RASH & RATIONALITY
(Happily Ever Austen Series #2)
By Ellen Mint
Marty Dashwood is a true romantic. Hearts, chocolates, kisses on
the hand—the whole nine yards. His killjoy brother Eldon doesn’t
believe in love at first sight, but one day Marty will have the
perfect meet-cute, she’ll fall helplessly in love with him and
they’ll live happily ever after.
Brandy’s worked with Marty for almost two years. He’s the best
friend she could ever have hoped for after the accident that took
her husband. So she should be happy that Marty finally found what
he’d always wanted, right?
So why does it feel like every time she sees Marty with the
‘Social-Media Angel’ he rescued from a mugger, a piece breaks off
her heart? How can she explain any of this to him before she loses
her best friend forever?
Rash and Rationality is a modern gender-swapped
friends-to-lovers Sense & Sensibility, set in a cozy
bookshop.
Amazon | B&N | Apple | Bookbub | Goodreads | Print
Tagline: Love is a lot closer and more complicated than Marty
ever dreamed.
Book Info:
Publisher: Totally Bound Publishing
Author: Ellen Mint
Cover Art: Marek
Page Count: 275
Word Count: 68K
ISBN (Amazon): 978-1-83943-414-3
Release Date: July 28th, 2020
Rating: 18+
Praise for Pride & Pancakes, Happily Ever Austen #1:
✭✭✭✭✭ “The author does a wonderful job of putting a modern twist
on a beloved classic. There is witty dialogue and plenty of humor
along the way and you can’t help but fall in love with Beth and
Tristan’s story. The characters were well developed and they really
took the time to get to know each other. I am looking forward to
the next installment of Mint’s “Happily Ever Austen” series.” Asra
S — Pride & Pancakes
✭✭✭✭✭ “Timeless gets a makeover and breezes it’s way into your
heart. Mint does Austen proud with a modern twist to an old
classic. Pride & Pancakes crosses stereotypes with humor and
heart that will stay with you, no matter how many times you read
Beth & Tristan’s tango into love.” Isha C. — Pride
& Pancakes
Additional Media:
Image Packet
Couple Reading Together
Couple Snuggling Promo
Macarons plus Book
Main Character Quote Image
Book Series Bookstore
Collective Book Board
Book with Donuts
Beach Banner
Couple Teaser
Book Trailer
Excerpt #1 (634 words):
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a store nearing
closing without any customers will be the epicenter of employee
mischief.
In the midst of re-stocking the latest airport thriller, Blood
on the Tarmac, Brandy heard the pre-programed soundtrack skip. The
classical piano and violin CD—which made her both ache to nap and
also homicidal after a twelve-hour shift—changed, and a rhythmic
beat rumbled from the three speakers crammed above the giant
bookshelves.
Shaking her head, she resumed unboxing the books despite a smile
climbing up her cheeks. Just when her arms were full, a head popped
around the long corner. With windswept hair never tamed even by a
comb, Marty was a wiry man in both stature and height, but his
exuberant smile and deadly cheekbones more than distracted from
it.
As the song rolled out of the musical intro, he mouthed along,
“Snow falls from the skies, forgetful and pure…”
“It’s June,” Brandy said, but Marty ignored her.
He slapped a hand to his forehead and collapsed against the
bookshelf. “I reach out to feel, glass cold as a grave…”
“Shouldn’t we be working?” she said and bit her lip to keep from
laughing. Marty, not about to give her an inch of relief, started
to shake his hips.
Hands extended far, as if he was stretching, he cried out along
with the singer, “Reach for me, reach for me. Give me a chance.
Sing me a hope, gift me a dance.”
Brandy doomed herself by turning to the man pleading for her
attention. A glint struck his boyish brown eyes and he fluttered
his fingers while straining for her. With a laugh, she dropped the
paperbacks and accepted his hands. Together, the pair swung in a
tight circle, the shelves pressing them so close he was nearly on
top of her.
Marty dipping her caused Brandy’s no-nonsense ponytail to smack
into the display of big-headed collectibles. One carrying a
surfboard rebounded from its stand, falling into the arms—and giant
head—of a woman in a parka. Ah, plastic love.
“Reach for me, reach for me,” Marty sang, his sweet voice barely
competing with the artist’s baritone. Not that it mattered to
Brandy, who laughed along while joining him.
His hands locked tight around her waist, the pair galloped up
and down the walkways of the store. Brandy could barely keep up
with Marty, who managed to raise his knees nearly to his chest with
each step.
