Mary E Thompson

it's a curvy road to happily ever after

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Curvy is Beautiful

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When I got engaged, I was 23 and a size 16. I knew nothing about planning weddings, and social media wasn’t something I was involved in, so my knowledge came from the people I knew.

Which meant dress shopping was kind of like swimsuit shopping with the knowledge that I would be on display in front of hundreds of people who would all definitely be looking at me.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

Your wedding day is supposed to be one of the best of your life. If you’ve been married, chances are you’re laughing right now at the memory of all the people, all the stress, and all the things that didn’t go as planned.

The dress is a big deal for every bride. I wanted a dress that made me feel beautiful. But most places don’t have dresses for women in double digit sizes. I went to one place that offered to order me a dress if I liked one of the size 6 or 8’s on the rack. You know, the one the owner held together so I could get an idea of what it would look like.

Um, that doesn’t work.

I was fortunate that I found a dress I loved that fit me perfectly, but I can’t help but think if more places that cater to curvy brides were around then I would have had an easier time. At least five stores, close to 50 dresses, and no fun montage with James Marsden taking my picture. It could have been better.

All of that went into my head when I dreamed up Scarlett. How can you not love a dress designer who creates gowns for those of us with built-in padding? Because it doesn’t matter if your dress is a size 0 or a size 30, you should know you are the most beautiful woman in the room on your wedding day.

Mainland vs. Island is available now!

Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | Apple Books | B&N | Google Play | Smashwords

Excerpt from Mainland vs. Island

I led Scarlett to one of the tables and drew her onto my lap. 

“This is better,” I said, kissing her arm. 

She shifted on my lap and wrapped her arms around my neck. 

“Ooh, even better,” I said with a laugh when I was face-to-nipple with her breast. 

“Tilt that face up,” she commanded. 

I did and raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you like that in the bedroom?” I teased. 

She gasped then smirked. “Maybe one day you’ll find out.”

Curvy is WORTHY

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I screwed up last week. I was looking at the page for Chubby & Charming and read a review.

Before I even tell you about it, I want to say please don’t go looking for this review or this reviewer. This is not an attack on one person, and I don’t want it to be. That’s not what we’re about, what I’m about, or what this post is about. Reviewers are free to share their thoughts, and I hope they continue to do so. Always.

Anyway, so this review said the reader didn’t like that Mandy didn’t feel she was worthy of love simply because she’s fat. I sat with that for a while. It bothered me, because that wasn’t the point of Chubby & Charming. It wasn’t to showcase an insecure woman who wasn’t worthy of love. It was to show that we’re all alike. No matter who you are on the outside, we’re all the same on the inside. We all have doubts and insecurities and fears.

We are all worthy.

This review made me sad, and quite honestly, a little ashamed that I hadn’t made that clear. I sat on it for a while, but I started reading FabUPlus Magazine and was reinvigorated. Beautiful, curvy women fill the magazine, talking about loving their bodies and themselves and being healthy and beautiful and amazing.

I realized I was jealous of the reviewer.

Ouch.

I hate being jealous. Not that it’s an emotion I’m unfamiliar with, but it’s one I don’t like. It makes me feel icky. But that’s what it was. I was jealous that the reviewer had never felt insecure. That she had never known what it was like to look at a person who she saw as attractive and immediately assume she wasn’t good enough. That she didn’t know how painful it was to be less than simply because her dress size was more than.

I try to write stories that are real, and for me, all those feelings are real. Even though I have an amazing husband who constantly tells me I’m beautiful, I look in the mirror and see my flaws. The double chin and chubby cheeks, the belly that hangs down, the bingo arms, the thunder thighs. All those things I’d love to change about my appearance.

At the end of the day, none of those things tell the story of who I am. They don’t tell a stranger if I’m kind or mean, if I’m a wine drinker or beer drinker, if I’m happy or depressed. But too often, we make assumptions based on those things.

I would love to write a story about a curvy woman who has boatloads of confidence and no doubts or fears or insecurities, but I don’t know ANY woman like that. We all have those, and I want my characters to be real. Chubby thighs, flabby belly, and extra rolls included.

If that reviewer ever reads this, I truly hope she knows I’m sorry for making her feel like curvy isn’t worthy. Curvy is worthy. Skinny is worthy. Alive is worthy.

My newest curvy girl romance is out August 20. Scarlett loves making wedding dresses for curvy girls, but she’s not looking to make one for herself. Mack might try to change her mind, though.

