Lily reached behind her and held up a Ziploc bag. “I put these aside specially for you.” “Score!” Fist-pumping, Noah jumped off the stool and plucked the bag from her fingers. He then grabbed her waist and started twirling her around the kitchen. “You totally rock!” “Put me down, you idiot, before you injure yourself or me,” Lily laughed breathlessly. “Is this a private party, or can anyone join?” Dante’s tone was mild, but the brittle edge cut through the light-hearted atmosphere like a warm knife through cold butter. He stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. Lily disentangled herself from Noah and stepped back to the counter, although she had no reason to feel guilty. Dante had no claim on her. Besides, there wasn’t the slightest spark between her and Noah. The man who made her pulse race wasn’t the one whose arms she’d just been in, but the one watching her with a muscle twitching in his jaw. She picked up the squeeze bottle and began icing again. Her hand shook a little, making the white lines of the ‘M’ a little wobbly. Unwilling to show how rattled she was, Lily gritted her teeth and continued with the…

1: Sink me! I adore a good caper. And The Scarlet Pimpernel is a GORGEOUS movie and full of hilarious banter. Plus, it features an amazing cast that includes a young Ian McKellen! 2: Emma with Romola Garai is my very favorite version. It is such a treat! Romola plays Emma as fun, feisty, and yet limited by the fact she’s never left home. Also, they do a great job of giving context to the childhoods of supporting characters. A really lovely and fun presentation! 3: Girls are boss! In this very gritty, funny, and pretty true series, Harlots gives Georgian England the full female treatment. I’ve read a lot about Covent Garden and the show holds true to form. This one is not for the light of heart or for those who prefer their love scenes off screen. Produced, directed, and largely acted by women, I love it! So gorgeous! 4: War and Peace sounds really heavy and it is serious, but I could look at the main characters in their fabulous costumes in their fabulous settings all day. It’s a gorgeous trip back into the height of war time 1800s. The balls are out of this world. 5:…

Winter glared at the butler for making him feel guilty. “No. Call for my horse. I’m going out.” “You just returned home, my lord.” “Are you my keeper now?” Ludlow’s mouth had gone so thin, it was nearly invisible. “Someone has to be.” “Now, see here—” Winter had had just about enough. He turned to give the man the blistering he deserved and stiffened as the front door to his house crashed unceremoniously open, letting in a burst of cool, fragrant wind. A cloaked vision stood there as the enticing waft of flowers slammed into Winter. He couldn’t see beyond the heavily-brimmed bonnet, and for a moment, he thought the actress, Aline, had changed her mind about a frolic in the sheets with Matteo. But Aline was petite. This new arrival was not. Ludlow rushed toward the door in greeting, and froze as the woman chuckled and said something to him in a low, sultry voice. He couldn’t quite see the butler’s face. He also couldn’t catch the lady’s tones to recognize its owner, but they were decidedly refined. Most of his callers were from the demimonde, but the occasional aristocratic lady still found her way to 15 Audley Street…

Chapter Two Excerpt: Rachel, Out of Office by Christina Hovland A romantic momedy! Single-mom Rachel needs a break from her family vacation. She struggles to keep up with work and balance the demands of family, all the while fending off pesky new feelings for her hunky former-brother-in-law. Which makes her wonder…is falling for him really that wrong? Or is anything possible when she’s out of office…? Rachel rummaged through her handbag to search for her sunglasses as they walked. Damn, she knew she’d dropped them in there before she left the house. “It’s not happening. If I need company, I’ll just adopt a puppy or something,” she continued. Coming up empty from the inside pocket, she turned her attention to the oversize beach bag, the one that had never seen a beach but was her own personal “bug out” bag where she kept all the things she might need for herself or her kids. “If you don’t want to be so obvious, just squeeze a couple of cantaloupes.” Her best friend Molly shrugged, clearly oblivious to Rachel’s search for eye protection and her extreme disinterest in the suggestion. “Are you equating cantaloupe to breasts, because men like breasts?” Rachel asked,…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  BJORN CURSED, book 4 of the Forgotten Brotherhood series. 2–What is it about? The Forgotten Brotherhood are a group of paranormal assassins. They aren’t the monsters lurking under the bed. They’re the ones that kill them. Bjorn was cursed by a god and became the first Norse werewolf. Now his past is being used to jeopardize not only his own life but the lives of those he loves and the other members of the Brotherhood. 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Anja Knutson is one tough lady. Through her courage and sacrifice, she gained a second chance at life for her children, even though it meant servitude to a goddess for eternity in the afterlife. 4–What makes your hero irresistible?  Bjorn was driven by anger and vengeance after the death of his family, which ended up with him being cursed and becoming the first Norse werewolf. He’s stubborn and dangerous, but utterly loyal to those he loves. There’s nothing he won’t do to protect them, even defy the gods themselves. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help? Anja has absolutely no one she can turn to when…

