Amber Jakeman's Blog, page 6
September 9, 2022
Notes from Europe
After staying close to home for two and a half years of the pandemic, what a joy and privilege it’s been to visit Europe again, to catch up with old friends and be inspired anew by treasures of Western civilisation and the natural beauty and bounty of the northern hemisphere’s late summer!
We’ve eaten fresh beans, apples and salads from the rooftop and backyard gardens of friends, picked wild blackberries beside the Swedish sea, found wildflowers on French riverbanks, and swooned at the beauty of formal gardens in full bloom.
We’ve worn out our sandals admiring cobbled streets, archways, sweeps of marble staircases, cathedrals, street libraries and ornate doorknobs.
In art galleries and museums, we’ve marvelled at cultural riches of sublime beauty, created with exquisite skill hundreds of years ago.
Ethereal Sainte-Chapelle in Paris
A medieval bookThe passion, energy and ingenuity of humanity is inspiring. In Germany and France, we were astonished to find whole towns, cathedrals, homes and artworks, once ravaged by war, now lovingly restored, stone by stone, brushstroke by brushstroke.
Beyond tragedies and foolishness, the church bells of ancient French villages remind us we can recover and thrive as individuals and communities, while lovelocks and heart-shaped trees show how we welcome love in our lives.
Lovelocks on a bridge near Cologne Cathedral
A heart shaped tree on the edge of a French canalLatest reviewsThough I’d hoped to be writing in France, the pandemic arrived instead. It was gratifying to see the stone buildings and wisteria, the boulangeries and town squares, as solid and beautiful as the memories which inspired my writing!
While in France, it was a thrill to receive and celebrate with friends another five-star review, for my House of Clubs, book 4 of the House of Jewels series, set in France!
“… absolutely giving this a sparkling 5 stars and recommending to Historical Fiction lovers, contemporary fiction followers and readers who enjoy feel good books.” My thanks to reviewer Pauline Reid!
France features again in Book 5, Full House, and I could not be more delighted to share with you this additional 5-star review, received only days later, including comments on the entire House of Jewels series. I thank reviewer and author Cindy L Spear for her generous words.
“Amber has done it again! She has delivered an exceptional novel with the closing chapter of the House of Jewels series. I, for one, will miss these wonderful engaging characters and the delightful events in their lives that I have come to enjoy and appreciate but the novels will be beautifully preserved for years and readers to come.”
Of the whole series, Cindy generously writes:
“I have watched each character from his and her starting point and enjoyed their journeys immensely. The novels are tender in tone but not light in topic or without well thought-out solutions. Everything covered is thoroughly researched.
“There is depth, wonder and wisdom written across these pages. Plus beautiful sprinkles of laughter and uplifting humour that break the intensity of drama at times. Amber delves into many personality types, business ideas, emotional traumas, addiction problems, media issues, wanderlust tendencies, environmental concerns, family restoration, family business, entrepreneur experience, starting anew, second chances and lasting love scenarios— just to name a few.
“Amber’s attention to detail is exceptional. The settings are all picturesque, atmospheric and so well-described you feel as if you are there in person. Believable growth shines within each of the character arcs.
“They are people you fall in love with, get annoyed with, be inspired by, understand and appreciate.
”Well done to Amber Jakeman for a 5 Star collection that I highly recommend for those who want to escape into a series that offers you more than meets the eye and creates heart-lifting memories that will linger with you long after the last page. 
” Cindy L Spear
View Cindy’s reviews here. I could not be more grateful!
A reminderYou are warmly invited to join author Pamela Hart and me for the Sydney launch of the House of Jewels series at Galaxy Bookshop, upstairs at Abbeys Bookshop at 131 York Street, Sydney, Australia, across the road from the shopping wonderland of the heritage Queen Victoria Building (QVB), at 2pm on Saturday 8 October.
Pamela, who also teaches at the Australian Writers’ Centre, will interview me, and I’ll have the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the series in diverse ways as we celebrate the joy of reading.
Sweet romance selections for you to browseFor just a few more days, you can find a host of free sweet romances here, including my House of Diamonds.
House of Diamonds features in this Fall Into Love (Sweet Romance) promo.
You can find all five books in my House of Jewels series in this Some Like It Clean promotion.
Find Full House in this Second Chance Romance selection.
Thank youI thank each and every one of you for your interest in my books. Every book offers a holiday of a kind, a temporary departure from our normal life and a window into other worlds.
Happy reading!
August 8, 2022
Your invitation and a taster
Can you believe I actually found a pink sparkling wine called “Love Story” for the launch of my House of Jewels series!
Here’s your reminder to please join author Pamela Hart and me for the Sydney launch of the House of Jewels series at Galaxy Bookshop, upstairs at Abbeys Bookshop at 131 York Street, across the road from the shopping wonderland of the heritage Queen Victoria Building (QVB) at 2pm on Saturday 8 October.
Pamela, who also teaches at the Australian Writers’ Centre, will interview me, and I’ll have the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the series in diverse ways as we celebrate the joy of reading.
You’ll be able to buy autographed copies of Pamela’s paperbacks as well as mine, in good time for Christmas!
The House of Jewels series follows the fortunes of the extended Huntley family of jewelers in Australia, France and the US.
