Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Jayci Lee | Exclusive Excerpt: OFF LIMITS ATTRACTION
Author Guest / December 3, 2020

His shoulders tensed at the thought of her dancing with other men, looking the way she did tonight. He blew out a breath through his nose and deliberately drew his shoulder back down. It was none of his god­damn business whom she danced with. “Like I said, sometimes impulsivity leads to the best sort of fun.” Taking on a life of its own, his thumb drew soft circles on her lower back. “How else would we have had this great opportunity to build rapport?” “Now it’s rapport-building?” She held his eyes and her lips lifted into a Mona Lisa smile. “This keeps getting better and better.” With their heads bent close to hear each other, the sexy-as-hell hint of whiskey on her breath was driv­ing him wild. He lowered his head imperceptibly to breathe in her scent, and she shivered in his arms. She felt the magnetic pull, too, and it was damn hot. When her eyes searched his, he slowly angled his head until their lips were mere inches apart. Both of them drew back as though lightning had struck them. They were dancing in the middle of a crowd. They couldn’t do this. Breathing roughly, they gazed at…

Fresh Fiction Reviewer Spotlight: Kathleen Kelly
Author Guest / December 3, 2020

Have you ever wondered who’s behind the book reviews on Fresh Fiction? We have an incredible team of volunteer book reviewers who read books and offer their thoughts on them for you to make better-informed decisions on the books you want to read! Join us throughout December and January to get to know them better! Your Name Kathleen Kelly How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer?  less than 3 months What are your favorite genres to read and review?  Historical fiction, thrillers, psychological thrillers, mysteries, some non fiction What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? See Her Die by Melinda Leigh Lies, Lies, Lies by Adele Parks When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole What do you like to do outside of reading?  Spend time with hubby What are some of your holiday traditions?  Spending time with my children and grandchildren What are your reading resolutions/intentions/goals for 2021?  My reading goals are to read 50 books. What do you love about being a Fresh Fiction Book Reviewer?  I have always been a fan of Fresh Fiction so I was excited to become an actual reviewer Where else can readers find you online? Blog, http://www.celticladysreviews.blogspot.com

A FOREVER CHRISTMAS! | The Amish Christmas Gift by Laura V. Hilton
Author Guest / December 3, 2020

The holiday cheer continues today with Laura V. Hilton and her new novel, THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT! Don’t forget, the Forever Christmas celebration lasts all week–come back for more fun tomorrow.  ** What’s the name of your latest release? THE AMISH CHRISTMAS GIFT came out in October. What do you love about writing holiday/Christmas romance?  Everything!!! Are your hero and heroine full of Christmas cheer or the holidays bring out the worst in them?  A mixture of both. What’s one of your favorite holiday traditions? Spending time with family. Which Christmas movie do you watch on repeat throughout this festive time of year?  Home Alone (I have 5 children…) The best Christmas song is…  Angels We Have Heard on High. Do you prefer to be home for the holidays, or do you like to travel? Home. What can readers expect from you next?  THE AMISH SECRET WISH coming in April. It’s about a scribe for The Budget, who calls herself GHB, writes about community news, and sometimes alludes to her most personal feelings. Hezekiah Esh reads GHB’s articles and as he nurses his own broken heart, he finds himself falling for her. Can he find this mystery writer? THE AMISH…

Marcella Bell | Exclusive Excerpt: STOLEN TO WEAR HIS CROWN
Author Guest / December 2, 2020

Catching Zayn’s arm in her bony talon as they passed, Roz hissed, “The unmasking will happen at the end of your dance! You’ll have to take the mask off for her—there’s a clasp in the back.” Then she let them go. Zayn led Mina to the dance floor, a pathway clear­ing before them. Other dancers left the floor as they approached the center, a warm spotlight finding them as they came to a stop, facing each other. He wasn’t sure whether it was due to the rush of success in dodging Roz, or simply the primal effect of Mina’s radiant glow in the spotlight, but although they were surrounded, the rest of the room slowly disap­peared as he looked at her. Reaching out his arms, he took her by the waist and pulled her body flush against his. As tall as she was in the heels and the mask, her head still came only to his shoulder, allowing him to rest his cheek on the smooth front of her mask, his own expression shielded by the emanating rays. Her dress was a warm second skin beneath his palm and her lush curves pressed against the hard planes of his own…

Fresh Fiction Reviewer Spotlight: Jessica Grogan
Author Guest / December 2, 2020

Throughout December and January, we are featuring the people who read the Fresh Fiction book reviews you love to read: our FABULOUS Reviewers! A few times a week you’ll be able to get to know our reviewer team, what they love about reviewing, and their holiday traditions. All things considered, 2020 was a wonderful year for books–Cheers to 2021 for more books to read and review! Your Name Jessica Grogan How long have you been a Fresh Fiction reviewer?  One year and 4 months What are your favorite genres to read and review?  Historical Romance What are your TOP 3-5 Books of 2020? Lord Holt Takes a Bride by Vivienne Lorret Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn What do you like to do outside of reading?  Spend time with my husband and daughter, watch movies, and travel. What are some of your holiday traditions? My husband, daughter, and I watch A Christmas Story every Christmas. But never all at once: we watch it in segments at the different family homes we visit throughout the day. And my mother’s side of the family always plays “dirty” bingo. Whoever wins can take a prize away from anyone….

