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Once Upon an Island

Sneak Peek #4 : Once Upon an Island

Once upon an island cover is a beachy retelling of Pride and Prejudice coming May 24th. The cover features a hammock tied between two trees with a beautiful ocean behind. This is an amazing new romcom by author Sarah Ready. Check out this sneak peek.

Want sneak peek #4 from my newest book? Once Upon an Island is now available. This stand alone romcom and the perfect summer read. Is there anything sexier than swimming in a secluded tropical bay with a billionaire? How about if the bay glows with bioluminescence and there is a swoon-worthy billionaire?

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek #4 of Once Upon an Island:


Sneak peek #4 of Once Upon an Island

I gasp. Because the water lights up. Literally lights up. Everywhere I touch, neon blue lights spark through the water. Declan is surrounded by ripples and waves of electric blue dancing across his skin and in the water around him.

“It’s the bay,” I say excitedly. Then I realize that doesn’t make sense. “The bay is bioluminescent and these little microorganisms light up and…isn’t it beautiful?”

Declan looks at me, then down at the aura of electric blue surrounding me. I’m treading water again, and it looks like I have trailing blue angel’s wings.

“I never come out here,” I say. “I mean, when I was a kid, my mom brought me. I thought the lights were fairies and that they were going to pull me underwater to live in their kingdom. I used to dream about it.” 

I glance over at Declan to see if he’s laughing at me. He’s not, he’s watching me with that same, neutral, stoic expression. I pull my hand through the water and watch the trail of blue sparks flash and pulse everywhere I touch. I imagine the lights as little fairies flying around my fingers. I look back at Declan. He’s not watching the water, he’s watching me. I lick my lips nervously. They taste of salt and the sea. 

“My dad finally told me they weren’t fairies, they were Pyrodinium Bahamanse, a microorganism. After that, I didn’t ever feel like coming back.”

I stop and look at the blue lights shining around Declan. 

“Why not?”

Now that he asks, I’m not really sure. I swim closer to him.

“I’m not really sure,” I admit. “I used to think it was because the magic was gone once my dad told me the science behind the lights. But now…” I look around at the bioluminescence. “I see that’s wrong. It’s still magical, even though I know there’s a scientific explanation. It’s still magic.” 

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he turns over and floats on his back, spreading his arms and legs so that he looks like a glowing blue angel floating in the water.

Then, he turns his head toward me and says, “Come on then.”

I let out a surprised huff. “Alright,” I say. “But it’s not because I’m interested. It’s only because it’s magical.” Then I spread my arms and legs out and float on my back.

The moon spills silvery light over us, and from the corner of my eyes I can see the field of blue fairy lights sparking in and out of existence around us. It feels like we’re floating in the middle of the deep, black universe and stars and planets are being born in brilliant blue flashes and then fading quietly away, only to be born again. And again. 

The night is quiet. Neither Declan nor I speak. We just float together in bioluminescence. My arms extend out and I startle when my hand brushes against his.  

He doesn’t say anything, and neither do I. 

Instead of pulling away, I leave my hand next to his. It’s sort of lonely in a universe of floating blue lights, and it feels comfortable to have his hand close enough to hold, even if I never actually do reach out and take it. 

He doesn’t pull away either. So we float there, staring up at the crescent moon, a minute, two, five passing by. Touching, but not.


Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Order your copy

to find out what happens today!

Romance writer Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance, romcom, romantic comedy, and chick lit.
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Once Upon an Island

Sneak Peek #3 : Once Upon and Island – now available!

Once upon an island cover is a beachy retelling of Pride and Prejudice coming May 24th. The cover features a hammock tied between two trees with a beautiful ocean behind. This is an amazing new romcom by author Sarah Ready. Check out this sneak peek.

Want sneak peek #3 from my newest book? Once Upon an Island is now available. This stand alone romcom and the perfect summer read. What do you do when the proud and arrogant billionaire turns out to be actually nice? Throw fruit at him of course 🙂

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek #3 of Once Upon an Island:


Sneak peek #3 of Once Upon an Island

“I don’t think you’re awful anymore. You’re only half awful.”

I wait for his response, but he turns his face to the side and looks away from me. In the window’s reflection I see a small smile curve at the edge of his lips. 

Then the taxi pulls up the drive, the headlights shine through the window, and his reflection is wiped away.

“Well. That’s the taxi. So. Thanks again.”

He nods. “Anytime.”

He starts to walk out of the kitchen but pauses at the hall and turns. “Isla?”

“Yes?” Annoyingly my heart beats a little faster. 

“Thank you for dinner.”

I nod. “You’re welcome.” 

He studies me for a moment, then says, “I’m still not interested.”

