Harlequin American Romance
June 2007
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-75171-6
Available from:
Harlequin.com
Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Amazon.ca
Amazon.co.uk
Book 1 of Lee’s Collingwood Station Series
What can you expect when one person leaps without looking and the other has both feet firmly planted on the ground? A lot of laughs, the occasional disaster, and maybe even a little magic…
Back Cover
Her Secret Project!
The minute Nick Durrance steps onto the porch of the oncegrand, now rundown Meadowcroft home, he knows something is different. The woman at the door is not his ancient former teacher, but her young, beautiful grandniece. Maggie is new to Collingwood Station and has inherited the house, which she intends to turn into a natural beauty spa.
Nick can’t see the women of this posh town putting yogurt and strawberries on their faces, nor can he see them accepting the eccentric Maggie. But when the whole town starts gravitating to her, Nick realizes this woman is special—so special that she’s even changed how people see him, a man who went against the wishes of his wealthy family to start his own construction business.
It turns out the house is not all she’s working on…and when he finds out what—or who—her real project is, he’s not going to like it!
News
Romantic Times 2007 Reviewers’ Choice Award Nominee
THE MAN FOR MAGGIE is a double nominee for Best First Series Romance and Best Harlequin American Romance!
More Than Magic Contest
THE MAN FOR MAGGIE placed second in the First Book and third in the Sweet Contemporary categories, and I am completely over the moon about it!
Reviews
*4 ½ Star Review—Romantic Times Magazine*
“THE MAN FOR MAGGIE . . . is an engrossing story about two opposites who find happiness. Maggie and Nick are wonderfully crafted characters, and their chemistry will keep you glued to the pages.”
“…reads a little like an old Doris Day comedy or… an episode of Desperate Housewives. If you are looking for comedic and slightly off-center romance, grab THE MAN FOR MAGGIE.”
The Romance Reader
“Free spirit meets heartbreaker and the sparks fly.”
WeLoveFiction.com
Fun Stuff
Here are some recipes and spa tips from THE MAN FOR MAGGIE. Enjoy!
Maggie’s Luscious Lemonade Concentrate
In a large pot or heat-proof bowl, combine the finely grated rind and the juice of three lemons with the sugar, citric acid, and tartaric acid. Pour the boiling water over this mixture and stir until the sugar and acids are dissolved. Let the mixture cool, and then add the juice of the remaining three lemons. Bottle the concentrate and store in the refrigerator. This recipe makes two quarts of concentrate and eight quarts of lemonade.
To prepare the lemonade, mix one part concentrate with four parts cold water, pour over ice, garnish with a twist of lemon and a sprig of mint, and enjoy!
* Citric and tartaric acids are available in health food and grocery stores, or at a pharmacy.
Aunt Margaret’s Gin Gimlets *
Stir or shake 1 ½ ounces of gin and 1 ½ ounces of Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice with cracked ice. Sugar the rim of a chilled cocktail glass and strain the gimlet into it.
Garnish with a twist of lime.
Aunt Margaret liked her gimlets sweet, but feel free to adjust the ratio to suit your taste. And for everything you ever wanted to know about gin gimlets, check out this site!
* If you drink, please don’t drive. If you’re pregnant, please don’t drink at all.
Maggie’s Tips for a Spa Day at Home
Anyone who has ever treated herself to a day at the spa knows exactly what a wonderful experience that can be. Many of us can’t afford hundreds of dollars for the spa experience, though, so a spa day at home is the next best thing.
Plan Ahead
Decide how much time you can spend and which treatments you’ll do, and then assemble everything you’ll need. Remember to plan breaks for snacks and lunch, and drink lots of water. It hydrates your skin from the inside out.
Start your day with nice, brisk walk.
When you get home, set the mood. Play your favorite music, light some scented candles, set out bowls of your favorite potpourri — whatever you need to make this a total sensory experience!
Feet First
Add a cup of Epsom salts to a pan of warm water and soak your feet for 15 or 20 minutes. If you like, add a drop of your favorite essential oil.
Hands on
Soften two tablespoons of oatmeal (the quick-cooking kind) in a quarter cup of hot water for 10 minutes. Stir in half a teaspoon of olive oil and one teaspoon of lemon juice. Apply to hands and leave on for 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse hands in cool water, pat them dry, and apply your favorite moisturizing hand cream.
Remember to take a nutrition break, and keep sipping that water!
Let’s Face It
For a complete facial, you’ll want to exfoliate, cleanse, and apply toner and moisturizer.
Gently exfoliate your face with a mixture of oatmeal (one tablespoon) and one egg yolk. Massage this mixture onto your skin for about two minutes, rinse off, and pat dry.
For a simple cleanser, mix 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt with half a teaspoon of liquid honey. Apply to face, massage gently, then rinse off with warm water.
Finish up with a green tea toner. To make the toner, steep a tablespoon of green tea leaves in one cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Add one cup of cold water. Use a small spray bottle to spritz on the toner, or pat it on with a small cotton pad.
For a special treat, try this moisturizing chocolate facial mask.
Smooth the mixture onto your face, apply steeped peppermint tea bags to your eyelids, and lie back and relax for 10 minutes. Wash off with warm water.
If you’re not using the masque, be sure to apply moisturizer.
A Good Hair Day
Mash one very ripe avocado and stir in two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Work this mixture into dry hair and massage it onto your scalp. Cover with a plastic shower cap and a towel, leave on for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse and shampoo.
It’s a Wrap!
Finish your spa day by soaking in the bath with your favorite bath salts, fizzies, or bubble bath. Before you climb in, pop a big fluffy bath sheet in the dryer for five minutes. Wrap the towel in a plastic bag to keep it warm, and set it by the tub. A nice toasty towel is a perfect way to wrap up your spa day. Maggie and I hope you enjoyed it!