12 Days of Christmas Reads: A Christmas Journey, by Anne Perry

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day nine takes us on a train journey to the Highlands.

♥ If you missed yesterday's Christmas reading recommendation, click here.

A Christmas Journey, by Anne Perry

It’s Christmas and the Berkshire countryside lies wrapped in winter chill. But the well-born guests who have gathered at Applecross for a delicious weekend of innocent intrigue and passionate romance are warmed by roaring fires and candlelight, holly and mistletoe, good wine and gorgeously wrapped gifts. It’s scarcely the setting for misfortune, and no one–not even that clever young aristocrat and budding sleuth Vespasia Cumming-Gould–anticipates the tragedy that is to darken this light-hearted holiday house party. But soon one young woman lies dead, a suicide, and another is ostracized, held partly responsible for the shocking turn of events.

To expiate her guilt, Gwendolen Kilmuir sets out for the Scottish Highlands, hoping to explain to the dead girl’s mother the circumstances surrounding the sorrowful act–and to bring her back to England for the funeral. Gwendolen’s sole companion on this nightmarish journey is Vespasia. As Vespasia learns more about the victim and the ugly forces that shaped her desperate deed, she understands the heartbreaking truth of the tragedy.

This book was recommended to me by my mother years ago. You see, she collects these Anne Perry Christmas books, and for the last few years they've been one of my gifts to her and she usually reads them on Christmas Day. Short but still satisfying, these books have lovely period details , in particular the train ride. If you find yourself enjoying them, you should give the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Mysteries or the William Pitt Mysteries a go.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a trip to the Welsh coast for a touch of magic. If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: The Christmas Secret by Karen Swan

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day eight is all about whisky, Scotland, and a slow burn romance!

♥If you missed yesterday's Christmas reading recommendation, click here.

The Christmas Secret, by Karen Swan

Alex Hyde is the leaders’ leader. An executive coach par excellence, she’s the person the Great and the Good turn to when the pressure gets too much; she can change the way they think, how they operate, she can turn around the very fortunes of their companies.

Her waiting list is months’ long, but even she can’t turn down the unorthodox but highly lucrative crisis call that comes her way a few weeks before Christmas, regarding the troublesome – and troubled – head of an esteemed whisky company in Scotland: Lochlan Farquhar, CEO of Kentallen Distilleries, is a maverick, an enigma and a renegade, and Alex needs to get inside his head before he brings the company to its knees.

It should be business as usual. She can do this in her sleep. Only, when she gets to the remote island of Islay, with the winter snows falling, Alex finds herself out of her comfort zone. For once, she’s not in control - Lochlan, though darkly charismatic, is unpredictable and destructive, her usual methods gaining no traction with him - and with Christmas and her deadline fast approaching, she must win his trust and find a way to close on this deal.

But as she pulls ever closer to him, boundaries become blurred, loyalties loosen and Alex finds herself faced with an impossible choice as she realizes nothing and no-one is as they first seemed.

First of all, look at that cover. I'm a sucker for a good women's fiction cover, and this one jumped out at me when I was wandering around my local Waterstones. This book ticked a lot of boxes for me:

• It's set in Scotland
• It had a historical story being told in the background
• There's a grumpy distillery owner hero
• The romance burns slow until it finally combusts about two thirds through the book

However, I think it really shines when you meet Lochlan's friends from university who bring Alex into their little group. It's a good one to read while cozied up under a blanket.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with another historical mystery. If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: Resisting Santa, by Lindsay Emory

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day seven we're back on Mistletoe Key and smashing the patriarchy! ♥If you missed yesterday's Christmas reading recommendation, click here.

Resisting Santa, by Lindsay Emory

Mistletoe Key takes Christmas traditions very seriously. So when Eliza Hart advocates for a gender-inclusive Santa late one night on public radio, she inadvertently sets off an historic island-wide scandal. After years away, she’s just returned to the island but once again she’s persona non grata, fighting the patriarchy one Santa suit at a time.

