I love a magical first meeting between a hero and heroine in romance, but there’s a lot to be said for a story with two main characters with a shared history together. I’m always intrigued by these kinds of stories but I’m very particular. Some readers love an abundance of drama and angst. I usually prefer lighter fare with a minimum of angst. Of course, there are always exceptions that prove the rule. One of my favorite authors is Lorraine Heath and her stories are often littered with characters who have tangled and passion-filled histories together and a few bad decisions under their belts. However, Heath masterfully and almost inexplicably wraps things up and any angst is deliciously painful rather than tedious. If I can’t root for a couple to iron out their issues and get together, I give up on the story. In this article, I discuss some books with characters who have a past, but who don’t let their past determine their future. In SHE LOVES ME by Melissa Foster, Piper Dalton and Harley Dutch are BFFs who are thrown together when Harley is injured and Piper comes to look after him. Melissa Foster dispenses with typical gender…

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 Anne Harper! Writes: Romantic comedy with relatable romance and shenanigans galore! Fake It Till You Make It is Book #1 in the Accidentally Viral series and is the first look into small-town Arbor Bay, Alabama, and at all of its hilarious, intrusive, and wild residents. About: Anne believes in coffee, chocolate, and the power of being awkward. When she isn’t binge-watching Netflix and Hulu, she’s hanging out with her sassy husband, yelling at her neighbor (who is also her Dad), and posting videos about her life that will undoubtedly embarrass her future children. Her special skills include being able to sing all the words to R.E.M.’s It’s the End of the World while running on the treadmill and the ability to quote almost every episode of Parks and Recreation by heart. What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Must have felt or done something awkward in your life and are willing to use that experience to relate to others Must love characters with quirks, flaws, and relatable…

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 Elizabeth Heiter! Writes: I write suspense with strong heroines, chilling villains, psychological twists, and a little bit (or a lot!) of romance. My new release, SECRET INVESTIGATION, is a romantic suspense about an undercover agent searching for justice for his murdered friend. In the process, he falls for the CEO of the company to blame. But if he wants the truth, she may pay the ultimate price. About: Caffeine and chocolate-fueled author who often writes with a parrot on my shoulder. I have a penchant for going down the rabbit hole with research (luckily, I’ve had enough security clearances for my various law enforcement research visits that when my bizarre internet history is inevitably discovered, it will be clear that it’s all for fictional crimes!). When I have time in between writing books, I love to read them, spend time with family and friends, and downhill ski. One of these days, I’ll get back to playing my violin. What I’m looking for…

My newest release is Betting on Love, Book 2 in the Ellis Family Saga. Whitney Carroll is back home in Gatlinburg, Tennessee after divorcing her low-down, cheating husband. First thing on the to-do list: Get a job. Second thing: Just say no to men. Third thing: Don’t fall for the boss. One out of three’s not too bad, right? For Sam Ellis, his to-do list is always work, work, work, trying to keep his family’s legacy alive. Now, out of concern, his siblings bet he can’t keep a girl happy for thirty days, and if he loses, he’s out as CEO. No problem, he can fake a relationship. And he knows just who to ask…his new man-vegan assistant. Yet Whitney’s sexy boss—secret singer and Skee-Ball champion—is definitely NOT boring, and their connection is undeniable. But when a disaster strikes at work, Sam will have to decide if he’s willing to trade in his job for his heart. B is for Bet. But winning means Sam might lose everything. E is for Employment. Whitney needs it. T is for Time. Thirty days and it runs out. T is for Temptation. Their relationship might be fake but a real one tempts them…

Somebody asked me the other day if I ever get tired of chocolate, since my funny, romantic Sci-Fi series revolves around it.  And I Instagram about it.  And post recipes, and cooking videos, and have a whole chocolate-themed cookbook.  And – I’m growing it. Don’t tell anybody, but yes, I go through phases where the last thing I want to do is think about another piece of chocolate – let alone eat one.  But when we travel, I’ll check out the shops in town, to find craft chocolate makers and mom-and-pop candy shops, and unique chocolatiers marching to the beat of their own kazoos. Talking to someone about their passion for chocolate as an art form, or for blending flavors the way a wine-maker does, or teaching kids about food or using chocolate to connect with the local community – or to communities of farmers around the world — is some pretty heady stuff.  And getting to taste the chocolate they’ve put all that passion into – that’s the kind of thing you can’t get tired of. There’s an almost universal connection that people have to chocolate.  Often, when I go to handsell the Chocoverse books I say, “The aliens…

