That’s What She Said – Author Interview with Daisy Prescott

In the 90s …

texting involved paper and a pen …

… our selfies were Polaroids …

… our favorite music was on mix tapes.

Sex was dangerous, music was raw, and falling in love felt nostalgic.

We were friends and lovers.

We thought we knew everything.

We knew nothing.

We were here.

Set in the early 1990s, a time before the internet, social media, and smart phones, We Were Here is the prequel to Geoducks Are For Lovers. This book can be read as a standalone.

“This story has it all! Just like a mixed tape; we get a dose of steamy romance, angsty ballads and sweet love songs woven together in a compelling, heartwarming and sometimes heartwrenching journey of self-exploration.” Helena Hunting, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

Links to purchase We Were Here

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Read BFF K’s Review of We Were Here by Daisy Prescott

That’s What (Mostly) She Said

Exclusive Author Interview with Daisy Prescott

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BFF K: This entire book brings back college memories for me. It is so much fun to immerse myself in the 90’s again! What was the most fun part of writing a book set in that era? What was the most challenging part?

DP: Most fun was reliving my college memories, as well as SO and readers sharing their own memories from the 90s as I was writing. I’m not saying several events in the book happened in real life, but I am saying details were changed to protect the guilty. The pop culture and music references were tons of fun to write and revisit.

The most challenging part was returning to a time where communication and keeping in touch were more complicated. We take being constantly connected for granted these days. Communication, or the lack of, is a big theme of We Were Here.

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BFF K: Why did you decide to revisit the gang?

DP: After I published Geoducks in 2013, I still had these characters in my head. Because Geoducks is a reunion book, writing the beginning made sense. New Adult/college romance has been a popular trend and I wanted to put my own spin on a NA book. There is so much nostalgia right now for the 90s, the timing was perfect to write these characters’ backstory.

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BFF K: Because of the way the books have released, most of us have come to love you through Geoducks Are for Lovers. If someone is new to the Modern Love Stories Series, would you recommend reading Geoducks Are for Lovers first and then We Were Here or switch it around now that both are released?

DP: I think you can read them in either order. Several of my beta readers had not read Geoducks because I wanted to know if WWH could stand on its own without knowing the future versions of the characters. When my betas loved WWH, I knew it could work either way.

I’d say if you are the type of reader to peek at the ending, read Geoducks first. Otherwise, read We Were Here first. I think readers will want to read the other book either way.

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BFF K: Evergreen State College is a real place! How are you so familiar with the college? How did it come to be the birthplace of the Modern Love Stories Series? What are the similarities between Evergreen in real life and Evergreen in WWH?

DP: I have friends and family who attended Evergeen. It’s an amazing, creative, non-traditional college. Geoducks Are for Lovers was my working title and originally I had the characters attending a fictional college in the Pacific Northwest. SO reminded me that Evergreen’s mascot was the geoduck (Go Speedy!), so Evergreen made perfect sense and gave another layer of meaning to the weird title.

Things I kept the same: I generalized Evergreen to make the college experience more universal for readers. However, the campus references are all real places at Evergreen. Culturally, Olympia and Evergreen were at the center of the grunge and Riot Grrrls music movements. I couldn’t write a book set at Evergreen in the early 90s and not mention these things. That “three piece with some Zen Buddhist name” Ben mentions? Nirvana, who played on campus and around Olympia at the time.

There are are a lot of small details that I fictionalized for the story. Specific differences include: the grading system (Evergreen doesn’t give grades), class types, and living situations (most students live off campus after first year or in on-campus apartments).

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BFF K: How did this wonderful cast of characters develop in your head? Was it one character first and then the others or did you start with the idea for the group first and then develop each of the characters?

DP: My original inspiration came from watching The Big Chill. A few weeks later while I was talking with a group of friends planning to attend their 20^th college reunion, I wonder what a Gen X version of that movie would be like. I started with Maggie and I knew there would be a second chance love story for her. Then the characters began to take on their personalities and histories. When I decided to set it at a beach cabin, I knew it would have to be on Whidbey, my former home and one of my favorite places on the planet.

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BFF K: There is not much in the book about the families’ of the gang. (I think that’s two-fold: they are each other’s family and it is so descriptive of the 80’s and 90’s latchkey kids.) But, in your head, do you envision a family-centered backstory for any of the characters? What is Quinn’s family like, how about Maggie’s?

DP: It was deliberate. In college, we break away from our biological families and build independent friendships and romantic relationships which take priority. That’s a big focus of We Were Here.

During the road trip, the characters share bits about their families when they talk about names. There are a few other details scattered throughout the book and also in Geoducks.

We get a glimpse of Quinn’s family life in his intro. In high school, he ran away for a few weeks and “camped” on the beach. In my head, that’s when he came out to his family. He’s the gay, artistic son of a retired Marine, so we can fill in some things about their relationship from those details.

Maggie’s family life is revealed in the beginning of Geoducks, so I didn’t want to repeat it too much. An only child, her parents are married, she’s close with her grandmother on Whidbey… in many ways, she’s blessed with a close family.

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BFF K: Have you ever spent Halloween in the Castro District?

DP: I have indeed! I went to college in the Bay Area. I think I went to the Castro for at least three Halloweens. Castro hosted the best street parties ever!

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BFF K: Will we get Quinn’s story? (Please! I love him so much I just want a whole book of Q!)

DP: I love Quinn! However, I don’t think he’ll get his own book. But… see the next question. (cough)

Quinn is happy in Geoducks. We get small future glimpses of his life in Ready to Fall, Missionary Position, as well as the short, Give and Take. He likes to show up in other people’s books. (cough)

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BFF K: In this book, Lizzy broke my heart. I LOVE her so much. What was Lizzy’s story between the end of We Were Here and her death? She received a post card from England, but wouldn’t tell Q who it was from or any details. Did she ever reconnect with **Spoiler Free**? What was Lizzy’s life like? Were the friends with her when she passed?

