I’m happy to welcome award-winning author Bobbi Smith. Today, Bobbi shares her new release, A Cowboy for Christmas.

Blurb

Dan Roland has always gone it alone. And no prissy miss from back East is going to convince him to do otherwise. Even if she does have the most alluring brown eyes he’s ever seen. But when his boss suddenly orders that he help the brunette beauty find a buried treasure, the rugged ranch foreman doesn’t have any choice but to offer his protection.

It’s not just the weather leaving Penny Anderson feeling a bit chilly upon her return to Texas. First she gets the news that her ailing father has hidden the family fortune. Then she learns Dan Roland is the only one he trusts to help her find it. And yet one teasing, tempting kiss at a time, he starts to thaw her out until all she yearns for is A COWBOY FOR CHRISTMAS.

Excerpt

John couldn’t believe his luck as he tracked Dan and Penny. Things were turning out far better than he’d ever hoped. First, he’d turn their horses loose and then he’d get the money from them and take off. His plan was perfect. This blue norther would take care of everything else for him.

Dan and Penny were so far away from the line shack they wouldn’t last in the freezing cold, and even if they did survive, he’d be long gone by the time anyone rescued them.

Feeling more confident than ever, John moved down to where they’d left their horses. He checked the saddlebags and found the metal box filled with money that they’d found on their first dig. After running the horses off, he went to find them.

John reached the drop-off on the side of the road and was surprised to see Dan and Penny on their way up carrying another box of money. He stepped back to stay out of sight until Dan reached the trail.

Dan got to the top and helped Penny up to find John waiting there for them. He immediately feared the worst – that he’d come after them because Jack had died.

“John, what happened?”

“Nothing’s happened … yet,” John said, his tone serious.

“Then why are you here?” Dan demanded.

John’s expression turned deadly. “I want the money.” He drew his gun and aimed it at them. “Just toss the box over here, real easy.”

“Don’t do this. You’ll never get away with it.”

“Thieves only get in trouble if they get caught,” John sneered, “I’ll be so far gone before anyone finds out what I did, they won’t have a chance. Now, throw that box over here or I’ll shoot the girl.”

Author Bio and Links

After working as a department manager for Famous-Barr, and briefly as a clerk at a bookstore, Bobbi Smith gave up on career security and began writing. She sold her first book to Zebra in 1982.

Since then, Bobbi has written over 40 books and 6 novellas. To date, there are more than five million of her novels in print. She has been awarded the prestigious Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year Award and two Career Achievement Awards. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists.

When she’s not working on her novels, she is frequently a guest speaker for writer’s groups. Bobbi is mother of two sons and resides in St. Charles, Missouri with her husband and three dogs.

Romantic Times Storyteller of the Year

NY Times Bestseller

USA Today Bestseller

Inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta Literary Fraternity

Amazon Buy Link | Free to read on Kindle Unlimited

Giveaway

Bobbi Smith will be awarding a $10 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Bobbi on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Tamara Hughes. Today, Tamara shares her new release, Loving Lizzie Finn.

Blurb

Lizzie Finn grew up in a brothel, and she’s reminded of that fact every day. She dreams of finding a job and becoming independent. Only then can she be free of her aunt’s disdain. First, she must find an employer who won’t turn her away because of her past.

Byron Greeley is determined to save his family’s business after Lizzie’s uncle falsifies the amount Byron owes on a loan from the bank. Determined to find proof of Teague’s perfidy, Byron slips into the banker’s house and rummages through the study only to be discovered by Lizzie, a red-haired beauty who utterly captivates him.

Byron offers Lizzie a job in exchange for information about her uncle, and because she believes her uncle is innocent, she agrees. When Teague discovers Lizzie and Byron’s growing affection, he threatens to destroy Byron and his family, insisting Byron is exploiting her. Is Teague’s warning well-founded? Are Byron’s feelings for Lizzie true, or is Byron using her for his own gain?

Excerpt

A spring in her step, Emma placed the rose gown on the bed and returned to the wardrobe. “I saw the most handsome man last night.”