Tiki bar owner Shep Butler had a childhood crush on Eliza and while she’s stirring up trouble in town, he can’t help the feelings she’s stirring up in him. He’s always been fascinated with her eyes and her freckles, but now her grown-up feminist opinions are a package deal and maybe even a deal breaker.

On an island where Christmas is celebrated 365 days a year, can Eliza and Shep find room at the inn for different opinions – and love – before politics and tradition tear them apart?

Full disclosure on this one, Lindsay Emory is one of my favorite people. She's also a member of my writing group, The HBICs, and she hired me to proofread Resisting Santa. However, you know I wouldn't recommend a book I didn't love, and I'm going to wholeheartedly recommend this one! Eliza is a sharp, determined heroine who just wants to make her community better, even if not everyone wants to see that happen. Shep's the bar owner who loves his hometown of Mistletoe Key, and maybe loves Eliza too. The big romantic gesture at the end of this book is excellent and makes me so happy and hopeful whenever I think of it!

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on we're heading to a whisky distillery in Scotland. If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: At the Christmas Wedding, by Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, and Maya Rodale

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day six gets you three Regency romances for the price of one!

♥ If you missed yesterday's Christmas reading recommendation, click here.

At the Christmas Wedding, by Caroline Linden, Katharine Ashe, and Maya Rodale

Snowed in at a castle full of handsome lords, three young ladies are about to have the holiday of their lives…

"Map of a Lady’s Heart" by Caroline Linden

The road to happily-ever-after… With Kingstag Castle full of guests and the snow falling, Viola Cavendish has her hands full making sure the Christmas house party runs smoothly. The unexpected arrival of the Earl of Winterton and his nephew Lord Newton upends everything. Not only is Lord Newton flirting with the young ladies Viola is supposed to chaperone, Lord Winterton himself makes her pulse race. Always takes some twists and turns Wesley Morane, Earl of Winterton, has come to Kingstag Castle in search of a valuable atlas, and he refuses to be deterred by the snow, the house party, his nephew, or even the most ridiculous play ever staged. But before long the only map he wants is one that shows him the way to Viola’s heart…

"Hot Rogue on a Cold Night" by Maya Rodale

Jilted by a duke: Lady Serena Cavendish was born and bred to be a duchess. Too bad, then, that the Duke of Frye mysteriously and suddenly ended their betrothal.  Seduced by a Rogue: Greyson Jones, an agent of the crown, is the only one who thinks being jilted has made Serena more alluring. When he lucks into an invitation to a Christmas house party at Kingstag Castle to cheer her up—and perhaps find her a husband—he seizes the opportunity to win her heart before they might be parted forever.  On the way to the altar: Their journey to happily ever after involves a ridiculous play, a lovesick swan, a mysterious gift and, of course, a kiss.

"Snowy Night with a Duke" by Katharine Ashe

The last time Lady Charlotte Ascot bumped into the Duke of Frye, she climbed a tree to avoid him. Sometimes it’s simply easier to run away than to face her feelings for him — overwhelmingly passionate feelings that no modest lady should have! Now, on her way to Kingstag Castle to celebrate the holidays with friends, Charlotte is trapped by a snowstorm at a tiny country inn with the duke of her steamiest dreams.  But Frye has a secret of his own, and Christmas is the ideal time to finally tell the woman he’s always wanted the whole unvarnished truth. Better yet, he’ll show her...

For fans of interlocking romance anthologies where the side characters from one story pop up in the others, this book will be a delight. It's another snowbound romance set (mostly) at a big country house over the holiday. There's a jilted bride, a mad-cap play, and lots of clandestine kissing. There are also two "we've known each other for years and have feelings but couldn't admit it until now" romances for fans of that particular trope. And just a quick note, it's definitely worth reading these stories in order.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a trip back to Mistletoe Key and a bit of patriarchy smashing. If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: Silent Night, by Deanna Raybourn

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day five is all about intrigue and theft at a Victorian Christmas!

♥ If you missed yesterday's Christmas reading recommendation, click here.

