Wednesday 15 July 2015

Guest Post: Crash an Burn by Melissa Keir

Fertility Problems Isn’t a Blame Game…

Many times when a couple is having a problem getting pregnant, it can become a blame game. According to the Centers for Disease Control nearly 10% of all couples will have a problem with fertility. Only 1/3 of the time is the cause the man’s fault. 1/3 of the time, it’s the woman’s fault and the remaining times it’s a combination of both or another cause all together.

With this many couples having issues with getting pregnant, it’s no wonder that the stress of trying to get pregnant leads to marriage issues. Trying to get pregnant is prime time comedy fodder, from women using a turkey baster to men rushing home because their wife is ovulating.

Rob and Keira Matthews from Crash and Burn are just such a couple. I’ve purposefully left out the reason for their infertility and where they are in a treatment plan. The story is more about the repairing of their relationship than about having a baby. Keira longs for a baby so much that she’s adopted her dog as her baby. She speaks in “baby talk” to Gris. She makes sure to buy him little matching outfits and will even cut his food. Clearly, she’s gone overboard. But Rob has too. He’s working later hours, hitting the gym, and even zoning out in front of the TV. Anything to avoid talking about “having a baby” with his wife.

If the two of them hadn’t been stranded alone together on an island, would they ever have reconnected? I see them before the crash on a one way ticket to divorce. Both of them are hiding from their problems. Unfortunately, we don’t all have an island retreat to escape the stress and see things from a new perspective. What do you do to get away from the stress and rekindle the romance?
Crash and Burn is a novella in the Crashing Into Love book bundle.

Crash and Burn by Melissa Keir
Can Rob and Keira's second honeymoon lead to romance, or will it crash and burn?

On the verge of a divorce, Rob and Keira Matthews book a second honeymoon at the urging of their counselor. Unable to conceive, they've pushed each other away in an effort to protect their hearts. Will a romantic holiday be the ticket to love or a plane crash in disaster?

BUY LINKS:






Excerpt 
Her husband stomped away in a huff. His damp clothes accentuated his fit body. The many nights he’d spent lately at the gym had firmed and toned his already-sexy body into a dream machine. Yeah, and all those other women ogling him. Too bad the gym didn’t do more for his attitude. I heard his comment. Why does he always have to push my buttons? He really shouldn’t have expected me to go walking, looking for…. She shivered. What if there were bodies? I wonder if anyone else survived the crash. I’ve got better things to do. Maybe I’ll find out this island is really a resort like in that romance novel I read. Then I can save the day.
She picked up Gris and gave him a kiss on the nose. “Little man, you’d never get mad at me. Let’s go find ourselves the perfect place to rest. Maybe we can prove to that man I’m capable.” With the dog settled in her arms, Keira headed inland, away from the beach and toward the jungle.
Trees filled her vision. Their dense foliage provided shelter and had allowed moss to cover the ground. She welcomed the softness under her feet. She noticed the drop in temperature as well. The blistering sun from the beach dappled through the leaves and created a cool, welcoming environment. The sound of birds and other animals teased her hearing. She paused and inhaled. A flowery fragrance filled the air.
The trees are so thick, I can’t see more than five feet in front of me. I hope there aren’t any snakes. Her stomach knotted. Snakes or lack of food? She pulled Gris closer to her, absently running her fingers through his fur. I’m sure there’s no coffee joint or five-star hotel around here. I would’ve seen something before now. Rats. I was really hoping for the happy ending of a romance novel.



Crashing Into Love:
Seven planes lift off…seven planes crash…seven stories of struggle, passion and love in the barren Canadian Wilderness, the coast of England, or the steamy heat of a tropical island. Romance hangs in the balance between survival and death.

Brace for Impact by Daryl Devoré.
What could be simpler than a routine plane trip from Toronto, Canada to Caracas, Venezuela for rookie flight attendant, Lori, and sexy R.C.M.P. officer, Guy Lapierre? But Fate had other intentions.

Crashing into You by Lisa Kumar
When Ashlee Trent meets handsome businessman Kaiden West on a plane to Australia, he eases her fears even as he sets her heart ablaze. But after their plane crashes into the ocean and they wash ashore, will the secrets surrounding him send their budding relationship into a nosedive?

Crashing Through Time by Jenna Jaxon
The most dangerous thing about time travel is knowledge of the past: does she save him and change history, or let the tragic events play out and lose the love of her life?
More than hearts can be broken when you crash through time. 

Love Comes Crashing In by Brenda Dyer
Best friends find love in each other's arms, but can that love survive reality?

Falling Hard by D'Ann Lindun
He craves solitude to forget what a woman did to him. She needs one last chance before her career ends. Can a plane crash in the Canadian Rockies show them what really matters?

A Splash of Romance by Deb Julienne
Who knew a plane crash would lead to romance? Hannah Parks is a trauma nurse on her way to a symposium at the Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. She just started her bucket list and a plane crash definitely isn't on it.  Oliver Lawson's divorce is final and he's looking to start over. A tropical island, a gorgeous woman. Romance is one thing, getting there as a result of a crash landing...who knew? 


About Melissa Keir:
For my wedding in Vegas, my books and computer came with me but there wasn't enough room for my wedding shoes. It’s all about priorities! As an avid reader, I was probably born with a book in hand. Luckily my mom was also an avid reader, so it was easy to "borrow" her books when my books were finished.
I was reading from an early age about dashing men on horseback riding to the rescue of strong willed and capable women who didn't really need rescuing. I came to expect that women in fairy tales should have fought their own battles. When I was older, I found Margaret Atwood and realized that women could re-tell history in their own way and I experimented with changing those basic fairy tales.
Fortunately for me, my husband allows me the opportunity to be myself (spend my salary on books) and still takes care of the really important things for me like killing spiders and opening jars. As an elementary teacher, teaching children about the many worlds inside of books is a gift that I’m lucky enough to do for a living. Teaching the next generation to love reading is a lot of fun! Reading the right book can make a new world come alive!
Currently living in the suburbs of Ann Arbor, Michigan with my darling husband, way-too-grown-up children and spoiled dogs, I enjoy getting away through a book to escape the harsh winters or summer road construction.


I’d love to hear from you!

6 comments:

  1. Thank you for having me visit today! I had some issues getting pregnant my second time and that worried me. I very much took it to heart- put it on my shoulders... must have been my fault! So I could empathize with Keira.

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  2. I only have one. I can't tell you the number of times people would say to me, "How can you let him be an only child?"
    I feel very fortunate to have been blessed with the one I have. Many women would love to experience what we have.
    Enjoyed your post, Melissa. Thanks for sharing. :)

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    1. True JM. Each person has what they have for a reason. I knew I wouldn't have a big family. Are there sometimes regrets, you bet but then again, I wouldn't trade it. I have two wonderful children out of it.

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  3. Fortunately, we didn't have a problem conceiving. But when we need to reconnect now, we usually plan a weekend getaway, just the two of us. That's easier now that the kids are grown. Excellent and informative post, Melissa.

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    1. Those romantic getaways can be one of the key pieces that keep a relationship together. Too often when other things are put first, like family and work, people grow apart! All the best!

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  4. Great post and I love the excerpt.

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