His words hit my warm, contentment like a glass of ice water. Gah.

“Oh, go away.” I grab a clementine from the fruit bowl and chuck it at him. 

He’s too stunned to dodge. It hits him in the center of the chest then thuds to the ground. 

He looks down at it then up at me. He scoffs. “Really?” 

“Go on,” I say. “You’re back to awful. Full awful.” I grab for the squishy apricot at the top of the fruit pile and heft it in my hand. 

He holds up his hands. “I surrender.” 

“I should’ve left you for the sharks,” I say. I throw the apricot at him, but this time he’s ready. He snatches it from the air and holds it up for me to see. 

“Goodnight Isla,” he says.

I scowl at him. 

Then he lifts the apricot to his mouth and takes a bite. The juice from the fruit runs over his lips and down his chin. 

His tongue sweeps out and catches it up.

His eyes don’t leave mine. Not the whole time he’s licking up the juice of the apricot.

Oh my.

My abdomen clenches in response to the look on his face and my mouth starts to water. 

“Goodnight, good riddance,” I say, proud that my voice is steady.

“Goodbye, Isla.”

He salutes me with the apricot and walks out of my cottage.


Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Order your copy

to find out what happens today!

Romance writer Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance, romcom, romantic comedy, and chick lit.
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Once Upon an Island

Sneak Peek #2: Once Upon an Island

Once upon an island cover is a beachy retelling of Pride and Prejudice coming May 24th. The cover features a hammock tied between two trees with a beautiful ocean behind. This is an amazing new romcom by author Sarah Ready. Check out this sneak peek.

Want sneak peek #2 from my newest book coming out May 24th, 2022? Once Upon an Island is a stand alone romcom and the perfect summer read. What do you do when you find yourself on a small plane with an arrogant billionaire and your motion sickness pills kick in?

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek #2 of Once Upon an Island:


Sneak peek #2 of Once Upon an Island

Jimmy starts the propeller and the noise fills the cabin. Percy and Arya lean closer together to continue their conversation. When Jimmy starts moving the plane forward I close my eyes, but unfortunately, my head spins so much that I have to open them again. 

When I do, I notice Declan staring at me. 

“Yes?” I ask. 

He scowls. “You made a noise.”

I probably did. In fact, I imagine it was a noise like “please, oh please, please fly okay.” 

“I’m fine,” I say. 

Declan looks down at my hands and makes a disbelieving noise. I look down too. I’m gripping the seats and my knuckles have turned white. 

The plane bumps down the runway and my stomach flips with each little bump. 

“Are you afraid to fly?” asks Declan. He has a judgy look on his face. “How can you live on an island and be afraid of flying? Don’t you have to fly to go anywhere else in the world?” 

I glare at him. His people skills are terrible. “I’m not afraid of flying.”

He makes another disbelieving noise. 

“I’m not,” I say.

“Just like you don’t eat balls very often,” he says. Then he smirks at me.

I gasp and my back goes poker straight. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure he remembered me, or recognized me from the Valentine’s Day Brunch, but I am now.

“It’s none of your business how often I eat balls,” I hiss at him. Then I flush. “And I’m talking about chocolate, you…you…man.” My insult falls flat. It’s hard to be eloquent when you’re drugged up and terrified of flying.

“I know what you’re up to,” he says, and his lip curls in a villain-ish sort of way.

What’s he talking about?

“You don’t know anything,” I say. Because…comebacks.

He shakes his head and looks at me like I’m the larva of a slug. “I heard your friends talking in the terminal. ‘Land the white whale. Nab a billionaire. Blah blah blah.’ Trust me, La-La. I’ve had enough gold diggers after me to recognize one from a mile away. I’m not interested.”

My mouth drops open and I try to formulate a comeback. Instead, all I manage are little choking noises of outrage. Finally, I say, “I’m not a dold gigger…” I shake my head. That wasn’t right. Darn prescription. “Gold digger,” I correct.

Declan snorts and turns back to his phone, effectively dismissing me.

However, I’m a person, not a dog he can dismiss or beckon at his convenience. So I lean over and forcefully poke his arm with my pointer finger.  

He glances up and gives me an affronted look. “Yes?”

“I’m not a gold digger,” I say again. 

“Methinks thou protesteth too much.”

I shake my fuddled head. “I just want to set the record straight. I wouldn’t chase you, lust after you, date you, or marry you, even if you and I were stranded on a deserted island together, or if you were the last man on earth. Billionaire or bankrupt, I don’t care. Because I don’t like you. Got it? I don’t like you.” 

Declan gives me a tight-lipped smile. “The feeling’s mutual,” he says. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important things to do.” 

Implying that I’m not important. 

Well.

“So do I,” I say.

