Sharon Wray's Blog, page 8

When the Leaves Turn, the Clock Ticks

“What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we’re meant to do, money comes to us, doors open […] we feel useful and the work we do feels like play to us.”
— Julia Cameron

There’s a moment every September when the air changes. The light shifts and slants, the nights smell faintly of woodsmoke, and my sandals look out of place by the door. The season turns quietly at first, but in my head, it’s a drumbeat: deadlines are coming.

For writers and creatives, fall is both a gift and a gauntlet. The chaos of summer schedules—vacations, long weekends, unexpected afternoons lost to iced tea on the porch—gives way to something sharper. The calendar fills again. Work demands our focus. And if you’re like me, the temptation is to sprint into the season with a full to-do list, eager to make up for what feels like lost time. Especially when a pumpkin spice latte is my celebration of choice after I achieve my daily goals.

But here’s the thing: summer wasn’t lost time. Those lazy hours staring at the ocean, the evenings spent chasing fireflies, the books read purely for pleasure were all fuel. They were the quiet storing-up of images, sensations, stories, and connections that will spill out onto the page in ways you might not even notice until much later.

As fall deadlines approach, I’m trying to treat them differently this year. Instead of slipping into the old “hustle or bust” rhythm, I’m making a point to plan my work the way I plan my walks in the crisp October air, with intention, curiosity, and space for detours. My word counts and edits are important, but so are the hours I spend watching leaves drift past the window, letting my next scene write itself in the background of my mind.

The best creative works rarely come from white-knuckle productivity. It comes from that steady, sustainable pace where the mind has time to breathe, even as the calendar pushes us forward. Fall will always be a season of deadlines, but maybe it can also be a season of deliberate creativity where the shift in the air reminds us not just to work harder, but to work better. To work more intentionally.

So this week, in anticipation of summer’s end, take an hour to step away from your desk. Walk outside, breathe in the new season, and notice the colors, scents, and small changes around you. Then, when you return to your work, let one of those details slip into your writing. It’s a reminder that even in the midst of deadlines, the world is still offering you stories.

The Romance of Bittersweet Summer Love

There’s something magical about love that blooms under the summer sun. It’s fleeting, intense, and often tinged with longing. Bittersweet summer love stories capture that ephemeral beauty, weaving emotions of passion, memory, and transformation into narratives that stick with us long after the last page is turned. From beachside romances to coming-of-age awakenings, these tales balance warmth and melancholy, offering readers a taste of both joy and heartbreak. Here are some of my favorite novels that epitomize the bittersweet poetry of summer love.

All book blurbs courtesy of Amazon (I am not an affiliate so there are no affiliate links in this post).

Young Adult REalistic Fiction/romanceWhen We Had Summer by Jennifer Castle

A young adult novel about a tight-knit, daring, and eclectic group of friends who dedicate every summer to completing their #SummerSistersBucketList together – that is until one of their own passes away.

AMAZON BLURB:

Every year since they can remember, Daniella, her cousin Carly, and their friends Penny and Lainie (the #SummerSisters) have spent their summers together at the Jersey Shore in the town of Ocean Park Heights, creating and completing a summer bucket list. With Carly as the mastermind, the list ranges from the silly to the practically impossible, and it’s the highlight of the summer for these four best friends. But this summer, everything is going to be different, because last winter, Carly—their leader, their glue, their everything—passed away.

As the remaining #SummerSisters try to wrap their heads around their best friend’s death, life seems determined to throw more curveballs at them, threatening to split them up for good. Daniella is accepted at a prestigious music academy in New York City, Lainie learns her family is moving out of Ocean Park Heights, and Penny is distracted by a new job and a new boyfriend.

Then Daniella uncovers a treasure like no other—a bucket list for this summer tucked away in Carly’s signature seashell purse. And just like that, the #SummerSisters have an opportunity to unite and fulfill Carly’s last adventure for them all. But will the list be enough to hold them together for one final summer?

contemporary Women’s FictionThe Light We Lost by Jill Santopolo

He was the first person to inspire her, to move her, to truly understand her. Was he meant to be the last?

AMAZON BLURB:

Lucy is faced with a life-altering choice. But before she can make her decision, she must start her story—their story—at the very beginning.

Lucy and Gabe meet as seniors at Columbia University on a day that changes both of their lives forever. Together, they decide they want their lives to mean something, to matter. When they meet again a year later, it seems fated—perhaps they’ll find life’s meaning in each other. But then Gabe becomes a photojournalist assigned to the Middle East and Lucy pursues a career in New York. What follows is a thirteen-year journey of dreams, desires, jealousies, betrayals, and, ultimately, of love. Was it fate that brought them together? Is it choice that has kept them away? Their journey takes Lucy and Gabe continents apart, but never out of each other’s hearts.

Contemporary RomanceSweet Sorrow by David Nicholls

A bittersweet and brilliantly funny coming-of-age tale about the heart-stopping thrill of first love—and how one summer can forever change a life.

AMAZON BLURB:

Now: On the verge of marriage and a fresh start, thirty-eight year old Charlie Lewis finds that he can’t stop thinking about the past, and the events of one particular summer.

