What are you...?

What are you…

Reading? 

I have two books on the go at the moment. Annie West’s Sheikh’s Royal Baby Revelation and Ben Aaronovitch’s Moon Over Soho. They’re both absolutely wonderful. I also just finished Joanne Harris’s The Strawberry Thief, which was glorious. I’ve been reading so many fab books this year. :-)

 

Watching?

Nothing new. But I did re-watch Ladies in Black on the weekend. Such a gorgeous movie. I love the character of Magda so much. I might watch it again just in the interests of tracking her character development. :-)

Listening to?

An earworm! And this one has been hard to shake. When I was in New York—in an elevator no less—Hall & Oates' Kiss is on My List was playing…and it went round and round and round in my head for the rest of my stay. On the plane on the way home, a Best of Hall & Oates playlist was available on the entertainment system.  I thought listening to it might shift the song. It did, but only to replace it with Say it Isn’t So. Now I don’t mind the song—and I am a teenager of the 1980s—but enough is enough. Therefore I won't link to the youtube video because I'm guessing you don't need it in your life...but just excuse me while I go and listen to it again.

What’s making you smile?

So many things are making me smile—the rain, the rosellas, my work-in-progress, and my New York Public Library Card! However, my biggest smile is being reserved for my TBR pile. Here’s a sample of what’s up next for me (in no particular order):
* Kate Atkinson’s Big Sky which is the next in the Jackson Brodie series
* A Man Called Ove which is my next book club book
* First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (I went to her workshop on humour in New York and really enjoyed it).
* The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary (heard so many good things)
* And Amy Andrews’s Nothing But Trouble. This has been on my Kindle since it released, and I’m dying to get to it. :-)

Okay, your turn? What are you reading / watching /listening to, and/or what’s making you smile today?

New York adventures

If you follow my author page on Facebook then you’d have seen ALL the pictures I posted of my recent jaunt to Singapore and New York, and have heard some of the silly stories I told of our travels.

Like the time the New York Subway played a practical joke on Mr Douglas and me—it let him on, but not me. He stood on the train while I stood on the platform, and we waved forlornly to each other as the train pulled out. [We caught up with each other 15 mins later so don’t feel bad for me. It was, actually, hilarious.]

But I thought I’d share another “funny” story today.

St Francis Assisi Church--sweet, right?

For our first week in New York we stayed in a hotel called The Stewart. It’s across the road from Madison Square Gardens—so…pretty central. ;-) We had a view onto 31st Street and a very sweet little church, but also a view onto the building behind us. I took a peek out of this back window not long after we arrived, and the rooms in this neighbouring building were dark, with no movement, but there were figures in beds. I thought: Oh, it’s a nursing home. How deserted it looks…and lonely.

Next to the church was a building with a tree! And look up...there's a water tower.

In the wee small hours of the night—when it felt like it should’ve been day…and I was really hungry because it should’ve been day (there’s a 12 hour time difference between Singapore and New York, so the good news is you don’t have to change the time on your watch), I couldn’t help thinking about those lonely figures in those dark little rooms.

When we finally allowed ourselves to play wake ups in the morning, I said to Mr Douglas, “Do you know we’re overlooking a scene of human misery?” I told him about the scene that would greet him from our back window. I wondered aloud if we could go visit because…you know, we’re on holiday and had the time etc.

Of course, he then had to go and peek out the window too (I’m the window peeker in our relationship, him not so much). And he started to laugh!

Dear reader, he’s not a callous man. But I was shocked, I tell you—shocked! Until he revealed all. They weren’t incapacitated people in lonely beds in dark rooms but mannequins. We were looking into a medical training facility!

There's probably a moral to that story, but I have no idea what it is. ;-)


But if you do ever find yourself in New York I highly recommend the Brooklyn Lager--it was very refreshing after a day spent trudging through a city in 37C temps.

RITA smooch

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Michelle's RITA-nominated romance The Million Pound Marriage Deal but first...


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is JennyW!


Jenny you please contact maggie on: maggiechritensen (at) maggiechristensenauthor (dot) com to receive your prize


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from The Million Pound Marriage Deal...

 A marriage of convenience...
With a price!

Billionaire playboy Will Trent-Paterson has one year to get married. His grandfather will disinherit him if he doesn't settle down, leaving his vulnerable sister homeless! So when old friend Sophie Mitchell jokes that she'd marry him for a million pounds, a temporary marriage seems like the perfect solution! Until, after spending time with captivating Sophie, Will realizes walking away will be the hardest part...

[Scene set-up: Will and Sophie are about to appear for the first time as an engaged couple and they're "practicing" at trying to appear as natural as possible when, in fact, they're both feeling impossibly awkward.]


