Books Read: Sarah Lefebve - The Park Bench Test

Aspiring journalist Becky loves her boyfriend Alex, but when her best friend Katie gets engaged, she’s left wondering if Alex really is her Mr Right. 

Their other best friend Emma doesn’t believe in ‘the One’– she’s just looking for a man who will stick around longer than her dad did. 

As they come together to plan Katie’s big day, navigating the chaos of wedding dress shopping, seating plans, and the dreaded singles table, the girls begin to question their own relationships; and the possibility of settling for anything less than butterflies…

 Amazon link: Kindle or Paperback

Books Read: Sue Fortin - United States of Love

Since splitting from her husband, single mum Anna Barnes is enjoying her new found freedom and independence. 

However, she didn't bank on working for Tex Garcia – or the sparks that fly between them. The gorgeous American chef is getting the locals hot under the collar and not just because of his culinary prowess!

One problem: Tex can't commit and women pass through his life like dishes going out to service! Will it be the same with Anna? One thing’s for sure, this All American man is determined to break her self-imposed rule of never mixing business with pleasure – and add some spice into the mix…

 Amazon links: Kindle  

Books Read: Lorraine Wilson - Confessions of a Chalet Girl

Verbier. Exclusive Swiss ski resort and the winter playground of the rich and famous = every chalet girl’s dream!

Good for:

Maximum time on the ski slopes – and in the bars at night!

Looking for flings – or looking for rings!

Super hot snowboarders such as Luxury Chalet Experiences owner Scott Hamilton…

But not for Holly Buchanan. This accidental chalet girl won’t drink, can’t ski – and isn’t there to hook up with any man who’s only interested in making her another notch on his ski pole. Or so she thinks!

Scott’s living life to full, both on and off the piste, and Holly can’t help but find his attitude just a little bit infectious… And the hook up? Well,she’s going to have to confess that one night with her boss just won’t be enough!

So pack your salopettes and pour another shot of Jägermeister, it’s time to hit the slopes.

 Amazon link: Kindle

Coming soon from Harper Impulse

Today as part of this feature week for Harper Impulse I'm taking a look at some of the books they are publishing within the next month.

Secrets in the Shadow by Hannah Emery (published 20th March)

In 1920s Blackpool, eleven year old Rose wanders away from her parents and has a unique gift bestowed upon her. This gift will leave a haunting legacy, seeping down through the generations… 

Decades later, Louisa has a vision of her mother walking into the sea. This isn’t the first time it happens and it won’t be the last, but what she sees isn’t always what she wants. The rest of her life is spent trying to change the future that haunts her. 

In present day Blackpool, Grace is going to be married someday. She knows this because she’s seen it; a vision of a white dress, daisies embroidered on the sleeves, the groom by her side, vowing to love her forever. Except the man in her premonition doesn’t belong to her- he belongs to her twin sister, Elsie. 

Haunted by what they know and what they are afraid to find out, all three women must make a choice: in the face of certain destiny should you chase the outcome that’s “meant to be”, or throw away fate and choose your own future?

Books Read: Georgia Hill - Say it with Sequins: The Waltz

Slip on some dance shoes and step up to love!

Who Dares Dances is a reality TV show with a difference. Not only do the contestants have to learn to dance, they also face a series of bizarre tasks.

Best-selling children’s writer, Lucy Everett, signs up as a personal challenge – can she battle her phobias and dance in front of millions of viewers?

When she meets fellow competitor, the seriously sexy but reserved Olympic swimmer Max Parry, she finds in him her very own Prince Charming.

But Max seems content to just be friends. Will Lucy ever get her longed for fairy tale ending?

Find out by waltzing into this dreamily romantic second novella in the Say it with Sequins series.

Amazon link: Kindle 

Author Interview: Brigid Coady

Today it's my pleasure to welcome Brigid Coady to my blog as part of the Harper Impulse feature week.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I used to be a mild(ish) mannered project manager by day, a country music loving writer by night and weekends. But having recently taken a six-month break and moved to the USA I’m a mild mannered country music loving writer by day and by night. I love books, US TV crime shows and John Hughes movies. I collect walking sticks and spend too much time on Twitter. My boyfriend says I have an unhealthy obsession with Kenny Chesney. I’ve met Taylor Swift. I’ve been a voice over artist and could be the voice of your on hold phone system. I read ‘The Hunger Games’ when there was only one book out. Billy Piper will play me in the biopic of my life, if only so I can get close to Laurence Fox.

We’ve had The Last Kiss, The First Kiss and Lipstick on his Collar, what’s next to come in The Kiss Collection? 
There are three more stories in the Kiss Collection to come. Yet again they are short explorations of different kiss scenarios. These are different again from the first three, one is particularly chilling (or so my editor says). They should be out later this year and there is a possibility that all six will eventually be released as an anthology.

Books Read: Nic Tatano - Wing Girl

Wing Girl: [wing-gurl] noun
1. A young, single woman frequenting liquor-serving establishments who attracts then later repels eligible men that are eventually picked up by her friends.
2. The essential accessory for dating in Manhattan. 

