Harlequin Romance Authors

Monday, November 16, 2009

Double the Great Reading!


One of the great things the Romance line is doing is offering 2-in-1 books now and again.  It adds a little variety to the line up I think.  There are a few 2-in-1's coming up over the next few months, and the first one is out this month - MONTANA, MISTLETOE, MARRIAGE* - written by me, Donna Alward, and Patricia Thayer.

The books are made up of 2 novellas, linked by a commonality.  In our case, the stories are about two sisters, set on a ranch in Montana, and at Christmas.  I don't know about you, but Christmas stories make me feel all warm and fuzzy, and this is my first ever Christmas release so it's quite exciting.

The first story, Snowbound Cowboy, is the story of Amelia Hughes, hero Boone Gifford, and Amelia's son Jesse, who is cute as a bug's ear.  It's Jesse's Christmas wish that really kicks things off, but Boone is holding a secret that could ruin it all.  Amelia's the nurturer of the family and she does a darned good job.

My story, A Bride For Rocking H Ranch, is about Kelley Hughes, the sister who hasn't got a domestic bone in her body but is great at running the Rocking H.  She's volunteered to make Christmas dinner though, since Amelia has her hands full with Jesse and looking after their ailing Grandmother.  Mack Dennison is a bit of an unlikely hero for a tough cowgirl, but he's exactly what she needs. 

Of course it all winds up with two happy endings and hopefully a happy sigh for the reader.

If nothing else, writing this book made me hungry.  Mack is a chef and I spent a lot of time looking for recipes, cooking, talking about cooking...I just added a few of those recipes to my website at www.donnaalward.com/recipecorner.htm.

We hope you enjoy our stories in this special 2 in 1 volume!


Winter wishes for two sisters at Rocking H Ranch...

Snowbound Cowboy by Patricia Thayer

Lone wolf Boone Gifford has spent years standing on the outside.  now he's looking at Christmas - through the window of beautiful Amelia Hughes' home.  As the snow falls harder, and the stranded family needs help, it's time for the cowboy to step inside.

A Bride for Rocking H Ranch by Donna Alward

Kelley Hughes is rancher, housekeeper, doting sister to Amelia, granddaughter and aunt - and the stress of preparing the perfect Christmas at Rocking H Ranch is getting to her.  But distraction soon arrives in the form of delectable chef Mack Dennison...




*Titled Mistletoe and Marriage in the UK

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Thursday, November 12, 2009

Freebie Friday

Friday the 13th is also Freebie Friday at eharlequin.  It's a great thing really.  You buy two books and then add the free book of the day to your cart for absolutely nothing.  It's a great way to discover new authors or snag a book that you've wanted but haven't bought yet or perhaps missed it when it was first released.

Why do I bring this up now?

Well, because this week's free book just happens to be ALWAYS THE BRIDESMAID by brand new Romance author Nina Harrington!

It's a fab time to stock up on Christmas presents and snag yourself a delicious new Romance as well.  And if you spend over $25, you also get free shipping.  Don't miss out!

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Sunday, November 08, 2009

New Anthologies

A few more holiday goodies are coming your way in the form of anthologies from Mills and Boon! Check these out for fab stories by some of the Romance line's best-loved authors!

Her Christmas Wedding Wish
Judy Christenberry
Workaholic Richard’s life is transformed when he becomes guardian to his orphaned nephew.
Molly, the boy’s pretty nurse, already loves the child and wants to make his Christmas special. But then she meets broodingly handsome Richard under the mistletoe…

Christmas Gift: A Family
Barbara Hannay
Wealthy bachelor Hugh is stunned to discover he has a daughter! Hugh hardly knows Jo Berry, but he pleads with her to help him become the father that his motherless child deserves. Jo realises they could give each other the ultimate Christmas gift!

Christmas on the Children’s Ward
Carol Marinelli
Nurse Eden hopes for only two things this Christmas. She wishes that the orphaned little boy in her care can have a real Christmas. And she wants consultant Nick Watson to notice her. Would Nick make both dreams come true?



The Yuletide Engagement
Carole Mortimer
When devastatingly handsome tycoon Patrick offers to take Ellie to her company’s Christmas party, she warily accepts. But, Ellie has to ask herself, what does a man like Patrick want with an ordinary girl like her?

