Jar of Dreams Blog Tour! (+$25 Amazon GC Giveaway!)

Title: Jar of Dreams 

Author: Clarissa Cartharn

Series: N/A

Format: Kindle

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: Goddess Fish Blog Tours
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Synopsis:
When Eric Tanner, an assassin, is targeted to be murdered by his former employer, he seeks refuge in the house of a blind woman, Anne Mullen. Eric knows how to live in silence. He’s done it all his life. So when he discovers Anne is blind and living on her own, he thinks this would be his perfect hideout.But then he makes the mistake of his life. He forms an attachment to her. And for a man in his profession, such attachments are a weakness. Now, he must do everything he can to protect Anne from the world he’s come from

~Love/Hate Relationship with Romance~

When I was younger, I would read just about anything but a romance novel. I didn’t hold much opinion for the genre. In fact, I wouldn’t be caught dead holding a romance book.

And then in my late teens, I discovered Jane Austen and everything changed. I started with Pride and Prejudice, devoured almost everything Austen had written and then moved on to Thomas Hardy with Heart of Darkness and Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Emily Bronte with Wuthering Heights and her sister Charlotte Bronte with Jane Eyre. In a way, I am thankful to these classical writers because they helped with my transition to modern contemporary romances and of course, Harlequin.

Ever since my conversion, I have often wondered why it is that romance has endured such severe criticisms from ‘the others’, so to speak. I would think my pre-conversion reasons would have helped me understand this dilemma, but all I could conclude was that I had avoided reading them based on the general misconceptions of romance novels- that they were trashy, immoral and commit the most awful sins when it came to language syntax and structures.

When I picked up my first copy of Pride and Prejudice (I have possessed several copies since then), I came to realize that these pre-conceived notions weren’t anywhere close to the truth. Romance novels are just as much a fantasy as any other fiction. And like other fictitious genres, romance also provides a form of escapism for the reader. However, because these are books largely written by women for women, the escape is somewhat liberating to the female hormones in a world of commonality. Would we all be swept away by a handsome millionaire? Perhaps not, but that doesn’t stop us from dreaming of such a possibility, and we rejoice together when we read of a woman who has achieved this despite her unlikely chances, even if this woman happens to be a fictitious character. It leaves us with the hope that even in the direst of circumstances; we will shine through and be rewarded for our perseverance regardless of what the matter is.

In A Jar of Dreams, I romanticized the notion of an assassin falling in love with a blind woman. Perhaps if I was writing for an action/adventure audience, my love story would have taken a back seat to the thrilling action. However, being a romance, the story draws out the emotions of Eric Tanner and Anne Mullen as they fall in love with each other. Eric is the wild, untamed hero of the streets while Anne is the more cultured rich girl. Although it may initially seem that Eric is protecting Anne, he gradually realizes by the end of the novel that it was she who had actually saved his life- a life from crime, loneliness and abandonment.

As a romance writer I also try not to compromise my plot for long sequences of erotic romps. In fact, my earlier love for classical romances has taught me that romance can be just as exciting and thrilling with bountiful themes and lessons to be learned as any other genre. But what does stand it out and shine it above the others is the HEA. Because who doesn’t want one in their own life?

~Try an Excerpt!~

He froze. She had returned to their discussion in the kitchen. Had he unsettled her again?

“Anne, if I said something-”

“No.” She shook her head. “You didn’t say anything. In fact, you said… did everything right. I took a chance when I invited you into my house. I was apprehensive as to whether I was doing the right thing. You see, I’ve never done this before. Invited a man, a stranger almost. I’m glad I did, Eric.”

The corner of his lips rose slightly. He leaned down towards her, looking directly into her eyes. He was so close; he could feel her nervous breath on his face. The warmth of her body tingled his skin. She was so achingly close that he needed everything in his power to restrain himself from taking her in his arms.

“Just don’t do it again,” he whispered. He tucked a cluster of her long golden tresses behind her ear. He let his fingers rest on her soft hair for a brief while as he mustered the courage to let them glide over the side of her face. He found none and straightened up again.

She deserved better, he thought. I have no right to confuse her and involve her in my messed up life.

~Meet Clarissa!~ 

Clarissa Cartharn is the author of romance novels such as Captive, Red Collar and the romance thriller/ suspense Jar series. 

Once an English teacher, she embarked on a law profession before finally realizing it was writing she really wanted to pursue. After almost eight romance novels, each with eclectic themes ranging from a Cinderella re-telling to the barren war torn lands of Afghanistan, Clarissa is currently on a journey with her next novel titled The Yearning.

 Clarissa will be awarding a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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