In Which Our Heroine Decides She Loathes Our Hero (Probably)

I've always loved enemies-to-lovers books. They're the types of stories where the hero and heroine say, "I hate you, I hate you, dammit why can't I stop thinking about you?!" and I can't get enough. I love it all from the banter to the tension to the satisfaction of finally seeing the heroine and heroine grow as they change their minds about one another and admit they're falling in love. The Taste of Temptation is one of those books, and today I'm happy to share with you another early excerpt ahead of the book's February 5th release date!

Let's jump right in and find out what why our heroine hates our hero so much.

CAROLINE’S EVERY NERVE tingled with excitement as the curtain fell, the first act ending to thunderous applause. Despite her initial interest in the play, she’d hardly heard the actors’ words. Her whole focus had been on the man sitting a few rows behind her.

She could practically feel his gaze bearing down on her, and it took everything she had not to squirm in her seat at the thought of him memorizing every inch of her bare shoulders. Madeline had twisted her hair up off of her neck and pinned it high, as was the fashion in London that season, and she wore only a simple strand of pearls for adornment.

She toyed with the necklace, a gift from her father in happier times, and quietly followed Michael and Elsie out to the lobby. As she walked, her eyes darted around, searching for the gentleman who’d sat in her seat. When she finally spotted him standing with two glasses of wine, she couldn’t suppress her smile.

He inclined his head as he handed Elsie and her a glass each. “A bit of refreshment, as promised.”

“In the confusion before the performance, I was unable to effect an introduction,” said Elsie, taking up a glass. “I’m Elsie Burkett and this is my husband, Michael Burkett. His sister, Miss Caroline Burkett, has just joined us from London.”

“London’s loss is Edinburgh’s gain,” said the man.

“Thank you, sir,” she said, dipping a little curtsy.

“My name is Jonathan Moray.”

“Not Mr. Moray of the Lothian Herald-Times?” Michael cut in before Caroline could speak.

Champagne nearly slopped onto her gloves as she reeled back. He was a newspaperman? No.

“And the New Town Tattler,” said the man with a sip of champagne so casual one would have thought he hardly noticed that the air between them had soured.

Already her initial rush of attraction had been replaced by a far more powerful emotion: disgust. It was a black, flinty anger, hardened from the white-hot rage she’d harbored against all the people who’d turned her life into nothing but a circus. The cruel ones lobbed accusations at her, conveniently forgetting that Julian had been the one who acted dishonorably. The kinder ones had described her as pitiful, weak, and broken until she began to wonder for a time if it was true.

And then there were the dreadful names. One newspaper had called her the Jilted Juliet. Another had dubbed her the Forgotten Fiancée.

She was none of those things. Instead, she was a woman who was tired of cowering. She was going to fight for her peace, and if Moray did not leave her alone he would be the first man to feel the fierceness of her finely honed fury.

“Mr. Moray,” she said, drawing herself up to her full, if diminutive, height. “Is the New Town Tattler the kind of paper I suspect it is?”

“Caroline,” Michael warned. But her brother knew nothing of her life in London these past two years. He didn’t have the right to censure her.

“I’m happy to answer the lady’s questions,” said Moray. “What do you suspect my paper to be?”

“A gossip rag.”

His mouth twisted. “The New Town Tattler is a society paper that reports on social news pertinent to the people of this city, if that’s what you mean.”

“And what of London?” she asked archly.

“From time to time, when a story merits it. Enough of Scottish society spends some part of the season in London.”

“Then you’re aware of who I am.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Yes,” he said.

“And you’ll understand why I have no interest in forming an acquaintance with you.” She picked up her skirts, ready to turn and flounce off triumphantly.

“Running away?” asked Mr. Moray, freezing her where she stood. “I’d hoped for more spirit from you.”

She dropped her skirts and held his gaze. If he thought she could be bullied with jabs and jests, he was about to be sorely disappointed. No one survived twenty-six years living under her mother’s roof without developing a skin as thick as an elephant’s hide.

“The only thing you need to know about me, Mr. Moray, is that I don’t run,” she said.

You can preorder The Taste of Temptation now to make sure you get it sent to your eReader as soon as it's available on February 5th! Just click on your favorite retailer link.