Lizzie’s pulse leaped. “You did?” Had Emma seen the drunken stranger in Uncle’s study? The handsome intruder had occupied Lizzie’s thoughts all night long.

“Of course I did. He is a sight for sore eyes.” Emma returned with the green skirt and carefully lowed it over Lizzie’s head. “Dark eyes, almost black in color, with a gaze so intense he nearly stole my breath.”

Yes. Exactly. As much as she’d tried, she couldn’t get the memory of those eyes out of her head.

Emma secured the skirt and grabbed the bodice. “And his hair, the same as his eyes, black as night.”

Slipping her arms into the sleeves, Lizzie disagreed, “I would hardly call it black, more a dark brown, the color of chestnuts. Which suits him quite well.” With strong, bold features, and a lean frame … She smiled a little when she thought of him. A handsome devil to be sure.

Emma came around to face Lizzie and began to button the gown’s front. “No. I’m quite sure Felix has darker hair than that.”

“Felix?” Had that been his name?

“Yes, our new footman.”

Footman? Lizzie’s cheeks flamed, and her smile dissipated. The man she’d met last night was no footman. He’d spoken of running his family’s business. How embarrassing to be caught admiring a complete stranger. What was wrong with her?

Author Bio and Links

A small-town girl with a big imagination, Tamara Hughes had no idea what to do with her life. After graduating from college, she moved to a big city, started a family and a job, and still struggled to find that creative outlet she craved. An avid reader of romance, she gave writing a try and became hooked on the power of exploring characters, envisioning adventures, and creating worlds. She enjoys stories with interesting twists and heroines who have the grit to surmount any obstacle, all without losing the ability to laugh.

Website | Facebook | BookBub | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Tamara Hughes will be awarding a $20 Amazon/Barne & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Tamara on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Karen Charles. Today, Karen shares her creative journey and new release, Blazing Upheaval.

Interview

What was your inspiration for this book?

Blazing Upheaval is based on a true story. I like to transform real-life narratives into gripping fiction thrillers. I’m amazed by the experiences and events people are unexpectedly thrown into. They inspire me with their strength and courage, facing daunting circumstances. I intricately weave the threads of their story into a tapestry of suspense and intrigue.

As a former teacher who lived through the Rodney King riots and the Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles, I witnessed firsthand the tumult and the recovery that followed. These events were not just historical footnotes but lived experiences that profoundly affected individuals and communities. The courage, solidarity, and determination I saw inspired me to capture these moments in a way that honors the real-life heroes who navigated through them.

What is the best part of being an author? The worst?

The best part of being an author is the creative freedom to create entire worlds, develop characters, and tell stories that can resonate with my readers on a deep level. There is immense satisfaction in seeing my work in print. I hope it will have an impact on readers. Writing requires lots of research and introspection, giving me a deeper understanding of various topics and myself.

Sometimes, the worst part of being an author is the isolation and loneliness. It’s hard on my confidence when I get negative reviews.

Describe your writing space.

My writing space is a comfortable couch by the window where I have good lighting. Next to me will be my phone, pens, notebook, and laptop. I usually write in the winter so I cozy up in a blanket with coffee and snacks.
Which authors have inspired you?

The authors who have inspired me are Ann Cleeves, Lee Child, Ragnar Jonasson, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Nicholas Petrie, Alexander McCall Smith, and Thomas Perry.

What is your favorite quote?

“Live in the Sunshine”

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

My superpower would be understanding what people were saying in any language.

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

Besides writing and reading, I like to hike, travel, grow flower beds and orchids.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Don’t let anything hold you back. Start writing!

What are you working on next?

I am working on a heartbreaking, heart-pounding, inspiring thriller based on a true story.

Blurb

In the heart of the tumultuous Rodney King riots in Los Angeles, a dedicated teacher finds herself thrust into a hazardous situation. Struggling to navigate the chaos and reach safety on the freeway, she faces dangerous obstacles that jeopardize her life. An unexpected rescue during a brutal attack plunges her, her family, and two other families into a chilling series of enigmatic events and escalating violence.