 ‘If we mess this up. If we lose our heads and forget ourselves…just once…then we’re not going to want to see each other again.’
  Her words were like a punch to the gut. Because they were true.
  ‘It’s what I meant when I said we were playing a dangerous game.’ Her eyes flashed. ‘If you found me unattractive that would be—’ She broke off. ‘But you don’t.’
  And he realised then what she’d made explicit but had left unsaid. She didn’t find him unattractive either. The knowledge made his blood roar.
  Hell.
  He ground his back molars together and counted to three, pulled in a breath. ‘You have my word that I won’t lose my head.’
  He would not let her down.
  ‘And you have my word.’
  They had to be cautious, circumspect. He couldn’t let himself feel too comfortable with her…and yet they both had to cultivate an appearance of tranquillity with each other for outside eyes. She was right. This could be trickier than he’d first envisaged. But not impossible.
  Before he knew what she was about she’d leaned in, stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his cheek. ‘Thank you.’
  His heart crashed in his chest. His cheek burned where her lips had touched him.
  She eased back, adjusted her cardigan. ‘Right. Your turn.’
  She was trying to make kissing him as natural as possible, and he had to do the same. ‘Believe it or not,’ he said, ‘it’s my pleasure.’
  He pressed a kiss to her brow and tried not to notice how soft and warm and vibrant she felt beneath his lips.
  She huffed out a laugh. ‘Well, in that case I choose to believe it. Right, sit.’
  She gestured to the sofa and he took a seat. She came from behind. Her arms slid around his shoulders, making him start.
  ‘You do that downstairs and you’ll give the game away.’
  He nodded and gritted his teeth. ‘Do it again.’
  She eased back, walked away, and then moved towards him again and bent down to slide just one arm about his shoulders. He rested his hand on her forearm and felt a tiny tremor run through her. He pulled in a measured breath and her scent flooded his senses. ‘You smell nice.’
  Nice? That’s the best you can manage?
  She smelled sensational—fruity and warm, like Christmas. Though Christmas was months away.
  ‘It’s my body lotion. Frosted cherry. My favourite.’
  They broke apart at exactly the same moment. This was exhausting, but he saw the wisdom of it. They needed to give the impression that they were physically comfortable with each other.
  When nothing could be further from the truth.
  ‘Your turn.’ He waved her to the armchair.
  She sat, leaned back, crossed her legs—for all the world as if she were completely at ease.
  Time for them to get this over and done with.
  Her eyes widened when he braced his hands on the arms of the chair and leant down towards her, effectively locking her in and leaving her nowhere to escape. ‘Lips?’
  She glanced at his lips and then back into his eyes and nodded. ‘Dry lips,’ she whispered. ‘And we keep it brief.’
  Every cell in his body burst to life. He recited, Peter’s sister, Peter’s sister, Peter’s sister, over and over in his mind. ‘I want to tell you something before we do this,’ he murmured, his gaze not dropping from hers.
  ‘She swallowed. ‘Okay.’
  ‘You’re wrong. I like you just fine, Sophie Mitchell.’
  Her lips parted as if in shock. He couldn’t resist the pull any longer. His mouth lowered to hers, lips brushing lips—light, teasing and nowhere near enough. She stiffened, but then he felt her force herself to relax. And then she leaned forward a fraction and pressed her lips more firmly against his and kissed him back.
  Wind roared in his ears. It took all the strength he had to not deepen the kiss, to not engage lips, mouths, tongues and hands.
  Biting back a groan, he pulled back to stare into stunned blue eyes. They were a deeper shade of blue than he’d ever seen before.
  She pushed him away and launched herself from the chair like a horse from a starter’s gate. ‘We better keep that to a minimum.’
  She was darn right they were keeping that to a minimum!
  He’d kiss her cheek, her brow, the top of her head, her hand, but he had every intention of staying as far away from those lips as possible. They were lethal!
 

I'm currently away in New York -- Yay! And I'm so looking forward to living it up at the RITA Awards ceremony. Leave a comment to go into the draw to win a copy of The Million Pound Marriage Deal, and I'll make sure to send it as soon as I return home. 

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Amy Andrews will be posted!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

Leaving on a jet plane

At some ridiculous time tomorrow morning when it's still dark (as in really, really early morning!), I set off for the airport. I’m so OMG-excited! :-)

We’re spending four nights in Singapore before hitting New York. I’ve not visited Singapore before and I’d love to set a story there—so we get to lose ourselves in a brand new city for a few wonderful days. How good does that sound?

And then we’re catching the world’s longest haul flight from Singapore to Newark: 18 hours and 40 minutes. My friends’ eyes have all bugged when I’ve told them how long the flight is. But you know what? I finished my PhD earlier in the year, and I haven’t stopped since—chasing my tail and trying to catch up on all the things—and the thought of sitting on a plane with nothing to do except read a book, watch a movie, and to dream (and sleep) sounds like absolute heaven to me.