DP: I love Lizzy, too! I can’t answer these questions because …

Lizzy is getting her own book!

I dropped this as an Easter Egg in WWH’s end matter. Happily Ever Now is Lizzy’s story. It begins about five years after college while she’s living in NYC. We’ll see lots of Quinn, some Maggie and other cameos!

Tentative release date is Winter 2017, but if I can get it out quicker, I will. I’ve had this book outlined since it popped into my head while driving last year. I needed to publish We Were Here first to introduce Lizzy. Now that you’ve met her, I promise you’re going to LOVE her book, especially if you like second chance love stories. Ahem.

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BFF K: Which Modern Love Stories Series character is your favorite to write?

DP: I love writing Quinn. He’s so fun, but also cuts through the noise with emotional truth like no other. I love his flirty, clever, confident personality, and his big heart. Selah is a close second. Ben surprised me. His section of We Were Here is one of my favorites. I love Maggie, but I’m still mad at her for some of her behavior in Geoducks. I know it sounds crazy, but she wouldn’t do what I wanted. At all. I think she gets her stubbornness from me. I love writing all of them! I think that’s how this book ended up being SEVEN POVs.

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RAPID FIRE

(Note from Daisy: I decided to ask SO these questions instead. These are his answers, with my commentary.)

(Note from BFF K: SO is her husband!)

Backstreet Boys or New Kids On The Block: No comment.

Teen Line or No Teen Line: Teen Spirit?

River Phoenix or JFK Jr: River Phoenix

Singles or Reality Bites: Singles

Chore Wheel or Every Man for Himself: Every man for himself (obviously-D.P.)

Study Abroad or Stay at Home: Study Abroad

Nirvana or Pearl Jam: Never live in a world where you have to chose.

Flannel or Rugby: Flannel if it’s more “formal”.

Hairstyle, Scrunchie or Crimped: Scrunchie

(sidenote: SO had long hair in the early 90s. See Singles answer above.)

Spinal Tap or Rocky Horror Picture Show: Spinal Tap

Beaches or Steele Magnolias: Steel Magnolias (side note: he answered without hesitating.)

Mix Tape, Better to: Give or Receive: Better to be both a giver and a receiver. 😉

(winky emoticon added by Daisy)

THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON THE BLOG TODAY!

XO,

Daisy

I’m grateful to Daisy for answering my most burning questions about We Were Here and for simply being amazing! I <3 you more than Quinn loves snappy Dolly Parton quotes! <3 😘

BFF K.

Daisy’s We Were Here Playlist on Spotify

About the Author

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USA Today Bestselling Author Daisy Prescott writes romantic comedies with heart.

Her Modern Love Stories feature characters in their thirties and forties finding and rediscovering love in unexpected and humorous ways. Her Wingmen books star regular guys who often have beards, drive trucks, and love deeply once they fall.

Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy currently lives in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with her husband and an imaginary house goat. When not writing about herself in the third person, Daisy can be found traveling, gardening, baking, or lost in a good book.

To learn more about Daisy and her writing, sign up for her mailing list here

Send her an email at: daisyauthor@gmail.com

New Release – 1981: Jessie’s Girl by Lindy Zart

1981: Jessie’s Girl

Love in the 80s: A New Adult Mix

Genre- New Adult

Publication Date- February 26th

Published By- WaWa Productions

The road trip from Minnesota to Pennsylvania and back is meant to be the final adventure before four friends go their separate ways in the fall.

Except nothing goes as intended, beginning with the unexpected addition of Catherine Tate, Jessie Keller’s new girlfriend.

Amidst a malfunctioning vehicle, being caught in the middle of a robbery, beer drinking, mosquito attacks, and other teenage drama, the five experience courage, broken hearts, fear, and laughter. Most importantly, they make memories.

AmazonAU: http://tinyurl.com/z4ynr75

About the Author

Lindy Zart is the USA Today bestselling author of Roomies. She has been writing since she was a child. Luckily for readers, her writing has improved since then. She lives in Wisconsin with her family. Lindy loves hearing from people who enjoy her work. She also has a completely healthy obsession with the following: coffee, wine, bloody marys, peanut butter, and pizza.

Social Media Links-

Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/zznk8th

Google: Google.com/+LindyZart

Twitter: Twitter.com/LindyZart

Facebook: Facebook.com/LindyZart

Website: Lindyzart.com

Listen to the playlists for Lindy’s books on Spotify.com

Get an eBook autograph from Lindy at Authorgraph.com

New Release – We Were Here by Daisy Prescott

In the 90s …

texting involved paper and a pen …

… our selfies were Polaroids …

… our favorite music was on mix tapes.

Sex was dangerous, music was raw, and falling in love felt nostalgic.

We were friends and lovers.

We thought we knew everything.

We knew nothing.

We were here.

Set in the early 1990s, a time before the internet, social media, and smart phones, We Were Here is the prequel to Geoducks Are For Lovers. This book can be read as a standalone.

Links to purchase We Were Here

Amazon iBooks Barnes & Noble Kobo

Excerpt

ONE:

Maggie, Freshmen year

After being quizzed about the Dewey Decimal system, and failing, I returned to my room in shame. At this rate, if I wanted to work on campus, I’d be washing dishes in the dining hall. Nothing could be grosser than the used food and unclean dishes of thousands of college students. I gagged at the thought as I opened our door.

Inside, Jennifer—my perfectly nice and perfectly normal roommate—was straddling a guy on my desk chair, making out.

She might have been trying to eat his face. I couldn’t really tell in the two seconds I stared at them before clamping my eyes shut. I know I spied her tongue. Outside of her mouth. All I could see of him were his dark hair, long legs, and brown Wallabee boots.