Then: Sixteen-year-old Charlie Lewis is the kind of boy you don’t remember in the school photograph. He’s failing his classes. At home he looks after his depressed father—when surely it should be the other way round—and if he thinks about the future at all, it is with a kind of dread.

But when Fran Fisher bursts into his life and despite himself, Charlie begins to hope. In order to spend time with Fran, Charlie must take on a challenge that could lose him the respect of his friends and require him to become a different person. He must join the Company. And if the Company sounds like a cult, the truth is even more appalling: The price of hope, it seems, is Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet learned and performed in a theater troupe over the course of a summer.

Now: Charlie can’t go the altar without coming to terms with his relationship with Fran, his friends, and his former self. Poignant, funny, enchanting, devastating, Sweet Sorrow is a tragicomedy about the rocky path to adulthood and the confusion of family life, a celebration of the reviving power of friendship and that brief, searing explosion of first love that can only be looked at directly after it has burned out.

young adult realistic fiction/romanceSecond Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

A powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak.

AMAZON BLURB:

Taylor Edwards’s family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then, Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.

Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend—and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.

As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance with family, with friends, and with love.

contemporary romanceEvery Summer After by Carley Fortune

Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right.

AMAZON BLURB:

They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life a decade ago, that has felt too true. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends, and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart. Until she receives the call that sends her racing back to Barry’s Bay and into the orbit of Sam Florek—the man she never thought she’d have to live without.

For six summers, through hazy afternoons on the water and warm summer nights working in his family’s restaurant and curling up together with books—medical textbooks for him and work-in-progress horror short stories for her—Percy and Sam had been inseparable. Eventually that friendship turned into something breathtakingly more, before it fell spectacularly apart.

When Percy returns to the lake for Sam’s mother’s funeral, their connection is as undeniable as it had always been. But until Percy can confront the decisions she made and the years she’s spent punishing herself for them, they’ll never know whether their love might be bigger than the biggest mistakes of their past.

Young Adult Realistic Fiction/RomanceThat Summer by Sarah Dessen

AMAZON BLURB:

The more things change. . .  As far as Haven is concerned, there’s just too much going on.
 
Everything is changing, and she’s not sure where she fits in. Then her sister’s old boyfriend shows up, sparking memories of the summer when they were all happy and everything was perfect. . . .
 
But along the way, Haven realizes that sometimes change is a good thing.
 

Historical women’s fictionLove and Ruin by Paula McLain

Set against the backdrop of WWII, this historical romance tells the passionate and turbulent love story between journalist Martha Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway.

AMAZON BLURB:

In 1937, twenty-eight-year-old Martha Gellhorn travels alone to Madrid to report on the atrocities of the Spanish Civil War and becomes drawn to the stories of ordinary people caught in the devastating conflict. It’s her chance to prove herself a worthy journalist in a field dominated by men. There she also finds herself unexpectedly—and unwillingly—falling in love with Ernest Hemingway, a man on his way to becoming a legend.

On the eve of World War II, and set against the turbulent backdrops of Madrid and Cuba, Martha and Ernest’s relationship and careers ignite. But when Ernest publishes the biggest literary success of his career, For Whom the Bell Tolls, they are no longer equals, and Martha must forge a path as her own woman and writer.

contemporary women’s fictionThe Last Summer of You and Me by Ann Brashares

A moving tale of two sisters and a lifelong friend whose relationships shift in unexpected, bittersweet ways over one final summer together.

AMAZON BLURB:

In the town of Waterby on Fire Island, the rhythms and rituals of summer are sacrosanct: the ceremonial arrivals and departures by ferry; yacht club dinners with terrible food and breathtaking views; the virtual decree against shoes; and the generational parade of sandy, sun-bleached kids, running, swimming, squealing, and coming of age on the beach.

Set against this vivid backdrop, The Last Summer (of You and Me) is the enchanting, heartrending story of a beach-community friendship triangle and summertime romance among three young adults for whom summer and this place have meant everything. Sisters Riley and Alice, now in their twenties, have been returning to their parents’ modest beach house every summer for their entire lives. Petite, tenacious Riley is a tomboy and a lifeguard, always ready for a midnight swim, a gale-force sail, or a barefoot sprint down the beach. Beautiful Alice is lithe, gentle, a reader and a thinker, and worshipful of her older sister.

And every summer growing up, in the big house that overshadowed their humble one, there was Paul, a friend as important to both girls as the place itself, who has now finally returned to the island after three years away. But his return marks a season of tremendous change, and when a simmering attraction, a serious illness, and a deep secret all collide, the three friends are launched into an unfamiliar adult world, a world from which their summer haven can no longer protect them.

young adult RomanceJust One Day by Gayle Forman

A poignant love story about the “accidents of fate”.

AMAZON BLURB:

Allyson Healey’s life is exactly like her suitcase—packed, planned, ordered. Then on the last day of her three-week post-graduation European tour, she meets Willem. A free-spirited, roving actor, Willem is everything she’s not, and when he invites her to abandon her plans and come to Paris with him, Allyson says yes.

This uncharacteristic decision leads to a day of risk and romance, liberation and intimacy: 24 hours that will transform Allyson’s life.