Silent Night, by Deanna Raybourn 

[I'm tweaking parts of this synopsis because *series spoilers*]

Lady Julia's Christmas will not have the Christmas she'd planned when she finds herself called to her father's ancestral estate, Bellmont Abbey, with her eccentric family and a menagerie of animals in tow. Nevertheless, Julia looks forward to a lively family gathering—but amongst the celebrations, a mystery stirs. There are missing jewels, new faces at the Abbey, and a prowling ghost that brings back unwelcome memories from a previous holiday—one that turned deadly. Is a new culprit recreating crimes of the past? And will detective Nicolas Brisbane let Julia investigate—?

So this recommendation comes with a caveat: if you haven't read the Lady Julia Grey Mysteries, stop what you're doing and go fix that. I'll wait.

I love these books. Not only are the books rich with period detail, readers also get the chance to watch Lady Julia grow into a more assertive, confident version of herself while butting heads with Nicholas Brisbane, which is delightful. While the second in the series is set in the run-up to Christmas, this is book 5.5 and the more obviously Christmasy of the two. You can certainly read it out of order but that would be spoiling the long arc romance written into these books, and that is worth waiting for.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a snowbound Regency romance anthology. If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: Blue Christmas, by Alexandra Haughton

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day four is all about a hot hockey player and Christmas cheer! ♥ Click here for yesterday's recommended read.

Blue Christmas, by Alexandra Haughton

Kelly Griffin grew up on Mistletoe Key and is so over it—the fake snow, the jangly jingle bells, the forced cheer. Ugh, so over it. All she wants for Christmas is to never have to think about Christmas again. But leaving the only home she’s ever known and starting over where no one knows her name is an impossible wish. 

Enter the one man who knows all about what Kelly has lost—Hunter “Blue” Bowen. A hockey superstar trying to keep a low profile while recovering from his career-threatening injuries, Blue starts to fall in love with the kitschy charm of the island…and its grinchiest resident. 

Kelly’s wish could come true…if Mr. Hockey God would just buy out her half of the property. But leaving the island also means leaving Blue alone under the mistletoe, and that’s something she’s not sure she can do. 

So full disclosure (because I believe in stuff like that), not only is Alexandra Haughton a very good friend, one of my beta readers, and a beloved member of my writing group, The HBICs, she also hired me as the proofreader of this book. HOWEVER, I can tell you that proofreaders don't always love what they read but I love this book. This book is part of the Mistletoe Key and it features a fabulously dressed, no-nonsense heroine named Kelly and an injury rehabbing hockey player named Blue. Kelly and Blue's relationship is complicated, and it becomes even more complicated when he moves into the pool house of the home they jointly share. He is such a good dude that he just sort of makes me melt.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a historical mystery set at Christmas.If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: A Perfect Holiday Fling, by Farrah Rochon

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day three is a freebie from romance author Farrah Rochon!

♥ If you missed yesterday's Christmas reading recommendation, click here.

A Perfect Holiday Fling, by Farrah Rochon

It’s no mystery why veterinarian Callie Webber is having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit. When the residents of her small hometown aren’t pitying her because of her ex-husband’s very public departure, they’re attempting to hook her up with a man…any man. Fed up with being everyone’s favorite charity case, Callie considers closing her animal clinic and moving to the big city. But, before she goes, she decides to give herself a Christmas treat to remember: a romantic holiday fling. And who better to have a fling with than the gorgeous newcomer who is turning heads around Maplesville? 

When injured Navy pilot Stefan Sutherland reluctantly rescues a gutter cat for the sake of his five-year-old nephew, he never imagined it would lead to him discovering Maplesville’s most fascinating attraction…its smoking hot vet. Getting involved with a woman was the last thing Stefan anticipated when he agreed to care for his nephew during his Army nurse sister’s deployment, but if he’s going to spend the holidays in this sleepy Southern town, why not make the most of it with the perfect holiday fling.

So here's the deal. This book has a naval pilot hero who is taking care of his nephew while his sister is deployed. The relationship he has with his nephew is freakin' adorable, starting with the moment he helps save, and that's pretty much me sold. I also really liked Callie, the heroine, and the entire Maplesville community. And even better, it's a great *free* intro to the series. I also highly recommend Rochon's Bayou Dreams series. (Seriously, if you decide you like her books, she's written a lot so you're in luck.)

