reader who gives Annabel a lucky charm that is supposed to help her find true love.
A few weeks later, during her trip to Paris, Annabel meets a handsome Parisian, and as the two embark on a whirlwind romance, she starts to believe in the power of the talisman the palm reader has given her. But what Annabel doesn’t know is that Lilly is hiding a secret that could unravel her faith in her newly found luck in love.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marie Astor is the author of contemporary romance novels Dance Me to the Stars, On the Rim of Love, and Lucky Charm, and a collection of short stories A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.
Marie’s latest contemporary romance novel, Dance Me to the Stars, has been selected in the first round of entries in the General Fiction category in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest this year.
Currently, Marie is working on her next novel – a first installment in her romantic suspense series.

Websites and Social Media:

Author Website: www.marieastor.com
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/MarieAstor/e/B004EBDX9Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor
Twitter: @marieastor

Books by Marie Astor:
Dance Me to the Stars – a contemporary romance about finding one’s perfect match.
http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Stars-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1334533879&sr=8-3
On the Rim of Love – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.
http://www.amazon.com/Rim-Love-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322449445&sr=8-1
Lucky Charm – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2
A Chance Encounter and Other Stories – a short story collection about love and everyday life.
http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Encounter-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B004E112TO/ref=pd_sim_kinc_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

SOUNDS INTERESTING?:

**Anyone who purchases their copy of Lucky Charm before May 21 and sends their receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, will get five entries into the Lucky Charm giveaway! You can win: 1) a handmade lapis sterling silver necklace 2) a handmade coral and turquoise necklace, and 3) a $10 Amazon gift card.**