#MFRWHook – What Kind of Date Are We Really Talking About?

Book Hooks is a weekly meme hosted by Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog. Readers have the chance to jump from one author to another who share hooks from their current WIP (work in progress) or any previously published book.

For this week’s edition of Book Hooks, here is a teaser from Sanctified, book two in The Matawapit Family series, now 30% off at eXtasy Books.

In the midst of a battle for leadership at their Ojibway community, two enemies of opposing families fall in love…

After suffering a humiliating divorce, infuriated Catholic Jude Matawapit bolts to his family’s Ojibway community to begin a new job—but finds himself thrown into a battle for chief as his brother-in-law’s campaign manager. The radical Kabatay clan, with their extreme ideas about traditional Ojibway life, will stop at nothing to claim the leadership position and rid the reserve of Western culture and its religion once and for all, which threatens not only the non-traditional people of the community, but Jude’s chance at a brand-new life he’s creating for his children.

Recovering addict Raven Kabatay will do anything to win the respect and trust of her older siblings and mother after falling deep into drug addiction that brought shame and anger to her family. Not only does she have the opportunity to redeem herself by becoming her brother’s campaign manager for chief—if he wins, she’ll have the reserve’s backing to purchase the gold-mine diner where she works, finally making something of herself. But falling in love with the family’s sworn enemy—the deacon’s eldest son, Jude—will not just betray the Kabatay clan. It could destroy everything Raven believes in and has worked so hard for.

Genre(s): Multicultural, contemporary romance, adult, inspirational.
Heat Rating: Level 3
Publication Date: September 20, 2019
Publisher: eXtasy Books

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Raven wasn’t going to do all the talking. Jude had a mouth. She guided the truck onto the main road. “What about you? Why come live up here? You lived in the city your whole life.”

“The school needed a principal. Somebody who’d stay.” Gone was the understanding tone from seconds ago. Jude’s vocal cords had morphed to direct and full of authority. Too bad. There was a nice guy hiding beneath his Deacon Matawapit impersonation.

She shouldn’t have offered him a ride, but not to do so was rude. Nobody deserved to walk in the extreme cold, not even her supposed enemy. But how could Jude be classed as an enemy? True, he was a Matawapit, but he didn’t belong to Ottertail Lake, unlike Emery who’d arrived as a kid and made the community his home. Jude was more outsider than band member.

“I see. That was generous of you. I know teachers and principals in Ontario make excellent money. They probably have a good pension plan, too. I bet you made six figures.” Raven steered the truck onto the other road. Up ahead was the principal’s house.

“Sometimes it’s not about money.” The way Jude answered, he sounded like he was trying to convince himself he’d made the right choice.

“No regrets then?” Raven pulled up at the box-shaped house.

“None.” Jude lifted his briefcase off the floor. “Thank you for the ride.”

When he made no move to open the door, the saliva in Raven’s mouth vanished. The silhouette of his square jawline, aquiline nose, and sensual lips sent jitters down her spine.

In the old days, he’d be marked as a handsome and skillful hunter, capable of generously providing for his family. Not a hint of his white heritage lurked in Jude’s features or coloring. He appeared one hundred percent Anishinaabe.

“You take after your dad.” As much as Raven loathed to admit it, the deacon had aged well. Jude, upon reaching his sixties, would maintain his youthful handsomeness, too. Like most Anishinaabe men, he’d enjoy a lack of gray peppering his super-thick hair until his late seventies, maybe even his eighties. Kokum hadn’t grayed until her eighties.

“Is that a compliment?” His voice rose an octave, impish.

Raven hadn’t meant to flatter the guy, and her mouth remained dry. “I guess it is.”

“Thank you. The…” He cleared his throat. “The women of your family are also…nice.”

“Uh…” Nobody had ever called Raven nice. “You mean nice-looking?”

“I’m your adult education teacher. I’m attempting to, well, err…I don’t need to get slapped with a sexual harassment suit.”

“Oh yes, the suing thing.” Raven couldn’t help the laugh. “I can’t afford a lawyer. Go ahead.” She sat taller, waiting for the flirty words like all men lavished on her.

“Go ahead?”

“Say what you wanted to say. I won’t be offended or go running to the board.”

“Ookay.” Jude’s chuckle was as sexy as his handsome face and deep, smooth voice. “The women in your family are beautiful. You come from a line of attractive women.”

“That’s a neat way to put it. You’re really sharp at twisting it up, hey?”

“Twisting?”

“Instead of saying I’m super-hot, you said the women of my family are.”

Jude again chuckled. He fingered his thick, black brow, shaking his head. If it wasn’t so dark, Raven would probably catch a grin and some dimples.

“What?” She shook back her hair.

“I never had a woman demand that I tell her she’s pretty. You’re upfront, aren’t you?” Teasing lurked in his words.

“Always. Why not? Are you used to demure women?”

His chuckle vanished.

“I’m not demure.” Raven couldn’t help the slyness creeping into her tone. “If I want something, I ask. If I like someone, I tell them.”

“Bold, then?” If the interior lights were on, she’d probably catch a grin from him.

“Not bold. Honest.”

“Honesty’s a good trait. Blunt, too?” He sounded like he’d quirked his brow.

“I’ve been told. Some say I can be mean.”

“Mean?”

“Yep. If someone pisses me off, I can get mean. Maybe I’m the B word.”

“Look, we’ve never formally met until tonight. How about you let me draw my own conclusions?” His reply wasn’t an order, since warmth filled his words.

“Okay. I’ll let you draw them.” A ding sounded. “That’s probably Fawn.” Raven reached inside her pocket and withdrew the cell phone. She checked the message. Bingo was over. Mom and the others hadn’t won tonight, either. “Big sister awaits. I gotta bounce.”

“Enjoy the rest of your evening. I’ll see you on Thursday. Be sure to try to get caught up on all your assignments.” He shifted in the seat, completely facing her.

She faced him. “Will do. If I’m caught up at work and the diner’s quiet, Cookie lets me study. He knows how bad I want my high school diploma.”

“I’d like you to also graduate, Raven,” he said sincerely.

“I…I will.” Raven shivered, and it wasn’t from the cold.

“Then I’ll see you on Thursday.”

“Thursday. It’s a date.”