Waves of Chances by Sonja Gunter is a Stress Busting Book Festival pick #romance #mustread #giveaway
- N. N. Light
- May 7
- 6 min read
Title:
WAVES OF CHANCES
Author:
SONJA GUNTER
Genre:
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Book Blurb:
Professor Caresse Deveau is all about work and trying to solve the meaning behind her reoccurring dream. Her mother’s interference of getting a son-in-law and a grandbaby is non-stop. Hoping for some rest and relaxation on their mother and daughter cruise, her mother cancels at the last minute.
Was this a ploy on her mother’s part to see her find a boyfriend?
Dennie Lang, owner of several vineyards in the US and England, is onboard to train the crew to serve his wines. From the first moment he sees Caresse, he is attracted to her and with the help of the Captain Neil Becker, his ex-brother-in-law, arranges to be seated at a dinner table for two.
When unseen forces worked to bring them together, there is someone trying to make sure it doesn’t happen and sets other events into motion. Will their new-found love at first sight be enough to keep them together?
Excerpt:
CHAPTER THREE
Dennie Lang strolled the upper deck of the Vision of the
Seas. It was like old times. As expected, the past
invaded his well-guarded thoughts.
Breathing in the sea air, he tried to picture Michele, his
wife’s face. He couldn’t, as it was faded and fuzzy. To some
people six years was a long time, but to him it was like
yesterday.
“Welcome aboard. Can I interest you in a drink of the day,
a frozen peach daiquiri, Sir?”
Dennie looked at the waiter. “No, thanks.”
“If you change your mind, my name is Damion.”
“I’ll remember,” Dennie stated.
Damion nodded and walked away. Dennie watched him
greet another couple, who did purchase drinks. The waiter
was good. His presentation and manners were what sold the
drinks.
Shoving his hands into his dress shorts, Dennie scanned
the almost vacant sun deck. Only the elite cruise members
could take advantage of this section. It had been one of the
benefits Michele and he had enjoyed.
How his life had changed in the blink of an eye. He
believed in the afterlife and had felt Michele’s presence more
often than not. The feeling jolted him as private memories
played in front of him.
He could see her as if it was now. He’d stopped at this very
spot and watched a vision of beauty as she walked to him in
her two-piece swimsuit that barely covered her private parts.
He hadn’t cared. She’d been his and no one else’s. Her flat
stomach showed no sign of her forthcoming pregnancy. Only
curves that made both men’s and women’s heads turn to
watch her.
“Excuse me. Sir, you’ve been blocking the sun, Can you
move a little to the left?”
A woman’s soft-spoken request exhibited a tinge of annoyance. Dennie blinked and pressed his lips together. He’d been daydreaming. It hadn’t happened in a long time. One side of his mouth tilted upward. Michele had used a similar tone on
him when she wanted to get her way without an argument.
He squinted, pushed down his sunglasses, and located the
person behind the request in a lounge chair in front of him.
“I’m sorry, I was deep in thought and didn’t realize,”
Dennie said.
Wow! Extraordinarily beautiful.
Behind the protection of his Maui Jim’s, Dennie studied the
woman who was presenting her assets for anyone to view. He
clamped his mouth shut and ran his hand over his chin,
fearing it had fallen open.
“It’s okay, but I would like some sun.”
This time, the woman’s voice held a sharp tone of irritation. How had he missed her when he’d come up a few minutes ago? Her flowered bikini swimsuit top displayed the
swell of her breasts, that were not too large and not too small,
but enough to make it appear as if they were overflowing the
material.
It was a sight for his deprived eyes. He swallowed and
took two steps to the right. The mid-afternoon sunlight cast a
golden glow on her skin. His eyes traveled the length of her
body. Her burgundy shorts came to the middle of her well-shaped thighs, baring long, shapely legs.
“Thank you.”
He tore his gaze away from her body and focused on her
face. Her short brown hair was pushed behind her ears, but
some strands had come loose allowing the wind to move them
freely. He couldn’t see her eyes because her own sunglasses
hid them but imagined them to be brown.
He watched as she put down an electronic device revealing
no ring on her second finger. Could Michele be trying to tell
him to move on? Why would he see a woman in the same spot
he’d been thinking about? They didn’t look alike at all.
“I’m sorry,” Dennie repeated and stepped further to the
right allowing the sun to hit the woman.
She only smiled.
“Is this chair taken?”
He pointed to the empty chair next to her. She looked to
her left and right. He did the same and saw his mistake. There
were numerous vacant lounge chairs. His attempt at small talk
had been absurd.
****
Caresse bit down on her lower lip to hide her annoyance. The
man had lost his earlier sobering expression and was now
smiling, showing perfectly even white teeth. Why would a
man want to sit next to her with so many empty chairs? This
had her mother’s stamp all over it.
Studying his face, she wasn’t disappointed. Before he’d
covered his eyes with his sunglasses, she’d detected an
unusual shade of brown eyes she’d never seen. Unable to stop
herself, she found herself studying his lips and then his
mouth.
She had to give her mother some credit; she’d picked a
very attractive man. His blond hair came to the nape of his
neck and curled above the collar of his white polo shirt which
was unbuttoned.
Chest hairs.
Another plus. His navy shorts were belted and hung to the
top of his knees, revealing hairy legs.
To be polite, she said, “No, it isn’t.”
“Would you like some company?”
“I’m not much into conversation. Reached a good point in
my book,” Caresse stated, hoping the man would leave.
It didn’t work. He sat in the lounge chair, crossed his legs,
and stretched his arms, showing off his very muscular biceps.
Oh, good Lord. Mom, I’m going to kill you.
Her pulse puttered. If her mother had gone through the
trouble to set her up, she might as well talk to him. She turned,
but the sunlight made a ring he wore shine.
Ring finger.
Rather disappointed and to conceal her obvious assessment, Caresse took a sip of her drink. A fresh sense of distaste aimed at him for being a married man trying to pick up a woman or looking for an onboard romance.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What’s your favorite way to combat stress?
Sitting outside and listening to the sounds of the wind, birds and water running.
Why is your featured book a stress busting read?
Waves of Chances, is a book that will take you away on a cruise, where love is found.
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally.
Runs May 1 – 31, 2025
Drawing will be held on June 1, 2025.
Author Biography:
Sonja Gunter
I was born and raised in the cold and beautiful Minnesota, but I escaped to Illinois for seventeen years to raise my two boys, and now I call Florida home. My husband Andy, who’s always been my hero, has put up with my late-night computer typing and endless stacks of papers with my stories on them. We have one furry friend as family: Chip, a sixteen-year-old ragdoll cat.
Life has been full of ups and downs, but I’ve made it through the hard times. I love to travel and go to Disney World to trade pins. I’ve been a bowler for many years, and you can catch me writing my next novel at the lanes.
I encourage you to check out my web site, www.sonjagunter.com for more info and don’t be surprised if I let my Norwegian heritage come through in my stories.
Go Vikings! You betcha!
