Jennifer Vido: What inspired your new release, THE HOMEWRECKERS? Mary Kay Andrews:  I was watching one of those DIY reality television shows and the title The Homewreckers came to me. Not coincidentally, we’d just purchased a fixer-upper beach cottage on Tybee Island, Ga, where the book was set, so I had the title and the research, and very quickly, the plot started to come together.   Jen: What is causing angst in Hattie Kavanaugh’s personal and professional lives? Mary Kay:  Hattie is guilt-ridden because she fears that the over-budget money pit of a house she’s been restoring with her father-in-law’s construction company will bring the company to financial ruin, but on a deeper level, her emotional life has been on hold since her husband’s death, seven years earlier, in a hit-and-run accident. Faced with the possibility of romance, she’s deeply conflicted.   Jen: When Mauricio Lopez offers Hattie a starring role in a beach house reality show, how does she react? Mary Kay:  Hattie tells Mo she has zero interest in show business, and just wants to do her job, restoring old homes.   Jen: What does Hattie think of her male cast mate? Mary Kay: Hattie’s first response is…

1–What is the title of your latest release? STARRY-EYED LOVE   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?  Having just gotten out of a relationship, London turns down a date with an attractive man, only to have him crash a business meeting of hers three months later. Turns out he’s the CEO of the company and now she’s locked into working with him.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place?  Back in 2018 I attended Book Bonanza in Colorado and fell in love with the mountains and the scenery and knew I wanted to set a series there. It’s such a beautiful location and became the perfect setting for Spark House, the event hotel run by the Spark sisters.   4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?  Definitely! She’s fun and crafty and endearing. I would totally hang out with her and make origami stars, or design centerpieces with her, which are some of the things she does for her own side business, and for Spark House.   5–What are three words that describe your hero? Charismatic, intense, giving.   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book?  I learned…

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 you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Stephanie Vance!   Writes: Among other things (e-mails, postcards, the occasional grocery list) I write romantic comedy featuring smart, feisty, often sarcastic heroines who absolutely devastate men who are used to having their own way. Across the Aisle features Dallas McGrath, a female lobbyist working to succeed in a career dominated by men. She’s up against fellow lobbyist Grant Pierce, a handsome charmer who’s sure he’s just one flirt away from defeating Dallas in the lobbying game. Spoiler alert: he’s wrong.   About: Wise (a.k.a. old), witty (a.k.a. snarky), and wine-loving (that speaks for itself) woman seeks partner who appreciates slow burn enemies-to-lovers romcoms featuring strong women who, to put it bluntly, won’t put up with anyone’s crap. Must share my love of travel, romcoms, and dogs, not in that order. I’m a scuba-diver, a business-owner, and a non-sanctimonious vegetarian; I have no problem watching you eat steak (my characters do it all the time), if you’re not pairing it with a Sauvignon Blanc instead of a…

Luke Dempsey, your hero in TURN TO ME, is a man who’s been to prison. What made you decide on a hero with that history? Luke’s younger brother died when Luke was 14.  Luke tried to save him, couldn’t, and then blamed himself for Ethan’s death.  That trauma sent him on a reckless and self-destructive path.  I had that path end with a stint in prison for two reasons: One, because I wanted the challenge of prison to toughen him. Two, because I wanted prison to serve as his motivation to get his life in order. When Turn to Me begins, he’s been out for a few months.  He’s cynical and withdrawn but he’s also dead set on never breaking another law.   How would you describe the dynamic between Luke and Finley? Grump and sunshine!  I had a ball writing these two.  Luke’s an irritable bad boy hero type and Finley’s an idealistic, Boho animal lover.   Because there’s some treasure hunting in this story, is there a mix of romance and suspense? Or does one dominate the story more than the other? There’s definitely a blend of romance and mystery with a dash of suspense thrown in.  But…

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 you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Lily Chu!   Writes: Fun rom-coms set in Toronto and featuring Asian characters. I love including some glitz and glamour (and a good red lipstick) but I want my characters to also face issues that we encounter in the real world, from mental health challenges to doubts about identity to building relationships and supporting family. And of course, falling in love!   The Stand-In is about Gracie Reed, a biracial Chinese-Canadian who loses her job and reluctantly agrees to help her doppelganger, Chinese movie star Wei Fangli, by impersonating her at events. The money will help move her mother to a better long-term care home, and it’s no hardship to be partnered by Fangli’s co-star and usual escort, actor Sam Yao. However, as Sam and Gracie grow closer, she begins to question herself, and whether Sam sees her for who she is, or only as Fangli’s stand-in.   About: I live in Toronto with my family, which includes two almost toothless cats. One of…