Historical Women’s FictionA Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams

Old money, secrets, and forbidden love collide during the summer of 1938 in an elegant Rhode Island seaside community.

AMAZON BLURB:

Lily Dane has returned to Seaview, Rhode Island, where her family has summered for generations. It’s an escape not only from New York’s social scene but from a heartbreak that still haunts her. Here, among the seaside community that has embraced her since childhood, she finds comfort in the familiar rituals of summer.
 
But this summer is different. Budgie and Nick Greenwald—Lily’s former best friend and former fiancé—have arrived, too, and Seaview’s elite are abuzz. Under Budgie’s glamorous influence, Lily is seduced into a complicated web of renewed friendship and dangerous longing.
 
As a cataclysmic hurricane churns north through the Atlantic, and uneasy secrets slowly reveal themselves, Lily and Nick must confront an emotional storm that will change their worlds forever…

Young adult romanceThe Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Before it was a hit TV series, this book won hearts with its tender love triangle, beach-house setting, and coming-of-age sweetness.

AMAZON BLURB:

Some summers are just destined to be pretty.

Belly measures her life in summers. Everything good, everything magical happens between the months of June and August. Winters are simply a time to count the weeks until the next summer, a place away from the beach house, away from Susannah, and most importantly, away from Jeremiah and Conrad. They are the boys that Belly has known since her very first summer—they have been her brother figures, her crushes, and everything in between. But one summer, one wonderful and terrible summer, the more everything changes, the more it all ends up just the way it should have been all along.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Herbed Orzo Salad

The summer picnics are stacking up, and Herbed Orzo Salad is one of my favorite recipes to bring to pot lucks and other outdoor parties. Because the only dairy is feta cheese, I’m not as worried about spoilage–although I am a fanatic about not leaving food out in the sun. This is an easy dish to make and is perfect to bring to the pool for an afternoon snack, or to make as an easy, inexpensive side dish. It goes well with all types of meat and fish, and it can also be adapted for most dietary restrictions. I hope you enjoy this dish and these last few weeks of summer!

KINGSMILL REHEARSAL DINNER MENU SERIES

Welcome to my Kingsmill Rehearsal Dinner Menu series inspired by the fictional wedding celebration in my two new stories, A Room with a Groom (from Save the Date Anthology) and Luke’s Last Love Kiss (from Finding Forever Anthology). This blog series brings the charm of small-town Kingsmill to your summer table. 

Both love stories unfold in the heart of the Virginia mountains, and each features a rehearsal dinner held near the town’s historic 18th-century mill, along the Shenandoah River. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the seasonal recipes from that riverside celebration and today’s recipe uses fresh basil from my garden and whole wheat orzo, one of the few pastas I still eat.

[image error] PrintHerbed Orzo SaladCourse Salad, Side DishPrep Time 15 minutes minutesCook Time 10 minutes minutesChilling time 2 hours hoursServings 6Ingredients1/2 lb whole wheat orzo pasta (8 oz box)1 cup cherry tomatoes halvedjuice of 1 lemonzest of 1 lemon1/2 cup olive oilsalt and pepper to taste1/2 cup chopped basil more for garnish4 oz crumbled feta cheese1/2 cup black olives pitted and halved (optional)InstructionsCook the orzo pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.Stir in all the other ingredients, keeping out some of the basil for garnish. Adjust the seasonings for taste. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.Serve with basil garnish.

Prepping for Tornadoes

A few months ago we discussed building a Family Emergency Binder and a Family Emergency Plan. Then, a few weeks ago, I wrote about what to do in case of power outages , wildfires, and heatwaves. Those posts discuss about how to protect your family from disasters and how to rebuild your life after an emergency. But now that we’re in midsummer, the heatwaves haven’t let up and the tornadoes are still a threat.

Tornadoes can form quickly and without much warning. A few minutes of preparation now can make all the difference when severe weather strikes. This post includes a quick-and-dirty checklist with essential actions for you to take before, during, and after a tornado. This post also includes a list of resources (with web links) so you can customize your plan for your specific place in the world.

How to Prepare for and Deal with TornadoesThe Basics: What Is a Tornado?

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that stretches from the base of a thunderstorm down to the ground. It’s like a violently spinning funnel made of wind. It can be invisible until it picks up dust, debris, or condensation from the storm. Tornadoes form when warm, moist air near the ground meets cooler, drier air above, creating instability. If strong winds at different altitudes blow in different directions or at different speeds (called wind shear), the atmosphere can start to spin. Powerful thunderstorms can tilt this rotation upright, creating the signature funnel. Tornado intensity is measured on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which runs from EF0 (minor damage) to EF5 (catastrophic destruction).

Why they’re dangerous:

Wind speeds can exceed 200+ mph in extreme cases.They can destroy buildings, uproot trees, toss cars, and hurl dangerous debris.They form quickly, sometimes with only minutes of warning.

Where they happen:
While most common in the U.S. (especially in “Tornado Alley” and the Southeast), tornadoes can occur on every continent except Antarctica.