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Frying Pans, Upheaval, and Finding a Home

It was the frying pans that did it. I sat in my room at my parents’ home around the Christmas holiday, legal pad and pencil in hand, jotting down lists for my new apartment kitchen—or flat was I was trying to remind myself to call it. The flat was still entirely hypothetical, but it was more of a reality now than it had been at any point in the last six months.

I left my life in New York in May, packed up a few suitcases, shipped an obscene number of out-of-print research books, and said goodbye to the city where’d I’d spent m formative adult years. It was the place I’d gone to graduate school, worked my first job, written nine books, and fallen in love. However, as much as I loved New York and the people, I’d found myself pushing against the boundaries of my life. It was as though I was trapped in a moderately comfortable room and unable to settle because I knew that the longer I stayed, the more difficult it would be to find a way out. There’s an adage that it takes ten years to become a New Yorker. I had almost hit nine, and I could tell I was dangerously close to waking up thirty years later only to find I was still there. And so, regretting only the friends I’d left behind, I picked up and moved to London.

I spent six months living with my parents, renesting in the family home after being the first daughter to leave it years ago. Mum and Dad are patient, wonderful people who might tease me about being a boomeranging (old) millenial, but who were also endlessly supportive of having a writer muttering about books all of the time. I spent the six months I was with them focusing on writing, fulfilling publishing deadlines, putting systems into place to help me do the business of being an author better. During that time, I saw two books come out. I wrote and edited three and a half. I hunted for a day job. I reconnected with old friends from graduate school. I tried on my new chosen city and found it a comfortable fit, more suited to me in some ways than New York.

I also looked for a day job. Cultivating a sustainable income for many authors is a long process of building backlist, praying we earn out our advances, and waiting for royalties to come through, figuring out how indie publishing can help hold up another side of our careers. I needed to work and write if I was going to fly the nest again and leave my parents in peace.

During my six months I cold applied to hundreds of jobs, called in every favor I had, interviewed, turned jobs down, applied some more, rinse, repeat. Nothing quite fit. Then, a few days before Christmas, the perfect mix of company, job description, and salary came together. I accepted the offer and that night we opened champagne.

Which brings us to frying pans.

With a new job and the prospect of a steadier salary than writing could promise me in late 2017, I could finally start looking for a flat. It will surprise few of my friends that, even before I’d looked at one flat, I was already building my kitchen. I made my list, putting down those pans, and went to a restaurant supply store on Fulham Road within spitting distance of Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea plays its matches. I loaded up a cart with stripped down, professional grade spoons, cutting boards, and mixing bowls to replace the ones I’d left behind in New York. For someone who loves—even needs for mind-emptying purposes—to cook, there’s nothing like the acquisition of these tools to make one feel more complete. By arming myself with a stock pot and some utensils, I was claiming back the independent part of my life that I’d temporarily lost when I moved to London.

I found the flat, a Victorian conversation that still has its plaster ceiling rose, carved wood mantel around the fireplace, and big bay windows, just a few days later.

Notorious Woman + Stubborn Newspaperman = Irresistible Temptation [Excerpt]

I’m celebrating my birthday today—my first in my new home! I love birthdays because, to me, they’ve always been about three things:

• Family, friends and loved ones
• New beginnings
• Doing something completely indulgent just for you

Perhaps it’s fitting then that to celebrate my birthday I’ve decided I want to give my readers—my literary loved ones—a present. It’s a celebration of a new beginning—a brand-new book—and is something completely indulgent, just for you.

I’m sharing one of my favorite excerpts from my upcoming book, The Taste of Temptation. It’s a Scotland-set historical enemies-to-lovers romance and it’s about...well, here’s what you need to know:

• Caroline Burkett sued her ex-fiancé for jilting her to marry an American heiress. The newspapers covered every aspect of the lawsuit, making Caroline one of the most notorious women in England. Now's she's fled London for Edinburgh to find a husband. Robert Trevlan, the only son of a prominent banking family, seems her most likely option.
• Jonathan Moray is the owner of a respectable broadsheet and a less-than-respectable gossip rag. He stirred up a world of trouble for Caroline by reporting on her arrival in Edinburgh.
• Caroline hates Moray with the fire of a thousand suns. Or at least that's what she tells herself...

You can preorder The Taste of Temptation now to make sure you get it sent to your eReader as soon as it's available on February 5th! Just click on your favorite retailer link.