In the meantime, if you haven’t already bought a copy, you might enjoy this taste of Full House, the recently released fifth book in my Huntley House of Jewels saga:
Your taster of Full House ...ForewordDread sparked somewhere deep inside Nicole as her brother James Huntley the Third, CEO of Huntleys House of Jewels, began to speak.
“I’ve called this meeting not only because of the rapid growth of our company to include Mum’s House of Clubs in France and Will’s House of Hearts in the US, but for another key reason I’ll go into shortly.”
Nobody moved. James cleared his throat. Forcing herself to breathe normally, Nicole took a swig of coffee. It burned her tongue.
“I know this is not an ideal way to conduct a meeting, with some of you videoing in and others here in person, but there isn’t time or spare operating cash to fly you all in,” James said. “I’ll do my best to ensure that those of you joining remotely will have equal input. Most importantly, this meeting will give you equal time to contemplate our options in the short timeframe we’ve been given.”
Chapter 1Four months earlierBeside the old sink, in the tearoom on the second floor of the iconic Huntleys House of Diamonds jewelry store in the heart of Sydney’s Bondi Junction, Nicole Huntley frowned, rinsed out her coffee cup and tipped it upside down.
She adjusted the bow of her yellow blouse as she glanced out the window at the plaza’s smattering of shoppers and business people, their takeaway coffee cups in one hand like talismans. Bows were in and the color was cheerful, but the material of the blouse was scratchy, the bow still wouldn’t sit right and the color wasn’t a great match with her grey skirt. Today, though, her choice of clothing was the least of her troubles.
“What’s up?” said Stella as she rushed in, reached for her own mug, threw a teabag inside and switched on the kettle.
Nicole admired Stella. She worked hard, never ran out of ideas and was kind enough to ask about her life now and then without interfering.
“How are things downstairs?” Nicole asked.
“Okay,” said Stella. “We’ve got a couple of minutes to ourselves. There’s just that woman who comes in every week and browses for an hour but never buys anything, and Lorna’s keeping an eye out for her. Something on your mind?”
“My flatmate’s left,” said Nicole.
James strode in with his own coffee mug and placed a caring hand on Stella’s shoulder as they waited for the water to boil. Nicole smiled at the two of them, so glad her brother’s fiancée was no longer a business rival but a colleague, and soon to be family, if they’d ever set that wedding date.
“Was that the Italian one, Nic?” said James.
“Lucia, yes. Frankly, I’m relieved. Bit of a drama queen. She kept life interesting alright. Too interesting. Every moment was either a joy or a tragedy. It’s peaceful now, but I’ll really miss her rent! I need a new flatmate to help pay the mortgage and bills. Know anyone?”
Stella shook her head, poured the steaming water into her and James’s mugs, and reached across to the fridge to grab the milk.
“Lucia was perfect in her online application, but she never let up about my lack of style and the blandness of my cooking,” said Nicole. “She wasn’t wrong, and she did share a few useful cooking tips, but I could have done without all those temper tantrums about the bus home roaring past without her, or how she missed out on the last pair of Jimmy Choos in her size. And the parade of strangers she insisted on inviting home was the worst. If I never have to clean up another cigarette butt in my life I will never complain again.”
“Never complain again, Nicole?” said James, not too unkindly. Brothers.
“Nice,” said Stella.
“And she used every kitchen utensil every time and never cleaned them up!”
“She’s gone, Nicole,” said James, taking a sip of tea and striding back towards the office.
“Yes, well, the point is, I need a new flatmate. I’m not willing to risk putting up an ad again.”
James paused in the doorway. “Scottie’s on the move,” he said. “You know he and Beck broke up? He just needs somewhere short term. He’s heading off on some overseas trip; finally taking a holiday.”
“Oh!” said Nicole. “Did you say Scottie and Beck separated?” Why hadn’t James mentioned this sooner?
“Want me to let him know about your place?”
“Ah …” A thousand memories flickered. “Sure. Okay. You can tell Scottie. Sorry to hear about him and Beck.”
With James gone, Nicole turned to Stella. “Well,” she said. “I’m not sorry, really. To be honest, I never liked Beck. Scottie’s such a gentleman, and Beck was never his type.”
Stella smiled and nodded and rinsed her own cup.
“Sorry, Nicole. Gotta go help Lorna on the ground floor. Hope it all works out for you.”
“See you!”
Nicole headed down the stairs and out into the sunny plaza towards the printers to pick up the Huntleys’ sale catalogs. The idea of sharing with Scottie appealed to her, especially since it would only be for a few weeks. She’d sworn off living with men after both her previous male flatmates put the hard word on her after too many beers. She didn’t blame them, but it sure complicated daily life, and she could have done without their claims she had “issues” with men just because she wasn’t attracted to them.
But she’d known Scottie all her life. Scottie was practically part of Huntleys. Scott & Sons accountants and Huntleys went way back. James’s best friend since childhood, as well as the Huntleys’ financial consultant, Scottie knew how to take turns, how to lose with a sense of humor, and how to win with grace. At least she could be sure he’d clean up after himself.
The pedestrian lights turned red as she approached, and she paused. On the other hand … There’d been that brief period in high school when Scottie annoyed her, staring at her with puppy dog eyes every time she came near—but those days were well and truly gone. He’d behaved perfectly normally since they’d both grown up. Then he’d fallen head over heels with Beck, the fake blonde with puffy lips and an enhanced cleavage. If men went for types, then plain Nicole would be safe from any unexpected propositions from Scottie.
