Newborn on her Doorstep is finished, published, and unleashed on the world! Which means that it must be that time again when I gush like an Oscar winner (in the good old days, before they started turning up the music) and thank all the incredibly generous and talented people who helped me get a book from a scratching of an idea into a real-life novel.
So, in no particular order, because they are all equally wonderful...
Krista, for spotting my first (fairly huge) plot hole
Alexia, for the most enthusiastic reaction to a first chapter ever, and all the advice on life with a newborn ... how little I knew back then!
Sophie and Anna, for all the medical advice, and Phoebe, for the social care aspects
The Harbury Writers, for reading my chapters and brainstorming
My family for keeping me sane(ish)
Lucy and Rosie, for letting me borrow your names, and Rosie especially for helping with Italian nonnas and describing what Rome smells like
And Mike, for all the tea...
THANK YOU!
Ellie
x
Showing posts with label Mills & Boon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mills & Boon. Show all posts
Wednesday, 2 September 2015
Tuesday, 1 September 2015
Newborn on her Doorstep is here!
It's the first of the month, and we all know what that means in the Harlequin and Mills & Boon world.... new books! And today my very own Newborn on Her Doorstep will be joining their ranks.
This book has taken a long road to the bookshelves. In it's earliest days it was simply lodged in my imagination as a perennial 'what if' question (what would I do if I found an abandoned newborn??), but it stuck with me through my first tentative steps into novel writing, and finally through to the fantastic experience of working with my editor to make sure that the story is the best it possibly can be.
And in case you've managed to avoid these in the past, here's where you can find the book: Mills & Boon, Amazon (UK/US), iTunes, Google Play, Harlequin, Goodreads.
I love to hear from my readers, so if you want to tell me what you thought of the book then please leave me a review.
Happy 1st September to you all!
Love,
Ellie
x
This book has taken a long road to the bookshelves. In it's earliest days it was simply lodged in my imagination as a perennial 'what if' question (what would I do if I found an abandoned newborn??), but it stuck with me through my first tentative steps into novel writing, and finally through to the fantastic experience of working with my editor to make sure that the story is the best it possibly can be.
And in case you've managed to avoid these in the past, here's where you can find the book: Mills & Boon, Amazon (UK/US), iTunes, Google Play, Harlequin, Goodreads.
I love to hear from my readers, so if you want to tell me what you thought of the book then please leave me a review.
Happy 1st September to you all!
Love,
Ellie
x
Friday, 1 May 2015
Bound By a Baby Bump is here!
It's the first of May, which means PUBLICATION DAY! I'm so happy to be releasing Bound by a Baby Bump into the wild, and can't wait to hear what you all think of it. I loved working on Rachel and Leo's story so much (nothing to do with the fact that the research process took in beaches in Dorset and Sicily of course ...) and it's wonderful to know that you can all share it now too.
So, may I humbly suggest you snag yourself a copy, fine a patch of sunshine somewhere (if it's somewhere sandy where you can hear waves crashing then all the better) and curl up for a couple of hours' escapism, sunshine and snogging.
And in case you've managed to avoid these in the past, here's where you can find the book: Amazon (UK/US), iTunes, Google Play, Harlequin, Goodreads.
I love to hear from my readers, so if you want to tell me what you thought of the book then please leave me a review.
Happy 1st May to you all!
Love,
Ellie
So, may I humbly suggest you snag yourself a copy, fine a patch of sunshine somewhere (if it's somewhere sandy where you can hear waves crashing then all the better) and curl up for a couple of hours' escapism, sunshine and snogging.
And in case you've managed to avoid these in the past, here's where you can find the book: Amazon (UK/US), iTunes, Google Play, Harlequin, Goodreads.
I love to hear from my readers, so if you want to tell me what you thought of the book then please leave me a review.
Happy 1st May to you all!
Love,
Ellie
Friday, 17 April 2015
It takes a village
So everyone knows it takes a village to raise a child, right? Well it takes a veritable army to write a romance novel :)
There isn't room in the book to thank everyone who offered help, advice and inspiration while I was writing Bound by a Baby Bump, so I'm going to gush Gwyneth Paltrow-style here instead -- you have been warned!
This book coudn't have happened without...
Alexia, for brainstorming, your pep talks and your (painfully!) honest feedback -- it was exactly what I needed, every time
Krista and Iona, for impromptu geography lessons and for introducing me to the Dorset coast
Anna, for all her medical advice on Rachel's pregnancy
Sarah, for insightful notes, as always
Steph, for letting me borrow your 'floor-less' approach to renovating(!)
Carlin, for advising on the pregnancy
All my family, obviously, for putting up with the circuitous conversations, the plot-hole busting, the bringing of carbs, the support and encouragement that comes everyday
The whole team at Mills & Boon, and my fellow Romance writers, for cheerleading, notes, revisions, advice and general fabulosity
And, last but not least, Mike, for all the tea (again).
I owe HUGE thank you to you all. I couldn't do this job without such amazing support behind me. I love you all lots.
Ellie
x
P.S, DISCLAIMER I'm writing this post with baby brain -- if I've not mentioned you here it's because I'm writing with a mind like a colander, not because I don't love you and value you. I do. A LOT. That's all.
There isn't room in the book to thank everyone who offered help, advice and inspiration while I was writing Bound by a Baby Bump, so I'm going to gush Gwyneth Paltrow-style here instead -- you have been warned!
This book coudn't have happened without...
Alexia, for brainstorming, your pep talks and your (painfully!) honest feedback -- it was exactly what I needed, every time
Krista and Iona, for impromptu geography lessons and for introducing me to the Dorset coast
Anna, for all her medical advice on Rachel's pregnancy
Sarah, for insightful notes, as always
Steph, for letting me borrow your 'floor-less' approach to renovating(!)
Carlin, for advising on the pregnancy
All my family, obviously, for putting up with the circuitous conversations, the plot-hole busting, the bringing of carbs, the support and encouragement that comes everyday
The whole team at Mills & Boon, and my fellow Romance writers, for cheerleading, notes, revisions, advice and general fabulosity
And, last but not least, Mike, for all the tea (again).
I owe HUGE thank you to you all. I couldn't do this job without such amazing support behind me. I love you all lots.
Ellie
x
P.S, DISCLAIMER I'm writing this post with baby brain -- if I've not mentioned you here it's because I'm writing with a mind like a colander, not because I don't love you and value you. I do. A LOT. That's all.
Wednesday, 1 April 2015
Sneak preview and giveaway!
It's one month to go until Bound By a Baby Bump is due to hit bookshelves, and because you've all been waiting so nicely and patiently, it seems only fair to reward you. So for your reading pleasure, here's the first chapter, just for you. And if that's not enough for you, head over to Goodreads for a chance to win one of five copies of the book itself!
Love, Ellie x
Enter to win
Chapter 1
Look up.
He commanded her to feel his gaze on her skin, to glance over and meet his eye. To make a connection with him. He’d been watching her for hours, biding his time until he could have her complete, undivided attention. Since the moment he’d first seen her striding round the room, her tablet computer and Bluetooth headset at odds with her black silk evening dress and staggeringly sexy heels, he’d been transfixed.
The curve of her calves, the gleam of her skin and the fluid movement of her hair had caught his attention, but it was her fierce concentration that had held it. The way she’d managed the room and everyone in it with a gentle nudge here and a subtle pull there. With a glance at her watch and a whisper in the ear of a member of staff she’d averted disasters, negotiated tricky situations and ensured that every person she spoke to ended their conversation with a beaming grin. No doubt the charity the gala was fundraising for would make a fortune.
Under normal circumstances, the thought of a to-do list and a watch filled his belly with apprehension, an unwelcome reminder of school days that had tormented him at the time, and still threatened the occasional nightmare more than ten years later. But worn as an accessory by a woman who seemed so effortlessly powerful, it was suddenly incredibly sexy.
He’d waited for the perfect moment all night—watching groups where she was conversing, catching her eye across the room; at one point, he’d even headed towards her with a determined stride—only for her to abruptly change course and disappear into the kitchen. And now she was putting her head together with one of the other guests, consulting her tablet, tucking a curtain of shining hair behind her ear.
She laughed, and the sound reached him as clear as if the room had been silent. Her face creased, her head dropped back, and humour radiated from her like a wave. He wanted to make her laugh. He was unreasonably jealous of the person who had inspired the sound, a man with pure silver hair and a walking stick.
The string band had started playing in a corner of the ballroom, and a few couples were heading towards the dance floor. His eyes flickered towards them, and he wondered whether she’d accept an invitation to dance.
In the moment that his eyes left her, he felt her look at him.
He whipped around to try and catch her gaze, but her eyes had already dropped to her tablet, as she scrolled up and down. She glanced at him again, and this time he caught it. He turned, his hands in his pockets, and his body relaxed under her stare, turning his stance into something languid and louche.
He walked towards her, smiling, still refusing to look away. He would hold this contact until he could get his hands on something more solid.
Just a couple of steps away from her, he was hit with unaccustomed nerves. It had been an age since he’d felt nervous talking to a woman. Things were pretty easy-come-easy-go in his love-life, much to the satisfaction of everyone involved. Nerves were thin on the ground when the most you were looking to gain or lose was a few nights or weeks of fun. The prospect of commitment, of expectations, of being caught in a situation with no simple way out—only the fix of her eyes on his kept a shiver from his spine.
‘Hi, I’m Rachel Archer.’ The words arrived in a rush as soon as he was within arm’s reach and she stuck out her hand for him to shake.
‘Leo.’ He just managed the one word, though it felt as if all breath had left his body at the feel of her hand in his. He observed her closely, looking for any clue that she was as affected by this meeting as he. But she had dropped her eyes, pulling her hand back—was that a fraction of a hesitation?—and glancing down at her tablet.
