Welcome to the Takeover + Review Blitz for Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours! Keep reading for a fun excerpt – and I have to say here that I have been waiting for Luke’s story from my very first peekings over Pepper’s shoulder as she wrote Authentically, Izzy. His sense of humor and romance-aversion won my heart and I knew his love story would be epic!
LOYALLY, LUKE by Pepper Basham
SERIES: Skymar #3
GENRE: Contemporary Romance (Christian)
PUBLISHER: Thomas Nelson
RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2024
PAGES: 373
Sometimes love means embracing the good, the bad. . . and even the impossible.
Dear Reader —
My name is Luke Edgewood, and there are few things in life that I require. Mainly black coffee. And flannel. And lots of solitude. And my dogs, Chewy and Indie. What I don’t need is romance, so I have no plans to change my thirty-year-old bachelor status anytime soon.
But my youngest sister thinks that by accepting a short-term construction job in the small European country of Skymar, that I’m going to follow along in her footsteps and discover my own romantic adventure. Nope. Bah humbug. The End. This time, her rom-com-movie senses are totally wrong.
Or maybe not. Because I’ve met a Grace Kelly lookalike who is annoying. . . until she isn’t. But she is impossible. As in, nothing can happen between us because she is a literal princess. Even though that’s easy to forget when we’re working together to restore a castle-like orphanage in a secluded mountain town and “forced proximity” includes a small closet, a secret one-hundred-year-old journal, and the tactile memory of an off-limits royal in my arms.
Basically, the whole situation has turned into an ooey gooey magical snow globe of romantic tropes complete with cute kids and an actual ball. Now, even my sentences are starting to sound like mush. Ugh. Send high levels of testosterone my way–I’m going to need it.
Loyally, Luke
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Text from Luke to Izzy: So . . . I punched a royal guard, or something, today. I’m not sharing the news with Penelope because I don’t care to go into the story, but I thought you’d appreciate my dual sense of power and humiliation.
Izzy: What on earth happened????
Luke: Evidently, he was in Crieff checking up on security for the people who are working for the royals, like . . . let me refer to one of my supervisors as Holt and the other . . . as much as I hate it . . . Grace Kelly. So since this project is important to the royals, and these people are working for the royals, he was sent in to check security. Or that’s how Grace Kelly (ugh, I hate writing that) explained it.
Izzy: So you decked him?
Luke: Only after he pushed me out of the way and then went for Grace, at which time I tried to protect HER from HIM, thus the punching. Evidently, he thought I was putting her in danger, when really I was just trying to catch her after she twisted her ankle. Her cry of pain was taken as a cry for help and he bounded to the rescue. It was a big misunderstanding.
Izzy: Which ended up with a royal security guard having a black eye and you . . . ??
Luke: Busted lip, but my teeth are okay, so I take that as a win. I’m glad Grace stopped him because he is trained to protect, so I’m pretty sure he could have killed me quick.
Izzy: This is clearly what happens when you forget your Rambo knife.
Luke: Actually, the guard and I talked weapons after Grace smoothed things over and explained to him that she was giving me a tour of Crieff.
Izzy: Oh my word. I hate to sound like Penelope . . .
Luke: Don’t.
Izzy: But this sounds like a movie moment.
Luke: You can’t join her side, Izzy. You’re the reasonable one.
Izzy: Did the whole town see what happened?
Luke: Thankfully, no. It all happened in a little alleyway. So we didn’t have an audience to witness me almost getting arrested.
Izzy: Do they have dungeons here? I should ask Brodie.
Luke: All the more reason not to tell Penelope. She’ll make it into some weird romantic movie reference about happily- ever- after mush. Especially if there is a royal connection or dungeon reference.
Izzy: So now you have a swollen eye and a busted lip? My introduction to Skymar was better than yours. *Brodie*
Luke: I am 100% certain I don’t want Brodie to introduce me to Skymar like he introduced you. Gross. The cabin has a great view, the typical menu consists of mostly meat, and I get to do what I love without one hint of ooey gooey kissing stuff. Semantics really does change who has the “better” introduction.
Luke: On a different note, you and Blighty should come visit Crieff. I imagine Brodie’s already been here since he’s a native of Skymar, but he should bring you. You’d love it. All sorts of quaint shops. Unique ones. Lots of trade work and craftsmanship. There’s a whole shop of handmade Christmas ornaments, a luthier, a quilt store, handmade jewelry. It’s like visiting places in Appalachia back home, except with this culture’s own distinctiveness.
Izzy: That was a super- long text from you. Wow! You must really like the place.
Luke: Rural. Quaint. Grumpy Scottish men who talk sense and friendly Scottish ladies who will feed you? Perfect.
Luke: Gotta run. We just pulled into work for our first day on the job.
Izzy: Try not to damage anything on yourself that won’t heal.
Luke: I never make those kinds of promises.
(1) winner will receive a signed copy of the book, tool pens, and $25 Amazon gift card!
(1) additional winner will receive a signed copy of the book!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway began at midnight May 15, 2024 and lasts through 11:59 PM EST on May 22, 2024. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
This giveaway is hosted by JustRead Tours, not RimSP
Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!
What about you? What makes you want to read Loyally, Luke by Pepper Basham?
Sounds like a book I will enjoy reading.