Groupie
(Groupie #1)
by Susan Daugherty
Publisher: Sanctuary Publishing
Publication Date: Dec. 2, 2016
Genre: New Adult Romance
Moving to a new city isn’t the magic fix Lexie Travis hoped it would be. Sure, she put some mileage between herself and her feuding parents, her miserable dating history, and the memories of a life-altering injury. However, she still feels like a former shadow of herself, hiding behind her diminished confidence and her thorough disbelief in true love.
Everything changes when Lexie’s best (and only) friend drags her to a country music concert. Lexie loves country music, but she loathes the top-selling heartthrob who sold out the arena. Jack Morgan became a sensation with a string of degrading, shallow songs that she can’t stand.
A startling trauma lands Jack in the hospital, and Lexie is the physical therapist assigned to the VIP treatment of the very man she despises.
Jack is drawn to the one woman who appears resistant to his charms and who loves to check his ego every chance she gets, yet gives him the honesty he needs. She’s the opposite of his usual groupies. He can only continue his tour if he receives rehab on the road, and Lexie is the lone person Jack trusts for the job.
Reluctantly, she agrees to take the journey on his luxury coach, joining the wild cast of characters on his crew. Yes, she was given many incentives to take the assignment, but the reason she wants to ignore is the dangerous one. Jackson Morgan is growing on her.
At every turn, another challenge pushes her away from him.
Stepping onto the tour bus is the domino that starts a chain reaction in their lives and challenges them both to change. Could they learn to believe in love and happily ever after?
Excerpt…
I heard him set the phone down and run water in the sink while he began shaving. Then came that booming voice over speakerphone, making me cringe.
“I just feel like you’re not hearing me, son. This girl is going to cause you a lot of problems. You have mentioned her in interviews, on stage, been together in photos for God’s sake! She kept you from doing your job at the meet-and-greet. I know she played a hand in toning down the dancers and branching into these new songs.”
He was spitting his words like daggers, and I winced, frozen my spot in the kitchen. Oh, shit, should I announce I’m here? I thought. It was too late and awkward. Maybe I could open the door and slam it so it looks like I just got here .I was too afraid to move…and too curious to miss this conversation.
“This is ridiculous, Amos. In case you haven’t noticed, the new songs she inspired are hits. I have a notebook full of new stuff she’s responsible for, and I think it’s going to make a great album.”
“That’s just it, Jack. You’re changing the formula because of her. The success you’ve gained so fast, so early, it hinges on that bad boy reputation. The guys want to be you. The girls want to do you. Everyone wants to party with you. Why would you change that?”
“There is more to me, that’s why! There’s a reason I wrote the last album like I did, and you know it. That doesn’t mean I always want to be fucking Billy Badass and never grow up. Other artists have progressed overtime, and they do just fine. They have girlfriends, get married, and they still have fans!” Jack was yelling now, and I heard him run the water and tap his razor.
“You’re going to regret making all these changes, Jack. I’m trying to look out for you… And that girl—she has insulted you from day one!” Amos was seething, and I was still struck immobile, as if in a nightmare where you try to move, but you can’t.
“No, Amos, she actually gets me. She sees more potential in me than anyone else, and she pushes me to be better. She is more than I deserve, but let me tell you something: if she would stop giving me mixed signals and tell me she wanted me, I would be all in. I want to be with her so much…it’s physically painful. So you need to back off.” Jackson was growling now, and I totally lost control of my body as I gasped in shock at his words.
The cups slipped from my hands, as if in slow motion, but I could not move to catch them. They clattered to the hardwood, banging the floor, then bouncing to hit the cabinet and back to the floor again. It was the loudest sound I can remember hearing as the blood rushed to my ears. I was still frozen for what seemed like minutes, with my hands shaking and heart thudding, knowing there was no way Jackson didn’t hear.
“What was that?” Amos was alarmed.
“Oh shit,” Jackson said calmly and then, “I have to go.” He clicked the phone off and ran the water one more time.
I picked the cups up slowly and leaned forward against the counter, trying to catch my breath as my heart raced uncontrollably. I couldn’t even process what I overheard, but I knew it would change everything.
Meet the author…
Susan Daugherty is a freelance writer, and by some happy coincidence, also a licensed Physical Therapist and an APTA Board Certified Orthopedic Specialist. She is the author of the 2016 novel Groupie as well as its sequel, Muse. Her essay The Cycle of Inspiration was published in PT InMotion in April 2013. She is a member of Romance Writers of America. Raised in Kentucky, she now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee where she lives with her husband and two children.
Giveaway time!
I hope your readers will love my novel! Thank you for sharing Groupie. The sequel to this duet, Muse, is complete and both are available on Amazon!
This book sounds like something I would love to read, thanks for sharing
This sounds like I’d enjoy it!! Thanks for sharing 😀
Hm… looks interesting. I’ve not had a lot of luck with this genre, but this may change it. Thanks for the excerpt.
Now, is this one sounds great? I joined the giveaway, hope I win. (cross fingers)
Oh wow! What a conversation to overhear! I can see why she was shocked! I like the sound of this book!