Fresh FIction Box Not To Miss
Celeste Barclay | A Highland Love Letter
Author Guest / February 27, 2024

Ma bonniest Lia, The days are long, and the sennights are longer as you are never far from my mind. Each day that I’m forced to trudge through muck and sleep in the cold reminds me of what I have left at home and what I fight to return to. Will you warm me when I return? Mayhap keep me company in our tub? We are on the move again, forever chasing or being chased by Longshanks. The man is determined, but he still doesn’t understand there’s nay one more determined than a Highlander. I will fight to preserve the land our families have called home since the Picts. I will fight for the land where we will raise our weans. Hug Lachlan for me and tell him not to grow too fast. How I miss the feel our bairn growing in your belly. Would that I be home in time for your lying in. Ken naught matters more to be than returning to your side. I fear much about the future, but I never fear for our clan’s wellbeing when you are in charge. Nay one dares face you when you stand atop the battlements. I truly believe we…

Jennifer Haymore | When a High-minded Heiress Clashes with the Dastardly Duke Next Door
Author Guest / February 21, 2024

What is the title of your latest release? HOW NOT TO HATE A DUKE   What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? An engaging and playful romance about what happens when a high-minded heiress clashes with the dastardly duke next door.   How did you decide where your book was going to take place? The setting of the book is a house party in the English Countryside, and I decided to set it in the beautiful Peak District, where the partygoers could do some hunting, fishing, lawn games, and—something that doesn’t always happen at house parties—cave exploring!   Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Yes. She’s smart, funny, ahead of her time, and she admits to her mistakes.   What are three words that describe your hero? Handsome, Powerful, and Confident   What’s something you learned while writing this book? I learned everything about the cave called The Devil’s Arse! I read books, watched videos, and even visited the cave and took a tour deep into it last summer.   Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done? I edit lightly as I draft, but I do the majority of…

Christi Caldwell | Exclusive Excerpt THE DIAMOND AND THE DUKE
Excerpt / February 21, 2024

THE DIAMOND AND THE DUKE Excerpt   His arms clasped behind him, the duke paced back and forth before the hearth. Never before had she seen him in such a state . . . which was saying a good deal, as she’d seen him many ways these past years: Stunned when his daughter had been caught in a compromising position with Ellie’s brother Courtland. Terrified and pacing in a similar way when Cailin had been giving birth to her first babe. Even that day, with the lines at the corners of his mouth tense, and his skin pale, he’d not looked as he did now. Just then, the Duchess of Bentley slid into her husband’s path, cutting off his stride. The devoted couple exchanged quiet words. Periodically, they nodded. His throat muscles moved, and his eyes gleamed, and the sight of that suffering . . . a portend of what was to come any moment when Wesley Audley finally entered the household, was too much. Ellie wrenched her gaze away, stealing a peek at the clock atop the mantel. “How are you reading right now?” Lottie said in hushed tones to their eldest sister. “I need a distraction,” Hattie said…

Darcy Burke | A Rakish Duke Encounters His Runaway Betrothed
Author Guest / February 6, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? IF THE DUKE DARES, it’s the first book in my new Rogue Rules series about a group of girlfriends who band together to make a list of rules about how to steer clear of rogues after one of them is ruined by one. 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Oops, I gave a little away above, lol, but for this book, it’s: When a rakish duke encounters his runaway betrothed, she’ll stop at nothing to ensure they never wed. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I envisioned the group of girlfriends meeting while on a summer holiday at a coastal town in England during the Regency. I wanted to use something with proximity to Bath as I’d planned to set a few books there, so I chose Weston (now called Weston-super-mare) on the western coast of England. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would absolutely hang out with the heroine, Persephone. We’d absolutely be friends! And I’d be friends with the hero too, especially once he reforms himself—can’t have him besmirching my reputation, lol. 5–What are three words that…

Lindsay Lovise | A Thief Determined to Steal a Better Life
Author Guest / January 22, 2024

1–What is the title of your latest release? NEVER BLOW A KISS 2–What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? Emily Leverton is a thief determined to steal a better life, but when she joins the ranks of governesses who spy on the ton to deliver justice, an insidious secret threatens her new world and the detective constable she’s begun falling for. 3–How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I based everything around the Dove! She’s the vigilante running the Secret Society of Governess Spies, and her sole mission is to hold the wealthy elite accountable. To do this, she has her governesses collect evidence, and then she anonymously informs the police in an effort to ensure justice is being served. I chose the year 1838 based on timing of the formation of the Metropolitan Police and the development of the passenger railway. 4–Would you hang out with your protagonist in real life? I would definitely hang out with Emily, but I think she might be too cool for me. (Not that she would ever act like that.) 5–What are three words that describe your protagonist? Tenacious, brave, and impulsive. 6–What’s something you learned while…

Mimi Matthews | Conversations in Character with Lady Anne Deveril
Author Guest / January 17, 2024

