Bucket List,  Christmas or Holiday,  Suspense

Bucket list of Birley Haynes from Harmony’s Embrace @amberdaulton1 #RLFblog #RomanticSuspense

He gave up his one true love, but now he has a chance to make things right. Let’s meet Birley Haynes from Harmony’s Embrace, a Romantic Suspense by Amber Daulton. Welcome to Romance Lives Forever. I’m Kayelle Allen, author and owner of this blog. Happy to have you here! Please tell us about your book.

Harmony’s Embrace by Amber Daulton

Genre: Holiday/Romantic Suspense

Book heat level (based on movie ratings): PG-13

Divorced dad Birley Haynes is too busy raising his children and running his family’s music academy to start a relationship. Then Harmony Holdich, his high school sweetheart, returns home to Willow Springs, Vermont for Christmas and falls into his bed. She brings light and fun back into his life, but he can’t brush aside the threatening incidents around his workplace.

Harmony hadn’t expected a complication like Birley, especially so soon after the death of her unfaithful husband. With her life a mess, she plans to move across the country and start over. All she can offer him is a fling, but her heart yearns for more.

When the threats rise, how will Birley keep his children safe and convince Harmony to give love another chance?

Birley Haynes

When someone dies, we say they “kicked the bucket.” Therefore, a list of things that a person wants to accomplish, places to go, situations to experience, and so on have become known as a “Bucket List.”

Age: 31

Gender: Male

Birthplace: Willow Springs, Vermont

Profession: Music teacher and manager of the Haynes Music Academy

Ethnicity: White

Please provide a physical description of yourself.

I have dark-blond hair that hangs around my face because I’ve been too busy to get it cut. I’m in pretty good shape even though I spend a lot of time in a desk chair, but good genes and luck won’t last forever. I’ve made a New Year’s resolution to go skiing at least once a week—okay, maybe once a month—this winter season to stay healthy. I’m just so busy at work, but hopefully, since I’ve finally hired a bookkeeper to help me out, I’ll be able to loosen up and get more activity.

Please tell us a little about yourself.

I play a mean saxophone. It’s my go-to instrument for when I need to relax, and I prefer jazz to any other kind of music. There’s just something about the deep riffs that really mellows me out. I also teach the instrument and several others to a group of kids who attend my family’s music school. Every time the students succeed, I feel a sense of accomplishment. I’m so proud of them.

I’m also the father to two wonderful kids, Andy and Kay. They’re my whole life. Everything I do, I do with their happiness, well-being, and future in mind. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am. And who am I? I’m just a man who wants to give his kids a good life and enjoy some great music while I’m at it.

Who is the significant other in your life?

Harmony Holdich. I’ve been in love with her since we were kids, but a stupid fight when we were teenagers broke us up for thirteen long years. Even though I’m grateful I met my now ex-wife—I wouldn’t have my kids without her—I wish Harmony and I would’ve made amends sooner than we did.

Before she came back home to Willow Springs, she’d been living in Miami with her emotionally abusive husband. The hell she went through made her stronger. She’s definitely one of the strongest women I’ve ever met, right up there with my mom. I’m a lucky man to have Harmony back in my life.

If you haven’t made a bucket list before, perhaps now would be a good time. Who knows? It might inspire another book. While you’re at it, how about telling us about some of your other favorite things? Here are the questions.

What is your birth order?

I’m the oldest of three children. My sister, Ruby, is two years younger, and my brother, Dylan, is five years. I’ve always been the responsible one, always looking out for my wild siblings and making my parents proud. To be honest, I’m getting pretty tired of it.

Tell us about your favorite toy as a child.

I’m not sure I ever really had one. As soon as I learned to play the sax, I always had one in my hands. Action figures, plastic swords, video games…whatever, none of that stuff meant as much to me as the sax.

Describe your favorite food and how it’s prepared.

I’ll eat about anything, but Mom’s meat loaf is the best ever. She caramelizes the onion and other vegetables with the ground beef, and it just tastes freakin’ fantastic, especially with a huge dollop of ketchup.

Tell us about your best friend.

That’s Harmony. We’d been through so much together as kids—we met in kindergarten—and then more as adults. She understands me in ways no one else ever has. We finish each other’s sentences, and when faced with a problem, we usually think of the same answer at the same time. We’re in sync. But we weren’t always like this. Back when she still intended to move across the country and start her life over, I was racking my brain in ways to keep her around. I’m so relieved my efforts paid off.

What place would you like to visit before you die, and why?

Chicago, to see all the old jazz haunts from the 1950s and ’60s. Talk about a blast from the past. I’d be in seventh heaven surrounded by all that history and culture.

Who is someone you would like to meet, and why?

Miles Davis is my favorite musician. I’d love to treat him to lunch, pick his brain about music, and then have a jam session together. A dream come true!

Who is someone you would like to avoid, and why?

My ex-wife, Susannah. Hands down. After the crap she pulled the last time she stopped by, I could go the rest of my life never seeing her again, and it would still be too soon.

If you could time travel to any date, what would it be, and what would you do there?

I’d go to Chicago to meet Miles Davis back in his heyday. Harmony’s favorite jazz musician is John Coltrane, so I’d be taking her with me, and we’d have to visit John as well.

About Amber Daulton

I love reading romance books, and I write in various romance sub-genres because I can’t choose just one. That’s like choosing only one flavor of ice cream to eat for the rest of your life. Not possible. My favorite genres include: contemporary, romantic suspense, historical, time travel, and paranormal, though my paranormal books aren’t published yet.

What was your biggest challenge in writing this book?

Learning all the instrument and music lingo. I don’t play an instrument, though I would love to, so I had to learn all these phrases, words, parts of an instrument, keys and tones, and a bunch of stuff that was so confusing to me because I’ve never experienced it firsthand. The research I did to make this story and the characters sound believable was intense. I just hope readers will think I did the subject matter justice.

Why did you choose this character for the interview today?

I absolutely adore Birley. He’s a bit stodgy, but he’s a good man with a big heart. He’s been hurt, which is why he hides behind his professional, uptight wall, but I chose to let him speak today so he could spread his wings and relax a little. Harmony is the outgoing talker of their duo, so it was high-time Birley take the reins and speak his mind.

Are any sequels planned for this book?

This book is actually the sequel to another one, Lyrical Embrace, which features Birley’s brother, Dylan. Both books are standalones in the multi-author published series, the Deerbourne Inn. While there will be more books in the series from other authors, Harmony’s Embrace concludes my contribution to this sexy and sweet small town series.

What genre(s) would you like to write that you haven’t tried yet?

Sci/Fi. I have a few ideas, but no time to write them out. My writing schedule is full for the next few years.

Where to buy Harmony’s Embrace

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Harmonys-Embrace-Deerbourne-Amber-Daulton-ebook/dp/B08L73TB9C/
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/harmonys-embrace-amber-daulton/1137951572
Apple/iBooks https://books.apple.com/us/book/harmonys-embrace/id1539081673
Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/harmony-s-embrace
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=1M8HEAAAQBAJ
Universal link https://books2read.com/u/bPX6kR

Amber Daulton’s Social Media

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through The Wild Rose Press and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.
She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats.
Website https://amberdaulton.wordpress.com/
Twitter https://twitter.com/AmberDaulton1
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Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6624921.Amber_Daulton
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Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Amber-Daulton/e/B00ALQITWY
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