All Washed Up

by: Joanna Campbell Slan

Cara Mia Delgatto Mystery #3

Publication Date: March 21, 2016

Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Purchase: Amazon (#99c)

Synopsis: Half-drowned immigrants. A dead store owner. A vicious attempt on a woman’s life. Despite all this, shop owner Cara Mia Delgato still tries to do what’s right by returning a vintage Lilly Pulitzer frock to its original owner. As a result, she risks everything—including her son’s life.

With a plot echoing the weighty decisions of today, and a revelation that lays bare the intrigues of our nation’s most exclusive town, All Washed Up is a fast-paced, clean read, that sparkles with a cast of strong women. As an amateur sleuth, Cara Mia proves her courage. As a woman friend, she’s without equal. And as a crime-solving granddaughter, she’s not afraid to back up her grandfather when he’s in a tight spot, because that’s what women do…we take care of those we love. In this third book in the series, Cara’s romantic problems come to a nasty head, while her relationship with her sister grows ever more toxic. But throughout all the drama, Cara proves herself to be a woman you can count on in a tough situation. Of course, you can also count on her to come up with yummy recipes and terrific ideas for recycling. But hey, isn’t that what being a working woman is all about? Multi-tasking!

EXCERPT:
Cara Mia is going out on a date with Jason, a wonderful guy. He’s ready to take their relationship to the next level, but she’s not sure that’s what she wants.

Jason tucked my hand under his arm as we ambled down the sidewalk toward the restaurants that dotted the streets of Downtown Stuart.
“Yes, I found the woman who washed up on the beach. Can you believe it? That started my day on the wrong foot. I was primed for a nice walk with Jack, but after stumbling over the mermaid—”
“Mermaid?” Jason frowned as he pulled me closer so we could let other folks get by. As we walked, women’s heads turned. No doubt about it, Jason was major league eye candy. His sandy blond hair was sun-streaked from surfing. His shoulders were broad and his waist tiny. Not only was he well-built, but his chiseled features were well-balanced.
“Mermaid. That’s my private name for the woman I found. See, when I spotted her, she looked like one of those sand sculptures people leave on the beach. I didn’t realize she was a real person until she moved. Skye has been telling me I need glasses. She’s probably right. Of course, the mist made things blurry.”
We came to a crosswalk. “Cara, what were you thinking? Wandering around on a beach by yourself in the dark?”
“Jupiter Island is the safest community in the country. Our ratio of law enforcement officers—”
Jason interrupted. “Don’t give me that baloney. You didn’t have a cop escort, Cara. You could have been hurt. Seriously hurt. Someone could have overpowered you.”
“So I’ve been told. Repeatedly.”
“Promise me you won’t endanger yourself like that again.”
I almost snapped at him. Almost.
Instead of getting huffy, I stopped and kissed Jason on the cheek.
Jason walked me backwards into an alcove festooned with playbills. Putting both hands on my shoulders, he gently pinned me against the wall. “Cara? Ever since I took that job up in Jacksonville, I’ve come to realize how much I care about you.” Moving slowly, he leaned in for a kiss.
It wasn’t a friend-to-friend sort of smooch. It was long and deep. Fireworks exploded throughout my body. A shower of sparks set me tingling. Even though we were standing there on a public street, I heard a moan escape my lips.
“Whoa.” I pushed him away. His eyes had a gleam that could only be described as hungry. “Jason, that was, um, intense. I’m not ready for it. I mean, there’s our age difference.”
He tossed back his head and laughed. “Okay, Grandma.” With a tug at my hand, he pulled me toward the open sidewalk. “Let’s see if you can make it to the restaurant without your walker.”

**DON'T MISS THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE CARA MIA DELGATTO MYSTERY SERIES**

Purchase (#FREE): Amazon | Print | B&N | Kobo

Synopsis: A spin off from the Kiki Lowenstein Mysteries.

After her parents die within six months of each other and her son goes off to college, savvy entrepreneur Cara Mia Delgatto decides to construct a new life for herself. A road trip leads to her grandfather's home on the picturesque Treasure Coast of Florida, where she impulsively snaps up a "tear down," a building scheduled for the wrecking ball--only to discover it's already occupied by a fresh corpse. While Detective Lou Murray tries to nail the killer to the wall, Cara Mia enlists the help of two new friends to open a store specializing in one-of-a-kind, recycled, and repurposed items. But before she can get down to brass tacks, Cara Mia decides to help Lou figure out "whodunit," because she's been painted into the picture as one of the prime suspects. To make matters more complicated, tensions are building with Cooper Rivers, an old boyfriend. Cara Mia wonders whether her second chance at love will pan out--or if her carefully constructed fantasies will lead her to a new life behind bars. Includes Crafts-Skye Blue's Sparkling Votives and Recipes-MJ Austin's Pineapple Casserole, Skye Blue's Broccoli Soup, and Cara Mia Delgatto's Clams in Garlic Wine Broth.

Purchase: Amazon | Print | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

Synopsis: Joanna Slan has done it again with her murder mystery book. Book two in this series really grabs readers from the start. Cara Mia Delgatto seems to always have murder knocking at her door. She owns The Treasure Chest and is working with a fun, loving staff to turn "trash" into treasure. Shortly after her store's big kick off party, a body is discovered out her back door. Cara was seen in heated discussion with the victim at Cara's party. This was a very quick read to the end. Couldn't wait to find out who did it.

ABOUT JOANNA CAMPBELL SLAN

Joanna Campbell Slan is the nationally bestselling and award-winning author of thirty books, including both fiction and non-fiction titles. RT Reviews has called Joanna “one of mystery’s rising stars.” Like her protagonists, Joanna loves nature, crafting, and long walks on the beach. A native of Florida, she lives with her husband David and their dog, Jax, on Jupiter Island, Florida.