I’ve had an epic to-do list to get done:

* Finish first draft of next romance—check.
* Type up said first draft—um, not quite I’m afraid.
* Finish copyedits of my January release: The Maid, the Millionaire and the Baby—check.
* Check what bills will arrive while we’re away and pay them—check (gah, I think!).
* Make sure all taps are turned off nice and tight because some of them drip—check. Except this is unnecessary as a family member is housesitting for us and therefore will be here to check all drips and any irons and ovens left on. Peace of mind—happy sighs.
* Post a month’s worth of Beach Monday pics to my Facebook author profile, even though I’ll probably upload so many pictures from my holiday that Beach Monday pics will be superfluous. Nah…the beach is never superfluous, right?
* Write an acceptance speech in case the unthinkable happens—um…not yet, but there’s a very long plane ride, so…
* Pack—check.
* Download the ebooks I want to read while I’m away—check.

So…can you think of anything I might have missed?

If you’re on Facebook or Instagram, I’ll be doing my best to share my trip while I’m away. But, never fear, I’ll share the highlights of my trip in my next post here. Happy July everyone!

Sunday Smooch: HOLT Medallion nominee

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Michelle Douglas but first the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is...Jan VanEngen.


Congratulations Jan! Can you please contact Clare: clareconnelly (at) outlook (dot) com to receive your copy of Shock Heir for the King.






 And now for a retro Sunday Smooch from A Baby in His In-Tray -- a finalist in this year's HOLT Medallion!

Taking care of baby

With the boss!

When Liv Gilmour's identical twin sister begs her to take her place for a week to work for business hotshot Lord Sebastian Tyrrell, she can't say no--after all, the boss will be away. Until someone abandons a baby with a note demanding Sebastian take care of it. Suddenly Sebastian's swift return sees Liv up close and personal with the sexy boss...and a baby who needs them both!

Normally I'd give a scene set-up, but in this case I fear it'd give away too many spoilers. So I'll just let the kiss stand on it's own merits. ;-)


The sure pressure of Seb’s lips on Liv’s, the way his fingers cradled her head as if she were made of something fine and precious, completely undid her, crumbling any resistance she might’ve put up.

Resistance? There was no thought of resistance. Kissing Seb was the most exciting, wonderful thing she’d ever done! She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him back with everything she had.

For a moment he seemed to bend under the onslaught of her wholehearted enthusiasm, like a tree in the wind, but he came back with a force that had the potential to fell them both.

‘Seb.’ His name whispered from her lips. She couldn’t help it. She wanted to say his name over and over. She wanted to whisper it to the stars.

Warm lips pressed kisses to her throat, teeth scraping gently across the delicate skin there. Her knees trembled, her legs threatening to buckle beneath her, but his arm slid about her waist to hold her upright…and so very close. She pressed herself even closer. Under her hands, his shoulders flexed—broad and strong. She traced her hands up the strong column of his neck, the stubble on his cheek scraping her palms as she urged his mouth back to hers.

He kissed her so thoroughly, so completely and shockingly explicitly that a fire burst into flaming life and engulfed them both, and all she could do was hold on and try to keep up with him.

Kissing him was like being on a roller coaster. And yet it was like being wrapped in a warm blanket too. It was like flying, but it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Exotic and forbidden scents should be swirling all around them…as well as the scent of baking bread and sunshine-scented soap. She expected to hear fireworks exploding…alongside birdsong. Kissing Seb was all things exciting…and all things warm and welcoming.

It made no sense, and it made all sense.

She fitted into his arms perfectly, as she’d known she would. And she knew that if they were naked they’d fit even more perfectly. And she wanted that. She craved it with every atom, sinew and fibre. Ecstasy sparked to life wherever he touched…and aches and burnings and yearnings. She pressed herself against him to try and assuage the need engulfing her.

‘God, Eliza.’

It wasn’t his ragged breathing or the hoarseness of his voice that made her freeze. Eliza. She wasn’t Eliza. She wasn’t who he thought she was.

She pushed away from him with all her strength. ‘No!’

The single word rang around the room, dispelling her ludicrous notion of fireworks and birdsong. He released her immediately. ‘Eliza…?’

She’d let him kiss her when he thought she was someone else. She’d kissed him back. What kind of person did that make her?

Amazon

iBooks

Barnes & Noble

Harlequin

I adore this book so I'm super excited it has been named a finalist in the HOLT Medallion. To go into the draw to win a signed copy of A Baby in His In-Tray just leave a comment:  Have you ever won anything? I used to dream about winning a holiday to a dream location -- which never happened. But I did win a meat tray last month and that made me ridiculously happy. :-)

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

Some Prim and (not so) Proper Facts

The Aussie cover

It’s May, and as Miss Prim’s Greek Island Fling hit the shelves this month, I thought I’d share some fun facts about the book.

#1: This book was an utter delight to write. I can’t remember enjoying the writing of a book more. That, however, doesn't mean it was perfect first or even second time around. I had revisions, and then tweaks. But they were fun too! Which is crazy sauce because normally I hate revisions. I know, I know, they make a book better, but I usually find them a hard slog—but not for Miss Prim. :)

#2: My working title was The Playboy and Miss Prim. I like Miss Prim’s Greek Island Fling better, don’t you? Annie West tells me the title has music, and I think she might be right.

