Love Simplified: A Tempest Day Production

by Terri J. Haynes

Tempest Day is an expert on helping others find love through her Connection Parties matchmaking service and the methods outlined in her bestselling book, Love Simplified. She’s one step away from becoming a celebrity matchmaker, the pinnacle of her career dreams.

But when a seemingly simple interview on the nation’s most popular daytime television show takes an ugly turn, Tempest is forced to admit a secret she’s carried for years: She’s never been in love. The fallout is immediate and severe. So severe that the only way to fix the damage is to use her own methods on a reality TV show.

Tempest soon discovers that love is anything but simple. The show and its cranky but handsome associate producer, Lance Moretti, challenges all that Tempest thought she knew about relationships, even her relationship with God. What starts as a desperate attempt to repair her reputation turns into Tempest’s biggest love connection ever.

Genres: Romance

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2012

About the author

Terri J. Haynes, a native Baltimorean, is a mom, prolific knitter, freelance graphic artist, and former Army wife (left the Army, not the husband). She is also the owner of AT Haynes House Yarns, a hand-dyed yarn business. She loves to read, so much that when she was in elementary school, she masterminded a plan to be locked in a public library armed with only a flashlight to read all the books and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. As she grew, her love for writing grew as she tried her hand at poetry, articles, speeches, and fiction. She is a storyteller at heart. Her passion is to draw readers into the story world she has created and to bring laughter and joy to their lives.

Terri holds a Bachelor's Degree in Theology, a Master's degree in Theological Studies and a certificate in creative writing and graphic design.
Terri serves on Project Knitwell’s board of directors and is the chairwoman of DMV Fiber Friends. She lives in Fort Washington, MD, just outside Washington, DC with her husband and three adult children.

Visit her website, terrijhaynes.com.

Reviews

[K. Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I laughed so hard; it was a really enjoyable read. Tempest Day is a love expert who's never been in love. She is approached by producer Lance Moretti--time out; let me just say that like everyone else said, this guy is HOT. They don't make them like this in real life, do they? I sure haven't met one--where was I, Italian hottie Lance signs her to her very own reality show so she can fall in love. I really connected to the heroine because love is elusive and not everyone finds someone as sweet, and handsome, and irritating as the hero. I spent most the day yesterday reading this book--such a page turner. I couldn't wait for the romance to develop and the hero and heroine sparked every time they met. Loved that his was a Christian interracial romance, something that's fairly taboo in Christian publishing. Great pacing, and have I said how funny it was? The dates Tempest had to go on and with the men chosen for her on the show--it was just so funny. You will definitely enjoy this story.

[Eileen Sanchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't usually do this, but after reading a few pages of the "Look Inside" (not even the whole thing, that's how good it was!) I downloaded the book and started reading it that night. I don't usually write a review on Amazon but here I am!

First of all, I love the premise. ***Spoiler Alert!*** I like reading Christian Chick-Lit Contemporary Romance Comedy Fiction so this was perfect for me. (If you know of any other titles that fit this genre please let me know!) I enjoy stories that take place in LA since it's familiar to me and the Hollywood lifestyle takes me out of my own reality for a few hours. There's a cliche in rom-coms where the man and woman hate each other in the beginning but fall in love by the end. This book has that, but that's okay. I actually love this cliche! The build up and romantic tension between the two characters made me want to read more. The author did a good job of staying away from other cliches like the guy wiping food off the girl's face, racial stereotypes, or the dreaded running through an airport to tell the guy you love him before he boards a plane. Actually the ending was a cliche I don't like which was professing love for someone in a public way in front of hundreds of people. But other than that, "Love Simplified" satisfied by need for something light to read on my day off.

I admire this author because I, too, am a self-published author and my book (Craving the World) is the same genre. May God bless you, Terri!

[LAWonder10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK This story was very predictable but what a great Chick lit,
It creates warm 'fuzzies' all over. One experiences a barrage
of emotions throughout this well-written, romantic but clean
story.
Tempest Day was a known love professional but realized she had
never been in love. She had dated but they all ended leaving her
feeling unfulfilled. She was successful with getting others
together, why not herself?
On a national interview, by a popular talk show host, she is
trapped into admitting she has never been in love...She couldn't
lie!
She is contacted by a producer of a dating series, Lance Moretti
to do her own reality show. Another time, she would have probably
refused, but with her situation, she agreed to do it...Was she crazy?
The story evolves with her experiences with preparation for and the
actual occurrences behind the scenes.
You will laugh and you will cry along with Tempest Day as she goes
through the various experiences which evoked jealousy, pain, happiness,
and...love?
For great reading and thought provoking material, especially for a rainy
day pick-up, "check out" Love Simplified.
Recommended for YA,adults and book clubs.
My daughter won this through a Goodreads giveaway and was
generous enough to share it with me and other family members.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A writer is challenged to take her own advice about falling in love in a reality show. How well does that work for her? This book was engaging, funny and a fun read! Tempest writes a book on her method of matching people up to make a love connection, but then admits on a talk show that she has never been in love. A reality show producer sets her up with various dates that according to her scale, she would be compatible with. The dates are amazingly different from each other. Does she finally fall in love? You'll have to read the book to find out, I wouldn't want to spoil that adventure for you. But the adventure will draw you in and pull you along with all the ups and downs Tempest goes through in the search for the perfect match. I was given a copy of this book for my honest review. This is an author I will be looking for more from!

[Tam B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Terri Haynes at a book festival about a month ago and she made me want to purchase her book. She was so pleasant and friendly. I'm not usually a Christian fiction, chick fluff book reader, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was light, humorous, entertaining, intriguing and very easy to read. I do appreciate a little more closure at the end of a book. This book ended too abruptly for me. I actually threw the book at the end of the last sentence. But aside from that, it was a well written good book.

[D · Rating 4 out of 5]

So glad I was introduce to this book, it was wonderful and I like the fact that this was a Christian Interracial Romance. I hope there is a part two because I would like to know what comes next for Lance and Tempest.

[Cecelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Tempest Day is the expert on the subject of love! She's had pairing parties, where she's paired up folks with their future mates. She's been somewhat successful in her love pairings, however, there's something unique about Tempest: Although she advises people about romance, she's never been in love!

When she's challenged on a talk show, she's practically forced to so something about her never-fallen-in-love status. Her life takes a drastic change and when she's now a reality TV star, she finds herself working with handsome and bad-tempered Lance Moretti. Lance is drawn to Tempest and the chemistry sizzles between them like oil hitting a hot skillet!

This book was so exciting! There were so many surprises and twists and turns. You'll keep turning the pages as you read about these amazing characters. It was also exciting to read about life on a reality show.

[Cherie l brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tempest has been unfortunate at love for herself but has enjoyed pretty good success making love matches for others. In sheer humiliation about her Love Match theory, it is revealed that Tempest may not be the most qualified person to make love matches. Despite the embarrassment of being found out, a new door opens as an opportunity. Perhaps Tempest Day can find love using her own theory, and on her own reality show co-produced by Lance for Maxwell Steven’s’ Infinity Broadcasting.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

My only dislikes were sometimes there seemed to be a word missing from a sentence, so some sentences were confusing. And I didn't like Tempest's best friend because she snuck behind Tempest's back, and she reminded me of the type of friend that wants to know everything about you but never let's you know anything about themselves. But I did like that the author wrote Tempest forgiving her and putting their friendship first. I love how Tempest was oblivious to love and then experienced it for herself, but I think the relationship between Tempest and Lance needed more development.