Before a Tornado: How to Prepare

Know the Risk

Check if you live in a tornado-prone area (especially in “Tornado Alley” or the Southeast U.S.).Learn your community’s warning systems (sirens, text alerts, NOAA Weather Radio).

Create a Plan

Identify your safe shelter location:A basement or storm cellar is best.If you don’t have an underground space, or a dedicated tornado-proof closet (and don’t feel bad if you don’t because most of us don’t), choose a small interior room on the lowest floor (closet, bathroom) with no windows.Make an emergency contact plan for family members.

Build Your Emergency Kit

Battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio.Flashlight & extra batteries.First-aid kit.Non-perishable food & water (at least 3 days per person).Sturdy shoes.Personal documents (IDs, insurance, medical records) in a waterproof bag.Medications, baby supplies, and pet essentials.

Prepare Your Home

Remove loose items from your yard (lawn furniture, grills, etc.).Reinforce windows and doors if possible.Keep your car fueled in case evacuation is needed.During a TornadoGet to your safe space immediately when a Tornado Warning is issued.Protect your head and neck (use helmets, blankets, or pillows).Stay away from windows and outside walls.If outside and unable to find shelter:Lie flat in a low spot and cover your head. (flying debris is a huge danger)Avoid seeking shelter under bridges.After a TornadoStay alert for secondary hazards (downed power lines, gas leaks).Check on neighbors, especially elderly or disabled individuals.Use text messages instead of calls to reduce network congestion.Listen to local authorities for updates and only return home if it’s safe.Trusted Tornado Preparedness Resources

Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) – Tips on protecting your home from tornado damage.

National Weather Service (NWS) Tornado Safety – Detailed safety tips, preparedness checklists, and how to read tornado alerts.

NOAA Weather Radio – Info on getting real-time weather warnings.

FEMA Tornado Safety Tips – Federal Emergency Management Agency’s step-by-step preparedness guide.

American Red Cross – Tornado Safety – Tips for before, during, and after tornadoes, plus disaster recovery info.

CDC Tornado Preparedness – Safety tips and health considerations during tornado response.

Storm Prediction Center (SPC) – Daily severe weather outlooks and tornado threat levels.

August Book Fairs and Reading Events

I can’t believe August is half over. To celebrate the ending of the heat, but also still having a few weeks to read outside, here is another list of free novels and novellas for you to add to your TBR list. There’s also a free reading event that is all about summer romance.

1The Isn’t it Romantic Book Club Group Monthly Livestream

The Isn’t It Romantic Book Club Group will be live-streaming on Thursday, August 28th at 3 pm EST while we interview
Sharon Wray (me!) and my new Kingsmill Courtships novella A Room with a Groom that is currently for sale in the Save the Date wedding romance anthology. It’ll be live-streamed on our YouTube channel and we hope you’ll join us there!

Free Books for August Blind Sided by Gwen Hernandez

A hacker framed for espionage. A sniper hot on her trail. Enemies who can’t resist falling in love.

Framed for divulging state secrets, reformed hacker Valerie Sanchez has no choice but to run. Worse, when the proof of her innocence is destroyed, things turn fatal. She must decide if the sexy special operator who mysteriously turns up to protect her is an ally or the real threat.

Scott Kramer’s job was supposed to be easy. Follow the hot computer geek who stole plans for classified weapons until she meets her buyer, then let law enforcement take over. But when Valerie becomes an assassin’s target, Scott’s gut says she’s innocent. Now, he must risk his life—and his heart—to keep her safe.

Get it for free now! Challenge My Heart by Diane Wiggs

Hotdish isn’t the only thing heating up in Ashwood.

Restaurant owner Bel Holloway’s nana passed down her cat and café to her granddaughter when she died, along with two rules. #1- Don’t share the award-winning recipes. #2- Never share the secret catering client list.

Detective Tanner Malone strolled into Miss Mabel’s thinking this would be a typical attempted smash-and-grab, but it soon becomes apparent that someone wants more than delicious food from the savory café owner.

Bel might be sweet as pie, but is reluctant to share her client list, even if it’s vital to the case. Can Tanner protect her when she starves his investigation for details?

Get it for free now! In Paradise with Someone Like Him by Susanna Eastman

Floral designer Anna is desperate to break the bonds of her loving but smothering family, her boss’s empty promises, and the humiliation of a broken engagement months before the wedding. Except she has no idea how to change her life until she discovers a Caribbean sex club called Fantasy. Fantasy, a luxurious realm shrouded in secrecy, promises anonymous, consensual ecstasy and a chance for Anna to redefine herself. Amidst this newfound-yet-unsettling freedom, Anna encounters Jacob, a handsome man with secrets of his own.  

Jacob, a charismatic billionaire who owns the lavish Caribbean resort hosting Fantasy, has doubts. While his wealth and power have allowed him to create a haven for those seeking clandestine desires and untamed passion, he’s not sure if this is the right direction to take his company. Things become complicated when he meets Anna, a beautiful woman seeking to change her life, and he experiences a connection that challenges the foundation of his controlled, unforgiving world. Although Fantasy requires anonymity, Jacob knows his secrets could ruin his future with Anna. A future he didn’t know he wanted. A future he’s desperate to save, even if he has to break his own rules.

