THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE

Marie Astor, Author

Marie Astor and her new release, THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE, are today's features. Marie  is a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true love, which is why she writes in the contemporary romance genre. Marie is the author of contemporary romance novels. In addition to THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE, Marie had written LUCKY CHARM, ON THE RIM OF LOVE, and a short story collection, A DRESS IN A WINDOW.

If you would like to learn more about Marie’s writing, please stop by her website: www.marieastor.com to sign up for book release updates and events or visit her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.

Here's the blurb for THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE:

Twenty-eight-year-old Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career at New York’s top architectural firm, and an engagement ring from one of New York’s most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream, but when Alec Brunell, a sexy tango dancer, moves into the apartment one floor above from Claire’s, he unwittingly awakens Claire’s old insecurities, making her question her life choices. Will Claire brave her fears and allow herself to take a chance on Alec, or will she continue to play it safe?

In order to secure his place as his father’s successor, thirty-three-year-old David Lawson must settle down with a wife befitting the future head of Lawson Enterprises - and who could fit the prerequisite better than the stunningly beautiful and incredibly bright Claire Chatfield? There is just one glitch – David Lawson is in love with another woman – a Hollywood Legend Claudia Block.

A successful tango instructor, Alec Brunell has never lacked for women’s attention, but he finds himself at a loss when faced with his downstairs neighbor, Claire Chatfield. Upon hearing of his occupation, most women swoon with desire, but Claire runs for the door. Still, her iciness only adds fuel to his fire, as Alec is determined to change Claire’s view of him.

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.

Here's and excerpt from THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE:


Back in the safety of her apartment, Claire locked the door behind her. Her face was burning crimson red – she had never lost control like this before.
She stumbled into the kitchen and put on the coffee pot – she was too rattled up to go back to bed now. Mechanically, she poured cereal into a bowl and splashed some milk over it. Taking a bite of her cereal, she cringed as she replayed the encounter in her mind – she could not remember the last time she had been this flustered. She liked to think of herself as a fairly rational person, and yet, just now she had behaved like a complete maniac. First, she had burst into a total stranger’s apartment, and then, she ogled his naked, incredibly muscular torso – at this thought Clair cringed again, hoping that her new neighbor had not noticed this lapse, and then, after he had tried to make small talk despite her unexpected appearance in his apartment, she nearly screamed at him for playing his music too loud. And to top it all off, after he had sincerely apologized, she snubbed his perfectly good-natured offer of a cup of coffee.
Reliving the memory of her embarrassing behavior was enough to make Claire burrow her face in her hands and pull on her hair. She was a grown woman and she knew how to handle tough situations. What on earth made her act like this? Sure, Alec’s devastatingly handsome looks could have been an explanation, but Claire knew full well that it was not the answer. A part of her wished it had been the answer – that would have made things so much simpler. But Claire was in love with David Lawson, and she was not the kind of woman who got smitten by a six-pack, no matter how hard, or dark eyes, no matter how piercing. No, the true reason lay in the music – the sultry, maddening tango music.

Books by Marie Astor:

THIS TANGLED THING CALLED LOVE – a contemporary romance about overcoming one’s inhibitions, learning to tango, and finding one’s true match.
http://www.amazon.com/This-Tangled-Thing-Called-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339771760&sr=1-3&keywords=mARIE+aSTOR

LUCKY CHARM – a humorous contemporary romance about love, luck and friendship.
http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Charm-Contemporary-Romance-ebook/dp/B005BZL3L4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336842915&sr=8-1

ON THE RIM OF LOVE – a contemporary romance about the unexpected power of love.
http://www.amazon.com/On-Rim-Love-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B005TOWI7K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

A DRESS IN A WINDOW – a collection of short stories about love, coincidences, and fate.
http://www.amazon.com/Chance-Encounter-Other-Stories-ebook/dp/B004E112TO/ref=pd_sim_kstore_5?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2


Social Media Links:

Website: http://www.marieastor.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4665230.Marie_Astor

Twitter: @marieastor



Thanks for stopping by!

In Argentina, You Gotta Tango!

Please welcome freelance writer and photographer Beverly Burmeier as a guest blogger today. Beverly lives in Austin and travels the world on assignments. Her blog is “Going On Adventrues.” Welcome, Beverly.

Thanks, Caroline. One of the best ways to get a feel for local life when traveling is by sampling popular passions. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, that means learning to tango. That’s why I ended up in a tango class, trying to contort my gringo body into Carmen-style sultriness.

The passion inherent in the tango has inspired an entire culture in this romantic South American city—a culture with all the charms of Europe but without the high price tags. Buenos Aires is a bargain for travelers, whether the city is a port on a cruise or your primary destination.

Our first night in Buenos Aires my husband Larry and I put on our dancing shoes for an evening tour that included group lessons on basic tango steps followed by a traditional steak and wine dinner. Listening to the tango beat, we mimicked our instructor’s slinky walking steps and quick kicks. We learned to shuffle our feet to the music, moving our bodies somewhere between graceful and gawky, but nowhere near the agile, athletic moves we later saw in a professional performance.

Show-stopping tango contrasts with the social version enjoyed by portenos (local residents), which is quite different and has unwritten rules such as men and women sit separately and a nod of the head is an invitation to dance. Visitors can step out on the floor of the local dance halls or milongas—if they’re brave or skillful enough. Or they might opt to enjoy people watching while sipping a drink. Locals don’t really get swinging until 11:00 p.m. Too late for you? There are dancing opportunities five days a week at afternoon milongas.

History of the tango was showcased through the different dances performed to live music. Originally performed only by men, tango had its origins in lawlessness and was once considered scandalous by the upper class. Highlights of the show we attended covered the dance’s evolution through Europe and back to Argentina into the glamorous choreographed production numbers presented today by women in slit sequined skirts and men in tight pants and fedoras.

Tango was fun to try, but I feel more passion when applauding the talented dancers on stage.

Beverly Burmeier is a freelance writer based in Texas. She writes for national and regional publications on a variety of topics including travel. Find her at http://www.beverlyburmeier.com/ and http://tinyurl.com/bevtrl and her blog for more of her intriguing travels.
 
Thanks for visiting today, Beverly!