INTERVIEW & REVIEW: Boomerang by Noelle August Plus A Giveaway!!

BOOMERANG

By: Noelle August

Publication Date: July 8, 2014

Welcome to Boomerang.com, the dating site for the millennial gen with its no-fuss, no-commitments matchups, and where work is steamier than any random hook-up

Mia Galliano is an aspiring filmmaker. Ethan Vance has just played his last game as a collegiate soccer star. They’re sharp, hungry for success, and they share a secret.

Last night, Ethan and Mia met at a bar, and, well . . . one thing led to another, which led to them waking up the next morning—together. Things turned awkward in a hurry when they found themselves sharing a post hookup taxi . . . to the same place: Boomerang headquarters.

What began as a powerful connection between them is treated to a cold shower courtesy of two major complications. First, Boomerang has a strict policy against co-worker dating. And second, they’re now competitors for only one job at the end of summer.

As their internships come to an end, will they manage to keep their eyes on the future and their hands off each other, or will the pull of attraction put them right back where they started?

ABOUT NOELLE
NOELLE AUGUST is an anagram for Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger. Just kidding, it’s a pen name!

VERONICA ROSSI is the author of the New York Times Best-selling UNDER THE NEVER SKY trilogy for young adults. The books are available in more than thirty countries and the film rights have been optioned by Warner Bros.

Veronica completed undergraduate studies at UCLA and lives in Northern California with her husband and two sons. She is fond of dresses with pockets, fluffy dogs, and cheese and chocolate — but not together.

LORIN OBERWEGER began her storytelling career by captivating her first-grade class with tales of her summers on a kibbutz in Israel.

Lorin had never been to Israel.

While teacher/parent night put an end to her first experiments in fiction, she’d already caught the bug and eventually made a career of all things story.

As a long-time independent editor and story development guru, Lorin’s client successes range from small press publications to major bestselling novels. She’s an award-winning author and has also worked behind the scenes as a ghostwriter on a variety of projects. Her work has received starred Kirkus reviews and glowing mentions in The New York Times.

Oh, she did get to see a kibbutz, eventually, and found out she had it pretty much right all along.

Veronica and Lorin met at a writing workshop and just knew they were destined to create awesome things together.

You guys know how much I adore Veronica Rossi right? She’s seriously so wonderful and accepts my flailing and fangirling without showing any outward signs of fear. 🙂 Which is why I was so excited when after a bit of begging via twitter she & Lorin agreed to do an interview with us!!

Describe Boomerang in 5 words

Sexy, funny, smart, flirty, addicting!

Where did the idea for Boomerang come from and why New Adult?

Lorin and I have known each other for years. One afternoon we were on Skype joking around, as we do, and Lorin threw out the idea of basing a romance novel on a couple that got to know each other by working at a dating service. It was an off-the-cuff remark, but I loved it. The idea stuck with me. I mentioned it to her the next time we spoke and things went from there. The story just flowed out of us. As for why New Adult? Well, that post-college phase of life just seemed to fit the concept of the story perfectly!

What was your writing process like… was it easy to work together?

The story is written in alternating points-of-view. Lorin wrote Mia, and I wrote Ethan. We just swapped chapters back and forth. I think our goal was always to make each other laugh and swoon and, I must say, we had a lot of success!

What was your favorite scene to write and why?

I actually surprised myself by loving one of the scenes in which Ethan has to go on a forced date with a character named Raylene. I’d never really written straight comedy. Lorin has a real facility with that, but it was new territory for me. I had such a blast with that scene, though. I enjoyed it for that reason – it was just so fun to write!

Did any of your characters surprise you by doing something you didn’t expect?

I think Cookie surprised us both at the outset. One day, Lorin wrote her into a chapter and I was like… wow. This woman is nuts and hysterical! So I went with it, and as it’s turned out, she’s really become this terrific, irreverent character that’s broken all kinds of stereotypes. I think we both love writing Cookie.

Did you always know how the story would end or did things change as you wrote?

We had a pretty good idea of where we wanted to go, but we’re both open to changing things along the way, if something better comes up.

Were there any scenes that had to be cut that you wish would have stayed in?