Panicked about interrupting something, and simultaneously feeling like a prude, I backed my way through the open door. After it quietly clicked close, I pressed my head against the cool metal.

I could go back to the library, except I left there ten minutes ago. The dorm lounge was an option, but this time of day meant it would be filled with some random club. I couldn’t remember if Thursday’s meeting was German Lovers or Save the Geoducks—our school mascot. Neither appealed to me.

I stared harder at the painted metal, wishing the make-out session on the other side would end sooner rather than later.

“Are you locked out?” The blond guy from down the hall rested his head on the bulletin board next to my room. “Or are you praying?”

Pressing my cheek on the door, I twisted to see him more clearly.

“It’s okay if you are. Pray if you’ve got to.”

“I’m not. Just thinking.”

A loud moan sounded from inside the room. “Oh, oh, oh God.”

“Sounds like someone in there is praying.” His lips curled into a smile. “You might want to step away, lest someone think you’re a pervert for eavesdropping.”

I jumped away from the door. “I wasn’t listening!”

Chuckling, he held up his hands in defense. “Not judging you. Praying and voyeurism both have their places, usually in Madonna videos.”

Another not so soft groan carried from my room. I took a step farther away. My favorite black on black Swatch showed the time as four o’clock. Too early to go to dinner. Looks like I’ll be going to the lounge after all.

“You want to come hang out in my room until they finish whatever they’re doing in there?” His offer sounded genuine and his smile was more than friendly. He gestured over his shoulder to the open door across the hall and down a few rooms. “I can promise you my roommate isn’t in there making out with anyone. We should be safe.”

TWO:

Selah, Freshman Year

“Miss Elmore.”

Great. Despite most definitely being outside of class and off campus, he’d reverted to formal names.

“Mr. Vincent.”

“I’m surprised to see you here.” He ignored introductions to his friend.

“I could say the same. I didn’t realize you lived in Olympia.”

“I don’t.”

Geez, this conversation couldn’t be more boring. Maybe his companion was friendly. I stuck out my hand. “Hi, I’m Selah, one of Mr. Vincent’s students at Evergreen.”

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Kevin.” If someone could be described as beige, he was that person. Nothing remarkable about him except how unremarkable he looked. “Are you taking Jason’s sex class?”

Thankfully, I remained composed enough not to swallow my tongue. “Is that how he’s describing it? Professor?” I held my gaze steady on Jason’s face. I swore I saw his cheeks color with pink.

“Kevin.” His voice lowered, stern and threatening.

Kevin’s grin told me he enjoyed teasing Jason. They must have been old friends. “Fine, are you in Professor Vincent’s biology class?”

“I am. I’m hoping for an A.”

Kevin’s clever eyes swept over me. “What year are you?”

“First.”

Jason groaned while Kevin nodded and asked, “Tell me, Selah, has anyone ever called you Lolita before?”

Now my own cheeks heated. My skirt suddenly felt too short—the gap between it and my boots exposing a lot of fishnet covered skin. Or it could have been my short pigtails. I realized all I needed was a lollipop.

“Can’t say it’s happened before, Kevin.”

Clearly, Kevin knew my game. Or maybe Jason’s. I’d never thought he could be the type to seduce his students. As far as I knew, this class was his first teaching job.

“How did you get in here?” Jason changed the subject. “Fake ID?”

Busted. “No one carded us.”

“Doesn’t make you legal.”

“Are you going to call the police? Have us arrested and handcuffed?” It might have been the vodka, but I decided to be bold and push him. “Are you into handcuffs, Professor?”

Jason choked on his beer, coughing to clear his throat.

After making sure his friend wasn’t dying, Kevin laughed. “This is more entertaining than I imagined a college dive bar could be.”

I focused my attention on the non-choking friend. “What brings you to Olympia, Kevin?”

“I’m in politics.”

Jason found his voice again. “He’s an assistant to an assistant to a state senator.”

“Then you know all about impropriety.” I gave him a sweet smile.

“It’s been a political tradition since the Founding Fathers.” Kevin raised his glass. “I like you. Care to join us?”

Jason set his beer on the table. “I can’t be seen drinking with students. Kevin, shut up.” He pointed at me. “You return to your booth and your friends, and we’ll pretend we never ran into each other.”

“Yes, sir.” I saluted him. “Can I ask one question first?”

“If he doesn’t answer, I will.” Kevin gave me a wicked grin like a wolf in beige clothing.

We were Here Teaser 2

BFF K’s review and an exclusive interview with Daisy Prescott coming soon!!

About the Author

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USA Today Bestselling Author Daisy Prescott writes romantic comedies with heart.

To learn more about Daisy and her writing, sign up for her mailing list here

Send her an email at: daisyauthor@gmail.com

New Release – RoomHate by Penelope Ward

Justin Banks is HERE! RoomHate is LIVE!

From New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.

Sharing a summer house with a hot-as-hell roommate should be a dream come true, right?

Not when it’s Justin…the only person I’d ever loved…who now hates me.

When my grandmother died and left me half of the house on Aquidneck Island, there was a catch: the other half would go to the boy she helped raise.

The same boy who turned into the teenager whose heart I broke years ago.

The same teenager who’s now a man with a hard body and a hardass personality to match.

I hadn’t seen him in years, and now we’re living together because neither one of us is willing to give up the house.

The worst part? He didn’t come alone.

I’d soon realize there’s a thin line between love and hate. I could see through that smug smile. Beneath it all…the boy is still there. So is our connection.

The problem is…now that I can’t have Justin, I’ve never wanted him more.

Author’s note – RoomHate is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Links to purchase RoomHate

Amazon iBooks Kobo Nook

Add RoomHate to your TBR list on Goodreads!

About the Author

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 11-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.

