Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Allie Pleiter | The Reluctant Hero
Author Guest / April 25, 2012

We love a reluctant hero.  We’re quick to praise a man who won’t praise himself, who is blind to the attributes that others see in him.  I think we trust a man (or woman) like that because his command is authentic.  It’s not grabbed or sought, it’s earned or even thrust upon him.  It’s the old saying that the man who ought to be king is the one who least wants to be king. Captain John Gallows is a reluctant hero, but with an arrogant side.  He makes a big deal of himself because he knows he’s really no big deal.  It’s compensation.  He wears his medal of honor well, but doesn’t think it belongs on his chest.  He knows how to use his silver tongue to get what he wants, but what he wants most of all is to feel he’s worthy of the accolades that are laid at his feet.  I love to write complex characters like that–heroes and heroines who take the archetypes and turn them on their ear. The perfect foil for a man like that is a woman who hasn’t yet realized her worth.  Leanne Sample is far stronger than she knows.  John’s outward arrogance…

Spotlight on Julianne MacLean
Author Spotlight / April 24, 2012

What would you do for a royal romance? From USA Today bestselling author Julianne MacLean comes a new series brimming with the lavish romance of the Regency period—and the dangerous passions of royals in love … The advance buzz has been hot and the reviews are already rolling in.  Romance Junkies says: “BE MY PRINCE surpasses my expectations. It is a phenomenal read; one that I just could not put down…. All I can say is bring me more. I will be waiting patiently for the next book in THE ROYAL TRILOGY series.” MacLean has created an opulent, luxurious world for the Royal Family of Petersbourg – a fictional European nation alive with romance and intrigue during the turbulent age of Napoleon…. Attention one and all. His Royal Highness, Prince Randolph of Petersbourg, will set sail for London in early June and reside at St. James’s Palace for one full month…Some say the true motive for the prince’s visit to our fair country is to seek and marry his future queen. I will therefore pose the question to our devoted and reflective readers: Who among us will be the chosen one? —From the London Ballroom Society Pages Lady Alexandra Monroe…

Fresh Pick | ADDICTED TO YOU by Bethany Kane
Fresh Pick / April 24, 2012

June 2011 On Sale: June 7, 2011 Featuring: Katie Hughes; Rill Pierce 352 pages ISBN: 0425241106 EAN: 9780425241103 Kindle: B004LRPDK0 Paperback $15.00  Add to Wish List Erotica, Romance Erotica Sensual Buy at Amazon.com Need something more to read after you finish 50 Shades of Grey? Try this… Addicted To You by Bethany Kane “You’ll be addicted from page one!” -Julie James, national bestselling author of Something About You. Once, film director Rill Pierce’s raw sexuality and sultry Irish accent made women weak with desire. But a tragedy has left him barely recognizable. Leave it to Katie Hughes, his best friend’s sister, to bring him back to life with her own pent-up passions. But will Rill’s insatiable attraction to Katie heal his pain-or just feed the darkness within him? Hotter than hot sex abounds between the pages of ADDICTED TO YOU. Previous Picks

Spotlight on Kristan Higgins
Author Spotlight / April 24, 2012

SOMEBODY TO LOVE from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Kristan Higgins Parker Welles is most definitely not looking for love. She’s got her hands full—a young son, a stalled career as a children’s book author, and, most recently, bankruptcy, courtesy of her insider-trading father. She needs to flip the one asset she has left: a tiny house on the northern coast of Maine. The last person she wants to help her is James Cahill, her father’s personal attorney and the son he never had. James has had it bad for Parker since the day he met her. With his boss in jail, he figures he’ll head to Maine and help her out, whether or not she wants him to. And maybe change her mind about him after all this time. “Higgins has another winner with this delightful romance.” —Romantic Times “(Higgins writes) complex characters and great endings…SOMEBODY TO LOVE is my favorite Higgins book so far.”—Fresh Fiction “Another honest story about family dynamics. Sensitivity, wit and compassion abound in this latest trip to a very small town and its rather eccentric population. —Night Owl Reviews, Top Pick In honor of the new release, Kristan is giving away…

Kristan Higgins | Starting Fresh
Author Guest / April 24, 2012

Parker Welles, the heroine of SOMEBODY TO LOVE, has to start over…though not voluntarily. She’s got a very nice life in the beginning of the book: a lovely five-year-old son, great friends, plenty of money courtesy of her trust fund and a mansion as her home. Unfortunately, dear old dad empties the coffers in an attempt to cover an insider trading deal, and Parker is informed at the end of Chapter One that she’s broke and will have to move. Surprise! But it’s not all bad. Her son will be on vacation with his father for a few weeks, so Parker heads north to Maine to flip the only asset she has left—a little house way up on the picturesque and remote coast in a little town some of you might remember from CATCH OF THE DAY. I confess that I’d love to have this happen to me. Not that I have a trust fund that could be emptied (or if I do, my mom has hidden that information very thoroughly!). And not that I’d want to have the pressure of finding a new job, new house, new life in such a short time. But I’d love the chance to…