That evening, Nicole’s apartment was quieter than ever. She considered phoning her Mum, Cynthia, who’d turned her back on a quiet retirement in the Southern Highlands an hour and a half out of Sydney, flown to France on a one-way ticket and ended up staying.
But they’d only spoken a couple of days ago, and all was well in Provence. Besides, it wasn’t her mother Nicole needed to call right now.
She picked up the phone, then put it down. What did you say to someone whose marriage had ended? If she told Scottie she was glad, that she’d never thought Beck worthy of him, he might take offense—think she was accusing him of poor taste—but everyone made mistakes. Look at the long parade of no-hopers she’d dated.
Though Scottie often dropped in to talk to James about the company’s finances, the last time Nicole spent any time with him was last Christmas. Run off her feet, she’d sold Scottie something for his mother. He’d chosen a simple gold bangle with an elegant twist. Classy. It was a generous gift, even without the hefty discount she’d given him as a supplier.
She’d brought out tissue paper, finely watermarked with the classy Huntley’s H insignia, as she’d done a million times, then placed the boxed bangle in a paper gift bag, shiny black, with the gold H on two sides.
As she handed it across to him, he complimented her on the branding. It was a rare acknowledgement of her work, not just marketing all the stock, but building brand recognition and brand value—all that invisible weaving of meaning her father had understood; that their business was so much more than the sum of its parts. Before he died, Jim told her that “brand” consisted of every encounter with anyone who had anything to do with the place, and she’d grown up knowing you had to put the business before yourself, and do your best and be polite, even if customers were abusive.
Not that Scottie was ever a difficult customer. Anything but. He’d given her a warm, braces-free smile as he’d left that lifted her heart. It jumped straight over the awkward years and landed her back in the middle of their good times—how as children they’d splashed together in the shallows at the beach and made sand castles, ever more elaborate, with moats and tunnels and seaweed flags and sea glass decorations. They’d laughed as the summer sun seared their shoulders and groaned together as the waves washed away their handiwork.
They’d scramble along the rocks and throw themselves into the harbor pool at Watson’s Bay, or race along the beach. On wet days, they built card houses, or played ping pong or Monopoly. They’d push tiny red hotels onto their properties and haul in each other’s money with glee. Once, Scottie built a card house three storeys high, and she bumped it with her heel. For one silent moment she feared his reaction, but Scottie just shrugged, then laughed, and built it up again. Scottie was the best of company.
But then, after a family holiday at Pearl Beach, something changed. He’d stare at her, dumbstruck, tongue tied and useless. It made her uncomfortable.
Her old pal grew taller and increasingly awkward with her. They both wore braces on their teeth and sported a few too many spots, so it wasn’t that. It was just … She couldn’t explain it.
So she’d avoided him and spent her free time wandering around shopping malls with school friends instead. They teased her about him.
“Can’t you see the way he looks at you?” Thalia said.
“Don’t! I hate it.”
“Nic’s got a boyfriend; Nic’s got a boyfriend.”
“Stop it.”
Her friends eventually switched topics—dissecting the latest movie or boy band, or weighing in on whether cucumber face masks really worked, and she’d stop blushing.
Back then, Nicole avoided Scottie. He gave up on her, went on to university, and married Beck.
Nicole stared at her phone. Might as well get on with it.
“Nicole?” His voice was pleasantly deep, but she knew him well. He hadn’t hidden his surprise.
“Hey, Scottie.” Awkward silence. “Ah, James said you need somewhere to stay for a few weeks.”
“Yes. Five weeks.”
“Well, I’ve got a great spare room. It even has a bit of a view. It’s good to hear you’re taking a holiday,” said Nicole. She wouldn’t mention Beck at all. No big deal. She needed a flatmate and he needed a bed. Easy. She rushed on to fill the silence. “Europe. Lucky you! Want to come over tomorrow night and take a look, just to be sure? Seven o’clock? You can eat dinner with me and I’ll show you where you can leave your stuff while you’re away.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Perfect. Now she could think ahead to the next sales catalog and social media marketing schedule.
Next evening, back at her apartment Nicole tidied up and threw together a quick spaghetti with basil and tomato, added a simple salad and laid it on the veranda table. Lucia hadn’t been all bad. She’d certainly taught her a few Italian cooking tricks, especially the one about adding pitted savory olives to the sauce to give the pasta extra bite.
It was a mild evening. Candle? No candle? It wasn’t like this was a date, when she’d have to angst over what music to play, and do the whole thing with champagne and five kinds of beer on offer. Scottie was just an old friend. Last time they’d eaten together, green cordial had been their drink of choice. She laughed in anticipation, just as the doorbell rang.
Not surprisingly for someone who’d just been through a rough breakup, Scottie looked a little older, but strangely, those new shadows under his eyes suited him, and his glance was full of warmth and light, as if he were genuinely pleased to see her.
She loved it that there was no other agenda here, no expectations that this was anything but a meal between friends to discuss a possible flat sharing arrangement. The dating game was exhausting, with all its pressure to get through the meal and juggle expectations about sex, when all she’d ever really wanted was good company.
Scottie had lost so much weight, Nicole commented.