The UK cover

#3: The theme song for this story was ABBA’s "Tropical Loveland" because my setting was an island paradise (even if it technically wasn’t tropical). I listened to the song A LOT. But I didn’t watch the film clip until yesterday when I was writing this post. OMG! Just…go watch it for the hilarious moment when Frida eats a banana. ;-)



#4: Maybe the book was so much fun because my research was so fun. It included Google Mapping lots of Greek islands. Happy sighs. And it included watching the Mamma Mia movies (many times) as well as The Durrells. I still swoon over the scenery every single time.

#5: The very first line of the book stayed the same from from first draft to last draft. It reads: It was the sound of shattering glass that woke her. Cool, huh?

I’ve had some glorious reviews for Miss Prim. If you want to grab a copy, it’s available online in all the usual places and on the shelves in Australia and the UK right now.

The US cover

Amazon
iBooks
Barnes & Noble
Harlequin

Sunday Smooch with Michelle Douglas

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Miss Prim's Greek Island Fling.

 

An idyllic island retreat…

…with her Mr. Wrong!

After a devastating betrayal, Audra Russel escapes to her brother’s Greek island to lick her wounds. Only she soon finds that her brother’s best friend, Finn Sullivan, is vacationing there, too! He may be recovering from a near-fatal accident, but the irresistible daredevil is intent on showing buttoned-up Audra how to have a good time. And now that she’s started, she doesn’t ever want to stop!

-->

[Scene set up: Finn is frustrated because Audra keeps resisting fun and frivolity and the notion of letting her hair down. She’s such a warm and generous person and he wants her to be happy. This is one challenge he refuses to walk away from.]


‘I’ll tell you what I understand. That you’re the most uptight, repressed person I have ever met.’

‘Repressed?’ Her mouth opened and closed. ‘I— What are you doing?’

He’d seized her hand and was towing her towards a copse of Aleppo pine and carob trees. ‘What’s that?’ He flung an arm out at the vista spread below them.

She glared. ‘The Aegean. It’s beautiful.’

‘And that?’ He pointed upwards.

She followed his gaze. Frowned and shrugged, evidently not following where he was going with this. ‘The…sky?’

‘The sun,’ he snapped out. ‘And it’s shining in full force in case you hadn’t noticed. And where are we?’

She swallowed. ‘On a Greek island.’

He crowded her in against a tree, his arms going either side of her to block her in. ‘If there was ever a time to let you hair down and rebel against your prim and proper strictures, Audra, now’s the time to do it.’

She stared up at him with wide throbbing eyes, and he relished the moment—her stupefaction…her bewilderment…her undeniable hunger when her gaze lowered to his lips. This moment had seemed inevitable from when she’d appeared on the stairs a week ago to peer at him with those icy blue eyes, surveyed him in handcuffs, and told him it served him right.

His heart thudded against his ribs, he relished the adrenaline that surged through his body, before he swooped down to capture her lips in a kiss designed to shake up her safe little world. And he poured all of his daredevil wildness and adventurous temptation into it in a devil-may-care invitation to dance.

The assault on Audra’s senses the moment Finn’s lips touched hers was devastating. She hadn’t realised she could feel a kiss in so many ways, that it’s impact would spread through her in ever-widening circles that went deeper and deeper.

Finn’s warmth beat at her like the warmth of the sun after a dip in the sea. It melted things that had been frozen for a very long time.

His scent mingled with the warm tang of olive trees and sun-kissed grasses, and with just the tiniest hint of salt on the air it was exactly what a holiday should smell like. It dared her to play, it tempted her to reckless fun…and…and to a youthful joy she’d never allowed herself to feel before.

And she was powerless to resist. She had no defences against a kiss like this. It didn’t feel as if defences were necessary. A kiss like this…it should be embraced and relished…welcomed.

Finn had been angry with her, but he didn’t kiss angry. He kissed her as though he couldn’t help it—as though he’d been fighting a losing battle and had finally flung himself wholeheartedly into surrender. It was intoxicating.

Totally heady and wholly seductive.

 This is  one of the funnest books I've ever written, and in a lot of ways the book itself is about fun and joy and what brings us peace and pleasure. So let's all broaden our finding-pleasure horizons. What (other than family, friends and reading as I know all of us here find great joy in those things) brings you pleasure? Leave a comment to go into the draw to win a signed copy of Miss Prim's Greek Island Fling! :-)

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Amy Andrews will be posted!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

ABBA

 I’ve had a long love affair with Swedish pop sensation ABBA. Ever since they burst onto the charts in the mid 1970s they had my heart (ousting the Bay City Rollers from top slot). So you can imagine my delight when the ABBASOLUTELY FABBAULOUS SHOW toured Newcastle last week.

I have SO many happy memories involving Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Bjorn.

#1: The day all the girls in my fourth class spontaneously broke into When I Kissed the Teacher when the much-adored sixth class teacher, Mr Malcolm, walked into our classroom. I can still remember the smiles, the happiness…and how that seemed to last the whole day. :) When I Kissed the Teacher is still one of my favourite ABBA songs.

