Alexa Rivers's Blog - Posts Tagged "haven-bay"
My first blog post!
Hi there!
This is my first blog entry, so I thought I’d begin by introducing myself a little. I’m Alexa Rivers, author of steamy small-town romances set in stunning New Zealand, consumer of vast quantities of chocolate, and shameless tea addict. I’m also the owner of a neurotic rescue dog who has my husband and I wrapped around her little paw.
Some of my favorite things are chocolate (see above), Irish Cream liqueur, fluffy animals, books (of course), Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice, cocktails, and rom-com movies. As far as romance novels go, I adore most types, although I have a soft spot for grumpy heroes with marshmallow hearts (and any who have a canine companion).
In February, I published the last full novel in the Little Sky Romance series, which are set in the fictional lakeside town of Itirangi (roughly translated to ‘little sky’ in Te Reo Maori). The lake is named for the deep blue of the water, and was inspired by Lake Pukaki, in the Mackenzie Basin.
My new series, Haven Bay, has its first release in July, and is set in a beachside town in New Zealand’s north island, sandwiched between the coast and the national park. The first book in the series, THEN THERE WAS YOU, features Sterling Knight, who appeared in a couple of books in the Little Sky series.
This time, starting a new series, I wanted to have a better foundation than I did going into the Little Sky Romances. Back then, I made a lot of it up as I went along, and it was difficult to keep up with what I’d said, who people were, and where certain places were located. I kind of mish-mashed a bunch of familiar rural towns in my mind and assumed it would work out. This time, I had a plan. I sketched a map right at the beginning, so I wouldn’t get mixed up (it's terrible - I'm no artist), and found an approximate location where I imagined Haven Bay to be, and then made an image board for inspiration, which you can see on my Pinterest page.
Pinterest board
Some of you may recognize the charming coastal town on my Pinterest board, which is located in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Hubby and I visited over the new year, and I absolutely loved it. That said, Haven Bay isn’t a direct transplant of any particular town. I wanted it to have its own quaint, quirky, Old-English-village-meets-boho vibe.
I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!
This is my first blog entry, so I thought I’d begin by introducing myself a little. I’m Alexa Rivers, author of steamy small-town romances set in stunning New Zealand, consumer of vast quantities of chocolate, and shameless tea addict. I’m also the owner of a neurotic rescue dog who has my husband and I wrapped around her little paw.
Some of my favorite things are chocolate (see above), Irish Cream liqueur, fluffy animals, books (of course), Pirates of the Caribbean, Pride and Prejudice, cocktails, and rom-com movies. As far as romance novels go, I adore most types, although I have a soft spot for grumpy heroes with marshmallow hearts (and any who have a canine companion).
In February, I published the last full novel in the Little Sky Romance series, which are set in the fictional lakeside town of Itirangi (roughly translated to ‘little sky’ in Te Reo Maori). The lake is named for the deep blue of the water, and was inspired by Lake Pukaki, in the Mackenzie Basin.
My new series, Haven Bay, has its first release in July, and is set in a beachside town in New Zealand’s north island, sandwiched between the coast and the national park. The first book in the series, THEN THERE WAS YOU, features Sterling Knight, who appeared in a couple of books in the Little Sky series.
This time, starting a new series, I wanted to have a better foundation than I did going into the Little Sky Romances. Back then, I made a lot of it up as I went along, and it was difficult to keep up with what I’d said, who people were, and where certain places were located. I kind of mish-mashed a bunch of familiar rural towns in my mind and assumed it would work out. This time, I had a plan. I sketched a map right at the beginning, so I wouldn’t get mixed up (it's terrible - I'm no artist), and found an approximate location where I imagined Haven Bay to be, and then made an image board for inspiration, which you can see on my Pinterest page.
Pinterest board
Some of you may recognize the charming coastal town on my Pinterest board, which is located in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Hubby and I visited over the new year, and I absolutely loved it. That said, Haven Bay isn’t a direct transplant of any particular town. I wanted it to have its own quaint, quirky, Old-English-village-meets-boho vibe.
I hope you’ll love it as much as I do!
Two of a Kind is coming soon!
It’s only three weeks until Two of a Kind goes live! This book has all the small-town goodness, a whole lot of sizzle, and will tug on your heartstrings.
If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the cover:
And here’s what it’s about:
After a lifetime of being held back by illness, blogger Brooke Griffiths is finally healthy enough to pursue her dream of hiking to Mt Everest base camp. The first step in her plan is convincing professional adventurer Jack Farrelly to help her prepare. Only, they exchanged a mind-blowing kiss weeks ago, and he never called, which in a town the size of Haven Bay, is downright awkward. All she has to do is put her pride aside to achieve her goal. Should be easy—right?
Jack Farrelly dated a woman in the public eye before, and he doesn’t care to repeat the experience, no matter how tempting Brooke is. Though the instructor in him wants to help her get ready to hike Mt Everest, he thinks she’s better off setting her sights a little lower. But denying her proves impossible—both professionally and personally—and before long, he’s in deeper than he ever imagined possible.
When old wounds are reopened, can Brooke and Jack overcome the pain of their pasts and take a chance on love? Or will they let the fear of being hurt keep them apart?
I’m super excited to be able to bring you this story. It’s fun and fresh and STEAMY!
Brooke is a cheerful, stubborn-as-hell heroine, and Jack is totally in denial about how much he wants her. But what makes this story really special is Brooke’s journey from being chronically ill to conquering her goals. If I could bring this girl to life and be her best friend, I would.
