Bluegrass Courtship by Allie Pleiter

Today, I'm happy to welcome my friend Allie Pleiter. She's here to feature her new release: Bluegrass Courtship, a Steeple Hill Love Inspired title.

Here's a bit about Allie:

Enthusiastic but slightly untidy mother of two, Allie Pleiter writes both fiction and non-fiction. An avid knitter, harp player, and non-reformed chocoholic, she spends her days writing books, doing laundry, running carpools, and finding new ways to avoid housework. Allie grew up in Connecticut, holds a BS in Speech from Northwestern University and currently lives in suburban Chicago, Illinois. The "dare from a friend" to begin writing eight years ago has blossomed into a career that includes numerous public speaking engagements, two books on parenting; BECOMING A CHIEF HOME OFFICER and FACING EVERY MOM'S FEARS, and now novels for Steeple Hill. She is the mother of two children and, most recently, a Havanese dog named Bella.

Here's the back cover copy:

The celebrity host of TV’s Missionnovation, Drew Downing is comfortable with his fame. He’s become accustomed to the cheering, star-struck townfolk that usually welcome him as he renovates churches countrywide. Usually. Then he and his crew set up in tiny Middleburg, Kentucky, to rebuild the church’s storm-damaged preschool. The very lovely, very no-nonsense hardware store owner Janet Bishop is suspicious of Drew’s true motives. It looks like Janet Bishop’s faith—in God, in herself, and in love—needs some serious rebuilding. And Drew Downing is just the man for the job.

And here is her Romantic Times review:

“Four Stars--With some delightfully humorous moments, Pleiter delivers an appealing romance as well as a story filled with interesting characters” -- From RTBookreviews Magazine

Four stars is fantastic, Allie! Please tell us how the story came about.

My son would automatically hand me the box of tissues when I watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I cried at the end of every single episode--there’s something so compelling about the human drama of demolition and reconstruction. Making old things new, granting someone a physical “new start” to match the mental one they’ve either accomplished or desperately need. How could an author not tap into that rich trove of human emotion? Of course, I had to give it my own twist, so I invented Missionnovation, a church version of EMHE, that gives church buildings the same fresh start Ty Pennington gives homes. As I pondered the possibilities, the big green bus of Missionnovation pulled into my brain and took over. Any of you readers who operate under the illusion that we authors are in control of our characters…you’re wrong. The best books come from the times when we’re just the typists, coming along for the ride.

Now, you can’t have a good romance without a good couple, so Missionnovation’s Drew Downing needed the perfect woman to show him what was truly important. Janet Bishop was just the sort of independent woman to pit against Drew’s Hollywood style; personally, professionally (she owned the local independent hardware store), and spiritually. Like all good love stories, they bring out the best in each other—but only after they bring out the worst in each other. Throw in the rest of Middleburg’s lovable cast of quirky characters, and you can see why this book was as much fun to write as I hope it is to read. Next up, you can read the story of Dinah Hopkins, Middleburg’s bold and brassy baker when Bluegrass Blessings releases this July.

Wow, Allie, you're very busy!

Readers, check out Allie's website at: www.alliepleiter.com where you can learn more about her and purchase Bluegrass Courtship.

Thanks for visiting, Allie. We wish you all the best!