Happy Tuesday, Friends!
Today I have another author from the Always a Wedding Planner collection. RL Ashly is going to talk about “The Leading Lady and Gent” and share about her hero and heroine from her novella in the collection. Grab a cup of tea (or coffee) and chat with her!
About the Book
Love Is Only Business for 4 Wedding Planners
Discover how keeping secrets from each other threatens four women’s friendships, wedding business, and own ability to find love in Loveland, Colorado.
Business partners Felicity Edwards, the cake baker; Kiki Bell, the seamstress; Cassie Blackthorn, the coordinator; and Chef Saffron Delarosa are best of friends in a town that is a romantic wedding destination for many couples—who work together at Weddings by Design to make every bride’s special day perfect. Could each falling into their own romance be the key to working out their differences and learning to trust each other—and God—with their futures?
“The Leading Lady and Gent”
Kiki Bell is a forty-something seamstress who creates wedding gowns, bridesmaids’ dresses, veils, and any wedding attire ordered by clients. She enjoys working with her best friends and together they help brides feel beautiful on their special day. She inherited her late aunt and uncle’s farm and dreams of turning it into a wedding venue.
Kiki adopted her late sister and brother-in-law’s children. Her niece and nephew Tressa and Jack Torres are her world. Kiki believes she is past the age of matrimony. Who would notice a single mom with two teenagers?
Bing Kelley is a forty-something fireman and local crooner. As a confirmed bachelor-till-the-rapture, previous relationships have taught him that women are complicated and who has time for that? But when a fire at a farm close to his home introduces him to Kiki Bell he is smitten. He is the proud owner of a large black lab named Oxford that specializes in eating. Ox plays an important role in getting Bing and Kiki together. He helps set up their first date and loves the new neighbor kids. Oxford was a fun character to write.
Bing enjoys his life the way it is. He likes his job at the fire station and loves his music. His extended family and the guys at the station keep him busy. With that he is content.
Kiki is satisfied with her career and family. Teenagers can be challenging but she manages fine. She has her church family for support and encouragement. However, with the death of her aunt, she inherits a farm and that changes the trajectory of her life. She works hard at keeping two secrets from her best friends Felicity, Ronnie, and Cassie. The first is her plans to turn the farm into a side gig as a wedding venue. With two teenagers to take care of and future college tuition to think about, she needed an extra income.
And the second secret? Well, that one had to do with a firefighter who happened to have chocolate-colored eyes. The last thing she wanted was for the ladies at the office to know of her budding friendship.
As their relationship develops, Bing shows his love for Kiki by creating random acts of kindness and uses interesting means of transportation to take her out on dates. A handyman of sorts, he remodels the barn making it a safer place for the wedding venue business.
Add Camilla into the mix and things get interesting. She has her sights on Bing and moving up the corporate ladder. As someone who is always right, she struggles with the concept that maybe she isn’t correct all the time.
Throughout the story, Kiki and Bing learn to trust and love each other.
About the Author
RL Ashly is a master seamstress with a Master of Arts degree in literature. A mother and grandmother, she is active in her local writing community, never says “never” to a home improvement task, and strives to one day write the great American novel.
Toni Shiloh 