The Bachelorette...and me!

Due to this…

…I’ve become utterly hooked on The Bachelorette.

The “this” of the above—if you haven’t heard me squeeing on FaceBook—is the fact that a Mills & Boon cover shoot was one of the show’s first group dates…and lucky me ended up with one of the covers. If the truth be told, I ended out with the BEST cover. ;-)

Don’t get me wrong, I love them all…but mine is the most traditional…and there’s a definite smoke factor happening there, don’t you think?

I’ve never watched much reality TV (except for GoggleBox and I believe I’ve blogged about my love for it before). Big Brother, Survivor, and I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here have never appealed. You know, I’m not even drawn to things like The Block or Master Chef because…well…it seems to me that these shows thrive on a rather large dose of participant humiliation. As I have a tendency to identify with the losers rather than the winners, this doesn’t make for comfortable viewing. And, believe me, the rose ceremony in The Bachelorette is far from comfortable viewing either.

The set up of The Bachelorette is utterly artificial too—one girl gets her pick from eighteen guys (none of them have ever met), with the view to finding true love…while an entire nation watches on. Would you do it? I sure as heck wouldn’t. Are these people crazy!!!

So why have I become hooked? Do I believe I’m seeing the whole picture onscreen or that I’m privy to everyone’s motivations? Not a chance! I think that might be part of the show’s beauty—trying to work out what’s really going on.

But the thing is…I’ve found myself liking some of these people. Quite a lot if you want the truth.

Sure there’s game-playing, competitiveness, and out-right rivalries, but there’s also friendship and bromance. There are moments of real sincerity that catch at me. I love watching the interactions among the guys and thinking: “He behaved well, what a nice guy,” or “OMG! I can’t believe he just did that!” And Bachelorette Georgia is so perky and so much fun, and yet she seems really down to earth. She doesn’t shy away from asking the hard questions or letting one of the guys know when he’s made her feel bad. And you know what? I think the world has far worse role models when it comes to the subject of love and how to treat people, than this show.

Oh, and one more reason I love The Bachelorette—Cameron! Cam features on my cover. If there’s a Mr Congeniality Award for the house, Cam will win it. Not only is he HOT, not only does he have the cutest smile, but he’s also a fireman. Swoon. And on their date he and Georgia played with puppies. It doesn’t get much better than that. :-)

Who else has been watching The Bachelorette? Come on, ‘fess up—do you love or loathe reality TV?

Mills & Boon
iTunes
Amazon
Booktopia

Back in the Saddle

I love going to new places and trying new things. Yesterday I didn’t so much try something new, but revive something old. When I was younger, I used to ride my bike to university. While flying along by the Brisbane River, I would relish that my own energy could get me to where I wanted go. 

That was then and this is now.

I haven’t ridden a bike properly for about fifteen years.  That all changed yesterday morning. My super-fit friends (a Commonwealth gold medal cyclist among them) ride all the time over the hills and dales and beaches of Byron. So with a cycle trip around the SA vineyards looming, I thought I should get my butt back into the saddle.

It was glorious. Although it was raining (!) and I ended up covered in mud and sand, it was so much

Jen on her bike

fun bouncing over the trails and riding home along the beach. I was a bit nervous about crashing but I only fell over when I was at a stand still and no-one saw, so that doesn’t count.

I’m now committed to keeping up (well trying!) with my friends and finding my old cycling groove.

Is there anything you used to do that you’ve taken up again later in life? I’d love to hear.

New Cats… Lots of Prizes

Ally Blake

Melanie Milburne

Oh and don’t forget to meet (if you haven’t already) our new Cats – Melanie Milburne and Ally Blake. 

Ally and Melanie joined Lovecats DownUnder on Friday and we held a huge welcome party. 

Pop over, read all about them and leave a comment to be in the running to win our fabulous prize packs.

HUGE Welcome Party for Two New Love Cats!

There have been some recent changes within the Love Cats. Two members have decided, for personal reasons, to become Cats in the Wild. Sharon Archer and Barbara De Leo have been lovely and long-standing members of the group and we're sorry to see them go. But we're looking forward to hearing about their adventures in the wild and to welcoming them back whenever they want to share their experiences.

