Yesterday marked author Faith Andrews birthday as well as the release of her debut novel, Man of My Dreams!

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of this book and if you’re a fan of love triangles you’re going to want to add it to your TBR list.

Here’s the blurb:

Man of My DreamsMia Murphy may be married to the man of her dreams. But the man in her dreams is the one that got away—her high school crush. 

Mia’s stuck in a rut, just like every other stay-at-home mom, and the only thing saving her from her monotonous routine is her perfect husband, Declan. He’s gorgeous, he adores her, and the man stole her heart with his sexy singing voice. Mia feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she discovers that Mr. Perfect is not Mr. Faithful. Mia is devastated. Everything she once believed about Declan and their marriage is now covered in a big cloud of doubt and regret. On impulse, she kicks the cheating bastard out, pushing them into a separation that could mean the end of the picture-perfect couple. 

But when Mia receives an invitation to her high school reunion, she finds herself abandoning the present for the oh-so alluring pull of the past. Although her heart still belongs to her husband, inescapable thoughts of her crush, Noah, resurface. And ten years later, Noah isn’t afraid to make his move. When the build-up of fantasies and ‘what ifs’ comes to a head, sparks fly and it’s Mia’s turn to question if her marriage is everything she wants out of life. Searching for answers, Mia dives head first into dating Noah, falling further away from her husband and closer to her old flame. 

But Declan’s not giving up so easily. Mia is his one and only and he’s not about to let another man win her heart.

Personally I related to the feelings Mia struggled with as a mom of two young children. There’s a definite shift in a relationship after the kids arrive and it can take time and effort to navigate it successfully. Faith has expertly woven flashbacks throughout the book in a way that drops breadcrumbs throughout the story and increases the tension when we get back to the present. What a wonderful debut from this up and coming author. Certainly someone to keep your eye on!

I asked Faith if she would mind answering a few questions and she graciously agreed.

Where did the idea for Man Of My Dreams come from?

It’s going to sound cheesy, but the idea came to me in a dream. I dreamt about an old friend from school and thought wouldn’t it be cool if I wrote this book about a girl who dreams about her high school crush and the rest just came to me as I wrote it. It’s not your normal romance, but I do think that women, especially mothers, will relate to this and the whole idea of ‘what ifs’ and the challenges of married life.

How long did it take you to write it?

Man of My Dreams took about three months to write. I spent a lot of nights (and days) glued to the computer because the scenes were just coming to me and I was enjoying them so much. I got giddy writing the reunion and I totally fell in love with the swoon-worthy Declan just like Mia did on their first date.

Why did you decide to take the self-publishing plunge?

Two names: Gail McHugh and Jasinda Wilder. I’m not by any means saying I will have even half of their success, but if it weren’t for their kind words and encouragement I would still be waiting for my query letter to get the notice of an agent or publisher. Man of My Dreams actually did get some notice, but after doing some research and speaking with some indie authors it just seemed like this was the right fit for me. I have never in my life felt so welcomed and accepted into a community. The writers, readers, and bloggers are some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.

If you were Mia could you forgive Declan?

Oh, this is a tricky one—Mia is a lot like me in the sense that she is stubborn and holds a grudge by harboring her resentments. Not a pretty trait at times, BUT everyone has their flaws. Like Mia, I’d give him a hard time, make him sweat it out and then try to fix whatever it is that’s weakening the marriage in the first place. Infidelity of any kind is a deal breaker in so many relationships—it bruises egos and causes so much emotional heartache, sometimes it’s too much to ever overcome, but I’d like to think that everything worth saving can be worked out.

What are you working on next?

Care for a blurb of what I’m working on? I’m having a blast writing about Marcus and Tessa! I hope to have this completed soon and plan on releasing it early 2014.

Sexy, tatted up, underwear modeling, Marcus Grayson is every girl’s dream—or more likely worst nightmare. He’s a player, a self-proclaimed bachelor for life, and he’s got no problem living up to his man-whore status. But when his older sister’s friend comes back from the past, he may just have the chance to turn some of his adolescent fantasies into reality.

Tessa Bradley is a self-sufficient, take-no-bull, single mother—well, now she is. Finally rid of her abusive, alcoholic ex, she’s making a new life for herself and catching up with old friends; the ones she was forced to break ties with because of her controlling husband. When she runs into Marcus, her friend Riley’s once-adorable turned smoking-hot little brother, she has no idea how he’s about to rock her world.

Just for fun:

Wine or beer? Wine—red

Early bird or night owl? Night owl

Sneaker or heels? Flip flops

What are you reading right now? I’m reading an ARC of Irreplaceable by Angela Graham

Favorite troupe in a romance novel? (ie: friends to lover, lovers reunited, in love with the boss)

Friends to lovers or oooooh, I love when two strangers meet and have an instant sexual chemistry. Those are always fun!

Three books everyone should have on their TBR lists…

Hopeless, Collide, and Falling Into You (but then you immediately need to download Losing Hope and the Slammed series, Pulse, and Falling Into Us). And the obvious…Man of My Dreams by Faith Andrews!

I want to thank Faith for dropping by today! Go purchase Man of My Dreams today!