About the Book
Book: Bernadette: A Sweet, Quirky, Romantic Twist
Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary
Genre: Sweet Romantic Comedy
Release Date: August 4, 2025
She’s supposed to be a small-town girl…
…He’s billed as America’s biggest heartthrob.
What could possibly go wrong? How about everything?
Tiny Bernie Sawrey is perfectly happy fixing carburetors until her stepmother ambushes her with a blind date. The catch? It’s with movie star Garrett Lomas, Bernie’s secret celebrity crush and the reason she’s haunted the drive-in alone her entire adult life.
There’s just one teensy problem: Bernie’s about as Hollywood-ready as a rusty muffler.
But when her dad’s garage faces financial ruin, suddenly playing Kokomo’s answer to the girl-next-door doesn’t seem so impossible, if it will help. How hard can it be to fake being normal for a few weeks?
Meanwhile, Gabe Lomas thought being his identical twin’s stunt double only involved driving race cars—not impersonating him at charity events in small-town Indiana. But when the movie studio execs set up the deal and Garrett’s fiancée says no way, Gabe trades his helmet for a fake smile and a very real problem.
The problem? Bernie Sawrey, all five-foot-nothing of her, with enough quirk and innocence to charm the grumpiest producer. That’s the problem.
Gabe is falling for her hard, only she thinks he’s his famous brother.
And she just might be falling for him too.
Now he’s caught between protecting his brother’s career and protecting his own heart. Because telling Bernie the truth might send her racing away—but not telling her guarantees he’ll lose her when she finds out.
Return to 1973 Kokomo, Indiana, where the cardinal in the sycamore knows that love—like a good engine—runs best when all the parts are genuine. A sweet, hilarious tale of mistaken identity, small-town charm, and finding love when you’re not even being yourself.
You will enjoy this sweet, quirky tale of secret twists, because sometimes the best love stories start with a little white lie and maybe a bit of motor oil.
Click here to get your copy!
Author Interview
1. Do you consider yourself a plotter or a pantser (or a hybrid)?
Stop for Writers to get to know my characters, and I fill in a few templates of questions to
get me thinking. But all is flexible or outright changeable. I have to see where the writing
takes me and who the other characters are who jump in and add to the story.
2. What is your favorite part about writing?
with it is exciting.
like I have to toot my own horn. I know it’s not necessarily that, but it feels like it.
Sharing stories, no problem. But the other stuff makes me uncomfortable.
4. Do you have a way to keep track of your story ideas?
the book I’m writing, Walk Away, Rene. I also do research into things and save that when
I have an idea. But I’m not great about it. I did get an idea once when my hubs and I were
going out to eat. I started typing it into my Notes on my phone and even asked the server
what she thought. Held onto it for over a year and put it into Runaround Sue—Mac’s first
scene.
Cluttered. I have an old mauve velour EZchair that belonged to my grandmother and a
lap desk to go across to hold my laptop. I’m constantly pulling out something to
check—often old Sargasso Yearbooks — so they are in a stack next to me along with tons
of other stuff.
6. When did you become a writer?
Cinderella—when I was in fourth grade. I was also the director of that show that never
made it past the first rehearsal.
7. How long does it usually take you to write a book?
Chosen— “Get used to different”—because my mantra. Life took a massive change, so
now if I can do it in under four months, I’m feeling pretty good.
8. Where do you get your ideas for your books?
The current ones, and another trilogy I’m playing with, all come from song titles of the
1960s. That was great music, and for an imaginative kid, it played out some fun
storylines.
9. What is your work schedule/routine when you write?
around 5:00 (if I remember to start the oven or even make a plan). Occasionally I’ll go
back after 7:00 but rarely. If I can join a sprint during that time, things really fly.
10. Do bits of yourself/friends show up in your characters?
Bernadette, the character Debbie LePre is named after a dear friend who succumbed to
cancer about a month before I started writing the book.
About the Author
Historical Christian Romance author and three-time Selah Award nominee, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty-plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy, as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.
More from Jennifer
As I put this series together in my head, certain books were right there, laid out, easy to have a handle on them. But with Bernadette, I knew two things: she was a tiny spitfire, and the first line of the book had to be someone calling out her name. Why? Because that’s the way the Four Tops started the song that was my inspiration. Sort of. Actually, that is the only thing I used from the song.
I also wanted to introduce my readers to other places I remembered in Kokomo during the 1970s. I’d only been to the Kokomo Speedway once, and all I could remember was that it was loud. It was my one and only date with a longtime friend who had been an on-again, off-again boyfriend of my best friend. After we moved to Arizona, I had a chance to go back home for a few weeks before my senior year. Cheryl and Jim were no longer an item, but I’d been friends with both. Jim asked if I wanted to go to the races and I agreed. Can’t remember if we took his motorcycle or not, but I did ride with him once or twice on that trip. The funny thing is, we knew we were better as friends, and especially with the long distance between us, that was all either of us wanted. We remained friends for many years before we lost contact—I got to meet his wife and daughters, and he met my husband.
About the time I was starting this book, as the plot ideas were coming together, one of my sweet sisters from our Bible study group succumbed to cancer. Debbie was a sweet light, and I wanted to honor her. I asked her family if I could use her name in the story and they agreed.
Finally, I think every girl remembers the first boy to ask her to go steady. The thing is, I’m not sure who it was. From kindergarten through fourth grade, I went to school with the Richardson twins. Both were sweet and funny. Mike was the more outgoing, Mark was quieter.
I remember one time going to their house and making Christmas ornaments from straws after we learned how in school.
One day I got a phone call. I’d learned to tell them apart in person, but on the phone, not so much. I got asked to go steady. My dad had already informed me that ten-years-old was too young, so I blamed it on Dad and declined.
A few minutes later, I got a second phone call. Again I was asked to go steady and had to say no. The thing is, I never knew who asked first!
After that year we moved across town though I kept in touch with my friends. It was only about two-three years later that I learned Mike had died from an accident. It wasn’t my first intro to death, but it was concerning someone my own age.
It’s been almost sixty years since I last saw Mike Richardson, but I still remember him with fondness. Another reason I had twins in this story. If only I knew which twin had asked me to go steady first.
Blog Stops
Book Reviews From an Avid Reader, March 26
Tell Tale Book Reviews, March 27 (Author Interview)
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 28
Texas Book-aholic, March 29
Blossoms and Blessings, March 30 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 30
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 31
Blogging With Carol, April 1
Stories By Gina, April 2 (Author Interview)
Simple Harvest Reads, April 3 (Guest Review from Donna)
She Lives to Read, April 4
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, April 5 (Author Interview)
For Him and My Family, April 5
Paula’s Pad of Inspiration, April 6
Pause for Tales, April 7
Books, Books, & More Books, April 8 (Author Interview)
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Jennifer is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://gleam.io/iwo6B/bernadette-celebration-tour-giveaway
What would you sacrifice to save your family and your 
Kathy Tyers
Lily
Joy Michelle Austin
Five sons of an English duke, all raised in the Rocky Mountains…
Misty M. Beller