Will Anna and Jacob’s rendezvous of passion and discovery lead them on separate paths? Or will their powerful connection offer them a chance at love that transcends the bounds of Fantasy?

Get it for free now! In Moonlight and Memories by Julie Ann Walker

An epic story about sacrifice, friendship, and the awe-inspiring power of love.

Maggie: Ten years ago, Cash Armstrong stole my heart. Then he promptly joined the army—dragging my best friend with him—and left me crying on the front porch in a red sequined prom dress. Now he’s back. They’re both back. Cash, the one who still has my heart. And Luc, the one who saved my life.

Cash: How do you know if you’re at the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end? That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out since a traumatic brain injury made me “unfit to serve.” I’m back in New Orleans, and picking up the shattered pieces of my past means I must confront where my life’s journey began… and where it all might end.

Luc: Long ago, Maggie May was mine. Not mine in the way you might think. She was mine because she was my only friend. Then Cash came along and we became brothers by something stronger than blood. We became brothers by choice. When tragedy struck, I was forced to make a decision that changed all our lives. I thought, after ten years, it was safe to come back home. I was wrong…

get it for Free now! It’s All in the Hips by Diana Munoz Stewart

Winning the Fit for The World prize money is Yolanda Vasquez’s last chance at saving her family business. But to win it, she’ll have to face show creator Easton Blake––a steamy one-night stand she’s never forgotten––while also taking on the big kids of fitness. One of whom isn’t playing fair.

Yolanda Vasquez

Ten-plus years ago, I spent one glorious night with a hot stranger visiting Puerto Rico. Today, that heartthrob is a global health icon giving away millions on a reality fitness show. I really need that money to rescue my family business, am pretty sure I can win, and mostly sure he won’t remember me.

Easton Blake

I spent a decade building Fit for The World gym franchises, but after a reputation-ruining mistake, my board wants me out. Vowing to repair my image on a groundbreaking reality show is a huge gamble. One that turns dicey when the hottest hookup of my life makes the competition, and the other contestants quickly see her as a threat. Yeah. This can’t be what my board meant by reviving my public persona.

Knowing the disaster any romance would bring, Easton and Yolanda struggle to ignore their flaming-hot chemistry, but when someone schemes to drive Yolanda from the show, they join forces to stop them. Will their undeniable heat catch fire and burn down their worlds before they can eliminate the threat?

Get it for free now! Alaska Wild by Lolo Paige

What happens before that fateful day where Tara and Ryan collide on the Montana fire that leads them both to Alaska, in Alaska Spark? Read their origin story to find out!

Read what happens before Tara and Ryan meet up in Alaska Spark!

Ryan O’Connor’s hotshot fire crew pulls out all the stops to save a trapped family in a Southern California firestorm. But when his crew is unable to reach them in time, Ryan considers the loss a personal failure. He decides to apply and train with the Delta Force of wildland fire—the Alaska Smokejumpers. If Ryan can survive the ball-busting training, his life will be on a new trajectory…one that could lead him to the woman of his dreams. Tara Waters loves being a wildland firefighter and has worked hard to prove herself capable. But when a hunky Missoula smokejumper aims his parachute at Tara, her worlds collide when her father dooms the relationship to fail. The path she then chooses will set a new course..toward a wildfire with searing flames she’s powerless to fight.

Get it for free now! How to Unbreak a Heart by Jennie Marts

Solitary cowboy, Trip Turner walked out on the love of his life twelve years ago, breaking her heart and landing in juvenile detention. Now he’s back in Saddle Creek, Montana, at the dude ranch for wayward teens, where his mentor, John Stone, taught him the rules of how to become a man. But a tragedy has reminded Trip he failed to follow one of those rules. And it could have been the most important one of all.

Bre Wilson had moved on with her life—she has a successful veterinary practice, and she’s put all thoughts of Trip Turner, the boy she’d planned to spend the rest of her life with, behind her. Or so she thought. Because he’s back, and no longer a boy. Now he’s a hot-as-hell man, and she has to spend the next two weeks working by his side without either kissing him or killing him. Trip let Bre go once, he won’t do it again. He has a second chance to fix the mistakes he made all of those years ago, and this time he’s following the rules. He just needs to figure out how to unbreak her heart. 

Get it for free now! Risking Trust by Adrienne Giordano

Michael Taylor is cooler than ice. As CEO of a private security company, his job means protecting those at risk. But now Michael is the one in trouble—he’s the prime suspect in his ex-wife’s murder. To prove his innocence, he needs not just a few good men, but one smart woman.

Get it for free now! Viper by Susie McIver

A No-Love Rule Shattered Under One Roof.

Cole’s return home after four years in an Iranian prison was meant to bring solace, but fate had other plans for the man better known as Viper. 

Enter the mysterious woman living in solitude, pursued by a relentless stalker. Unable to stand by, Viper sweeps into her life, proposing a fake engagement to silence the nosy people in their small mountain town after insisting she move in with him.

Bailey’s cabin was meant to be a refuge from her tormenter, not an unexpected detour into a stranger’s world. 