‘So, are you enjoying crashing the party?’ She gave a throaty chuckle with the words, and he absorbed the sound, revelling in the delicious heat it inspired in his body. He was so focused on that sound that he almost missed the meaning of her words.
‘Crashing?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile. ‘Says who?’
‘Says me.’ No laugh this time, though a perfectly polite smile was still on her lips. He wanted a real one. ‘Tonight is strictly invitation only, though if you are here to contribute generously to the Julia House hospice, I’m sure we can make an exception.’
He returned his hands to his pockets; it was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he was there in place of his father, who was unwell and couldn’t attend. Normally, ‘representing the family’ wasn’t something he was interested in, but his father had promised the organisers that the family would be there with a generous donation—for a good cause he had been known to make an exception. He was intrigued, though. How did she know he was crashing—had she been asking questions about him?
‘I want to know more about why you think I’m crashing.’
‘Well…’ she said, pulling up another page on her tablet. ‘I planned the guest list. I sent the invitations, checked the RSVPs and wrote the table plan. There wasn’t a single Leo to be seen.’ Her eyes left her screen, and she looked him up and down, her eyes travelling from his face to his shoes, faltering slightly at his belt and chest. Encouraging.
‘Ah, so I must be crashing. I take it your lists are never wrong?’
‘Never,’ she agreed with a good-tempered nod, and just the merest hint of another chuckle.
‘Then I suppose I’ve got some making up to do. What will it take?’
‘Well, apart from your considerable contribution to Julia House, which I’m sure is already in hand…’
‘Naturally.’
‘I want an explanation.’
It was his turn to laugh. ‘That’s all?’ But she didn’t look equally amused. In fact a worry line had appeared between her brows, and she glanced again at her screen.
‘Tonight has been planned and re-planned, checked and double-checked. I want to know how you’re here, and how I didn’t know about it.’
He wanted that line gone. Wanted any evidence of discomfort wiped from her face. He still wanted to make her laugh.
‘I’ll tell you everything. Every dark secret and trick of the conman’s trade.’ He raised his eyebrows, attempting melodramatic villainy, and was rewarded with a lift at the corner of her lips. ‘All you have to do is dance with me.’
Rachel rested her hand stiffly on his shoulder as they started to move to the music, wondering—again—why she had agreed to this. She let her gaze travel up from his collar, over a tanned throat, blond stubbled jaw and endearingly crooked nose. Up to a pair of eyes as blue as a baking summer sky, and then remembered.
Somewhere along the line, somewhere between guest list and dessert, her system had fallen short. He was probably standing in for someone—she had a shortlist of faces she’d been expecting to see but hadn’t. But how had she made it to eleven o’clock without realising something was wrong?‘So,’ she prompted, trying to keep her mind on the job, rather than on the confident way Leo was leading her around the floor, or the scent coming from his skin. Something salty, natural and that had, she guessed, never been anywhere near a Selfridges counter.
She faltered for a second as she caught him looking at her, and felt her cheeks warming under the intensity of his interest. She stilled, suddenly hyperaware of the pressure of his hand around hers, of his arm at her waist, the sound of him breathing close to her ear. Only the subtle squeeze of his arm reminded her she was supposed to be dancing. Forcing her feet to move, she glanced over his shoulder and spotted her boss, Will, and for a moment she was worried she was about to be caught slacking. But one look at his face told her she had nothing to worry about. He had eyes only for Maya, his partner, and she smiled. She couldn’t help but take a little credit for the happiness that was radiating from them both. She was the one who’d engineered Will into taking a cookery course he wasn’t interested in, all because it was run by a woman he definitely was.She’d watched that relationship blossom, from first meeting to their elation tonight, and felt a little pang of…what? Loneliness? No, that wasn’t it. She had friends—she’d even shared a flat with her best friend, Laura, until she’d bought her own place a year ago—right on track for her five-year plan. Sometimes she even managed to schedule time for a date or two.
But she didn’t have that, whatever it was that made it look as if half the light in the room were emanating from them.
So no, she wasn’t lonely, but maybe she was curious. Intrigued enough by the possibilities that when the surfy-looking blond who’d been casting looks in her direction all night had asked her if she wanted to dance, she’d looked him up and down and considered it.
And she’d been intrigued enough by what she’d seen to fight down the urge to tell him that this wasn’t in her schedule, but to send him a smile instead.
There wasn’t actually much left of her schedule tonight. That was the benefit of being chronically well organised, she supposed. When everything was planned and prepared in advance, she could just sit back and watch all the results of her hard work fall into place. Like with Will and Maya: the consequences of her plan had far exceeded her expectations, and she’d only had to intervene a couple of times to keep everything moving in the right direction. Better still, her boss had barely even noticed her involvement. The sign of a great executive assistant, she told herself. Her work was practically invisible.
She was so engrossed with watching the results of her meticulous planning she almost, almost, forgot where she was and what she was doing.
That was until a warm, rough fingertip found its way under her chin and tilted her face upward.
‘Should I be worried about the competition?’ Her eyes snapped back to his, and she was taken aback again by their intense colour, and the way he looked at her, as if there was some part of her he was trying desperately to see.
‘So who were you watching?’ he asked, reminding her of his question.
‘Jealous?’ She drew out the word with a smile, enjoying for a moment the control that it gave her. She didn’t even know yet what she wanted to do with this blatant expression of interest, other than enjoy it for a moment. ‘I’m just enjoying a plan coming together.’
‘You planned that?’ he asked, as her boss leant down and kissed Maya gently on the lips. The kiss itself was chaste enough, but the blatant bedroom eyes on both sides nudged it towards obscene.
‘I may have helped a little.’
‘Well, I prefer your attention here,’ he said, attempting to soften his words with a cheeky grin.
‘Demanding, much?’ Okay, so her attention wasn’t such a ridiculous thing to expect. But she didn’t want him thinking he could just demand what he wanted and expect her to deliver. And she still wasn’t sure how she felt about his attention. Attracted, sure. But meeting a party crasher with a cute smile and a devastating way of watching her hadn’t featured in her plans for tonight. She’d had no advance warning, no time to think about what she wanted to do.
‘Absolutely.’ He remained completely straight-faced and Rachel recognised the challenge. ‘But I think if you’re going to agree to dance with me, it’s only fair you give it your full attention.’
‘Perhaps. But you’re not holding up your end of the bargain. The dance was in exchange for an explanation. So spill. How did you get in without me knowing about it?’
‘Grappling hook,’ he replied, deadpan and with no hesitation. She let out a laugh, leaning back against his arm, letting the humour arch her body and soften her indignation.
He teased and she laughed, until she could feel the tension of the night leaching from her body. She’d not checked her watch since he’d led her to the floor, and she had no idea how long they’d been up there. And she was dangerously close to not caring. His humour, the naughty light in his eyes, was forcing the strain of preparing this evening from her limbs, demanding she enjoy herself. That she enjoy him. Eventually, when she’d laughed off his latest suggestion for how he’d joined the party—something about an international jewel thief—he leaned in close, until she could feel his warm breath disturbing her hair, and the minutest brush of his lips against her ear. With a little shiver, she suspected the time for games was coming to an end. ‘Someone asked me to attend on their behalf. I couldn’t say no. Are you going to throw me out?’
His reply prompted a hundred questions in her mind, but the one that sprang unguarded to her lips surprised even her: ‘Where would you go if I did?’
His lips parted slightly and he chose his words carefully, she guessed, not wanting to break the connection crackling like electricity between them. ‘That depends.’Of course she was meant to ask ‘on what’, but the blatant suggestion in his eyes made her falter, suddenly aware they weren’t playing any longer.
‘Would you come with me?’ he asked, deadly serious. He had given up on the dancing, too, and his hand had drifted up to her cheek, his thumb skittering across her skin. She had pulled her gaze away, unable to bear the close scrutiny of those huge, clear blue eyes, but now it snapped back up as she took a little half step away from him.
‘I can’t. I’m working.’ She didn’t even think before she spoke. The words came to her lips automatically as her heart rate spiked and her breath hitched. Her arms tensed where they rested against his body as she started to register the risk she’d taken coming up here with him. This man was chaos. She could see it in the haphazard drape of his tie and his mismatched cufflinks. The fact that even without being invited to the party he had got her away from her to-do list and onto the dance floor.
Her whereabouts and every action had been meticulously planned for the whole evening. She’d been in the right place and at the right time, with the right files and figures for just about every one of the past eighteen hours. She was currently partway through the hour that she’d marked ‘Networking, socialising, misc.’ And when it came to an end, she had planned to run through a couple of details with the venue manager before leaving for the night. Alone.
Leo smiled at her, cool and relaxed.
‘So you want to,’ he said, as if he’d just gained a small victory.
She narrowed her eyes. She hadn’t said that.
‘You said you can’t leave because you’re working. But you never said you don’t want to. I’ve been watching you all night. Waiting for the right moment to catch your attention; wanting to know what’s on that tablet of yours. How you keep a party like this moving with just a whisper and a look in the right direction. I’ve been completely hypnotised by you and all I want for the rest of the night is to find out more.’
Her eyes widened in surprise; she was completely taken aback by his words.
She’d spotted him early in the night, and wondered which name his face belonged to. As she’d worked round the room, meeting and greeting, discussing the practicalities of donations, nudging Will in the right direction, and keeping the company CEO, Sir Cuthbert Appleby, happy, her thoughts had drifted to the guy in the slightly crumpled suit, his wavy hair resisting any attempt at a style. But the more her gaze had been drawn to him, the more she’d fought it, forcing her eyes to her work, her schedule and smartphone. She’d recognised the danger in that pull, the need to stick to her plan and see out the night as she’d intended. But now? This dance was perfectly in line with her itinerary. She’d always expected to do some socialising. And after that? She had ten minutes’ work to do—tops.