Excerpt from Mainland vs. Island

I couldn’t stop my grin. I reached for her as she leaned toward me. We both stopped, a breath apart, and stared at each other. 

Fire licked at my veins and demanded I show her just how much of a spark there was between us, but I needed to wait. To draw it out until she was panting with need. Then, and only then, would I close the paper thin distance between us and set the night on fire. 

“Mack,” she whispered on a ragged inhale, dragging me to her with the air around us. 

The moment our lips touched, I knew I couldn’t stop with one kiss. The surprised gasp that parted her lips said she felt the same.

Is it really fair?

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It’s release day for All’s Fair In Love And Wine! Like all my couples, Sara and Leo gave me a little trouble, and were frustrating at times, but in the end, their story is a pretty great one.

Leo is the kind of guy you want to cheer for. The guy who is not only sweet and sexy, but funny and kind and just plain good. He goes out of his way for his family and says yes to everything, which bites him in the ass a few times.

Leo wants what his siblings and cousins have. He wants someone to come home to. Someone to share his struggles with. Someone to love. Too bad he’s falling for the one woman in Bereton who promises she’s not sticking around long.

Maybe he can change her mind…

All’s Fair In Love And Wine available now!

Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | Apple Books | B&N | Google Play | Smashwords

Excerpt from All’s Fair In Love And Wine

Alls Fair In Love And Wine

Her eyebrows drew together, and she tilted her head. “You don’t know my name?” 

He shook his head. 

“I gave you my credit card.” 

He chuckled. “No, you didn’t. You paid at the gift shop.” 

She tilted her head again, then her brown eyes brightened and she laughed. “Yeah, you’re right. We’re strangers. And it would have been pretty weird if you started the conversation telling me you owned the place.” 

Leo nodded. “You either would have thought I was hitting on you or lying. Or both.” 

“Since you were hitting on me, I would have assumed lying.” 

Leo laughed and shook his head. “True. So, now that my secret is out, are you going to tell me yours?” 

Panic flashed across her face, eyes wide with fear. She tried to recover, but it wasn’t before he realized she had a few secrets. 

“Your name,” Leo said, hoping to calm her. 

She visibly relaxed, her shoulders falling and her breath coming out in a relieved sigh. “Oh, sorry. Sara. Sara Donovan.” 

“Wow, I get a last name, too? That’s impressive.” 

She laughed again. “Yeah, well, I know where you work and I met your sister, so I guess we’re even.” 

He shook his head. “Hardly. Are you hungry?” 

Her eyebrows drew together. 

“I have dinner, and it’s too much for me to eat. We can sit outside and share. I figure that’s more likely to get a yes out of you than inviting you back to my place.” 

Her wide eyes and lustful look told him he might have gotten a hell of a lot more than a yes out of her if he’d gone for door number two. 

“Sounds good,” Sara said.

New Girl in Town

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It’s never easy being the new person. In a small town where everyone knows everyone, you stick out like a sore thumb. It also means everyone is curious about you, and if you don’t want to get too close, that’s definitely not good.

Sara is running, constantly. She doesn’t like staying put for longer than a few months, so she packs up and moves to a new place, finding seasonal work wherever she ends up. Bereton is just the latest stop on a long road of stops. She has no interest in settling down, not even if the town is perfect, her job is fun, and she meets not one, but two cute guys in her first few days.

Sara’s the kind of person who likes to curl up with a book, because books don’t judge her. She’s happy with the way things are. At least, she tells herself she is. Sara’s searching for something, but she doesn’t know what it is. What she does know is she’ll never find it.

All’s Fair In Love And Wine is available June 25. Preorder today!

Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | Apple Books | B&N

Alls Fair In Love And Wine

Excerpt from All’s Fair In Love And Wine

Sara stopped short when she walked into the tasting room. Leo was talking to Peter. Both of them, together. The look in Leo’s eyes said he knew everything. 

She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. 

“Hi,” she said cheerfully, hoping both men bought it. 

“Hey!” Peter said with his trademark grin. His eyes lit up like they always did, and he hopped off his stool and went to her. “I didn’t know you were going to come here. I already ate. But this is good. You can meet Leo. He’s awesome. You two will get along great.” 

Peter turned and grinned at his buddy, the friend he’d been telling her about for weeks. If he only knew just how well she knew Leo, he wouldn’t be introducing them. 

“Uh, I already know Leo.” 

“You do?” Peter asked. His eyebrows drew together, confusion plain on his handsome face. 

Sara nodded. “Yeah, I—” 

“She came in here a few weeks ago for a tasting. It’s nice to see you again. Have you gone through all the wine you bought?” Leo said smoothly, holding her gaze. 

