Title: Quinn, by design—Choosing family Book 2
Author: Jennifer Raines
Genre: Contemporary romance
Book Blurb:
She’s antiques royalty, he’s relentlessly modern
Master carpenter NIALL QUINN’s passion is creating bespoke furniture. Everything else comes second until his ex-fiancé ditches him when he gifts another creation to a friend, and he discovers his brother has been carrying his dead father’s debts. Niall’s self-respect demands he pay his share. He’s landed a prestigious exhibition of his work with a top gallery, possible in part because of the support of an antiques dealer who’s been mentor, patron, and generous landlord. Niall’s hoping the exhibition will establish his reputation and boost his bank balance.
LUCY McTAVISH’s grandfather, antiques supremo Cameron (Cam) McTavish raised her. His death leaves her totally alone. Lucy drained their personal accounts to provide twenty-four-seven in-home palliative care for Cam. The thought of poverty paralyses her, a crippling reminder of life before Cam found her. Laden with debt, she plans to sell Cam’s workshop to ensure his antiques emporium survives.
When the will is read, Niall Quinn holds the keys to Cam’s workshop. Lucy’s convinced he conned her grandpa in his last days and demands he restore antiques for her. Niall is blindsided by the bequest, but worries about yet another debt and agrees to the work.
Lucy and Niall circle each other. In sharing stories and drawing closer, Lucy figures out debt is her childhood bogeyman resurrected by Cam’s death. Niall has real debts and, unaware of his exhibition, she looks for clients who’ll pay him for the work she’d been demanding for free.
With the exhibition drawing closer, it’s crunch time. Will Niall choose his exhibition or Lucy? Does Lucy want a man who won’t share his dreams with her?
Excerpt:
Niall debated letting the phone, linked to the loudspeaker, go through to his answering service. Debated long enough for Lucy’s crisp, business-like voice to echo in the rafters, stating she was outside the workroom and expected him to open the door.
“You’ve changed the locks.”
“Good morning, Lucy.” She was wearing a gauzy, creamy blouse with some sort of ruffle at the throat. Very nineteenth century, probably perfectly suited to the hushed quiet of McTavish’s antiques showroom, unlike his own dusty jeans and work shirt.
She frowned. “Shouldn’t I have a set for the purposes of resumption in case of default?”
“Cam changed the locks and kept a set of keys after the insurance company asked for increased security.” Niall counted to ten in his head. A generous assessment would put her motormouth down to nerves. He could afford to be generous. “If you can’t find them, I’ll get another set made. I won’t be giving you grounds for eviction.”
“Sorry. That was a genuine question.” She pushed a hand through her hair, and for a heartbeat, he held his breath waiting for today’s loose chignon to unravel. “I’m having trouble getting my tone right.”
“With everyone, or just me?” Niall was interested she’d make the confession.
“Mostly you,” she admitted. “Given I can’t kick you out for not paying rent, I guess I don’t have many options for eviction.”
“Read the basics of commercial leases.” He leaned against the doorjamb, blocking her view of his workshop. “If I damage the property, if I fail to uphold my end of the bargain, you’ve got grounds.”
“I didn’t expect to become a landlord.” She rose on her toes, trying to peer over his shoulder. “What’s your end of the bargain?”
“Some insurance, utilities, minor repairs, and I’m responsible for cleaning and general maintenance.”
“Can I visit whenever I like?” Her heels hit the ground, and she met Niall’s gaze, her eyes not as red-rimmed as yesterday. Although she was back to wearing makeup. Deftly applied, it provided camouflage.
“As my landlord, it’s appropriate to make an appointment and give me a reason.” Niall continued to block her view.
“Did Grandpa make appointments?” Her voice held a winsome curiosity.
“Cam called in whenever he wanted a chat. He came as a friend and mentor, not as a landlord. Occasionally, he checked if any repairs were needed.”
“I called in to discuss Grandpa’s will.” She dangled a brown paper bag in front of his face. “And I brought sandwiches.”
“I pegged you for polite.” Niall registered the pink blush on her cheeks. Was she embarrassed by the compliment or yesterday’s behaviour? “You didn’t need to bring food.”
“If I’d been properly channelling my gran, I’d have brought cake.”
“Liùsaidh,” he murmured, stepping back.
“Yes.” Her chin jutted out, ready for a fight. “I’m named for her.”
“I didn’t know.” Niall decided the old-fashioned Scottish name suited her.
He’d looked up its meaning when he’d first heard it—warrior. Lucy was a warrior. He hadn’t figured out what she was fighting for yet, to hoard her family’s wealth or something else.
“Cam always called you Lucy. Come in.”
“It surprised both of them to discover Mum named me after her.” She crossed the threshold and halted. “To say Mum rebelled against everything they stood for would be an understatement.”
Niall stored away the personal details she revealed. Cam had been protective of both his daughter and granddaughter. “Whereas you took to preserving old furniture with a vengeance.”
“I don’t see any reason to apologise for appreciating beautifully made and preserved antiques.” Having made a visual assessment of the workshop, she started moving down the left side of the shed.
“You say ‘preserved’ as if that’s a calling in itself. Art isn’t something created a hundred or more years ago.”
Niall and Cam had debated the topic endlessly, more for the lively conversation than because they disagreed.
“That’s not what I’m saying, although my personal preference is for late-nineteenth, early-twentieth-century art and furniture.” She stopped in front of the stack of individual frames he’d finished this morning. “This space is different to when I was a child.”
“Is that the last time you were here?”
“Chaos.” She ignored his question. “That’s my overriding memory. Furniture in pieces, dust everywhere. Although I realise now that’s because Grandpa wasn’t able to spend as much time here as he wanted.” She ran a finger along a bench and held it up. “You’re neat and clean, Mr. Quinn. The lighting’s better, you’ve installed ventilation, the fire security has been updated, everything seems to have a place, and the equipment looks newer and more sophisticated.” She’d identified in minutes all the key changes made since he’d moved in.
Her bravado told Niall she’d been anxious about coming here today, about him, but also about her memories. Chaos disturbed her. Being disturbed was on a continuum, from being troubled, to being unnerved, to being petrified. He guessed her instinctive discomfort with chaos had come before she’d entered her granda’s workshop as a child.
Continuing her inspection, she halted in front of a large tool board mounted on the wall. It housed an old plane, a tenon saw, and ancient chisels, worn down from constant sharpening. “Antique hand tools?”
“Some of those are Cam’s.” Niall crossed his arms and watched her.
“Are?” She swivelled to face him, her expression uncertain.
“Cam let me use them. But they’re yours, if you want them?” Niall’s da’s tools shared the same board, and he counted them among his greatest treasures.
“I’ll think about it.” She gripped her pearls and blew out a breath to steady herself before re-starting her inspection.
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
What makes your featured book a must-read?
Quinn, by design layers emotion and tension in this opposites attract, slow burn contemporary romance about a modern woodworker vs an antiques shop owner. Wonderful characters, unpredictable twists, and a man who works magic with his hands.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs December 16 – December 31, 2024.
Winner will be drawn on January 2, 2025.
Author Biography:
Australian Jennifer Raines writes sensuous contemporary romances set mainly, but not exclusively, in Australia—think Malta, Finland, New Zealand or ? A dreamer and an optimist, her stories are a delicious cocktail of passion, mutual respect and loyalty because she still believes in happily-ever-afters.
Social Media Links:
Website- https://jenniferrainesauthor.com