As the city grapples with unrest, they are entangled in a web of mysteries swiftly building in intensity. In the turmoil, their bonds of family, loyalty, and love are put to the ultimate test. The tension mounts relentlessly until an unforeseen revelation, coinciding with the cataclysmic Northridge earthquake, irrevocably changes their lives forever.

This gripping true-story thriller delivers suspenseful twists and heart-pounding moments, weaving a narrative of family resilience, solidarity, and enduring love in the face of daunting circumstances. It is a tale that illuminates the strength found within the human spirit when confronted with extraordinary challenges.

Excerpt

With renewed focus, her heart pounding against her ribcage, Tiffany emerged from the fray. She realized she was only a few blocks from the I-5 freeway, her haven of safety. She pressed the gas pedal, her car surging ahead with newfound urgency.

Tiffany came to an abrupt stop at the red light at the intersection where she would make a left turn onto the freeway entrance. Loud yelling frightened her. Three men surrounded her car. They bounced it up and down. Alarm gripped her racing heart as she understood the hatred in their eyes. They pulled on the locked doors. They pounded on the windows. She felt shock and disbelief as she realized the rioters wanted to harm her! She was helpless! She was trapped!

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon AU

Author Bio

Karen Charles transforms real-life narratives into gripping fiction thrillers. Her novels intricately weave the threads of truth into a tapestry of suspense, intrigue, and riveting storytelling. An educator by profession, she is renowned for her thriller “Fateful Connections,” which unfolds against the backdrop of 9/11. “Blazing Upheaval” promises to deliver another chilling, heart-pounding experience. Karen and her husband reside on the serene shores of a beautiful bay in Washington, where she draws inspiration for her compelling narratives. Explore her insights and musings on the writer’s life through her blogs on “My Life As A Writer.”

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I’m happy to welcome author Colleen L. Donnelly. Today, Colleen shares her new release, Katie Walsh.

Blurb

Katie Walsh expects to write a love story someday. The hero resembles her father, and the heroine the deceased mother she never knew but imagines from the longing on her father’s face.

Katie doesn’t expect her father to be murdered, or his will to leave their farm to Guy Knowles, the man she hoped to marry, and order her to another state. Betrayed by the men she trusted, what should have become a love like no other withers and dies.

Until Ted Howard, who doesn’t fit the hole Guy left in her heart. Instead, he fits himself into what she needs—someone who will stay, protect her, and break his own heart for her if needed.

Excerpt

“You’re in love, aren’t you?” Her voice softened.

“Was in love. Like I said, it doesn’t matter now.” My voice wavered.

“There is no such thing as ‘was’ when it comes to first loves. They are the pioneers who break our hearts in and carve the place where forever love will eventually reside.”

Tears trickled down my cheeks.

“Who is he?” she coaxed.

“My neighbor in Nebraska. Evidently, I wasn’t the pioneer of his heart. Someone else will have that honor for Guy.” I could barely say his name, but Eliza had no trouble spurting, “Guy Knowles?” right back.

I glanced out the side window. Maybe Papa felt this sort of loss after Mama passed, and that was why he said so little when I plied him for more about her. The loss in his expression said he wanted what I did—more of and for the one we loved. Ultimately, more time.

Eliza leaned from her seat and wrapped me in her arms. “Go ahead. You need to cry. The mold Guy cut into your heart hurts because he didn’t fill it. But someday someone will. And you will be ready.”

I rested my head against hers and imagined a hole in my heart the exact shape as Guy. I didn’t want it filled by someone else someday. If Guy didn’t fill it, I wanted it gone. Forever.

Author Bio and Links

Colleen L Donnelly was born and raised in the US Midwest but ventured to other parts of the country as an adult to experience life from other perspectives. Besides writing, she spends time outdoors, antique hunting, reading, or watching a good movie. Even though she retired from a career in laboratory science, she is never bored and always busy at something.

Bookbub | Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram | Amazon Author Page | Twitter | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Colleen L. Donnelly will be awarding a $15 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Colleen on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome Wild Rose Press author Kate Ellington. Today, Kate shares her new release, Teacups and Temptations.

Blurb

Molly Merriwether readily accepts an invitation to Waverly Hall, eager for adventure and amusement with her best friend. She never expected to be left unchaperoned with three intriguing young gentlemen for weeks.