1–What is the title of your latest release? ONE NIGHT EXPECTATIONS: Devereaux Inc 3 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? One night of unbridled passion can send their future up in flames. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I’m from Brooklyn, so many of my story concepts are set here.  Also, the Devereaux Inc series was pitched as Black Dynasty set in Brooklyn.  Staying true to the pitch, all the titles in this series will take place in Brooklyn. 4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely.  She’s confident, successful, and fashionable.  We’d have loads of fun talking shoes and purses. 5–What are three words that describe your hero? Nurturing, loyal, passionate 6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? That even when you do the wrong thing, there’s always a chance to do better. 7–Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I wait until I’m done.  Stopping to fix everything only serves to slow me down.  Once the draft is done, then I can look at the project in its entirety and make changes from a global standpoint. 8–What’s your favorite foodie…

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 you may fall in love with. It’s our great pleasure to present Jackie Ashenden!   Writes: Jackie writes steamy, emotional small-town romance set in New Zealand, with hot heroes trying to get the world to their liking, only have it blown apart by feisty heroines who won’t let them get away with a single thing.   About: Jackie loves drinking coffee and baking the odd batch of cinnamon rolls, as well as buying yarn, keeping yarn, playing with yarn, and knitting with yarn. When she’s not admiring her yarn stash, she is planning her next book, that will no doubt feature an incredibly hot alpha hero brought completely to his knees by the sassy heroine. You can find Jackie on her website or follow her on Instagram.   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: Must love: An isolated mountain town with no internet, no cafes, one pub, a general store, and an outdoor adventure company owned by three suspiciously hot guys. Enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a take-charge, no-nonsense NZ hero and a take-no-prisoners Texan heroine who…

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 Cat Wynn!   Writes: I write contemporary rom-coms with a lot of smut and a little bit of an edge. PARTNER TRACK follows the story of Perdie Stone an often-overlooked plaintiffs’ attorney who’s trying to make partner at her firm. After besting younger hotshot defense attorney Carter Leplan on a big case, the two are snowed in together. Riding high off her win, Perdie sleeps with the irresistible Leplan thinking she’ll never see him again. But when she returns home to Charleston expecting a promotion, she discovers that Leplan has been hired at her firm instead taking the position she was gunning for.   About: Hello beautiful readers! I’m Cat and I live in a cozy house near the Atlantic Ocean in Charleston, South Carolina with my two geriatric rescue dogs. I write late at night on an old couch that should’ve probably been tossed five years ago. I’m shockingly good at parties provided the snacks are good. You can test…

1–What is the title of your latest release? WEDDING SEASON   2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Mariella Jacob and Alex Ralsten are sworn enemies but when they end up working together in the quaint town of Magnolia, North Carolina, something shocking happens—they form a connection that startles them both…daring them to admit that a rocky past might lead to something unexpectedly wonderful.   3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? It was an easy decision because this is the third book in The Carolina Girls series. I loved returning to Magnolia, North Carolina.   4–Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely. Mariella Jacob is fun, feisty and a little bit snarky. I appreciate a bit of snark in my friends. She’s also really loyal, which is important to me. Plus, she owns a clothing store – I’m a terrible shopper so I could use some inspiration!   5–What are three words that describe your hero? Strong, steady, honorable   6–What’s something you learned while writing this book? I guess this shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but although Mariella is tough on the outside, she has a tender…

I’ve always been fascinated by the spectacle of celebrity, particularly as a backdrop for romance stories. The place where the fantasy of fame meets the hard realities of the spotlight is rife with dramatic and comedic possibilities. Plus, there’s that thrill of getting to peek behind the VIP barricade and/or stage door to see how the sausage is made (so to speak). And let’s not forget the tropes! Celebrity romance stories are tailor-made for so many of my favorites—fake relationship, forced proximity, fish out of water, rags to riches, reformed rake, taming the beast, and so many more. Given all that, it’s no surprise I love to read them as much as I love to write them. Below are five of my top five celebrity romances written by some of my favorite authors, plus a brand new one written by me! Act Like It by Lucy Parker This is the first book in Parker’s excellent London Celebrities series, focusing on the West End theater scene. When a stage actor and notorious misanthrope finds himself in need of an image boost, he reluctantly agrees to a faux-mance with a resilient up-and-coming stage actress, leading to two of my favorite romance tropes—grumpy/sunshine…