However, her initial resistance of Viper taking charge begins to crumble as sparks fly and their limited shared space awakens dormant desires. And while she feels safe for the first time in too long, he poses a different challenge to her guarded heart. Their undeniable attraction and the heat from just a simple touch leaves them both perilously close to shattering their resolve to avoid love. The question is: will they surrender to their yearning, or can they find a way to defy the odds?

Get it for free now!

The Last Quiet Days of Summer

Before the planners fill up and the pumpkin spice takes over, there’s a soft, golden stretch of time that belongs just to us. The last few weeks of summer when the air is warm, the days are long, and creativity begs for rest, not hustle. So today I’m sharing a gentle reflection on why these quiet days matter more than we think… and why it’s okay to pause before the fall rush begins.

[image error]A Gentle Reminder for Creatives to Rest

There’s something about these final weeks of summer that feels… a little wistful. The light changes. The cicadas get louder. The air turns heavy with a kind of quiet urgency. We’re not quite in fall yet, but we’re close enough to feel it coming.

If you’re anything like me, you might already be staring at a packed calendar, wondering how September filled up before August even had the chance to say goodbye. There are projects to finish. Newsletters to write. Books to revise. Events to prep for. All of it important. All of it exciting.

But lately, I’ve been thinking about the in-between time. These last golden days of summer that ask for nothing but stillness. The ones that whisper: Wait. Not yet. And I wonder… what would happen if we listened?

Not to the productivity planners or the emails or even the inner voice that always says do more. But to the late-summer hush. To the wind in the trees. To the sun lingering just a little longer on the front porch. What would happen if, just for a little while, we let ourselves pause? Not because we’ve earned it. Not because we’ve checked everything off the list. But because we’re human. Because we’re creative. And because creativity, like any living thing, needs rest to grow.

As a writer, I’ve learned that the best ideas don’t come when I’m forcing them. They come when I’m walking. Or cooking. Or staring out a window with no particular thought in mind. They sneak in during the quiet spaces. Those unplanned, unpolished moments I too often push aside. So maybe this isn’t advice. Maybe it’s just a gentle invitation.

If you can, take these last weeks of summer and give yourself permission to not create. Or to create only for yourself. Scribble in a journal with no plan. Doodle. Nap. Bake something completely unnecessary. Reread a favorite book just because it feels good. Let your imagination stretch without expectation. Let the stillness be enough.

Because fall will come, with all its deadlines and launches and fresh-start energy. But these warm, slow days? They only come once a year. And sometimes the bravest, kindest thing we can do for our work is to stop working. So here’s to the final days of summer. May they be soft. May they be slow. And may they give your heart, your spirit, and your creativity the rest they deserve.

A Constellation of Tears

An updated repost from the archives.

This year the Perseid meteor shower (summer’s best celestial event which began in July and ends around Sept 1) will peak on August 12-13th. The meteors are the most visible between midnight and an hour before dawn, and can best be seen in the Northern Hemisphere. The name “Perseids” is derived from the constellation Perseus. Perseus, in turn, is a demi-god in Greek Mythology. He’s the son of a human woman named Danae and Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. Perseus became famous for slaying Medusa, the monster with serpents for hair, and for marrying Andromeda.

Anyway, during the second century (around 150 AD), a man named Ptolemy was mapping the sky and naming the constellations after Greeks myths–including the stories about Perseus’ life. Fast forward to 258 AD, when a Catholic saint named St. Lawrence was martyred on August 10, during the middle of the Perseid meteor shower. It didn’t take long for legends about St. Lawrence to build up and for his feast day to become associated with the Perseid meteor showers… hence why this meteor shower is also called the “tears of St. Lawrence”.

Historians believe that St. Lawrence, the patron saint of libraries and librarians, the poorest of the poor, comics, and chefs, was martyred on August 10, 258 AD, give or take a day or so. That uncertainty meant that, during the Middle Ages, people celebrated this saint’s feast day over three days, August 9-11. But why did people spend three days, in the middle of the busy agricultural season, honoring this saint? Because, not only did he perform many, many miracles during the dark days of the early christian church, St. Lawrence is best known for his courageous actions in the face of a horrific death.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi... © José Luiz Bernardes Ribeiro

In case you’ve never heard of this saint, he has the distinction of being the first saint to be grilled to death over an open gridiron. (hence his devotion to/from chefs). St. Lawrence is also known as the father of comics because, supposedly, while he was being burned to death he said to the Roman soldiers standing nearby, “I’m done on this side. Turn me over.”

But let me back up for a bit. St. Lawrence was born on December 21, 225 AD and when he was 22 years old, he became a deacon in Rome under the tutelage of Pope Sixtus. At this time (according to the historian and Bishop of Carthage, St. Cyprian), Christians were being persecuted all over the Roman Empire. Their lands, property, and wealth were confiscated and they were murdered in the street. Because of the persecution, many Christians went into hiding with nothing to their name. When St. Lawrence became an archdeacon, he was given two jobs. The first was to hand out the church’s wealth to those most in need. So St. Andrew used the church’s money to buy and hand out food, clothing, and anything else these people needed. Since these christians were not allowed to use money (or risk getting caught and killed), St. Andrew made all the purchases and handed out supplies in secret.

