Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Philip William Stover | Strawberry Roses
Author Guest / May 29, 2020

Author Philip William Stover joins us today with this fun video blog! Check it out, and learn more about his book below.  THE HIDEAWAY INN by Philip William Stover Seasons of New Hope Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters. No one in the charming river town of New Hope, Pennsylvania, needs to know that Vince Amato plans on flipping The Hideaway Inn to the highest bidder and returning to his luxury lifestyle in New York City. He needs to make his last remaining investment turn a profit…even if that means temporarily relocating to the quirky small town where he endured growing up. He’s spent years reinventing himself and won’t let his past dictate his future. But on his way to New Hope, Vince gets stuck in the middle of nowhere and his past might be the only thing that can get him to his future. Specifically Tack O’Leary, the gorgeous, easygoing farm boy who broke his heart and who picks Vince up in his dilapidated truck. Tack comes to the rescue not only with a ride but also by signing on to be the chef at The Hideaway for the…

Jeffe Kennedy | The Dreamthink
Author Guest / May 28, 2020

In my Forgotten Empires trilogy, the heroine—Queen Euthalia of Calanthe—uses the dreamthink. Because she’s magically sensitive, messages come to her in nightmares, when her mind is vulnerable. The world is a chaotic, broken, and wounded place—and it cries to her for help. When she wakes from these terrible dreams, she pretends to be asleep still, just to calm herself so she can face a day of politics. In some ways, she isn’t entirely faking it. She wakes, then goes into another stage of sleep: the dreamthink. Lia, who lives in a world that celebrates science and knowledge, but is not technologically advanced, has given this state it’s own name. It feels to her like a kind of light dreaming, where she can also guide where her mind goes. Those of you familiar with meditation or sleep stages, might recognize this as a trance state. Or it could be a Stage 1 sleep with theta waves (which are also present during meditation) or Stage 2 with sleep spindles in the brain activity. Magical or not, those are states of mind we all experience at some time or another. I know I do! I made up the term “dreamthink” for myself. (Even…

Terry Spear | 20 Questions: NIGHT OF THE BILLIONAIRE WOLF
Author Guest / May 28, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release? Night of the Billionaire Wolf  2–What is it about?  Lexi Summerfield built her business from the ground up. But with great wealth comes great responsibility, and some drawbacks Lexi could not have anticipated. Lexi never knows who she can trust. Even on vacation, Lexi has a hard time relaxing. And for good reason—the paparazzi are dogging her, and so is someone else with evil intent. Then Lexi meets bodyguard and gray wolf shifter Ryder Gallagher, who’s also vacationing at Redwood National Park. When the two run into each other on the hiking trails, and then serendipitously rescue two bear cubs, Lexi feels safe for the first time in she can’t remember when. But secrets have a way of surfacing. With the danger around Lexi escalating, Ryder will do whatever it takes to stay by her side… 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Dedicated 4–What makes your hero irresistible? Sexy, protective, eager to help. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  Family and Friends 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  When I was a kid, I remember the wonder of the redwoods. I’m from…

Anna Bennett | 20 Questions: WHEN YOU WISH UPON A ROGUE
Author Guest / May 27, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release? When You Wish Upon a Rogue  2–What is it about? It’s a romantic twist on the myth of Persephone and Hades. Sophie, who has a green thumb, accidentally trespasses on one of Reese’s properties. When she sees how sleep-deprived the earl is, she brews him a medicinal cup of tea…and it works. They strike a bargain: she can use his property in exchange for spending one night a week with him. The attraction between them is undeniable, but Sophie is promised to another, and Reese has lots of demons of his own. They’ll have to risk everything for a shot at their happy-ever-after. 3–What word best describes your heroine? Selfless. Sophie has such a pure heart. 4–What makes your hero irresistible? He’s so tormented—and refuses to admit it. The only person he has a soft spot for is Sophie. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Sophie turns to her best friends (the other heroines of the Debutante Diaries series), Fiona and Lily. Sadly, Reese is pretty much alone in the world…so he turns to Sophie. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book? Some…

Chelsea M. Cameron | Title Challenge: THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
Author Guest / May 26, 2020

The Girl Next Door is a romance about coming home, even when that’s not in your plan. Iris Turner has to move back in with her parents after burning out in the big city, and she’s none too happy about being back in her small Maine town. That is, until she locks eyes with Jude Wicks, who just happens to live next door. Jude is a lobsterwoman, rides a motorcycle, and is full of all kinds of intrigue for Iris. Her plan is still to leave as soon as she can, but they say life happens when you’re busy making other plans. T is for trust your instincts. H is for hot sexytimes! E is for even more sexytimes! * G is for get the girl! I is for Iris! That one was easy. Too bad I didn’t have a J in the title. R is for remember your past, but don’t let it consume you. Jude learns this one for herself. L is for LOBSTER! Obviously. They play a huge role in this book.  * N is for not every failure is bad. Iris learns this one the hard way. E is for even strong people need support. X…

Rochelle Alers | Author-Reader Match: THE SEASIDE CAFE
Author Guest / May 26, 2020

Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match” where we introduce you to authors as a reader you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present ROCHELLE ALERS! Writes: I write series, contemporary, and women’s fiction.  My diverse characters range in age from late-20s to early 60s.  I also focus on women of a certain age that are starting over and during their journey willingly embrace their happily ever after.  This is the recurring theme in The Innkeepers series and currently in The Book Club series. About: THE SEASIDE CAFE: Hospital psychiatric social worker Kayana Johnson is living her best life.  She is the envy of most women in Atlanta.  She lives in a mini-mansion with her renowned surgeon-husband, but gives it all up when she discovers he has been having an affair with one of his colleagues. She returns to Coates Island, North Carolina to help her brother run the family-owned Seaside Café,  moves into the apartment above the restaurant while sharing cooking duties, and befriends two vacationing women that share her love of books, and encounters a man destined to change her future. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader…

Kennedy Ryan | Exclusive Interview: QUEEN MOVE
Author Guest / May 26, 2020

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Kennedy! We are so excited to have you here. Please tell us about yourself and your new book, QUEEN MOVE. Thank you for having me! I’m so glad to be here. I write contemporary romance that goes straight for your heart, sometimes with a sucker punch. LOL! My new book Queen Move is a reunion romance. The hero and heroine know each other literally from the time they’re babies. It’s a bit of a soul mate story. Their parents are best friends, and Kimba and Ezra are separated just as they’re entering high school. When they meet again years later, they’re both adults with very complicated lives. Negotiating their HEA is complex and kinda messy, but I hope, rewarding. QUEEN MOVE is loosely related to the All the King’s Men Duet. What do you love about this setting and world you’ve built? Yes! We first meet Kimba, Queen Move’s heroine, in The Kingmaker, book 1 of the All the King’s Men duet. Queen Move is written to completely stand on its own (Seriously! Not just saying that! LOL!), but Kimba’s best friend and business partner is Lennix, the heroine of the duet. I think of SCANDAL…

Margaret Brownley | Exclusive Excerpt: THE OUTLAW’S DAUGHTER
Author Guest / May 26, 2020

The Feedbag Cafe was empty when Matt took a corner seat early that morning and perused the bill of fare. Breakfast was served at the hotel where he was staying, but the out-of-town guests had no personal knowledge of Neal Blackwell. Matt counted on the café to serve up a generous heap of local gossip along with his cackleberries and bacon. What he hadn’t counted on was coming face-to-face with Blackwell’s widow. No sooner had his eggs and bacon arrived than he spotted her storming into the restaurant. She paused for the briefest of moments at the doorway. Even from a distance, he could see the fire in her eyes. Whoever had earned her ire this time deserved his sympathy, that was for sure. At least she wasn’t packing iron. Picking up his fork, he was just about to dive into his breakfast when her gaze zeroed in on him. As a Ranger, he’d been the target of angry men and blazing guns, but he’d never been as tempted to hide as he was at that moment. Unfortunately, there was no time to follow through with his cowardly wish. For before he could move, she dashed toward him like a…

Danielle M. Haas | Exclusive Excerpt: GIRL GONE LONG
Author Guest / May 25, 2020

Putting the book back on the shelf, Connor’s gaze floated to two pictures in wooden frames. One photograph was of a young woman with a book—much like the ones on the shelf—opened and covering the bottom half of her face. Her mouth wasn’t shown, but there was no denying the smile in her blue eyes or the obnoxious French writing scrawled over the cover of the book. The second picture was of a young Gabriel with a wide grin and black tie draped around a white button-down shirt with his arms wrapped around the waist of a young woman. A curtain of dark, curly hair rained over her face as she twisted away from him, but there was no denying the playful grin beaming from her. The clinking of glass alerted him to someone behind him. He swiveled, and ice ran through his veins. Gabriel lingered at a drink cart set up beside the lone brown leather chair on the other side of the desk. He had the lip of a crystal decanter pressed against a short glass. Amber liquid flowed from one container to the other. Gabriel waited until his glass was filled before lifting his gaze to Connor….

Kym Roberts | Cozy Corner: Summer Escapes
Author Guest / May 25, 2020

Ahhh, summer. Warmer temps—when? Sunny skies—where? And great reads—thank God, I got one right! It’s the perfect time of year to read and relax, something all of us need right now. To start the holiday off right, I thought I’d recommend a few mysteries to freshen up your library and clear out all of those stress induced cobwebs—the real ones, and the imaginary ones in our brains—shouldn’t we have cleaned all of those out by now? I hope you enjoy them all! (The books not the cobwebs—nasty buggers.) Short and Delightful! Botched Butterscotch An Amish Candy Shop Mystery 4/28/2020 Amanda Flower Mother’s Day is a sweet and busy time at the candy shop Bailey King runs with her Amish grandmother. This year is extra special, because Bailey’s parents are visiting Harvest, Ohio. Bailey’s father has rarely returned since leaving the Amish faith over thirty years ago, but Bailey is confident that the right treats can help sugarcoat any awkwardness. For Mother’s Day Tea at the local church, she’s whipping up her mom’s favorite: butterscotch pie. All’s going well, until a sticky-fingered thief makes off with the money raised for a local women’s support group. While Bailey tries to discover who…