#2: Being allowed to go to the drive-in with my older cousins to see the ABBA movie. It was one of those iconic “I’m a grown-up” moments (completely false, mind you, but I adored my cousins and I can still taste my excitement).

I now have the ABBA Movie on DVD!

#3: When I was an undergraduate—back in the old, old days (early 1990s)—my flatmate and I would religiously rock up to The Castle every Wednesday night for FABBA—an ABBA tribute band. We’d dance non-stop until the wee small hours, and then drag ourselves off to classes the next day. That was back in the days when a late night didn’t wipe me out for a week. ;-)

My battered Arrival album and a 45 of Fernando (B-side is -- swoon -- Tropical Loveland)

I loved Muriel’s Wedding and Priscilla Queen of the Desert when they came out. I swooned over both Mamma Mia movies. So it will come as no surprise to you that I was one of the first out of my seat at the theatre last Thursday when ABBASOLUTELY FABBAULOUS SHOW kicked off proceedings with Does Your Mother Know? Yes, much dancing and crazy good times were had. :)

You wanna know what else is putting a smile on my face? ABBA has just announced that they’re reforming to record two brand new songs!

TWO. NEW. SONGS. Coloured me excited.

Okay, it’s your turn now. What’s your favourite musical crush?

What are you...?

Back in the old old days (that is, in the early days of the Lovecats blog) we often used to open our posts with a series of whats—what I’m watching/reading/listening to etc, and as I love to know what people are watching/reading/listening to etc, I thought that’d be a fun game to play today. So I’ll start…

#1 What I’m watching…

Nothing of particular interest at the moment—reruns of Escape to the Country and Location Location Location (I adore Kirsty and Phil). But, I am going to launch into this soon.

Rachel Bailey has been telling me I MUST watch this. And I have a feeling she’s right. Who else is a fan?

#2 What I’m listening to…

This is the last song I downloaded. And I thought the singer actually sang: “Tell your Mum I said hi”. Noooo. She sings: “Tell ’em all I said, hi”. I have a friend whose 20-year-old son recently broke up with his girlfriend of 5 years. She and his girlfriend are missing each other. That’s what I thought the song was about.

 I like my version better. In this version she sounds all self-pitying and “poor me”. So I continue singing my version of the lyrics. ;-) Who else does this?

# What I’m reading…

I just finished two seriously enjoyable reads. Kaz Delaney’s Chocolate and Old Lace. Rosie Hart and I are going to become very good friends. :-)

 And Tikka Chance On Me by Suleikha Snyder. Amy Andrews told me I HAD to read this, and she was right. It was sassy and sexy with great banter.

So now I’m reading James Scott Bell’s 27 Fiction Writing Mistakes—and How Not to Make Them. I’m knee-deep in my next book, and I feel as if I’ve forgotten how to write (this happens from time to time), and this one is reminding me of a few fundamentals.

 # What’s making me smile…

Because of the James Scott Bell book above, I ordered a hard copy of the book Description by Monica Wood (not available as an ebook) from BetterWorldBooks. And my book sent me a message:

Holy canasta! It's me... it's me! I can't believe it is actually me! You could have picked any of over 2 million books but you picked me! I've got to get packed! How is the weather where you live? Will I need a dust jacket? I can't believe I'm leaving Mishawaka, Indiana already - the friendly people, the Hummer plant, the Linebacker Lounge - so many memories. I don't have much time to say goodbye to everyone, but it's time to see the world!

I can't wait to meet you! You sound like such a well read person. Although, I have to say, it sure has taken you a while! I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but how would you like to spend five months sandwiched between Jane Eyre (drama queen) and Fundamentals of Thermodynamics (pyromaniac)? At least Jane was an upgrade from that stupid book on brewing beer. How many times did the ol' brewmaster have one too many and topple off our shelf at 2am?

I know the trip to meet you will be long and fraught with peril, but after the close calls I've had, I'm ready for anything (besides, some of my best friends are suspense novels). Just five months ago, I thought I was a goner. My owner was moving and couldn't take me with her. I was sure I was landfill bait until I ended up in a Better World Books book drive bin. Thanks to your socially conscious book shopping, I've found a new home. Even better, your book buying dollars are helping kids read from Brazil to Botswana.

How much fun is that, huh?

So, your turn! What have you been watching, listening to, reading, or what’s been making you smile recently?

Sunday Smooch with Andrea Bolter

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from The Prince's Cinderella but first...

... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Donamae Kutska!

 

Donamae, can you please contact Kandy: kandy (at) kandyshepherd (dot) com to receive your copy of Second Chance with the Single Dad

And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Andrea Bolter.

 From event planner…To belle of the ball!

Organizing a charity gala on the glamorous French Riviera is a dream come true for event planner Marie. And then she realizes she’ll be working with single dad--and handsome prince--Zander! Marie has never felt she truly belonged anywhere, least of all alongside royalty, but Zander soon sweeps her into his world of toddlers and tiaras! Dare Marie believe she’s found her fairy-tale ending--a family of her own?