We cut out a scene in which Adam (the president and CEO of BOOMERANG) plays soccer with Ethan and his buddies, and Mia is there with her friends, watching. She’s there in disguise. It was cute, but we ultimately decided we could keep the story moving along faster without those two scenes.

What are you currently reading? What book boys make you swoon?

I’m just finishing THE 5th WAVE, which I somehow missed last year. And I’m about to start an ARC of BLACK ICE by Becca Fitzpatrick. I’m really excited about it! Also on deck is BREATHE, ANNIE, BREATHE by Miranda Kenneally – whose books I always devour – and Ann Aguirre’s MORTAL DANGER.

I’m actually super picky about book boyfriends! But a recent favorite is Hector from Rae Carson’s GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS series. He’s just so solid.

You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?

This is possibly the hardest question I’ve ever been asked! I’m going to go with PERSUASION by Jane Austen, simply because it’s the book I’ve read the most, and that must say something. However, it’s also sort of a strange choice because I love fantasy more than historical… but I’m sticking with it! PERSUASION ftw!

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Read a ton. Write a ton. Rinse and repeat.

What’s next for you? Are you working on anything right now that you can tell us about? Please tell us that we have more books like this to look forward from you both!

As Noelle August, Lorin and I are writing three books total in the BOOMERANG series. The next one, REBOUND, will probably be out this fall. On my own writing as myself, I’m working on an upper YA fantasy from a boy POV. I love this book. Hopefully I’ll be able to say more about it by fall!

5 Favorites

Favorite Song (right now)

Am I Wrong by Nico Vinz

(because it’s about believing in yourself and not being afraid to be unique.)

Favorite Book (right now)

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

(because it was hugely inspiring and it makes you believe the strength of the human spirit is the beautiful thing in the world.)

Favorite TV Show/Movie (right now)

How to Train Your Dragon 2

(because it quite simply rocks.)

Favorite Word- (right now)

Prevail

Favorite Snack –

Um…it’s summer, so chips and guacamole? And a cold beer? 🙂

SO who wants to hang out with Veronica Rossi this summer… I hope she doesn’t flounce me because I haven’t read Persuasion yet (It’s on my list I swear!) I’m so excited for everything she has coming up, both alone and with Lorin! Check out what I thought about Boomerang below!

Jaime’s Thoughts
Boomerang by Noelle August
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Veronica Rossi could email me her grocery list and I would probably print it out and put it on my bookshelf, so when I heard she was writing (as part of a team) a New Adult title I’m pretty sure I squealed in joy.

I have a special place in my heart for this genre… mostly because I want to love it. I love reading about this age group and there is so much potential in the way of stories! BUT there are a handful of authors that I can count on to fill my heart with just enough swoons and smut and provide a wonderful story that has the perfect amount of drama, and Noelle August (Rossi & Oberweger) are now on that list.
First, lets talk about that cover. It screams lighthearted and fun, and that is just what this book was for me. From the get go you know it’s going to be a wonderful ride when Mia Galliano wakes up in the bed of Ethan Vance. After a night of celebratory drinking they can’t exactly remember what occurred … or didn’t occur in said bed though. But there is no time to waste thinking about it because they’re both late for where they need to be.

One awkward taxi ride later, they find themselves standing outside Boomerang Headquarters… together. And they find out very quickly that they are both in competition for the same position at the end of the summer and that the company has a strict no dating policy.

The best thing about this book is that the drama isn’t over done – so often I pick up a book in this genre and find that everything is done to the extreme. Not the case here, and I can’t tell you enough how nice it is to find something that everyone will be able to enjoy.

Mia & Ethan are wonderfully layered characters that I found myself enjoying immensely. There wasn’t a single thing I didn’t like about either of them, and that had me cheering for everything to work out in the end.

The added layer that they work for a dating service just makes the situations these two get into so much fun and each chapter starts with a question that one might ask while trying to get to know someone new.
And if you’re looking for the swoons then holy crap you guys… Ethan brings it.

“I brush her lips with mine. This isn’t our first kiss, but it sure as hell feels that way, and it seems important, somehow, to be tender with her.”

But seriously, if you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted romance that will have you laughing and swooning, you definitely NEED to pick up Boomerang when it arrives. I’ll just be over here anxiously awaiting the next book in this series (and to be honest anything by these ladies).

Thank you to William Morrow and Edelweiss for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts!