Sexy and sleek, A-Mused is a laugh-out-loud page-turner!
Rani, a beautiful, but slightly socially awkward astrophysicist is in a celestial aspiration of her own making. Somehow, she has released the constellations from the sky, and just before her long-awaited vacation. As they retake their very real godly forms and mischievous, lustful natures, some of them pursue her in amorous quests while others seek vengeance against her among the ancient ruins of Greece and the cosmopolitan center of New York. Meanwhile, earth hurtles toward destruction because her chaotic emotions are somehow affecting the sun and moon. How did she do all of this, and how can she set matters right? Answering these questions leads Rani on a madcap voyage of love, self-discovery, and empowerment in this installment of My Big Fat Greek Mythology.
With a cast of quirky characters, action, adventure, and international exotic settings, A-MUSED is a new take on Greek mythology that will leave you laughing. If you love books by Katie McAlister, CJ Archer, and Sophie Kinsella then you will enjoy this fun beach read.
Sexy and sleek, A-Mused is a laugh-out-loud page-turner!
Rani, a beautiful, but slightly socially awkward astrophysicist is in a celestial aspiration of her own making. Somehow, she has released the constellations from the sky, and just before her long-awaited vacation. As they retake their very real godly forms and mischievous, lustful natures, some of them pursue her in amorous quests while others seek vengeance against her among the ancient ruins of Greece and the cosmopolitan center of New York. Meanwhile, earth hurtles toward destruction because her chaotic emotions are somehow affecting the sun and moon. How did she do all of this, and how can she set matters right? Answering these questions leads Rani on a madcap voyage of love, self-discovery, and empowerment in this installment of My Big Fat Greek Mythology.
With a cast of quirky characters, action, adventure, and international exotic settings, A-MUSED is a new take on Greek mythology that will leave you laughing. If you love books by Katie McAlister, CJ Archer, and Sophie Kinsella then you will enjoy this fun beach read.
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Chapter 1
At this particular moment on what was supposed to be a very special day, Rani sat with the Frommerâs guide to Greece opened in her lap. Armed with a highlighter, she turned each page into a wash of fluorescent green. She nibbled on the end of the pen, trying to concentrate on the descriptions of the sites in Athens. It was her fourth time through the paragraphs on the Acropolis, and she still couldnât recall the details. She tossed the book onto the table, shifted in her chair, crossed one leg over the other, and bounced it faster than a rabbit with an itch. A plate of oysters sat pushed away from her, untouched, her stomach feeling as squidgy as the little mollusk sliders.
Her best friend Hayden stopped eating and looked up, smiling as he shook his head. âAt least I know where you get your tight ass from,â he said before slurping up another oyster.
She leaned forward and rested her folded arms on the table. âWhatâs that supposed to mean?â
âYouâre so uptight I should feed you charcoal instead of oysters. Weâd be rich.â
Rani wrinkled the upper corner of her lip in a snarl. âWeâre gonna be late.â
Hayden put a hand on her shoulder and looked directly into her eyes. âCalm down. Our flight doesnât leave for another five hours. We have plenty of time.â
By her time frame, she and Hayden should have checked in with their luggage at JFK by now. They should have already made it through security and arrived at the gate, where theyâd be waiting to board. Instead they were sitting in the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station, lounging away precious time. What if things went wrong at check-in? What if security lines strung out a mile long? She stretched her neck and attempted to loosen her shoulders.
âBetter?â he asked, smiling at her.
âWhy are we here anyway?â she asked.
âNo reason.â He looked around the room at other diners.
âLiar. We could have taken the E train straight to AirTrain. Youâre up to no good. I see it on your face.â Although theyâd been best friends since their undergraduate years, they were so comfortable with each other that they felt like theyâd known each other since the earth was young and cooling. And all during that time, Hayden had tried to get her to slow down and not take life so seriously.
Hayden shrugged and put on that half-smile that gave him a rakish look Rani couldnât resist. âI like oysters,â he said.
âRight, and you wonât have any opportunities to get them in Greece.â She lowered her chin to look at him over the tops of her eyeglasses, drawing in a corner of her mouth. He blushed and the smooth skin of his chin brushed the starched collar of his oxford shirt. His perfectly aligned white teeth made him all the more enchanting. Of course, his perfectly coiffed hair, somehow rugged and unkempt, didnât hurt either. She reached over, tousled it, and then slouched back in her chair.
