Hi, Angelina! Thanks for stopping by Fresh Fiction. Can you tell us about yourself and your new book, HATE CRUSH? I’m a lifelong writer and romance fan. I started writing romance when I was working as a newspaper journalist in the late-90s. My debut book, LUSH MONEY, came out October of last year, so let’s just say that my newspaper stories came out much quicker than my books did. 😉 I think the long road to publishing was very worthwhile–I learned so much about the craft, the industry, and myself as a writer along the way. It made me much more confident in the things I wanted to say because I’d worked so long at saying them! HATE CRUSH, my second book in the Filthy Rich series–about powerful, wealthy women who get what they want because they’ve earned it–is about Princesa Sofia, a millionaire winemaking princess whose about-to-launch winery is struggling to get attention, and fallen rock star Aish Salinger, whose career is in the dumpster. A fake relationship between the two of them could save her winery and struggling kingdom, and his faltering music career. Only problem: She hates him more than any other person on the planet. Ten…

If Dawn hadn’t already succumbed to Adam’s sexual allure, the sight that greeted her as she entered the barn would have sealed the deal right then and there. He wasn’t, as Phoebe had said, putting Gigi through her paces. On the contrary, he was lying on his back with his hands behind his head, allowing the puppy to crawl all over him. Gigi explored and licked and tugged at the buttons of his shirt, as sure of her reception as any adorable ball of fur had a right to be. And on the hay, too, straw itch mites be damned. Dawn paused to watch, unwilling to draw too close for fear Adam would hear her and ruin the moment. I want that, she thought. Not just to crawl all over Adam as her mood and desires demanded—which, admittedly, she wanted a lot—but to elicit that relaxed look on his face, the expression of easy enjoyment. They enjoyed each other’s bodies, obviously, but they were never relaxed together. Never easy. Now that she thought about it, few men were with her. What is it about me that makes it so impossible? “I know you’re there,” he said, not bothering to raise…

A is for ANIMALS–there are so many cute and funny animals in this book * C is for COWBOY–of course. One hunky cowboy hero coming right up O is for OTIS–the ornery goat who is always causing trouble W is for our WOUNDED and scarred hero, Zane, the tough but tender cowboy B is for BRYN–the spunky heroine of this story O is for OINK–the sound that Tiny (the adorable fashion conscious pig who thinks she’s a dog) makes Y is for YEARNING–which there is sooo much of in this book * S is for SHAMUS–the cutest mini-horse who is always causing trouble with Otis T is for TROUBLE–what Bryn and Zane find themselves in when they realize the horse they rescued is pregnant A is for the sweet ABANDONED horses that find their way to Bryn T is for TENDERLY–the way Zane treats the rescued horses E is for ELECTRIC–the passionately-charged air between Zane and Bryn * O is for ORNERY—did I already tell you about Otis, the crazy goat? F is for the FIVE puppies that Bryn, Zane and Elle rescue from a storm cellar * M is for MANDY–the sassy 10 year old daughter of the hot…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? The Bad Boy of Redemption Ranch 2–What is it about? The heroine, Pansy, is on a quest to become Chief of Police to honor her father’s memory, but her attraction to the new bad boy in town complicates things… 3–What word best describes your heroine? Pansy is very good. It’s important to her to honor her father’s memory and to do right by the town of Gold Valley. She’s also afraid of her own wild impulses, which West brings out in her.  4–What makes your hero irresistible? He’s a bad boy who is also a good man.  5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? West is learning the concept of family and connecting with half-brothers he only recently met, and he’s starting to turn to them for advice. Pansy is very close to her siblings. When their parents died, they took care of each other. She confides in her sisters, and in her older brother.  6–What do you love about the setting of your book? I always love returning to Gold Valley. I love the old west feel of the town and the mountainous terrain that surrounds…

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 VIV ROYCE!  Writes: heartwarming, super sweet smalltown romance about shopkeepers finding love when they least expect it. About: Dog lover – Stationery fan – Chocolate in one hand, cheese in the other – Pride and Prejudice adaptation with Colin Firth is the best ever made (the long look scene!!) What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: A reader who loves: that smalltown vibe where everyone cares for each other (and little old ladies are in matchmaking mode!) swoon-worthy heroes, relatable heroines, real relationship obstacles and a happy ending shop settings you wish you could visit in real life to sample chocolates, browse books or find an antique treasure yummy food (my characters often discuss things over delicious pie, ice cream or pancakes) books that can be read as standalone, but are even better read as series, with previous main characters making appearances and recurring side characters forming a community you’d love to be a part of! What to expect if…