Scene set-up: In Cannes on the French Riviera, Marie and Zander attend glamorous parties together as they work on a charity gala of their own.


    Zander hadn’t meant to kiss Marie. Hadn’t meant to at all!
     Why had he, why had he? His brain throbbed, and would until it had its answer. Maybe it was after being approached by those two aggressive party girls. Who reminded him of Henriette and the endless parade of awful women that had defined his life thus far. Marie was so definitely not like any of them. And he found himself opening up to her, perhaps actually too much.
     But, in any case, a kiss on the cheek was merely a sociable gesture, right? He hoped that was it, although he wouldn’t swear to that conclusion.
     Unfortunately, his mouth wouldn’t stop vibrating after the feel of his lips against Marie’s cheek. Surely the clouds in the sky weren’t as soft as her delicate skin. His mouth had barely brushed across her face but his body reacted as if a firecracker had exploded inside of him.
    His behavior was dangerous. It was shocking how he hadn’t had any control of himself in the moment after he’d confided in her about the royal gold diggers. His mouth was propelled to Marie’s face as if an outside power had deemed it and there was nothing he could do but obey the command.
     Everyone pecked everyone on the cheek at events like this, he reasoned with himself. It was no big deal. Marie had probably forgotten about a minute after it happened. He would, too.
     As those reassurances ticked across his mind, he knew they were lies. The kiss dilated his eyes with desire, both physical and emotional. It was as if he hadn’t known how hungry he was until someone handed him a crust of bread. He suddenly felt as if he was starving.
     However, this was no time in his life to sate that craving.
     He could surely have physical contact with a woman if he wanted to. After the APCF gala. And with a female other than Marie. He was free to have dalliances that meant nothing to him, and not under the same room as Abella of course. But there’d be no getting serious with anyone for many years to come, if ever.
     Indeed, after Henriette, it had been dawning on him more and more that if he were ever to marry, his wife would effectively become Abella’s mother. Not only would he have to find someone he could trust with his niece’s safety and wellbeing, whoever he was with would have to be able and willing to accept Abella as part of the package. To be a good influence on her and to genuinely love her like her own. Zander would accept nothing less. It was a tall order.
     Frankly, he doubted he’d ever meet someone like that. Which was fine with him. Abella was the one in line for the throne. As Zander was Elise’s younger brother, he was not obliged to produce heirs. If he never married it might appear unconventional but wouldn’t harm the royal family in any way.
     So why was it that everything about Marie had thrown him into a brainstorm of new ideas and new contradictions?

  Zander and Marie are in charge of a huge charity gala. If you had loads of money to spend and resources at your disposal, would you enjoy throwing a lavish party? What aspect would be the most fun to you?

 Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Clare Connelly will be posted!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

Sunday Smooch - Second Chance with the Single Dad by Kandy Shepherd

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!


Today we have a smooch from Kandy Shepherd's new release SECOND CHANCE WITH THE SINGLE DAD but first


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Laurie!


Can you please contact  annie@annie-west.com to receive your copy of The Greek's Forbidden Innocent.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from Kandy Shepherd. 

From long-lost friends...

To newfound family?

Georgia and Wil were best friends until he married and disappeared from her life. Now he’s back, asking Georgia to forget the past and help him secure his future—the daughter he never knew he had! Georgia’s heart goes out to new dad Wil, but there’s an uncharted chemistry fizzing between them and she must protect her heart. Can they confront their unspoken attraction and finally become a family?

Scene set-up

Girl-next-door schoolteacher Georgia Lang and handsome self-made millionaire Wil Hudson go way back as “just friends.” They know each other so well they claim to read each other’s thoughts. But not everyone wishes the platonic friends well and the friendship ends abruptly and painfully. There was always an attraction, something deeper, but for fear of unleashing emotions they couldn’t handle, of losing the friendship, they never acted on it. Then Wil becomes a single dad to adorable baby Nina and Georgia agrees to help, staying with him for the school vacation at his beautiful house. But his visiting parents misunderstand the situation and think Wil and Georgia are engaged. The seriousness of his mother’s illness make Wil want to maintain the charade just for a few days. Georgia reluctantly agrees. But it’s still just platonic—right?

Smooch  - 

‘I’m in. I’m your fiancée until Wednesday,’ she said.

Wil stepped closer. Took both her hands in his. She looked down to their joined hands and back up to him, alarmed

‘It’s only pretend, remember,’ he said. ‘But we need to be convincing. As you reminded me, I’ve never kissed you. Engaged people should probably have some knowledge of what it’s like to kiss each other.’

Georgia looked up at him, her eyes wide and wary, but still with a trace of smile lingering at the corners of her lips. Her mouth was slicked with cherry-red gloss and it looked eminently kissable. He’d always found that slight unevenness of her top lip very appealing—now he wanted to know how it felt under his lips, how she tasted, how she felt in his arms.