With two Love Cats leaving that means two new Cats joining us here. We're absolutely delighted and chuffed to welcome Ally Blake and Melanie Milburne, both talented writers and lovely women! 

As you know, new Cats means it's time to PARTY! So get comfy and prepare to join us with the tipple of your choice (mine is champagne!) to celebrate Melanie and Ally's arrival. There are four stupendous prizes to be won (I'm not exaggerating) but first, let's get to know our newest Cats who are kindly sharing some tidbits with us.  

Welcome, Ally Blake!

Ally, do you remember the first category romance you read? Is there a book (romance or otherwise) that made you want to become a writer?

Not the first but my first favourite.  “Enemy in Camp” by Janet Dailey.  Feisty blue-blood heroine, laconic blue-collar hero, lots of fun secondary characters (including a meddling little sister - very Philadelphia Story) and a lovely, rich, wry, heart-tugging romance.

It was such a stand out to me I still have the original copy.  The spine is falling apart; the pages are yellowed and brittle, and I often wonder if that hero helped shaped the heroes I write today.

There’s something warm and wonderful about the 30c price tag and store stamp from the ‘Book Swap’ shop where it was bought.  But I especially love that I discovered it amongst the trillion Mills and Boons my grandmother always kept under her spare bed.   For me writing category romance was meant to be – it was in my blood.

Is there a category romance you’ve read so far this year that that stands out for you?

Amy Andrews’ “Some Girls Do” (the free first book in her Outback Heat series) was an absolute blast.  Fun, fast and super sexy.   I also powered through a slew of Stefanie London’s fantastic romances.  I’ve been saving her bestselling “Pretend Its Love” for one of those rainy days when you NEED to curl up under a warm blanket and read something yummy.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy most?

Oh the blissful possibility of that perfect blank first page – when the story is a shining gem inside your mind; unblemished by human error, untwisted by characters who don’t act how you want them to, the purity as yet unveiled to the world.  The moment you write the very first word…it’s not longer yours.

Do you share your life with anyone furred, feathered or scaled? If so we’d love to hear about them.

You bet I do!  First a disclaimer. One of the many strings to my husband’s bow is professional snake catcher.  He’s also a licensed breeder of reptiles and has been since he was a kid.  So it’s no surprise that we live in a veritable menagerie.

In the past we’ve had black-headed pythons, blue tongued lizards, shingle backs and more.  The current state of affairs is relatively tame!

We have…a cat (Friday), a penny turtle (Cupcake), a half dozen chooks, and five aviaries filed with Kakariks (the sweetest, friendliest, chattiest little parrots that my husband breeds). And last Christmas holidays our lucky kids got their first dog.  Cookie is a Brittany Spaniel – a vivacious, adorable creature who wants nothing more on this earth than to snuggle, cuddle, sit on us, lick us, and love us.  Oh and cheese.  She reeeeally loves cheese.

Finally, can you share one fact about yourself we might not already know?

Ooooh.  Okay.  How about my favourite movie in the whole wide world?

Aliens.

I loved it so much when I was in my teens I sat down and wrote out EVERY WORD OF THE SCREENPLAY (and then discovered you can actually buy copies of the things – sigh). And it’s not all action and awesome one liners.  It’s romantic too.  It is!  The extended edition when Ripley is heading off to fight the big bad alien mumma, unsure if she’ll ever see badly injured (and terribly handsome) Hicks again and they share their first names for the first time…

Ripley: See you, Hicks.

Corporal Hicks: Dwayne. It's Dwayne.

Ripley: ...Ellen.

Corporal Hicks: [smiles weakly] Don't be gone long, Ellen.

Oh, how the heart flutters!

Thanks for that, Ally. And a big welcome too, to Melanie Milburne!

Melanie, do you remember the first category romance you read? I read Kay Thorpe’s An Apple In Eden when I was seventeen and was totally hooked on category romance from that moment.

 Is there a book (romance or otherwise) that made you want to become a writer?

