Irish Eyes

IRISH EYES is a contemporary romance set on the south coast of Ireland. It’s the first book in a loosely connected series of four stories which take place in the same small town. I’ve just completed the second book, LUCK OF THE IRISH.

Blurb: The last thing Fiona Byrne needs right now is a complication with a penis. She’s broke, jobless, and reluctantly back in the small town she spent her childhood longing to escape. Falling for the sexy biker next door is not part of her game plan – especially when he’s the man who broke her heart ten years previously.

Gavin Maguire can’t believe the gawky teenage girl he remembers has blossomed into the beautiful, poised woman he sees before him. But Gavin has his own demons to deal with before he can hope for a happily ever after. He’s trying to rebuild his life after a brutal stabbing left him emotionally and physically scarred. He has a new business, recurring panic attacks, and an ex-girlfriend who is threatening to expose a guilty secret from his past – a secret which could destroy any future for him and Fiona, the woman he’s determined to spend the rest of his life with.

Excerpt from Chapter One:

Ballybeg, County Cork, Ireland

Fiona Byrne didn’t believe in fate. People forged their own destinies. Through hard work and forward planning, everyone could carve their own paths. When Fiona left Ballybeg ten years ago, she’d imagined a triumphant return, preferably in a fancy car and designer clothes. And yet here she was, right back where she’d started from: broke, jobless, and of no fixed abode. She glared up at the twinkling stars. This had to be some sort of cosmic joke.

“That’ll be five euros,” said the beefy bouncer guarding the door.

“Five euros? To get into a pub? Gareth, that’s moonlight robbery!”

Gareth shrugged. “We’re a club now. We’ve got a dance floor and all.”

“You mean the shed out the back? Sure, that’s always been there.”

“Either pay up or leave, Fiona. There’s a queue of people behind you.”

Grumbling, Fiona rummaged through her purse. It was a lot easier to argue with an anonymous stranger than a guy she’d known since primary school. She had exactly twenty euros to last her until the end of the month. So much for a cheap night out. She inhaled deeply, feeling the familiar sting of salt-tinged sea air. Ballybeg on a Friday night. Home sweet home. May God help her! Handing the money to Gareth, she opened the door and stepped inside.

The pub was packed. As the only venue in several towns to cater to punk rock and metal fans, O’Connor’s attracted a plentiful clientele. With the exception of the gothic metal music which boomed through the speakers, O’Connor’s made no effort to appear either alternative or trendy.

Fiona automatically scanned the room as she squeezed her way through the heaving throng. A lot had changed in the years she’d been away, but O’Connor’s was still as shabby as ever. It was a far cry from the trendy clubs in Dublin. The same pictures of long-dead martyred heroes adorned the walls, all men who had fallen during Ireland’s troubled history. The leather seats were even more ripped and patched than they had been ten years ago. The wooden bar was the old-fashioned kind, once richly polished, now dulled and scratched in places. Guinness was on tap, as were several other beers. The drink selection was impressive for a country pub, but that was Ireland for you.

A small courtyard out the back served as a smokers’ den, leading to the converted shed in which the dance floor was located.

But dancing was the last thing on Fiona’s mind.

Finally, she spotted her friends at a table in the far right corner of the pub. Sinéad was engaged in a desperate attempt to ward off the unwanted attentions of a guy with a mullet. As usual, Olivia was flirting up a storm with the nearest thing in trousers.

Fiona waved over to them and jerked her thumb in the direction of the bar, indicating she wanted to order a drink before joining them. There were a few people ahead of her. While waiting to be served, Fiona’s gaze drifted over the crowd.

And froze.

Gavin Maguire!

At that moment, he looked up, his sky blue eyes riveting her in place. She felt her stomach lurch, and quickly averted her gaze.

Fiona had known she’d run into him sooner or later. She’d just been banking on the “later” part. When she arrived in Ballybeg two weeks ago, her aunt mentioned Gavin was in Belfast for a couple of months on a work-related course.

Apparently, he was back.