The Doctor’s Christmas Bride
Sarah Morgan
Bryony Hunter is looking for a man. Jack Rothwell is a committed bachelor, but when he realises Bryony is seriously looking for someone – by Christmas! – Jack decides to help out…in his own special way.

Snowbound Reunion
Barbara McMahon
Cath knows she’s right to spend Christmas alone, far away from the city and her husband, Jake. Only Jake isn’t about to let his wife go so easily. He has one Christmas to tell her his secrets – and to fulfil her wildest dreams!


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Monday, November 02, 2009

November Releases!


Montana, Mistletoe, Marriage by Patricia Thayer Donna Alward

Snowbound Cowboy by Patricia Thayer

Lone wolf Boone Gifford has spent years standing on the outside. Now he's looking at Christmas—through the window of beautiful Amelia's home. The snow falls hard—the stranded family needs help. It's time for the cowboy to step inside.

A Bride for Rocking H Ranch by Donna Alward

Kelley is rancher, housekeeper, doting sister to Amelia, granddaughter and aunt—and the stress of preparing the perfect Christmas at Rocking H ranch is getting to her. But distraction soon arrives in the form of delectable chef Mack Dennison….

Read Excerpt



Crowned: The Palace Nanny by Marion Lennox

Raising the heir to the throne is nanny Elsa Murdoch's dream job—she loves little Princess Zoe and protects her like a lioness.

Enter magnificent Prince Stefanos!

Stefanos throws everything up in the air, and Elsa is not pleased. Yet suddenly she's required to attend royal banquets by his side, ditching her nanny uniform for gowns and jewels.

Is Elsa being transformed from hired help to Her Royal Highness?

Read Excerpt




Christmas Angel for the Billionaire by Liz Fielding

Annie needs a break from being the "nation's angel." Her high-profile charity work means the media spotlight follows her every step. So leaving her aristocratic title behind her, Annie goes undercover…and meets brooding businessman George Saxon. They form an unlikely relationship—until George discovers Annie's been hiding her true self from him all along!

Read Excerpt





The Magic of a Family Christmas by Susan Meier

With her little foster son Harry to care for, Christmas suddenly sparkles again for secretary Wendy Winston. The only fly in the ointment is Cullen Barrington. He's her boss, yet insists on playing the part of Scrooge!

When they are all stranded together in an ice storm, Wendy sets about showing them just how magical a family Christmas can be….

Read Excerpt




Cowboy Daddy, Jingle-Bell Baby by Linda Goodnight

On a dusty Texas roadside Jenna Garwood has just gone into labor. Hardheaded rancher Dax comes to her rescue and delivers her baby daughter. Single dad Dax knows what it's like to raise a newborn alone, and won't turn his back on Jenna—so he offers her a housekeeping job.

But he's not prepared for the fireworks between them, or for Jenna's secret, which could shatter their hard-won trust….

Read Excerpt




Under the Boss's Mistletoe by Jessica Hart

In high school, Jake Trevelyan was Cassie Grey's dream rebel. He surfed, rode a motorbike—now he's her new boss!

It's events planner Cassie's job to transform Jake's mansion into a snow-kissed wedding venue. Not to relive her old fantasy they're the ones getting married.

Posing as the happy couple for a publicity photo shoot, Cassie pinches herself as Jake leans in for a showstopping kiss…but it's just for the cameras, isn't it?

Read Excerpt

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Monday, October 26, 2009

Foreign Releases - October


Pasión en la India (TRAMA: MAS QUE AMIGOS) por Nicola Marsh
Próxima parada: ¿una proposición de ensueño?

Decidida a olvidar la infidelidad de su difunto marido y recuperar la confianza en sí misma, Tamara Rayne se marchó a la India para hacer el viaje de su vida. El amor no estaba incluido en el itinerario, así que apenas se dio cuenta de que Ethan Brooks se subía al tren.

El inconformista empresario había deseado a Tamara desde que la conoció, pero nunca se había acercado a ella porque era la mujer de su socio. Ahora, bajo el brillante sol de la India, Ethan decidió que ya había esperado demasiado.




TRISH WYLIE / MYRNA MacKENZIE


SZMARAGDOWA WYSPA
LOS NA LOTERII

Trish Wylie - Szmaragdowa wyspa

Keelin przyjeżdża na irlandzką wyspę, by wyjaśnić ważne rodzinne sprawy. Dzięki poznanej prawdzie całkowicie zmienia zdanie na temat swojej matki. To jednak nie koniec niespodzianek. Tajemnice z przeszłości wyjawia jej mężczyzna, którego widywała w snach...

