June 7 is a big day, and it’s just around the corner. It’s not only my fifty-(mumble mumble)”th” birthday. It’s the release date for my new book Meet the Moms!
I want to tell you all about my new book, but I digress just a moment. I love releasing new books on significant days. My book Crescendo released on April 1, 2018 — a very significant day because it was also my retirement date from my big demanding dayjob after thirty four years of service! As if those two things weren’t big enough for one day, April 1 was also my rescue grandpuppy Buster’s birthday!
So, back to June 7. Meet the Moms is the first book in my new series Matchmaking Moms of Oceanview Church, which I described to you in my May Inspy Romance post. It is not a full-length
novel. It is a short prologue novella that introduces the matchmaking moms before we move into three full-length novels about the each of the couples, followed by an epilogue Christmas novella. It’s an appetite-whetter, if you will. I’ve never taken this approach with a series, but it seemed to fit with this one. I hope you’ll enjoy it.
I have a secret to confess. The entire concept of the Matchmaking Moms hit close to home. I have two adult sons, and I love them both dearly. One of them is married and we adore his wife as well. My other son is unattached. I know fully well that when given the chance, he will be a wonderfully devoted husband, and God willing, father. He’s such a great man, kind, caring, generous. Smart, hardworking, successful. Handsome, funny, interesting.
Yes, I realize that’s his mom speaking. But I’m not the only one who thinks so. His grandmothers agree with me! Ha ha. But seriously, it’s often crossed my mind … why hasn’t he met someone? And will he eventually?
So … when I finished my Murrells Inlet Miracles series last year, and I took a breather from writing, this idea started percolating in my mind. Several of my friends with adult children have the same situation. One or more of their children isn’t making progress in the field of finding a one and only. So the idea came to my mind.
I want to make it clear … I didn’t write a book “about” my son. He was only the inspiration that got it going. It’s completely fictional!
Back to the book … Dahlia, Lily and Rose attend a Bible Study at Oceanview Church. As an introductory exercise, the leader encourages them to dig deep and discover one thing they have in common. After sharing, they discover one interesting fact: they all have adult children who, for various reasons, are striking out in the love department. So, the ladies form a covert team of matchmakers and take matters into their own hands. Of course, their efforts have to be secretive because their kids would never go for it if they knew.
Will the moms be successful finding matches for Winston the Loner, Isabelle the Workaholic and Micah the Playboy, while remaining in the shadows?
I’ll be giving away a copy of Meet the Moms (winner chooses either Kindle ebook or paperback) to one randomly selected commenter (worldwide) who shares … do you know of someone who was stalled out in romance before eventually finding the partner of their dreams? How did the couple meet? Did they get their happily ever after? The winner will be chosen on June 5.
And if you’d like your own copy of Meet the Moms, just click right here!
**Heartwarming, life-changing Christian fiction.** An award-winning author, Laurie is living her dream life at the beach, writing novels. Laurie writes beachy inspirational romance that takes place in the South Carolina Low Country. She retired from the big day job and now focuses on writing full time. Strolls on the sand, soaking up the sun and riding the waves can be considered the best kind of research.
Hi Laurie! Happy 50th Birthday! Enjoy your day and upcoming release. Your book is preordered. Love the premise. Best wishes.
Hey, Laurie! My Birthday is also in June, and I’m much closer to 60 than 50!! Your series sounds great!! I’ve never married, the right one just hasn’t come along, and I refuse to settle for less than I want! Of course, Mom would tell you that she’s glad I’m single, since I’m now her caregiver. She says she had me cause God knew she was going to need me during this time. She used to tell me I was too stubborn, I said I was picky, now she’s glad I’m not married! Lol!! I still think Mr. Right might come along, as one of my cousins was in his late 50’s when he married for the first (and only so far!) time. However, if it doesn’t happen, I’m also fine with that. God’s got this, too, and He knows best!
Thank you so much Renate!
I love this story Trudy! You’re right, God knows best and our fullest life comes from understanding and living out His will for us!
Happy upcoming birthday! This series sounds like a lot of fun….u have a friend who cannot seem to find the one either….we get so excited when she meets someone new, but it always fizzles out within a few months😥…I did try to fix her up sorta…nothing big, just had them meet, didn’t work out so now I just keep praying for her.
Hey Paula Marie! Thank you for your kind words! Set ups are not easy or a sure thing! Glad to hear you’re still praying for your friend.
Hi Laurie! This series sounds great! I’m going to agree with you about your son because I have one just like him. But he’s had his heart broken so many times he stopped looking. He’s 26 this year. But a year ago, he met his now fiance at a church camp in Ohio. We’re in Virginia. She’s from Florida. They got engaged over Christmas, he moved from VA to FL in January, and I haven’t seen him since. We were supposed to see him in March, but then all this started. We have a trip planned later this week. They are getting married in July. It’s been a long road, but he’s found someone who is great and who loves his mother as much as he does!
