Kiss-or-Miss Scavenger Hunt - Melissa Tagg

Welcome to the "Kiss or Miss" Scavenger Hunt

Journey through all eight stops, following the order in the schedule. Each stop will include two or three clue words in red. Collect them all and enter to win our grand prize at the final stop on February 17th on Crystal's site.

Along each stop, you’ll get to meet an awesome author friend, read a super fun excerpt from one of their favorite kiss-or-miss scenes, and enter some sweet giveaways. ...

​Here are the Details:

Scavenger Hunt Schedule: February 13^th through the 17^th.

Once you have all the words, arrange them in order to complete the mystery quote and enter it at the final stop of the event on Crystal’s site, 2/17.

Grand Prize: A paperback from each participating author, as shown in the image below.

Ready to Dive in? Follow the blog hop order below:

Stop 1 - 2/13/17: Crystal’s blog, featuring Pepper Basham
Stop 2 - 2/13/17: Pepper’s blog, featuring Stacy Claflin
Stop 3 - 2/14/17: Stacy’s blog, featuring Juliette Duncan
Stop 4 - 2/14/17: Juliette's blog, featuring Sarah Monzon
Stop 5 - 2/15/17: Sarah’s blog, featuring Jessica Patch
Stop 6 - 2/15/17: Jessica’s blog, featuring Melanie Snitker
Stop 7 - 2/16/17: Melanie’s blog, featuring Melissa Tagg
Stop 8 - 2/16/17: Melissa’s blog, featuring Crystal Walton
Stop 9 - 2/17/17: Crystal's blog, final entry

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Hello everyone! Please join me in welcoming author Melissa Tagg to my blog today. She writes romantic comedies, including the Walker Family and Where Love Begins series. Thanks for joining us, Melissa!

How fun to get to hang out here today! Thanks for hosting me, Melanie. I’m excited to share just a little bit about one of my latest book, Keep Holding On.
 
Every time I start writing a new story, I worry that I won’t love these characters as much as I loved the characters in my last book. But oh. my. goodness. I really can’t tell you how strongly adorable-but-wounded Beckett Walker and spunky-but-stressed Kit Danby tugged on my heart. They’re former best friends who parted ways--not­ amicably, mind you!—years ago, but in this story, they’re once again thrown together. Enter plenty of hilarious moments…a few painful memories and long-forgotten longings…and oh yeah, SPARKS!
 
But really, it’s the theme of holding on that, well, took hold of me as I wrote this story. To be honest, when I started out, I thought it was a story about the things we need to hold on to. But it ended up being about how God holds on to us…even when we’re ready to let go. Writing this story changed me. And I hope it does the same for readers.
 
In addition to the paperback copy of Keep Holding On I’m giving away as part of our blog hope, you can also enter for a chance to win a Kindle copy by completing the Rafflecopter entry below and letting me know whether you think this excerpt from Keep Holding On ends in a kiss or a miss. ​

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In this scene, Beckett and Kit are sitting on a beach just north of Boston and Kit has just finished telling Beckett about the time she visited Spain…
 
“You’re a good storyteller, Kit, you know that?” A drowsy quiet curled in the air around them. Beckett’s midnight eyes were fastened on the water, something distant and contemplative in his gaze. The wind ruffled his hair, and minutes passed before he spoke again. “It’s too bad we weren’t on speaking terms when you were abroad. I could’ve demanded you send me postcards. I’d like to go to Europe someday.”

Maybe the Army would send him there. Maybe he’d send her postcards.

The unwelcome thought propelled her to her feet.

“What?” Beckett lifted his eyes.

“Let’s go wading.”

“It’s going to be freezing, Kit.”

“I know, but if I can survive the Mediterranean in March, I can endure the Atlantic in September.” She bent over to unlace and yank off her boots, movement almost frantic. Off came her socks, and she rolled up her leggings.

Beckett just sat there, staring.

“Don’t wimp out on me, Beck.”

His inflated sigh gave way to obedience. He rose and kicked off his own shoes while she tested the water. A squeal pitched from her the second it touched her toes.

“Told you!” Beckett chirped, still safely ensconced in sand.

Just for that, she waded deeper, icy water licking up her ankles and the chill climbing her spine. “It’s refreshing.” Her teeth chattered through the lie.

Beckett laughed and followed her in, his own gasp colliding with the whoosh of the wind. “If I get frostbite and my toes fall off—”

“Stop whining.” She reached her fingers into the foamy blue and sent a splash his way.

Which, of course, was a mistake. Because, of course, he splashed back.

Within seconds she was half-doused and wholly frozen, shrieking and laughing and on her way to losing her footing.

If not for Beckett’s darting arms.

He caught her before she could fall, and she landed against his chest.

And yet, something told her she was far from safe. “Don’t you dare push me all the way in. Don’t you dare.” She yelped the command.

“I’m not going to push you in.”

But his impish grin and baritone laughter convinced her that was exactly what he was going to do. Which was why she clasped her hands together around his neck. “I’m not letting go. You push me in and you’re coming down with me.”

Her hair whipped around her head, wet strands matting to her face. She couldn’t feel her toes, couldn’t catch her breath, couldn’t stop laughing . . .

Until he stopped.

Stilled.

Arms holding her in place and eyes locked on hers. “You said you wished you’d let me kiss you that night.”

The shiver raced through her. “Y-you heard that?”
​
He lifted his hand to brush her hair from her face, one finger trailing over her cheek as he tucked it behind her ear. 

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So? What do you think? Enter either “Kiss” or “Miss” in the Rafflecopter form below to enter the drawing for a Kindle copy of Keep Holding On.

​Award-winning author Melissa Tagg is a former reporter, current nonprofit grant-writer and total Iowa girl. The second book in her popular Walker Family series, Like Never Before, was named by Publisher’s Weekly to one of their spring 2016 Top Ten lists. Her most recent releases include Keep Holding On (Sept 2016) and One Enchanted Eve (Nov 2016). Melissa has taught at multiple national writing conferences, as well as workshops and women's retreats. Connect with Melissa at www.melissatagg.com or on Facebook and Instagram.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Ready for Stop #8?

Did you collect your clue words in red above? Jot them down and hop over to Melissa’s blog for the next set of clues, goodies, and more.