I’m happy to bring you a guest post by the author of Best Day Ever, Kaira Rouda. See below for information about the book and author, and the guest post from Kaira!
About the Book:
In BEST DAY EVER, Paul Strom has the perfect life: a glittering career as an advertising executive, a beautiful wife, two healthy boys and a big house in a wealthy suburb. And he’s the perfect husband: breadwinner, protector, provider. That’s why he’s planned a 
romantic weekend for his wife, Mia, at their lake house, just the two of them. And he’s promised today will be the best day ever.
But as Paul and Mia drive out of the city and toward the countryside, a spark of tension begins to burn between them and doubts start to arise. How perfect is their marriage, or any marriage, really? How much do they trust each other? Is Paul the person he seems to be? And what are his real plans for their weekend at the cottage?
The novel is already receiving terrific advance praise. Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kerry Lonsdale, who wrote Everything We Keep, says: “Riveting and provocative, Best Day Ever is a gripping suspense that plays with your mind and makes you wonder how well you truly know your spouse. Accomplished author Kaira Rouda deftly navigates a day in the life of Paul and Mia Strom where what appears to be a perfect marriage is not all what it seems. Fast-paced, dark, and slightly disturbing, you won’t be able to put this book down until its jaw-dropping ending. Rouda kept me glued to my seat. Absolutely brilliant!”
Kathryn Craft, award-winning author of The Far End of Happy, says of Rouda’s protagonist, Paul Strom: “His voice will grip you. Through self-conscious charm and a chilling wit, Rouda’s narrator creates laugh-out-loud moments that will feel like guilty pleasures in light of the story’s high-impact conclusion. This may well be the most entertaining read of your year.”
Forcing us to ask ourselves just how well we know those who are closest to us, BEST DAY EVER crackles with dark energy, spinning ever tighter toward its shocking conclusion. In the bestselling, page-turning vein of The Couple Next Door and The Dinner, Kaira Rouda weaves a gripping, tautly suspenseful tale of deception and betrayal dark enough to destroy a marriage…or a life.
About Rouda’s Inspiration:
Asked about what it was like to get into the mind of Paul, Rouda says, “I loved it! Does this sound strange? Paul appeared in my imagination one day as a multi-dimensional character with a very distinct point of view on the world. Coupled with research both in person and online about malignant narcissists, the story unfolded with ease. Paul is charming, intelligent, and completely in charge of the plot, and everyone involved in the story, or so he’ll tell you. The difference between who Paul says he is, and the reality of what is going on in their marriage was the fun of writing this tale of deception and betrayal. Oh, and don’t get me wrong, he did give me the creeps, but he has left a lasting impression.”
Says Rouda about the inspiration for BEST DAY EVER: “One of my favorite ideas in literature to work with is the theme of what goes on behind closed doors of seemingly perfect lives. It always starts with a ‘what if’, doesn’t it? What if Paul isn’t what he seems? What if his promise of a special romantic weekend is anything but? Secret lives and unreliable narrators always have held my interest as both a reader and a writer.”
I asked Rouda what Mia would say if she could write a prologue, and here’s her response:
Mia would say that she’s ready, finally, for this day, for this trip out of town with her husband. She would say that it took her a long time to realize certain things about her relationship with her husband. But that it’s normal, because we often don’t really know the person we’re married to and she realizes that. She also would say that you shouldn’t judge her because she is very thin. She’s not anorexic. She does have a few other issues, she’d want you to know, and she’s going to deal with them. She’s on the road to recovery and this trip with her husband Paul is an important step forward, for both of them. Mia would also want you to know that she loves her kids more than anything else in the world. And because she loves her kids, she’s going to make this day the best day ever. She’s going to keep the peace, make Paul happy. Help him to relax because he’s been so tense lately. She knows how important it is to maintain the illusion of perfection. And she’s prepared to do that, and so much more.
If Mia could write a prologue, Mia would tell you everything will work out as planned. At least, that’s what she must believe to stay sane. Mia would tell you all of this as she pasted a smile on her face and slides into the front seat of her husband’s car.
About the Author:
Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, Here, Home, Hope, was the Winner of the Indie Excellence Book 
Award in Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Winner of the USA Book Awards in the Women’s Fiction category and received Honorable Mention in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for the Writer’s Digest Book Awards. Her novel, The Goodbye Year, which was released in May 2016, was Redbook Magazine’s “20 Best Books You Absolutely Must Read This Spring.” Kaira’s latest novel, Best Day Ever, is one of the major launch titles for Harlequin’s new imprint Graydon House, and will be available on September 19, 2017.
Kaira is also the author of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs and the creator of Real Living, one of the nation’s most successful real estate brands and the first national women-focused brand in real estate. She has given speeches to both women and men’s entrepreneurial conferences and programs across the country on the power of women as consumers and in the world. Kaira was named Best Entrepreneur from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and was also recognized in Entrepreneur magazine’s inaugural Top 50 fastest-growing, women-led companies list.
In addition to her many entrepreneurial and literary accomplishments, Kaira is very active in both her native Ohio community and in her community in Southern California, where she now resides. Her philanthropic pursuits began when she founded Central Ohio’s first homeless shelter for families when she was twenty-five years old, and Kaira has since received numerous awards for her civic service.
Kaira’s family includes her husband of 28 years, her four kids, and her two spoiled dogs. She lives in Southern California and is at work on her next novel. After living in Columbus, Ohio, for most of her life, she now enjoys the beach whenever possible.
Connect with Kaira Rouda
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
Wandering Bark Books 