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 Helena Hunting!   Writes: Hi! I write contemporary romance brimming with feels and toe-curling steam. I might make you laugh until you cry or cry until you laugh. Ever have a life moment you wish you could do over? In Make a Wish, Harley Spark definitely has one. The time she almost kissed the widowed father of the toddler she nannied for. Seven years later she bumps into him again and a princess themed birthday party she’s hosting. While dressed as a fairy godmother, complete with wings and tutu. Cue the awkward, tension filled reintroduction.   About: I’m a lover of all things romance. When I’m not reading steamy paranormal, romantasy or writing contemporary romance, romantic comedies, and the occasional heartbreaking angst filled new adult romance, I can be found crafting with my sassy teenage daughter. I’m a homebody at heart, love baking and can’t resist a game of Scrabble.   My ideal reader match for Make a Wish must love: Awkward meet cutes…

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…

Danielle: Hi, Helena! Welcome back to Fresh Fiction. Can you give us the quick elevator pitch for your new book, WHEN SPARKS FLY?   Helena:  When Avery has an accident that puts her out of commission for weeks, her best friend and roommate, Declan, steps in to take care of her. As they grow closer, lines blur and they take their friendship to the next level, but Avery’s past and Declan’s relationship baggage threatens to destroy everything. I love the setting of Colorado Springs for this book, as well as the backdrop of an event planning business for your heroine. What made you decide to set your books here and give your character such a high-pressure job?  Back in 2018, I attended a Book Bonanza, a book convention in Colorado. My family attended and afterward we took the opportunity to travel and see more of the state. I discovered that I’m not a fan of driving on the sides of mountains, but I did love the backdrop and wanted to set the story in Colorado. As far as a high-pressure job, when Avery and her sisters took over Spark House it was manageable, but when the backbone of the event hotel—Avery—is confined…

chapter two HOT LUMBERJERK Blaire “My name is Blaire, not Alice, thank you very much.” I want to smack myself for that terrible, unimpressive comeback. I blame my inability to come up with something–anything–better on thinking we were in the middle of an earthquake, the loss of one of my precious unicorn martini glasses that I honestly cannot afford to replace, and this ax-wielding hipster. Oh, did I forget to mention that beyond the fact that he’s filthy and dressed like some kind of GQ lumber-jack, he’s also incredibly good-looking? “Well, Blaire, you’re standing in the middle of a construction zone, and I’m pretty sure those shoes don’t meet the required code, so you can march them right back out the door.” He uses the axe handle to point to my heels–which are adorable and surprisingly comfortable. I take a step back. “Pointing is rude.” Where the hell has my quick wit disappeared to? “So is trespassing.” “I knocked, more than once, but with all the racket going on in here it’s not really a surprise that no one heard me, is it?” I’m irritated and gathering steam, thanks to my embarrassment, residual fear, and frustration over the problems this…

After breakfast RJ takes me for a ride in his boat. The only kind I’ve ever been in is a canoe, which tipped over, and yesterday I tried to put the one at my cabin into the water, but a family of squirrels was living in it, so that put an end to that. Being on open water makes me nervous, so RJ distracts me with more making out. My lips are probably going to be seriously chapped after today, so I’ll have to use some lip balm tonight to keep them from peeling. By the time we get back from our boating trip–I didn’t see one dolphin or whale, although I wasn’t paying much attention to anything besides RJ–it’s well past lunchtime. We make steak sandwiches with last night’s leftovers, and RJ suggests a trip into town. I have a list of things I need to pick up, like a new space heater, so I’m all for it. After a brief stop at my cabin so I can change into fresh clothes, we spend the afternoon shopping. We tour the quaint downtown and grab dinner at a pub. It’s after eight by the time we head back to his…

While HANDLE WITH CARE is a rom-com, Lincoln’s brother Armstrong’s crazy antics certainly make sure of that! – it also deals with some deeply rooted family issues for both Lincoln and Wren. How did you strike a balance between the serious storylines that bring our hero and heroine closer together with the laugh out loud funny situations?  Armstrong is quite literally my favorite villain to write! He’s so horrible and having him schooled by Wren, or his brother always makes me smile. I tend to insert humor to temper the more serious moments. I love the lightness of a rom-com, but I also want the story to have depth and the characters to grow throughout the story. Facing family challenges helps both Lincoln and Wren grow, on their own and together as a couple. Lincoln Moorehead has been off the grid for a while and isn’t exactly thrilled to be the new CEO of his family’s media business in New York City. This also means he has to actually interact with his family. What did this strained family dynamic add to the overall story and Lincoln’s story arc in particular?  Lincoln has done everything he can to separate himself from…

Welcome back to the Fresh Fiction Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup! Every day this week, some of our favorite authors will be on the blog chatting about their new books, their main characters, and a recipe for a meal or treat those characters would enjoy this festive week. Today we’re featuring contemporary romance authors from St. Martin’s Press! Enjoy, and come back tomorrow for more fun! Missed our previous roundup post? Check it out here! Mystery Authors LAURA TRENTHAM, THE MILITARY WIFE   Harper Lee Wilcox (yes, named after the Harper Lee) is the widow of a decorated Navy SEAL and living with her mom and young son in her hometown of Kitty Hawk, NC. Bennett Caldwell is a former Navy SEAL that served with Harper’s husband, but now runs a survival school in Virginia Beach. Bennett got to know and love Harper through the emails and letters she sent her husband while they were deployed together. When he meets her face-to-face years later, he discovers the real woman is even stronger and more fascinating than the one he imagined. Standing between them is the memory of Noah, Harper’s dead husband and Bennett’s best friend. A common mission brings them together…