Roger Bailey, recuperating in more ways than one, avoids Molly until her kindness and humor tempt him to deepen their acquaintance.

Molly lands in one unlikely escapade after the next with Roger and soon considers him a friend—perhaps more—but the barriers he puts up make it impossible to truly know him. Has she only imagined those tender looks in his eyes?

For a chance at love, Molly will need to bare her innermost self and trust someone more deeply than she’s ever dreamed possible.

Excerpt

Molly finished her tea and turned to Caroline. “Perhaps we should take some time to discuss our options. Alone.”

“Yes, I think we’d better,” Caroline said, setting her cup down.

Benedict rose. “We’ll step out so you can talk.”

Fred settled deeper into his chair as if hoping not to be noticed, but after a sharp look from Benedict stood and followed him out of the room. Mr. Bailey took Penny by the collar and left, closing the door behind him.

As soon as it clicked shut, Molly replenished their teacups. “Would you ever have dreamed we’d find ourselves in such a pickle?”

“Absolutely not. I imagine this means we need to leave.” Caroline sighed a sigh that sounded like it had been waiting years to get out.

Molly lifted one shoulder. “I don’t know…we’re already here and, as Fred said, it isn’t as though we’re alone in the house.”

“I’ve the feeling Fred would say anything to get us to stay. He seems the type of man to enjoy bending the rules.”

“I have the same feeling.” After glancing at the door, Molly whispered, “What do you think of Benedict?”

Caroline shifted on the sofa so she was facing Molly. “It’s too soon to say.”

“Do you think we should move to the inn?” Molly held her breath as she awaited Caroline’s answer.

Author Bio and Links

Kate grew up in a woodsy New England town where summer days at the lake seemed to last forever. She read her first historical romance at age eleven when a teacher challenged her to find a book in the library written by an author she’d never heard of. Thus began a life-long love of love stories.

After graduating from college, she settled in the Pacific Northwest, where she currently resides with her family.

Kate wrote her first romance when she was sixteen, then set her pen down for years until another story floated into her head out of the clear blue sky. She jotted it down, just for fun, but soon it took on a life of its own.

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Kate Ellington will be awarding a $20 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Kate on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome editor and author Deborah Chase. Today, Deborah shares her new release, Geogia’s Folly.

Blurb

For fans of “Antiques Roadshow” and “American Pickers” – this is the one for you!

Beginning at a cluttered flea market and ending at a glittering art auction, Georgia’s Follytells the compelling story that blends past and present and the search for a valuable and illusive antique. Chloe Bishop grew up in foster care. She loves shopping at flea markets, picking up family heirlooms like old pottery or vintage furniture to fill in for the family and home she never had. As Chloe walks through the Brooklyn Flea Market, she stumbles upon the diary of Miss Georgia Potter, a young woman who had lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War. The yellowed pages reveal the impact of the war on daily life and spotlights the role of women including Harriet Tubman, Clara Barton and Louisa May Alcott. Like Chloe, Georgia Potter was a passionate collector and her diary lists her collection of valuable antiques—including the Holy Grail of 18th century furniture—a Chippendale settee. Well versed in antiques, Chloe is aware that There are only five known examples and a sixth settee would be worth more than $4 million.

Chloe immediately contacts Ben Thompson, the man who sold her the diary. Ben is a picker who drives his RV across America, searching for collectibles to sell to dealers. He is estranged from his wealthy, prominent family who cringe at his chosen career. Ben agrees to take her along to search for the valuable and iconic settee. As Ben and Chloe head to Gettysburg, they are unaware that Gregor Petrov, a shady antiques dealer and Harrison Kent, a respected but unscrupulous art expert are trailing them.

The search for the settee takes Chloe and Ben on fast paced journey from the Gettysburg battlefields to the 18th century street of artisans in Philadelphia to a historic mansion on the banks of the Hudson River. Traveling together in the small RV, Ben and Chloe draw closer. In the confines of the RV, embroiled in an unimaginable quest, Chloe confides that she is also in search for the father she never knew while Ben struggles to explain his complicated family to a woman who never had one.

