Virtual Book tour & Giveaway: The Patriot Girl by Toni Lynn Cloutier

Today we're welcoming author Toni Lynn Cloutier to the blog on her tour with Goddess Fish Promotions for her contemporary romance novel, The Patriot Girl.   You can read our review of it here.

The author will be awarding prizes as follows:
1 - $10.00 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour
1 - $10.00 Amazon gift card "Stalker Prize", randomly drawn from those commenters who comment on each Blog stop during the tour.
Note: All WINNERS have the option to have a personalized word search puzzle created by the author! See FREE STUFF at http://www.tonilynncloutier.com/ for sample puzzles.

So comment today AND follow her tour (if you click on the banner over there on the left, it'll take you to a list of her tour stops) -- the more you read and comment, the better your odds of winning. You could be introduced to a great new author AND win a GC!

I asked Toni what things she MUST have in a romance to make it great.  Here's what she said:

1. Suspense – because it keeps the reader wanting to turn the pages. Whether it be a secret or a stalker, there needs to be something the reader looks forward to learning about the character or the plot as well as learning the reaction of the other characters in the story.

2. Easy vocabulary – because you don’t want your reader to stumble over a word and become distracted from the story.

3. Independent Heroine - The hero is there to protect her and satisfy her emotionally. She can handle herself physically when he’s not around.

4. Tension – both emotional and sexual. Emotionally, I want to yell at the heroine/hero and tell them “S/he loves you, stop thinking like that.” And sexually, I look forward to that moment and sigh, thinking “Finally.”

5. Sense of humor – I enjoy characters that can make me laugh. I think laughter in any relationship is SOOO important.

6. Happy Cry – the best cry, for me, is one where tears are flowing as I read while verbally saying.. “Awww…that’s so cute.”

7. HEA – of course, the Happy Ever After. I want the author to give me that excitement knowing after all these characters had gone through, love prevailed and they will be together forever!

What do YOU have to have to make a romance story satisfying?

MaKayla Adams has always been curious about the wild side of life. Making love with her late husband wasn’t exciting, and she never could understand the big deal…until hunky nightclub owner Dustin James hires her as a public relations consultant. His touch arouses feelings she’s never known, and his kiss tempts her to cross the line between business and pleasure.

Dustin doesn’t remember the car accident that put him in a coma three years ago, but since his recovery, he’s pushed his own needs aside to be a single father to his young daughter. When MaKayla offers to help publicize his country nightclub, however, she ignites deeper feelings he can’t ignore.

But there is more than mutual attraction between MaKayla and Dustin—there is a shared past connected to her husband’s death. Will the truth bring them together or tear them apart?

The youngest of five children, Toni was born and raised in Rhode Island. After graduating East Providence High School as a member of the Rhode Island Honor Society, she held several jobs from accounts receivable to billing before attending Rhode Island Associates of Realtors. She has a wonderful husband and is a stay-at-home mom to their teenage son. She is the author of two educational word search puzzle books. Her week is filled with writing romance novels and listening to country music while cleaning house, rearranging furniture, and playing with the cat they adopted from the shelter.

You can learn more about her and her work at:
http://www.tonilynncloutier.com/
on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/authortonilynncloutier
or on twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/ToniLCloutier