Other books from Penelope Ward

Stepbrother Dearest

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Gemini

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Jake Undone (Jake #1)

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My Skylar

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Jake Understood (Jake #2)

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Review – Jockblocked by Jen Frederick

She’s always played it safe… College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule—avoid risk at all costs. She’s cautious in every aspect of her life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she’s willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really trust the guy who’s determined to sweep her off her feet? He’s always played around…

Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker Matthew “Matty” Iverson has the team captaincy in his sights. And it’s his for the taking, if he can convince his quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position. Luckily, Matty already has an edge—the hottie he’s lusting over just happens to be Ace’s childhood best friend. Getting Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for Lucy, it’s time for a new game plan: convince the woman of his dreams that she’s not sleeping with the enemy.

Purchase Links

BFF K’s Review

Sexy, passionate, sweet, sincere, hot-as-hell, football player falls for a kind, thoughtful, hard-working, risk-averse girl and turns their lives upside down! And, it’s a great read!

Jockblocked is just what you hope for when you select an NA sports romance. Matt Iverson meets Lucy Washington in the college coffee shop and is immediately drawn to her. He’s not the kind of guy to give up when he sets his sites on something he wants; and he wants Lucy. Of course, it’s not that simple. There is strife within the football team and Lucy’s childhood BFF and the current quarterback on the team is right at the heart of the drama. This drama causes complications for Matty and Lucy too.

Matt and Lucy and wonderful characters. They’re real and rough and learning to trust each other and themselves. The football talk is spot on and tons of fun, particularly if you’re already a fan. Jockblocked is a delightful story about a super hot football player and the girl he falls for. If you’re a fan of sports based romance, this is a definite one-click!

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sweet_4 butterflies_4 signoff_K_sm An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review. dual point of view

@jensfrederick #Jockblocked #hotjocks #sexyreads #sportsromance #football #pheremones #oil

A photo posted by BFF Book Blog (@bffbookblog) on Feb 14, 2016 at 11:29am PST

About the Author

Jen lives with her husband, child, and one rambunctious dog. She’s been reading stories all her life but never imagined writing one of her own. Jen loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at jensfrederick@gmail.com.

Review – The Bride Wore Starlight by Lizbeth Selvig

Once comfortable on stage in front of thousands, Joely Crockett is now mortified at the thought of walking—or rolling—down the aisle at her sisters’ wedding. Scarred and wheelchair-bound, the former beauty queen has lost more than the ability to walk—she’s lost her fire. But when one handsome, arrogant guest accuses her of milking her injuries and ignites her ire, Joely finally starts to feel truly alive again, and soon it’s impossible for her to resist her heart’s desire.

Alec Morrissey knows a little something about loss. A famous rodeo cowboy before he was injured in Iraq, he’s managed to create something of a normal life, even if it’s not the one he always imagined. Encountering stunning but damaged Joely, he sees a kindred spirit who can learn from his mistakes.

As these two healing souls begin to fall in love under the Wyoming stars, they must discover if they are willing to give in to the tragedies of life or fight for a future together.

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble / Amazon / iBooks / GooglePlay

BFF K’s Review

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The Bride Wore Starlight is so much more than it appears to be from the outside. I might have gone into this with a preconceived notion about what to expect. I was planning on a light, fluffy, quick-read romance. What I found instead was a deeply rich, character driven, tension-filled, emotional read that was intensely satisfying.

Joely and Alec are both physically damaged, rocked by massive bodily injuries in the prime of their lives. Alec has a head start on the physical and emotional healing. When he meets Joely, he sees in her a suffering, kindred spirit who needs a kick in the pants to get out of her own head. As Joely accepts the healing guidance of Alec, she recognizes that there are still issues he has to tackle as well. What unfolds is a powerful story of trans-formative love. The love Alec and Joely create heals them both physically and emotionally.

There’s a fantastic HEA with a delicious epilogue. I was timid about the country/cowboy angle of the story. I grew up (and still live) in Nebraska. Though I was a ‘city kid,’ I’ve had many rodeo and ranch experiences. I wasn’t sure what I would think of the cowboy genre. I was pleasantly surprised. This book is well done. If you have ever entertained thoughts of a rugged, sexy as sin, cocky cowboy – this book will bring that to life in spades! (I mentally cast Scott Eastwood in the role of Alec!)

Joely transforms from a damaged, self-pitying, lost girl. As Alec helps Joely to heal and rebuild, he breaks down his own walls and overcomes his own fears. There are inherent tensions as they each conquer their own demons and learn to trust each other. The journey is inspiring and fulfilling. The Bride Wore Starlight delivers a super sexy, heartwarming romance for two characters who desperately deserve a happily ever after.

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An advance copy was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Check out this post for an excerpt from The Bride Wore Starlight AND a special interview with Lizbeth Selvig.

About the Author

Lizbeth Selvig lives in Minnesota with her best friend (aka her husband), and a gray Arabian gelding. After working as a newspaper journalist and magazine editor, and raising an equine veterinarian daughter and a talented musician son, she won RWA’s prestigious Golden Heart® Contest in 2010 with her contemporary romance The Rancher and the Rock Star. In her spare time, she loves to hike, quilt, read, horseback ride, and spend time with her new granddaughter. She also has four-legged grandchildren—more than twenty—including a wallaby, two alpacas, a donkey, a pig, a sugar glider, and many dogs, cats, and horses (pics of all appear on her website www.lizbethselvig.com). She loves connecting with readers—contact her any time!

New Release Jockblocked by Jen Frederick

Purchase Links

It’s LIVE! @jensfrederick #Jockblocked #hotjocks #sexyreads #sportsromance #football

A photo posted by BFF Book Blog (@bffbookblog) on Feb 10, 2016 at 10:16pm PST

Excerpt

I grab her foot and pull it into my lap. “Let’s do a risk/reward test.”

“Let’s not.” But her foot doesn’t move.