âYou know, youâre an Adonis, even when youâre a royal pain in the ass.â
He gestured to himself. âMoi?â
Rani rolled her eyes. âWhy is it that everything feels right when Iâm with you.â
He chuckled a sexy laugh that made him all the more endearing. âI feel safe to you. Thereâs a difference. You know I love you no matter how uptight your careerâŠor traveling⊠makes you. Weâre friends. Thereâs no chance of a romance, so thereâs no risk.â
Of course heâd just affirmed what she already knew, what sheâd known since the first time heâd nursed her through a breakup. She crossed her arms over her chest. She could choose a best friend, no problem, but when it came to boyfriend material, no man measured up to her standard.
âWhat is it with guys and commitment? They either want to jump in your pants without so much as a hello, or theyâre complete nerds who wouldnât know a real girl from a constellation. I canât remember the last time I had mind-blowing sex where the guy didnât shoot out the door like a comet when the chance for real conversation came.â A group of men eyeing her from a table on the opposite side of the archway laughed. She sat up and leaned in toward Hayden, her chin down. âThey heard me?â she whispered.
Hayden sat back in his chair, slurping down another oyster and clearly savoring the experience. âThe acoustics in here can get you into trouble if youâre not careful.â
âNow you tell me?â Rani scowled back at them.
Hayden wiped his mouth with a napkin. âIâm sorry. I thought you would have known. Youâre the astrophysicist.â Next, he cleaned his fingers. âSo, was it mind-blowingâŠor any other kind of blowing for the guys?â He winked at her.
Rani choked on a sip of water. âHayden!â The men chortled. âYouâre not helping here.â
He waved them off. âIgnore them. Theyâre pigs.â He pushed the empty plate away and leaned forward on his elbows. âHereâs a phrase youâll understand,â he continued. ââExplore the universe, seek out new life and new civilizations.ââ
Rani beaded her eyes at him. âYou watched Star Trek? How did I not know this?â
âIt was a black hole in my childhood. I had parents who dressed me in Starfleet uniforms and dragged me to those god-awful conventions. I will say this, though, those pants sure show off a manâs best ass-ets.â The men at the next table choked on their drinks. Hayden winked at them then licked his lower lip, slow and hungry-like, devouring them with his eyes. They all looked away and shuffled in their seats.
Rani laughed. âGood one.â
âYou spend all your time in that observatory except when youâre walking across campus. Your selectionâs limited to sexed-up, hormone-raging frat boys, or scientists with their heads in the stars, and I donât mean the important head either.â He waved a dismissive hand. Rani laughed. Hayden leaned in farther as if examining every pore on her face. âLive it up in Greece. Itâs new territory, with a new pool of men. And, itâs the first time off youâve agreed to in years.â
He sat back and looked at her with suspicion. âThis is a vacation, right? You donât have any conventions in Greece?â
She shook her head and Hayden raised his eyebrows in disbelief. Rani held up her hands. âNo, I swear.â
âThen why are you wearing a pencil skirt, and jacket that screams âall business and no play.â Have you forgotten how to have fun?â
Rani took in her clothes. âI thought Iâd get better service at the ticket counter.â
âOur seats are assigned.â
âAs long as we make it to the airport in time.â
He put a reassuring hand on her arm. âTrust me. Iâve traveled a lot. Weâll be on time. Now stop avoiding the issue.â
She sighed. âOkay, fine. Iâm dressed like Iâm going to speak at a conference. I justâŠ.â Rani slumped in her chair. She thought through the rest of the clothes sheâd packed for her trip: khakis and pullover shirts for daytime, and a couple of blouses that matched the skirt she was wearing for dinners out. They had all seemed fine when she was packing. Now they didnât.
Hayden put a hand on her arm. âThis is why I brought you here. I happen to know that the right clothes make a person feel better and happier. And after Neanderthal Neal, you need a fresh outlook. Let me help you. Iâll take you to a store here that sells my designs. Itâll be fun.â
She sighed. âOkay, fine.â She rose and tucked the guidebook into her carry-on.