“Didn’t James tell you about our runs on Bondi Beach and our push-up competition?” said Scottie. “I got a bit down after Beck left. It was James who suggested we work out instead of hitting the bottle. Too much drinking wasn’t helping. James is winning on the runs, but I’ve got the push-up record,” said Scottie, flexing his muscles and smiling sheepishly.
His pecs and abs were nicely defined under his casual deep grey t-shirt. He looked healthy in his soft blue jeans. What was wrong with Beck?
“Shoes off? Shoes on?”
“Not too many rules here, Scottie,” Nicole said. “You decide.” She took the paper bag he offered and hummed with approval. Ice cream; salted caramel with dark and white chocolate chips.
“Such good taste! You can stay.”
As he stooped to slip off his shoes she caught the slightest whiff of laundry detergent—such a comforting change from the aggressive aftershaves of the strangers of too many failed dates.
They padded through her spaces—the living area with its jumble of furniture from her grandmother’s house and items previous flatmates had left behind.
A pang of hunger hit her as she waved her arm at the kitchen on the way to showing him the bathroom, the laundry in a cupboard, the long corridor, the spare bedroom with its built-in wardrobe and view of the harbor, and then the kitchen. She took him out to the corner balcony with its own view across to Watsons Bay.
“Wow,” said Scottie.
“James, Will and I were so lucky Mum sold Jim and Eleanor’s old house on the harbor,” said Nicole. “We never could have afforded our places otherwise.”
“I was talking about the smell of dinner actually, but you’re right. This place is beautiful, Nicole.”
“I’m not much good with decorating. One of the reasons I need a flatmate is to help with the mortgage and eventually replace the furniture with something I really like, but it’s not urgent. I just love the fact my place is so close to the beach and the station, and to Huntleys of course, and the city. You could catch a bus or a train, or even walk it.”
Was she selling the arrangement to him? Yes. Scottie listened carefully. His comments were sensible, and a sense of humor lurked just under the surface, despite the shadows the breakup with Beck must have caused.
“It’s perfect, Nicole,” he said, his tone warm but not too warm. Not at all like a needy puppy dog. These days, Scottie was his own man. He kept his distance—didn’t even seem particularly keen. “Are you sure you don’t want to advertise it on the open market? I’d be happy to pay you for the weeks I’ll be away, but you might want a longer term tenant. I’m thinking about buying a place myself, though I haven’t done the homework yet, so I can probably promise you at least another two months after I get back. But with this place, you could ask a premium and know where you stand a year from now. Don’t feel obliged to offer me this, Nic. Think about it and come back to me. I’ve got another week before I move out. Give yourself room to make a decision that’s in your best interests, not just in mine.”
“How can I resist a tenant with such great taste in ice cream, Scottie? And you might want to think twice about whether you want your life in the hands of this cruel and evil landlady.”
As they forked up strands of spaghetti in the soft summer night, they laughed and entertained each other with tales of previous landlords and flatmates, of leaky shower recesses and nosy and noisy neighbors.
If Scottie’s knee brushed against hers, she barely noticed. It wasn’t as if anything beyond living arrangements was up for discussion.
It surprised her what good company grown-up Scottie could be. Why hadn’t she thought to invite him to share with her sooner?
Oh. Because he’d been married. Oops.
“Ice cream?” said Scottie. “Here, I’ll take these. Which cupboard are your bowls in?”
He helped stack the dishwasher before he left, far too soon. She would have liked him to stay and maybe watch some rubbish television, or listen to some music with her.
What was going on? Nicole shook her head. None of that. Scottie was recovering from the last woman who’d screwed him over. She wasn’t about to mess him up on the rebound. She liked him far too much for that. Old friends and flatmates. That’s what they would be to each other and nothing more. Besides, he was heading overseas. Anything could happen.
Buy Full House e-bookBuy Full House paperback (US)Buy Full House paperback (Australia)
Find the whole seriesSweet selectionsHouse of Diamonds has been included in this mix of “Perfect for summer sweet romances“.
You might enjoy browsing these Clean Romance Deals, which include my House of Hearts and House of Spades.
And I’m delighted that Full House has been included in this Clean Romance New Releases promotion, where you might find other books you’d enjoy.
A word of thanksIt’s never too late to leave a review. A reader from New Zealand recently wrote five-star reviews of House of Spades on Insta, Facebook and Twitter, while a US reader recently left a five-star review for House of Diamonds on BookBub.
It’s such a thrill to know that readers enjoy my work! Thank you.
Find my paperbacksYou can find my House of Jewels series paperbacks in Sydney at Galaxy Bookshop, upstairs at Abbeys Bookshop, 131 York Street in Sydney’s CBD, near the QVB.
Please note that Galaxy and Abbeys also offer this handy service.
Books 1 and 2 are available at Harry Hartog Macquarie Centre, North Ryde.
For paperbacks and e-books, please dial up Amazon in your own country and order online.
Happy reading!
Amber
July 22, 2022
Full House and world building
Book 5 in the House of Jewels series is now available in e-book form and as a paperback!
Here’s the blurb:
What can you do when you’ve friend-zoned the one you love?Nicole Huntley, marketing manager for her family’s international jewelry business, froze out family friend Scottie back when they were teenagers.
Now he’s the Huntleys’ financial advisor. Newly divorced, the affable Scottie needs somewhere to stay. Nicole offers him space, never expecting to fall for him — hard.