In a thrilling ending, the rare Chippendale settee is not Chloe’s only valuable discovery.

Excerpt

Chole Bishop felt her pulse quicken as she walked to the jumbled tables at the Brooklyn Flea market. Under the soaring arches of the massive bridge, the piles of pottery, jewelry and tacks of vintage clothing sparkled with the promise of discovery. Every time she walked into a thrift shop or flea market, she remembered stories of the discovery of a long-lost Picasso or a rhinestone ring turned out to be a flawless diamond. But she really wasn’t treasure hunting—she just loved finding what she called “pieces of history.”

She never knew what she was going to find, but she knew it when she saw it. And there it was, as if it had been patiently waiting for her. Next to a vintage tin sign for motor oil and under a cracked ironstone pitcher, she could see the trim edges of a lady’s lap desk. Chloe smiled to herself. I have always wanted ne and here it is under the arches of the Brooklyn Bridge. She walked over to the table, gently removed the pitcher and placed it on the table.

The lap desk was clearly not a family heirloom. It was a very basic lap desk with a faded, stained finish. She opened the lap desk and smiled to see the worn well-worn, blue felt padding. The top and bottom offlaps were intact- a great sign for a well-used lap top more than 150 years old. Two small partitions on the bottom were stained from the ink bottles they once held. The bottom section was empty except for two vintage ladies’ hair pins but the top lid was jammed. A lady often kept personal letters there and Chloe was instantly curious. What secret romances could the lap desk hold?

Author Bio and Links

I grew up in a family filled with art and antiques. On the high end, my uncle, William Lincer, lead violist at the New York Philharmonic, was an art lover whose collection was sold at Sotheby’s. On the low end, her father, writer Allen Chase took me to flea markets and estate sales. He sparked a lifelong fascination with tales of lost treasures that ranged from plundered Egyptian tombs to trainloads of art stolen by the Nazis. It was this love of history and antiques that inspired my first novel, Georgia’s Folly

I was a founding editor of the Berkeley Wellness Newsletter and the author of 12 books including The Medically Based No-Nonsense Beauty Book (Alfred Knopf), Extend Your Life Diet (Pocket Books), Fruit Acids for Fabulous Skin (St Martin’s Press), Every Bride is Beautiful (Morrow), and with her husband Dr Neil Schachter co-author of Life and Breath (Doubleday) and The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu (Harper). The books have been a selection of the Book of the Month Club and my articles have appeared in Ladies Home Journal, Self, Glamour, Redbook, Family Circle, Parents and Good Housekeeping.

I am a graduate of Bronx High School of Science and a winner of the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. A graduate of New York University I earned a degree with a dual major in journalism and history.

A native New Yorker, I like to spend my weekends at an upstate home where a big kitchen and an endless supply of estate sales indulge my dual passions for cooking and collecting.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Deborah Chase will be awarding a $50 Visa card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Deborah on the rest of her Goddess Fish here.

I’m happy to welcome author Jackie Kang. Today, Jackie shares her new release, Flamingo Café.

Blurb

A storm is brewing off the coast of Florida, but chaos has already made landfall for four women of Palm Beach society. Abigail, a self-appointed Cuban princess and queen of the WAGs, suddenly finds herself penniless and on the streets. Claudia, a Greek entrepreneur and CEO of a prestigious international clothing line, is entering her golden years only to realize secrets can weigh you down. Cassy, a barista and owner of the Flamingo Cafe, is doing her best to recover from a tragic past. Meanwhile her best friend, Bri, also harbors a secret: a romantic tet-a-tet with Cassy’s brother Nick. Each woman has played her part in a society obsessed with appearances and secrecy for years. So, when Hurricane Odette blows through town, exposing those secrets, it’s no surprise their lives collide like a clap of thunder. Only one thing is certain: if they don’t work together, Mother Nature will teach them the hardest lessons of their lives.

Excerpt

I close my eyes and savor the calm moment, counting to ten and listening for the sound of the espresso machine whirling to life before opening my eyes and sprinkling my hands with the flour needed for the cutting board.