I massage her foot beneath the sock, pressing hard against the ball and then digging into the arch. She releases a tiny moan and her head falls back in a dick-hardening sexy motion. Fuuuuck. If this is how I feel from just touching this girl’s hand and foot, what would it be like to be between her legs, to suck on her tits, to feel her pussy pulse around my dick? Light-headed and incredibly aroused, I almost fall off the chair.

I gotta focus here. If I’m ever going to get past the foot and hand, I need to convince her that the reward with me would be off-the-charts amazing.

Clearing my throat, I keep rubbing her foot. “Having your foot in my lap, that’s a risk right? But you’re enjoying the rubdown. That’s a risk worth the reward.”

“Keep rubbing and stop talking,” she orders. Her eyes are closed.

Okay, but I’m not touching some other guy’s sock, particularly the guy whose bed she’s sleeping in. I don’t know if I fully buy into her “just friends” explanation for Ace. He has her picture in his locker. She’s wearing his socks. For all that, he’s at the Gas Station dry humping a Kappa and Lucy’s home alone. I pull off the sock and toss it aside and stare at her toes.

“Your nail polish is blue.” Since when did I think toes were sexy?

She wriggles them. “Yes, on both feet. You’re very observant. Haven’t you ever seen a girl’s toes before?”

“I’m sure I have.” I just don’t remember them. I have this strange feeling I’ll remember hers, though.

I run a light caress over the anklebone, down the spine of the Achilles tendon, and around the edge of her instep.

Her breathing hitches, so quiet and so soft, I might have imagined it.

“What’re you doing?” Her words are a husky whisper and my body responds accordingly.

My balls tighten and my dick’s so hard I’m worried it’ll snap in half, but I can’t reach into my jeans to readjust or I’ll scare her away.

“We’re testing your risk assessment.” And driving myself crazy.

“You should stop.”

“I can’t.” I move my hand up her ankle to cup the slender calf. “Feel good? Worth the risk?”

“I’m not sure.”

That’s an invitation if I ever heard one.

Is it possible to come from just rubbing a girl’s leg? I might test out that theory. “And now?” My fingers find the tender hollow behind her knee. Her pulse beats rapidly against my palm. She’s as turned on as I am and I haven’t even gotten to the good parts.

“It feels riskier,” she croaks.

Yeah, because pretty soon my hand is going to be on your thigh and I don’t know how I’m going to stop there.

Her fingers are turning white as she grips the sides of her chair. Is she holding herself back? Or keeping herself there?

Fuck, I want to kiss her so bad. I want to kiss her lips but I’d settle for her toes or her knee or‑shit, if all she’ll allow is for me to touch the tips of her fingers, I’d be okay with that. I need a taste of her. I’m dying for a taste of her.

About the Author

Review – Some Sort of Love by Melanie Harlow

This is one of BFF K’s favorite reads so far in 2016!

Title: Some Sort of Love

Series: Happy Crazy Love #3

Author: Melanie Harlow

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 9, 2016

On the surface, I have it all—a career I adore, a loving family, the Nixon metabolism but not the Nixon ears, and a salary that supports my lavish taste in designer shoes, fine wine, and lacy lingerie…but I have no one to share it with.

Until the day I run into him—my one night stand from college with the cocky smile, let’s-get-out-of-here eyes, and dirty, dirty mouth.

Levi Brooks is six feet four inches of hot bearded fantasy. A sexy single dad with broad shoulders, strong hands, and a fantastically big…heart. (I mean, it’s massive. And generous. And it pumps so hard… um. Sorry. Lost my place.)

But he lives for his son, and he’s keeping me at a distance because he thinks I deserve someone better—a man who can give me more time, more attention, more of himself. He doesn’t believe he could ever be enough.

But he’s wrong.

He’s everything.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

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BFF K’s Review

Some Sort of Love is the continuation of this absolutely wonderful series by Melanie Harlow. And, one of my best reads for far in 2016. If you haven’t read the other books in the series, you’ll want to start now. Though each is a standalone, the characters are interconnected. I can’t imagine missing out on any of these great stories. The thought of missing these makes me feel sad. Seriously, not exaggerating, the thought of never having read these books makes me sad!

Some Sort of Love is the story of Jillian and Levi. A VERY brief college tryst is reignited when the two run into one another at a wedding. (I won’t say whose!) The attraction and chemistry is immediate and off-the-charts! But, life isn’t as simple as it was in undergrad. Both Jillian and Levi have demanding careers and Levi is the single father to a son with special needs. These are some rough waters to navigate and the couple must decide if their attraction and affections are a strong enough foundation to build a new life together.

Some Sort of Love brings back an incredible cast of characters – Jillian’s sisters, Skylar and Natalie and their men Sebastian and Miles. I love each of these books for so many reasons. I love each of these couples and their unique struggles and circumstances. I absolutely can’t pick a favorite!

And, let me just spend a minute worshiping all that is Melanie Harlow. I’m absolutely head over heels for her storytelling. Melanie Harlow creates characters that are a lovely combination of strong and vulnerable. There’s something so relate-able and insightful about her characters, it’s like you get a glimpse into yourself through the lens of her terrific players. The steamy scenes she dreams up are second to none. And, Harlow can describe a simple cocktail that makes my mouth water!

It was 2am when I finished Some Sort of Love and it’s one of the best books I’ve read in a long time! If you haven’t read the Happy, Crazy, Love series – start right now, PLEASE! This entire series is packed with wonderful, emotional, dreamy romance and the most incredibly human, deliciously flawed characters. I finished this book in less than a day and I will be recommending it for weeks!

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An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

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Favorite Quotes

“Love isn’t a finite thing in the universe. It’s not like it gets used up by people who get there first.”

“Harry Potter fan, huh? So what are the chances I can Slytherin to your chamber of secrets tonight?”