But when fate deals the Huntleys a high-stakes fresh hand, “conflict of interest” threatens to shatter her family, destroy their retail empire — and to break her heart.
Get ready for the showdown in Full House, the latest international heartwarmer in the Huntley House of Jewels saga.
Buy Full House e-bookBuy Full House paperback (US)Buy Full House paperback (Australia)Join us for the series launch – your invitation!Please join author Pamela Hart and me for the Sydney launch of the House of Jewels series at 2pm on Saturday 8 October at Galaxy Bookshop, upstairs at Abbeys Bookshop at 131 York Street, across the road from the shopping wonderland of the heritage Queen Victoria Building (QVB).
Pamela, who also teaches at the Australian Writers’ Centre, will interview me, and I’ll have the opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to the series in diverse ways.
You’ll be able to buy autographed copies of Pamela’s books as well as mine, in good time for Christmas!
World buildingWhat a joy it’s been to build the world of the fictitious extended Huntley family of jewelers, with their love and business interests in Australia, France and the US!
The Imperial Buildings in Bondi Junction, Sydney, which sparked my House of Jewels series, remain unoccupied, awaiting the filming of the tv mini-series — (I wish! Know anyone at a production company? See photo below, featuring the building and plaza where Stella set up her stall.)
The big surprise is how real all the scenes, settings and characters feel to me. Did “enemies to lovers” James and Stella come alive for you, too, in House of Diamonds?
How about “forbidden lovers” Will and Lisa in House of Hearts? “Friends to lovers” Flame and Ross in House of Spades? And “soul mates” Cynthia and Émile in House of Clubs?
Full House, a “second chance” and “love in the workplace” tale brings together all the characters from the previous books. Even the pigeons in the main photo will appear!
Find each book in the House of Jewels series here.
The Empire Buildings in Sydney’s Bondi Junction Plaza inspired Amber Jakeman’s House of Jewels seriesEscape to the coastThe intoxicating discovery process has begun again as I begin work on my new series, Summer Beach, Sunset Beach and Midnight Beach, with the enticing tagline “escape to the coast”!
My husband and I spent nearly a decade living on the NSW Central Coast, raising our young family among its bays, beaches and bushland while I wrote for the local paper.
It is pure delight to revisit and reshuffle these locations in my mind as I recreate this new world in words, creating fresh characters for my readers.
Sweet and affordable readsI love it when fellow authors of sweet and wholesome romance team up to share their works with new readers. Scan the covers and titles for a sparkle of joy and escapism!
You can find my House of Spades in this Celebrate! – Family Sagas, Women’s Fiction, Sweet Romance collection.
You might also find something wholesome you’d love to read in this collection of Sweet Summer Romances, including my House of Clubs seasoned love tale.
Spot my House of Diamonds in this clean romance selection for July.
And three of my House of Jewels series feature in this clean and wholesome collection.
I’m so honoured to be included in these promotions, and warmly thank the organisers.
A reminder to invite friends and family to drop in to Harry Hartog at Sydney’s Macquarie Centre, North Ryde, to pick up paperback copies of my House of Diamonds and House of Hearts novels.
You can find all my paperbacks at Galaxy Bookshop upstairs at Abbeys near the QVB. Abbeys and Galaxy also offer this handy order paperbacks online service..
Happy reading!
Amber
June 23, 2022
In praise of the dream team
Sydney has just celebrated Vivid, an extravaganza of light and beauty on our harbour just as the chill and darkness of winter bite.
The magic of Vivid is not so much that the beauty is freshly created, but that the beauty was already there, awaiting spotlights and highlights and touches of colour in just the right places.
This is the skill of the dream team, to select edges and beams and planes to bring out the best in a city of detail, to enchant with the pinnacles, and render ordinariness invisible.
Behind every book is a dream team. Flip to the acknowledgements in a paperback and you’ll find at least half a page full of treasured names of full-time publishing professionals who have shared their expertise to make that book a reality.
Thank you!Most readers appreciate the value of editing. Did you know there are four major types of edits? Books benefit from developmental editors, substantive or structural editors, copy editors, and proofreaders.
Then there are the cover designers, publicists and marketing experts, those who know what is selling where and how to best promote and distribute each offering.
This post is to acknowledge my dream team, the friends and family, writing buddies and loyal readers who so generously share their feedback with me, encourage my efforts, point out typos and share reviews and social media posts so other readers can find my books.
You light my wordsWarmest thanks to my beta readers and enablers whose careful comments about and throughout previous drafts add light to my sweet modern love tales.
I dedicate the next in the series, Full House, available shortly, to Marilyn, two Bruces, Annie, Jo, Carolyn, Robyn, Gail, Alex, Heather, Jan, Robyn, Cheryl, Sal, Tom, Jordan, Shauna, Marg, Bernadette Foley and Casey and to those cheering from the sidelines. Without your generosity, Amber Jakeman’s House of Jewels series would simply not exist. (Do let me know if you’re happy for your full names to appear in the acknowledgements in Full House!)
Warmest thanks also to those in bookshops giving me a chance, and to everyone who’s been able to leave a review or two and spread the word. You are all my dream team!
If you enjoy Facebook, please feel free to join my Facebook Feel-Good Fiction Dream Team group. (Email me and I’ll invite you via Facebook.)
