The new Netflix series The Last Czars is a visually stunning and generally accurate account of Nicholas II’s ascent to the Russian throne and the mistakes he and his wife Alexandra made that more or less assured their tragic fate. However, right from the first episode, there are sex scenes galore, as if some studio exec decided it needed ‘sexing up.’ One such scene in the final episode had me yelling out loud at my screen. It showed Maria, third daughter of Nicholas and Alexandra, making out with one of the guards in the Ekaterinburg house where they were held from April to July 1918. She is unbuttoning her blouse while he is ripping off his jacket, presumably about to have consensual sex, when the door is thrown open by Avdeyev, commandant of the guards. This is implausible on many levels. First of all, Maria was a deeply religious girl, who followed the daily practices of the Russian Orthodox church and was unquestionably chaste. She was also a tsar’s daughter, who in other circumstances might have been matched with foreign royalty or a Russian aristocrat, while the guard in question was a lower-class factory worker. Maria was an obedient girl,…

My new book is called How to Cross a Marquess. Five years ago, Roger Berwick and Fenella Fairclough rebelled when their fathers tried to marry them off. They would not be ordered about! A whole lot has happened since then. They’ve both changed, and now a fiery attraction has flared between them. It’s just too ironic. Circumstances have brought these former enemies much closer than they ever could have anticipated. But various people don’t like that idea at all. The path to a happy future is convoluted. So for these two: H is for history. Theirs is complicated. O is for oh! Neither expected the passion that has flared between them. So surprising with someone you’ve known for most of your life. But people change. W is for the worrisome anonymous letters spreading rumors about them through the neighborhood. How do you fight an invisible adversary? T is for time. There seemed to be so much, and now there’s nearly none. O is for opponent. But who is it? C is for choleric. Roger finds his temper sweetened by his lovely neighbor. R is for reminiscence. Roger’s mother has much to recall. O is for overset, as circumstances spiral out…

AMALIE: Hey, Angie, should we tell the Fresh Fiction readers a little about this last book in the Tartans and Titans series? Our kilty little secret….heh. ANGIE: Yes, definitely! WHAT A SCOT WANTS is a hilarious, steamy enemies-to-lovers romance about a stoic Highlander laird who has been burned by love before and an independent heiress who is determined to remain a spinster and run her shelter house. AMALIE: Yes, and when their parents force them into a marriage of convenience, it’s a race against time to see who can make the other cry off first. There’s humor, wagers, antics, constant one-upping, and buckets of sizzling romantic tension. Seriously, buy it and love it (Jedi mind trick). *Hugs each other and does the co-author happy dance! ANGIE: Amalie, I know a lot about you but for those who aren’t as lucky as I am, can you describe yourself in five words or less? AMALIE: Only five words? That’s like torture. I would have to say I’m creative, fun-loving, humorous, passionate, free-spirited. What about you, Angie? ANGIE: I do love to challenge you from time to time! I’m relaxed, creative, inquisitive, cheerful, and active. Amalie, when you walk into a room, what…

I check out my reflection in the mirror while turning from side to side. My black mock turtleneck dress hits me just above the knees and fits me like a second skin. The long lace sleeves make the simple dress sexy, but the black leather high-heeled booties slouched around my ankles give the outfit a somewhat casual look. My long brown hair is pulled back away from my face with a clip, and my makeup is light, just some mascara, blush, bronzer, and lip gloss.  After getting home from working on my feet all day, I’m not in the mood to go out, but Charles sent a text this afternoon confirming he would be at my house tonight to pick me up, and I stupidly didn’t take that opportunity to back out of the date. When the bell rings, I take one last look at myself and grab my clutch off the bed. I make my way across the living room, and as soon as I open the door, I start to tell Charles I’ll just be a minute after I change out my bag, but it’s not Charles. It’s Tyler—Tyler wearing a pair of workman boots, dark jeans, and…

While HANDLE WITH CARE is a rom-com, Lincoln’s brother Armstrong’s crazy antics certainly make sure of that! – it also deals with some deeply rooted family issues for both Lincoln and Wren. How did you strike a balance between the serious storylines that bring our hero and heroine closer together with the laugh out loud funny situations?  Armstrong is quite literally my favorite villain to write! He’s so horrible and having him schooled by Wren, or his brother always makes me smile. I tend to insert humor to temper the more serious moments. I love the lightness of a rom-com, but I also want the story to have depth and the characters to grow throughout the story. Facing family challenges helps both Lincoln and Wren grow, on their own and together as a couple. Lincoln Moorehead has been off the grid for a while and isn’t exactly thrilled to be the new CEO of his family’s media business in New York City. This also means he has to actually interact with his family. What did this strained family dynamic add to the overall story and Lincoln’s story arc in particular?  Lincoln has done everything he can to separate himself from…

