Must-read romances: 'Heart Hunter,' 'His Golden Heart,' 'Up to Date'
Join me every week as I share a few shout-outs on romance author goings-on, related events and recommended reads.
Catching up with Sophia Knightly, author of Heart Hunter
Michelle: Your stories are about hot alpha heroes and strong, smart women. Who are the women in your life who inspire you as a person and/or writer?
Sophia: Two wonderful women have inspired me — my mother and my Aunt Julia.
My mom is the most positive, resilient and fun-loving woman I know — and the most generous. She is creative and has an exquisite eye for decorating and fashion. Stepping into her closet is like entering a Hollywood wardrobe set. Aside from all that, what makes her an inspiration is that she has always been fearless in approaching a goal. Coming from a Latin American background and generation where women married very young, she shunned tradition and left two grooms at the altar in Colombia, unwilling to settle for anything less than true love, which she found when she met my Italian American dad on a trip to New Orleans.
Aunt Julia was my mom's best friend, not related by blood, but in spirit. She was an independent trailblazer who started and ran two successful travel agencies and a fashion boutique with my mom. She was glamorous, well-traveled and well-read, often hobnobbing with well-known artists and writers. I adored going to visit her because her house was filled with beautiful paintings and eclectic furniture, and most importantly, lots of books, which she generously shared with me.
Michelle: What kind of story can bring a smile to your face or happy sigh?
Sophia: I'm a sucker for stories that have a lot of heart and heat between the characters. The first two authors who come to mind are Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Lisa Kleypas, both excellent storytellers. Long after I've read their books, I remember their wonderful characters.
Michelle: In what ways has your writing career/journey been a surprise?
Sophia: The surprise has been that I started out wanting to be a journalist, but realized I preferred creating stories with twists and turns and happy endings, rather than reporting the real-life news, which more often than not is depressing.
Michelle: Tell us about the Heartthrob Series.
Sophia: I love writing this series because it focuses on three women who meet as girls in summer camp and form a lifelong friendship. Originally it was going to be called The Heart Sisters, but as I began to write the first book and plot the others in the series, the heroes burst on the scene and it quickly became the Heartthrob Series. Nick, Ian, Alec, Cameron and Leo (hero in the upcoming Heart Tempter) are the type of swoon-worthy, weak-in-the-knee-inducing heroes that I love to read about. They are alphas who have strong, dominant personalities tempered by a noble character and a soft spot for the heroine.
Michelle: What inspired you to create this series — idea, the settings, the types of characters?
Sophia: As in real life, people meet from different journeys and backgrounds, and what keeps them together is their values and outlook in life. Those values provided the internal conflict in each book. I started out planning on writing three books, one for each Heart sister, but I've added two novellas about secondary characters because readers were asking for their story too. Location wise, I've loved revisiting some of my favorite places as I've taken readers to Miami Beach, the Florida Gulf Coast, New York City, Edinburgh and the Isle of Skye in this series.
Michelle: What do you want readers to come away with after reading Heart Hunter?
Sophia: I'm fascinated by the unpredictability of life and how each day is a new beginning that brings the possibility of change, whether it involves love, relationships, professional goals or family ties. In Heart Hunter, Evie is a young widow who has had her share of major disappointments in dating and she fears she'll never meet anyone like her beloved late husband, Michael. Cameron, who's been dubbed by the tabloids as Heartbreak Hunter, is jaded about love and all its complications. Yet in spite of their reservations, when Evie and Cameron meet, something unexpected and thrilling ignites between them that neither can deny — an attraction so intense, they must act on it.
Michelle: Any reader conferences planned for the remainder of the year or into 2015?
Sophia: Some of the conferences I'm considering attending are the Romance Writers of American Conference in NYC , Lori Foster's Reader and Author Get Together, the Orlando Book Bash and the Novelists Inc. Conference.
Michelle: Would you like to share a message of thanksgiving?
Sophia: My wish for everyone this Thanksgiving is to stay positive, be generous, give thanks and share a delicious meal with your loved ones. A smile and kind words go a long way. Peace and love to all!
Michelle: Thank you, Sophia. Good luck with your career and endeavors.
To keep up with Sophia Knightly's book activities, visit sophiaknightly.com.
ROMANCE RECS
Heart Hunter by Sophia Knightly
The Heartthrob series has been a fave of mine from the first book. Sophia Knightly has a knack for writing likable, interesting romantic couples who have wonderful, emotionally satisfying stories that are set against beautiful backdrops.
Heart Hunter doesn't disappoint with Evie and Cameron. Cameron, with his Scottish brogue, is the dreamy hero who has character and humility, when necessary. While Evie, the spitfire, is willing to jump onboard with Cameron's adventurous spirit. Once the fun begins between the two, the romance blossoms under Knightly's perfect pacing to a deep happy sigh.
His Golden Heart by Marcia King-Gamble
Introduction by Sophia Knightly:
I've known Marcia King-Gamble for over 20 years, and we are good friends. Not only is she a talented author, but she is one of the friendliest and most adventurous women I know. I love Marcia's books because she draws from her many travels and takes you to exotic places with exciting characters and hot romance. Pick up one of her books and be swept away.
Michelle's rec: Marcia King-Gamble's His Golden Heart is a digital reissue of Change of Heart. Whether it will be your first read or a treasured re-read, this story of renewal of body and spirit is romantic with a few twists to up the excitement.
Shayna DaCosta rehabilitates the body and in most cases, the mind, as she does with Olympic skier Beau Hill after he suffers a horrific disabling accident. The two have more in common than they may realize. With Shayna's tenacity and Beau's stubborn demons, they clash. But as their mutual respect grows, so does their attraction. King-Gamble adds enough spice and suspense to flavor this for a rich reading experience.
Up to Date by Susan Hatler
Introduction by Sophia Knightly:
I had the great pleasure of meeting Susan Hatler through our collaboration in the Lucky 7 Bad Boys boxed set, and I look forward to joining her in our upcoming Lucky 7 Brazen Bachelors boxed set in March. I love Susan's Better Date Than Never Series. They're lighthearted romantic comedies with sparkling dialogue and fun characters. Once you read the first book, you're hooked on the rest.
Michelle's rec: What a charming story! Up to Date is s great story to jump into Susan Hatler's Better Date Than Never series. She gives us, romance book lovers, a story with lots of humor, light-hearted romance that does the job of entertaining with that happy ending. Looking forward to reading the next book on the list.
What it's about: (courtesy of Hatco Publishing):
Ginger knows that practical choices guarantee a stable life, which is why she chose a career as an office manager. Her job provides a steady paycheck, but it also has her snoozing at her desk. She wishes she'd pursued her passion for interior decorating rather than business.
She's also trying to forget Greg Shaffer—the gorgeous emergency room doctor she met at a dance club last month. Her dad was an emergency room doctor and the stress of the job turned him into a raging alcoholic, which didn't exactly create happy childhood memories.
Ginger believes donating her decorating services to her friend's charity auction is the perfect fix for both her problems. She'll get a break from the daily grind, get her creative juices flowing, and stay so busy she'll finally forget about Greg.
But then Greg ends up buying the condo right above her. Even worse, he deliberately wins the bid on her auction item. Greg seems determined to prove to Ginger that practicality has nothing on passion. And as Ginger brings beauty into Greg's world, how can she possibly resist the beauty he brings to hers?
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Michelle Monkou writes for Harlequin Kimani, Evernight Publishing and Boroughs Publishing. Her website is michellemonkou.com. You can also connect with her on Facebook.