 I had always wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl, even before I began to read, as I loved stories so much. But it was reading Mary Stewart’s Nine Coaches Waiting (romantic suspense) when I was in my late teens that really made me dream of being a romance writer.

Is there a category romance you’ve read so far this year that that stands out for you?

This is going to sound really strange but I haven’t read a category romance in its entirety this year. I find it distracting to read category when I am on such a busy writing schedule (five to six books a year). I am always afraid of inadvertently borrowing phrases or being influenced by other author’s stories. I feel more comfortable reading other sub-genres of romance or crime or thriller and memoir and biography instead. But having said that, I do keep up to date with current trends in category romance and what the market wants.

What part of the writing process do you enjoy most?

 I love typing The End! I also love starting a new novel where the story idea is fresh and I’m in love with my characters and they haven’t yet started to annoy me by being difficult. But the whole process is wonderful. I love how things appear on the page as I’m typing that I hadn’t expected. It’s truly magical.

Do you share your life with anyone furred, feathered or scaled? If so we’d love to hear about them.

I have three miniature poodles: Polly, Lily and Gonzo. They are my writing and walking companions.  They do about twenty tricks now and I really enjoy teaching them new ones. I also have two cats: Matias and Mango. I am basically their butler! Matias is an Australian Long Hair and has the most placid personality. He and Gonzo adore each other. I have never seen a dog and cat have such a close and playful relationship.

 

Finally, can you share one fact about yourself we might not already know?

I used to school and break in horses when I was a teenager and young adult. And I have the aches and pains to prove it!

Thank you, Melanie!

And now for the final part of our celebration. Prizes! A party isn't complete without goodies, is it? We Love Cats have got together with Harlequin Mills and Boon to organise some fabulous prizes to share with you. All you need to do is comment on this post to go in the draw. Then, come back on Saturday 15th October to check out who has won.

2 winners (international) will each receive:

·         Amy Andrew’s ‘Holiday Swap’ duo with Emily Forbes

·         Rachel Bailey’s ‘ The Finn Factor’ (ebook)

·         Michelle Douglas’s ‘An Unlikely Bride for the Billionaire’

·         Louisa George’s ‘Something Borrowed’ (ebook)

·         A note book and bookmark from Bronwyn Jameson

·         Helen Lacey’s ‘The Cowgirl’s Forever Family’

·         Yvonne Lindsay’s ‘One Heir…Or Two?’ (in advance of its November release)

·         Stefanie London’s ‘A Dangerously Sexy Christmas’

·         Sue MacKay’s ‘Dr White’s Baby Wish’

·         Kandy Shepherd’s ‘The Bridesmaid’s Baby Bump’

·         Annie West’s ‘The Desert King’s Secret Heir’ (in advance of its December release)

We're delighted to announce that Mills and Boon Australia has also generously promised some fantastic prizes. So 2 other winners (must be located in Australia) will each receive:

·         A $50 book bundle from Mills and Boon Australia and

·         Jennifer St George’s ‘Wild for You’ (ebook).

If you're in Australia, don't forget to mention it in your comment so we know to include you in the draw for the book bundles.

So come and join the party and welcome our two newest LoveCats! 

Lovecats' favourite reads of 2016 (so far...)

We thought we'd share some stand out book love today!

Asking an avid reader what is their favourite book is liking asking a parent which is their favourite child...too hard!!! But some of the lovecats have managed to narrow down their faves of the year so far.  Here's hoping you'll get some great suggestions to add to your TBR shelf/pile, and maybe try some new authors.

Annie West

I can’t pick a favourite read for the year so instead am choosing the one that stood out as being so completely different from anything else I’ve been reading (and thank you to the fellow authors and readers who suggested it). ‘Rivers of London’ by Ben Aaronovitch is a cross between ‘The Bill’ and ‘Harry Potter’ with a lot of lovely wit and humour thrown in. The plot is fantastic (in both senses) so if you don’t like a touch of make believe, don’t pick it up. I found myself swept away by the story, the characters and the tension and have now enjoyed the later books in this series too. 







Sue Mackay

I'm a huge fan of Kristin Hannah. She just keeps getting better and better.