Myrna Mackenzie - Los na loterii

Beth podejmuje pracę jako asystentka zamożnego przedsiębiorcy. Między nią a szefem szybko pojawia się uczucie. Choć on jest bogaty, a ona biedna, to wzajemna fascynacja jest silniejsza. Takiego mezaliansu nie akceptuje jednak rodzina milionera...

O bebé da noiva por Liz Fielding


Toda a gente falava da noiva! Sylvie Smith estava a organizar um casamento espectacular numa casa solarenga, porém, acabou por interpretar o papel de noiva… uma noiva grávida de cinco meses! Talvez todas as raparigas sonhassem com um casamento sem precisarem de pensar nas despesas, mas Sylvie não. Longbourne Court fora o lar dos seus antepassados, contudo, acabava de descobrir que o novo proprietário era Tom MacFarlane, o homem que, embora não soubesse, era o pai do seu bebé. Agora Tom estava diante dela, a olhar para a sua barriga enorme...



Ett litet mirakel av Barbara McMahon


Livet handlar om att göra val, men ibland väljer livet åt oss.

Anna är karriärkvinnan som jobbat hårt och klättrat högt. Utåt sett verkar hon både lyckad och lycklig, men Anna bär på en stor sorg: hon kan inte få barn. Eller, det är åtminstone vad hon tror … För snart visar det sig att illamåendet hon drabbats av inte beror på ett virus, som hon först trodde, utan på ett mirakel. Men trots lyckan ställs tillvaron helt på ända, inte minst eftersom pappan till barnet är Tanner Forsythe, mannen som krossade hennes hjärta – och tillika hennes nye chef …

I din kyss av Jessica Hart

I nöd … och lust.

Det som bara skulle ha varit ett affärsmässigt äktenskap förvandlas när Mallorys nyblivne make ärver ett fallfärdigt slott i Skottland. Han bestämmer sig för att flytta dit och restaurera den gamla byggnaden – och han förväntar sig att Mallory ska följa med …

När Angus byter ut finkostymen mot ett par slitna jeans, kavlar upp ärmarna och skrider till verket förvandlas den självupptagne mannen och blir i Mallorys ögon helt oemotståndlig. Till sin stora fasa inser hon att hon är på väg att bryta deras överenskommelse och falla … för sin egen man!



NELLA SUITE DEL CAPO di ALWARD DONNA

Nessun uomo, per quanto affascinante, potrebbe distogliere Mariella dal lavoro. Neanche il suo nuovo, irresistibile capo, con quei modi da consumato playboy e quel sorriso da infarto!

Il Grand Hotel Fiori Cascade è diventato come una seconda casa per Mariella Ross. L'incarico di direttrice le ha regalato grandi soddisfazioni, permettendole di gettarsi alle spalle i dispiaceri del passato. Per questo non ha alcuna intenzione di permettere al nuovo, arrogante manager di rovinare tutto ciò che ha costruito con tanta fatica! Irritante quanto irresistibile, il magnate degli hotel Luca Fiori sembra deciso a fare breccia nel cuore della sua dipendente con atteggiamenti da esperto seduttore. Be', tanto peggio per lui: Mariella non cadrà nella sua trappola né tanto meno accetterà un romantico invito nella sua suite da mille e una notte.


Mariée à un milliardaire, Shirley Jump


Lorsqu'elle fait la connaissance de Kane Lennox, venu assister au mariage de sa soeur, Susannah Wilson est séduite : attentionné, drôle et terriblement sexy, celui-ci a tout de l'homme idéal. Mais, curieusement, au fil de leurs rendez-vous, il se montre réticent à lui parler de lui, de sa vie à New York, de ses projets... Comme s'il avait l'intention de la tenir à distance et de disparaître de son existence après ce bref intermède amoureux...


L'héritier des Rinucci, Lucy Gordon

Venue spécialement jusqu'à Naples pour rencontrer Ruggiero Rinucci, l'ancien amant de sa cousine aujourd'hui disparue, Polly ne peut s'empêcher de ressentir une légère appréhension... et pour cause ! La nouvelle qu'elle s'apprête à lui annoncer va nécessairement bouleverser son existence de play-boy insouciant : il est le père de Matthew, un petit garçon de deux ans...