“Ah, wine. Wine was my friend. Wine understood me. Wine knew it was entirely possible to be one hundred percent happy for your sisters and also ten percent jealous, because Wine does not care about mathematics. And Wine would never ask why I didn’t have a man by age thirty. Wine and I had spent enough alone time together that Wine knew it wasn’t that I didn’t want to find love-of course I did. But it was fucking hard.”

” ‘What are you doing?’

‘I’m thinking about kissing you.’

‘Stop thinking.’ ”

“Over sea bass and grilled tuna we shared firsts and favorites,”

“I’d rather be someone’s shot of whiskey than everyone’s cup of tea.”

Excerpt

“So.” I glanced out the windows to the patio. “You want to go back out there?”

“Not really,” she said.

“You want to get out of here?”

She grinned. “Yeah. I do.”

I watched her rush up the stairs to get her things, and as soon as she was out of sight, I adjusted myself in my pants. My dick had jumped to life the second she said yeah, I do, as if the question had been you want to get naked and fuck? rather than something much less suggestive. Not that I didn’t want to get naked and fuck—hopefully I’d last a little longer than I had in the broom closet eleven years ago—but I didn’t want to make her feel like that’s what I expected. She wasn’t a horny nineteen-year-old college student anymore; she was a doctor, for fuck’s sake. She was beautiful and smart and mature and sophisticated, and a woman like her did not want some Neanderthal who probably needed a haircut and a new pair of shoes to throw her up against a wall for a five-minute fuck.

A woman like that deserved attention all night long. She deserved someone who would undress her slowly and delight in each new inch of her skin as it was revealed. Someone who would run his hands all over her body and find out where she liked to be touched, how she liked to be touched, what she wanted to hear whispered to her in the dark. Someone who would wrap those gloriously long legs around his neck and use his tongue until she begged for his cock, then use his cock until she begged for mercy.

Fuck. I could be that guy.

Except I couldn’t be. Not tonight. Because I wasn’t a horny college student anymore either—I was just a horny single dad who didn’t have the luxury of taking a woman home and lavishing all my time and attention on her the way I wanted to.

As soon as I had the thought, I felt guilty. Scotty was the love of my life and always would be, and whenever I felt the slightest bit resentful about something I couldn’t do because of him, that resentment was immediately crushed by shame. He didn’t ask to be born wired differently, into a terrible relationship, to a mother who would decide she couldn’t handle being a parent, to a father who wasn’t prepared for any of it. He was completely innocent, and he needed me to be a better man.

Running a hand through my hair, I exhaled and wondered if I should ask Jillian for a raincheck on a night when Scotty’s usual sitter could be there. If he woke up again and I wasn’t home yet, he might never get back to sleep. We’d be up all night, tomorrow would be miserable, and the whole start to the week would be off.

But she was so beautiful. And I hadn’t been this attracted to someone in so long.

“Fuck,” I muttered, checking my watch. What was the right thing to do? If she were a different sort of woman, if her brother-in-law weren’t my friend and client, if we lived three states apart…if any number of circumstances were changed, I’d grab her hand, drag her out to my car, and spend the next thirty minutes fucking her brains out in the back seat. It would feel so good to take control that way, to lose control that way, to release some of this fucking tension. But was that fair to her?

My phone buzzed in my pocket.

“Hello?”

“He’s up again.” Monica’s voice was strained, and in the background I heard the familiar keening of a nighttime meltdown. My chest hurt, the way it always did when Scotty was upset.

“Shit. OK, I’m on my way. Twenty minutes, OK? Thirty at the most.”

“OK.”

“Tell him he can play on his iPad.”

“That’ll just rile him up more. He’s tired. He needs to go to sleep.”

I clenched my fist. “Just do it, OK? It will help calm him until I get there.”

As I ended the call, I heard footsteps above, and then Jillian appeared at the top of the stairs carrying a small suitcase. I watched her descend, the tightness in my chest growing. Also the tightness in my pants. “Hey.”

“Hey,” she said, her face concerned as she reached the ground and saw my expression. She set down the suitcase. “What’s up?”

Sighing, I put my phone back in my pocket. “I have to get home. Scotty woke up and he’s upset.”

“Oh.” She tried to hide it, but I saw the disappointment in her eyes.

“I’m really sorry. I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“That’s OK. I understand.”

“Can I call you?”

“Of course.” She smiled, and her lips looked so soft and inviting, I took a step closer.

If you kiss her, it will be that much harder to leave.

I knew it was the truth, but I couldn’t help myself. One kiss. Just one. And then I’ll go. I moved even closer and took her head in my hands.

The curve of her smile deepened. “What are you doing?”

“I’m thinking about kissing you.”

“Stop thinking.”

I lowered my lips to hers and let them rest there, fully intending the kiss to be short and sweet, just a goodnight.

But I couldn’t break it off. I wanted more—I wanted to taste her. Slanting my head, I changed the angle of the kiss, teasing her mouth open with mine, slipping my tongue between her lips. A little sigh escaped her, and my dick jumped to life again.

You have to go, you have to go, you have to go.

But her hands were moving up my chest and my fingers were sliding into her soft brown hair and I could smell something sweet and citrusy on her skin and it mingled with the taste of whiskey on my tongue and oh God, I wanted my tongue everywhere on her body. I wanted make her come with it just so I could hear that little sigh again and again and again. And I wanted to feel my hands in her hair just like this while she got on her knees and took my cock between her lips, looking up at me with those big blue eyes…

Groaning, I forced myself to take my lips off her before I completely lost my senses. “God, I wish I could stay,” I said, resting my forehead against hers. “I wish a lot of things.”

“I know.” She played with my tie again. “I wish I was taking this tie off you, not straightening it.”

“What a coincidence, that’s one of my wishes too.”

She laughed and kissed me quickly. “Another time, maybe. You better go.”

