Rapsodia with Alexa Verde’s Marco Carter

Hello, reader friends! We get to hang out with one of Alexa Verde’s fictional friends from Rapsodia (book 3 of the multi-author A Tuscan Legacy series). Plus, there’s a giveaway!

Meet Marco Carter

Marco (hero of Rapsodia) is an older brother to Nick Carter (the hero of Luna Rosa by Elizabeth Maddrey, who we had the pleasure of meeting here) and Nick’s twin Piero. He was born to an Italian mother and American father. He lives and breathes his job. That is, until he meets Samantha Jenkins…

 

five favorite activities

Marco: Spending quiet time with God – Often in the hectic pace of my life I forget about it and then remind myself that all success I have, everything I have is thanks to God.

Beth: Amen to all of that!

Marco: Cooking – Seriously! If I hadn’t become an executive of a pizzeria chain, I would’ve become a chef. Cooking reminds me about happy times of my childhood, laughter, games with my brothers, scrumptious family dinners, love, and yes, delicious scents of marinara sauce, dough, and Italian herbs…

It brings me so much joy to share great food with people, seeing them enjoy it, making the time special for them. A slice of pizza might not fix all issues, but it can make the day so much better. If you don’t agree, you haven’t been in one of my pizzerias. And that’s really a shame!

Beth: Mmmmm, pizza is one of my favorite comfort foods! 

Marco: Spending time with Samantha Jenkins – Okay, I don’t want to admit it, but I never connected so easily with anyone the way I connected with Samantha. Frankly, nearly all my time is dedicated to my work, so I have no place for romance in my life. Not after… Well, never mind.

Besides, it turns out, Samantha and I are total opposites. I need to have everything under control, and she’s a free spirit. And we live in different parts of a very large state. And she’s still recovering after a tragedy… So many reasons why I should stay away from Samantha. But I can’t stop thinking about her. And I wouldn’t get where I am today if I stopped halfway, right?

Beth: This is just too sweet, Marco!

Marco: Hanging out with Philip – It’s a huge blessing to work with my best friend. We’ve been friends since we were kids, and I trust him more than I trust myself. But ever since he’d been scarred in an accident, it feels like we switched personalities.

Philip doesn’t date anymore, gave up extreme sports, and spends much more time working. I want my old friend back, happy and carefree! The only time Philip’s face lights up is when he hears a certain famous singer. Hmm, that gives me an idea… Oh, and speaking about extreme sports…

Beth: Sounds like y’all have a strong bond. Best friends are priceless!

Marco: Extreme sports – Crazy, right? After turning thirty, I decided there was more to life than work, and I needed to try new things. And, okay, Samantha loves them. But I got more than I bargained for.

You know how exhilarating, how incredible it feels when you bungee jump? Me, either. Because my heart dropped into my toes when I did it. No, correction, jumped into my toes because I was hanging upside down. But I had a very important reason to try bungee jumping. Why? *grins* You can find out in Rapsodia.

Beth: Wowza! That does NOT look like fun to me! You are braver than I, friend!

 

q&a

Describe yourself in five words.

Marco: Believer, driven, successful, hardworking. Fifth word… Learning to surrender control. Okay, #5 isn’t one word, but that’s the journey I’m on now.

Beth: Works for me!

Will readers be able to follow your story in future books?

Marco: I might make an appearance in Philip’s story, but I think I’ll step aside to let my best friend get his happily ever after. He deserves to love and be loved, scars and all.

Beth: Aw, he sure does!

What is your comfort food?

Marco: Pizza! But really, any Italian food is awesome to me.

Beth: YES! I would love to add more Italian foods to my diet!

 

about the book

Rapsodia by Alexa Verde

A risk taker with a crushed spirit and a control-addicted businessman with a crushed heart… Can they surrender themselves to God’s healing love?

After the woman he loved left him for a richer guy, Marco Carter turned all his passion toward the chain of pizzerias he founded. He can control his business, unlike love. Then his world is turned upside down. He meets Samantha Jenkins on his flight home to Texas after his grandmother’s eightieth birthday. Many hours with the guarded but beautiful Samantha has him questioning his career-centered mindset.

A born risk taker and fiercely independent, Samantha misses her former life as a travel photographer and extreme sports aficionado. But more than anything, she grieves her fiancé. On her trip from Italy on the anniversary of his tragic passing, the last thing she expects is to become drawn to her neighbor on her flight. Deep inside, she still blames herself for her fiancé’s death…

Though Marco is determined to forget Samantha, the arrival of a mysterious painting reminds him of all that is missing in his life. Hoping for a new chance with her, Marco opens a pizzeria in Samantha’s hometown in south Texas. Spending time with her, he’s learning to surrender control to the Lord. But apparently it’s easier to earn millions than to make Samantha open her heart again. What will it take for her to heal enough to trust in God and take the biggest risk of all-to love again?

goodreads | amazon

 

The Tuscan Legacy series

 

about the author

Alexa Verde writes sweet, wholesome books about faith, love, and love. She penned her first literary masterpiece, a rhymed poem, at the ripe age of eight, and since has had 200 short stories, articles, and poems published in the five languages that she speaks. She has bachelor’s degrees in English and Spanish, a master’s in Russian, and enjoys writing about characters with diverse cultures. She’s worn the hats of reporter, teacher, translator, model (even one day counts!), caretaker, and secretary, but thinks that the writer’s hat suits her the best. After traveling the world and living in both hemispheres, she calls a small town in south Texas home. The latter is an inspiration for the fictional setting of her popular series Rios Azules Christmas and Secrets of Rios Azules.

Alexa would love for you to connect with her! And if you follow her on BookBub or her Amazon page, you’ll make her day.

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freebie

Join Alexa Verde’s newsletter subscribers (unsubscribe at any time) and download a free novella, Season of Mercy!

 

giveaway

Alexa has generously provided an ebook copy of Rapsodia for one Faithfully Bookish reader friend!

complete giveaway rules

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Doesn’t Marco sound like a great character, reader friends?!
Stay tuned for more spotlights from the authors of A Tuscan Legacy!
Are you adding Rapsodia to your tbr?