For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”
Welcome to one of the October 10th stops on the blog tour for After the Red Carpet by Patricia Leavy with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, more author guest posts, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
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Author Guest Post
Did you have a minor character who insisted on playing a larger role in the story. If so, please tell us about it.
Yes! The first book in this romance series is called, The Location Shoot. Let me tell you a little about it. Controversial filmmaker Jean Mercier is shooting a film on location in Sweden. While spending the summer creating his latest work of cinematic art, he lives in a nearby inn with his lead actors. Mercier invites his friend Ella Sinclair—a beautiful, bohemian-spirited American philosopher known for her provocative writing—to stay with them for the summer. When Ella meets Hollywood star Finn Forrester, they fall madly in love. In a case of life imitating art, the film they are creating explores “the big questions” and prompts the stars to reflect on the crossroads they face in their own lives. It all comes to a conclusion when the cast and crew reconvene on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival. At the heart, this is a love story between Ella and Finn. However, as soon as I started writing it, I realized how crucial Jean Mercier, the filmmaker, was to the story. In a lot of ways, this is a very sweet and comforting story, and I realized Jean Mercier would create necessary balance. He’s a little dark, dystopian, twisted even. While Ella and Finn’s love story is very much the focus of the second book, After the Red Carpet, Jean Mercier does make an appearance or two. After the Red Carpet is a modern fairy tale in many ways—an aspirational love story set in Hollywood. I figured it could use just a little touch of grit. With all this said, I’ll share a not-so-secret-secret. There is a third and final book in the series due out in September 2025. It takes place thirty years after the first book. Jean is a major character and even gets the very last word. This was definitely not planned when I was writing the first two books.
About the Book
After the Red Carpet
A Red Carpet Romance
by Patricia Leavy
Published 3 September 2024
She Writes Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 232
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
For fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace, After the Red Carpet is a feel-good, contemporary celebrity romance about what happens after the fairy-tale beginning as two lovers work toward their own true meaning of “happily ever after.”
After legendary Hollywood star Finn Forrester proposed to philosopher Ella Sinclair on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the couple captivated the press and public with their real-life fairy tale. Now they vow to prioritize their romance and live an adventure of their own making. Ella moves into Finn’s Beverly Hills mansion and must adjust to his world. Finn, secretly afraid of losing Ella, is determined to make everything perfect for his betrothed. Meanwhile, Ella wants nothing more than to retain her own identity as they build their new life together. All the while, she is writing a philosophical treatise on love, exploring the question: when we love so deeply, where do we end and where does the other begin?
In this highly anticipated follow-up to The Location Shoot, will Ella and Finn finally live the life they’ve dreamed of? See how their epic romance unfolds, after the red carpet.
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Excerpt
“Socrates basically argued that love was bullshit. He was fancier about it, so I’m paraphrasing,” Marni said as the others laughed. “But I’m serious. He philosophized that we only want what we can’t have, and thus it’s always fleeting, never deep. I know this puts me in the minority in our romance-obsessed culture, but I think he was on to something.”
“Of course you do,” Ella replied with a giggle.
Marni shrugged and helped herself to another stuffed grape leaf off the Greek meze platter Ella prepared for their meeting. “These are delicious. The hummus too. I so love it when you host our club. I’m the worst.”
“Nonsense. Who doesn’t enjoy stale crackers and tap water? And so clever to use toilet paper in lieu of napkins,” Ella joked.
Jade laughed, covering her mouth.
Dante looked at Marni. “When you’re done gorging yourself, try to remember that we’re supposed to be inspiring Ella for her book project. Your doom and gloom is more likely to put her off the whole thing.”
“First of all, you went to town on that olive tapenade,” Marni rebuffed, giving him the side-eye. “Second, what can I say? I’m a realist. Besides, take a look around. We’re basically having this discussion in Prince Charming’s castle, and Ella’s growing another one of his love children as we speak. I don’t think she’s falling off the romantic love bandwagon anytime soon.”
Ella smiled and touched her belly. “Fear not, I am resistant to the pessimism. These days, I feel especially hopeful.”
“That may be the pregnancy hormones talking,” Marni quipped.
Ella smirked.
“I’m a terrible friend, I admit it. Seriously, how have you been feeling?” Marni asked.
“Never better. I can feel our little one fluttering around. I’ve hardly had the time to write a thing because I want to give Betty as much attention as possible before she has to share me, but I do feel inspired. It’s strange because I used to think of love as something we want for ourselves, but now . . .”
Marni raised her eyebrows.
“I’m not sure. All I do know is that I feel consumed by love, and it’s all directed at my family. Being with them, nurturing them, experiencing life with them.” She crinkled her nose and shook her head. “It’s the way I feel most alive.”
“Sounds like you’re an Aristotle girl. He believed that love requires us to focus on what is best for the other, not ourselves. There’s nobility in that, beauty,” Dante said.
“But to do that, he believed we must first love ourselves so that we can best love others,” Jade added.
“Ah, finally something I can get behind,” Marni said. She turned to Ella and asked, “What do you think?”
“Wouldn’t that create a dialectical? If we focus on what’s best for those we love, then they would simultaneously be focusing on what’s best for us. It’s reciprocal,” Ella said.
“When you cut through it all, the question becomes: is love about focusing on what’s best for others, or should self-love come before all else?” Marni said.
“Maybe that’s not really the question.” Ella leaned back on the sofa. “Perhaps it’s more complicated. I think the question is: when it comes to love, is it even a question of self and other, or something else entirely?”
About the Author
Patricia Leavy, PhD, is an award-winning, best-selling author. She was formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology, and Founding Director of Gender Studies at Stonehill College. She has published more than forty books; her work has been translated into many languages, and she has received more than forty book honors. Her last novel, Hollyland, was featured on She Reads in “The Most Anticipated Romances of Spring 2023” and was the 2023 Firebird Book Awards 1st Place Winner in Pop Culture Fiction and 1st Place Winner in Summer/Beach Read. Patricia has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and SUNY-New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” Patricia lives in Maine. In addition to writing, she enjoys art, reading, and travel.
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Giveaway Alert!
Patricia Leavy will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway| Oct 3 | Read Your Writes Book Reviews | Oct 10 | Westveil Publishing |
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| Oct 24 | Literary Gold | Oct 31 | Lisa Haselton’s Reviews and Interviews |
| Nov 7 | Sandra’s Book Club | Nov 14 | Fabulous and Brunette |
| Nov 21 | The Avid Reader | Nov 21 | Romance Novel Giveaways |
| Dec 5 | Dawn’s Reading Nook | Dec 12 | The Key of Love |
| Dec 19 | Guatemala Paula Loves to Read | Jan 2 | Maggie Blackbird |
| Jan 9 | Hope. Dreams. Life… Love | Jan 16 | Sea’s Nod |
| Jan 16 | The Pen and Muse Book Reviews | Jan 23 | What Is That Book About |
| Jan 30 | Country Mamas With Kids | Feb 6 | Beyond Romance |
| Feb 13 | A Wonderful World of Words | Feb 20 | Our Town Book Reviews |
| Feb 27 | Long and Short Reviews |
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We appreciate you featuring Patricia Leavy and AFTER THE RED CARPET.
Great excerpt and giveaway. 🙂
I like the cover art! The color caught my eye!
Thanks so much for featuring my work! I loved writing this book. It’s a total comfort read for romantics.