It can’t be denied that men who are athletes, in such good shape, surrounded by all of that testosterone, appeal to women. Rough good looks, six-pack abs and bad boy reputations seem to have a universal appeal. So it only follows that readers are going to love sports-themed romance, especially when you add in the magic of an author’s voice, be it humor, suspense, or small town charm! Anyone who reads me knows that I write alpha males. They also know I write nice guys who are independent, smart, capable, and motivated. In a great many cases, that definition fits athletes to a tee. The competitors aren’t just incredible athletes – some of them are truly incredible men. That’s why I enjoy writing them as lead characters in my books. Sure, I fictionalize the fighters, taking them out of the ring and into relationships where an edge of danger allows them to showcase their confidence and athleticism. But then that’s what female readers want – character-driven entertainment! That’s why I’m so happy to be returning to my MMA fighters with a new Ultimate series. Hard Knocks Ultimate August 2014 No Limits Ultimate #1 September 2014 First out is an ePrequel…

Fresh Pick for Sunday, April 13th, 2014 is MUCH ADO ABOUT JACK by Christy English Sourcebooks Casablanca February 2014 On Sale: February 4, 2014 320 pages ISBN: 1402270518 EAN: 9781402270512 Kindle: B00FG9GUHM Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List Romance Historical Buy A Copy Amazon.com Kindle BN.com Powell’s Books Indiebound Much Ado About Jack by Christy English How to Become London’s Most Notorious Widow: 1. Vow to NEVER remarry 2. Own a ship and become fabulously wealthy 3. Wear the latest risqué fashions in your signature color 4. Do NOT have a liaison at the Prince Regent’s palace with a naval captain whose broad shoulders and green eyes make you forget Rule #1 Angelique Beauchamp, the widowed Countess of Devonshire, has been twice burned by love, and she is certain that no man will ever touch her heart again. But that doesn’t mean she can’t indulge a little—and it would be hard to find a more perfect dalliance than one with the dashing Captain James Montgomery. After a brief torrid affair, James tries to forget Angelique and his undeniable thirst for more. The luscious lady was quite clear that their liaison was temporary. But for the first time, the lure…

Fresh Pick for Saturday, April 12th, 2014 is THE LOVELIEST CHOCOLATE SHOP IN PARIS by Jenny Colgan We LOVE Paris Sourcebooks Landmark February 2014 On Sale: February 4, 2014 384 pages ISBN: 1402284403 EAN: 9781402284403 Kindle: 1402284403 Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List Contemporary, Romance Contemporary Buy A Copy Amazon.com Kindle BN.com Powell’s Books Indiebound The Loveliest Chocolate Shop In Paris by Jenny Colgan Inside Paris’s premiere chocolate shop, sometimes dreams really can come true. It’s true that Anna Trent is a supervisor in a chocolate factory…but that doesn’t necessarily mean she knows how to make chocolate. And when a fateful accident gives her the opportunity to work at Paris’s elite chocolatier Le Chapeau Chocolat, Anna expects to be outed as a fraud. After all, there is a world of difference between chalky, mass-produced English chocolate and the gourmet confections Anna’s new boss creates. But with a bit of luck and a lot of patience, Anna might learn that the sweetest things in life are always worth working for. Hopeful, laugh-out-loud funny, and irresistibly addictive, The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris is a novel worth savoring. Previous Picks

I think the wait for ONE BITE PER NIGHT has been even more nail-bitingly tense than it was for my debut novel, BITE ME, YOUR GRACE. Though the pub date for my debut novel was a long 18 months after I signed the contract, everything in preparation for turning a humble word document into a book happened on schedule. This one, on the other hand, was like the proverbial “bratty” child that comes after birthing a “perfect angel.” A marketing decision which caused unexpected changes in the manuscript, coupled with two personal emergencies, and other marketing decisions caused my release date to be delayed twice. The cover even changed. Despite the fact that I just compared this book to a bratty kid, this one is actually my favorite. I’ve never before fallen in love with one of my own heroes. 🙂 Anyway, finally all of the book-making process is complete and ONE BITE PER NIGHT will hit the shelves on August 5th! To celebrate, I finally get to tell you about the book, show off the cover, and give you a teaser excerpt. I’m also going to give away a copy of the first book, BITE ME, YOUR GRACE to…

On April 14, Carina Press is publishing six brand-new sports romances. Today we’re featuring, THE ACE, by Rhonda Shaw, and talking about what is the most exciting play in baseball. What is the most exciting play in baseball? A walk-off, which snatches a last minute win from the jaws of defeat? The sky-reaching, glorious grand slam home run that clears the bases and instantly adds four runs to the board? The nail-biting suicide squeeze, where a runner takes off from third base before the pitch and is at the mercy of the hitter making contact at home plate? Maybe you prefer the crowd-deafening cheers when a pitcher throws a perfect game or perhaps the stunning catch by an outfielder at the precise moment the ball is cresting over the outfield wall. While all of the above are definitely exciting plays, one in particular stands out, the unassisted triple play. A triple play is not commonplace, even though most major leaguers can pull them off, but more so because the stage needs to be perfectly set in order for the play to succeed. The unassisted triple play, however, where one defensive player gets all three outs himself, is arguably the rarest…

