With a thriving cattle ranch and good friends all around, there’s not much Luke Nilsen would change about his life. But when his buddy Noah’s sister comes to visit, Luke begins to wonder if it’s time to change himself—and become the kind of man a sophisticated city woman like her would want. Maybe his female bestie, Bernie Cooper, who runs the local coffee shop, can use her womanly expertise and give him a man makeover . . .
Bernie thinks Luke is just fine the way he is—more than fine, even—aside from being blind to the fact that Bernie is perfect for him. But what’s a BFF to do? Perhaps it’s time for her to finally get over Luke and move on. Yet as Luke helps organize their small town’s Adopt a Shelter Dog auction event, one sweet little puppy seems to be on a mission to help Luke realize that the right woman has been right by his side all along . . .
THREE COWBOYS AND A PUPPY (Three Cowboys Book #2) by Kate Pearce is a charming friends-to-lovers contemporary cowboy romance and the second book in the Three Cowboys trilogy. You can read this as a standalone, but I enjoy all the backstory on all the characters, so I read book one, Three Cowboys and a Baby first.
Luke Nilsen is happy running the family cattle ranch with his two best friends from his time in the service. When Noah’s sister visits, Luke is captivated, but she is a city girl through and through. He asks his best friend since childhood, Bernie, to help make him more attractive to her.
Bernie Cooper has been Luke’s best friend since childhood and grew up on a neighboring ranch, but when he asks for her help to change for another woman, she has had enough. Luke has been blind to the fact that his BFF has grown into a beautiful and successful woman who has loved him for years. She feels it may be time to move on.
With the help of family, friends, and a barn full of shelter animals, can Luke figure out how to give Bernie what she has dreamed of for so long?
I really enjoyed this second book in the trilogy and am so excited for the final one. Bernie is a wonderful heroine. She is smart, loving, and caring, but also has so much depth of character with her feelings towards the father that abandoned her and the father that raised her, three successful businesses and her life-long feelings for Luke. Luke is caring and a leader, but with dealing with big financial losses on the ranch after a harsh winter and some type of PTSD from his service which leave him with several phobias, he at first tries to escape his life rather than deal with it. So many realistic problems intrude on this romance with heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes on their journey to HEA. The sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit, but not gratuitous. I do wish Luke’s PTSD would have been explored more. It is mentioned with some symptoms and then just mentioned as treated with on-line therapy. I would have liked a little more depth which would have made me even more empathetic to him. All the secondary characters are fully developed and I look forward to discovering what is going on with Max in the next book.
This is a sexy and sweet contemporary cowboy romance with wonderful characters.
***
Author Bio
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kate Pearce was born in England in the middle of a large family of girls and quickly found that her imagination was far more interesting than real life. After acquiring a degree in history and barely escaping from the British Civil Service alive, she moved to California and then to Hawaii with her kids and her husband and set about reinventing herself as a romance writer.
She is known for both her unconventional heroes and her joy at subverting romance clichés. In her spare time she self publishes science fiction erotic romance, historical romance, and whatever else she can imagine.
Jedidiah Stephens came to the Colorado Rockies for one reason: to uncover the truth behind the fire that killed her family. She’s been chasing down clues, and everything has led her to an isolated campground. Her plan is to get a job there so she can investigate who comes and goes. Getting involved with her boss, Memphis Osborn, the ruggedly handsome groundskeeper, is definitely not part of the plan.
When Jedidiah arrives on the scene, Memphis just knows she’s up to something. He can see the desperation in her eyes and warily agrees to hire her. As they work side by side, Diah triggers his deepest protective instincts—and the chemistry between them ignites.
But the more Diah digs into her family’s past, the more secrets she unravels…and the more afraid she becomes. She lost everything once before. She’ll never forgive herself if now she loses Memphis, too.
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Elise’s Thoughts
The Fearless One by Lori Foster is another home run. Per usual, readers will not be disappointed in this story. The plot has adventure, suspense, and great characters. A bonus is that some of the secondary characters will be familiar to those who have read the first Osborn book or the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series.
The plot begins with Memphis Osborne cleaning up after working on restoring the campground he bought. But to his surprise there is a woman, Jedidiah “Diah” Stephens, and her dog staring at him. He is shocked to discover that his brother and sister-in-law hired her to be his handyperson. What he discovers is that she has nothing but the backpack she carries yet a lot of secrets. She is there to uncover the truth behind the fire that killed her family. She’s been chasing down clues, and everything has led her to an isolated campground. Realizing she needs help; Memphis slowly breaks down her barriers and together they investigate. But it becomes more than that as the attraction between them becomes off the charts.
As with all her suspense books, this one is no different. Readers will find non-stop action, twists, and turns, within an emotional, gripping, and intense story.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for this story?
Lori Foster: When someone asks me where I got an idea, it can be an easy answer – or an impossible one. Sometimes I’m intrigued by a headline, or a social issue, or I just see something, like an RV, and my imagination takes off. For this one, it was pure imagination.
I wondered how difficult it would be to have a dangerous enemy, with no idea why. Or who. Or when they might strike. From there, I knew we needed a champion, someone to help out to keep others safe. The plot of the story evolved from that.
EC: What is the role of Tuff the dog, what characteristics does Tuff have, and how did Tuff and Diah come together?