Looking for a distraction from my thoughts, and before getting started, I reach over and switch on the small television we keep in the back, quickly setting the channel to WESH 2 news. Then, with the soft hum of the reporters in the background, I prepare to get back to the work of baking pastries. Ignoring the oven scars taking up entirely too much real estate across my knuckles and wrists, I begin rolling the dough for the mini mango-Key lime pie tarts.

The simple act of kneading the dough is enough to lift my spirits, and it’s not long before I lose myself in the rhythm of the baking. Measuring ingredients, setting the mixer, sliding the pans into the oven—each task completed working ten times better than any therapy session. The stress of the morning melts off me like the butter in the pan as the routine unfolds.

My forearms are burning as I roll the dough with more force than is necessary, flattening it repeatedly against the counter when there is a buzzing in my back pocket. Without wiping my hands on the towel, I snatch the phone from my jeans.

Nick.

I have to swipe my floury finger across the screen two times before the phone finally accepts the call.

“Nick, what took you so long?” I practically shout into the phone, now on speaker.

“Dude, Cassy…” Nick drags the words out, like he’s just woken up, checked his missed calls, and decided to call back even though he’s still half asleep. “Why so early?”

Author Bio and Links

When not spending her time creating make-believe people and places, Jackie Kang lives in Kirkland, WA with her very real family of 1 husband, 2 dogs, and 3 children. In her past life, Jackie has held jobs as a personal trainer, a spa manager, a dental assistant, and an office manager, but her true love is writing and sharing a well-crafted story. Jackie is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Amazon Buy Link

Giveaway

Jackie Kang will be awarding a $20 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Jackie on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.

I’m happy to welcome author Hannah Jordan. Today, Hannah shares her creative journey and debut novel, For You I’d Break, Book 1 in the Peace Falls Small Town Romance Series.

Here’s Hannah!

What is the best part of being an author? The worst?

The best part of being an author is the job’s flexibility with time, place, and wardrobe. I can work anytime, anywhere in the world in my PJs. While editing For You I’d Break, I’d sit in my car with my laptop and work during my youngest daughter’s lacrosse practice.

The worst part of being an author, for me, has always been the rejection. I have a lot of experience as a nonfiction writer, so I’ve grown a pretty thick skin. As a parenting blogger, I had internet trolls comment on my actual life, but that’s the price you pay for putting your words into the world. I want to continue to improve as a writer, so I read the comments and reviews. Still, a bad review hurts.

Describe your writing space.

I have two main writing spaces. The first is my home office, which is a hot mess. I manage the HR, marketing, and accounting for my husband’s dental practice. My high schooler also likes to do her homework at the desk beside mine. So, there’s a lot going on. I only use the space to write when everyone is home and living loud.

When I have the house to myself, I go into the living room, where I have oversized, super comfy chairs and an ottoman. I switch chairs each week, so there isn’t a Hannah-sized butt imprint in only one (and for a slightly different view.) The room is usually tidy (not so much my office), which for some reason makes me feel more relaxed, and there are large windows where I can see both the front and back yards. My house has an open floor plan, which I love, but it means I can hear everyone when I’m in the living room, and people wander in and out asking what’s for dinner.

Which authors have inspired you?

I love Jane Austen. It should have been my first clue during my literary fiction phase that I might be in the wrong genre. Austen’s writing is masterful and I will die on that hill, but when it comes right down to it, she wrote romances. Exceptional romances, but romances.

The list of current authors I admire (and have learned from) is long, but includes writers in different subgenres. I’ll read an LJ Shen novel one week, a Pippa Grant another, and an Amy Harmon the following. One writes fairly dark romance, one writes romantic comedies, and one writes historical romance. I love it all!

Besides writing and reading, what are some of your hobbies?

I love seeing new places and hiking. I’m not a hardcore hiker. I enjoy the outdoors for a few hours and then return to the luxuries of running water and air conditioning. I try to balance my travels between nature-focused trips, like St John, and cosmopolitan settings like London. My favorite trips combine both.

Any advice for aspiring writers?

Rejection is an inherent part of a writer’s life, so embrace failure. There’s a point where the dreamers stop and the gritty keep going. Learn from your mistakes, especially the ones that gut you, and move on.