Pop quiz: Do authors really imagine complex characters from the ground up, with mysterious backstories and intricately detailed biographies? Or do they just make everything up as they go along? (Or do they create thinly-veiled versions of their friends and family, and torture them vicariously on the page?) The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. Every writer has a different method for creating characters, but mine is fairly straightforward: I create characters the same way you meet new people. First, you see what they look like, then you hear how they talk, and you learn a little bit about them. And, of course, the more time you spend around them, the weirder they get. One of my favorite characters in The Spider Thief series is Cleo, the stylish but no-nonsense girl next door — who packs two guns, a forensics kit, and an ironclad agenda. On her own, she can seem a little obsessed with her job. That’s why it’s fun to pair her up with a completely opposite guy and watch the sparks fly. Cleo is a law enforcement officer (I can’t tell you what kind without giving away one of the big plot twists), and therefore she’s…

Fresh Pick for Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 is CONFESSIONS OF A ROYAL BRIDEGROOM by Vanessa Kelly #RomanceWednesday Renegade Royals #2 Zebra April 2014 On Sale: April 1, 2014 352 pages ISBN: 1420131249 EAN: 9781420131246 Kindle: B00FH1IDWE Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List Romance Historical Buy A Copy Amazon.com Kindle BN.com Powell’s Books Indiebound Confessions Of A Royal Bridegroom by Vanessa Kelly Only one woman is worthy of his secrets They are the Renegade Royals, illegitimate sons of the Royal Princes, each finding his rightful place in society–and the woman destined to be his perfect match. . . Some men are born into scandal. Others pursue it with a passion. Griffin Steele, secret son of the Duke of Cumberland, is guilty on both counts. Yet somehow London’s most notorious scoundrel has been saddled with an abandoned baby boy–and with the unflappable, intriguing spinster summoned to nurse him. . . Justine Brightmore may be a viscount’s niece, but she’s also a spy’s daughter, determined to safeguard the infant when his suspected royal parentage makes him a target. Yet how to protect herself from the rakish Griffin? Marriage might shield her reputation, but it can only imperil her heart, especially with a groom intent on delicious seduction….

I know. You’re thinking mud wrestling. Or Spring Break. But believe it or not, these are fighting words. That’s right—sporting terms. Welcome to the world of MMA. When I told my friends about my concept for a sports romance series, they tried to take my glass of wine away. Mixed martial what? They had no idea what I was talking about, nor why I was so excited about writing a series about fighters. And not boxers or professional wrestlers—athletes we’re all used to, but fighters in the fastest growing sport around—mixed martial arts. Because I’m a writer and have a way with words, I explained it to them in three: Tom gorgeous Hardy. My fan-girl crush. A hunk of a British actor, whose movies are always the highlight of my cinematic experience. And my favorite character he’s portrayed? An MMA fighter. I had an oh-my moment, and realized just how sexy—how romantic—this sport was. Romance fans have caught on as well. It seems that not only is MMA the fastest growing sport around but also highly popular in romantic fiction. I am hope you enjoy my latest MMA romance, TAP OUT! TAP OUT, book two in the Worth the Fight…

On April 14, Carina Press is publishing six brand-new sports romances. Today Allison Parr is here to tell us about her football novel, Imaginary Lines. It was a TV show that did me in. The heroine wouldn’t stop mooning over the hero, who never gave her the time of day. For God’s sake, I wanted to shout, get over him. Figure out your own life and he’ll eventually see what he’s missing. That was when the plot bunnies for Imaginary Lines came hopping. It’s not easy to be madly infatuated with a guy, especially not if the crush lasts years and if the feeling remains unrequited. But there’s only so much you can do. After Tamar, heroine of Imaginary Lines, tells Abraham’s Krasner — family friend and boy-next-door — that she likes him, that’s that. He doesn’t return the sentiment, so she’s taking off. So long, and thanks for all the fish. So of course it doesn’t take Abe very long to realize he’s madly in love with her. When they run into each other four years later, they’re professionally at odds: he’s a football star and she reports on his team. And Tamar’s given up unrequited love for good:…

Recently, we were at the house of a friend of a friend. Beautiful building, gorgeous gardens, even a stream running through the bottom of the garden. Inside, they had lovely furniture and interesting stuff in their bookcases, on their shelves and hanging on their walls. But their décor was all white. And I do mean all white. Walls, carpets, sofas, lamps, curtains. Every main room and bedroom was white. White on white. Strangely, their bathrooms were all black and white. Now, it was effective and stunning. I’m sure it photographs beautifully. But, to us, it was cold. We won’t mention that we thought it wasn’t really the place for pets or kids or clumsy adults (yes, I was nervous that I’d spill something or make a mark somewhere!) So, for all that we liked their house, we didn’t feel at home in it because of the lack of colour. We love colour! All the rooms we’ve decorated so far have coloured walls. I will admit that they’re plain colour – no wallpaper – because we have a lot of art and memorabilia hanging on our walls and it would be too busy otherwise. And we haven’t gone nuts – like…