Donda has seen more than her fair share of tragedy. Between the assaults she suffered as a child, her eating disorder, and addictions she feels like she's the last person who should get a second chance. Jaxon has spent years trying to move past his own inner demons. His ex-wife was a junkie who let their young daughter die rather than miss a score. Though he has committed his career to saving lives, he can't shake the feeling he should have done more back then. When the single mother and doctor finally meet, it seems like fate. A car accident turns a shared glance into a chance at happiness neither one expected or believes they deserve. Becoming a teenaged matchmaker extraordinaire, Donda's son, Gabriel, is convinced the two are perfect for each other, but they aren't so sure. Can the pair get past their troubled histories, self-doubt, and bad experiences to find love at last?

Interview with Mary Crawford

What were you like at school? I was the quintessential kid in the front row who always had a hand up in the air to answer all the questions. If there was a stereotypical nerd around, it was me. Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? I would say that the one thing the all the main characters have in common is that they are not the typical perfect characters you may be used to reading about if you haven’t read a romance novel in a while. They struggle with real life issues like disabilities, body image issues, age and racism. What genre are your books? My books are contemporary romance novels and new adult novels. They tend to run on the clean and wholesome side. What draws you to this genre? All the advice that I’ve ever seen on writing instructed me to write what I know. Before becoming a writer, I used to read seven hundred books a year. The vast majority of those books were contemporary romance novels.Put quite simply, I write what I know. Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book? Halle Berry, of course. Why do you write? I became a writer because I was tired of not being able to see characters that looked like me in fiction. Disability is often dismissed or downplayed in novels. Characters are often portrayed as bitter, angry or helpless. If they are ever to find love, they must be healed by two-thirds of the way through the book. I set out to change those stereotypes. What made you decide to sit down and actually start something? I had someone who believed that I could do it. That small thing was incredibly powerful. I did not want her to be wrong. Where do your ideas come from? Although my family is convinced that all of my novels are about them, I really do make up my characters. The exception to this rule will be my upcoming novel Love Is More Than Skin Deep (A Hidden Hearts Novel #4) which will tackle the topic of skin cancer and is loosely based on the story of Judy Noble Cloud. She has graciously given me permission to fictionalize her story to bring awareness to the topic of the dangers of sun exposure and tanning beds and she is helping me with the project. What is the hardest thing about writing? The most difficult thing about writing is that you’re in charge of what happens. You as the author are responsible for the fate of your characters. That’s a big responsibility there are lots of options in the world. Sometimes, it’s hard to determine which is the best path to take. If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it? The Hidden Beauty Series started with my first novel Until the Stars Fall from the Sky (which everyone can read for free), and just flowed naturally from there. It started with the follow-up stories featuring the best friends of the main characters and grew from there. Love Claimed is the sixth novel in the series. I have at least four more planned. Mary Crawford is a Civil Rights Attorney from Oregon who has been an avid bookworm since discovering books by Judy Blume in the sixth grade. Ms. Crawford writes contemporary romance novels with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Facebook: www.facebook.com/authormarycrawford Website: MaryCrawfordAuthor.com Twitter: www.twitter.com/MaryCrawfordAut https://www.amazon.com/Love-Claimed-Hidden-Beauty-Novel-ebook/dp/B01E67W7LW Visit the other blogs on this tour to find out more. There is an author interview, new teasers, and several book reviews. Blog tour Blogs: Lavern Winters: Peachy’s Insights - https://peachysinsights.wordpress.com/ Rainne Atkins: Just Books - http://rainnes.blogspot.co.uk/ Kristin Bowers: I don’t Get Sundays - www.idontgetsundays.blogspot.com Paul White: Ramblings from a Writers Mind - https://ramblingsfromawritersmind.wordpress.com/ Jessica Wren: Jessica Wren Fiction - jessicawrenfiction.com Sahara Foley: Readers' Junction - saharafoley.com Mistral Dawn: Mistral Dawns Musings - http://mistralkdawn.blogspot.com/p/interviews-on-my-blog.html