Writing this book was especially fun for me because I pretty much grew up on the back of the sweetest little barrel racer, a quarter horse mare named Duchess. So I really identified with my heroine, Amanda, and her love for her barrel racers. And just like Amanda, I found myself eating dirt a time or two. Before I fully comprehended that most barrel racers have two speeds–full stop and eye-watering gallop–I once found myself hanging upside down and fully stuck on a barbed wire fence after flying over my horse’s head. Thankfully, I wasn’t hurt at all, but I also learned the perils of wearing a puffy coat while riding a barrel racer that day, because I hung stuck there until a neighbor happened by and peeled me off. While competing at the level Amanda does in Wrangling the Cowboy’s Heart is pure fantasy for me, as is the dream ranch and the hunky cowboy, I do enjoy watching rodeo events such as barrel racing–and bull riding, of course–whenever I can. I am also excited to have the chance to give away a copy of my first book in the Rodeo Romeos series, The Bull Rider’s Second Chance, as…

I think it’s safe to say that a swoon-worthy hero, the ever-elusive book boyfriend, is what makes a good book great.  As a reader, I’m always chasing this man. To me, he’s like the unicorn of the contemporary romance world. They come in many forms. We have the nice guys, alpaholes, daddies, and Dominants, mob bosses, to name just a few. What’s swoon-worthy for one reader might not cut it for another. For example, I tend to prefer the nice guy to the alphahole, but nice guys and alphaholes can share many things in common. I’ve written a three-book series. The heroes are all different, but they each possessive some of the same attributes that make me swoon. I’ve been reading romance way before I started writing, and it’s all about the hero for me. Yes, I love a strong, feisty heroine, but I read to find a book boyfriend, and now that I’m a writer, I can mold and shape my hero to meet my book boyfriend criteria. Here are the five things that make me fall in love with a fictional character, whether a nice guy or not. POSSESSIVENESS – A hero who knows what he wants and…

My new release Wrong Bed, Right Brother is a sexy rom-com about a gamer girl who falls into bed not with the co-worker she’s been crushing on for years—but with his twin brother. It’s fun, heartfelt, trope-tastic, and I hope it leaves you smiling! W is for Wrong bed mixup. That’s where it all goes wrong (or so right!) R is for Running. Noah is a running coach who works his heart out. O is for Orgasms. So many of them. Yes! N is for Never giving up. These two work hard for each other and for their HEA. G is for Gamer. Amanda is a video game designer full of creativity. * B is for Best friends. Amanda is BFFs with Noah’s brother and has a strong group of women friends to rely on. Everyone needs a community, not just their one significant other. E is for Electric. Noah and Amanda have so much chemistry, as soon as they touch, the sparks start flying! D is for Dreams. These two have big dreams, in their careers and in life, and they help each other achieve them. * R is for Risks. Love is a risk. Noah and Amanda take…

Wow, what an incredible week of fabulous books by wonderful authors, awesome giveaways, and great giveaways! Our Summer BBQ Recipe Roundup wraps up today with DESSERT! We’ll also learn more about Michelle Hazen’s BREATHE THE SKY, set in the Mojave Desert. Don’t forget—you can catch up on this week’s recipe roundup at the links below, and have chances to win books by commenting on those posts, too. Thank you for following along all week! We’ll be back with another recipe roundup in the Fall! Day 1, an appetizer with Lynn Austin: https://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=10708 Day 2, a main course with Dylann Crush: https://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=10709 Day 3, a side dish with Elise Hooper: https://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=10710 Day 4, a bread recipe with Vanessa Riley: https://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=10711 Day 5, a dessert with Michelle Hazen: https://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=10712 *** In BREATHE THE SKY, Mari is a wildlife biologist, taking jobs deep in the Mohave Desert to hide from an ex-husband who won’t take divorce for an answer. She keeps to herself, scooping endangered species out of harm’s way on construction sites. Until she gets assigned to Jack Wyatt, the grouchy construction foreman who is the terror of all the other biologists. But he meets his match in Mari–the soft-spoken biologist won’t…

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 Shannon Stacey! WRITES: More Than Neighbors is the first book in the Blackberry Bay series, about living, laughing, and falling in love in a small New England lake town. ABOUT: Writes fun and lighthearted romance novels, usually while wearing pajamas and drinking too much coffee. Loves going for long walks (but only through bookstores) and having long, meaningful conversations with her two dogs while the cat ignores her. Hobbies include watching too much television, decorating her planner with fun stickers, and pretending that tweeting about TV shows is actually part of her job. WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR IN MY IDEAL READER MATCH: Loves the sparks that fly when two opposites attract Believes you can go home again, and you might just find love when you do Loves children, adorable little dogs, and cranky cats who have no problem letting people know who’s in charge Enjoys meeting new people, especially if they have fresh, small-town gossip Loves to root for a widowed single…