So she could tell him she wasn’t interested, that she had barely noticed him and didn’t need to know any more than that. But it would be a lie. Because ever since his arm had captured her waist she’d been trying not to think about all the wicked things she’d like to do with his body. Her brain had thrown a dozen different suggestions at her, each one making her blush more than the last. Top of the list being to get his shirt off, so she could see if the contours of his body looked as good as they felt.
But she couldn’t just take off with him. She had responsibilities here, she thought, her heart rate picking up again, though from desire or panic she couldn’t tell. She had work she had to finish up. She couldn’t just take off because—
Ooh.
His thumb continued its exploration of her jaw, and dipped into her collarbone in a way that made her melt.
When she looked up and met his eyes, the danger there was obvious. But he spelled it out for her, anyway.
‘I want to make you shiver like that again,’ he said slowly. ‘I could try here, but…’ He stroked that magic spot again and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself groaning out load.
‘You see the problem?’
She nodded, but… ‘I can’t do this.’
‘You can’t? Or you don’t want to?’
Did it matter? ‘I have a plan for tonight.’ She took another half step away from him, knowing she needed distance. ‘This isn’t it.’
He pulled her back in and rested his forehead against hers. ‘Rachel, you’re killing me. At least come somewhere we can talk.’ His arm dropped from her waist abruptly, but before she could mourn its loss her hand was engulfed by his and she was striding with him across the ballroom.
When they reached the lobby, he whirled around, his lips stopping just inches from hers. Was he doing it on purpose? Tempting her until she lost her mind and gave in?‘Help me here,’ he said, his voice soft and enticing. ‘You’re attracted to me.’ The lilt of his voice was just charming enough to
compensate for his lack of modesty. ‘So what’s stopping you?’
She took her hand back, and a step away from him, understanding that being so close was doing nothing for her decision-making skills. This wasn’t a question of what she wanted; she couldn’t just drop everything and leave on a whim.
‘Nothing’s stopping me,’ she said, keeping her voice carefully even. There was no need for him to know the nagging dread that would start in the base of her brain if she decided to embrace spontaneity. No need for him to know that she’d not done anything without a plan, a back-up plan and a contingency plan since she was a teenager. ‘I’m working. I had some free time scheduled, and thank you for the dance, but now I have to get back.’
He looked at her carefully, and she held his gaze. ‘Do you always have a plan? A schedule?’
‘I do. What’s wrong with that?’
‘Oh, you mean except for the claustrophobia, the inflexibility, the stifling—’ Wisely, he stopped himself, probably remembering he should play to his audience. ‘So I wasn’t in your plan for tonight. But what if something unexpected comes up? That must happen sometimes, right? Meetings get cancelled, things run late. Contracts get lost in the post. What happens to your plans then?’
‘I make a new one,’ she said, wondering what was behind his cut-off outburst, the flash of panic she’d seen on his face.
‘You adapt to the circumstances—just like that. No stress. No panic.’
‘Of course.’ Working with Will could—and frequently did—send crises her way. She smoothed each problem until it fitted neatly into her existing plans, and all without anyone seeing that below the surface she was paddling like a racing swan.
Leo smiled at her as if he’d just scored a point. ‘So make a new plan for tonight. Nothing serious, no reason to change tomorrow’s plans, or any day after that. Just reschedule a couple of hours tonight to fit me in.’
‘A couple of hours?’ She raised an eyebrow at that: one night suited her just fine—her life was too full for anything more—but she had ideas enough already to fill more than a couple of hours. If she was going to do this, she was going to be sure it was worth her while.
And she was intrigued, because he was right. She’d altered plans before. She’d adapted to circumstances. Allowed for last-minute changes. So why shouldn’t she do that tonight? Through the window into the ballroom she caught sight of Will and Maya dancing and remembered what she’d felt earlier, that stab of curiosity, or loneliness, or… Perhaps the fact that she didn’t even know what it was made a good enough reason to do this.‘I have a few things I have to finish up before I—’
With a smile, he swooped in and pressed a quick, hard kiss to her lips. ‘Just tell me when.’
Love, Ellie x
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Bound by a Baby Bump
by Ellie Darkins
Giveaway ends May 01, 2015.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Chapter 1
Look up.
He commanded her to feel his gaze on her skin, to glance over and meet his eye. To make a connection with him. He’d been watching her for hours, biding his time until he could have her complete, undivided attention. Since the moment he’d first seen her striding round the room, her tablet computer and Bluetooth headset at odds with her black silk evening dress and staggeringly sexy heels, he’d been transfixed.
The curve of her calves, the gleam of her skin and the fluid movement of her hair had caught his attention, but it was her fierce concentration that had held it. The way she’d managed the room and everyone in it with a gentle nudge here and a subtle pull there. With a glance at her watch and a whisper in the ear of a member of staff she’d averted disasters, negotiated tricky situations and ensured that every person she spoke to ended their conversation with a beaming grin. No doubt the charity the gala was fundraising for would make a fortune.
Under normal circumstances, the thought of a to-do list and a watch filled his belly with apprehension, an unwelcome reminder of school days that had tormented him at the time, and still threatened the occasional nightmare more than ten years later. But worn as an accessory by a woman who seemed so effortlessly powerful, it was suddenly incredibly sexy.
He’d waited for the perfect moment all night—watching groups where she was conversing, catching her eye across the room; at one point, he’d even headed towards her with a determined stride—only for her to abruptly change course and disappear into the kitchen. And now she was putting her head together with one of the other guests, consulting her tablet, tucking a curtain of shining hair behind her ear.
She laughed, and the sound reached him as clear as if the room had been silent. Her face creased, her head dropped back, and humour radiated from her like a wave. He wanted to make her laugh. He was unreasonably jealous of the person who had inspired the sound, a man with pure silver hair and a walking stick.
The string band had started playing in a corner of the ballroom, and a few couples were heading towards the dance floor. His eyes flickered towards them, and he wondered whether she’d accept an invitation to dance.
In the moment that his eyes left her, he felt her look at him.
He whipped around to try and catch her gaze, but her eyes had already dropped to her tablet, as she scrolled up and down. She glanced at him again, and this time he caught it. He turned, his hands in his pockets, and his body relaxed under her stare, turning his stance into something languid and louche.
He walked towards her, smiling, still refusing to look away. He would hold this contact until he could get his hands on something more solid.
Just a couple of steps away from her, he was hit with unaccustomed nerves. It had been an age since he’d felt nervous talking to a woman. Things were pretty easy-come-easy-go in his love-life, much to the satisfaction of everyone involved. Nerves were thin on the ground when the most you were looking to gain or lose was a few nights or weeks of fun. The prospect of commitment, of expectations, of being caught in a situation with no simple way out—only the fix of her eyes on his kept a shiver from his spine.
‘Hi, I’m Rachel Archer.’ The words arrived in a rush as soon as he was within arm’s reach and she stuck out her hand for him to shake.
‘Leo.’ He just managed the one word, though it felt as if all breath had left his body at the feel of her hand in his. He observed her closely, looking for any clue that she was as affected by this meeting as he. But she had dropped her eyes, pulling her hand back—was that a fraction of a hesitation?—and glancing down at her tablet.
‘So, are you enjoying crashing the party?’ She gave a throaty chuckle with the words, and he absorbed the sound, revelling in the delicious heat it inspired in his body. He was so focused on that sound that he almost missed the meaning of her words.
‘Crashing?’ he asked with a raised eyebrow and a smile. ‘Says who?’
‘Says me.’ No laugh this time, though a perfectly polite smile was still on her lips. He wanted a real one. ‘Tonight is strictly invitation only, though if you are here to contribute generously to the Julia House hospice, I’m sure we can make an exception.’
He returned his hands to his pockets; it was on the tip of his tongue to tell her that he was there in place of his father, who was unwell and couldn’t attend. Normally, ‘representing the family’ wasn’t something he was interested in, but his father had promised the organisers that the family would be there with a generous donation—for a good cause he had been known to make an exception. He was intrigued, though. How did she know he was crashing—had she been asking questions about him?
‘I want to know more about why you think I’m crashing.’
‘Well…’ she said, pulling up another page on her tablet. ‘I planned the guest list. I sent the invitations, checked the RSVPs and wrote the table plan. There wasn’t a single Leo to be seen.’ Her eyes left her screen, and she looked him up and down, her eyes travelling from his face to his shoes, faltering slightly at his belt and chest. Encouraging.
‘Ah, so I must be crashing. I take it your lists are never wrong?’
‘Never,’ she agreed with a good-tempered nod, and just the merest hint of another chuckle.
‘Then I suppose I’ve got some making up to do. What will it take?’
‘Well, apart from your considerable contribution to Julia House, which I’m sure is already in hand…’
‘Naturally.’
‘I want an explanation.’
It was his turn to laugh. ‘That’s all?’ But she didn’t look equally amused. In fact a worry line had appeared between her brows, and she glanced again at her screen.
‘Tonight has been planned and re-planned, checked and double-checked. I want to know how you’re here, and how I didn’t know about it.’
He wanted that line gone. Wanted any evidence of discomfort wiped from her face. He still wanted to make her laugh.
‘I’ll tell you everything. Every dark secret and trick of the conman’s trade.’ He raised his eyebrows, attempting melodramatic villainy, and was rewarded with a lift at the corner of her lips. ‘All you have to do is dance with me.’
Rachel rested her hand stiffly on his shoulder as they started to move to the music, wondering—again—why she had agreed to this. She let her gaze travel up from his collar, over a tanned throat, blond stubbled jaw and endearingly crooked nose. Up to a pair of eyes as blue as a baking summer sky, and then remembered.
Somewhere along the line, somewhere between guest list and dessert, her system had fallen short. He was probably standing in for someone—she had a shortlist of faces she’d been expecting to see but hadn’t. But how had she made it to eleven o’clock without realising something was wrong?‘So,’ she prompted, trying to keep her mind on the job, rather than on the confident way Leo was leading her around the floor, or the scent coming from his skin. Something salty, natural and that had, she guessed, never been anywhere near a Selfridges counter.
