What do a bear and a wolf eat on their one free night? When I saw that Fresh Fiction had recipes up last week for Valentine’s Day, I had to laugh. The hero and heroine of my new novel, Taming Her Mate, Frankie and Ryan, are busy people! They’re saving Detroit from a deadly virus and keeping their respective shifter packs from going to war with each other. Their meals reflect their busy lifestyles. Inspired by the delcious recipes shared last week, I knew whatever my characters would cook would be interesting… For example, Frankie is the daughter of the alpha wolf. She’s got to help out whenever life gets too busy for anyone in the pack. That means comfort foods that are easy to remember and that picky pups will eat. She makes the simplest meatloaf recipe she can remember with ingredients on hand and while it’s in the oven, she whips up a box of Macaroni and Cheese. And now here’s the cool secret: ketchup and brown sugar. The original recipe called for a modest amount of both, but let’s face it, who doesn’t love ketchup and brown sugar? She mixes up enough of that to slather over…

Today we are joined by Fresh Fiction Senior Reviewer Miranda Owen: I am a widowed lady, well past the age of innocence. Why should I not kiss a handsome man in a drawing room? A little carnality won’t hurt me.  – THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by Jennifer Ashley I find stories with a widowed heroine particularly compelling. For good or bad, marriage and living with somebody play a huge role in your life, and how you function every day. In a good marriage, your partner enhances your life – in small ways and big ways. If you have the misfortune to be in a bad marriage, it sours many aspects of your life. In different ways, stories about women who have loved and lost, as well as stories about women who have endured until being set free by a spouse’s death, are equally fascinating. In stories where there was some affection between the husband and wife, an author tries to convey the love that existed and how the wife is left to pick up the pieces. One of the first stories I read with a widowed heroine was THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by Jennifer Ashley. In Jennifer…

“I was, uh… just, you know, starting a load of laundry.” I caged her in with my arms on either side of her body, my hands pressed against the top of the washer, and leaned down to bring my face closer to hers. “You’re a horrible liar, Tatum,” I practically growled. “You’re even worse at hiding something.” “I-I have no idea what you’re talking about.” “There’s something in here”—I tapped on the lid—“that you don’t want me to see.” “Just clothes. Dirty, smelly, sweaty clothes.” I didn’t bother to fight the smirk as I held her stare, silently calling her bluff. “And socks, too.” Her voice was almost inaudible, felt more in the air that drifted from her lips to my face than heard in the words she’d spoken. “Lots of socks.” I no longer believed she hid lingerie, though I was lost at what it could be. “Then it’s a good thing I walked in when I did, huh? You shouldn’t mix your clothes. You could ruin them if they’re not separated. But don’t worry, I’ll help you sort.” I started to pull away so I could lift the lid and end the charade, but she stopped me by…

He saw Elliott’s car just after he pulled up. He was thinking of the snakes, big cats, and occasional black bear that might be around the lake. Animal attacks were rare, but they were a possibility. He grabbed a handheld radio and popped the trunk to get a rifle. After checking to see if it was loaded, he pocketed some extra rounds, shouldered his backpack, and headed toward the car. He knew Millie Powers had been inside it looking for a clue as to who owned it, but he looked inside to satisfy himself before striking out. After circling the car a couple of times, he finally found a set of tracks leading along the shore and followed them. About two hundred yards from the car, he found his first clue. It was a tube of oil paint—­burnt umber. That was when he remembered that Elliot was an accomplished artist, so he took a picture of the tube of paint, put up a marker to indicate where he found it, then dropped the paint tube in an evidence bag and kept moving. Lon paused a moment along the shore to look around and slowly became aware of what might have…

Today we are joined by Senior Reviewer Deb Wiley, with an article all about charismatic pets as side characters in cozy mysteries, contemporary romance, and other fiction genres. Enjoy! Stories featuring pets are always a popular draw for me. Whether it involves a man borrowing someone’s dog to capture the interest of a woman, such as in Sarah Morgan’s NEW YORK, ACTUALLY, or a mysterious cat who keeps popping up at the most opportune times, such as in FINAL SHADOWS by Kay Hooper, dog and cat stories are almost guaranteed to be on my TBR shelf. But what about stories featuring some more unusual animals rather than the expected dog or cat? Here are a few of the more intriguing stories I’ve read with pets outside the norm. Kym Roberts is hands-down the winner for having the most unusual and most entertaining pet! Her Book Barn series features a bookstore owner, which already draws my attention. However, Charli Rae Warren’s pet pink armadillo, Princess, steals the show in almost every book. In KILLER CLASSICS, Princess gets a boyfriend.  I’m not going to spoil anything by saying more but if you love pets and other animals getting involved in the storylines,…