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a hot hockey player who bakes the heroine of his book sugar cookies. Need I say more? If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: Sweetest Regret, by Meredith Duran

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day two is all about second chance historical romance! ♥ Click here for yesterday's recommended read.

Sweetest Regret, by Meredith Duran

At a house party in the countryside, the joyful spirit of the Christmas season threatens to sweep Georgiana Trent under the mistletoe—and back into the arms of the dashing rogue who broke her heart two years ago. Little does she know that Lucas Godwin has no intention of leaving until he has reclaimed her as his own.

Whether it's writing them or reading them, I love a second chance romance. There's something about knowing that each half of a couple is trying their best to resist the pesky pull of the past that makes the moment when they finally give in all the better. I read this wonderful historical romance about a year ago as part of the What Happens Under the Mistletoe anthology and just loved it. I think historical readers will absolutely love watching Georgiana and Lucas fall back in love all over again.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a romance between naval pilot at a crossroads and a vet trying to forget. There's also a super cute kid at the center of it all.If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

12 Days of Christmas Reads: Hot Winter's Night, by Lia Riley

Welcome to a huge celebration of Christmas-themed books! Every November I impulse buy a ton of Christmas-themed books (mostly romances) and dump them onto my Kindle. I then spend the next two months wallowing in wonderful, heart-warming, sometimes sexy reads. This year I'm sharing twelve of my favorites, and day one kicks off with a snowbound contemporary romance! "Hot Winter’s Night" in Snowbound at Christmas, by Lia Riley

While Brightwater is being covered in snow, Goldie Flint is stuck in her flower shop. She never expected her hero to be Kit Kane, the former love of her life. Kit knows that what he had with Goldie isn’t just in the past and with the help of a little bet, an ornery grandmother, and a lot of snow, he’s ready to show her that what he really wants for Christmas is a second chance.

This novella fits into Lia Riley's Brightwater series, which I loved. This is a sexy, second chance small town romance that's funny and heart-swooning at the same time. Along with being a second chance and Christmas romance, this book also ticks a couple other boxes for me. It's set in California, my home state that holds a very special place in my heart, and it's a snowbound romance. I love romances where the hero and heroine are stuck with each other and forced to get over themselves and admit they love each other. It. is. my. catnip. I hope you'll enjoy it too!

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a historical romance rec. If you want to see all of the 12 Days of Christmas Reads recommendations in one place, you can check out this handy landing page. And be sure to download my London-set Christmas novella, Kiss Me at Midnight.

Fall TBR Roundup

As some readers know, I moved to London last May after nearly nine years of living in New York City. While I was excited for new adventures, one thing I was decidedly not excited about was saying goodbye to most of my books. Romance readers—and really any hardcore readers—know that it's really only a matter of time before our books take over our lives. I was definitely at max capacity for books in my old apartment on the Upper East Side. (One of my best friends once told me, "I worry that I won't hear from you for a few days and I'll come over to find you've been crushed to death because one of your book piles has fallen on top of you.") I wound up giving a ton of books to a used bookstore run out of my local library's basement so at least they were going to a good cause.

Unfortunately all of that moving and writing—I handed in The Taste of Temptation to my editor seven days after arriving in the U.K.—I lost track of what I was reading. I've been tracking my reading in some form or another since I was in college, but for whatever reason I just wasn't writing books down as I whipped through them this summer.

I restarted this fall using a pretty notebook, and oh boy can I see a comfort reading trend, especially when I was on deadline and working extra hard to get manuscripts to my editor this summer. Here are a few of my favorites:

The Shell Seekers, by Rosamund Pilcher

This was my first Rosamund Pilcher novel, recommended to me by my mother. It's a sweeping story about several generations of a family. At the center of it is a painting that's a mother's legacy but which most of her children don't appreciate until they realize its value. Throughout the 600+ pages, readers realize that there's far more to the mother's life than she's ever told her children, starting with her childhood in Cornwall and winding through World War II.