“How silly you are,” Nicolas murmured, surprised at the measure of amusement he felt. She wanted him to kiss her. Flicking his eyes over the ridiculous list once more, he amended that: she wanted him to ruin her. Ah yes, he recalled that the next plan she’d been about to discuss with her brother was how to escape a marriage. With a low chuckle, Nicolas replaced the note in his pocket and left the study. He took his time walking down the hallway, hugging to the shadows so that he remained unidentified to the few guests he passed in the hallway. At the wide-open doors that led to the ballroom, he paused, keeping to the edge and scanning the room. There. It did not take long at all for him to find her. She stood with a group of young ladies on the sidelines, speaking with animation. It was clearly a habit of hers to push her spectacles up the bridge of her nose, but such a charming one. She must have been out in society for some time now, yet he had never seen her before. If not for her returning to the garden with that shovel, perhaps she…

Unable to stop himself any longer, Levi searched for Lyndi’s smaller form behind the wall of bigger men. He backed up a step and collided with a gaze so full of desolation, all red banked fire and heartache so raw, that he had to look away for a second to get his own violent reaction under control. When he looked back, Lyndi had dropped her gaze to the ground, hiding from him. Confusion drowned out every other emotion rioting within him, so loud his head almost buzzed with it. What had that look been? Because if it was even a hint of what he hoped it could be… The gods had shit timing. Until this second, with the way she constantly sniped at him, and had from the moment they met, he’d believed she hated him. Carried a grudge for that first misunderstanding, and all the misunderstandings that followed. She’d always taken his need to protect her the wrong way. He hadn’t wanted her to build her orphanage in a human home, so unprotected and vulnerable, not because she wasn’t capable but because he expected the Alliance to show up unexpectedly and wipe out all the boys they felt were…

1–What’s the name of your latest release?  WRITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2–What is it about?  The author of a very popular fantasy series hires a woman to cook for him while he’s on a tight deadline…right before Christmas. Romance ensues! 3–What word best describes your heroine?  Hardworking   4–What makes your hero irresistible?  He’s a gruff (but hot) loner, like the Beast in Beauty and the Beast. It takes the right woman to knock him off his guard. 5–Who are the people your main characters turn to when they need help?  Dani, the heroine, has her family, especially her sister-in-law, Una, who is a life coach. Matt, the hero, relies on his assistant, Jane. 6–What do you love about the setting of your book?  My parents own a house in a resort out in the country. They’re on the outskirts of the resort, in the middle of nowhere, and it’s my favorite place on the planet. Their house and its surroundings are what I pictured while working on this novel. 7–Are you a plotter (follow an outline) or a pantster (write by the seat of your pants)? Plotter! 8–What is an ideal writing day for you?  I’m not someone who can write…

1–THE BURBS AND THE BEES is set on a farm in Nova Scotia. I modeled it after an actual farm that was twenty minutes from my house. https://www.dempseycornerorchards.com 2–Cluck Norris, the watchdog rooster, is real, and he can be very nasty, lol. 4–The Shore Club is a real place in Lunenburg Nova Scotia. I mentioned this place in Hooked on You. I go there once a year for a Lobster Dinner. http://shoreclub.ca 5–The drive-in that Alyson and Jay went to is real. https://www.valleydrivein.com 6–The Parrot is totally made up, but I think it would be fun to have one. 7–Peggy’s Cove is a huge tourist attraction, and yes, people fall in, and some aren’t so lucky to get fished out. I love visiting Peggy’s Cove, and you can find painted rocks scattered warning tourists not to get too close. Peggy’s cove is famous for it’s picturesque and typically East-Coast profile, with houses perched along a narrow inlet and on wave-washed boulders facing the Atlantic. Although this unique environment has been designated a preservation area, it is still an active fishing community. https://www.novascotia.com/places-to-go/regions/south-shore/peggys-cove 8–I visited a local bee farm to learn more about beekeeping, and now I really want to start…

My new book—PLAYING WITH TROUBLE–has been described by one reviewer as restoration meets rugby, which I absolutely love! It reflects both the hero and heroine’s backgrounds and gives some clues as to the plot. Whilst planning the book I got to research a bunch of restoration shows on the TV, which I’ve always adored. Today I thought I’d share with you my top 5 (in no particular order) shows. Rehab Addict Nicole Curtis was the inspiration for my heroine, Jane so she seems like a good place to start. Rehab Addict is not a show we get where I live but, my editor, Liz, recommended I watch it, which lead to a lot of Googling and YouTube’ing! And I have to admit to having a bit of a girl crush now 🙂 Escape To The Chateau I love this show. Eccentric English owners restoring a French Chateau on a budget. It’s all kinds of out there but I’ve glommed every episode of every season! The Restoration Man Another show I can watch endlessly. I love how there are still people out there in the world who appreciate the history in old buildings, and make it their passion in life to…