His second job was to protect all of the written works the church was collecting at this time. These works would, eventually, form the core of the Vatican library. Rome wanted to burn every document the church had collected, but St. Andrew began hiding these documents. After a few months of this, Pope Sixtus (a man of great power and influence) died and the prefect of Rome went to St. Lawrence and demanded all the church’s money and every document they owned. According to St. Ambrose’s notes on this event, St. Lawrence said he needed …”three days to gather the wealth. He worked swiftly to distribute as much Church property to the indigent as possible to prevent it from being seized by the prefect. On the third day, at the head of a small delegation, he presented himself to the prefect. When ordered to deliver the treasures of the Church, he presented the city’s indigent, crippled, blind, and suffering, and declared that these were the true treasures of the Church: “Here are the treasures of the church. You see, the church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor!”

As you can imagine, Rome’s prefect (who worked for Emperor Valerian) was not happy with St. Lawrence’s cleverness. St. Lawrence had spent all the church’s money and hidden all of the church’s documents. So the prefect had St. Lawrence arrested, imprisoned, and sentenced to death. After this, the history is a bit sketchy. According to legend, St. Lawrence was killed by being grilled to death on a gridiron. And, like I mentioned above, tradition has him joking about his death by asking the soldiers to turn him over. That quip made him an early church legend and is still talked about today. But in the early 20th century, a historian named Rev. Patrick Healy found a simple error in the historical texts. The church announced the death of a martyr with the words “Passus est” which means “He suffered“. But Rev. Healy found a mistake in the early texts describing St. Lawrence’s death. The P in “passus” was left off and the announcement read as “Assus est” which means “He roasted.” Was this a deliberate mistake? Or even a mistake at all? Was St. Lawrence beheaded like other martyrs at the time? Or was he roasted to death because of his cheekiness?

No one really knows, but tradition has kept the story of St. Lawrence being roasted instead of beheaded. And, honestly, it makes for a better story. Especially when you take into consideration the date and month that he died. Not long after his death, people began noticing something in the summer night skies, especially around the dates between Aug 9-11 — a cosmic display of meteor showers. Now we call this annual event the Perseid Meteor Shower. This event looks like falling stars are streaming outwards from the Perseus Constellation and across the entire summer sky and are best seen during those three days in August. Because of the timing of this event, and the fact most people didn’t understand what was happening, this spectacular streak of light was (and still is) called “St. Lawrence’s Flaming Tears” or “Tears of St. Lawrence”.

This year the event will happen August 12-13th, and despite the nearly full moon you may still see cosmic dust moving at 130,000 mph across the sky. And if you do, remember the tears of St. Lawrence–the real man who died to protect the poor and his library while at the same time keeping his sense of humor.

The Hungry {Romance} Writer: Watermelon Salad

It’s time for watermelons! I love watermelons, but I’m very picky about eating them because if they’re not sweet, or too slimy/grainy/hard, I’ll toss them. But when I find the perfect melon, one of my go-to recipes is this Watermelon salad. Watermelon, fresh cucumbers, and fresh strawberries make for a perfect summer side dish. It’s also a salad that helps me deal with the heat and stops me from wishing away these hot summer days. (although I’m always waiting for pumpkin spice season!)

KINGSMILL REHEARSAL DINNER MENU SERIES

Welcome to my Kingsmill Rehearsal Dinner Menu series inspired by the fictional wedding celebration in my two new stories, A Room with a Groom (from Save the Date Anthology) and Luke’s Last Love Kiss (from Finding Forever Anthology). This blog series brings the charm of small-town Kingsmill to your summer table. 

Both love stories unfold in the heart of the Virginia mountains, and each features a rehearsal dinner held near the town’s historic 18th-century mill, along the Shenandoah River. For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing the seasonal recipes from that riverside celebration and today’s recipe uses watermelons, my second-favorite summer fruit for Watermelon Salad.

[image error] PrintWatermelon SaladCourse SaladPrep Time 20 minutes minutesServings 8Calories 153kcalIngredientsHoney Dressing2 Tablespoons honey2 Tablespoons lime juice1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil pinch sea saltWatermelon Salad1/2 watermelon peeled cut into cubes1 cucumber halved lengthwise and sliced1 cup strawberries hulled, washed, and sliced15 fresh mint leaves chopped15 fresh basil leaves chopped1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese more to your likingbalsamic vinegar for garnishInstructionsHoney DressingIn a glass bowl, stir together the honey, lime juice, olive oil and salt. Set aside.Watermelon SaladIn a large glass bowl, stir together the watermelon, cucumber, strawberries, and fresh basil and fresh mint leaves. Stir in the dressing and toss very gently. Sprinkle feta cheese on top. Chill for 2 hours before serving.Before you serve, drizzle balsamic vinegar on top (optional).

Isn’t it Romantic to Attend a Book Club?

In June, a wedding-themed anthology I’m in released and it’s been a whirlwind of promo and fun with readers. The anthology, Save the Date, includes 16 sweet-to-steamy stories where the hero and heroine meet at a wedding… with all of the disasters that often occur during wedding events. And I’m excited to announce that my novella in this collection is August’s book selection for the Isn’t it Romantic Book Club on Facebook. We’re all reading the book this month and will discuss it on August 28th during a YouTube Live.