He’s a short excerpt:
He yearned to touch her. To reawaken her natural zing. Not just because he found her attractive and likable or any other foolish lie he might once have told himself, but because he loved her. He adored her. If she decided she wouldn't be satisfied until she'd sat atop the peak of Everest, he'd carry her there on his shoulders.
Add Two of a Kind to your TBR now to be reminded when it comes out on the 24th of September.
You can also enter a giveaway to go in the draw to win a signed paperback!
If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s the cover:
And here’s what it’s about:
After a lifetime of being held back by illness, blogger Brooke Griffiths is finally healthy enough to pursue her dream of hiking to Mt Everest base camp. The first step in her plan is convincing professional adventurer Jack Farrelly to help her prepare. Only, they exchanged a mind-blowing kiss weeks ago, and he never called, which in a town the size of Haven Bay, is downright awkward. All she has to do is put her pride aside to achieve her goal. Should be easy—right?
Jack Farrelly dated a woman in the public eye before, and he doesn’t care to repeat the experience, no matter how tempting Brooke is. Though the instructor in him wants to help her get ready to hike Mt Everest, he thinks she’s better off setting her sights a little lower. But denying her proves impossible—both professionally and personally—and before long, he’s in deeper than he ever imagined possible.
When old wounds are reopened, can Brooke and Jack overcome the pain of their pasts and take a chance on love? Or will they let the fear of being hurt keep them apart?
I’m super excited to be able to bring you this story. It’s fun and fresh and STEAMY!
Brooke is a cheerful, stubborn-as-hell heroine, and Jack is totally in denial about how much he wants her. But what makes this story really special is Brooke’s journey from being chronically ill to conquering her goals. If I could bring this girl to life and be her best friend, I would.
He’s a short excerpt:
He yearned to touch her. To reawaken her natural zing. Not just because he found her attractive and likable or any other foolish lie he might once have told himself, but because he loved her. He adored her. If she decided she wouldn't be satisfied until she'd sat atop the peak of Everest, he'd carry her there on his shoulders.
Add Two of a Kind to your TBR now to be reminded when it comes out on the 24th of September.
You can also enter a giveaway to go in the draw to win a signed paperback!
October 1 - thank you and a teaser
Thank you so much to everyone who has read Two of a Kind during launch week, and an extra special thank you to everyone who reviewed it.
The response to this book has been amazing and I’d like to share a couple of my favorite reviews:
"Another 5-star winner from Alexa Rivers. There's something magical about the way Ms Rivers writes. Her stories are always engaging and fun, filled with endearing characters, yet rip your heart out with emotion."
"I love emotionally charged books and this is one of the best I've read in a while. This one will definitely pull on your heart strings and not let go until the very end. This is a MUST READ!!"
And on a different note, here’s the cover for the next book in the series, featuring broody, silent Tione:
She’s running for her life. He’s hiding from his past. When the two collide, can they emerge with their hearts intact?
When Megan Talbot flees her violent ex, she seeks refuge in the charming beachside town of Haven Bay. The kind-hearted locals are happy to help her recuperate without interfering—all except brooding, tattooed Tione. He’s made it clear he thinks she’s trouble, but she despite his distrust, she can’t seem to stay away from him. After all, who could resist a bearded hulk whose life is dictated by his four rescue dogs?
Tione Kingi just wants to be left alone. After his life in Silicon Valley imploded, he returned home to New Zealand and reinvented himself. Now, he has a few close friends, a simple job, and a cabin on the edge of the forest. He doesn’t need a pretty woman with haunted eyes turning him inside out with her every hard-won smile, and he especially doesn’t need whatever problems are following close on her heels.
The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Tione to deny the feelings growing between them. But Megan isn’t the only one with secrets, and when their pasts catch up with them, everything—including her life—hangs in the balance.
Keep an eye out for it, a pre-order will be coming soon!
The response to this book has been amazing and I’d like to share a couple of my favorite reviews:
"Another 5-star winner from Alexa Rivers. There's something magical about the way Ms Rivers writes. Her stories are always engaging and fun, filled with endearing characters, yet rip your heart out with emotion."
"I love emotionally charged books and this is one of the best I've read in a while. This one will definitely pull on your heart strings and not let go until the very end. This is a MUST READ!!"
And on a different note, here’s the cover for the next book in the series, featuring broody, silent Tione:
She’s running for her life. He’s hiding from his past. When the two collide, can they emerge with their hearts intact?
When Megan Talbot flees her violent ex, she seeks refuge in the charming beachside town of Haven Bay. The kind-hearted locals are happy to help her recuperate without interfering—all except brooding, tattooed Tione. He’s made it clear he thinks she’s trouble, but she despite his distrust, she can’t seem to stay away from him. After all, who could resist a bearded hulk whose life is dictated by his four rescue dogs?
Tione Kingi just wants to be left alone. After his life in Silicon Valley imploded, he returned home to New Zealand and reinvented himself. Now, he has a few close friends, a simple job, and a cabin on the edge of the forest. He doesn’t need a pretty woman with haunted eyes turning him inside out with her every hard-won smile, and he especially doesn’t need whatever problems are following close on her heels.
The more time they spend together, the harder it is for Tione to deny the feelings growing between them. But Megan isn’t the only one with secrets, and when their pasts catch up with them, everything—including her life—hangs in the balance.
Keep an eye out for it, a pre-order will be coming soon!