Hayden scanned the restaurant. âWaiter, check, please,â he called out. He extracted several bills from his wallet and threw them on the table, just as their server arrived. âThank you, that should cover it.â The waiter nodded a thank-you, wide-eyed at the generous tip. Hayden grabbed his suitcase and followed Rani.
As they passed the group of men, she sneered and gave them the finger before Hayden pushed her out the door.
Outside the bar, people rushed by in every direction. A musty underground scent of dirt and grease wafted from the train stops. Rani and Haydenâs footsteps echoed as they walked into the Whispering Gallery. Here, low ceramic arches from several domed hallways converged at a central hub spanning more than thirty feet. Each marble archway made a perfect curve that allowed even the slightest whisper from someone standing in one corner to travel to a person standing in the opposite corner.
âStop!â Hayden practically shouted. âIsnât this amazing? We have to do this. Go stand in that corner. Iâll stand in this one.â He pointed at diagonal corners as people moved on.
âHayden, this is something tourists and little kids do.â
Hayden practically pushed her towards the corner, smiling. âWeâre tourists now. Come on.â
Rani recalled how sheâd done this with her father when she was a child. Heâd shown her the zodiac on the ceiling too and explained how her great-great grandfather had taken abuse for designing it backward. Heâd simply told his critics, then, that he was inspired by the muse of astronomy, Urania, to paint it that way. In fact, years later that was how Rani had gotten her name. Her father had named her after the same muse, saying she was his inspiration.
That had been the day sheâd fallen in love with the stars.
She allowed Hayden his indulgence, stepping into the corner. He jogged to the opposite one and stood facing it. âYou will find true love on this trip, I just know it,â he whispered. His voice carried up, following the curvature of the ceiling, and back down into Raniâs ears.
Rani whispered, âI can hear you. Can you hear me?â
âYes, I can hear you. Isnât this the bomb?â
âItâs pretty cool, but really we should getâŠâ A voice started singing out of the corner at Rani. Something about flying to the moon and playing among stars.
The tune dawned on her. âFunny, Hayden. Channeling a little Frank Sinatra?â
âSweetie, I donât know what youâre talking about, but Iâm not into necrophilia. If I was going to channel somebody famous, itâd be that Sam Heughan. Mm-mm, heâs delectable.â His voice rang through clearer and cleaner than the singerâs.
She glanced at the other corners. Only Hayden occupied the one opposite her. The strangerâs voice came from the corner again. âRaaani.â It definitely wasnât Haydenâs. It was deeper, more resonant, and come to think of it, oddly familiar. She just couldnât remember where or when sheâd heard it. Its haunting sound made the hairs on the back of her neck stand. Two new higher-pitched voices chimed in, calling her name. âWeâve been waiting for you for so long. Please help us.â
Rani backed out of her corner so fast she bumped into Hayden whoâd come up behind her. Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears. Her gaze darted in all directions, looking for the owner of the voice, but while people hurried all around them, no one else lingered in the alcove.
Hayden grabbed her arm. âYouâre white as a sheet. Whatâs wrong?â
Her eyebrows knitted together. âTell me you heard that.â
âHeard what?â
âThe voices. The singing. Some stranger called me by name.â
Hayden looked around them. âRani, it was just us in the corners.â
âYou werenât playing a trick on me?â
Hayden held up his hands. âNo. I swear.â
With beaded eyes she glanced at the people rushing by, then grabbed his shirtsleeve and pulled him after her. âCome on, letâs just go.â She let go and cut people off weaving between them to put some distance between her and the Whispering Gallery, leaving Hayden behind. He jogged to catch up. She was about to round a corner when he grabbed her by the arm and directed her the opposite way. âThis way.â
They walked into a dress shop, and a gorgeous woman with perfect makeup and hair strode to Hayden and embraced him, giving him air kisses on each side of his face. âHayden! Good to see you. Are you here to let me have first choice on your fabulous new line?â
âJulia! Unfortunately not. Weâre in a bit of a crunch. We need some vacation clothes for my friend. Are you up for it?â
âAlways. Take a seat, and weâll do the work.â She grabbed Rani by the arm and pulled her along. Still reeling from the voices, Rani trailed after the woman in silence. Within minutes, Rani stood in front of the dressing- room mirror so surprised by the image there that she calmed down at last. The body-hugging halter dress transformed her, outlining her hourglass shape. She felt like a Greek goddess. The silver heels just peeked out from the hem of the ocean-blue dress, but if she reached a toe out to the side, a shapely leg appeared from behind a slit that went all the way up to mid-thigh. She never would have picked this dress for herself but had to admit it didnât look too bad, especially when she took off her glasses.Â
When she emerged, she said, âThis is your design? Seriously? Itâs amazing.â She modeled it for Hayden. He clapped his hands, all too pleased with himself.