“You’re such a dork,” she called to the man twirling her with
abandon. Marty waggled his eyebrows at her in response, too busy
mouthing along with the song to respond.
They dashed through the shelves of thrillers and horror, hovered
around sci-fi, and he gave her a deep dip at romance.
Brandy skimmed her palm along the floor, which needed a mopping
by one of them later. But she didn’t care about work, not with her
unending laughter trapped in a cascade of giggles and Marty
sweeping her around in a circle. Marty kept her from smashing into
him, but the two lingered barely a breath away from each other as
the love song drifting through the air reached its climax. His gaze
beamed into hers and he sang the final words in a gentle
whisper.
“I reach out to hold a hand fit for mine. Hearts become bold,
and our stars align.”
Brandy rose, staring in wonder at the lips singing to her. She
reached out, about to touch his cheek, when a jangle burst from the
front door. Marty opened his hands and she danced back, a silly
blush burning up her neck. What was she doing? It was just Marty,
who always acted like a fool nearing closing time. Good friend.
Nothing more.
Excerpt #2 (318 words)
What chewed on her brain and left it in mulch were the love
stories. The promises that if she found him, if she put in all the
work and made that one true soulmate hers, happiness was
guaranteed.
She only watched them for Marty, anyway.
What’s he doing now?
Despite her best efforts, that damn thought wouldn’t leave her.
It’d take nothing for her to search for Willows’ Instagram feed and
see.
But no. No! That was what crazy stalker ladies did. She’d hear
about it tomorrow at work. If there was even anything to talk
about. Probably not. It was hard to see someone like this Janeth
lady falling for Marty.
Sure, he was cute in that ‘boy next door who also a bit hyper
like a cocker spaniel puppy’ way. And hilarious. No one could deny
how funny Marty was. Smart without being fussy about it. Creative
to a sometimes-dangerous fault with their boss.
Brandy caught her reflection in the hall mirror, her eyes glazed
over and a smile straining her cheeks to the breaking point. It
fell in an instant and she stomped into her bathroom. Squeezing a
massive dollop of toothpaste onto the brush, she attacked her
bicuspids.
So he took her to the river. Lots of people go to the river. He
didn’t have to ditch me to do it. Ditch his job, not me. Not like
we’re anything but friends. And there’s always other movies to
catch together.
Her angry brushing transformed to vigilant pacing, Brandy
circling around the table where her phone was charging. She kept
glancing down at the black screen, then away. More tartar met its
end, the harsh bristles clawing into her gums.
He saved her from a mugger. What woman wouldn’t fall for that?
Man sweeps in from nowhere, out of the shadows, and chases away a
villain about to hurt you.
It’d work on her.
Excerpt #3 (267 words)
Ah!” Marty cried, and his straining tiptoes collapsed. He
splattered right onto the wall that was coated in wet paint.
“Oh no.” Brandy dashed to his side, but it was too late. A great
smear of mint green covered the entire front of his black T-shirt.
Marty held up his hands, showing one stained palm too. The other
clung to the roller and he stared in shock at the mess he’d
made.
A strange smile rose on his lips and he took a step closer.
“Brandy, come here.”
“What?”
“Give me a big hug!” he said, flailing both hands.
She took a step back and knocked right into the damn stool she’d
moved so they could reach the ceiling in the first place. Movement
in her peripheral vision caused her to turn back to find Marty
advancing.
“Don’t you dare,” she warned, shaking the brush at him.
He snickered at the empty threat. “Come on. It’s tradition.”
“No, it’s not,” she shouted, laughter escaping. Marty lunged for
her, but Brandy was quicker and ducked under his arms. He spun
around but kept lumbering toward her like a reanimated corpse.
“Of course it is. The Fourth of July hug.”
“Stop!” She full-on giggled, running for her kitchen. Marty was
quick on her heels, his entire torso glistening from the wet
paint.
What was she doing in here? The stove and counters trapped her
in place, pinning her between escape and Marty. He winked and—in
his smoldering voice—said, “Don’t you want to be wrapped up in
these arms?”
Yes.
And she hated herself for it.
About the Author
Ellen Mint adores the adorkable heroes who charm with their shy
smiles and heroines that pack a punch. She has a needy black lab
named after Granny Weatherwax from Discworld. Sadly, her dog is
more of a Magrat.
When she’s not writing imposing incubi or saucy aliens, she does
silly things like make a tiny library full of her books. Her
background is in genetics and she married a food scientist so the
two of them nerd out over things like gut bacteria. She also loves
gaming, particularly some of the bigger RPG titles. If you want to
get her talking for hours, just bring up Dragon Age.
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