“Let’s try this,” she said. “Tell me what you know about The Dream, and I’ll be on my way.” “If I knew something, I’d tell you. Why is this Dream person dangerous? What did he do?” She leaned closer. “He murdered two men in cold blood.” “I never have gotten that saying. In cold blood. What does that even mean?” Agent Uribe gritted her teeth. “It means he showed no remorse. He feels no empathy.” The waitress walked back over. “Do you want to ordah somethin’ to eat?” “No, tha—” “Absolutely. I’m famished.” Samuel smiled and picked up the menu. “Hmm . . . are the jalapeño poppers good?” “If you like hot.” Samuel pursed his lips. “Maybe the burger, beer, and fries. What’s a Narragansett? Wait, isn’t that the name of a town?” Uribe was glaring at him. “They make lagahs,” the waitress said. “Eh, maybe I shouldn’t have a beer. What about . . . kabobs? You serve kabobs? That’s interesting.” “Is that what you’d like?” The waitress sounded slightly annoyed. “No, I don’t think so. Just give me a cheeseburger and fries.” He folded the menu. The waitress wrote down the order and went back into the…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Jill! Please tell us about yourself and your new book, IT STARTED WITH A SECRET. Hello, hello, I’m Jill Mansell, this is my 32nd novel and I’ve now sold over 13 million copies of my books worldwide. This one will hopefully make readers laugh and cry and is set in Cornwall in the UK, so it’s a nice sunny seasidey read full of fun characters you’ll enjoy spending time with. Oh, and they all have secrets! You’ve been writing romantic comedies for a long time – what has changed the most since you started writing? The internet! Smartphones! My older books tend to have plots that revolve around not being able to find out details about people or to be able to make contact with them. Nowadays these problems can be solved in a split second, and it’s a complete nightmare for all authors of contemporary fiction. Plotting is far more tricky than it used to be. There’s such a thing as having access to too much information! One of my favorite things about your books is the huge cast of characters, each one with a distinct personality. How do you manage all of them? I…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  Forbidden Lust, part of the Dynasties: Seven Sins series 2–What is it about?  The novel features one of my favorite tropes—unrequited love! Allison has wanted Zane since she was a teenager, but he’s her older brother’s best friend, and those two guys will be best bros forever. Allison goes to visit her aunt in the Bahamas, only to learn that Zane is there, too, sent by her brother to force too-tense Zane to loosen up. Allison has a few ideas on how to make that happen. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Determined. Allison refuses to accept defeat, whether it’s trouble with her career or pursuing Zane. She’s not starry-eyed when it comes to her stubborn ways, though. She knows her limitations. With Zane, she knows it could never be more than a fling. Her brother and Zane would never allow it.   4–What makes your hero irresistible?  Zane is fiercely loyal and protective. He doesn’t want to break the bro-code that says you don’t get involved with your best friend’s sister, but his efforts to keep Allison as only a friend really come from his instinct to be a protector. He’ll do anything…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…