A FOREVER CHRISTMAS! | The Twelve Dogs of Christmas by Lizzie Shane
Author Guest / December 2, 2020

The festive fun continues with the next featured author in the FOREVER CHRISTMAS celebration: Lizzie Shane! Be sure to leave a comment on each of these posts for a chance to win a copy of these wonderfully wintry Holiday Reads!  ** What’s the name of your latest release?   The Twelve Dogs of Christmas What do you love about writing holiday/Christmas romance?  I love that there always seems to be a little extra magic in the air around the holidays, like anything is possible, especially love. And it’s a time when community and friends and family all come together, which I love in a romance.  Are your hero and heroine full of Christmas cheer or the holidays bring out the worst in them?  Ally is the kind of person who wants to soak up every ounce of Christmas cheer through the season, but Ben is definitely overwhelmed by all the holiday pressure. He’s gotten a reputation as the town Scrooge, but he’s just a big softie underneath all that stress. What’s one of your favorite holiday traditions? I love wrapping presents with my family while watching Christmas movies. I think I love that more than receiving gifts. There’s something so satisfying about making something unique and beautiful…

Amy Andrews | My Favorite Restoration Shows
Author Guest / December 1, 2020

My new book—PLAYING WITH TROUBLE–has been described by one reviewer as restoration meets rugby, which I absolutely love! It reflects both the hero and heroine’s backgrounds and gives some clues as to the plot. Whilst planning the book I got to research a bunch of restoration shows on the TV, which I’ve always adored. Today I thought I’d share with you my top 5 (in no particular order) shows. Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis was the inspiration for my heroine, Jane so she seems like a good place to start. Rehab Addict is not a show we get where I live but, my editor, Liz, recommended I watch it, which lead to a lot of Googling and YouTube’ing! And I have to admit to having a bit of a girl crush now 🙂 Escape To The Chateau I love this show. Eccentric English owners restoring a French Chateau on a budget. It’s all kinds of out there but I’ve glommed every episode of every season! The Restoration Man Another show I can watch endlessly. I love how there are still people out there in the world who appreciate the history in old buildings, and make it their passion in life to…

Caitlin Crews | 20 Questions: SECRET NIGHTS WITH A COWBOY
Author Guest / December 1, 2020

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  My new book is called SECRET NIGHTS WITH A COWBOY and also contains a bonus novella called SWEET NIGHTS WITH A COWBOY. The heroes are brothers. And cowboys. And super hot if I say so myself.  2–What is it about?  It’s about a couple who got married young and never figured out how to move away from the kind of childish relationship things that marked how they started in high school.  Can they finally learn how to grow together? Or is it really time to move on? 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Determined.  4–What makes your hero irresistible?  He’s a man who knows who he is and what he wants. Especially his wife! 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  They both have their families and friends, who provide varying degrees of support and advice throughout! I’m lucky to have written three other books set in the same small town, so there are a lot of familiar faces in these books and a lot of chances for them to connect, learn, and grow. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  Cold River, Colorado,…

Denise Williams | Exclusive Interview: HOW TO FAIL AT FLIRTING
Author Guest / December 1, 2020

Hi, Denise! Welcome to Fresh Fiction and congrats on your debut novel! Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about HOW TO FAIL AT FLIRTING.   Thank you for having me! I’ve been writing since I was a little kid, but it’s a dream to see my debut novel out in the world. I grew up in the military which meant friends coming and going often, but I always had books and writing. I turned to academic writing while earning my PhD in education, but shortly after my son was born, I wanted the escape of writing fiction and here we are. How to Fail at Flirting is about a professor healing from the trauma inflicted by an abusive ex and ready to reclaim her life. She makes a to-do list that includes a one-night stand and taking some risks. The first doesn’t work out, but the second leads to meeting Jake, flirting with professional ruin, and ultimately falling in love.  HOW TO FAIL AT FLIRTING is told completely from Naya’s point of view. How did you decide to use a single-POV narrator? What do you love the most about Naya’s story?   I love dual POV romance…

A FOREVER CHRISTMAS! | A Very Merry Match by Melinda Curtis
Author Guest / December 1, 2020

Don’t forget to come back each day this week for more holiday cheer from our pals at FOREVER Publishing and their Christmas romance authors. Today, we’re joined by Melinda Curtis!  ** What’s the name of your latest release? A VERY MERRY MATCH What do you love about writing holiday/Christmas romance?  I enjoy bringing in fun traditions, either drawn from my family or made up (read in magazines or enviously stolen from observing others, lol). Are your hero and heroine full of Christmas cheer or the holidays bring out the worst in them?  This year, Mary Margaret is struggling to find her holiday cheer. Doubly important since she’s a kindergarten teacher. What’s one of your favorite holiday traditions? My great aunt imposed a One Gift At a Time rule. She moved in with us and insisted she couldn’t enjoy gift opening unless she got to see every gift opened. We’d sit in a circle and starting with the youngest, one person would have the stage to open a gift. Some years, it takes two hours to open gifts at our house! But it does allow the gift giver a moment to shine as well. Which Christmas movie do you watch on…