Congrats on your new release. It sounds like a fun book series.. though I’m not sure how I feel about matching mom’s in general (for now). My husband hated my mom’s pressure to move further in our relationship when we were dating. It kind of had the opposite effect o him: the more she hinted we should get engaged and married, the more he avoid it, because he wanted this to be our idea and not pushed by others. Backfired and we dated for 5 years before getting married. (Of course it took us time for both of us finish college and our respective Masters degrees…)
I love the idea of match making moms!
My sons never needed my help, but my husband is a firefighter and one of his friends is a confirmed bachelor- handsome , too. I’ve wanted to play matchmaker for him in the past. 😊
Oh Sally, hallelujah! That is awesome! What a wonderful place to meet your one and only! I’m so happy for you all. And I hope the wedding is unaffected by the pandemic.
Oh interesting!!! But yes I can see how that would happen if the moms were “meddling” too much. That’s why I’ve kept my matchmaking moms’ efforts secret! The kids have to think that it’s happening naturally. And it is! After a little nudge from mom. :)
I’m glad you and your husband eventually got there.
Hi Dalyn! A handsome firefighter who’s single and looking for love? Sounds like a romance novel in the making! :)
I can’t wait to read this series. :-) Congratulations!
Happy birthday! I’ve been on the other side of the matchmaking. I was the one stalled out in love during college. I was the master of unrequited love, always falling for guys who liked other girls. My mom didn’t want me to marry a Southerner who would take me away from them, so she kept trying to set me up with guys whenever I would come home for vacations. It was really embarrassing and annoying. Then I met the tutor of one of my best friends. They seemed to like each other, and I approved of him. We all did stuff together in a group. When she started blowing him off, I knew he deserved better. I began to fall for him. Finally, he saw that I was faithful, and we began dating our senior year. We have our happily ever after, married 18 years last week. <3
Thank you, sweet Melissa!!
Oh Lila!! What a wonderful story! Congrats for walking over hot coals to find your true love!
Nothing worse than matchmaking relatives and when someone is together the question of babies arise! We told our mother if she wanted grandchildren, she should get married again and inherit some – she did and now has three adorable grandsons and a great-granddaughter she dotes on.
Laurie, happy upcoming birthday. You series sounds so fun!
This idea reminds me of some really fun Hallmark movies! I can’t think of anyone I know, offhand, but I like the idea!
Hahaha Dianne! You tell her! :)
Thank you Merrillee!
Funny you should say that! In October when I was toying with the idea, I told a writer friend and she said, “I bet Hallmark would be interested!”
I took a long time to open up to the idea of marriage. Not stubborn, just scared to death :). I met my wife at church. We worked together in a singles ministry for a year, then dated for two years, then got married when I was 29. It will be 31 years tomorrow.
Congrats on the new series. Here’s to a rousing response! (And happy birthday :)
Hi Lincoln! Thanks for sharing. My husband and I are celebrating 31 years of marriage this year too!
She and her husband were introduced by friends. They just celebrated 22 years of marriage.
Thank you for sharing. I don’t really know anyone in the fizzle department. Happy and blessed 🎂.
This book sounds so fun! I have a few friends from college who haven’t ever found love, but they are so amazing that it seems crazy to me that they haven’t.
I am late been trying to think of a story that took awhile. I still haven’t found someone at 56 but I am content.
I remember before my brother found someone He was at a Christian camp was mid – late 20’s and there was another female leader similar age who was single and all the leaders (Including my brother) were praying she would find the right man for her. She had moved back from another state and didn’t know a lot of people at that stage. God worked quick. brother and a few friends including this lady came for a few days (I was away at the time) for a break (We live in a small town about 3 and a half hours from the city). He even told mum that there was a group praying for this lady. Well within months he was the answer. They ended up engaged and married the following year.
Happy Birthday. I hope you have a great day.
Hi Denise! Introductions by friends are the best!!
Ha ha ha, that’s good. You probably don’t want to be in the fizzle department!
Yeah … sometimes it’s a quirk of nature those that have never found a forever someone. Definitely not explainable to the examining eye.
Oh my gosh! That’s a great story! And I hope they’re still together and happy. I’m so glad you are content in your singlehood but I wonder if God still has someone in mind for you in the future. :)
This series looks great! I was stalled out in the romance department before I met my husband. We got married (a first marriage for each of us) when we were both in our 40’s. :)
yes still happily married 33 or 34 years now.
I always thought I would be married and have several kids and when I was still single at 30 I got quite depressed. but now I am content. (I have a man in my life in the form of a cat called Henry although he tends to treat me like his slave most days. Libby on the other hand loves me).
How fun. I’m looking forward to it.
How exciting Ellie? Would you share your first date story? How did you meet?