Save the date!I could not be more excited! After all the lockdowns, we will launch my whole House of Jewels series at once, at 2pm on 8 October at Galaxy Bookshop upstairs at Abbeys, 121 York Street, Sydney, opposite the QVB.
I’m over the moon to announce that prolific Australian author Pamela Freeman (also romance author Pamela Hart and Creative Writing Director at the Australian Writers’ Centre) will interview me at the launch! Do, please, save the date. I’d love you to join us.
Find my booksHere’s a summary of the House of Jewels series including purchase links for my e-books.
www.amberjakeman/booksIn Sydney, find the paperbacks at Galaxy Bookshop upstairs at Abbeys near the QVB. Please note that Galaxy also offers this handy order Galaxy paperbacks online service (use the search magnifying glass in the top right hand corner).
And please drop in to Harry Hartog Macquarie Centre, North Ryde, and give them my best wishes! They’re selling House of Diamonds and House of Hearts paperbacks.
Find similar booksFind my books and similar reads in this Sweet and Clean Summer! mix.
For a mix of sweet and racier reads, try Love Down Under (Romance Set in Australia) including House of Diamonds.
You’ll have to be quick to find free Clean Romance June 2022, and the giveaways in this free Sweet and Clean June promo before we hit July.
Happy reading!
Amber
Learn more about Amber Jakeman.
Explore Amber Jakeman’s blogs.
June 2, 2022
A rainbow at sea
I took this “rainbow at sea” photo after days, weeks and months of rain. The sun is always shining somewhere in the world.
The final book in my House of Jewels series, Full House, almost ready to launch, will feature two love stories for the price of one.
The book begins with the tale of Nicole and Scottie and the big question: What can you do when you’ve “friend zoned” the one you truly love?
Just as Nicole and Scottie think they’ve solved it, fate deals our international Huntley family of jewelers a high-stakes fresh hand.
Hearts may break, a family shatter, and a retail empire crumble to dust!
Get ready for the showdown in Full House, available soon!
Are you ready?While my international heartwarmers can be read in any order, for maximum impact, I strongly recommend you prepare for Full House by following House of Diamonds with House of Hearts, House of Spades and House of Clubs, if you haven’t already done so. Find them all here.
Paperbacks of my books 1 to 4 are available via Amazon, at Galaxy Bookshop upstairs at Abbeys at 131 York Street, Sydney and, drumroll…
A new outletI’m super excited to announce that Harry Hartog Bookseller at Macquarie Centre at North Ryde in Sydney is now stocking my House of Diamonds and House of Hearts paperbacks!
Harry Hartog Macquarie is an absolute treasure trove of new and preloved books and gifts for readers and browsers of all ages. Please support your local bookstores!
Love at the Sydney Writers’ FestivalIt was a joy to spend a day at the Sydney Writers’ Festival with its theme, Change my Mind. What a thrill to hear Torres Strait Islander writer Thomas Mayor recite the Uluru Statement from the Heart to a standing ovation!
My favourite session was with a panel of Indigenous poets. I applaud Anne-Marie Te Whiu‘s assertion that “Love is radical and the work we do should be radical and anchored in love.“
Australian Romance Readers AssociationWarmest thanks to the Australian Romance Readers Association for featuring me as a guest blogger recently.
I shared my love of words because for me, the written word carries a kind of magic. In lockdown, reading and writing books kept me company and kept me sane.
Books make me laugh and cry. They stretch my mind and take me to new places in time and space. Of all the genres, I love romance best. The anguish and euphoria of relationships are endlessly fascinating.
My commitment to writing feel-good fiction, with its uplifting endings, is because I see books as friends.
And while “news” continues to provide us with a never-ending gush of tragic facts, it is books which help me make sense of the world, and books which offer the hope and motivation I crave.
Humans have told and absorbed stories from the beginning of time, and I warmly acknowledge Australia’s First Nations People, our first storytellers.
True friends comfort each other, however bleak the world may seem. Books nourish the soul.
You can read the full blog here.
‘Closed door’ romanceHave you heard of the term “closed door” romance? It’s another name for “sweet” and “clean and wholesome” romance (in contrast to “steamy” and “spicy” romance, with explicit sex).
You might like to browse this selection of Sweet Romance Reads and this Sweet Romance and Women’s Fiction link. Both include some of my books.
You can also find my books among these Clean Romance reads, in this Sweet and Clean June selection with the theme of love and marriage, and this Some Like It Clean mix.
And here’s a quicker link to find my books.
Happy reading!
May 1, 2022
Fresh House of Jewels series ‘cover reveal’
When I wrote House of Diamonds it was obvious to me that James Huntley’s bad boy brother Will demanded his own story—hence Houses of Hearts.
By then, James’s sweetheart Stella’s mother, serial single Flame, intrigued me so much that House of Spades was born. Under what circumstances might Flame finally find a life partner, even when she wasn’t seeking one? The House of Jewels series welcomed widower Ross Archer.
Of course, James Huntley’s mother then deserved her own story. Why, after a lifetime selling jewelry at Huntleys House of Diamonds in sunny Sydney, would anyone turn their backs on quiet retirement in Australia’s Southern Highlands and move to France? House of Clubs arrived in my mind, scene by scene, along with the gallant Émile Laurent.
With all suits covered, I thought my House of Jewels series was complete.
However, one of my VIP readers disagreed, and when she came up with the title Full House, I couldn’t resist.
