I’m pleased to welcome fellow Anaiah author, Carol Underhill. Her newest title, The Reluctant Billionaire, releases April 13, 2021. I invited Carol to chat about her book and a bit about herself. So without further introduction…here’s Carol!
ASKING CAROL
Q: Your main character, Liam is an interesting hero. What was tricky about writing his character? The character of Liam was challenging. He is shy and his inheritance makes him a vulnerable target for people who want something from him or are jealous of his money. It was difficult to portray that without making him seem standoffish.
Q: What was the inspiration for this story and how does your background help in creating the story? I traveled to Mexico during college and spent time there studying. I later returned to do missionary work and teach English. Jessica’s younger sister, Julie, has a fascination with Mexico because she has a crush on Liam. She’s gone on mission trips there before and is going for the summer. She tells Jessica that she thinking about becoming a missionary. That is part of my past that I brought into the story.
Q: How many novels did you write before you became published? I wrote 14 complete novels before I got the contract with Anaiah for publishing The Reluctant Billionaire.
Q: Why write Christian fiction? My faith is such an important part of my life. It’s been my moral compass and my strength. I made the choice years ago to not be on the fence when it came to writing romance but to stay on the side of clean and Christian fiction. I like to watch my characters grow in their faith through the events in the story. Writing about how they go through their challenges and come out stronger helps to strengthen my own faith.
Thank you, Carol for sharing!
About the Book
With her husband’s ultimate betrayal, and the finalization of her divorce, Jessica Palmer’s dreams for her life go up in flames, leaving her devastated and lost. Now, she’s leaving Chicago and moving back into her parents’ house in an effort to rebuild her life. Longtime neighbor and friend, Liam Engstrom, is the only reason she hasn’t completely fallen apart, but the closer they get, the more she realizes the depth of his feelings.
Liam has loved Jessica since they were teens, but she never noticed him as more than a friend. Now that she’s single, he’s determined to show her how much he cares and that not all men are like her ex-husband–if she’ll let him.
Jessica is reluctant to trust again after what her husband did to her, and Liam refuses to be the rebound guy, but their attraction is hard to deny. So, together, with a little help from God, they decide to give love a chance. But between Liam’s recent inheritance and an unwanted public billionaire status that has people lining up with their hands out, and Jessica’s ex-husband monitoring her every move, their relationship is off to a rocky start. And when tragedy strikes, Liam pushes everyone away—including Jessica. Can they both learn to forgive and grow, or are they doomed to be alone?
To purchase the book, click HERE