Book Title: THE LILY OF LUDGATE HILL Character Name: Lady Anne Deveril   How would you describe your family or your childhood? I had an idyllic childhood, spent mostly in the country with my (very much in love) parents, the Earl and Countess of Arundell. My father gave me a beautiful stallion named Saffron when I was a girl, and I’ve been riding ever since.   What was your greatest talent? I love riding, and I flatter myself that I’m an excellent horsewoman. I’m known throughout London for my skill in the sidesaddle.   Significant other? I suppose I must say it’s Mr. Felix Hartford. We were briefly engaged seven years ago. It ended badly. He’s been a thorn in my side ever since.   Biggest challenge in relationships? What lady can consider a relationship with a gentleman she can’t trust – or forgive?   Where do you live? Presently in Grosvenor Square, London, but our residence is of a limited duration. We’re about to be evicted by my odious cousin, the new Earl of Arundell. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Mama has mentioned something about removing to Ludgate Hill.   Do you have any enemies? Who would dare oppose…

Suzanne Allain | Author-Reader Match: THE LADIES REWRITE THE RULES
Author Guest / January 10, 2024

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 Suzanne Allain!   Writes: Regency-era Rom-Coms. My latest, THE LADIES REWRITE THE RULES, comes out January 9, 2024. Think Jane Austen’s EMMA meets BARBIE.   About: Self-deprecating funny girl looking for someone to laugh at her jokes. My book MR. MALCOLM’S LIST was made into a movie!   What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match: You’re a fan of Jane Austen and/or Arrested Development, The Office, Parks & Rec, and Nate Bargatze. (Note: My book is a historical romance, so has nothing in common with any of the tv shows/comedians listed. I just want to know if you have a good sense of humor and if we could hang out.) You like a lot of spice in your Thai food, not necessarily your books. Though there is some kissing, my books are all closed-door. You like books written in third-person omniscient point-of-view, because you want to know what all the characters are thinking and feeling, not just a measly one or two….

Anna Bradley | Title Challenge: EARL CRAZY
Author Guest / January 9, 2024

Are you ready to go EARL CRAZY? Welcome to the fourth book in the Games Earls Play series! I’m delighted to give you a sneak peek into Kit and Tilly’s story. Mathilda Templeton never meant to fall in love with an infamous rake. Her sister brought her to London for a season to find a dull, proper husband, but after a secret chance encounter with the wicked, scandalous Earl of Prestwick leads to a stolen kiss, Tilly fears no one but London’s most charming scoundrel will do for her. Christopher Egan doesn’t need any more trouble, least of all a midnight visit from a blue-eyed, blushing virgin with more courage than sense. But Tilly Templeton isn’t like any innocent maiden he’s ever encountered. She’s irrepressible, unpredictable, an unholy nuisance bent on bedeviling him. Why can’t she see that she’s too innocent, too naïve, too trusting for a jaded rake like him? If only she weren’t so tempting… E is for…what else? Earls! There are no shortage of earls in the Games Earls Play series, and Earl Crazy is no exception. A is for…Animals. One animal in particular, a naughty little Pomeranian named Lucien (or, as Tilly calls him, Lucifer). R…

Lydia Drake | A Precocious Teenage Girl Conspires to Get Her Governess and a Duke to Fall in Love
Author Guest / January 3, 2024

What is the title of your latest release? THE GOVERNESS AND THE DUKE What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book? When a precocious teenage girl conspires to get her governess and the nation’s most eligible duke to fall in love, everything goes spectacularly wrong and then oh-so-right. How did you decide where your book was going to take place? I’ve always loved Gothic novels set in the north of England, so I knew I wanted that setting rather than London. I’m also partial to a castle, so a Gothic castle in Northumberland just had to be the choice. Would you hang out with your heroine in real life? Absolutely! Viola is kind and very intelligent. She might be a little reserved at first, but I’m sure she’d loosen up with time. What are three words that describe your hero? Brooding, sexy, kind. What’s something you learned while writing this book? There’s a talking raven in this book, so I spent way too much time watching raven videos on YouTube. I’ve learned that ravens are not only intelligent but can also be quite petty. If you’re mean to one, they’ll remember and tell all their friends. Good to know! Do…

Kate Bateman | Exclusive Excerpt SECOND DUKE’S THE CHARM
Author Guest / January 2, 2024

From SECOND DUKE’S THE CHARM by Kate Bateman. Copyright © 2023 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.     Chapter 4   Was she really doing this? Tess shook her head in disbelief as she followed the handsome stranger through the crowded rooms. The force of her attraction was both wonderful and terrifying. His opponent had called him Thorn, but was that his surname, or a nickname? Either way, it seemed oddly appropriate. There was a sharpness about him; a dangerous kind of beauty, like the perfectly-honed edge of a blade. Perhaps it was better not knowing his name. He still held her hand. He glanced over his shoulder with a smile that made her belly flutter. The crowds thinned out as they ventured deeper into the house. Couples pressed together in darkened alcoves. Tess glanced around for Ellie and Daisy, but there was no sign of either of them. The first room they entered was occupied. Tess heard a male bellow of outrage as the door slammed shut again, and she sent a silent apology to whomever they’d inadvertently interrupted. The second room was empty, lit with a solitary lamp. She glimpsed tall…