âPerfect. With your auburn hair and pale green eyes youâll have those Greek men thinking youâre a siren. Try these next.â
Heâd been shopping for her while she and Julia were in the dressing room. He handed her pants that looked like they were made to fit a praying mantis. She shook her head. âI donât think these are going to fit.â
âNo protesting.â He wagged his finger at her. âTake the top tooâtheyâll look great together.â
In front of the three-way mirror, she pulled and stretched, used to the rigors of donning leggings. Once she had them on, she had to admit they were comfortable. They werenât the problem. It was the shirt Hayden had picked out to go with it. It didnât cover her backside, which at the moment looked to her like a dark moon rising.
Suddenly, the haunting voices returned. âRaaani, please remember,â one said, and then others joined in. âYes, remember your dreams. Remember us and set us free.âÂ
âWhat?â Her recent dreams had been of mythological creatures and godlike men. Sheâd attributed the nonsense to drinking too much during her most recent ruined relationship.
âJust stop!â She covered her ears and waited. Nothing happened. âYouâre just going through a rough time, a bad breakup, and stress at work,â she muttered. She took a deep breath, peeled off the crop top, threw on a longer shirt sheâd snagged on the way in, then hurried from the dressing room.
Hayden looked at her like sheâd come out covered in a dirty garbage bag. âThat is not what I gave you.â
âBut it covers my rear more than this does.â She threw the other top at him. He rolled his eyes, tucking the shirt under his arm. He walked off, and Rani turned to inspect herself in the three-way mirror. He soon retuned with a belt, wrapped it around her waist a couple of times, and buckled it in front, cinching the shirt around her.
âThere. Much better. What do you think?â
âI love it!â She pecked him on the cheek. âThanks so much for your help.â
âYouâre welcome. Go change clothes. We donât have much time and we have one more store to hit.â
She chewed on a fingernail, hesitating at the entrance to the dressing room. No one likes to feel like sheâs losing her mind. âJust make it quick,â she mumbled, then took a deep breath and closed herself inside. Immediately, the voices returned. âRaaani. Please just set us free.â
She covered her ears and slammed her eyes shut. âNo, no, no!â
Julia knocked on the door. âEverything okay in there?â
âIâm fine.â Right after she said it, she felt bad for snapping at Haydenâs friend. The shadow of feet beneath the door disappeared before she could apologize. It wasnât the womanâs fault she was going nuts.
âRaaani, please. Do it for love,â one of the muffled voices pleaded. The rest joined in the chorus.
She banged her head repeatedly with her palm, on the verge of tears. âWhat do I have to do to make you shut up?â
âJust set us free.â
âOkay. Poof, youâre free. Now leave me alone,â she whispered and waited for a response, counting to ten. Blessed silence. Still, instead of changing, she gathered her belongings and bolted from the dressing room. Hayden raised his eyebrows in surprise.
The saleswoman cut the tags off the clothes Rani wore and rung up the sales. Rani gave the woman her credit card without even looking at the bill, thanked her for her help, grabbed the bags, and walked out. Hayden said goodbye to Julia and caught up with Rani outside.
âThis many bags for a dress and a pair of shoes?â Rani asked him. He ducked into a lingerie store before she could stop him. She reluctantly followed and grabbed him by the arm, shaking her head. âOh no! This is where I draw the line. Besides you said weâre running late, now.â
âI didnât say that. I said we donât have much time. Thatâs different.â Hayden placed a condescending hand on his hip, looking quite catty.
Still, this proposed shopping spree made Rani uncomfortable. âI wonât try anything on. You canât make me.â
âNot necessary.â He sized her up and went around the store picking out bras, thongs, and teddies. He soon had an entourage of salesgirls following him around, dollar signs flashing in their eyes.
âWho are you, Queer Eye for the Straight Girl? You donât even know if theyâll fit.â Rani stood in the center of the shop, her arms crossed and a foot stuck out in front, watching them.