Sara’s heart sank. He didn’t want his best friend to know about them. About her. She was his dirty little secret. 

“This guy is a spectacular salesman. How much wine did he talk you into buying?” Peter asked. His grin was back. He shook his head at his friend, laughing like he was in on the joke. 

But the joke was Sara. She never saw people for who they were, just took them at face value. And ended up hurt for it.

A little extra romance?

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When 50 Shades of Grey came out, my husband encouraged me to buy it. He heard ‘good things’ about it, and said I should pick it up.

It didn’t quite have the effect he hoped for, but it made me think about reading. There are those books that keep you up all night because you’re worried that your significant other is really plotting your murder and if you go to sleep, you won’t wake up again. Yep, read one of those this week. Then there are those about struggles people have gone through (real or fiction, still serious struggles). Those make you think and appreciate everything you have.

And then there are romances.

When their eyes meet and her pulse races.

When they kiss for the first time and her lips tingle.

When a kiss leads to a lot more and…

Mission accomplished.

Hubby didn’t get what he bargained for when I read 50 Shades, but romance is very, very good for your sex life. It just has to be the right romance. Maybe you need something sweet. A story about childhood best friends falling in love. Or something a little funny with a friends or enemies to lovers story. Or something with an element of danger that makes you snuggle up close to him.

If you like the last one, Pilar and Jack could be the right couple for you. Her brother is kidnapped by her ex, and Jack’s there to protect her. Even though both of them know getting involved is a bad idea, neither can resist the thread that pulls them together. She’s his job, but one he’s more than willing to…do.

Tell us below if you like a little danger with your romance!

Click to buy First

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From First

“Jesus. You two need to break it up. This is a job, Jack. Not your personal fuck time. And that’s my damn couch, dude.” Howler whimpered. “I’m taking the dog out. When I get back in, please…don’t be naked on my couch.” 

Jack nodded and waited until the door slid closed behind Slade, then groaned. “You’re going to kill me.” 

Pilar giggled. “I’m sore, but I want you again.” 

Jack pulled back and looked at her. “Shower?” 

She grinned. “It’s economical. Saves time and water.” 

“Yeah, we’re saving the earth.” 

“Exactly,” she said.

First…date?

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A first date is a lot of pressure. You’re getting to know someone with the hope that you can find love. Even if you don’t go into it thinking long term, any date has the potential to turn into your last first date.

When I started dating my husband, I was fresh out of college and we were both broke. We went to dinner and a movie. Not very original, but we had a chance to get to know each other a little better over dinner, then the pressure was off during the movie. And we bonded over the fact that we ended up at the worst movie in history.

Last week we celebrated our 15th anniversary. He’s the first man I ever truly loved, and someone I can’t imagine not having in my life. And it was pretty fitting that First came out the same week as we were celebrating. Obviously, it’s been a long time since I went on a first date, though!

Jack and Pilar never got their first date. They met at a parade (which would have been a pretty fun first date), and went from first meet to moving in together in a few hours. Talk about moving fast!

Getting to know someone, especially if you didn’t know each other well before your first date, is a tall order. A first date should be fun. Something where you can get to know the other person. Some of my favorite dates have been ones where we get a little competitive – mini golf or go-kart racing or arcades. It’s a chance to show each other how you handle pressure, and how you handle losing (I’m not very good at either!). It also gives you the chance to play and tease and have some fun.

I had Jack and Pilar meet at a parade because it made sense for them. It showed that they’re both fun, lighthearted people who could laugh and be silly and have fun. Obviously, things didn’t exactly go as planned, but it was a great start for them. Who wouldn’t want to meet someone at a parade where you throw sausages and hit each other with pussy willows? Sounds fun, right?

What did you do on your best (or worst) first date?

Available Now!

Ebook on Amazon | Kobo | Apple Books | B&N | Google Play | Smashwords

From First

Pilar took a deep breath and set her hand between his legs, connecting with the soft cushion. Before she could think about it, she pushed back and swung her top leg over his, balancing on one knee and the other foot. 

She looked up at him to make sure she didn’t wake him up and gasped, nearly falling back to the couch. 

“Nice moves,” he said. His voice was all rough and raspy like men’s voices were first thing in the morning. 

It was more than a little sexy, and coupled with the erection now very visible since she’d dragged the blanket off him, she was in serious trouble. “I was trying not to wake you.” 

“I’m already up,” he said, his gaze not leaving hers.