The Cazalet Chronicles, by Elizabeth Jane Howard

Another British World War II saga, this book focuses around an upper middle class family as the threat of war and then the reality of it change relationships and fortunes. I actually read the first four books and thought I was done with the series, but then I found out there's a fifth called All Change, written some years after the first four books. That's right up there on my TBR.

Silent in the Grave, by Deanna Raybourn

I'm talked a lot about my love of mystery on this site. The Lady Julia Grey mysteries tick a lot of boxes for me: amateur woman detective, Victorian setting, hero who is just outside the bounds of propriety and has secrets in his past. I've actually read the first three, but Silent in the Grave is the place to start.

The Silent Companions, by Laura Purcell

This was my Halloween read this year. I always get the urge to read something slightly spooky (although not too scary because authors need beauty sleep too). A Gothic novel seemed like just the thing, and this one was about as Gothic as they come. I don't want to say too much for fear of giving away the twisting, turning, always-leaving-you-doubting plot, but it's worth giving this one a shot if you love historical reads. (US readers: this book is available for preorder now and comes out on March 6.)

The Holiday Adverts Are Here!

The holiday adverts are here, you guys, and I couldn't be more excited! "What are holiday adverts?" you might ask. Let me fill you in.

Every year in the U.K., the major retailers put out holiday ads (usually Christmas-themed). They're huge productions with millions of pounds spent on them. Think Super Bowl ads that run for two minutes and feature a lot more Christmas cheer.

Living in the U.S., they snuck up on my every year. You see, we have Thanksgiving sandwiched between Halloween and Christmas. But here in Britain where Halloween is barely a holiday and Thanksgiving is an American curiosity there's really nothing standing in the way of Christmas. That means the festivities start early. Like really early. (I do realize the irony of this coming from a woman who put out a Christmas Eve/New Year's Eve holiday romance on November 1.)

Here are some of the best of this year:

John Lewis — Moz the Monster

John Lewis is, arguably, the king of the holiday advert. In this one, a little boy meets the monster under his bed who turns out to be an excellent playmate. But there's just one little problem...

M&S —Paddington & The Christmas Visitor Paddington Bear is a national treasure, and with the new movie releasing soon M&S grabbed the chance to feature the little bear from Darkest Peru. The story is adorable, but not without it's (ridiculous) problems. I kid you not, there has been an entire controversy over here about whether Paddington is sworn at by "Santa". It received such attention that an advertisement watchdog agency ruled on whether M&S had overstepped the line. (Spoiler: They hadn't.)

Aldi — Kevin the Carrot

I'm not going to lie. I feel obligated to include this one because I'm a romance author. Watch Kevin meet the carrot of his dreams amid a bunch of movie references. The advert is gorgeous.

And now for some oldies but goodies...

Sainsbury's (2014)  I'm not crying. You're crying.

Sainsbury's (2016) — Mog's Christmas Calamity

Poor Mog, always getting into a pickle.

M&S (2013) A beautiful, weird Alice in Wonderland, Wizard of Oz mashup advert that manages to make everything from M&S look more gorgeous than it actually every is.

John Lewis (2014) — Money the Penguin

Oh no! Crying again! This is my absolute favorite ad. You have an adorable child, a romance, and it doesn't hurt that I love penguins. #MontythePenguin forever.

If you'd like to celebrate the Christmas cheer a little early with some romance, my holiday novella Kiss Me at Midnight is available for free at all major retailers!

Get a Free Holiday Romance Today!

I've got a secret for you. Sometimes authors put out books and think, "I'm not so sure about that one." That's what happened when I put out "Kiss Me at Midnight" in the One Week in December anthology. It wasn't that I didn't like the holiday short story. I loved the characters and the premise. I just felt like it was missing something.

Fast forward to this fall and I figured out what was bothering me about the story. It needed more. Now I'm rereleasing Kiss as Midnight as a fully revised, much longer holiday novella under my Julia Blake name. I've also made the story a lot sexier. (TBH this is probably what was bothering me the most. I wrote a contemporary romance without sex it in? Well we can't have that.)

You can now download the fully revised version of Kiss Me at Midnight at all your favorite retailers for free.