The sight that met Evan’s eyes had him staring, unsure of what to do. Though he owned part of his and his cousins’ local moving company, he’d only been doing the grunt work of actually moving people for the past two weeks. With one of his cousins temporarily out due to an injury, Evan had willingly stepped in to take up the slack. At first, being able to get out from behind a desk, away from a past life of accounting, had seemed a blessing. Sure, he was still sore, taxing his muscles on a daily basis doing manual labor, but he considered the physical exertion to be just the thing to kick-start his new life. No one had mentioned what to do when the client got into a free-for-all in the middle of the living room. The client, Rachel Kim, a petite Korean woman with a soft demeanor and a cute dimple, was wrapped around a tall, statuesque black woman. Rachel had her in a headlock, clinging to her like a koala on a tree. “I’m taking it!” she shrieked and refused to let go. “It’s a memory, and it’s mine!” “Idiot, it’s not yours,” the other woman managed,…

We are thrilled to welcome bestselling author Sylvia Day on the release for her brand new romance novella, BUTTERFLY IN FROST. We have an exclusive interview that you can watch below, and learn more about Sylvia, her brand new, super sexy novella, and much more: *** Also, be sure to enter Sylvia’s amazing giveaway. She’s being featured on other sites as well, so be sure to check her social media for more chances to enter: a Rafflecopter giveaway *** A HUGE thank you to Sylvia and Montlake Romance for this wonderful interview. Are you planning to read BUTTERFLY IN FROST? *** BUTTERFLY IN FROST by Sylvia Day From #1 New York Times bestselling phenomenon Sylvia Day comes a hotly anticipated and passionate new love story. Once, I would never have imagined myself here. But I’m settled now. In a place I love, in a home I renovated, spending time with new friends I adore, and working a job that fulfills me. I am reconciling the past and laying the groundwork for the future. Then Garrett Frost moves in next door. He’s obstinate and too bold, a raging force of nature that disrupts the careful order of my life. I recognize the…

Ready for a confession? I have watched Grease 2 at least 300 times.* If you haven’t seen this particular gem of a film, shame on you. First, it starred Maxwell Caufield, basically the hottest guy on the planet in 1982 (the year the movie was released). Caufield plays the nerdy Australian cousin of Sandy from Grease 1. He’s visiting Sandy’s old high school, where the T-Birds and Pink Ladies still reign. He creates an elaborate disguise (LOL—actually just black skin-tight leathers and goggles) and learns to ride a motorcycle to sweep a certain Pink Lady who can’t see past his nerdy exterior off her feet. Which brings us to point two: this musical involves a young, unknown Michelle Pfeifer singing, dancing, and straddling a ladder in an entirely suggestive way as she describes her dream of finding a motorcycle-riding bad boy to sweep her off her feet. For those who know the film, you’re probably already humming Cool Rider. Yeah. I know. For those who missed it, go watch this awesome clip from the film: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RYB317pljts (You’re welcome.) Why, other than the fact that it’s fabulous, am I bringing up Grease 2? Well, here’s a secret–Temptation (Bad Angels #2), was…

I think every reader has run across a series or two (or three or four) they didn’t want to end, with heroines they wanted to go to battle with, and heroes they couldn’t help but love. That was the way I felt about the Lola Cruz Mysteries. Lola was feisty and fun, and the series gave readers one caper after another. But then it ended, and tears were shed. How could I say goodbye to these wonderful characters? The good news? Not all good things must come to an end! Books one through three were re-released earlier this year, and when that happened, I immediately pre-ordered book four–what a treat to finally get What Lola Wants in my library! And what better way to celebrate than to interview the creator, Melissa Bourbon;) Kym: Welcome back to the Cozy Corner! For fans of Lola Cruz and Camacho and Associates, thank you for bringing back this awesome Latina PI! Did you have the fourth book in the series plotted out in your mind during the last couple of years she’s been on hiatus? Melissa: I’m so excited Lola’s back, too! I actually had plotted part of What Lola Wants a few years ago,…

For the last few weeks, I’ve been hard at work, plugging away on my romantic thriller series, the Final Hour. It’s nice to take a break to share some of my current favorites. Time to write: 1 a.m., yes, I know it’s crazy early. My kids are out of school and at home all day for the summer. They wake up at six in the morning, so my most productive hours are before they open their precious, little eyes and start making demands. The funny thing is, I don’t even set an alarm. My brain just wakes me up. Morning beverage: Black coffee. Fun thing to do with the kids: Dance party. We dress up in crazy outfits, take turns picking songs, and dance around the entire house. It’s a blast, I get to burn a few calories, and it’s free. Date with hubby: In the summer, the kids take a three-hour art class on Saturdays. That’s our time to grab lunch together, watch a movie, or take a walk in the park. Simple, kid-free time to connect. Snack: Gala apple with a tablespoon of cashew butter. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s satisfying, the perfect mix of…