Mais, loin de se désintéresser de l'enfant, comme elle l'attendait, Ruggiero déclare vouloir n'en vouloir s'occuper de l'enfant et l'embaucher, elle, comme baby-sitter à plein temps. Un projet que la jeune femme a de bonnes raisons de ne pouvoir accepter...

Prince malgré lui, Barbara Mcmahon

Quand le prince Marique confie à Clarissa la délicate mission de convaincre son petit-fils Jean Antoine Leblanc, unique héritier du trône exilé aux Etats-Unis, de lui succéder, la jeune femme ne doute pas de son succès. Mais lorsqu'elle rencontre enfin le prince Jean Antoine - qui se fait désormais appeler Jake White - celui-ci lui annonce tout de suite qu'il n'a pas la moindre intention de gouverner.

D'abord agacée par ce refus, Clarissa découvre très vite que sous ses manières rudes et désagréables, Jean Antoine est en réalité terriblement séduisant dont elle ne tarde pas à tomber amoureuse. Hélas, Jake s'obstine à refuser de la suivre, et Clarissa, désemparée, sent la panique la gagner : si elle ne trouve pas un argument décisif, elle échouera dans sa mission et perdra du même coup l'homme qu'elle aime.


Μια Στενή Συνεργασία - Jennie Adams
 
Ο Γκρέι Μπάρλοου κατάλαβε από την πρώτη στιγμή ότι η Σοφία Γκέιμπλ ήταν ιδιαίτερη περίπτωση. Με τα ζωηρόχρωμα ρούχα της, τον κεφάτο χαρακτήρα της, το χιούμορ και τη ζωντάνια της, ήταν ακριβώς το αντίθετο από τον εργασιομανή Γκρέι. Ίσως είχε κάνει μεγάλο λάθος που την είχε προσλάβει…


Η Σοφία είχε αρκετό άγχος για την πρώτη της δουλειά ως προσωρινή γραμματέας και οικονόμος· το μόνο που της έλειπε ήταν να ερωτευτεί τον εργοδότη της! Όμως αυτός ο άντρας είχε μια ξεχωριστή γοητεία που την τραβούσε σαν μαγνήτης.

Ίσως αυτό που χρειαζόταν για να χαλαρώσει ο βλοσυρός, επιφυλακτικός Γκρέι ήταν ακριβώς μια γυναίκα σαν κι εκείνη!




EIN BABY ZU WEIHNACHTEN von: KATE HARDY

Jodie verbringt heiß verliebte, romantische Weihnachtstage mit Sam. Der attraktive Arzt ist ihr absoluter Traummann – mit ihm will sie eine Familie gründen! Ihr Glück scheint perfekt, bis Sam ihr gesteht: Ihren Wunsch nach einem Baby kann er nicht erfüllen …


DREI WORTE NUR ZUM FEST DER LIEBE von: LYNNE GRAHAM

Will Rocco Volpe sie nur heiraten, weil er der Vater ihres Kindes ist?, fragt Amber sich verzweifelt, als ihr der charismatische Bankier kurz vor Weihnachten einen spontanen Antrag macht. Denn noch immer wartet sie vergeblich auf Worte der Liebe …


HOCHZEIT UNTER DEM MISTELZWEIG von: JESSICA HART

„Komm unter den Mistelzweig!“ So überraschend leidenschaftlich küsst Sophies bester Freund Bram sie plötzlich, dass er die köstlichsten Gefühle in ihr erweckt. Wird etwa doch noch ihre heimliche Sehnsucht wahr: eine Traumhochzeit am Fest der Liebe?

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Monday, October 19, 2009

AMBA 2009

Each year the Association of Mills and Boon Authors get together for a posh lunch in London.  Editors and other guests from Mills and Boon also attend and it's quite the event.  This year Romance author Fiona Harper attended and has been gracious enough to give us a full account!


Every year I look forward to the Association of Mills & Boon Authors lunch. It’s a chance to get out of my writing uniform (tracksuit bottoms and old T-shirts, or possibly pyjamas), dress up and meet other people who love doing the same thing I do – writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon.

This year we met up at Tutton’s restaurant in Covent Garden. Since I was a bit early, I wandered round the shops for a bit (how much for a cup of coffee!?) and then made my way to my destination. I found fellow authors Kate Hardy, Caroline Anderson, Michelle Styles and Josie Metcalfe drinking coffee and chatting outside and joined them. It was a great way to start the day, sitting in the warm sunshine of a September afternoon, watching the people bustle around one of London’s top tourist spots, and discussing heroes and plots and generally having a good old gossip.

