He turned on the lamp, pulled up a footstool, and sat in front of her. Reluctantly, it seemed, he held out his injured hand. “Ow!” Abby commiserated. That bird had taken a chunk out of Quinn’s pointer finger, just below the middle knuckle. “You need stitches.” “I’ve fixed worse cuts than this with duct tape.” He dug through the kit and handed over a tube of Neosporin. “Just get on with it.” “How did he get you so bad?” As gently as she could, she smeared the antibiotic cream over the open gash. “Made the mistake of leaning my hand on the aviary wire when I poured the food into his bowl.” He handed over a fresh Band-Aid. “I won’t do that again.” “I’m sorry. I hate that you’re having to do all this for me.” She wrapped the Band-Aid around his finger and smoothed down the adhesive edges. “My fault, remember?” He replaced the bandages and Neosporin and snapped the lid shut. “Can you please stop apologizing?” “I’m sorry.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “How does your foot feel?” The throbbing pain from earlier this morning now burned with the heat of a thousand suns….

WHEN THE POUNDING STARTED, Ryan Sorensen glanced from the television to the front door and then back again, settling deeper into the faded recliner. Rain beat against the roof of the cottage situated a few blocks from the beach near the town of Magnolia, North Carolina. The Carolina Hurricanes were up by one goal against Detroit with five minutes left in the second period. He was warm, dry and as comfortable as his injured leg would allow. Nothing good would come of answering an insistent knock on a stormy night. His jaw tightened as he imagined what his father would think of him ignoring a person potentially in need of help. Ryan had been taught from a young age that he owed the world something, no matter what the world handed him in return. The lesson had led, in a roundabout sort of way, to a bullet in his leg a month earlier and a colleague and friend dying in his arms. It had been one hell of a difficult pill to swallow. He figured whoever was outside his door would give up eventually. Minutes later the door rattled on its hinges as the pounding increased in intensity. “Hello?” a…

1–What’s the name of your latest release? SUMMER BY THE RIVER 2–What is it about? Single mother Josie Waterhill is perfectly happy with the “do over” she’s been given after her tragic upbringing. She’s created a new life and isn’t looking back. She and her six-year-old daughter Zoe are nestled safely in the Midwest, and Josie manages a tea garden owned by elderly Myra Moore. In fact, Josie can’t think of a thing she’d change. Invariably, the world starts pressing in when Myra welcomes more guests—journalist Carter O’Brien and his giant rescue dog, Buttercup. Carter is charming, compassionate…and way too interested in Josie’s past. Carter’s interest in Josie deepens, and he inadvertently stirs up trouble when he uncovers things that Josie would rather not have known. Ready or not, Josie must make peace with her painful past so she can create a glorious future. 3–What word best describes your heroine? Capable 4–What makes your hero irresistible? His charismatic demeanor and playful, flirtatious sense of humor. Once Josie gets to know him, she’s also drawn in by the kindness Carter shows to people she cares about including her six-year-old daughter and to the wounded stray dog he rescues. 5–Who are the…

Jen: What inspired you to write SECOND CHANCE ON CYPRESS LANE? Reese: The idea for a series about a small town in the Outer Banks was prompted by my first visit to the Outer Banks and the town of Duck, North Carolina, which my husband and I fell in love with instantly. And while I can’t recall exactly how I came up with Dex and Dakota’s love story, I had initially intended to pitch it to a company that was going to publish choose your own adventure style romances. So, for instance, one of the first choices the reader would’ve made was whether Dakota returned to her small hometown or tried to stick things out in New York. Why does rising-star reporter Dakota Jones return to her hometown?  Dakota unwittingly gets caught up in a scandal that gets lots of press in New York City and in Italy and tanks her career as a reporter just as she was about to be named the weekend news anchor at her station. No other station in wants to get tangled up in the scandal, which leaves Dakota just one option: she must return home to regroup and figure out her next move…

Starlight Harbor is my new home. Okay, no. I didn’t move. I’m still in my little apartment sitting out on my also little deck with my pup, drinking tea and writing. But if I could move to Starlight Harbor I’d have Jack the Pup packing his toys quicker than you can say “cupcake.” Not only is it on the coast of Maine which is absolutely stunning and has some of the most lovely, creative, strong but compassionate people I’ve met on my travels….Starlight Harbor is also on a mission. Starlight Harbor isn’t just your normal quirky small town. It’s turned love (and quirkiness) up to 11. Not only do they have a rich history of smuggling, piracy, and a collection of clans who escaped the Scottish Clearances…they also celebrate Christmas all year. Before you start picturing blowup Santas and fake snow, Lyra (our heroine) wants you to know… Don’t even go there. That’s what that uninformed, pushy, self-involved “journalist” did when he bad mouthed her town. Not that we’re judging him or anything. Instead, Starlight Harbor is a beautiful, seaside town that has a small celebration every few weeks. Picture a lovely Hallmark movie set instead of a Walmart holiday…