Tracey Solheim's RECIPE FOR DISASTER

In Tracy Solheim’s RECIPE FOR DISASTER, White House pastry chef Marin Chevalier desperately needs a date to her cousin’s society wedding. Unfortunately, her busy schedule and lackluster social life leave her little opportunity to meet eligible men. When a sexy Secret Service agent shows up in her kitchen—and just about everywhere else she goes—Marin believes she’s finally met the perfect date. But as a series of frightening accidents and near misses begin to occur around her, Marin finds herself relying on Griffin as more than just her “plus-one”.

The Key Ingredients for a Delicious Date

The best thing about being an author (well, other than the fact that I can work in my pajamas) is I get to make things up. And people pay me to fantasize. Really, what could be better? I recently ventured into writing romantic suspense and it was very cathartic because whenever I was having a bad day, I simply blew something up in my story. Of course, it’s always better to be violent between the pages rather than in real life, right?

Recently, in my book, Recipe for Disaster, I got to live out one of my favorite movie fantasies:  A date in the White House. Specifically, a date in ‘The Dish Room.’ Okay, it’s not really called ‘The Dish Room.’ That’s just how Michael Douglas’ character from An American President referred to the Yellow Oval Room. In the scene from the movie, Douglas is wooing Annette Benning with a tour of the residence floor which includes the room housing pieces from all the presidential china throughout history. Yes, I know, dishes aren’t very sexy, but when Michael Douglas is describing them—yum.

In the scene I created, Secret Service agent, Griffin Keller is wooing the White House pastry chef, Marin Chevalier, under false pretenses. He thinks she’s behind the recent art thefts taking place in the president’s home. Marin, on the other hand, believes the plus-one to her cousin’s society wedding just fell into her lap. What better place for a date on a summer evening in Washington, DC than the Truman Balcony, accessed via ‘The Dish Room?’ Here’s a snippet:

“Are you ready for dinner?” he asked.

She glanced at his empty hands. “Sure, but it looks like dinner is going to be a little sparse.”

He stepped away from the wall, that sly grin still firmly in place. “Oh, I guarantee you won’t go hungry. I just thought you might like a change of venue after being in the kitchen all day.”

“I meant it when I said I couldn’t take much of a break, Griffin. I don’t have time to leave the House and still finish what I need to finish tonight.”

“Who said anything about leaving the House?”

He extended his hand. When Marin didn’t immediately take it, he arched an eyebrow at her, issuing a challenge. Marin reluctantly placed her fingers in his. Griffin drew in a quick breath at the contact of their skin before tugging her forward. Was he feeling the same something she’d been feeling for days, she wondered. Marin’s heart sped up at the thought.

Griffin led her out into the center hallway before turning to enter the Yellow Oval Room. Marin glanced reverently at the beautiful china housed in the display cases. Like the rest of the house, the artwork in this room was stunning. She was so busy taking it all in, that she didn’t realize he was guiding her out onto the Truman Balcony until she felt the cool evening air brush her cheek. A table for two was set on the patio overlooking the South Lawn and the Washington Monument. Ernie, one of the White House butlers, pulled out a chair for Marin.

“Evening, Chef Marin,” he said, wearing a cat-ate-the-canary grin when Marin took her seat.

Griffin sat down across from her. He was once again studying her closely while the flame of the candle between them danced in the breeze. 

“When you said you’d get take-out, I assumed we’d be eating in the kitchen. On paper plates. Not—” Marin gestured to the plate and goblet in front of her “—White House china and crystal. I’m pretty sure this is probably illegal.”

Recipe for Disaster  By Tracy Solheim

Book 1 in the Men of the Secret Service series from Tule Publishing

Secret Service Agent Griffin Keller always gets his man. And, his woman. In pursuit of an international counterfeiter known only as “The Artist”, Griffin stumbles across paintings that have been unknowingly stolen from the White House and swapped with forgeries. His only clue to the thief’s identity, a dish towel from the White House kitchen.

White House pastry chef Marin Chevalier desperately needs a date to her cousin’s society wedding. Unfortunately, her busy schedule and lackluster social life leave her little opportunity to meet eligible men. When a sexy Secret Service agent shows up in her kitchen—and just about everywhere else she goes—Marin believes she’s finally met the perfect date. But as a series of frightening accidents and near misses begin to occur around her, Marin finds herself relying on Griffin as more than just her “plus-one”.

The more dead bodies that pile up around Marin, the more Griffin is convinced she is the link to The Artist. Too bad he can’t convince his libido. The curvy chef has gotten under his skin like no other woman. When the clues finally fall into place and Griffin realizes Marin is not the suspect, but instead the target, he’ll risk everything in his arsenal to keep her safe. Even his heart.

Buy links for Recipe for Disaster

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Recipe-Disaster…/dp/B079Q5YSVY/
• B&N:  http://bit.ly/2oKyidO
• Google: https://bit.ly/2IQIyJO
• iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/recipe-for-disaster/id1347426714?mt=11
• Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/recipe-for-disaster-11

Book 2: Between Love and Honor (Ben’s story) coming Fall, 2018.
Book 3: Shot in the Dark (Adam’s story) coming January 2019.

Where to find the author, Tracy Solheim:

• Website: https://www.tracysolheim.com/
• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TracySolheimBooks
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TracyKSolheim
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/solheim0062/
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6519003.Tracy_Solheim
• BoobBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/tracy-solheim