Welcome to Fresh Fiction, Julia! Please tell us about yourself and a little bit about your latest book, FIRST COMES SCANDAL. Hi, Fresh Fiction! Thanks for the opportunity to introduce myself. I’ve been writing historical romance since 1995, primarily set in late 1700s/early 1800s Great Britain. First Comes Scandal is the final book in my Rokesby/Bridgerton prequel series, and it opens with Nicholas Rokesby being basically ordered by his father to marry his neighbor and girl-next-door Georgiana Bridgerton after her reputation is ruined by an overzealous suitor. This is the final book in your prequel series to the Bridgertons series. What have you loved about writing this expanded world? I first conceived of this series as a way to show some of our favorite characters (namely Edmund and Violet Bridgerton) when they were younger. But then due to the way the series was structured, they didn’t really show up in a meaningful way until this final book. It was incredibly fun to visit with them, and especially to show Anthony and Benedict Bridgerton as young boys. (And Colin as a baby!) But beyond that, the Rokesby books have enabled me to visit new locales. The Girl With the Make-Believe Husband…

Hi everyone! I thought this week, I could talk about what I’ve been reading lately and why I think I am reading these things. Just like everyone else, I am struggling a lot with the social distancing and isolation as a result of the Corona Virus Pandemic. I moved out three years ago to my own place and I currently live alone with my two dogs (a big reason I picked the place I did – it allows up to two pets). Normally, that’s not so bad and I like having my own space, but it’s been difficult this past month. Also, my younger dog, Lady, has been having trouble too because she’s very social and misses my family too. We’ve had some recurrence of accidents and she is easily scared more than usual by things. If anyone else is dealing with this with their pets, one thing that has been helping immensely is having special body massage time and extra cuddles! I have always taken comfort in reading. When I was in junior high and struggling to make friends, I reread Anne of Green Gables and Tamora Pierce over and over, finding comfort in the found families and the…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? An Unsuitable lady for a Lord 2–What is it about?  Here’s the back cover description: Lord Aaron Lyle has one hell of a choice: a bankrupt dukedom, or marriage to some simpering society miss so his spendthrift father can get his hands on her huge dowry. He won’t do it. He has a reputation to maintain, and besides, he’d rather run naked through the streets of London than marry anyone at all. Surely, there must be a third option. Then Lady Crystal Wilding walks into his life, a bluestocking, full of subversive thoughts, who hates the notion of marriage even more than he does. He is intrigued, and suddenly he has an idea. He invites the totally unsuitable lady home on the pretext of presenting her as a possible match. .  . But in truth, Aaron has something far more pleasurable in mind. For her part, Lady Crystal has her own reasons for going along with his harebrained scheme. Imagine their shock when his highly proper family loves her and starts planning the wedding. Good lord. Now what? 3–What word best describes your heroine? Feisty 4–What makes your hero irresistible? He’s good-hearted, wealthy…

Moving out of winter doldrums into the warmth and light of summer is always an energizing time. In the historical fiction we look at this month, through struggle and persistence, women from very different pasts move beyond the limits of their beginnings to a flawed but fuller life. In THE GARMENT MAKER’S DAUGHTER by Hilary Adrienne Stern, Lena Rothman and her brother arrive at Ellis Island in search of the American Dream.  In early 20th century New York, their stories intersect with those of fellow immigrant Daniel Cowen, who longs to study law, labor organizer Jake Brenner, and his girlfriend Sophie. Stern follows her protagonists through the next fifty years, from sweatshop work, labor strikes, the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and the fight for woman’s suffrage, continuing the story into the second generation with Lena’s daughter Rachael. Focusing primarily on Lena, we follow her efforts to defeat the obstacles placed in the way of immigrants, workers, Jews, and women as she carves a life for herself and her family in this new land, carrying through her story the themes of love, friendship, betrayal, survival, and hope. Laura Moriarty presents us with another story of changing values and perspectives in…

We are hip-deep in a pandemic as I write this, and my youngest daughter is currently singing/shouting Beauty and the Beast for the fifth time today. I don’t hate it. She squeezed into an old costume, pulled out her “makeup” and asked for extra glitter. I complied of course and decided to paint her nails and curl her hair, too. ‘Cause getting on your glam is never a bad idea. I might even pull out the good china for lunch and serve the grilled cheese and grapes properly. These are unprecedented times and I’m doing everything I can to focus on the many positive ways we humans are pulling together. And not the news updates, I check obsessively. Some days are better than others, and today thankfully, has been a good one. Glitter and all. And it is with that spirit that I’d like to offer my writer/introvert life hacks that have kept me (mostly) sane. Make a plan. A loosy-goosy (yes, that’s a technical term) agenda will only make you feel unaccomplished at day’s end. May happen anyway but at least putting the right foot forward gives you a fighting chance of winning the war of laundry. I usually…