Full House presented me with a fresh challenge. The first four books are each told in two voices—his and hers—so I now had to tell a story from multiple points of view.
I’ve aimed to write each book in the series as a stand-alone, with the series accessible in any order, so Full House had to introduce the same full set of characters and their own fresh challenges without too much repetition.
While it undergoes its final edits, I’m thrilled to share with you this cover, designed by the talented Kylie Sek of Cover Culture.
I look forward to sharing the blurb with you next time.
Mother’s Day is on 8 May!Do any of the mums in your life enjoy a love story?
Might I suggest any of my books here? Or please peruse a wider selection, including my rural romance House of Spades and House of Clubs (set in France) in this mix of sweet romances and in this selection of Sweet Fun Romances.
You can always enjoy my House of Diamonds for free in this Sweet and Clean May Promo and in this Free Books Sweet Romance collection. Share the links to share the love.
Did you read it? Did you enjoy it?A thousand thanks to those of you’ve who have already found a moment to leave reviews on Amazon, BookBub, Goodreads or elsewhere.
Your words help other readers to find my books.
See you in 2023!In February 2023, I will be signing and selling my paperbacks at the Australian Romance Readers’ Association (ARRA)’s A Romantic Rendezvous in Sydney and Melbourne. These multi-author signings will be held in four cities and will feature up to 30 authors at each event.
I’m thrilled to be included in this list of popular signing authors. Tickets will go on sale in October, which seems a world away, but in the meantime …
Happy reading!
March 31, 2022
The slow garden
As a child, I tried to create a garden. I removed weeds, dug the soil, planted seeds and watered it all. I sat back and watched—and nothing happened.
No colorful flowers appeared, nor carrots, nor beans, nor tomatoes. I saw only bare earth.
I sulked and cried with disappointment. I’d followed the steps. Where was the reward?
I’d like to say I patiently waited, that eventually every seed flourished, and that one day my basket was full of abundant pickings, yet I gave up that very afternoon, forgot the project and moved on to another.
Image courtesy Marcus Spiske Now, of course, I know that only with time could the seeds swell and push out roots, their green stems find their way through the soil towards the light, and their leaves and flowers unfold.
As if via time lapse photography, the wisdom of hindsight reveals to us the steady steps in the growth of friendships, of knowledge and of love, families, businesses and communities.
Global thanksTwo years ago, I had five unpublished manuscripts and no readers. Who could have predicted that today I’d have readers in almost 50 countries?
You are based all over the world, in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Columbia, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Isle of Man, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Uganda, the UK, the US and Venezuela!
You humble me, and I thank each of you deeply for your interest in my writing.
I still have several unpublished novels, but four are published and I keep on writing and learning my craft, hoping to surprise and please you, my readers and VIPs.
This season, I wish each of you joy and success in all your endeavors. As a failed gardener, may I suggest you don’t give up on your own dreams too quickly?
A cosy havenThe news my paperbacks are now available at Galaxy Bookshop, upstairs at Abbeys Bookshop, 131 York Street, Sydney, prompted reader Madeleine to share with us these images of her own favorite first book store, H M Gilbert and Son, in Southhampton, UK.
It looks so cosy and inviting! Thank you, Madeleine.
A sprinkling of sweet free and affordable “spring” reads (also available to those experiencing Autumn!)The romance subgenres of sweet romance, clean and wholesome romance, and Christian romance have much in common. They are not steamy, not spicy and not too overtly sexy, ie any sex happens behind closed doors and off the page.
For me, it is not explicit sex that makes a love story most engaging. Instead, it is the relationships of trust, forgiveness and commitment which grow, like plants in a well tended garden.
This Christian Romance Giveaways are All I Want for Spring Break includes Christian, historical and sweet reads, including my House of Diamonds.
I’m also honoured that House of Diamonds has been included in this Sweet Romance selection.
You might enjoy the options in this Sweet Romance Giveaway!
And here are some more Springtime Sweet Reads, including my House of Diamonds and House of Hearts. House of Hearts also features in this Sweet Romance Reads for Spring mix.
If you’ve only read House of Diamonds so far, can I entice you to follow the romantic fortunes of more members of the Huntley family, and read House of Hearts, House of Spades and House of Clubs? You can find links to them here.
Please keep sharing all the links to share the love.
March 7, 2022
Great Destinations
Do you remember the first bookshop you ever visited with your own money?
For me, it was Abbeys Bookshop in Sydney’s CBD, where I bought a pocket edition of Shakespeare’s Sonnets which I cherished then gave away.
Abbeys Bookshop and Galaxy Bookshop (upstairs) stock every genreBookstores remain one of the great wonders of civilisation. You can walk inside and have at your fingertips countless fresh worlds of expertise and escapism.
While our devices tantalize without end, there’s nothing like the heft of a new book (hardcover or paperback) for that promise of cover-to-cover enjoyment and knowledge.
And yes, I couldn’t be more excited that Galaxy Bookshop, upstairs at Abbeys at 131 York Street Sydney, next to the Queen Victoria Building, now stocks my House of Jewels series!
Find my books among their new releases!Warmest thanks to the team at Galaxy Bookshop! I’m definitely over the moon.
If you’re in Sydney, do drop in for a browse. While Galaxy specialises in romance, sci fi and fantasy, Abbeys (ground floor) has books of every genre, including books in many languages and children’s books.