She faltered for a second as she caught him looking at her, and felt her cheeks warming under the intensity of his interest. She stilled, suddenly hyperaware of the pressure of his hand around hers, of his arm at her waist, the sound of him breathing close to her ear. Only the subtle squeeze of his arm reminded her she was supposed to be dancing. Forcing her feet to move, she glanced over his shoulder and spotted her boss, Will, and for a moment she was worried she was about to be caught slacking. But one look at his face told her she had nothing to worry about. He had eyes only for Maya, his partner, and she smiled. She couldn’t help but take a little credit for the happiness that was radiating from them both. She was the one who’d engineered Will into taking a cookery course he wasn’t interested in, all because it was run by a woman he definitely was.She’d watched that relationship blossom, from first meeting to their elation tonight, and felt a little pang of…what? Loneliness? No, that wasn’t it. She had friends—she’d even shared a flat with her best friend, Laura, until she’d bought her own place a year ago—right on track for her five-year plan. Sometimes she even managed to schedule time for a date or two.
But she didn’t have that, whatever it was that made it look as if half the light in the room were emanating from them.
So no, she wasn’t lonely, but maybe she was curious. Intrigued enough by the possibilities that when the surfy-looking blond who’d been casting looks in her direction all night had asked her if she wanted to dance, she’d looked him up and down and considered it.
And she’d been intrigued enough by what she’d seen to fight down the urge to tell him that this wasn’t in her schedule, but to send him a smile instead.
There wasn’t actually much left of her schedule tonight. That was the benefit of being chronically well organised, she supposed. When everything was planned and prepared in advance, she could just sit back and watch all the results of her hard work fall into place. Like with Will and Maya: the consequences of her plan had far exceeded her expectations, and she’d only had to intervene a couple of times to keep everything moving in the right direction. Better still, her boss had barely even noticed her involvement. The sign of a great executive assistant, she told herself. Her work was practically invisible.
She was so engrossed with watching the results of her meticulous planning she almost, almost, forgot where she was and what she was doing.
That was until a warm, rough fingertip found its way under her chin and tilted her face upward.
‘Should I be worried about the competition?’ Her eyes snapped back to his, and she was taken aback again by their intense colour, and the way he looked at her, as if there was some part of her he was trying desperately to see.
‘So who were you watching?’ he asked, reminding her of his question.
‘Jealous?’ She drew out the word with a smile, enjoying for a moment the control that it gave her. She didn’t even know yet what she wanted to do with this blatant expression of interest, other than enjoy it for a moment. ‘I’m just enjoying a plan coming together.’
‘You planned that?’ he asked, as her boss leant down and kissed Maya gently on the lips. The kiss itself was chaste enough, but the blatant bedroom eyes on both sides nudged it towards obscene.
‘I may have helped a little.’
‘Well, I prefer your attention here,’ he said, attempting to soften his words with a cheeky grin.
‘Demanding, much?’ Okay, so her attention wasn’t such a ridiculous thing to expect. But she didn’t want him thinking he could just demand what he wanted and expect her to deliver. And she still wasn’t sure how she felt about his attention. Attracted, sure. But meeting a party crasher with a cute smile and a devastating way of watching her hadn’t featured in her plans for tonight. She’d had no advance warning, no time to think about what she wanted to do.
‘Absolutely.’ He remained completely straight-faced and Rachel recognised the challenge. ‘But I think if you’re going to agree to dance with me, it’s only fair you give it your full attention.’
‘Perhaps. But you’re not holding up your end of the bargain. The dance was in exchange for an explanation. So spill. How did you get in without me knowing about it?’
‘Grappling hook,’ he replied, deadpan and with no hesitation. She let out a laugh, leaning back against his arm, letting the humour arch her body and soften her indignation.
He teased and she laughed, until she could feel the tension of the night leaching from her body. She’d not checked her watch since he’d led her to the floor, and she had no idea how long they’d been up there. And she was dangerously close to not caring. His humour, the naughty light in his eyes, was forcing the strain of preparing this evening from her limbs, demanding she enjoy herself. That she enjoy him. Eventually, when she’d laughed off his latest suggestion for how he’d joined the party—something about an international jewel thief—he leaned in close, until she could feel his warm breath disturbing her hair, and the minutest brush of his lips against her ear. With a little shiver, she suspected the time for games was coming to an end. ‘Someone asked me to attend on their behalf. I couldn’t say no. Are you going to throw me out?’
His reply prompted a hundred questions in her mind, but the one that sprang unguarded to her lips surprised even her: ‘Where would you go if I did?’
His lips parted slightly and he chose his words carefully, she guessed, not wanting to break the connection crackling like electricity between them. ‘That depends.’Of course she was meant to ask ‘on what’, but the blatant suggestion in his eyes made her falter, suddenly aware they weren’t playing any longer.
‘Would you come with me?’ he asked, deadly serious. He had given up on the dancing, too, and his hand had drifted up to her cheek, his thumb skittering across her skin. She had pulled her gaze away, unable to bear the close scrutiny of those huge, clear blue eyes, but now it snapped back up as she took a little half step away from him.
‘I can’t. I’m working.’ She didn’t even think before she spoke. The words came to her lips automatically as her heart rate spiked and her breath hitched. Her arms tensed where they rested against his body as she started to register the risk she’d taken coming up here with him. This man was chaos. She could see it in the haphazard drape of his tie and his mismatched cufflinks. The fact that even without being invited to the party he had got her away from her to-do list and onto the dance floor.
Her whereabouts and every action had been meticulously planned for the whole evening. She’d been in the right place and at the right time, with the right files and figures for just about every one of the past eighteen hours. She was currently partway through the hour that she’d marked ‘Networking, socialising, misc.’ And when it came to an end, she had planned to run through a couple of details with the venue manager before leaving for the night. Alone.
Leo smiled at her, cool and relaxed.
‘So you want to,’ he said, as if he’d just gained a small victory.
She narrowed her eyes. She hadn’t said that.
‘You said you can’t leave because you’re working. But you never said you don’t want to. I’ve been watching you all night. Waiting for the right moment to catch your attention; wanting to know what’s on that tablet of yours. How you keep a party like this moving with just a whisper and a look in the right direction. I’ve been completely hypnotised by you and all I want for the rest of the night is to find out more.’
Her eyes widened in surprise; she was completely taken aback by his words.
She’d spotted him early in the night, and wondered which name his face belonged to. As she’d worked round the room, meeting and greeting, discussing the practicalities of donations, nudging Will in the right direction, and keeping the company CEO, Sir Cuthbert Appleby, happy, her thoughts had drifted to the guy in the slightly crumpled suit, his wavy hair resisting any attempt at a style. But the more her gaze had been drawn to him, the more she’d fought it, forcing her eyes to her work, her schedule and smartphone. She’d recognised the danger in that pull, the need to stick to her plan and see out the night as she’d intended. But now? This dance was perfectly in line with her itinerary. She’d always expected to do some socialising. And after that? She had ten minutes’ work to do—tops.
So she could tell him she wasn’t interested, that she had barely noticed him and didn’t need to know any more than that. But it would be a lie. Because ever since his arm had captured her waist she’d been trying not to think about all the wicked things she’d like to do with his body. Her brain had thrown a dozen different suggestions at her, each one making her blush more than the last. Top of the list being to get his shirt off, so she could see if the contours of his body looked as good as they felt.
But she couldn’t just take off with him. She had responsibilities here, she thought, her heart rate picking up again, though from desire or panic she couldn’t tell. She had work she had to finish up. She couldn’t just take off because—
Ooh.
His thumb continued its exploration of her jaw, and dipped into her collarbone in a way that made her melt.
When she looked up and met his eyes, the danger there was obvious. But he spelled it out for her, anyway.
‘I want to make you shiver like that again,’ he said slowly. ‘I could try here, but…’ He stroked that magic spot again and she bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself groaning out load.
‘You see the problem?’
She nodded, but… ‘I can’t do this.’
‘You can’t? Or you don’t want to?’
Did it matter? ‘I have a plan for tonight.’ She took another half step away from him, knowing she needed distance. ‘This isn’t it.’
He pulled her back in and rested his forehead against hers. ‘Rachel, you’re killing me. At least come somewhere we can talk.’ His arm dropped from her waist abruptly, but before she could mourn its loss her hand was engulfed by his and she was striding with him across the ballroom.
When they reached the lobby, he whirled around, his lips stopping just inches from hers. Was he doing it on purpose? Tempting her until she lost her mind and gave in?‘Help me here,’ he said, his voice soft and enticing. ‘You’re attracted to me.’ The lilt of his voice was just charming enough to
compensate for his lack of modesty. ‘So what’s stopping you?’
She took her hand back, and a step away from him, understanding that being so close was doing nothing for her decision-making skills. This wasn’t a question of what she wanted; she couldn’t just drop everything and leave on a whim.
‘Nothing’s stopping me,’ she said, keeping her voice carefully even. There was no need for him to know the nagging dread that would start in the base of her brain if she decided to embrace spontaneity. No need for him to know that she’d not done anything without a plan, a back-up plan and a contingency plan since she was a teenager. ‘I’m working. I had some free time scheduled, and thank you for the dance, but now I have to get back.’
He looked at her carefully, and she held his gaze. ‘Do you always have a plan? A schedule?’
‘I do. What’s wrong with that?’
‘Oh, you mean except for the claustrophobia, the inflexibility, the stifling—’ Wisely, he stopped himself, probably remembering he should play to his audience. ‘So I wasn’t in your plan for tonight. But what if something unexpected comes up? That must happen sometimes, right? Meetings get cancelled, things run late. Contracts get lost in the post. What happens to your plans then?’
