1–What is the title of your latest release? WHAT IF YOU & ME 2–What is it about? Andi, a horror writer/true crime podcaster who struggles with anxiety from a trauma in her past, tangles with her grumpy new neighbor, a former firefighter who’s feeling lost after a career-ending injury sidelined his life plans. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  This story is set in New Orleans, where I grew up, so it’s special to me because it will always be my hometown. But New Orleans itself is such a unique, singular kind of place that it gives me a lot to work with—the food the characters eat, the double-shotgun style house Andi and Hill live in, Andi’s aggressively friendly southern hospitality (where she’s just not going to accept that her grumpy, lonely neighbor wants to stay grumpy and lonely.) It’s a fun place to set a story. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  Andi’s full of contradictions. She loves horror but because she finds relief from her anxiety in it (there’s science to back that up if you’re wondering!). She’s sunshine-y, outgoing, and enthusiastic, but she also has real darkness she’s fighting. I didn’t know when…

Danielle: Welcome back to Fresh Fiction, Melonie! We are so happy to have you here to chat about your new book, TOO GOOD TO BE REAL. Where did you get the idea for this novel, which is set at a rom-com resort? Melonie: I was actually working on a different book proposal for my editor, loosely based on my favorite rom-com, 10 Things I Hate About You. While I was brainstorming the plot points, I started thinking about how much fun it would be to actually get to experience some of the romantic moments in the movie, and other rom-com movies I love: paintball fights and karaoke serenades and kissing in the rain… and then BAM! The idea hit me. Why not? I love the movie Austenland, which is about an estate that provides guests a chance to live in the world of Jane Austen novels… so I decided why not create a resort that offers the same immersive experience for fans of romantic comedies? And thus, TOO GOOD TO BE REAL was born. I love how there’s an awesome girl group at the center of this story—your main character, Julia, brings her friends Kat and Andie along with her…

“Oh, you poor honey,” Hailey said, scooping up the tiny bundle and examining him closely. “I was afraid of this.” “What is it? What’s the matter with him?” Cole remained on the other side of the gate—mostly to keep Philip from barging in after him—but there was a sharp note of worry in his voice. Hailey nestled Rufus closer to her neck so he could absorb some of her body warmth. His small body was so delicate, his skin so much like paper, that she could feel each of his bones. “He’s not taking well to the family dynamic,” she said. “He’s always the last to eat and the first to wander away.” “Bess is rejecting him?” Hailey nuzzled the puppy closer, fearful of him overhearing the words and taking them to heart. Which was ridiculous for a lot of reasons, but she couldn’t help it. Rufus needed all the love he could get his tiny paws on. “Not rejecting, exactly,” she said. “She seems to like him just fine when he’s around, but with so many other, stronger, more insistent puppies to look after, he kind of gets lost.” Overlooked. Forgotten. It was no one’s fault, but that didn’t…

There’s definitely something romantic about old journals and love letters, a certain mystery that intrigues me. So, I wanted to include this element in my upcoming release, A Lot Like Love hitting store shelves on June 29, 2021. In this second chance romance, Sarah Lewis not only inherits her grandmother’s B & B in a small coastal town, but she also finds her grandmother’s old journal, where she discovers a secret no one ever knew. This plot device of journals and love letters as a way of communicating in books and movies is one of my favorites and here are my top 5 love story movies that feature this element. P.S. I Love You– This movie starring Gerard Butler and Hilary Swank based on the bestselling novel by Cecelia Ahern has to be my all-time favorite. Love letters from beyond the grave that are heartwarming, sentimental and tear-jerking make this movie unforgettable. For me, the best part was seeing their love for one another through the flashback moments that the letters provided and seeing the heroine overcome her sadness and open herself up to love again. The Lake House– This movie starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock was so unique…

Danielle: Welcome back to Fresh Fiction, Stefanie! Please tell us a bit about yourself and your new book, FOREVER STARTS NOW.  Stefanie: Thanks for having me! I’m Stefanie London, Aussie gal living in Canada. I’m the USA Today bestseller of more than thirty contemporary romances and romantic comedies that meet at the corner of sweet and sexy. Outside writing, I love to read, knit, bake and play video games. My latest release, FOREVER STARTS NOW, is a fake relationship romance between an Aussie hero searching for his father, and a prickly diner owner whose life has stagnated after divorce. At the heart of it, this story is about understanding who you are and being authentically yourself. There are also very strong themes of family and belonging. Both Monroe and Ethan have had their lives shaken up by devastating news, and we meet them in the aftermath of trying to figure out where they’re headed. It’s funny and heartfelt and you might tear up a little. There’s a steamy kiss in a haunted house, a wacky town mascot and a quirky cast of characters to fall in love with. I hope you’ll check it out! Forever Falls, the fictional small town at the heart of your novel, sounds charming,…

