In Smile for Me, an enemies-to-friends-to-more and opposites-attract novel, we hang out with potter Tina MacFarland, who reluctantly agrees to return to teach at the Chapel by the Sea Christian School summer art camp in Nassau. She doesn’t want to see Assistant Headmaster (Principal) Byron Moss again, but he’s in charge of the camp, so see him she must.
Byron Moss, on the other hand, has a different memory of her when she first went to the Bahamas two years ago. In fact, his interest in her stirs up because she’s the opposite of him. He doesn’t realize that he has hurt her feelings by his words when he first met her. So what will happen now that she’s back on the island?
Smile for Me

She is laid-back.
He is uptight.
Never the twain shall…kiss?
A deadline-driven workaholic assistant school principal who meticulously plans his schedule months in advance meets an easygoing art teacher and studio potter with no sense of time, living her life as the seasons come and go. When they cross paths again at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp sponsored by his church in Nassau, Bahamas, how can they get along if they cannot see eye to eye?
Tina MacFarland is laid-back…
When invited back to the Bahamas for a second time two years after a disastrous mission trip there, potter and art teacher Tina MacFarland isn’t sure she wants to face the obnoxious assistant principal of the Chapel by the Sea Christian School again. The last time she encountered Byron Moss, he found fault in everything she did. It seems that nothing she ever does is good enough for Mr. Uptight, as attractive as he may be to her. Regardless of her personal concerns, they need art teachers at the Summer by the Sea Day Camp, and Tina answers the call to go. Surely God will help her last for four short weeks. What can possibly happen in a month? Nothing she can think of.Byron Moss is uptight…
Assistant Headmaster Byron Moss is at a crossroad in his career. On the one hand, he has worked very hard to get to this position at the Chapel by the Sea Christian School. One more step up from this assistant principal position, and he’d be in charge of the entire school. On the other hand, when Tina returns to Nassau, Byron suddenly feels hemmed in by his career choice. He is restricted from showing his transforming feelings for Tina. He fears he has taken a wrong turn in his career, and that if he keeps going on that route, he may lose his chances with Tina. More importantly, what is God’s will for his life? Somehow, he knows that Tina is part of all that. But she’s so…chaotic! And it drives him nuts. For the first time in his life, Byron is confused about what he needs to do.Never the twain shall…kiss?
Ah, Byron and Tina. How would they navigate the super-conservative work environment where office romance is frowned upon? Can they change the old rules? Or will the old rules change them?Tropes & Themes:
- Opposites Attract
- Slow Burn Romance
- Enemies to Friends to More
- Work Colleagues
- Grumpy versus Sunshine
- Uptight versus Easy-Going
- Artist / Painter / Potter
- Art Teacher
- Artist Romance
- Assent Principal (Headmaster)
- Career Choices
- Biracial Family
- Multiracial Romance
- Summer Romance
- International Romance
- Millionaire Romance
- Island Life / Island Time
- Tropical Vibes
- Millionaire Families / Wealthy Siblings
- Conservative Christian School
- School Staff
- Art Camp
- Summer Camp
- Dating Rules
- Church Life
- Family Dynamics / Blended Family
- Mother-Son Relationship
- Father-Daughter Relationship