‘I make a new one,’ she said, wondering what was behind his cut-off outburst, the flash of panic she’d seen on his face.
‘You adapt to the circumstances—just like that. No stress. No panic.’
‘Of course.’ Working with Will could—and frequently did—send crises her way. She smoothed each problem until it fitted neatly into her existing plans, and all without anyone seeing that below the surface she was paddling like a racing swan.
Leo smiled at her as if he’d just scored a point. ‘So make a new plan for tonight. Nothing serious, no reason to change tomorrow’s plans, or any day after that. Just reschedule a couple of hours tonight to fit me in.’
‘A couple of hours?’ She raised an eyebrow at that: one night suited her just fine—her life was too full for anything more—but she had ideas enough already to fill more than a couple of hours. If she was going to do this, she was going to be sure it was worth her while.
And she was intrigued, because he was right. She’d altered plans before. She’d adapted to circumstances. Allowed for last-minute changes. So why shouldn’t she do that tonight? Through the window into the ballroom she caught sight of Will and Maya dancing and remembered what she’d felt earlier, that stab of curiosity, or loneliness, or… Perhaps the fact that she didn’t even know what it was made a good enough reason to do this.‘I have a few things I have to finish up before I—’
With a smile, he swooped in and pressed a quick, hard kiss to her lips. ‘Just tell me when.’
Thursday, 26 February 2015
Bound By a Baby Bump
Those of you who hang out here a lot will have heard me talking about Beach Bum, recently renamed Bound By a Baby Bump and given a stunning cover, rather a lot of the last year or so. Well, it's finally time to reveal a little more about it. And that surprise I told you I was springing on my characters, well, you've probably guessed it from the title -- and it's a biggie. Well, about seven to eight pounds worth of surprise, actually, but you get the idea. So to whet your appetite, here's what it's all about:
Ellie
x
Nine months to change her life…
I was looking through my holiday photos the other day, and came across these pictures of a huge chunk of driftwood that had washed up on the beach and served as my inspiration for a lot of Leo's artwork. I loved trying to capture all the different textures, though I'm sure Leo would have done a better job. But for those of you who like (very) amateur photography and/or great massive pieces of wood (insert your own inappropriate joke here), enjoy!
PA Rachel Archer [remember her, Will's PA from Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss?!] has every little bit of her life planned down to the letter—it's the only way she can feel safe. Until gorgeous artist Leo Fairfax tempts her to live on the wild side, just for one night…
That night changes both their lives forever, when they discover Rachel's pregnant! Now, bound by their beloved baby bump, lone wolf Leo must convince Rachel that not only is he here to stay, but he's dedicated to winning her heart!
x
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Cover reveal!
As promised in my last post, the cover for Bound by a Baby Bump has hit my inbox, and she's a real heart-stopper. Drumroll please ...
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Blue skys, azure seas, bright colours, super-shiny but windswept hair, hunky hero -- check, check, check, check and double check. And, of course, one very adorable baby bump -- I love it!
I'd love to know what you all think :) Is it making you dream of a getaway to the beautiful Dorset coast (and if not, check out the photos from my research trip -- England really can look this good!)
Anyway, I'd better get back to the revisions to the next book, but I'm so excited that I'll soon be shart BBaBB with you all!
Lots of love,
Ellie
Blue skys, azure seas, bright colours, super-shiny but windswept hair, hunky hero -- check, check, check, check and double check. And, of course, one very adorable baby bump -- I love it!I'd love to know what you all think :) Is it making you dream of a getaway to the beautiful Dorset coast (and if not, check out the photos from my research trip -- England really can look this good!)
Lots of love,
Ellie
Tuesday, 7 October 2014
Beach Bum's a-changing
Things are all go as usual here at Darkins HQ. It's been a busy and exciting few weeks as I put the finishing touches to Beach Bum, typed The End, and then read it through just to be sure. And then just once more, to be absolutely sure. And then ... you get the idea. Well all the hard work paid off: the lovely editors at Mills & Boon loved it and accepted it for publication!
Not only that, they've given it a brand new name, so it will henceforth be known as .... drum roll please ...
Gorgeous, no?! It will be arriving in May 2015, so reserve a spot on the sofa, put in an early request for a cup of tea, and start counting down the days :)
Not only that, they've given it a brand new name, so it will henceforth be known as .... drum roll please ...
Bound by a Baby Bump
Gorgeous, no?! It will be arriving in May 2015, so reserve a spot on the sofa, put in an early request for a cup of tea, and start counting down the days :)
This good news means, however, that I'm finding myself in a place I'd almost forgotten about ... page 1! It's blank, it's terrifying, and sometimes feels like it's defeating me. So it's back to the notebooks, the synopsis, the research and the biscuit tin as I feel my way through the early chapters, working out what I'm writing about, who my characters are, and -- most importantly -- how to make them fall in love. It's scary, thrilling and full of all sorts of possibilities -- basically, it's like being a writer in microcosm. Love it.
I'll report back soon, when this story starts to reveal itself to me, and let you have a shifty at my notebooks!
Ellie
x
Friday, 5 September 2014
Babbling about Food and Love
This week I've guest blogged over at Babbling About Books, And More (http://kbgbabbles.com/) talking about everything I've learned from Will and Maya about food and love.
A bit thanks to Katie for having me!
Head here to check it out.
Ellie
x
A bit thanks to Katie for having me!
Head here to check it out.
Ellie
x
Monday, 1 September 2014
Today's the day!
I'm beside myself with excitement this morning, because Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss is hitting bookshelves, real and electronic, across the world!
Working with the incredible team at Harlequin/Mills & Boon over the past year has just been incredible, and it's an amazing feeling knowing that the book I'm so proud of is winging its way to customers today.
I can't wait to hear what you all think of Will and Maya's story. Don't forget there's a sneaky peak of the first chapter and all the details of where to buy your very own copy on the book page here.
Ellie
x
Working with the incredible team at Harlequin/Mills & Boon over the past year has just been incredible, and it's an amazing feeling knowing that the book I'm so proud of is winging its way to customers today.
I can't wait to hear what you all think of Will and Maya's story. Don't forget there's a sneaky peak of the first chapter and all the details of where to buy your very own copy on the book page here.
Ellie
x
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Sneaky peek and giveaway!
Excitement is mounting here at Darkins HQ, as the release date for Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss is just two weeks away. So to celebrate publishing my first novel for Mills & Boon I'm going to give away some free stuff!
Here, for your reading pleasure, is the very beginning of FHMK, when the glorious Maya and (somewhat surly) Will meet for the first time. And if that's just not enough for you, then there are two copies of the book, in good old-fashioned paperback, to be won on Goodreads; so click the button below and throw your hat in the ring. As always, would love to hear what you think of it!
Ellie x
Goodreads Book Giveaway
Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss
by Ellie Darkins
Giveaway ends September 02, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Chapter One
'You are going to try this one.'
Maya Hartney forced the corners of her mouth up into a professional smile while she waited for Will Thomas to bite. Behind her back she clasped her hands to stop herself chewing at a nail.
She'd tried dozens of combinations of dishes for this tasting, even though squeezing in an extra job next month was pushing her business to its limits. But it had been impossible to say no when Rachel, Will's assistant, had pleaded with her so earnestly to consider catering for an Appleby and Associates gala dinner.
These moments, waiting for a client to try one of her dishes, were nerve-racking but necessary. Once they'd taken a bite her nerves gave way to sheer pleasure. She loved to watch people enjoy her food. Ever since the first time it had happened, years ago, when she'd first cooked for her university housemates, it had given her a physical thrill. The joy that her food brought showed in the small smile people gave as they closed their eyes and savoured the taste for a moment. Now, ten years later, she lived and worked for that moment.
And she'd never had reason to doubt her food's capacity for bringing joy. Until now.
Will Thomas had already refused to try her starter, and her flutter of nerves congealed into a lump of dejection as she realised he probably wouldn't try this course either.
Maya swallowed awkwardly, thinking hard, wondering where she had gone wrong. Her late night last night had seemed worth it, if it meant she had this dish just right, but there must be something that she'd misjudged. She bit her lip for a second as she ran through the possibilities in her mind and her pulse picked up speed as she considered improvements she could make. Maybe the dressing wasa little too acidic? But then he hadn't even tried it, so he wouldn't know that. It must be the presentation that needed more work. The rest of the meal would have to be perfect to get this pitch back on track.
It had nothing to do with the fact that her mouth had watered the first second she'd seen Will Thomas and he'd met her gaze with steel-grey eyes. It was because she'd felt the chill of his presence since the second he'd arrived, and her whole body had wanted her to resist it. To fill the room with light and colour so that the cold couldn't take hold of her. She'd fought too hard against it to let it in now.
There wasn't a splash of colour anywhere in the office: grey walls, grey carpet, glass table and black leather chairs. She'd not experienced a chill like this for ten years, and would be a happy woman if she never felt it again. There was colour in every part of her life these days, displacing cold grey memories; now this room threatened to undo a decade's positive thinking.
When Will Thomas had walked in the room had suddenly made perfect sense. Charcoal suit, crisp white shirt, black hair with just a few flecks of silver at the temples. Grey eyes that bore an expression as clinical as their surroundings. Despite all this attraction had prickled at her skin, along with a warning, and she'd had to take a breath to steady herself.
His gaze had left his smartphone only briefly, dropped from her face to trace the contours of her curves and finally she'd seen a brief spark of heat in his eyes. The light had been there for just a fraction of a second before he'd caught it, extinguished it, and taken a step away from her, his eyes snapping back to his phone.
She'd crossed her ankles to stop herself taking a step forward, sensing that he wanted space, trying to respect that. Her eyes, though, had seemed desperate to pursue Will Thomas, to roam over the lines and planes of his face, down to where his shirt, crisp and starched and white, was open at the collar.