For years guys have cruised bars using the "wing man" as a divide and conquer weapon designed to liberate a gorgeous woman from her not-so-beautiful friend. 

Meet Belinda Carson, Wing Girl. 

She's a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners investigative reporter fighting for truth, justice and higher ratings. But while her fame draws in the hotties, it’s unfortunate that you can’t buy a new personality at Bloomingdales! 

Because up close and personal these unsuspecting suitors get fried by a snarky attitude that's sharp enough to slice a stale bagel… which leaves her grateful friends to swoop in for the delectable leftovers! 

Only enough is enough – isn’t it time for Belinda to stop taking one for the team and land her own Mr Right?

Amazon link: Kindle

Cover Reveal: Catch my Breath by Lynn Montagano

Today I'm delighted to bring you an exclusive look at the cover for Lynn Montagano's debut book Catch my Breath which is due to be published on 17th April.

Lia Meyers' plan for a relaxing Scottish vacation is short-lived when one uncharacteristic moment of clumsiness lands her in the arms of a dangerously attractive Englishman…

And now it's time to finally reveal the cover...

When I first saw the cover to Catch My Breath I squealed. Seriously. This is my first novel ever and seeing such a gorgeous cover bowled me over. I loved the pop of color against the black and white background. It’s so sleek and fresh and contemporary, which is exactly what I wanted. I think it compliments the story perfectly. The relationship between my main characters, Lia and Alastair, is feisty and intense and this cover definitely gives the reader an idea of what to expect.

The process of seeing how the team at Harper Impulse designs their covers is very inclusive. I was able to give input every step of the way and had the great fortune of having an editor whose thought process was on the same wavelength as mine! Like I said, this is the first novel I’ve written so this entire journey, for me, is exciting. I’m so thrilled to finally be able to share Catch My Breath with all of you!

Excerpt: The Trouble with Mojitos by Romy Sommer

The final of today's features for Romy Sommer is an excerpt from her latest book The Trouble with Mojitos.

Turquoise blue waters. Sandy white beaches. Mojitos... 

Film location scout Kenzie Cole has found herself in paradise. Working in the Caribbean for a week is just what she needs to escape the long line of exes in her closet. Though the last thing she expects is to be picked up at the resort bar by a disgraced former Prince!

Luckily for Kenzie, exile is suiting the man formerly known as Prince Fredrik very well. And it’s not long before his rugged, pirate charm is proving hard to resist.

But Rik’s been spending his time in paradise exorcising demons of his own and he has danger written all over him. If Kenzie was sensible she’d run a mile instead of lose herself to lust - although, they do say sometimes you have to get lost before you can be found....

Excerpt:

“A mojito, please.”

Kenzie sagged against the bar counter, not caring that her order sounded desperate or 
her body language suggested impatience. She needed alcohol, and she needed it now.

Excerpt: Waking up in Vegas by Romy Sommer

Earlier today I had a chat with Romy Sommer about her writing and this afternoon I will be bringing you excerpts from her two books, first up is Waking up in Vegas.

What happens in Vegas…

Waking up to the bright lights of Vegas in an unfamiliar penthouse suite, cocktail waitress Phoenix Montgomery finds she’s covered from head to foot in gold glitter and not alone – aside from the empty bottle of champagne, there’s a mystery man in the shower and a huge sparkly ring on her finger!

Stays in Vegas?

There’s no denying Max Waldburg’s demi-god sex appeal but commitment-phobic Phoenix doesn’t do relationships. Only it seems her new husband (agh!) has other ideas…he’s trying to keep that ring on her finger and his wife firmly back in his bed. The only question on her lips is – why? Or maybe, why not?

Excerpt:

I wish I were dead. Phoenix moaned and pulled the pillow over her head to block out the blinding light and the clamour of rain. If only her head would just explode and get it over with.

At least the pillow seemed softer this morning. And it smelled nicer than normal too. A fresh citrus scent that quickened her blood.

Hang on a minute. Rain? In Vegas?

She peeked out from under the pillow. Oh my…

Not her room. 

This room was at least twice the size of her entire motel apartment, and way better furnished. Correction: this wasn’t just a room; it was a palatial hotel suite. Through the double doors she spied a living room.

She sank back on the pillows, which seemed to be dusted in gold glitter. Perhaps she'd already died and this was heaven. Though she highly doubted heaven would want Phoenix 
Montgomery. Not that she’d been a particularly bad girl, but she’d never made much effort to 
be particularly good either.

And she’d certainly seen and done a few things a more conventional person might quail at. This being one of them.

She covered her eyes. Blocking the sunlight streaming in through tall windows at least helped the ache in her head.

Sunlight? Then that wasn’t rain…

Instantly awake, she turned her head and identified the source of the sound of running water: not rain, but a shower running.

She wasn’t alone.

Terror clutching her heart, she lifted the crisply starched sheet. Oh hell… 

Beneath the sheet, she was stark naked, aside from yet more gold glitter. And not alone, in a room she didn’t recognize.

What the hell had happened last night?

Through the aching blur, she fumbled for memories. She and Khara had got off work not long before dawn, and they’d gone out for a drink as they often did at the end of a shift. 