‘Okay, so we kiss,’ she said.

‘Right,’ he said, taken aback by her practical approach.

‘Shall I be the first?’

‘What do you mea—?’

Before he could finish his question, Georgia had tugged on their linked hands to pull him close and pressed her mouth against his, soft and warm and, to his surprise, hesitant. For all her show of bravado, she was nervous.

Wil wasn’t the slightest bit nervous. More like exultant that he had her so close. Kissing Georgia at last.He took command of the kiss, being careful to keep his lips on hers tender and undemanding.

A shiver of surrender ran through her as she relaxed into the kiss. He tightened his grip on her hands. She parted her lips to welcome his tongue with a little murmur of what he couldn’t be sure was pleasure or trepidation. He vowed, with a fierce surge of protectiveness, he would make sure she felt only pleasure from his touch.

Her curves were soft and yielding against his chest. He slid his hands around to grasp her waist and pull her even closer. The wrap skirt of her dress had swung open to the top of her taut, toned thighs and her legs were bare against his. When her tongue met his, tentative at first and then meeting his in a sensual tangle, he was stunned by the sudden and intense shock waves of pleasure that rippled through his body—and his heart.

Her first kiss with Wil. It was so much more than Georgia could ever have imagined. She was almost overwhelmed by excitement. This isn’t real, she tried to remind herself, but she couldn’t think logically when she was so overwhelmed by sensation. This was Wil, familiar, yet, oh, so unfamiliar. His mouth, tasting of coffee and his favourite chocolate cookie. His scent, citrus shower gel with a heady touch of fresh, manly sweat. His hard, perfect male body in such intimate contact with hers.

What had started as a harmless practice kiss had flamed into something else altogether and escalated to a passionate exchange that surprised the heck out of her. Her heart hammered, her body pulsed with want. They’d always had a connection, mental, spiritual, now it was physical. The difference between friend and potential lover. 

Her heart gave a huge jolt. She broke away from the kiss to catch her breath, to find her balance. If she didn’t pull away from him, she’d be dragging him behind the house and pushing him up against the wall.

She came up for air, panting, holding on to her heart. Wil was the same, his eyes dazed and unfocused. He seemed as knocked out as she was by what they had unleashed.

‘What happened there?’ she gasped.

Wil was drawing in great gulps of air in an effort to steady his voice. ‘Eight years of wanting to kiss you? What’s your guess?’

‘Same,’ she managed to choke out. The thought struck her. ‘Or was it an act? On your part, I mean. You know, to look authentic.’

‘I sure as hell wasn’t acting. What about you?’

She shook her head. ‘No. It...it was real.’

Georgia looked up at him and, as had happened so many times before, their eyes connected and they laughed. She felt exhilarated, high almost. Her buddy Wil. The best kisser she’d ever kissed.

He planted a firm, hard kiss on her mouth. ‘Who knew?’ 

I'm a believer in platonic friendships but others think that there is often an underlying attraction - perhaps only on one side - even if it might never be acted on. What are your thoughts?

 Leave a comment here and go into the draw to win a copy of SECOND CHANCE WITH THE SINGLE DAD. 

Come back next Sunday, when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced and a smooch from Andi Bolter will be posted!

Smooch Graphic by WebWeaver

Introducing debut author Ella Hayes

It's always exciting to welcome a brand new author to the romance community, and today I'm delighted to introduce Ella Hayes with her debut book: Her Brooding Scottish Heir. Hi Ella, it’s wonderful to have you join us today. Can you tell us a little about your journey to publication with Harlequin Mills & Boon?

 Hi Michelle, thank you for having me! There’s a bit of a story to my journey (which probably answers one of your questions below too).

I’m here now because I entered a competition that Mills & Boon were running in association with Prima Magazine in the UK. The #lovetowrite competition invited writers to submit an opening chapter and outline for either a “True Love” or “Medical” romance.
My friend, Sophie sent me a link to the competition and said I should have a go. I wasn’t sure about it to be honest. It had been years since I’d read a Mills & Boon romance… so the competition details sat on my desk for a week or two… and then suddenly I had an idea for a story! I wrote it and sent it in, not for a second thinking I had a chance. But a couple of months later, I had an email from M&B telling me I was on the short list! That’s a surreal moment – suddenly you catch yourself wondering about your chances of winning…and you keep telling yourself not to think about it. Anyway, about three weeks after that the phone rang. I was editing photos and I almost didn’t answer. (I screen calls because we get a lot of spam phone calls and I didn’t recognise the number.) I’m so glad I picked up! It was Bryony Green from Mills & Boon – when she told me I’d won the competition I almost dropped the phone! 

Her Brooding Scottish Heir is your debut romance. It’s no secret that I love the Romance line (Forever in Australia/New Zealand, True Love in the UK), but can you tell us what drew you to write for this particular line, and what it is that you love about it?