She'd introduced her starter: a salad of hand-harvested scallops, pan-fried and served with rocket and prosciutto, finished with a dressing it had taken two full evenings to perfect. He'd given it a derisive look and asked her to move on, his fingers twitching on the screen of his phone. Email withdrawal, she assumed. She'd catered for enough business dinners to recognise the symptoms. But the knowledge that he was choosing to check his emails over trying her food made her restless. Her food always spoke for her—what was she meant to do with someone who refused to listen?
On this man those chiselled cheekbones and intriguing silver eyes were entirely resistible.
She closed her mouth and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from a very unprofessional outburst.
He had to try this dish. She was certain that it would fix their impasse. If he would just give the food a chance she could still win him over. She'd sourced tender duck from a nearby farm and selected only the most beautiful vegetables from her local supplier. The herbs had come from the garden of her cottage in the Cotswolds and the sauce, a delicate balance of wine, red berries and orange, was—as of last night's final run-though—perfect.
She wanted it to be right, needed it to be perfect, because if she could no longer rely on her food what else did she have to offer?
Taking a step towards him, she brandished the fork.
'You are going to try this one,' she repeated with renewed determination.
She tried to paste the smile onto her face again to soften the blow, but there was no disguising the fact that this was an instruction, not a request, and her frustration had made her words short and sharp.
Will met her gaze and seemed to study her; his eyes narrowed while he inspected her features, as if weighing up his opponent. He slipped the smartphone into his pocket and took the fork from her.
'Do I have a choice?'
Maya couldn't be certain but a ghost of a smile had seemed to flicker at the corner of his mouth. His eyes left her face only briefly as he forked a mouthful of the meat and dipped it into the sauce. She grew warm under his relentless scrutiny and thought again of that moment when she'd first seen him. His eyes had widened when he'd noticed her standing in the conference room, as if he couldn't quite take her in, as if he didn't understand her. She didn't want to be difficult to understand. She had no interest in being enigmatic. What she needed was for him to like this dish, to restore her belief in her food—in herself.
For a moment as he chewed she thought she'd done it, that her food had broken this man's icy resolve. He closed his eyes for a moment, and she was sure he was savouring the flavours she'd worked so hard to blend and perfect. His body stilled, his breathing was slow, his fingers were at rest on his phone. The muscles of his face hinted at a smile. But then in an instant it was gone; his eyes snapped open and she saw only indifference.
'That's fine.'
Fine? Fine? Perhaps she'd imagined it, she thought. That moment when it had seemed, however briefly, that he had been won round. Or maybe she hadn't, and he was just determined for some reason not to enjoy her food, whatever she put in front of him. Anger at his uninterest prickled—how could he be so determined not to enjoy something she had poured her joy and happiness into?
This wasn't going to get any better, she realised then. She just had to find a way to get through this. To protect herself from the barbs of his coldness until she could get out of there. She relaxed her hold on her anger, bringing it to the fore, letting it protect her from his cold indifference.
'Dessert?' she asked, dreading the response, dreading the rejection, but wanting to get it over with.
'I'm sure you've got that under control.'
'Blackberry fool?' Why not show him how his dismissal hurt? she thought. It wasn't as if he would even care or notice. And it might make her feel a little better.
His eyes held hers and she felt the heat in her face sink to her belly when he continued to stare at her. She shifted under his scrutiny, trying not to wonder what he was thinking, why he was studying her irises. It seemed that her anger could reach him where her food hadn't.
Will raised an eyebrow. 'It sounds like you've got the measure of things, Miss…'
'Maya's fine,' she said, her words still terse.
'Maya,' he repeated, his voice a little less steady than it had been.
He took a deep breath and she saw a blank mask descend over his face, shutting out whatever it was that had flashed between them in the past few seconds. It was a pattern, she realised. A few seconds when his features flickered with emotion, some pleasure or enjoyment. And then he chased it away, locked his face down hard. His voice too, when he spoke next, was the model of professionalism, his words hard and steady.
'Thank you for coming, Maya. Leave your quote with my assistant and someone will be in touch.'
Anger fought for room with sorrow and the pain that had haunted her since her childhood. Will had shut her out in a fraction of a second. It had taken him the space of a blink to forget whatever it was that had made him pause and consider her the moment before. And she couldn't help but remember how her parents had so easily done the same.
He'd reduced everything that she'd created to a string of numbers on a spreadsheet. A simple calculation that took no account of love and passion. She couldn't meet his eye—didn't know if he was even trying to as she shook his hand. As he walked out she let her frustration loose as she tossed cutlery and crockery back into bags and boxes and then packed away the barely touched food.
She tried rationalising what had happened to make herself feel a little better. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in her food, it was just that he only cared about the numbers. Perhaps she should have guessed the moment he'd walked into the room that this was just another business meeting for him.
She'd never been so infuriated by anyone in her life, she thought as she headed out to her car. It wasn't just his lack of enthusiasm for her food, it was the way that he'd seemed completely unwilling to let himself enjoy it, his determination to see life in columns and cells. He'd only tried one course out of three: her food had never stood a chance of impressing him because he had never been prepared to let it.
That thought drained her anger, sapped the tension from her muscles, as she remembered the last time her passion been faced with pure indifference.
Even if she was offered the job she knew she wouldn't be seeing him again. She knew that to cook, and cook well, for that man after today's disaster would be impossible—a complete waste of good food and time, and too close to too many bad memories. She couldn't do it.
Wednesday, 13 August 2014
My writing journey
For ages I've been meaning to write my own story, and get down on paper (or pixels) how I woke up one day as a published author... So from green biro to published copies, here's how it happened!
When I was ten years old, I decided I’d write a book. My first novel ran to seven pages of a lined A4 notepaper, and I only remember two things about it. One, the main character was an ill-disguised version of my best friend. And two, for some reason, I chose to write the whole thing in green biro – fortunately, for my editors, not a habit I’ve kept.
Fast-forward fifteen years, and I was still writing in fits and starts, though I didn’t seem to have the confidence to take my writing seriously.
I can pinpoint, though, two key events that finally kick-started my writing career, and for which I’ll be forever grateful. The first was the coming together (*ahem*) of two of my great loves: Mills & Boon and rugby (players…). When M&B announced that they would be releasing a rugby-themed miniseries, working together with the RFU, I was inspired. I put pen to paper, and started work on a novel featuring an ill-disguised Jonny Wilkinson (do you see a theme emerging?). I got about seven thousand words down before my hard drive died, taking all my hard work with it. Not enough words to have developed any real conflict, characterisation or plot, but there were one or two sentences in there – I seem to remember a honey-coloured shoulder – that made me think that I might actually be okay at this writing lark, given enough practice.
And that’s when I discovered NaNoWriMo.
Now, I’ve gushed before on the joys of NaNo, so I won’t do it again here, but suffice it to say that without these month-long writing exercises I might never have gone on to take my writing seriously, or to ever get to The End.
It took three years, and three completed NaNo manuscripts, before I turned around on 1 December, and thought to myself, I might actually have something here. Another year of hard graft later, the book was Hiding from Hollywood, and a year after that, it hit virtual bookshelves, edited and published by the lovely folks at Crimson Romance.
And while I was waiting for Hollywood to find the right home, I was working on something else, inspired by too many hours in front of food-themed reality TV (a habit I’ve not shaken. I’m counting down the minutes to tonight’s Bake Off … currently 54!). I had the manuscript finished and edited when I saw that Mills & Boon were running a pitch competition to find new authors, and thought that I’d run my foodie story idea past them – maybe they’d like it. And they did! I came runner up in that competition and the editors asked to see the partial manuscript, and then the full! Several rounds of revisions later, they offered a contract not only for that book, now titled Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss, but for the next one too!
And that’s where you find me now. I’ve just put the finishing touches to my second book for M&B, am working on promoting Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss, and am looking forward to receiving my first sales figures for Hiding from Hollywood. And, of course, trying to sort through the various ideas simmering in my brain to decide which story I’m going to tackle next!
Friday, 25 July 2014
Research -- it's a hard life...
Last weekend I had the absolute joy and privilege of attending my best friend's wedding, and acting as her maid of honour. Cue days and days of being immersed in the warm and fuzzies, as I watched two people looking like they were the happiest and luckiest souls on the planet promising to spend their whole lives together. Emotional doesn't even start to cover it.
And because the happy couple had made the extraordinarily brilliant decision of getting married on the beautiful Jurassic coast, I also managed to cram in a little research for #BeachBum! This is where I introduce Miss Krista Cartlidge, Head of Geography at Burlington Danes Academy, south-coast native and my other long-suffering BFF (yes, we're a BFF triumvirate). She is the fount of all knowledge geographical, and I am now officially fully versed in the creation of arches, stacks and stumps; coastal erosion; world-heritage status; and the watersports potential of several south-coast resorts. Thanks, Miss Cartlidge!
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And if you're interested to know what a geography teacher gets up to in their summer holidays, read on! This summer Krista will be taking on her most crazy challenge to date...
She is flying off to the Swiss Alps to trek the famously beautiful but difficult Haute Route. The trek normally takes 9 days, but she'll be doing it in just 7 so it is going to be tough! This is one of the stages of the STRIVE challenge which has been set up by the fantastic charity Big Change, who help young people across the UK to develop critical character traits such as resilience, leadership, confidence and team work. If you want to donate to this fab cause, head to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.
And now I'm off to plan my next gruelling research trip. Wine tasting in the south of France perhaps? A yacht around the Carribean? Would love any suggestions!
And because the happy couple had made the extraordinarily brilliant decision of getting married on the beautiful Jurassic coast, I also managed to cram in a little research for #BeachBum! This is where I introduce Miss Krista Cartlidge, Head of Geography at Burlington Danes Academy, south-coast native and my other long-suffering BFF (yes, we're a BFF triumvirate). She is the fount of all knowledge geographical, and I am now officially fully versed in the creation of arches, stacks and stumps; coastal erosion; world-heritage status; and the watersports potential of several south-coast resorts. Thanks, Miss Cartlidge!