Amazon | iBooks |  Kobo | Nook | Google Play

And without further ado, enjoy!

MORAY MADE IT over the wall of 63 Cumberland Street’s backyard with little trouble, but as he stood in the damp grass gazing up at the black drainpipe that snaked up the wall of the Burkett house a greater challenge presented itself. It was insane to even think about climbing it, but as Caroline had so sternly pointed out earlier that evening, she was never alone. Except when she was sleeping. This was the only way to ensure that they would neither be caught nor interrupted.

It was also the one most likely to land him—and her—in a heap of trouble.

As he pondered the situation, he realized one of four things could happen.

One: He could successfully make it into Caroline’s bedroom without waking the household, give her his message, and leave, all without kissing her or being detected, thus preserving her virginity, which he was trying his best not to think about at the moment.

Two: He’d be detected by one of the other residents or a well-intentioned neighbor, at best landing him in jail, at worst spelling the beginning of his life as a married man, because surely her brother would force the marriage to cover up the scandal.

Three: He could fall and seriously injure himself.

Four: He could fall and kill himself.

He didn’t like options two, three, or four, but despite his misgivings he had to make the climb. What Eva had dug up about Trevlan was too important for Caroline not to hear, and he hadn’t been lying when he’d told her that it was a matter of some delicacy. It wouldn’t do for anyone else to overhear their conversation.

“You’re a numpty, eedjit bampot with less brains than a house fly,” he muttered as he gave the metal one last tug to make sure it would hold his weight, sent up a prayer to whatever god looked after idiotic newspapermen, and began to climb.

Even when he’d been young and nimble he hadn’t pulled stunts like this, spending all of his time learning his craft and squirreling away every penny he could as he clawed his way up the ladder from apprentice to printer and then owner and editor. And here he was, thirty-five and getting ready to scale a wall to steal a few uninterrupted, unchaperoned moments with a woman. And he wasn’t even going to let himself enjoy them.

The fourth finger of his right glove caught on a craggy corner of one of the stone blocks making up the wall as he began his climb and ripped. Damn. He’d incur Jesper’s wrath when the valet went through his clothes in the morning and found the thin, supple leather destroyed. Never mind that the wall was doing a fair job of ripping up his now-exposed skin.

Somewhere between the second and third floors, Moray realized he didn’t exactly have a plan for figuring out where Caroline’s bedroom might be in the house. He might’ve deployed his network of informants to coax the information from one of the Burketts’ members of staff but that would have taken too long. By the time they’d reported back it could have already been too late. According to the Tattler’s informants, it was only a matter of time before Trevlan proposed to her.

He looked up the dark building to the one window on the third floor that glowed with the soft light of a lamp. That was the room to avoid. While it might be Caroline’s, it could also be where the master or mistress of the house slept, and he knew for a fact he wouldn’t be welcome in either of their boudoirs.

With his attention fixed on the windows above him, he stepped without looking for his foothold and his shoe slipped.

Fuck!

He swallowed down a shout as his feet scrambled wildly against the side of the building. His hands clamped harder around the iron pipe that was the only thing holding him up.

He was not going the way of option four. Not today.

Adrenaline roared through his veins as the window a few feet above him shot open. His head snapped up just as Caroline stuck hers out into the dark night. Bloody hell, he hadn’t been ready for the sight of her, hair loose around her shoulders and catching the light of the waxing moon.

“Are you mad?” she whispered louder than he would’ve dared. “What are you doing?”

“I just thought I’d get a little exercise.”

She stared at him as though he’d grown another head.

“I’m climbing up to see you,” he said, becoming acutely aware that a couple of his fingers were stinging rather badly from his scaling. “May I come in?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course not.” She reached for the latch to pull the window closed again.

“Wait, wait, wait!”

She paused.

“I don’t think I can get down without breaking something,” he admitted.

“You should’ve thought of that before you went climbing up a house like Scotland’s answer to Casanova.”

Despite the circumstances, he couldn’t help his grin. “Your faith that my exploits are Casanovaian is encouraging, Miss Burkett.”

In the moonlight he could see her roll her eyes, but he could also tell from the tug at her lips that she was fighting hard not to smile.

“May I please come in? This drainpipe and I are becoming altogether too acquainted,” he said. “You’ll be saving me from almost certain death.”

“You’re not that high up.”

“I could still die.”