This is a story a girl and the family who befriended her, and the tragedy that came from that. Told through two people's POV it is unputdownable.











Stefanie London

Mine has been Melt Into You by Roni Loren this is not only my fave book of the year so far but hands down my favourite erotic romance series of all time. It's sexy, emotional and beautifully written. Can't praise it highly enough!










Amy Andrews

My stand out find this year has been Eve Dangerfield – a Melbourne author.

Locked Box is awesome












Helen Lacey

My favorite book so far this year is Neighbor Dearest by Penelope Ward. Love it! Fast and sexy and the hero was divine. Great chemistry between the two lead characters.











Bronwyn Jameson

My favourite recent read is The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (single title contemporary romance, first book, Australian author, although the book is set in an anonymous American city.)  It’s first person with only the heroine's viewpoint, and not knowing what was going on in the hero’s head worked beautifully for this story.  Lucy and Joshua are competitive co-workers at a publishing house; their relationship is antagonistic (understatement!); their banter is a thing of beauty.  I loved the writing, the fresh take on office romance, the love-hate dynamic, and the conflict resolution. 






Kandy Shepherd

One of my favourite reads this year is Career of Evil by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K. Rowling)  It’s a crime story not a romance. But author has created two quirky, memorable characters in private investigator Cormoran Strike and his sidekick Robin Ellacott. Over the three books (so far) in the series, a romance of the type when the reader really wants for them to get together is building. I initially resisted these books (book one, The Cuckoo’s Calling and book two The Silkworm) because of the hype about the author’s attempt at anonymity. But once tried, like the Harry Potter books, they immediately became addictive.



Yvonne Lindsay

My standout book so far this year has been Linda Howard’s, Troublemaker. Linda Howard has been an autobuy author of mine for many years and her heroes are just so larger than life and so intensely perfect for her heroines that her books are an absolute pleasure to read. It’s rare for me to be able to suspend my inner author voice when I’m reading a book, y’know, the one that is sometimes prompted to think, “Hmm, I wouldn’t have written that line that way,” but with this book I could simply be a reader and enjoy someone else’s hard work for a change.

What have been your standout reads so far this year?

A Sporting Weekend

with Bronwyn Jameson

Our driveway and creek crossing

The October long weekend always seems to sneak up on me. Perhaps because I don’t recognise it for a reason, such as Anzac Day or Queen’s Birthday or Australia Day. I had to check to reassure myself of its raison d’etre – Labour Day, that would be, although for many sports-loving Aussies it’s the Footie Long Weekend. At least it has become so since the AFL and Rugby League scheduled their grand-finals on this one week-end.

Given the current flooding, no-one in my household was going anywhere this weekend!

No caption needed!

 I am a bit of a sports tragic, so settling in for a weekend of football grand-finals and other games/events was no hardship. I am not a hardcore supporter of any teams, as in I have my favourites but I don’t don team colours and watch every game from season’s start to end. So although the Swans (my fave AFL team) lost, I didn’t shed tears...except in response to the good-guy, good-news stories that followed. 

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Or a gesture that defines a man as one of the good guys? Or a Hemsworth viewing?

At Ohio State University one year ago

I did not watch the Rugby League grand-final. After the World Cup of Hockey final, the AFL grand-final, two American College Football games – we got to see an Ohio State University game while in Columbus this time last year and I became an instant fan – and the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix (yay, Daniel Riccardo!) I was pretty much sported out. I needed a walk, some gardening, and a (non-sporting) book* to round out my weekend.

*Although if you’re looking for a sports-themed read, check out Amy Andrews’ Sydney Smoke Rugby series.

How do you spend this past weekend, whether short or long? Are you an armchair sports fan? Do you enjoy sports-themed romance (and if so, do you have any recommendations?)

Sunday Smooch with Stefanie London

Welcome to another LoveCats DownUnder Sunday Smooch!

Today we have a smooch from Stefanie London but first 


... the winner of last week's Sunday Smooch Giveaway is Franca Poli


Can you please contact clare@clareconnelly.co.uk  to receive your copy of A CASACELLI FOR CHRISTMAS.