From the top of Durdle Door. Very tempted to perch my hero's house right here
So that he and my heroine can enjoy views as beautiful as this one...
And stroll along this beach hand in hand
And learn about stacks and stumps from Miss Krista Cartlidge!
She is flying off to the Swiss Alps to trek the famously beautiful but difficult Haute Route. The trek normally takes 9 days, but she'll be doing it in just 7 so it is going to be tough! This is one of the stages of the STRIVE challenge which has been set up by the fantastic charity Big Change, who help young people across the UK to develop critical character traits such as resilience, leadership, confidence and team work. If you want to donate to this fab cause, head to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.
And now I'm off to plan my next gruelling research trip. Wine tasting in the south of France perhaps? A yacht around the Carribean? Would love any suggestions!
Ellie
x
Tuesday, 22 July 2014
They're here!
Picture the scene: you return from a gruelling four-hour shift manning the desk at your local library, only to find the postwoman has left you a card. She tried to deliver a parcel while you were out. And your author copies of Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss are due any day. But you've a deadline tomorrow, and no time to head down to the village and back.
This was me, last Thursday....
So I wait Friday until morning, when the proofs I've been correcting are finished, and head to the post office, full of anticipation of paperback loveliness. I head up to the counter with grin on face and bounce in step, and deal with business first, getting my proofs in the post so they arrive on time. And then I hand over the red card, practically dancing now with anticipation. The lady in the post office digs round behind the counter, picking up and looking at different parcels in turn. It's not that one! I want to shout. It'll be a bigger box than that. But what's this? She's heading back to the partition, with a unfeasibly small parcel. It's got my husband's name on it. No parcel. No books. An electrical connector for a Golf GTI alternator. Sob.
So I trudge home (actually, I drove -- I'd bought the car with me, anticipating a great big heavy box) and get on with some chores, have a bit of lunch. The doorbell goes, and I open it to find a UPS guy with a great big box ...
They're HERE! They're BEAUTIFUL! They're ALL MINE!! OK, so this last part isn't true. They'll be winging their way shortly to reviewers, as giveaway prizes, and to some of the fabulous people who helped me get this book written. So maybe next time you get a card from the postie, Will and Maya will be waiting for you.
Ellie
This was me, last Thursday....
So I wait Friday until morning, when the proofs I've been correcting are finished, and head to the post office, full of anticipation of paperback loveliness. I head up to the counter with grin on face and bounce in step, and deal with business first, getting my proofs in the post so they arrive on time. And then I hand over the red card, practically dancing now with anticipation. The lady in the post office digs round behind the counter, picking up and looking at different parcels in turn. It's not that one! I want to shout. It'll be a bigger box than that. But what's this? She's heading back to the partition, with a unfeasibly small parcel. It's got my husband's name on it. No parcel. No books. An electrical connector for a Golf GTI alternator. Sob.
So I trudge home (actually, I drove -- I'd bought the car with me, anticipating a great big heavy box) and get on with some chores, have a bit of lunch. The doorbell goes, and I open it to find a UPS guy with a great big box ...
They're HERE! They're BEAUTIFUL! They're ALL MINE!! OK, so this last part isn't true. They'll be winging their way shortly to reviewers, as giveaway prizes, and to some of the fabulous people who helped me get this book written. So maybe next time you get a card from the postie, Will and Maya will be waiting for you.
Ellie
Saturday, 21 June 2014
Beta reader needed and 10% off Crimson Romance
Well, despite various family dramas, I'm pleased to report that #BeachBum is continuing apace. The (scarily rough) first draft is complete, and the (only very rough) second draft is only an epilogue away from being done too.
And that means I need some help! I'm looking for someone, or someones, to read my rough draft and let me know what you think of it -- characters you love, plot points you hate, dialogue that sounds a little ropey (I think it's fair to say the manuscript will have at least two out of the three...). So if you love Mills & Boon Cherish (Harlequin Romance, to those of you across the pond) and want the chance influence the story, then let me know!
I'd also love if any new mums or mums to be would like to beta read, and let me know their thoughts on the pregnancy aspects of the story, as there's only so much I can learn from the NHS website and Netmums!
As it's so sunny out there, we all need a little something to read in the garden or on the beach, so use the code FFSAVE on the new Crimson Romance website, and get an extra 10% off (on top of their 30% off and 6-for-5 offers!) So if you've not read Hiding from Hollywood yet, head to http://www.adamsmediastore.com/crimson-romance!
And that means I need some help! I'm looking for someone, or someones, to read my rough draft and let me know what you think of it -- characters you love, plot points you hate, dialogue that sounds a little ropey (I think it's fair to say the manuscript will have at least two out of the three...). So if you love Mills & Boon Cherish (Harlequin Romance, to those of you across the pond) and want the chance influence the story, then let me know!
I'd also love if any new mums or mums to be would like to beta read, and let me know their thoughts on the pregnancy aspects of the story, as there's only so much I can learn from the NHS website and Netmums!
As it's so sunny out there, we all need a little something to read in the garden or on the beach, so use the code FFSAVE on the new Crimson Romance website, and get an extra 10% off (on top of their 30% off and 6-for-5 offers!) So if you've not read Hiding from Hollywood yet, head to http://www.adamsmediastore.com/crimson-romance!
Tuesday, 3 June 2014
Wanna see something pretty?
I'm absolutely thrilled to reveal the astonishingly pretty North American cover for Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss. I'm blown away by how beautiful it is, and how the very talented folks at Harlequin and Mills & Boon have captured the emotion between Maya and Will. That thumb on the jaw ... *swoon*
Just three months now until this is hitting the bookshelves, and I couldn't be more excited! Want to know more about the book? Here you go!
As always, would love to hear what you think!
Love, Ellie
xxxx
Just three months now until this is hitting the bookshelves, and I couldn't be more excited! Want to know more about the book? Here you go!
Food to heal his soul...
Shy and vulnerable Maya Hartney has one greatpassion—cooking. She’s turned her greatest pleasureinto a thriving business, and nothing fulfills her morethan delighting her clients. Until she’s hired by taciturnworkaholic Will Thomas to cater a charity dinner.…
Only, where Will’s concerned, Maya can do no right! Thesolution? Sign him up for one of her cookery courses andforce the man to fall for her food. A week, one-on-one,cooking and tasting, proves to be a lot more intense andemotional than either of them are expecting! And itcomes with a delicious new taste sensation…a kiss….
As always, would love to hear what you think!
Love, Ellie
xxxx
Monday, 7 April 2014
Book titles, serious research, and getting hitched
So many exciting things to update you about! Since my last post, life has been pretty exciting around Darkins HQ.
First up, news on my first book with Mills and Boon. Avid readers of the blog might know it as 'Food Glorious Food', as 'Will and Maya', or, because I'm lazy and madly in love with my heroine -- usually, just good old 'Maya'. But the wonderful folks at Mills and Boon have put their heads together and come up with the beautiful, swoon-worthy title: Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss. Needless to say, I LOVE it. This will be hitting bookshelves (real and virtual) from September 2014, so watch this space for more details.
In other news, they have also just okayed my proposal for my second book, currently untitled, but known around these parts as 'Beach Bum'. I have some serious research to do now, scouring interior design mags for coastal cottage ideas (VITAL to the story), checking out beautiful seascapes, and with any luck a trip to the beach to smell the sea air, listen to the seagulls and taste the fish and chips. Life as a romance novelist -- it's torture all the way ...
And as if that wasn't enough excitement, I lived out my very own HEA last month and tied the knot with my long-suffering boyfriend. I now feel well qualified to rule that married life is pretty bloody wonderful, and intend to introduce as many characters as possible to the institution.
All in all, 2014's proving to be a pretty spectacular year, and we're only in April. Can hardly wait to see how the rest of it pans out!
Much love
Ellie
xxxx
P.S. Will you forgive the blatant self-promotion if I point out this fantastic 5* review of Hiding from Hollywood by Coffee Time Romance? You will? Well, thank you very much! http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/hidingfromhollywoodbyelliedarkins.html#.U0J2-ag7t8E
First up, news on my first book with Mills and Boon. Avid readers of the blog might know it as 'Food Glorious Food', as 'Will and Maya', or, because I'm lazy and madly in love with my heroine -- usually, just good old 'Maya'. But the wonderful folks at Mills and Boon have put their heads together and come up with the beautiful, swoon-worthy title: Frozen Heart, Melting Kiss. Needless to say, I LOVE it. This will be hitting bookshelves (real and virtual) from September 2014, so watch this space for more details.
In other news, they have also just okayed my proposal for my second book, currently untitled, but known around these parts as 'Beach Bum'. I have some serious research to do now, scouring interior design mags for coastal cottage ideas (VITAL to the story), checking out beautiful seascapes, and with any luck a trip to the beach to smell the sea air, listen to the seagulls and taste the fish and chips. Life as a romance novelist -- it's torture all the way ...
And as if that wasn't enough excitement, I lived out my very own HEA last month and tied the knot with my long-suffering boyfriend. I now feel well qualified to rule that married life is pretty bloody wonderful, and intend to introduce as many characters as possible to the institution.
All in all, 2014's proving to be a pretty spectacular year, and we're only in April. Can hardly wait to see how the rest of it pans out!
Much love
Ellie
xxxx
P.S. Will you forgive the blatant self-promotion if I point out this fantastic 5* review of Hiding from Hollywood by Coffee Time Romance? You will? Well, thank you very much! http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/hidingfromhollywoodbyelliedarkins.html#.U0J2-ag7t8E
Friday, 7 February 2014
More amazing news
It seems like 2014 is the year for Incredibly Exciting Events, and I have one more item to add to the agenda ...