This year we had some extra guests for the event. Documentary film-maker Julie Mogan has been working on a programme about Mills & Boon for well over a year now and she and her camera operator and sound technician were busy filming snippets of the action. It was rather disconcerting to be screeching greetings to friends I hadn’t seen in ages, only to discover a fluffy boom microphone above my head. I do hope I didn’t say anything too daft. But, well, it was me, so I probably did.




Here’s some of the ‘Modern Heat’ girls: Heidi Rice, Kate Hardy and new signing Lucy King.

I foolishly also agreed to do a ‘vox pop’ for the film crew while we were all greeting each other and chatting before lunch was ready. Just tell us the name of your latest book, the name of your hero and what the book’s about, they told me. Now I know how people on those blooper shows feel. Honestly, how could I forget the title of my own book? My only prayer is that my bit will be totally unuseable, or that everybody else was much more eloquent and breezy than I was, and I won’t have to watch myself on TV sometime next summer with a cushion over my face. (I’ll be watching with a cushion over my face, I mean. They didn’t film me with a cushion over my face, although I’m wishing now they had…)


After that trauma, I was pleased to go downstairs into the vaulted dining rooms in Tutton’s cellar for lunch. I have to say, the food was gorgeous! The starter was gravadlax with potato salad and a honey and grain mustard dressing. The main course was a delicious chicken breast in a lovely sauce with Greek salad, and the pudding was strawberry and vanilla crème brulée. Sigh. My tummy was very happy after all that lovely food.



After dinner Guy Hallowes, M&B’s Managing Director, who is retiring, gave a short speech and received a small gift from AMBA for speaking. We also had reports from Claire Sommerville giving us the heads-up on all that’s been happening in the marketing department and Tim Cooper telling us about Mills & Boon’s progress in the digital arena. Apparently, Mills & Boons are the best selling eBooks in the UK!






It all wound up with the Mills & Boon champagne toast to the authors...all in all a lovely day to put on a bit of glamour!

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Friday, October 02, 2009

October Releases



Etienne Gavard is top dog in the business of saving companies, but this latest acquisition has him stumped. With hundreds of livelihoods on the line, he calls in help from an unconventional source….

Meg Leighton has spent her life feeling invisible. She makes the coffee, not important business decisions. She can't believe her seriously sexy boss now needs her expertise!

They strike a deal: she'll tell him everything she knows and he'll inject a little French chic into her wardrobe—and a little confidence into her life…?


Nikos Andreadis is the prince of people's hearts, but the crown of Argyros now belongs to Princess Athena, so he puts his kingdom first and brings the reluctant royal back from America.

Seeing beautiful Athena again brings back memories of their forbidden affair that Nikos thought he'd buried. But more shocking is the secret Athena's been carrying…


Self-made millionaire Theo Pantheras has pulled himself up by the bootstraps, so he can have anything his heart desires. There is just one thing he wants: his long-lost son.

Theo is no longer from the wrong side of the tracks and isn't the wild boy Stella Athas fell in love with six years ago, but seeing him again rocks her ordered world.

Stella wants Theo to know he broke her heart, but first there's a little someone he has to meet…


Getting noticed by the gorgeous best man is every bridesmaid's dream. Especially if he's her old crush. Lucy McKenty knows she should be wary of Will Carruthers. All she wants is to finally settle down and have a family—and that's a far cry from this globe-trotting wanderer's life plan….

Caught up in the swirl of confetti and romance, Lucy finds herself in Will's arms. Discovering she's pregnant thrills her—but is Will going to stay to meet his baby?


Bulldozing his way into sleepy Harborside, Jake laughs in the face of the local opposition, but is stopped in his tracks by fiery Italian Mariabella Santaro.

To protect the community that has treated her like a daughter and kept her secret, Mariabella will have to help Jake fall in love with the place—fast. For in Mariabella's stocking there aren't candy canes and chocolates—there's a diamond tiara and a plane ticket to the palace!


Australian tycoon Mark Hannaford closed himself off from the world after losing his wife…until Sylvie Browning waltzed into his home. He hired the gutsy gal to bring order to his life. Instead she brought chaos and laughter.

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