She sighed and pushed the window open wider. “I cannot believe I’m agreeing to this.”

Neither could he.

You can preorder The Taste of Temptation now to make sure you get it sent to your eReader as soon as it's available on February 5th! Just click on your favorite retailer link.

Amazon | iBooks |  Kobo | Nook | Google Play

12 Days of Christmas Reads: Covent Garden in the Snow, by Jules Wake

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 on the last day we're celebrating a rom com set back stage at one of London's theaters!

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

Covent Garden in the Snow, by Jules Wake

Tilly Hunter has fabulous friends, her dream job as a make-up artist with a prestigious opera company and Felix, her kind and caring husband to be. It looks set to be the most perfect Christmas yet!

But when a monumental blunder forces her to work closely with new IT director Marcus Walker, it's not only the roast chestnut stalls on the cobbles of her beloved Covent Garden that cause sparks to fly…

Super serious and brooding, Marcus hasn’t got a creative bone in his sharp-suited body. For technophobe Tilly, it's a match made in hell.

And yet, when Tilly discovers her fiancé isn’t at all what he seems, it's Marcus who's there for her with a hot chocolate and a surprisingly strong shoulder to cry on … He might just be the best Christmas present she’s ever had.

If you've been missing chick lit a la Bridget Jones's Diary, this book has it in spades. The behind-the-scenes detail about working as a makeup artist in the theater is wonderful, and the descriptions of the area around Covent Garden at Christmas time ring true, even if Tilly seems to like the crowds more than I do. The hero's also chick lit romance catnip. There's something very comforting about this book.

And that wraps up the 12 Days of Christmas Reads! I hope you found some new-to-you books and fell a little more in love with literature this holiday season! If you missed any of the days, don't forget that 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: Solstice Miracle, by Alexis Daria

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 eleven is a short story that shows you what happens when two people who've sworn off love fall for each other on the longest night of the year!

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

Solstice Miracle, by Alexis Daria 

After inheriting her grandmother’s house in suburban Connecticut, Rina Minkin revives her witchy improv character to help pay for necessary home repairs. When Miguel Alvarez shows up at her front door with two kids in need of a Winter Solstice miracle, even cynical Rina can’t turn them away. And the longer she spends with them, the more she wants them to stick around.

It's only fitting that Solstice Miracle be today's selection because today marks the winter solstice! So, again, I believe in full disclosure and Alexis Daris has been one of my favorite people in the New York City romance writing scene since I met her a few years back. She's had a fantastic publishing year with the debut of her Dance Off series, and I'm thrilled to be able to recommend a wintery romance read from her today! In it you'll get a part-time librarian/part-time witch heroine, a good uncle hero, two cute kids, a kiss, and a little bit of magic.

Check back tomorrow for one last Christmas reading recommendation as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads comes to a close. 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: Named of the Dragon, by Susanna Kearsley

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 ten takes us to Wales for a romantic women's fiction novel by one of my favorite writers.

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

Named of the Dragon, by Susanna Kearsley

The charm of spending the Christmas holidays in South Wales, with its crumbling castles and ancient myths, seems the perfect distraction from the nightmares that have plagued literary agent Lyn Ravenshaw since the loss of her baby five years ago.

Instead, she meets an emotionally fragile young widow who's convinced that Lyn's recurring dreams have drawn her to Castle Farm for an important purpose--and she's running out of time.

With the help of a reclusive, brooding playwright, Lyn begins to untangle the mystery and is pulled into a world of Celtic legends, dangerous prophecies, and a child destined for greatness.

I'm an unashamed fangirl for Susanna Kearsley's The Splendour Falls, so I was very happy when my friend Lindsay Emory mentioned that Named of the Dragon takes place over the holidays, meaning I could include it in the 12 Days of Christmas Reads. To me, Kearsley's books are the reading equivalent of a warm down comforter that I can wrap myself in and spend an entire indulgent day enjoying. As with the other books of her I've read, there's an element of supernatural (this time in the form of dreams) that connects the heroine with the past. Although not a romance, it's romantic with a grumpy but really a good man hero (my favorite) and a secondary romance threading throughout the story that's spiked with bits of Welsh and Arthurian legend.

Check back tomorrow for more Christmas reading recommendations as the 12 Days of Christmas Reads rolls on with a miracle at the solstice served up in one delightful romance. 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 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.