Julia Kelly's Blog, page 18
November 1, 2017
Get a Free Holiday Romance Today!
I’ve got a secret for you. Sometimes authors put out books and think, “I’m not so sure about that one.”
That’s what happened when I put out “Kiss Me at Midnight” in the One Week in December anthology. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the holiday short story. I loved the characters and the premise. I just felt like it was missing something.
Fast forward to this fall and I figured out what was bothering me about the story. It needed more. Now I’m rereleasing Kiss as Midnight as a fully revised, much longer holiday novella under my Julia Blake name. I’ve also made the story a lot sexier. (TBH this is probably what was bothering me the most. I wrote a contemporary romance without sex it in? Well we can’t have that.)
You can now download the fully revised version of Kiss Me at Midnight at all your favorite retailers for free.
Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play
This holiday novella kicks off my revamped Ticket to Love series with The Wedding Week and Seduction in the Snow. In honor of it, I’m putting those two books on sale for 99¢ for a for a limited time!
October 30, 2017
October Wrap Up
I’m always fooled by October. Every year I convince myself that September marks the end of summer vacations and now, with kids back in school and people keeping the heads down until the December holidays, things will be calmer. Instead, October feels like a rush of making up for lazy summer days, reconnecting with friends, and recommitting to work.
Still, it’s my favorite time of the year. When the leaves crisp and wood smoke randomly wafts through the air, I start to crave hearty meals and spend days in the kitchen with the oven going, pulling out loaves of bread. I start to wrap myself in wool scarves and wear tall riding boots even if it’s perhaps a little too cold. It’s also my favorite reading season, when there’s nothing more satisfying than sinking into a good book with a steaming cup of strong tea close at hand.
Here’s a look at what I read, watched, listened to, and cooked this past month.
What I Read in October
What I Watched in October
What I Listened to in October
What I Cooked & Baked in October
Paul Hollywood’s White Cob Loaf
October 9, 2017
The Look of Love Is Out Now!
The wait’s over! My new Scottish historical romance series is here! The Look of Love is out at all major ebook retailers which means you can start reading this delightful and charming series in which Edinburgh’s most prominent matchmaker uses her uncanny abilities to help some unlikely couples.
Here’s a quick look at what you can expect when you pick up The Look of Love:
An accomplished sculptor with secret ambitions, Ina Duncan has managed to avoid marriage for years until an accidental encounter at a party leaves her near ruin and in need of a husband. Fast. Determined to find a willing husband for Ina, Edinburgh’s most powerful matchmaker, Moira Sullivan, quickly realizes that the solution to Ina’s problem might be right in front of her.
Ina’s best friend, Gavin Barrett, has a secret no one knows: he’s loved her for years. As the second son of a baronet, however, he knows he has little chance with his brilliant, beautiful friend. All that changes when Moira convinces Ina to propose a marriage of convenience to Gavin to save her from ruin. Ina only wants two things from him in return: a vow she can continue to sculpt and a promise they’ll remain in Edinburgh.
After a rocky start, happiness—and maybe passion—seems on the horizon for the newlyweds until a twist of fate bestows the title of Sir Barrett on Gavin and forces him to assume responsibilities he’s never wanted. Forced to mold herself into the perfect baronet’s wife, Ina must choose between her dreams and the man she’s learning to love.
Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play
If you’re still not 100% convinced that The Look of Love is for you, here’s a preview of the first two chapters.
October 2, 2017
Get a Sneak Peek of The Look of Love
I’m thrilled to be launching a new historical romance series, The Matchmaker of Edinburgh, this fall! The Look of Love comes out on October 9, but I’m giving my readers an early look at the first chapter of this friends-to-lovers, marriage of convenience romance!
You can click here or on the book’s cover to download the first two chapters of The Look of Love for free and start this book early readers are calling “one that fans of historical romances will devour.”
September 18, 2017
Want To Read More Sports Romance? Here’s Where to Start
If you’ve had a chance to read CHANGING THE PLAY, first of all thank you! It was a really fun book to write, and seeing it in readers’ hands is making me itch to get back to writing sports romance after spending the last nine months in the world of 19th-century Scotland for my upcoming Matchmaker of Edinburgh series. (As amazing as writing that series has been, I love variety in my writing as much as my reading!)
If you have read CHANGING THE PLAY, would you do me a big favor and consider leaving a review on Goodreads, Amazon, iBooks, or any other ebook retailer? It just takes a couple minutes and it helps who might like my book find it!
Okay, now to the real reason we’re all here: sports romances. These books are full of sexy athlete heroes, high drama on and off the field, and heroines who can stand up to some serious alpha man. The folks over at XOXO After Dark rounded up a list of their favorite sports romance and as well as naming CHANGING THE PLAY they name-checked a bunch of other great looking romances that I’m planning on trying. One of those is DIRTY BOXING by Harper St. George and Tara Wyatt, and today is actually their release day so be sure to check out their book and wish them a happy book birthday!
The best way to keep updated about my Julia Blake books is to join my reader group on Facebook. It’s a spot for readers to hang out and get the latest updates, bonus and behind-the-scenes content, and giveaways. Come hang out and say hi!
September 12, 2017
Cover Reveal: Check Out The Taste of Temptation’s Dreamy Cover!
The news out of London is coming hot and fast as the weather starts to cool down here and it actually feels like autumn is approaching. Last month CHANGING THE PLAY hit retailers, giving readers a chance to read my first Julia Blake sports romance. THE LOOK OF LOVE, the first book in my new Scottish historical series called The Matchmaker of Edinburgh, comes out in less than a month. And today I’m showing off the new cover for the second Matchmaker of Edinburgh book, THE TASTE OF TEMPTATION!
Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play
I absolutely love the covers for this series, and this one is just perfect for the story! The book comes out in February, and here’s a look at book blurb if you’re curious:
Only desperation could have driven Caroline Burkett to her brother’s home in Scotland, but desperate is exactly what she is. After suing her former fiancé for breaking their engagement and causing a scandal in the papers, her only hope of starting over is to enlist the help of Edinburgh’s famous matchmaker, Moira Sullivan.
Born to a butler and maid, Jonathan Moray fought hard to find his place in Edinburgh society. Now a powerful newspaperman, he can make or break a person’s reputation with his headlines, but Jonathan knows his success isn’t guaranteed. He needs salacious stories to keep his readers enthralled, and Caroline’s story is just the sort to sell papers in droves.
When Moira introduces Jonathan and Caroline at a salon, Caroline knows the editor is exactly the wrong man to associate with if she wants to find a husband and restore her reputation, but even as another, more suitable suitor begins to court her, she can’t deny the power of her attraction to Jonathan. Now she must ask herself if she’s strong enough to choose between the man who can give her a secure, quiet life, or the one who promises her a passion she’s never known.
You can also watch this replay of a Facebook Live video I did talking a bit more about the Matchmaker of Edinburgh series.
Don’t forget to like my Julia Kelly/Julia Blake author page for more chats like this one, and while you’re at it follow me on BookBub. Click here for Julia Kelly and here for Julia Blake!
August 30, 2017
Enter to Win an eBook of Changing the Play
If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a copy of my new sports romance CHANGING THE PLAY, you’re in luck! My publisher has generously put 100 copies of the ebook up for a Goodreads giveaway.
All you have to do is click on this link and hit the “enter giveaway” button. That’s it!
The contest runs through September 4. And don’t forget to leave a review after you read it! Good or bad, reviews help readers find their next favorite book.
August 25, 2017
Listen to the First Chapter of Changing the Play
I’ve always loved hearing stories read out loud. I’m sure it comes from Mum and Dad reading to me every night when I was a little kid, and even into adulthood I’ve never lost it. Audiobooks, podcasts, radio shows—I love all things audio.
That’s why, when my new Julia Blake book CHANGING THE PLAY came out earlier this week, I decided to do a little read aloud on Facebook Live!
On these videos, you’ll hear me reading parts one and two of chapter one of my new sports romance. You’ll also get a little insight into why I wrote the book.
Be sure to like my Facebook page, because I do a Facebook Live every Friday to talk about everything from new release news to the books I’m reading!
August 21, 2017
Changing the Play Is Out Today!
Today is a very exciting day. My brand-new contemporary sports romance, CHANGING THE PLAY, is hitting readers’ eReaders as we speak!
It’s an enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance set in the tense weeks before the NFL Draft, but you don’t have to be a football fan to fall in love with Rachel and Nick! Keep reading for more details.
The game changed when he walked back into her life.
Rachel Pollard has never been a push-over. That’s why she’s a superstar in the world of sports management, making a name for herself with a shrewd eye for overlooked talent. She certainly isn’t taking any chances with her latest NFL draft prospect, Kevin Loder, who’s poised to shake up the league. But when Nick Ruben, a tenacious sports reporter who also happens to be the crush who ignored her all through high school, picks up the scent of a long-buried story, Rachel suddenly finds herself playing defense for the first time in years.
Amazon iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Google Play | Books-A-Million
August 16, 2017
Craving More Historical Romance? This List Is for You
A lot of new-to-me readers picked up my historical romance, The Governess Was Wanton, last week when it was on sale for $0.99. Thank you! It was great seeing it get into the hands of readers across the world!
Since that book’s short and sweet and might leave you craving a little more romance, here are some books from me as well as other authors to look at for your next historical romance read.
The Governess Was Wicked, by Julia Kelly
If you enjoyed The Governess Was Wanton, this is where the series starts. Elizabeth, our titular governess, is convinced that Dr. Edward Fellows would never be interested in a working woman. But little does she know that he’s been pining for her for years…until the two of them share their first kiss.
The Governess Was Wild, by Julia Kelly
My road trip book! The Governess Was Wild starts when Jane (the last of our governesses to find love) wakes up in an inn and finds that her charge has disappeared and one very angry baron is missing his horse. That’s a problem because her charge was sent away from London to keep her from following through on marrying a throughly unsuitable gold digger. Jane convinces the baron to accompany her on the road to find both horse and girl before the runaway couple can make it to Gretna Green, but it’s Jane who finds true love on this trip.
The Look of Love, by Julia Kelly
When Ina, a near-spinster who loves nothing more than sculpting, finds herself in a compromising position that threatens to ruin her reputation, a matchmaker convinces her to marry her best friend, Gavin. But what she doesn’t realize is that Gavin has loved her from a distance for years, and this marriage of convenience is going to be a lot harder than either of them expected. You can’t read this one quite yet, but you can preorder it, making it a gift from Current You to Future You.
Think of England, by K.J. Charles
This is a wonderful Edwardian M/M romance…with spies! Think Downton Abbey with more political intrigue.
An Extraordinary Union, by Alyssa Cole
More spies! This time during the Civil War! (I really like spy historical romance.) Alyssa’s book is the wonderful, richly layered romance that everyone’s been talking about this year.
The Countess Conspiracy, by Courtney Milan
One of my favorite historical romances, this is a great book if you like your romances sciencey and your heroines nerdy. Be prepared for some deep angst in this friends-to-lovers book.
“Sweetest Regret” in What Happens Under the Mistletoe, by Meredith Duran
If you’re craving some Christmas a little early, this is a wonderful novella to tide you through the end of the summer. It reunites a diplomat’s daughter with the rogue who ruined her reputation, forcing them to face old wounds during the holiday season.