He stopped and raised one eyebrow, a thong dangling from an index finger. âDare to try me?â
âNot a chance.â
âThen stop interrupting.â He threw a couple of negligĂ©es on the salesgirlsâ growing piles. Rani stared out the store windows, watching people scurrying to trains, while the clerks rung up the items and bagged them.
A ram with long curled horns and a golden yellow coat strolled past the window. A ram? What the� A black-winged horse cantered up beside him, while a white bull ambled along, looking this way and that. Lastly, a giant crab skittered past trying to keep up with the rest.
Rani shut her eyes, shaking her head, then opened them again. She peered back through the window, but the ram, hose, bull, and crab were gone. She ran out the door and scanned all directions. No animals in sight. âWhat is wrong with me?â she muttered, rubbing her forehead.
Hayden joined her outside, laden with more bags. âWow! You look like youâre going to be sick. Are you all right?â
âNo, Iâm not. I need to get out of here. Can we please go?â
âAbsolutely, but what happened?â
âI think Iâm losing my mind.â
He sighed and smiled. âOh, well thatâs a relief. Itâs vacay. Let your mind go a little.â
She shook her head, with a small chuckle. Hayden always had a way of saying just the right thing to calm her down. This was her vacation. They were headed to a country on her bucket list, and apparently none too soon.
âHere.â He handed her the latest shopping bag. âAnd you owe me two hundred dollars.â
âI owe you? This part was your idea. I have nice lingerie.â
âWell, now you have more.â He looked her over. âAre you happy with the clothes?â Rani nodded, smiling. âGood, because you do make those leggings look hot.â
âWell, they certainly wonât stop me in airport security. I couldnât hide a pin in these pants, much less a gun.â She tugged the pant legs down a bit, hoisted her purse and backpack onto her shoulder, shifted them around, grabbed the handle of her roller bag along with her new purchases, only to have purse and pack fall from her shoulder. She huffed and pushed them back up.
Hayden moved on down the tunnel with poise and ease despite the load of bags he carried. How did he do it?
âI feel like Eliza Doolittle,â she muttered under her breath. âHey, are you my Henry Higgins?â she yelled down the tunnel at him.
He turned and watched her coming toward him. âIn six months I could pass you off as a duchess at an embassy ball.â His impersonation of Rex Harrison was a little lacking, but done with such flamboyance that Rani laughed.
She tried to look poised, but everything fell off her shoulder again and crumpled the new shopping bags. Hayden rescued her, taking the new purchases from her. She sighed with relief. âI donât think Iâm going to have room in my luggage for all this.â
He carried the added burdens with ease. âWeâll manage.â
A-Mused: My Big Fat Greek Mythology is a mystical and unpredictable romance filled with ancient gods and goddesses.Â
Rani heads to Greece with her dear friend, Hayden, for a much-needed vacation. She begins to hear strange music and voices asking her to free them that no one else can. With nothing but a simple âOkay. Poof, youâre free. Now leave me alone,â Rani releases the voices. What ensues is a rollick of dreamy romance, attacks from strange dogs, and stalkers.Â
As Rani uncovers who she is, she looks for a way to help restore peace among the gods and defeat the villain, Typhon. Rani grows throughout the novel, making her not only a likable character but a realistic one, even if she is dealing with Greek myths. Meanwhile, the comedy launched in Raniâs dealings with the various gods and goddesses invites a beautiful array of characters; each has their own level of wit and depth.Â
With all gods, there is always a matter of pride that often gets in the way of their happiness. Rogers uses that element to create a sweeping romance of two people torn apart by the love and desire to protect one another. The fantasy remains sweet throughout and always a side aspect of the overall arc of Rani finding and loving herself.
Glenda Rogers handles the plot and characters with expertise in a book chock full of Greek mythology, astronomy, and sweet romance. Her affection for the subject matter shows. There is music, laughter, whimsy, and hardship, making A-Mused a well-rounded little rom-com.Â
The pace is lightning fast without lacking detail. Things pick up once Rani returns home to New York, and the litany of mythological Greeks truly vie for her attention. There is something unique about Raniâs whimsical adventure. Even though the subject matter is familiar, the gods and goddesses relatively well known, Rogers takes the time to unravel a new perspective.Â