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play

This holiday novella kicks off my revamped Ticket to Love series with The Wedding Week and Seduction in the Snow. In honor of it, I'm putting those two books on sale for 99¢ for a for a limited time!

October Wrap Up

I'm always fooled by October. Every year I convince myself that September marks the end of summer vacations and now, with kids back in school and people keeping the heads down until the December holidays, things will be calmer. Instead, October feels like a rush of making up for lazy summer days, reconnecting with friends, and recommitting to work. Still, it's my favorite time of the year. When the leaves crisp and wood smoke randomly wafts through the air, I start to crave hearty meals and spend days in the kitchen with the oven going, pulling out loaves of bread. I start to wrap myself in wool scarves and wear tall riding boots even if it's perhaps a little too cold. It's also my favorite reading season, when there's nothing more satisfying than sinking into a good book with a steaming cup of strong tea close at hand.

Here's a look at what I read, watched, listened to, and cooked this past month.

What I Read in October

What I Watched in October

What I Listened to in October

What I Cooked & Baked in October

Paul Hollywood's White Cob Loaf

Nigel Slater's Really Good Spaghetti Bolognese

The Look of Love Is Out Now!

The wait's over! My new Scottish historical romance series is here! The Look of Love is out at all major ebook retailers which means you can start reading this delightful and charming series in which Edinburgh's most prominent matchmaker uses her uncanny abilities to help some unlikely couples.

Here's a quick look at what you can expect when you pick up The Look of Love:

An accomplished sculptor with secret ambitions, Ina Duncan has managed to avoid marriage for years until an accidental encounter at a party leaves her near ruin and in need of a husband. Fast. Determined to find a willing husband for Ina, Edinburgh’s most powerful matchmaker, Moira Sullivan, quickly realizes that the solution to Ina’s problem might be right in front of her.

Ina’s best friend, Gavin Barrett, has a secret no one knows: he’s loved her for years. As the second son of a baronet, however, he knows he has little chance with his brilliant, beautiful friend. All that changes when Moira convinces Ina to propose a marriage of convenience to Gavin to save her from ruin. Ina only wants two things from him in return: a vow she can continue to sculpt and a promise they’ll remain in Edinburgh.

After a rocky start, happiness—and maybe passion—seems on the horizon for the newlyweds until a twist of fate bestows the title of Sir Barrett on Gavin and forces him to assume responsibilities he’s never wanted. Forced to mold herself into the perfect baronet’s wife, Ina must choose between her dreams and the man she’s learning to love.

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play

If you're still not 100% convinced that The Look of Love is for you, here's a preview of the first two chapters.

Get a Sneak Peek of The Look of Love

I'm thrilled to be launching a new historical romance series, The Matchmaker of Edinburgh, this fall! The Look of Love comes out on October 9, but I'm giving my readers an early look at the first chapter of this friends-to-lovers, marriage of convenience romance! You can click here or on the book's cover to download the first two chapters of The Look of Love for free and start this book early readers are calling "one that fans of historical romances will devour."

Want To Read More Sports Romance? Here's Where to Start

If you've had a chance to read CHANGING THE PLAY, first of all thank you! It was a really fun book to write, and seeing it in readers' hands is making me itch to get back to writing sports romance after spending the last nine months in the world of 19th-century Scotland for my upcoming Matchmaker of Edinburgh series. (As amazing as writing that series has been, I love variety in my writing as much as my reading!) If you have read CHANGING THE PLAY, would you do me a big favor and consider leaving a review on Goodreads, Amazon, iBooks, or any other ebook retailer? It just takes a couple minutes and it helps who might like my book find it!

Okay, now to the real reason we're all here: sports romances. These books are full of sexy athlete heroes, high drama on and off the field, and heroines who can stand up to some serious alpha man. The folks over at XOXO After Dark rounded up a list of their favorite sports romance and as well as naming CHANGING THE PLAY they name-checked a bunch of other great looking romances that I'm planning on trying. One of those is DIRTY BOXING by Harper St. George and Tara Wyatt, and today is actually their release day so be sure to check out their book and wish them a happy book birthday!