They’d chosen a pool hall away from The Strip, the kind of place that wasn’t in any tourist 
brochure. With the sedatives the doctor had prescribed to help her sleep, Phoenix hadn’t had that much to drink. Besides, she could handle alcohol. Unless...

There was only one thing that could get her drunk.

She closed her eyes, grasping for the memories. They’d danced to music from an old-
fashioned juke box and played a couple of games of pool. She’d even won a little money off a guy with tattooed arms who couldn’t believe he’d been bested by a girl.

And then there’d been a man who bought her a drink…

The bathroom door opened. Phoenix sucked in a breath and opened her eyes.

Yeah, that man.

God, but he was drool worthy. Especially wearing nothing but a fluffy white towel wrapped around his hips. He definitely worked out. Until now she’d believed six packs like that were the results of air brushing in magazine spreads. This set of abs was one hundred percent real.

She forced her gaze higher, over the tanned chest, broad shoulders, up to meet a pair of 
startling blue eyes in a face framed by overlong fair hair.

“You’re awake. Good. I’ve ordered breakfast.”

She was so not hanging around for breakfast. She cleared her throat. “Where are my clothes?”

He pointed toward the living room. Clothes lay strewn across the floor and, yep, there it was, the only thing that could get her truly and embarrassingly drunk... a bottle of champagne, 
empty and lying on its side on the floor.

“How are you feeling?” The demi-god’s voice matched his face; deep, masculine, with a hint of amusement and a faint Germanic trace.

He perched on the edge of the bed. He smelled as good as he looked, clean and slightly lemony. Just like the pillow. Her blood all rushed south again.

She could only imagine how much fun he’d been up close and personal. Pity she had 
absolutely no memory of it.

“Did we really…?” She waved a hand at the bed, and her naked body beneath the sheet that she now held clutched to her breasts. And her heart stopped.

Was that a ring on her finger? On her left hand?

Author Interview: Romy Sommer

This morning it's my pleasure to welcome Romy Sommer to my blog for a chat.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
In my own head I’m 30, fit and still naturally blonde. In real life, I’m a little older, single mom to two little girls, with a day job making TV commercials. And I probably look like I haven’t slept in weeks (because I haven’t!) I love stories in all shapes and forms – books, movies, TV shows and the stories in all the fascinating people I meet every day.

I’ve read that you work in the film industry and also have a young family, how do you manage to fit in your writing on top of your already busy schedule? 
See above – who needs sleep?

I try to do quality time rather than quantity time. When I’m on a film shoot, writing has to take a back seat, and when I’ve neglected my kids because I’ve been working on a book (or film shoot), then I make up for it afterwards by doing something special with them (without a laptop in sight). But the biggest time suck, which I’m only slowly learning to manage, is social media.

Books Read: Jane Linfoot - The Right Side of Mr Wrong

One-off, moving on sex, wasn’t meant to be this hot… 

When determined singleton Shea Summers is persuaded to become the “wife” of the Lord of Edgerton Manor, the last thing she wants to do is play house with a stranger.

Brooding playboy Brando Marshall is far from happy when Shea turns up at his sprawling estate with production crew in tow. Surely she’s just another woman after his wallet? And if she’s looking for Mr Right, she’s definitely hitting on the wrong guy. Then again, after catching an unscheduled glimpse of her knickers, perhaps Brando needs to teach this “gold-digger” a lesson! 

She’s seizing the moment, he’s breaking the rules, and when bad boys can be so much fun, who can resist getting on the right side of Mr. Wrong…

Amazon link: Kindle

Guest Post: Where to Start Your Wedding Planning by Samantha Birch

Today is the start of another publisher feature week, this time for Harper Impulse during which I am planning to try and review all of their eBooks that I currently have on my Kindle as well as bring you a selection of additional features from some of their authors.  

First up author of The High-Street Bride’s Guide, Samantha Birch gets you from zero to venue in six steps flat.

My husband says I should be dead. That, if you think about evolution, a person who can’t shut the living room window without standing on a chair and who doesn’t have the strength to punch a heart through a sheet of triple-folded tissue paper should have gone out with the dodo. 

I tell him I am, in fact, the next evolutionary step: that everyone knows things get smaller as they get better—iPods, iPhones—and that it’s a selective advantage to make me cute enough that he’ll shut the living room window and punch hearts in triple-folded tissue paper for me. 

He opens his mouth to argue, but I push a brown cardboard box towards him. It’s two nights before our wedding and he’s still got 20 handcrafted glassine bags to fill with red and yellow heart-shaped confetti.

How were we not tearing our hair out? Well, yeah, there had been a million things to do, but in the past six months we’d ticked them off methodically. 

And all because we got off to a good start. Here’s how to do it…

Step One: Money Talks
Bleh, I know: flashbacks of being 15 and asking for an advance on your pocket money so you could buy that going-out top. But you can’t go planning a wedding in a manor house for 250 guests if your budget only stretches to a pub lunch for 20. Sit down with both sets of folks and get an idea of what they’re willing to contribute—that’ll help you suss out the shortfall.