I resist the urge to stick out my tongue. 

What a jerk.

I turn away from him, my head spinning. When I look out the little oval window next to my seat, I see with surprise that we’re high in the sky, soaring over the azure-colored sea. I was so distracted by Declan that I forgot about my terror over take-off, and my fear of flying. 

I look down and make out the white sail of a sailboat, the dark greenish-black smudges of a reef, and a tiny uninhabited island.

I glance over at Declan. It’s amazing. It seems that my complete and utter loathing and fear of flying was finally wiped out. I don’t need anti-anxiety medication, therapy, or any other tricks. I just need to replace it with an even greater loathing – that of Declan Fox. 

I grin gleefully. At that moment he looks up, sees my expression and scowls at me. 

Amazing. Wonderful. 

“It’s not going to work. You’re not pretty enough to tempt me. Nor are you eloquent or smart enough. Or friendly enough for that matter. Even when you smile. You can stop trying,” he says grumpily. 

This makes me smile even more. 

He’s awful, and that’s wonderful. 

“You’re the worst person I’ve ever met,” I say with the biggest grin on my face.

“And you’re the most vulgar, greediest, average-looking gold digger I’ve ever met.”

“Perfect,” I say with a smile.


Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Preorder your copy

to find out what happens May 24th, 2022!

Romance writer Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance, romcom, romantic comedy, and chick lit.
Categories
Once Upon an Island

Sneak Peek of Once Upon an Island – Coming May 24th!

Once upon an island cover is a beachy retelling of Pride and Prejudice coming May 24th. The cover features a hammock tied between two trees with a beautiful ocean behind. This is an amazing new romcom by author Sarah Ready. Check out this sneak peek.

My newest romcom is coming out May 24th, 2022 and I wanted to share a sneak peek of Once Upon an Island with you. Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets. The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men. So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

Check out this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island:


Sneak peek of Once Upon an Island

“I have news,” Kate says. 

She flags down a waiter and we all grab a glass of champagne. 

I shoo away a grackle, the little black birds that opportunistically try to grab food when you’re not looking. We don’t have any food except chocolate at our table. It hops away across the pink sand.

“What’s your news?” I ask, turning back to Kate.

She grins at us and spreads her arms wide. “There’s a billionaire on the island.” She says the word “billionaire” like you’d say “holy grail.” 

We stare at her for a moment. 

“What does that have to do with us?” asks Renee.

“He’s single,” Kate says with a great amount of relish.

“And?” I ask.

“And in his thirties.”

I sigh. “And?”

“And one of us is going to land him,” she ends with a flourish. 

I shake my head. Why did I come today? Why didn’t I ignore the text and stay lounging in my undies eating buckets of ice cream?

“He probably clips his toenails at the dinner table,” Arya says. 

We all stare at her, but she just shrugs. “I have a list of all the fatal flaws my boyfriends have had. The automatic breakup flaws. That one is the worst, but it comes up surprisingly often.”

“You’re too picky,” Kate says. “This guy is the white whale of dating and marriage. If he clipped his toenails at the dinner table and then sprinkled them on my food like parmesan cheese gratings I’d still marry him. I want one of us to catch him.”

“That’s disgusting,” I say. “Also, I’m leery of white whales. Didn’t Captain Ahab die trying to catch Moby Dick? He died…trying to catch a dick. Think about that.”

But Renee has a bigger issue with Kate’s statement. “Why do you assume he’s looking for a woman? And why do you assume any of us want to get married?”

She has a point. I grab the last truffle ball. These things are delicious. 

Kate gives us all a frustrated look. “It is a well-known fact that any single man with millions or billions of dollars desperately wants to get married.”

“That’s not logical,” Arya says.

Kate disagrees. “It’s completely logical. Once a man has amassed a fortune, he’s bored. Therefore he’s driven to get married, so he can then divorce, lose half his money in the divorce settlement and then have the motivation to make more money. Once he’s back on top and rich again, he’ll look for another wife to give half his money to all over again. It’s a cycle. Men like doing this.” 

I stare at Kate, completely aghast. She takes a long sip of her champagne and gives us all a superior look. “Trust me, I’m British.”

I snort into my champagne glass. 

Kate continues, “I saved the best news for last. He came with his friend, who also happens to be well-off. My mum called to let me know that Duchy said—”

Duchy is some duchess that Kate’s mom is bosom friends with. Kate, despite living in exile on Mariposa Island, is from a top-tier British family. 

She was supposed to marry some titled guy, but instead she ran off with a professional jet-skier. Two months later she dumped the jet-skier and wanted to return to England, but her parents had already disowned her. So, she stayed on the island, became a realtor, and continued to make terrible dating decisions. Five years later, her mom talks to her on the phone, but her dad still refuses to acknowledge her existence. 

