By:
On:
In: for the love of TV, reading
With: 1,823 Comments

By the time you read this, people won’t be talking so much about the new Netflix series, Bridgerton, based upon the Julia Quinn series. A check into my Kindle tells me I read the first book, The Duke and I, in 2014. It was published nearly a decade-and-a-half before that. As far as historical romance goes, I was a bit late to the party. I’d read contemporary romance for fifteen years or so and been writing it for ten. I didn’t see an appeal to the nobility that seemed privileged and ridiculous in practice. Of course, I’m speaking of actual nobility, not the romanticized versionRead More →

By:
On:
In: A Glance At, DAfRN, reading
With: 0 Comments

It’s Dating Advice from Romance Novels day! It’s been a while since I did one of these so I really wanted to add one this month. However, the most recent book I read was not a romance, but a Star Wars novel. Yes, I am a proud, proud nerd. I have no small amount of hero worship for Princess Leia/General Organa (as portrayed by Carrie Fisher–who I also have no small amount of hero worship for). Read More →

By:
On:
In: reading
With: 6 Comments

It’s that time again–Cupid’s Cafe is about to, once again, be open to the public! Welcome to Cupid’s Café, a place where missed connections meet. How the invitations find them, no one knows…except for the mysterious owner, Mr. Heart.  This multi-author series focuses on protagonists struggling with real-life issues that often gets swept under the rug. With Cupid’s Café, these issues find representation in the characters struggling to conquer their own problems while trying to carve a future for themselves.  From cops to artists or social workers to photographers, Mr. Heart ensures these lost souls who believe themselves undeserving of love reconnect with their fatedRead More →

By:
On:
In: my books, reading
With: 0 Comments

I’ve got a lot of books coming out this year. For now, let’s focus on the Viva Las Vegas series. The first book, the aforementioned My Fake Vegas Boyfriend, will be available February 6. Based on my understanding with the publisher, the second book (My Big Fat Vegas Wedding) will debut in April and the final book (My Vegas Comeback) in June. These stories center around the Rosas siblings–two older brothers and their baby sister. Layla gets to tell her story first. I’m so pumped for you guys to read this story. It’s like nothing I’ve written before and (disclaimer) it takes place in Las Vegas, 1958. IRead More →

By:
On:
In: reading
With: 64 Comments

I was recently asked what my dream reading area would be like. My imagination immediately started conjuring this room. Yes, room–not a nook or an area, but a whole room. To enter my reading room, first off, you have to find the secret door. It’s hidden behind a bookshelf. Ironic, right? Or maybe not, but clever, at least. So, one opens the secret bookshelf door however one does and walks in. I don’t know, for sure, as I’ve never actually encountered one of these doors in real life. The first thing that strikes you is the scent. There are a few scented candles placed strategically–all theRead More →

By:
On:
In: I'm kind of a big deal. Not really., reading
With: 3 Comments

I know it’s the end of May and, shockingly, I’m as disorganized as ever. Still, I’m trying to add some personal essays, along with the random picture post, and (my most popular) writing posts. I know I mentioned a post or two ago, I’m no longer working. That’s a story I’ll share (eventually), but not today. Today (circling back to May / Mother’s Day masterfully) I want to share about my grandmother who gave me a deep, passionate, abiding love of reading. Growing up, my grandmother always had a Harlequin on the table beside where she sat. It was as certain as the sun risingRead More →

By:
On:
In: reading
With: 1 Comment

I personally think readers are of superior intellect. I mean it takes some gray matter to take in words and transform them in our minds to a living, thriving story made up of people and places we’ve never seen. However, we still get a bad rep. Actually, if we got a bad rep, that might be cool. No, we’re lumped in as nerds (which I also proudly am, but that’s for another day). So, in no particular order, five things people who read are sick of hearing. 1. I’ll just watch the movie. Are you kidding me? Name three movies better than the books. Oh,Read More →

By:
On:
In: reading
With: 0 Comments

But, as life got busy, and I spent my time raising kids and working to earn my book money, I realized time also had value. Quite a lot of value, actually. And, then, one day I gave myself permission to quit books. I read avidly. I love reading. And life is too short to not enjoy every word I consume.Read More →

By:
On:
In: A Glance At, DAfRN, reading
With: 0 Comments

So, last week, I finished not one but two (the only currently released, or it would’ve been more) books in the Nodaway Falls stories by Lucy March. I read two because I adored the first one. And then, I bought the second and realized that I was ready to settle down and have babies with it–that’s how much more I loved it.Read More →

By:
On:
In: A Glance At, DAfRN, reading
With: 1 Comment

So, I was thinking in the car today about what sort of advice I’m totally NOT qualified to give (conclusion: all the advice). However, I then decided, okay, fine… what advice am I really not qualified to give? Dating advice. Oh, so many reasons why. Exhibit A: I’ve been married so long, I’m not entirely sure of the number, but I believe I’m between years 18 and 19 of my life sentence. Exhibit B: I had very few real dates in high school. Like count on one hand. I had boyfriends come “courting” at my house (which should be Exhibit C, so let’s go aheadRead More →