Giveaway

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Also Available

Read BFF K’s Review for Some Sort of Happy

AMAZON US / UK

Read BFF K’s Review for Some Sort of Crazy

AMAZON US / UK

About the Author

Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.

Melanie is the author of the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY duet, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.

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Review – Running Wild by Sara Jane Stone

Don’t Miss this FREE Prequel Novella!

RUNNING WILD

A Second Shot NovellaSara Jane Stone

Releasing on February 2, 2016

Avon Impulse

Before they were Serving Trouble, they were Running Wild

She’s always been off limits…

Noah Tager has always played by the rules and proudly wears the label “Local Hero.” But before he leaves to become one of The Few, The Proud, The Marines, he wants to turn his fantasies into reality with the one woman who has always been off limits.

He’s always been a challenge…

When it comes to her less-than-stellar reputation, Josie Fairmore is ready and willing to cross over into nothing-left-to-lose territory, if it leads to an all-night ride with the man of her X-rated dreams.
With her big brother leaving in the morning to “Be All He Can Be” in the Army, Dominic will never find out about her fling with his best friend Noah.

But one wild ride together doesn’t change the fact that Noah’s leaving in the morning—and he’s taking Josie’s heart with him.

BUY NOW

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BFF K’s Mini Review

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This FREE (that’s right, friends, FREE) novella did exactly what it was intended to do. It has made me hungry for MORE!!! Running Wild sets up Serving Trouble, the first book in the new Second Shot Series by Sara Jane Stone.

Noah is the town hero who enlists in the Marines to help his father and Grandmother. Josie is struggling with a tarnished reputation that may or may not be deserved. She’s also the little sister of Noah’s best friend. Josie and Noah beyond attracted to one another and so off-limits to each other.

The last night before Noah leaves for the Marines brings them together for a wild ride. And it really is a steamy scene that shouldn’t be missed! Things happen, words are said and this is one of the best set-ups for a new series that I can imagine. The March 8 release of Serving Trouble has been added to the Upcoming Releases page and I’ll be anxiously waiting for the day! One-click this today so that you’ll be ready and waiting too!

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An Advance Copy was received in exchange for an honest review.

About the Author

After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream-writing romance novels. Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children and a lazy Burmese cat. Join Sara Jane’s newsletter to receive new release information, news about contests, giveaways, and more! Visit www.sarajanestone.com and look for her newsletter entry form.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Need more of Noah & Josie?

Pre-Order SERVING TROUBLE today!

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New Release – The Bride Wore Starlight by Lizbeth Selvig

As these two healing souls begin to fall in love under the Wyoming stars, they must discover if they are willing to give in to the tragedies of life or fight for a future together.

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble / Amazon / iBooks / GooglePlay

Giveaway

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Excerpt from The Bride Wore Starlight

“Warm enough?” he asked. “Your back’s okay?”

“I’m plenty warm. And my back aches. It’ll be fine in the morning.”

“What would make it fine now?”

“Sven the masseur?”

He chuckled. “Your version of the cabana boy fantasy, huh? Fine, I can do Sven.” She’d been joking; he was not. “Come on. Stretch out on your stomach.”

She started to turn and changed her mind. “What about you?”

“I’m fantastic. I have a beautiful woman about to let me touch her wherever I want to.”

“Wait, I never said that.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, long and deep, taking the lead, pushing him onto his back instead of following his directive. When he groaned and pulled her to lie on top of him, she broke the kiss. She’d done it now, and her nerves almost got the better of her. Instead she closed her eyes and took a brave breath.

“Your leg has to be killing you,” she said. “I’m worried about it. I have no idea how to ask you about it because you never say anything, so I’m just blurting it out.”

“My leg is okay,” he said.

“You haven’t taken off the prosthetic in two days.”

“I have. Didn’t you wonder what the heck took a guy so long in the woods at night?” He took his turn kissing her, and she reveled, not just in his kiss but in the breadth of him beneath her. And in the swift, undeniable swell that proved what power her mouth had over him. Thrills pooled low in her pelvis.

The next words hung in her throat for a long time. If she said them, she’d have to be willing to offer the same in return. Her greatest fear rose in front of her.

“I want to know all of you. I want you to . . . trust me.”

“I haven’t wanted to weird you out.”

The words were light, slightly jokey, and still she clearly heard the underlying tension.

“That’s just dumb, Alec. Weird? It’s not weird. It’s you.”

Did she mean it? Of course she did. Then how could she do anything but open herself up in return? No matter how much it scared her.

“You’ve never made love to a one-legged guy.”

Fear flared hot just before her grin broke loose. “Am I about to?”

He pulled her back down against him and ran his hands over her seat, pulling her tight and rolling his hips. “It might be too soon.”

She rested one elbow beside his ear, brushing his hair back with the other hand, drinking in the texture with her fingertips. “I’m afraid to let you see, too.”

“See what?” A light, perhaps one of hopefulness, brightened his eyes.

“I have more scars than the one you’ve seen on my face.” She stopped combing through his hair. The breath she took this time was shakier than any so far. “I’d show you mine if you show me yours. Let’s be weirded out together.” The words were silly, and her heart skittered around her ribcage—a scared bird that had trapped itself.

He didn’t speak. Carefully, he rolled her off of him and placed one hand on her stomach. With gentle fingers he unsnapped her jeans and slowly rasped down the zipper. Then he sat up, and reached for her boots. One at a time he tugged them off.