“Duchy said that the billionaire Declan Fox was moving to the island, and his best friend Percy Oliver is coming along for a stay. My cousin went to Cambridge with Percy, he’s to inherit some title or other. I don’t know.” Kate waves it off as a non-issue. “The point is, one of us will land Declan, and another of us will land Percy.”

“I’m out,” Renee says. She leans back in her chair and shakes her head. “I’m not going to throw away my most productive career years on a man.”

Kate looks at me and Arya. “La-La?” she asks me. Technically, my name is Isla, but Kate likes to call me La-La. “Arya? Are you two in?” 

“Why would I want to marry a billionaire? Or some stuffy aristocrat?” Arya asks.

“To avoid that matchmaker your mom keeps threatening to foist on you,” Kate says.

Arya considers this. Her parents are completely fine with her dating as many men as she likes, however, her mom is getting the grandmother itch, and she keeps threatening to hire a matchmaker. Arya’s parents met through a matchmaker, and so did her grandparents, so her mom is gung-ho about bringing Arya onto the matchmaking train.

“Right. I’m in,” Arya says.

I give Kate a pained look. “I just don’t get the point in chasing after a billionaire and his BFF.”

She levels her gaze on me. “La-La, you want to get married someday, right?”

“Sure. Of course I do.” 

Granted, I haven’t dated anyone in three years, but it’s not for lack of wanting. Our little Caribbean island has a serious shortage of eligible men. 

Back when I was younger, I thought I’d be married by now, maybe have a few kids. But that was when I was a bright-eyed, nubile, early-twenty-something optimist. 

Now, I’d love to find the right guy to grow old with, someone kind, and good, and who accepts me exactly as I am. But that guy is surprisingly harder to find than I thought. 

Kate claps her hands together. “Great. Since the four of us are going to marry someday—”

“The three of you,” Renee says.

Kate shrugs. “We can either choose to steer our boat toward toenail clipping, cereal/soup eaters, or we can navigate our boat towards billionaires. I’ve had enough dating disasters—”

“Here, here,” Arya lifts her champagne glass in a toast.

“I’m tired of steering myself toward relationships that go nowhere. When I was talking to my mum I realized that I’m going to fall in love again someday. But this time, I’m going to only allow myself to fall in love with an incredibly rich man.”

Hmmm. 

I look around the brunch tent. It’s getting rowdy. The champagne’s been flowing for more than two hours, the band is now playing a tropical version of Let’s Get it On, and some of the couples are cooling off in the calm azure sea water. 

There are a few single guys here, most of them are in a group chugging mimosas. The one guy dressed in the tropical shirt that Renee pointed out is still dancing on the table pretending to make cocktails. 

“Are you in, La-La?” Kate asks. “We can do this. By the end of the year, two of us will be married. One to a billionaire, the other to his well-off aristo friend. I guarantee it.”

I’m a little tipsy from the champagne and the heat. I’m not really looking to land a white whale, but I have to admit, I am looking for someone

“Alright.” There’s no harm in agreeing. It’s not like we’ll actually run into these guys.


Did you love this sneak peek of Once Upon an Island?

Preorder your copy

to find out what happens May 24th, 2022!

Romance writer Sarah Ready writes contemporary romance, romcom, romantic comedy, and chick lit.
Categories
Once Upon an Island

Summer Romcom Book Cover Reveal!

Want my latest summer romcom book? Check out another amazing cover by the talented Elizabeth Turner Stokes! My latest summer romcom book, Once Upon an Island, is coming May 24, 2022.

Summer romcom Once Upon an Island by Sarah Ready. Cover features hammock between two palm trees with a ocean in the distance and tropical flowers in the foreground.
This amazing cover is by Elizabeth Turner Stokes.

Once Upon an Island is a beachy take on a classic romance.

Fun-loving Isla Waterstone loves her laid-back life on Mariposa Island. She has everything she could ever want…a great job as a journalist for the local paper, amazing friends, and pink sand beaches with stunning tropical sunsets.

The only problem with tiny tropical islands? There are more sea turtles than single men.

So when British billionaire Declan Fox and his aristocratic friend arrive, Isla’s friends know this can mean only one thing. 

Marriage.

After all, it’s a truth universally acknowledged, when a single billionaire travels to a tropical island, he must be in want of a wife.

But Isla isn’t convinced. Especially because Declan is the most rude, arrogant, prideful man she’s ever met.

Or is he?

From tropical Mariposa to England and back again, this playful summer romcom, finds that first impressions don’t always tell the whole story.

My latest summer romcom book, Once Upon an Island, is available May 24, 2022.

Pre-order

Once Upon an Island

Now!