Anna Bradley debuted her new Sutherlands series with LADY ELEANOR’S SEVENTH SUITOR on September 5th. She stopped by Fresh Fiction to talk with Miranda Owen about the new book, starting a fresh series, and what to expect from her next. In LADY ELEANOR’S SEVENTH SUITOR, Lady Eleanor and Camden have a somewhat adversarial relationship for much of the story. Normally I prefer the hero and heroine to be on the same side, facing an outside threat. What makes this romance work for me, is that the reader is able to get inside their heads and see what they’re feeling and thinking. Which type of romance do you find easier or more enjoyable to write – one in which the hero and heroine start out with a prickly relationship, or one in which they like each other right away? I admit to being a big fan of the “enemies to lovers” trope, so when my stories open, the characters do tend to be at odds with each other. That’s not to say I don’t like a story where the hero and heroine are on the same page, but I’ve always been drawn (as a reader and a writer) to the kind…

Exclusive Excerpt: Fool Me Once by Catherine Bybee “You’re American, right?” The married and engaged party of four was from Sicily. All of them spoke English. “Oh my God, Shannon, I almost forgot. We were supposed to meet those French guys on the main pool deck when we pulled out of port.” Shannon caught on quickly. “Oh, that’s right.” She put her arm through Trina’s and turned her away from the Italians. “Lovely meeting you. I’m sure we’ll see you again.” Lori held back to sign for the bar tab. One of the Italians muttered something about the French before they took their drinks to another part of the lounge. By now, the barkeep was elbow deep with orders. With tractor-beam eyes, she watched the man in hopes of gaining his attention. “The death stare usually works faster.” Lori felt her lips peeling back in a smile before pivoting her head toward the amused male voice. She took him in from the ground up. Slacks, not jeans or shorts like many of the men milling about on deck. Trim waist that bloomed into thick shoulders covered by a pullover, three-button shirt. Arms that spent some time holding something other than…

What can make you great can often be said to also be among your greatest flaws. And that is certainly true for many of those who dedicate their lives to catching killers. In THE LAST MOVE, FBI Agent Kate Hayden was seventeen the night her father was murdered. That same night she decided to go into law enforcement. Armed with innate talent and her hard-earned PhD in forensic linguistics, she’s among the best in her field, able to read the writings and communications of the most heinous killers to reveal the clues hidden within. Here’s what I think are the top five skills that make her and others in law enforcement so good at their jobs. Dedication: It takes long hours of hard work and unremitting focus to catch a killer. Kate has dedicated herself to tracking down violent offenders, sacrificing her personal life and, oftentimes, sleep so that she can give every waking minute to her job. That commitment also makes her come across to others as cold and unfeeling. Emotional Distance: Catching a killer is among the most emotionally taxing work I can think of. A good detective has to put empathy for the victim aside so emotion…

DUKE OF DESIRE Long Excerpt Iris tasted of red wine—the red wine she must have drunk at dinner—and all the reasons he shouldn’t do this fled his mind. A vital chain broke in his psyche and everything he’d held back, everything he’d restrained with all his might, was suddenly set free. He surged into her mouth, desperate for the feel, for the taste of her, his wife, his duchess, his Iris. She was soft and sweet and warm and he wanted to devour her. To seize her and hold her and never let her go. The deep unfathomable well of his urges toward her frightened him, and he knew that if she became aware of them, they would frighten her as well. But that was the thing—she wasn’t aware of them. She thought she was simply consummating their marriage or some such rot, God help them both. She gripped his naked arms and the beast within him shuddered and stretched, claws scraping against the ground. Dear God, he wanted this woman. But he had to remember—to keep that human part of his mind awake and alive—that he mustn’t seed her. Must never do as his cursed father had done. He…