And now for today's Sunday Smooch from A Dangerously Sexy Secret.

Siren…or Sinner? 

With her long blond hair and flowy skirts, Rhys Glover’s new neighbor is the sexiest woman he’s ever seen. He quickly learns she’s also free-spirited and impulsive—the total opposite of his own personality. They should be like oil and water. Instead, the chemistry between them is like oxygen and flame.

But when Rhys’s next assignment for Cobalt and Dane security leads him right back to Wren, Rhys begins to walk a very fine line between ethics and desire. He believes he can trust Wren, but can he trust himself when he’s with her? And if she is keeping her own dangerous secrets, will he be able to walk away?

***

I had SO MUCH FUN writing Rhys and Wren. They're next door neighbours, total opposites and on opposing sides of an investigation. As with the previous two books in the Dangerous Bachelors Series, this book has a slight suspense/mystery element which I really enjoyed writing - so hopefully you'll enjoy it too!

Now, onto the smooch..

He uttered her name so low she almost didn’t hear it. But he only took a second before he grabbed her hips and pinned her against the kitchen counter.

“I thought I was going to be the one to make a move.”

“So move,” she said, taunting him softly.

A gasp escaped her lips as he nudged his leg between hers, his thigh applying just the right amount of pressure to the needy ache there.

“Yes.” The word slipped from her lips and Wren felt her last remaining ounce of restraint disappear into the ether.

What did Debbie say—you’ve got to use it before you lose it?

Maybe it was stupid to get entangled with Rhys. No, it was definitely stupid. And not only that, it was irresponsible and selfish. She was keeping secrets from this man who’d been nothing but kind to her. Even after she’d spilled out all the pain of what had happened to her back home.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

But right now her brain wasn’t the one in the driver’s seat. So there would be no obeying the speed limit, no following the rules. Her body had taken over, and it wanted to make up for lost time.
“How do you feel about dessert?” she asked.

Hard granite dug into her lower back as his hips held her fast. “What do you have in mind?”
“Let’s skip whatever you had planned and go straight to bed.”

“Health conscious. I like it.” His hot breath whispered across her skin as his full lips grazed her cheek.

“Yes, exactly what I was going for.” She rolled her eyes, her laugh breaking off into a moan as he nipped at her earlobe. “Do you have to be such an adult about everything?”

“I’m thinking some very adult things right now.”

Her hands drifted up his chest, tracing each ridge of muscle one by one. “Oh yeah?”

“Super adult. It would make my spreadsheet look like child’s play.”

Laughter bubbled up in Wren’s chest as she placed a finger over his lips. “Okay, enough dirty talk.”
Mercifully, he brushed her hand aside and finally captured her mouth. The soft glide of his tongue against hers left her weak at the knees. He tasted of wine and heaven. Boy, oh boy, could he kiss.

This was A-grade, five-gold-stars, Nobel Prize levels of kissing.

I hope you enjoyed the smooch! I have a signed copy for one lucky commenter. All you have to do to enter is answer the following question: 

have you ever had to keep a secret from someone you cared about? Or have you ever stumbled across a secret that someone was keeping from you?

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

One of my books, Countering His Claim, is being reissued DownUnder this month in an anthology with three other books, called Local All-Star Anthology 2016.

I loved Luke and Della's story so I'm thrilled it's out in print again, but I've been thinking...

I celebrate a new release - sometimes by going out with friends, sometimes just raising a glass of bubbles at home with Mr Bailey. But do I celebrate a re-release? It's a shiny, new version, but it's still the same story.

I'd love to hear your thoughts! And if you think I should celebrate - any suggestions?

Never be distracted by a woman is hotel magnate Luke Marlow’s golden rule, especially when the woman just inherited half his late uncle’s luxury cruise liner. But ship’s doctor Della Walsh is the exception. Her dignified beauty ignites Luke’s desire despite his suspicions. Even so, he will gain full control of the ship at all costs.

For Della, the ship has been a sanctuary. Now she has just three weeks to change Luke’s mind and save the ship—until passion comes along and steers them off course….