Yesterday I received a call from Mills & Boon offering me a contract for my next book .... and the one after that too!
I'd spent the last few days with half an eye on my inbox after sending through a revised manuscript to the editor at Mills & Boon, but I was actually feeling pretty relaxed about it. After going through several rounds of feedback and revisions I was really happy with my story, knew that the editors were enthusiastic, and that I couldn't have worked harder on it. So when I received an email from my editor asking if I was free for a phone call, I was quietly confident.
I tried to stay calm, reminded myself of the questions I'd want to ask about contracts and deadlines and schedules -- if the news was good -- and waited for the phone to ring. But as soon as the words 'two-book deal' were mentioned all pretence at cool flew out the window! I pretty much gushed for the rest of the call -- but at least had the presence of mind to put a bottle of champagne in the fridge!
I'm (obviously!) absolutely overjoyed at this news, and can't wait to share Will and Maya's story with you all. Publication's scheduled for September 2014 and I'll keep you posted with everything that happens between now and then. In the meantime, I owe an enormous THANK YOU to Alexia Adams, my long-suffering critique partner, and Flo Nicoll, editor extraordinaire at Mills and Boon, both of whom saw the potential in Will and Maya's story, and helped me pull it into shape. And to my family and friends who read drafts and delivered tea, food, mince pies and wine when I was bashing away at the laptop -- THANK YOU!
Now I guess it's time to get back to my notebooks and keep scribbling!
Ellie
x
Yesterday I received a call from Mills & Boon offering me a contract for my next book .... and the one after that too!
I'd spent the last few days with half an eye on my inbox after sending through a revised manuscript to the editor at Mills & Boon, but I was actually feeling pretty relaxed about it. After going through several rounds of feedback and revisions I was really happy with my story, knew that the editors were enthusiastic, and that I couldn't have worked harder on it. So when I received an email from my editor asking if I was free for a phone call, I was quietly confident.
I tried to stay calm, reminded myself of the questions I'd want to ask about contracts and deadlines and schedules -- if the news was good -- and waited for the phone to ring. But as soon as the words 'two-book deal' were mentioned all pretence at cool flew out the window! I pretty much gushed for the rest of the call -- but at least had the presence of mind to put a bottle of champagne in the fridge!
I'm (obviously!) absolutely overjoyed at this news, and can't wait to share Will and Maya's story with you all. Publication's scheduled for September 2014 and I'll keep you posted with everything that happens between now and then. In the meantime, I owe an enormous THANK YOU to Alexia Adams, my long-suffering critique partner, and Flo Nicoll, editor extraordinaire at Mills and Boon, both of whom saw the potential in Will and Maya's story, and helped me pull it into shape. And to my family and friends who read drafts and delivered tea, food, mince pies and wine when I was bashing away at the laptop -- THANK YOU!
Now I guess it's time to get back to my notebooks and keep scribbling!
x
Friday, 22 November 2013
More reviews!
If you're looking for something to read this weekend, in those short few hours when you're not watching something Doctor Who related (you will be watching, yes?), here's my review of two more of Mills & Boon's Modern Tempted line.
Disclosure: I was sent free review copies of these titles by Mills & Boon
Whose Bed Is It Anyway?
Natalie Anderson
“You’re wearing my T-shirt.” Returning home after a daring rescue mission, all James Wolfe can think of is sleep. So he’s furious to find a beautiful stranger curled up in his king-size bed! Normally no woman ever gets between his sheets without prior invitation – who does she think she is? Disgraced celebrity Caitlin Moore has been offered a place to stay and she won’t give it up – not with the paparazzi outside, baying for her blood! Reluctantly she agrees to share the apartment with James – but, with enough electricity to short-circuit the whole of Manhattan, keeping to their own sides of the bed might prove impossible…
This book had a lot about it to love. A hot guy, a cute set
up, forced proximity (probably my absolute favourite trope), great writing. But somehow it
never quite clicked for me. Like the gorgeous guy you know who’s funny and nice
and gets on with your mates. But you just don’t fancy him.
Last Groom Standing
Kimberly Lang
Marnie Price’s guide to surviving the bridesmaid blues… 1. Get a new man 2. Find a new job 3. When in doubt, drink wine! Having watched her three closest friends all find love, Southern belle Marnie Price feels as if she’s the only single girl left. Luckily she’s found a solution – one sizzling night with Dylan Brookes. This man wears a wedding tux better than anyone, but all Marnie wants to do is get beneath it! Dylan is all about making the sensible choice, and a fling with his ex’s friend Marnie is about as far from sensible as he can get! Marnie might prove to him that taking risks is worth it, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to give up his bachelor status quite yet, does it…?
This is the last of the stories in the Wedding Quartet
continuity – and the hero is Dylan. Remember Dylan? The guy Reese ditched at
the altar way back in The Unexpected
Wedding Guest? Remember I that I thought he was a great character and
wanted to know more about him? Actually, I’m not sure that I actually said that
out loud, here on the blog, but I definitely
thought it.
Kimberley Lang has set herself quite a challenge here,
because she’s taken on two characters who aren’t out to wow us with their
emotional outbursts. Marnie is – quite frankly – a bit of a cold fish. But
through humour (and not a little alcohol) we start to warm to the pair. Until
we’re in hysterics, waiting to see if their night together is going to be
exposed with a hysterically ridiculous (in a good way) three-way phone call.
In the end the fact that Marnie and Dylan are on the chilly
side to begin with only makes it hotter when they let their passionate sides
loose.
And then, of course, there’s an appearance from Cassie Barclay …
Disclosure: I was sent free review copies of these titles by Mills & Boon
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Modern Tempted Review #3
Hello folks! The past few months have been an exciting whirl of revisions, cover art suggestions, author photos, marketing ideas, the list goes on. But now that I have a second to breathe I wanted to share my thoughts on some more releases from the new Mills & Boon Modern Tempted line. So, without further ado ...
This story had lots going for it from the start. First up, it's a reunion story, and I love a reunion. – falling in love is a rush, but making that into a real, solid relationship is the real test and – if you can do it – the real reward. So we were off to a good start :) Add in a couple of fantastically drawn characters and I was hooked. Nate’s a full-on bad boy, no half measures, with women coming out of his ears (ahem). Sasha, on the other hand, is uptight, nervous, terrified of letting go -- cue lots of emotional conflict!
I loved the hot chemistry between the two, seeing the softer side of Nate, and wondering right to the end how they’d manage to transform their passionate affair into a real relationship.
Top marks all round, and an author I'll definitely look for again.
Reader, she did it. It wasn’t easy, and if it wasn’t for the fabulously vulnerable side she managed to bring out in Gina, it couldn’t have worked. Not that Gina was the one in the wrong with the cheating of course. But even Carter – who was someone else's erring fiancé when they met – ends up with your heart. It's not just the time since their 'mistake' that made me forgive them, but everything they'd done in the intervening years to try to atone.
So all that, and with a southern American setting – with all the stifling heat and humidity that implies – makes for a steamy read.
Backstage with Her Ex
Louisa George
Her ex…the VIP! Hiding out in the gents’ toilets backstage is not the way Sasha imagined bumping into her significant ex. Especially when that ex is notoriously damaged, famously wild rock god Nate Munro! She has a massive favour to ask him, but one glimpse of his sinfully dark eyes and all she can think about is that he’s seen her naked! Nate’s used to women doing anything to get his attention, but he never pictured bubbly schoolteacher Sasha as the groupie type – she’s far too sweet! But when the paparazzi get a hint of their reunion, it’s scandal all the way. Now the question on everyone’s lips is this: In this showdown between the girl next door and rock-and-roll royalty, who’s going to come out on top?
This story had lots going for it from the start. First up, it's a reunion story, and I love a reunion. – falling in love is a rush, but making that into a real, solid relationship is the real test and – if you can do it – the real reward. So we were off to a good start :) Add in a couple of fantastically drawn characters and I was hooked. Nate’s a full-on bad boy, no half measures, with women coming out of his ears (ahem). Sasha, on the other hand, is uptight, nervous, terrified of letting go -- cue lots of emotional conflict!
I loved the hot chemistry between the two, seeing the softer side of Nate, and wondering right to the end how they’d manage to transform their passionate affair into a real relationship.
Top marks all round, and an author I'll definitely look for again.
Maid of Dishonour
Heidi Rice
When she’s very, very bad… Gina Carrington knows exactly how to have fun! But when she slept with her friend’s brother, the off-limits Carter, she quickly discovered she’d overstepped the mark. …life is so much more fun! Years later Gina sees Carter again, and can’t help but wonder what the harm would be in one more night… He’s available, gorgeous, and behind that laid-back Southern charm there’s a wild side even she can’t tame! But Gina has secrets which she can’t hide for ever – will their chemistry be strong enough to keep Carter by her side when they come to light?As I predicted in my last set of reviews, Gina's story is one to look out for. She’s feisty (even for a M&B heroine, and that bar’s set pretty high) with a bad girl history to put to rest. Let me nail my colours to the mast here – I don’t like cheaters. It’s just not okay with me, and I knew from Gina’s appearance earlier in the Wedding Quartet that that was how her and Carter’s story starts. So I knew Heidi Rice would have a tough job winning me over.
Reader, she did it. It wasn’t easy, and if it wasn’t for the fabulously vulnerable side she managed to bring out in Gina, it couldn’t have worked. Not that Gina was the one in the wrong with the cheating of course. But even Carter – who was someone else's erring fiancé when they met – ends up with your heart. It's not just the time since their 'mistake' that made me forgive them, but everything they'd done in the intervening years to try to atone.
So all that, and with a southern American setting – with all the stifling heat and humidity that implies – makes for a steamy read.
And of course I couldn't not mention the guest appearance from my new favourite romance character ever – Cassie Barclay. All round, a superb read.
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