What are you working on next?

I’m very excited about the rest of the Peace Falls series. The second book, For You I’d Mend, launched earlier this month. It focuses on Rowan’s sister, Poppy, and Cal’s best friend, Theo. Poppy and Theo feature heavily in For You I’d Break as friends who are attracted to each other but haven’t yet left the friend zone. Poppy is my favorite character in the entire series, and I loved writing her story.

The third book, For You I’d Bloom, will come out in January. It’s my favorite book of the series because I fell a bit in love with the lead, Aiden. I’m currently working on edits of this book.

I know I’ll be staying in Peace Falls for at least three more books, but I’m still debating which story to write next.

Blurb

When Rowan’s two-year marriage ends with a crash, she returns home to Peace Falls, VA, riding shotgun in her sister’s 1990 Cadillac hearse. Everything about her is damaged: her heart, her pride, her bank account, and her spine—thanks to a tourist, a Segway, and finding her husband getting busy with her boss. But Rowan is determined to reclaim her career and city life as soon as she recuperates and lands a new job.

Caleb “Cal” Cardoso didn’t notice wallflower Rowan in high school, but the former football star, and Peace Falls’s newest physical therapist, can’t take his eyes off the stunning redhead now. Too bad he’s sworn off relationships. After his last hookup purposely tanked his online reputation, Cal stands to lose his job if a single patient leaves his care. Which is why he can’t let Rowan switch to another practitioner, despite the friction between them, and why he definitely can’t act on his growing attraction.

Rowan agrees to remain Cal’s patient if he helps her younger brother train for football tryouts. Though Cal hasn’t touched a football since the accident that killed his best friend, he agrees, and as Cal helps heal Rowan’s body, she begins to heal his heart.

For You I’d Break is a small-town romance with a hefty dash of spice, a HEA ending, and a cast of memorable characters, including a goth sculptor who secretly loves to decorate cakes, a fearsome-looking felon with a heart of gold, a hothead with a sweet side, a karma-devoted barista who collects damaged pets and first dates, and a lovable dog with more emotional sense than everyone put together.

Excerpt

Being a wallflower makes you thirsty, so parched for attention your heart feels brittle. Then after years—or in my case a lifetime—someone finally sees you. The exquisite feeling seeps deep, the attention saturating your life. So, you jump, headfirst. The red flags go unnoticed. Declarations of love tossed as lightly as petals. Maybe you marry him, like I did. Maybe you bloom in domestic bliss with a house in the suburbs and two adorable kids. Maybe a dog. Bare minimum a pet turtle.

I wasn’t so lucky.

After two years of marriage, instead of house hunting in the outskirts of DC, I was riding shotgun in my sister’s 1990 Cadillac hearse, headed back to Peace Falls, VA, with everything I owned stuffed where a coffin ought to be.

I’d cried so much in the past three hours, I could barely make out the foothills rising in the distance. My throat was raw. Crumpled tissues littered the floorboard, and lint covered my leggings.

The tears surprised me. Apart from a couple of late-night phone calls to my mother after I left the hospital, I’d held it together pretty well. I was too busy tying up the loose ends of my life in DC to feel anything but stressed. The moment Poppy arrived to drive me home, the tears started and built with every box, bag, and lamp we slid into the hearse.

Author Bio and Links

Hannah Jordan grew up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia but wound up in South Jersey after falling in love with her complete opposite. She’s got all the degrees of a “serious” fiction writer but only smiles when she’s writing romance.

She lives with her husband and two daughters in a picturesque town outside of Philadelphia where she enjoys reading in all genres, especially the spicy ones, and confusing people with her half-Southern, half-Northern accent.

The first book in her Peace Falls Small Town Romance Series, For You I’d Break, launched July 17, 2024.

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Giveaway

Hannah Jordan will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

I’m happy to welcome author Bobbie Candas. Today, Bobbie shares her new release, Falling from the Nest.

