Chanel Cleeton's Love Letter to London (Guest Post & Giveaway)

I See London by Chanel Cleeton
Release Date: February 3, 2014
Publisher: Harlequin HQN (Digital First)
Pages: 310
Series: I See London #1

Synopsis:

Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

Preorder I See London:
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Guest Post by Chanel Cleeton:
A Love Letter to London

I always say that my New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, is really my love letter to London. From the beginning, this book was an opportunity for me to remember the excitement of hopping on a plane at seventeen and moving to a fascinating, vibrant city. Writing I SEE LONDON let me relive some of my best memories and create new adventures for my characters.

For my heroine, Maggie, her new life in London is a radical departure from her quiet life in South Carolina. For me, the experience was somewhat similar. I was born in a relatively small town in Florida and while I did move to Orlando for high school, nothing could have prepared me for the impact London had on me. I was awed by the city, and much like Maggie, fell instantly in love.

My favorite thing about London is that it’s impossible to get bored. There really is something for everyone and adventure always feels like it’s just around the corner. It’s this bustling place full of nightclubs and glitzy lights and yet at the same time it’s full of such rich history—a fascinating city of contrasts.

Attending an international university really made this experience even more special. I was surrounded by students from all over the world—over half the student body was from Africa and the Middle East. It was an eye-opening experience that gave me a completely new perspective on the world around me. I was surrounded by languages I’d never heard spoken, met people from countries I had only read about in books, learned about different religions, and tried new foods. It was a layered, textured adventure and I loved every moment.

Capturing this spirit in I SEE LONDON was really important to me. I wanted to share the experience of living in a vibrant city like London while also adding in the incredible lessons I learned from classmates all over the world. I love writing New Adult because the category really is about finding yourself and embarking on adventures—however big or small—that shape your identity.

London shaped me and I enjoyed turning that experience into a whole new adventure for my heroine Maggie. Her freshman year at the International School transforms her from a shy, studious girl reeling from her Harvard rejection to someone she’s always wanted to be—a girl who takes chances and follows her dreams and her heart. I can’t wait to share Maggie’s story with you and to introduce you to the friends who will change her life.

Do you see the same spirit of adventure in New Adult? What parts of your college experience helped transform you?

About Chanel:
Originally a Florida girl, at seventeen Chanel moved to London to attend an international university. In the four years that followed, she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, learned how to dance, travelled through Europe, and made lifelong friendships. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever. But fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise, when an American fighter pilot with smooth dance moves, swept her off her feet.

Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure in South Korea. An avid reader and hopeless romantic, she is happiest curled up with a book. She has a weakness for handbags, puppy cuddles, and her fighter pilot husband. Chanel writes New Adult contemporary romances and Young Adult thrillers. Her New Adult debut, I SEE LONDON, will be released by Harlequin (HQN) on February 3, 2014, followed by a sequel, LONDON FALLING, later in the year.

Where to find Chanel:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Thanks for stopping by, Chanel! I, for one, am so jealous of your college experience! I also adore London, and I'd love to go back and spend more time there.

And psst, everyone, I've had a chance to read I See London and I really enjoyed it! I am a teensy bit obsessed with Maggie's romantic entanglements. I can't wait to read Book 2!