So, as I said before, I submitted to True Love because that was what M&B were looking for. (I couldn’t have written a medical without a lot of research.) I know a lot more about the True Love line now, and I think it’s a great fit for the kind of stories I like to write. I like emotionally intense stories that have a strong current of sexual tension, but I don’t want to write explicit love scenes. I admire writers who can do that, but I prefer to set things up then let the reader imagine the rest!

Is there a particular incident or inspiration that led to the writing of Her Brooding Scottish Heir? And what’s your favourite scene in the book? Would you like to share a (shortish) snippet?

The answer is YES! When I was thinking about a story, I knew I wanted to write something set in Scotland, but Scotland has a low population and a lot of space (like Australia!) so romantic plot lines don’t automatically jump out at you. Then I started thinking about an artist I follow on Facebook/Twitter. Her name is Ellis O’Connor www.ellisoconnor.com When she was an art student in Dundee she used to model part-time and a few years ago, we were booked to do a photo shoot together so we’d connected on social media. In the end, she couldn’t make the shoot, but I carried on following her because I like her work. She’s written some great blog pieces about her isolated residencies in the Hebrides and Iceland, and really it was thinking about that that gave me the idea for my Irish heroine, Milla O’Brien. Milla is seeking refuge in an isolated Scottish bothy so that she can work on her portfolio – but she’s also running away from a broken engagement. She wants to be alone to lick her wounds but instead she meets Cormac Buchanan…

When I emailed Ellis to tell her that she had inspired my character she was shocked (in a good way). She’s thrilled about it, amused, amazed. We emailed back and forth a bit – I’ve sent her a copy of the book!

Favourite scene? Gosh, I love my characters to bits, so this is tricky! I suppose the first time they are physically close (but not wanting to be physically close) is a fun bit. Milla has gone over on her ankle and Cormac has swept her up in his arms to carry her back to the house… 

    ‘You’re strong. Do you work at it?’
    He stepped over an exposed tree root. He couldn’t very well dodge her question when she was fused closer to him than his own shadow. ‘I have to be fit…for my job.’
    ‘Oh, right—Sam mentioned it. You’re in the Army—a captain or something.’
    ‘Troop Commander—I’m in the Engineers.’ He wondered what else Sam had told her.
    ‘Well it’s lucky for me you’re so— Can I rest my head against you? It’s kind of hard, holding it away.’
    She didn’t wait for him to answer but dropped her head against his. Her hair felt soft on his cheek, the clean scent of it filling his nostrils while her breath warmed his neck. He didn’t want to like it so much and lifted his head a little higher, ordering himself to ignore the sensory overload that was Milla O’Brien.
    He felt her cheeks lifting into a smile. ‘I might have guessed you were a commander.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘When you ordered me to get my wheel fixed you were kind of bossy.’
    He tried to stop the smile twitching at the edges of his lips. ‘It’s important to have a working spare.’
    ‘I know that. My father’s a motor mechanic.’
    He laughed. ‘No surprise there.’
    ‘How so?’
    ‘Not many girls I know can talk so knowledgably about air ratchets.’

That was such a fun scene! :-)

Who are your favourite contemporary romance writers (we’re all devout romance readers here so I’m just going to take it for granted that like the majority of us you love Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and Georgette Heyer :))?

Hmmm. Dare I admit that I don’t read a lot of genre romance? I’ve just completed a Master’s in Writing Practice and Study at Dundee University (my first degree was History) so my reading over the past year particularly has been heavyweight stuff. However, I do love Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice is a favourite – and I love The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller – more heartbreaking because it’s a true story! I recently read The Governess Game by Tessa Dare and I absolutely loved that! I was laughing out loud – she has a great voice and paints very likeable characters. I’ve got a few romance books on my Kindle, including Cotillion by Georgette Heyer. Now that I’ve been so thoroughly welcomed into the romance fold by the other Mills and Boon authors, one of my goals for 2019 is to read more romance – especially True Love and Historical.

And finally, we love pets of all shapes and sizes here at the LoveCats. Do any furred or feathered friends share your life…or maybe you have plans for one to grace the pages of an upcoming book?

I’m afraid I have no furry friends! We used to keep chickens but now the kids have left home there’s no point – you just get too many eggs. One of my sons had a very comical hamster called, Spud – he was a nice little thing – sweet tempered but sadly they don’t live very long. My next book won’t be featuring any pets either – I feel like I’m failing miserably here – although this time the story is set in Italy, so there’s plenty of sunshine and lots of romance! 

LOL, not failing at all! How can Italy, sunshine and romance fail? I adored Milla and Cormac's story and I'm looking forward to your next one. For anyone who'd like to grab a copy of of Her Brooding Scottish Heir, the buy links are below.

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Harlequin

Ella, super-duper congratulations on your debut book! What do you think, folks? Does a romance set in the Scottish highlands -- in a Scottish bothy no less -- sound romantic or what? I've not been to Scotland, but I think a reading and writing retreat in the highlands sounds like a rather nice plan, yes? Join me in welcoming Ella to the romance community, and don't be shy -- if you have a question for Ella, ask away.