One of the best things about writing romances is that I get to delve into my favorite tropes (back when I first started writing romance, in the olden days, we called them hooks) and wallow in their awesomeness. I can explore those fun fantasies I love to read and put them into my own stories. One of my favorite tropes is Friends-to-Lovers. When emotions start to change between longtime friends it can throw them for a loop, especially when they’re not sure if the other one’s feelings have changed as well. Then there’s the worry that if they do take the relationship to the next level, will it ruin everything they had? Is a romance between friends worth the risk? In THE STANDBY GUY, Carter and Katie are not just best friends, they live next door to one another. Yeah, the Boy Next Door/Girl Next Door trope. I can’t help it, I love that one too. So there’s the added pressure of what would happen if things didn’t go well. Not only could they lose their friendship, but they’re going to run into this person all the time. Talk about awkward. Again, is it worth the risk? Another favorite trope…

We are pleased to share this interview between bestselling author KAREN ROSE and Fresh Fiction reviewer Pat Pascale. Karen’s new book, SAY YOU’RE SORRY, is in stores now. If you’re in the Houston area, Karen Rose and Lisa Gardner will be at Murder by the Book this Wednesday, February 20, for a fun event. You can find out more here: https://www.murderbooks.com/event/lisa-gardner-karen-rose. Now, on with the interview! I’ve been a fan of the bestselling and award-winning author Karen Rose since she published DON’T TELL in 2004. SAY YOU’RE SORRY is among my best reads of the year so far. It’s over 600 pages of pure terror, excitement with a touch of sweet romance kept me glued until the end. The serial killer in this novel is a monster who must be stopped before he mutilates, assaults, and kills another victim. He has a strange “code of ethics” behind how he chooses victims. Please tell us more about him, and how this character formed in your mind while writing SAY YOU’RE SORRY. I wanted to write a killer whose fury might be understandable to readers, even when his actions were totally wrong. SAY YOU’RE SORRY’s killer tells himself he’s taking out this fury…

Welcome to the final day of the Fresh Fiction Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup! Every day this week, some of our favorite authors have been on our blog chatting about their new books, their main characters, and sharing recipes for a meal or treat those characters would enjoy while celebrating Valentine’s Day. Today we have inspirational authors from Revell! We’ve had so much fun this week, and hope you have, too! Missed our previous roundup posts? Check them out here! Mystery Authors Contemporary Romance Authors Historical Romance Authors   Paranormal Romance Authors Suzanne Woods Fisher, MENDING FENCES Have you met Luke Schrock? Picture a guy who is drop-dead gorgeous, appealing, endearing, exasperating, unreliable, undependable…and hard to stay mad at. He’s on a bumpy road to manhood. That’s our Luke.   He’s back in Stoney Ridge after a stint (or two) in rehab, and he’s looking for some quick fixes. Luke plans to buzz back into Stoney Ridge, make a few apologies, and then take off for greener pastures. Not so fast, Luke. You’ve got some work to do, first. And then he meets Izzy Miller. Like Luke, Izzy has had a bumpy road to adulthood. But she’s settling into the Stoney…

The women of World War II fascinate us and D-day is one of the most pivotal events in modern history, so I enjoyed exploring both in THE SKY ABOVE US, book 2 in the Sunrise at Normandy series. While my hero flies above the landing beaches in his P-51 Mustang, my heroine runs the American Red Cross Aeroclub at his airfield. Here are some interesting things I learned about the Red Cross in World War II. 1. At a time when the population of the United States was 132 million, 37 million adults and 20 million children and youth belonged to the Red Cross, with 7.5 million serving as volunteers. In addition, 40,000 men and women were paid workers with the Red Cross. 2. Of those overseas workers, twenty-nine women died, primarily in plane crashes, but also due to enemy shelling. 3. Women who worked with the American Red Cross overseas had to be at least twenty-five years old and have a college degree. They underwent an extensive interview process and had to complete training in Washington, DC. The women had the “equivalent status” of an officer, which granted them many officer privileges. 4. The American Red Cross operated hundreds…

Welcome back to the Fresh Fiction Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup! Every day this week, some of our favorite authors will be on the blog chatting about their new books, their main characters, and a recipe for a meal or treat those characters would enjoy this festive week. Today we are joined by paranormal romance authors from Sourcebooks Casablanca! Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for more fun! Missed our previous roundup posts? Check them out here! Mystery Authors Contemporary Romance Authors Historical Romance Authors TERRY SPEAR, YOU HAD ME AT JAGUAR Jaguar agent Howard Armstrong has a mission, protect Valerie Chambers at all costs while they take down the bad guys in the tropical country of Belize. The romance just happens. He wants to do a lot more than guard her hot body. Still, when in Belize, taking a moment to have a really special dinner with the woman who has stolen his heart—they start off the meal with shrimp cocktails—jaguars love seafood. Medium rare steaks are perfect for hungry big cats. A baked potato topped with all the good stuff—sour cream, butter, cheese, chives. Grilled asparagus and slices of avocado for their human halves. Cabernet Sauvignon to make the night…