1–What is the title of your latest release? PAWS AND PREJUDICE 2–What is it about? It’s an enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance about a romance-writing heroine who loves her dogs and hides behind snark, and what happens when she’s forced to work with a new guy in town who has a fear of dogs and who basically (on the surface) represents everything she loathes. 3–What do you love about the setting of your book?  First, it’s set in Alaska, which is just gorgeous. And second, I love quirky small towns, and my town is torn in half by a century-old feud that makes everything about living there far more complicated than it should be. 4–How did your heroine surprise you?  I always knew she used snark as a way to deflect and keep people at bay, but when I started writing her, it became clear that she also did it because she is overprotective of the people she cares about. She’s always willing to make herself a target to take the heat off of others. 5–Why will readers love your hero?  He’s an ambitious cinnamon roll! He brews beer, bakes, cooks, and he knows how to keep a secret. 6–What was one…

H is for the Heart of Turn-Around Ranch, and how it helps teens and adults alike O is for two Opinionated people, who argue about as much as they thinking about kissing each other. P is for Pining over your best friend, even though you know you shouldn’t. E is for the excitement of the town rodeo and how the two ranches are preparing for their showdown. On the R is for the two Ranches that neighbor each other, and the special spot in the middle Tanya and Brady have met up since they were kids. A is for All-Around Cowgirl, a title Tanya’s won in the past, and Harlow, the town’s good girl, is training for. If only Maddox, the bad boy who’s been sent to the ranch would stop giving her a hard time during training so she could better focus. N is for Nosy family members who’ve been trying to get Tanya and Brady together forever G is for Winston, the three-legged Goat that Tanya saved and acts as a therapy animal to scared horses. (Which is a real thing between goats & horses sometimes) E is for the big town rodeo Event with an Ending that…

“Come on, Oliver. Just give me an inch,” I muttered, trying to drag him up the front steps of my apartment building. Bringing the rock star to my apartment was my last resort. I tried to get him to tell me where he lived, but he couldn’t even form a coherent sentence for me to do so. All he did was mumble and drool. Then, I grabbed his phone to see if I could get a number to call, but his phone was dead, and I didn’t have the type of charger needed to charge his. Therefore, all I could think was to bring him to my apartment for the night. Getting him out of the car was a headache of its own kind, and now trying to get him to move his feet was a nightmare.  “I’ll give you a few inches,” he mumbled back.  I wondered how horrified the shy, distant Oliver would’ve been by his comments that night.  I wrapped his arms around me and pulled him to the best of my ability. He had the hiccups, and kept muttering something under his breath, but it wasn’t clear what he was saying. Honestly, I wasn’t even interested…

Nikki snagged another glass of champagne and sipped as she walked through the living room of Max Ingram’s house. Tailored suits, designer gowns, and plenty of flashy jewels caught her eye as she walked the perimeter, distracting her from her mission. Focus. She turned her attention to taking in the extraordinary security measures. Fuck. Mia wasn’t kidding about this. A burly guy stood at the foot of the stairs with a dog sitting at his feet. The dog looked like a military sentry on duty. Her heart thumped in response. No worries. The stupid dog won’t attack a random guest. In her ear, Jared’s voice said quietly, “You’re on duty. That’s your third glass of champagne.” She turned and saw him standing near the patio. Then she pointedly scratched an itch with her middle finger, making sure he took note. Although the champagne was quality, she still preferred to blend in as the help. Unfortunately, Ingram had his own waitstaff, so she couldn’t jump in for a shift and disappear. Even worse, between the alarm system and the dog, she didn’t see an easy way to breach the house undetected. And the painting Mia wanted was too big to take…

Reggie Lee Stafford glanced out the window of her daddy’s Hill Country convenience store just northwest of Austin, Texas. She looked out in time to see the silver BMW cruise slowly by. The top was down and the driver looked as divine as the vehicle. A bronzed god with longish blond sun-streaked hair. He radiated the attitude of a celebrity, hiding behind the lenses of his designer sunglasses. Driving with his elbow stuck out the window, he craned his neck to peer into the small store. He gazed up at the fading sign that proudly proclaimed the establishment to be Stafford’s Mercantile, a name Reggie’s grandparents had selected in 1949 when they’d first opened their doors in Rambling, Texas, and when the wares had included yard goods and hardware. Reggie leaned over the counter to stare back at the hunk in the sports car, surprised when he pulled into the parking lot and climbed out. He shoved the keys in the pocket of his faded denims and continued to gaze through the plate glass window with an air of indecision. She noted that the denims were well filled with one-hundred percent prime American beef. Well, well, well. Eye candy from the city. My lucky day. She…