My novella, from my Kingsmill Courtships series, is called A Room with a Groom. It’s the final story in the saga of Ben Mosby and Sophie Sinclair, the hero and heroine of The Brightest Christmas Star and His Wildest Sunflower. In A Room with a Groom, Ben and Sophie are on the way to their long-awaited wedding–until everything falls apart. There’s small town summer steaminess, a race against time, forced proximity, and an outlaw MC causing trouble hours before the wedding. (Yes, as usual, I threw in all the tropes!).

This love story about Ben Mosby and Sophie Sinclair is about two lost people who are each running away until they discover that they are right where they need to be. I know I say this after every story I write in this series, but this is one of my favorites, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I loved writing it!

A Room with a Groom

Will these star-crossed lovers make it to the church on time?

Ben Mosby, a former member of an outlaw motorcycle club, has reformed his life. As the sheriff of Kingsmill, VA, he’s determined to keep his small mountain town safe, and he’s given his heart to Sophie Sinclair, the only woman he’s ever loved. But on the eve of their long-awaited wedding, a rival outlaw MC from Ben’s old life roars back, carrying a violent grudge.

Sophie has overcome poverty, homelessness, and an outlaw biker ex-boyfriend. And now that she’s been reunited with Ben, the love of her life, she won’t allow any of that sadness to define her future. She’s even found the perfect wedding dress in a town hours away from Kingsmill. But as they return for their rehearsal dinner, their future is put to the ultimate test. 

With forest fires raging and outlaw bikers chasing them, their journey to the altar becomes a desperate fight for survival. Old demons resurface and alliances are tested. And when they seek refuge in an isolated cabin, surrounded by danger, Sophie must decide if their love is strong enough to douse the flames of their past. If not, she may lose Ben forever. 

Available now! Save the DateA Wedding Romance Anthology

The cake is ordered, the dresses are tailored, and the guests are ready—love is in the air, and it’s time to Save the Date!

From grand celebrations to intimate elopements, Save the Date is filled with heart-warming and swoon-worthy tales of love found, lost, and rediscovered on the road to happily ever after.

Perfect for readers who believe in the magic of love and the romance of weddings, this anthology is your invitation to fall in love, one story at a time.

Authors include:

Kathleen Ryder
Laura M. Baird
Susan Horsnell
Sharon Michalove
Gabbi Grey
VK Holt
Clarice Jayne
Sharon Wray

Freyja Frost
Harper Michaels
Carrie DiRisio
Deaia Sanders
Michelle Moncrieff
Kristine Charles
Alexa Santi
JCC Downing

Available now!

Why Romantic Suspense Feels Hotter in the Summer

There’s something about summer—the shimmer of heat on the pavement, the slow drip of melting popsicles, the sting of sweat against sun-kissed skin—that makes every moment feel stretched, magnified. Emotions run high. Tempers flare fast. And love feels like a wildfire waiting to consume. Maybe that’s why I find myself reaching for romantic suspense novels during the hottest months of the year. Not just because of the long days or lazy weekends. But because heat—both literal and emotional—amplifies tension in ways no other season can.

In the heart of summer, everything is heightened. The stakes feel higher. The danger seems closer. The breathless anticipation between two characters standing a little too close under a scorching sun becomes nearly unbearable. Will they kiss? Will they run? Will they survive?

When I write romantic suspense novels, I think a lot about how heat affects my characters. The oppressive weather mirrors their internal chaos. The sweat on their skin isn’t just from adrenaline. It’s the ache of desire, the terror of falling in love when their world could collapse at any moment. There’s no hiding in the summer. No cozy sweaters or soft blankets to shield vulnerability. It’s just them, bare, exposed, and in danger.

Summer storms roll in like plot twists—unexpected, electric, and always promising fallout. The air before lightning strikes is thick with anticipation, much like the final chapters of a good suspense novel. You can feel it coming. Your heart beats faster. And you know everything is about to change.

That’s the magic of summer romantic suspense. The setting isn’t just background. It’s a character. It presses in on the lovers and the enemies alike. It strips away lies and lays bare what really matters. When the heat is high, so is the risk. But so is the reward.

As I sip iced tea on my patio and write my next romantic suspense novel, I find myself chasing that pulse again and again. The one that races at the sound of footsteps in the dark, or the brush of a hand when someone swears they’re not afraid. I crave stories that make me sweat not just from the sun overhead, but from the tension between two people clinging to each other when the world wants to tear them apart.

[Shameless Plug Incoming]

And speaking of heat and danger… if you’re looking for a suspenseful summer escape, might I just casually suggest my Deadly Force series, set in the sultry, secret-filled cities of Savannah and Charleston? Each novel is packed with danger, forbidden romance, and the kind of Southern heat that melts more than just hearts. You can find them all right here. Warning: you may need a fan. Or a glass of sweet tea. Or both.

In the summer, nothing stays cool for long. And in the right hands, heat can be the most seductive weapon of all.