Interview with Author Lizbeth Selvig

(This is not an exclusive interview and not a part of the BFF Book Blog “That’s What She Said” interview series. Thank you to the publisher for this interview giving additional information about the book and series. )

1. You have a passion for horses and horseback riding. How did that influence the themes and settings around your books?

Pictures of horses adorned my bedroom walls from the time I was five, when I was a little city girl in Minneapolis. I collected all the stories about horses I could and had my first book boyfriend crush on Alec Ramsay in The Black Stallion series. I got my first horse as a graduation from college present from my husband, and I was hooked for life, even getting my daughter her her first pony when she was six years old so we could ride together. She went on to become an equine veterinarian, and I still help her care for all the horses she’s collected since that first pony! I still have a horse of my own, so you can see I’m obsessed and have a hard time imagining a world without horses in it!

All my books have included horses to some extent. I’m not even stuck on one type of horse, or riding or rider—my first series of books revolved around English riding, dressage and eventing. My current series “Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys” takes place on a Wyoming ranch so I get to spend a lot of time with horses in these books. In my stories, I’ve used horses as therapy animals, as challenges for my characters, and as comforting best friends. I love sharing the beauty and versatility and healing power of horses with my readers.

2. What is it about your two main characters, Alec and Joely, that have made them so strong after going through such traumatic experiences?

I think what’s amazing about Alec and Joely is that neither of them has any idea when their story starts just where their real strengths lie. Joely was a beauty queen several times, and even though she isn’t vain she has always believed that what she has to offer the world revolves around her physical looks. What she discovers after her physical body is broken and scarred is that she doesn’t need to trade on outer beauty—her talents of kindness, understanding, and the ability to love despite peoples’ flaws are her truest assets—and they (along with Alec’s help) are what make her strong in the end.

Alec completely believes what makes him strong is the ability to bury things that remind him of pain and could make him bitter. He has a major physical disability, but he ignores it and gets on with life—and he even has the sunny disposition to go along with it. But what he doesn’t know is that burying his past and his anger really is a weakness. When he learns (with Joely’s help) to embrace what he sees as weaknesses and truly face his fears—he grows into the truly strong and resilient man he wants to be.

3. How long have you been writing and who influenced you?

I started making up stories and telling them to myself at night in bed as far back as when I was four and five years old. Later, when other kids were reading themselves to sleep, I started writing down these stories. I guess it was what would now be called fan fiction—I had lots of fun affairs and adventures with my favorite pop stars from Paul McCartney to Bobby Sherman! Eventually I started writing “real” short stories and then novels. In the 80s and 90s I fell in love with the romances of LaVyrle Spencer. To this day she’s my ideal when it comes to telling a love story and I don’t try to copy her, but I do try to live up to her example.

4. Do you have a favorite romance? Tell us!

I mentioned LaVyrle Spencer, and whenever I’m asked this question I have to go back to her. Sadly, most younger romance readers today don’t know her work, but she was known for her beautiful lyrical writing and her warm, identifiable characters. My favorite romance is a book by her called “Hummingbird.” It’s an American historical about a “spinster” who takes in a wounded train robber. Their love affair was so tender, and LaVyrle wrote such a memorable first-attempt at sex scene that I’ll never forget it. Suffice it to say the first try at lovemaking was awkward at best—but so realistic. Naturally, she made up for it later—and it was totally worth the wait!

5. Where is your favorite place to write?

I mostly write in my office at home. Lest you think that sounds hoity toity, however, it’s also my sewing room and storage for my granddaughter’s “grandma’s house toys,” so it’s very far from tidy and it’s not all that private. Still, it’s my clutter and filled with things I love, and during the day it’s very quiet. I have two windows so I can always see outside—perfect for daydreaming-ah, brainstorming!

6. What’s on your bucket list for this year?

I’m already planning to attend Romance Writers of America’s annual meeting in San Diego as well as the Romantic Times Reader Convention in Las Vegas. My “bucket list” addition is that I want my hubby to come meet me at both of them since I’ve never been to either city. I’d like to see Cirque du Soleil’s “Beatles Love” performance in Vegas, and I want to visit the zoo in San Diego because I love zoos. I’d also love to go back to Alaska and visit my dear friends—those I made when I lived in Anchorage from 2006-2009!

7. One of your books, Rescued by a Stranger was a *RWA RITA® Award Finalist. What was that like for you?

Oh my goodness, I look back on that and I still can’t believe it happened! I was so flattered and honored because it’s a peer award, and to have made the cut with some of my absolute idols (Nora Roberts, Jill Shalvis) was a dream come true. I swear it’s also true that it was an honor just to be a finalist. I mean, with all the stellar fellow finalists—it didn’t matter in the least that I didn’t win. It was extremely special to be wined and dined and treated like a queen for a week at the convention—a very meaningful sure wouldn’t mind bringing home one of those gorgeous, golden RITA ladies!

8. Can you tell us anything about your upcoming works?

I’m super excited about the last four books of the “Seven Brides for Seven Cowboys” series. The next three books will belong to the triplets, Grace, Kelly, and Raquel who were named for their father’s favorite two movie stars! Grace comes next and she meets the small-time poker player who thinks he has a generation’s-old claim to Paradise Ranch (and a very precocious five-year-old daughter). Kelly falls in love with a secondary character from “The Bride Wore Red Boots” – one of the veterans suffering from PTSD who has become a hotshot firefighter. It may or may not be the best choice for either of them. Raquel falls for a doctor who is a total science geek to her active tomboy personality. It’s hard to see how sparks can fly when one’s never seen Star Wars and the other won’t go out if it means missing Dr. Who. The last book of the series will introduce a surprise character: Cami Colarusso—a cousin to the Crockett sisters whom nobody knew existed. To end the series we need a little fun: how about dinosaurs on the ranch?!

In addition to the Brides books, I’m working on a proposal for a completely new book in a slightly different genre—women’s fiction. More on that to come! And I have a cross-over story coming out in May as part of a Kindle Worlds series set in Sapphire Falls—the world created by bestselling author Erin Nicholas. One of the characters from the Brides series is going to make his way to Sapphire Falls. I’m so excited, so watch for that, too!