Blurb

Spring 1946–Following four years of war on the heels of the decade-long Great Depression, Americans are finally feeling a sense of hope that begins sweeping the nation…

Jo-Jo Anderson feels that optimism too. Slipping the reins of her Iowa farming town, Jo leaves to make her mark on the entertainment scene in Manhattan. Audiences are clamoring for new musicals on Broadway, nightclubs are flourishing, and NYC is the beating heart of the radio networks. After arriving, Jo-Jo quickly realizes that thousands of would-be stars are following her same ambitions, making opportunities scarce, but her luck begins to turn when she hears about Talent Jackpot.

Her twin, Sarah, finds success with her studies as a scholarship student at the University of Iowa. But Sarah is adrift socially, finding it difficult to forge friendships. Her perfectly planned life is upended when her hometown boyfriend announces he’s suddenly joined the navy. Sarah’s top grades draw the attention of a crusty biology professor and after accepting his offer of a lab position, her rigid lifestyle gets a lot more complicated.

This novel tells a story of unexpected change. The twins make their way through multiple challenges with humor, ambition, and heartbreak but remain tied together by the bonds of sisterhood, winding their way through the seedier backdoors of the entertainment business, and into college dorm life and love nest apartments.

With the historical backdrop of the post WW2 era, Falling From The Nest, reads as a stand-alone story but also serves as a sequel to author Bobbie Candas’ previous novel, The Lost and Found of Green Tree.

Excerpt

The last of the audition line moved forward and I was suddenly thrust up on the stage of the Imperial Theater. There were three lines of ten on stage, filled with nervous male and female hopefuls auditioning for chorus line spots for a new Irving Berlin musical, Annie Get Your Gun. I could smell my fear as it branched out within me in tingling connections from my frozen face down to my feet. Feet that now felt like dead weights attached to heeled dance shoes whose soles were glued to the floor. I’d arrived late and was in the last group of an open-call audition and purposely nudged myself into the center of the middle line, hoping for a hiding spot. But hiding is hard when you’re a leggy, five-foot-nine, pale blonde female in a string of short, muscular dancers. Kinda like a spotted giraffe among the lions.

After lining up, our executioner and choreographer took about sixty seconds to show us a dozen linking steps to an opening dance sequence. His arrogant face, slim body, and searching eyes leaned back appraising the lines. “OK, boys and girls, this one’s simple. Think you got it?” Everyone around me anxiously nodded yes.

No, I wanted to shout. Repeat please!

The orchestra in the pit began cranking out a tune, as the choreographer yelled out…”And a one, and a two–knee up, kick left, circle back, hop, hop, knee up, kick right…” Then he motioned for the music to stop.

An exasperated expression covered his face. “Ladies and gentlemen, these are the basics, the easy connections. Let’s start again on three. And a one, and a two–knee up, kick left, circle back, hop, hop…” He stuck his arm out, motioning again for the music to stop.

“Alright, first cuts.” His long arm and dismissive finger pointed to the guilty dancers. “Tall blonde, center middle row, thank you. You…guy on the end, first row, that will be all. Back row, green sweater, left side, you may leave.”

He sighed deeply, clapped his hands, and said. “Let’s go again, cue music…repeat.”

Author Bio and Links

I’m a Texas girl: grew up in San Antonio, went to school at UT in Austin where I earned my degree in journalism, and settled in Dallas where I raised a husband, two kids and a few cats. My husband, Mehmet, and the cats will probably disagree on who raised who, but I’m a sucker for a robust discussion.

For years I was involved in retail management, but in 2014 I refocused on my writing, taking deep dives into the lives of my characters. When you can pry my fingers off the keyboard, I enjoy entertaining, sharing food and drink with friends and family. I enjoy shopping, usually on the hunt for apparel, with a special weakness for shoes, and will frequently jump at the opportunity of an unexpected trip to a far-away place.

And I always make time for reading. I keep a stack of novels ready and waiting on my night stand, with a few tapping their toe in my Kindle. I bounce around genres, and I’m always ready for a good recommendation.

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Giveaway

Bobbie Candas will be awarding a $25 Amazon/Barnes & Noble gift card to a randomly drawn winner. Find out more here.

Follow Bobbie on the rest of her Goddess Fish tour here.