The best way to keep updated about my Julia Blake books is to join my reader group on Facebook. It's a spot for readers to hang out and get the latest updates, bonus and behind-the-scenes content, and giveaways. Come hang out and say hi!

Cover Reveal: Check Out The Taste of Temptation's Dreamy Cover!

The news out of London is coming hot and fast as the weather starts to cool down here and it actually feels like autumn is approaching. Last month CHANGING THE PLAY hit retailers, giving readers a chance to read my first Julia Blake sports romance. THE LOOK OF LOVE, the first book in my new Scottish historical series called The Matchmaker of Edinburgh, comes out in less than a month. And today I'm showing off the new cover for the second Matchmaker of Edinburgh book, THE TASTE OF TEMPTATION!

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I absolutely love the covers for this series, and this one is just perfect for the story! The book comes out in February, and here's a look at book blurb if you're curious:

Only desperation could have driven Caroline Burkett to her brother’s home in Scotland, but desperate is exactly what she is. After suing her former fiancé for breaking their engagement and causing a scandal in the papers, her only hope of starting over is to enlist the help of Edinburgh’s famous matchmaker, Moira Sullivan.

Born to a butler and maid, Jonathan Moray fought hard to find his place in Edinburgh society. Now a powerful newspaperman, he can make or break a person’s reputation with his headlines, but Jonathan knows his success isn’t guaranteed. He needs salacious stories to keep his readers enthralled, and Caroline’s story is just the sort to sell papers in droves.

When Moira introduces Jonathan and Caroline at a salon, Caroline knows the editor is exactly the wrong man to associate with if she wants to find a husband and restore her reputation, but even as another, more suitable suitor begins to court her, she can’t deny the power of her attraction to Jonathan. Now she must ask herself if she’s strong enough to choose between the man who can give her a secure, quiet life, or the one who promises her a passion she’s never known.

You can also watch this replay of a Facebook Live video I did talking a bit more about the Matchmaker of Edinburgh series. Don't forget to like my Julia Kelly/Julia Blake author page for more chats like this one, and while you're at it follow me on BookBub. Click here for Julia Kelly and here for Julia Blake!

Enter to Win an eBook of Changing the Play

If you haven't had a chance to pick up a copy of my new sports romance CHANGING THE PLAY, you're in luck! My publisher has generously put 100 copies of the ebook up for a Goodreads giveaway. All you have to do is click on this link and hit the "enter giveaway" button. That's it!

The contest runs through September 4. And don't forget to leave a review after you read it! Good or bad, reviews help readers find their next favorite book.

Listen to the First Chapter of Changing the Play

I've always loved hearing stories read out loud. I'm sure it comes from Mum and Dad reading to me every night when I was a little kid, and even into adulthood I've never lost it. Audiobooks, podcasts, radio shows—I love all things audio. That's why, when my new Julia Blake book CHANGING THE PLAY came out earlier this week, I decided to do a little read aloud on Facebook Live!

On these videos, you'll hear me reading parts one and two of chapter one of my new sports romance. You'll also get a little insight into why I wrote the book.

If you want to keep reading, you can buy CHANGING THE PLAY from these fine ebook retailers:

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Be sure to like my Facebook page, because I do a Facebook Live every Friday to talk about everything from new release news to the books I'm reading!

Changing the Play Is Out Today!

Today is a very exciting day. My brand-new contemporary sports romance, CHANGING THE PLAY, is hitting readers' eReaders as we speak! It's an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance set in the tense weeks before the NFL Draft, but you don't have to be a football fan to fall in love with Rachel and Nick! Keep reading for more details.

The game changed when he walked back into her life.

Rachel Pollard has never been a push-over. That’s why she’s a superstar in the world of sports management, making a name for herself with a shrewd eye for overlooked talent. She certainly isn’t taking any chances with her latest NFL draft prospect, Kevin Loder, who’s poised to shake up the league. But when Nick Ruben, a tenacious sports reporter who also happens to be the crush who ignored her all through high school, picks up the scent of a long-buried story, Rachel suddenly finds herself playing defense for the first time in years.

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