Thank youWherever you may be in the world, thank you for supporting your own favourite bookshops. They are our treasure troves.
Thank you all for your interest in my work. Shoutout to VIP Gail who has kindly posted the first Amazon (US) review of House of Clubs, giving it a very welcome five stars, to match this beautiful Australian Amazon five-star review!
I truly am indebted to those of you who enjoy my books and find a moment to let others know about them. Thank you all!
Some more sweet deals and freebiesIf sweet romance is your cup of tea, you might find something suitable in this Springtime Sweet Romance Reads promotion which includes my House of Diamonds (even if Autumn is on the way for you as it is for me).
You might also enjoy this Squeaky Clean Romance Featuring Medical Personnel promotion. It includes my House of Hearts.
Or Romance Your Way Into Spring and find my House of Spades.
You can find my House of Diamonds and many other options for free in this Sweet and Clean Romance promo and also at this Free Sweet Romance link.
Please share the links to share the love.
Happy reading!
February 12, 2022
The science of invention
Is there a science of invention?
Why is it that a story takes shape in all its detail? From nothing, suddenly the fiction writer knows that one “fact” rings true, while another does not.
The characters live and breathe, and fight and make up. They worry and grieve and try, and try again, until they triumph.
From the nebulae of unformed words, a tale arrives, bit by bit, but as solid as a rock.
Some of the scenes come to life overnight, in the world of dreams, and I wake and scramble to capture them. I scrawl spidery words across the notepad in the dark, in haste, lest they whirl away again.
At these times, the sensation of invention is timeless, weightless and compelling. It has been described as “flow” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It’s the joy experienced at times by conductors of orchestras, by surgeons and artists.
I also experience flow when immersed in a really good book or movie, and catching up with friends.
Thank youI cannot thank you enough for the interest you have shown in the romantic fortunes of the Huntleys and in my writing.
Your words of encouragement, your feedback and gentle suggestions, the typos you have uncovered and your requests for more tales have propelled me to create a sequel.
Full House, the fifth book in the House of Jewels series of international heartwarmers based on the romantic fortunes of the Huntley family of jewelers, will bring all of the characters together.
It’s part slog and part dream as I sift through the 50,000 or so words I’ve already written in a start-stop fashion over too many months. I prune and sort and join them, and then add other scenes as I keep trying to tell this next story in the saga in a way that introduces new readers to the family.
As the “flow” kicks in, the story is racing and tripping its way to a conclusion I hope will satisfy!
After Full House? A new “Beach” series calls, full of fresh characters. Watch this space.
In the meantime, special thanks to those of you who enjoy my books and have found a moment to leave a review on Amazon, Goodreads, BookBub, social media or elsewhere. Your words help other readers to find them.
(By the way, book 4, House of Clubs, is now available on Kindle on Amazon. I thank the VIPs who alerted me to the technical hitch which had prevented this earlier.)
Meet Roxie the writerRoxie Clarke lives near Portland, Oregon, with her husband and five children. Her sweet romances feature “houseplants, hunky heroes, and happily ever afters” as well as some larger than life heroines.
You can find out more about a Valentine’s Day gift gone wrong in Roxie’s creation The Sweetheart Plant.
Free and affordable clean romance dealsSpeaking of Valentine’s Day, there are more romance deals than ever.
You might like to enter this Sweet Romance Giveaway competition run by AuthorsXP. (You’ll see my House of Diamonds there, in e-book and paperback, along with other clean and wholesome romances.)
I’m delighted to join other clean romance authors in this Be Mine collection of affordable sweet reads.
And here’s another tempting array of sweet reads in case they’re your cup of tea!
As if that were not enough, you’ll find my House of Spades rural romance among this mix of romances on the sweeter side.
Please feel free to share all of these links with your friends and family. After all, what’s not to love about an uplifting ending?
Happy reading!
January 24, 2022
The next word
The trouble with writing is the next word. The choices are almost infinite, especially if we take the James Joyce approach and just make them up.
A minor character in the Albert Camus classic, La Peste, (or was it L’Étranger?) famously wrote and rewrote only the very first sentence of his first novel throughout the book, a breathtaking example of intertextual reference without any real text.
Each of my House of Jewels books consists of about 85,000 words, a fairly standard length. Were I a mathematician, I could work out how many actual choices I had for each “next word” before reaching the last word for each of the four books. It’s mind boggling.
Thank goodness for thesauruses (thesauri?) and sites like WordHippo.
In a world so rich with distraction, the real wonder is how any books are completed at all.
When not writing the next word, one of my favorite diversions is to take and post photos at @JakemanAmber which is my Instagram channel.
Welcoming more VIPs from around the world!I’m thrilled to welcome new VIPs from Jamaica, Columbia and Nigeria because when I say I write “international” heartwarmers, it’s absolutely true.
My books are set on three continents, and it’s wonderful to now have VIP readers from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, Croatia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kenya, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Uganda, the UK and the US! (39 countries).
Hello to everyone! Please feel free to share my links with friends and family wherever they may be in the world.
Some free and affordable sweet readsAs Valentine’s Day approaches, you may still be tempted by some free sweet romance! I’m delighted to see my House of Diamonds in the line up with these fun, free Be My Valentine offerings.
And for little more than the cup of a coffee, you can read any of these Valentine’s Day sweet romances, including my House of Spades.
Happy reading!
