Title Dempsey’s Grill
Author Bryan Fagan
Genre Contemporary Romance, Comedic Romance
Publisher The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Gibson Baker had it all. A beautiful house. A beautiful girlfriend. A steady job and the world's most comfy couch. But when Gibson loses his job and his girl on the same day, he is forced to crawl home to Mom and Dad. At least Mom’s happy to see him.
Excerpt
"You need a home cooked meal," Mom said, wiping her final tear. I couldn't tell if they were tears of joy for being home or tears of worry for my future. To be honest, I was afraid to ask. "After that everything will be better. You're home and we're all going to help you through this mess. This family sticks together. Don't feel for one second you are alone, honey."
Hope glanced at Mom, sighed, and joined me at the table. Eating has always been a huge event in our family. If there was ever an artist in the family it was Mom. Give her a slice of dried up ham, a half a jar of mayo and a cup of brown sugar and Mom would produce a legendary dish not to be outdone by the finest chefs in Europe. Nobody could touch her talents in the kitchen and nobody dared. If Mom had taken her talents to a restaurant instead of her own kitchen her life may have turned out differently, but thankfully for all of us we were the only customers she wanted and I couldn't love her more if I tried.
As we waited for Mom, I tried my best to avoid Hope's glare. She made it clear by her loud silence that my coming home to stay was not welcomed news.
I was the gutter ball, the sour milk, the rain at her wedding day. But here I was, nonetheless, eating a meatloaf sandwich, Mom's famous potato salad, and fresh beans from the garden, boiled in bacon. The last time I had tasted anything this good was the last time I had been home.
There are rules in every home and ours was no different. Mom cooked and took care of the home, Dad brought in the money, and Hope fixed things. I had forgotten those rules after all these years, but as I sat at the kitchen table finishing off the last bite of boiled beans with bacon, the rules of the house surged back over me like a flash flood.
My mom cleaned the table, kissed me on the head and patted Hope on the shoulder. After that she disappeared. Her job was over. Her kid was fed and now it was time for her other kid to do her job.
Buy Links
Why is your featured book a cure for the winter blues?
It’s about old friends and how they make you feel. Don’t take my word for it, here’s some reviewers’ thoughts.
I felt it had a fun Gen-X vibe, and as an Xer, I'm always on the lookout for stories that hit home for me. ~ Amazon Reviewer
The first person stream of consciousness style sucks you right into Gibson's brain, a very interesting place to be. I don't want to give away the story but you will laugh out loud one minute and well up with tears the next. ~ Amazon Reviewer
Dempsey's Grill reads with a wisdom and candor that I've only ever seen in famous classic contemporaries. ~ Amazon Reviewer
Giveaway –
One lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card.
Open internationally.
Runs March 1 – 31, 2025
Drawing will be held on April 1, 2025.
Author Biography
I was born and raised in Burlington, Washington. A little farming town 70 miles north of Seattle. I bummed around with odd jobs after high school until one day I spotted a small college in Ashland, Oregon. I later settled in Eugene, Oregon with my wife and two daughters. I began my writing career with the help of my daughters. When they were little, they drew pictures and created stories. One day they asked me to join them. I remember the day my four-year-old asked if I would do something for her. She asked if I would write a novel. And that was the day I began to write.
Social Media Links
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Website: https://bryanfaganauthor.com/