Nina Croft | Category romance and Evolution
Author Guest / April 22, 2012

I have a soft spot for contemporary category romance. It started me, long ago, on what has turned out to be a lifetime love of romances of all kinds, historical, paranormal, science-fiction… But I still return to category at regular intervals and often re-read old favorites. I have a degree in biology, so I know a little about evolution. And I’ve realized that one of the things I love about category romance is that it is always evolving. I started reading them when I was about twelve or thirteen. I’ve always been a voracious reader, and I was always running out of books. My mother read Mills and Boons (that’s now the UK side of Harlequin) and she had hundreds and hundreds of them. Bags full of them secreted all over the house. My mother was a wonderful woman—she had a husband, a job and five children and she still found time to read. One of my first memories is coming home from school and finding her lying on the sofa a romance novel in hand (so what if dinner was late—there are far more important things in life!) She’s always been my role model. Anyway, I thought, if I…

Fresh Pick | GUNS AND ROSES by Laura Griffin, Allison Brennan, Lori G. Armstrong, Roxanne St. Claire, Karin Tabke
Fresh Pick / April 21, 2012

February 2012 On Sale: February 21, 2012 ISBN: 0013965123 EAN: 2940013965126 Kindle: B007BR6JG4 e-Book $4.99  Add to Wish List Romance Anthology, Romance Suspense Buy at Amazon.com an anthology of suspense Guns and Roses by Laura Griffin, Allison Brennan, Lori G. Armstrong, Roxanne St. Claire, Karin Tabke an anthology of romantic suspense Murder She Writes presents a one-of-a-kind romantic suspense anthology with ten all-new, never-before-published short stories and novellas that promise thrills, chills, romance, intrigue, passion, danger, murder…and love. Penned by New York Times and award winning authors, some stories in this exclusive collection will make you laugh out loud while others will force you to sleep with the lights on. “Dead Flowers” by Lori Armstrong PI Julie Collins trails cheating lovers, which leads to questions about her relationship with Tony Martinez. “Above Reproach” by Allison Brennan Sex crimes detective Selena Black puts her career and life at risk to prove that high-profile attorney Greg Keller is the brutal River City Rapist before he strikes again. “The Housewife Assassin’s Bloody Valentine” by Josie Brown CIA contract assassin Donna Stone’s idea of Valentine’s Day? A couples massage with her mission’s leader Jack Craig–not breaking out of a Mexican prison, then stopping a…

Cari Quinn | Connected books … yay or nay?
Author Guest / April 21, 2012

Thanks so much to Fresh Fiction for having me here today! I admit it, I love connected books. There’s just something about revisiting side characters and towns that I’ve known and loved before. Early on in my writing career, I didn’t think I’d be one of those writers who liked to write connected stories. Nope, I would be the one-and-done kind of writer, I was sure of it! Until I actually, you know, started writing and realized how much fun it is to spend more time in a world you’ve built, especially when that means you get to “check in” on characters you love! Which is something I’m enjoying right now, as a matter of fact! The last few months have been crazy—and wonderful! My Entangled Publishing novella, NO DRESS REQUIRED, reached the top of the Barnes and Noble Romance list in February and in March, reached #131 on the USA Today bestseller list. It’s been a huge thrill that people have enjoyed Noelle and Jake’s story and I so appreciate everyone who has read or reviewed it. I’m excited to say that I’m currently working on the next book in the Love Required series, NO FLOWERS REQUIRED, about Jake’s…

Sara Humphreys | Top 10 Benefits of Discovering You’re Amoveo
Author Guest / April 20, 2012

Riddle me this…What does a human woman do when she finds out that she’s not merely a human woman? Freak out? Sure. Cry? Probably. Take an extra dose of Prozac? Most likely. Finding out that you’re half Amoveo (a dream-walking, telepathic, shapeshifter with super-hot pre-destined soul mate) is a rather large pill to swallow but it’s not all bad. In fact, being a human-Amoveo hybrid would have it’s advantages. So here are the Top 10 things that I would consider perks of being half Amoveo. 1. You hardly age once you find your mate. Sweet. No Botox or boob lifts required. 2. Telepathy. You can whisper sweet nothings to your lover in a crowded room or tell him when he’s acting like a dick without calling him out in public. Either way—it’s a bonus. 3. Visualization abilities rock! Once you’re at full strength you can visualize almost anything you can imagine. The latest Vera Wang dress? Christian Louboutain shoes? Check, check and double check! No more shopping in crowded malls or ordering the wrong size online. 4. You’re a dream walker so bad dreams are a thing of the past. You can dream your way to places that only exist…

Avery Aames | Hints For Having A Good Time
Author Guest / April 20, 2012

Is this your first time going to the Malice Domestic conference? If so, don’t be scared. Plan to have a bunch of fun. Most of the people going don’t bite. If you’re a fan, feel free to approach your favorite author. They are there to meet you. If you’re an author and attending for the first time, breathe. This is a vital clue to living a longer life. The hotel is intimate. I believe there is only the one conference going on at this time, so pretty much everyone will be an attendee. That means you can smile at everyone. If you feel like your mouth might freeze, you can always escape to your room to refresh or find a group of frowners and join them. The hotel layout isn’t complex but it can be tricky. The elevators are few. Plan ahead and plan to recognize people on every ride. It’s sort of like a theme park, in that regard. You keep seeing the same people. Over and over. Read the name tag. Say the name out loud. By the end of your stay, you’ll find you know at least twenty new names—and maybe the people, too. Note: There are…