LF: I’m a big believer that pets play a huge role in our lives. They’re often attuned to us, and they can be far more understanding and compassionate than some people. Diah, who is fearful for her life, needed something or someone that brought her a measure of peace. That turned out to be her rescue dog, Tuff.
For fun, I got the name, and the type of dog, from a reader on my Facebook page. I often ask readers for information on their pets.
Dogs don’t ask questions, which is a good thing because Diah keeps a lot of secrets. As it turns out, Tuff decides to not only trust Memphis, but very obviously like him. That helps Diah to trust him, too. In a way, the dog is her protector, best friend, confidante, and an encourager who leads her into safe adventures – like getting cozy with Memphis.
EC: How would you describe Diah?-what is with her stare?
LF: Diah has had to be wary for much of her life, starting when she was just a girl. She watches people closely to better gauge if they’re a threat. Her stare is so intense it can be intimidating. Thankfully, it doesn’t intimidate Memphis, and in fact intrigues him instead.
She’s also been traumatized a few times, so she can be jumpy in uncertain situations – which actually, makes her incredibly brave for facing her fears and pushing forward, regardless of how it unsettles her. She has strong convictions, a gentle heart, but for her trust is extremely hard won.
EC: Since Jodi was also in the story (YEA) what would you say are the differences and similarities between Jodi and Diah?
LF: Diah and Jodi, who will end up as sisters-in-law, are extremely different.
Diah has remained gentle, whereas Jodi is abrasive. Diah admits to her weaknesses – and in fact thinks she’s weaker than she is, but Jodi would deny having any weakness – even to herself.
Diah has to force herself to face her fear, but for Jodi, not facing it would be impossible. One woman tiptoes into danger and the other explodes into it.
However, they’re both extremely loyal, honorable in their own unique ways, and both would go the limits to protect others.
EC: How would you describe Memphis vs his brother Hunter?
LF: Memphis’s brother, Hunter, is a very intense type of person. Heroic to the extreme, which has been proven. He’s private, and humble, and protective of others.
Memphis, however, has always been easy-going, never really tested in any way because life and success came to him easily. He considers his brother a super-hero and has massive respect for him. Now he wants to do his part. He wants to stop playing it safe and instead use his tech skills to help people, combat crime, and do some good for society. When he made those plans, however, he hadn’t expected Diah to enter his life. She puts a dent in his plans, but it’s all good.
EC: What are the differences and similarities between the relationship of Hunter and Jodi, Memphis and Diah?
LF: There are two books in this set – The Dangerous One, and The Fearless One.
The Dangerous One has Hunter and Jodi, and The Fearless One has Memphis and Diah.
The brothers are close, but have very different personality types. There’s a fun play on the titles, because you don’t know who’s more dangerous: Hunter or Jodi.
And you don’t know who’s more fearless: Memphis or Diah.
They complement each other with their conflicting manners.
Jodi had a truly horrendous experience that naturally makes her extra guarded – but then, Hunter did, too. They each want different things from their experiences. Jodi wants to blend in and become like other people, whereas Hunter has retreated and wants solitude. Together though, they mesh perfectly.
Memphis wants to be as heroic as his brother, to be able to make substantial changes that will help others since his life has always been so blessed. Diah wants to face her fears and stiffen her backbone so she can avenge her family – a family she wasn’t close to, but she feels an obligation. Besides, if she can’t figure out what happened to them, the same could happen to her. For Memphis and Diah, each sees the best in the other. Diah knows Memphis is already incredibly heroic, and Memphis thinks she’s brave to the point of being foolhardy. Together, they’re the whole package, each boosting the other.
EC: What is the relationship between Memphis and Madison?
LF: Memphis and Madison are both scary-good at anything tech. They can hack like professionals, gaining access to other people’s privacy whenever they want, although Memphis knows Madison is ten times better than him.
For Madison, it’s great to be able to chat with someone who understands the working of her brain. She’s madly in love with someone else, and Memphis has shown no interest in a personal relationship, so they’re able to be very good friends without the complications of a romance.
If one needs the other, they’re there.
EC: Next book?
LF: My publisher wanted something all new, so I am considering my options.
Thanks!
***
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
His fresh start is about to be interruptedby a threatening foe.
Former marine Shane Adler’s used to perilous situations. But he’s stunned to find danger in the peaceful Idaho mountains—especially swirling around his beautiful dog trainer. After tragically losing her hero husband, Piper Lambert’s rebuilt her life. Now it’s up to Shane—and his loyal K-9 in training, Decoy—to make sure a mysterious enemy won’t derail her new beginning…or his.
DECOY TRAINING (K-9’s on Patrol Book #1) by Caridad Pineiro is a romantic suspense in the Harlequin Intrigue line featuring a wounded ex-military man and his dog looking for what to do next with his life and a military widow working as a dog trainer in small town Idaho. This is the first book in the new K-9’s on Patrol series featuring heroes, heroines, and their canine companions.
Sharpshooter Shane Adler left the military after being wounded and no longer able to use his shoulder without pain. He did work to bring home the dog, Decoy, he befriended in Afghanistan and who found Shane in the building rubble after the bombing. They have come from California to Idaho for training to find out if Decoy can become a Search and Rescue dog for this next chapter in their lives.
Piper Lambert has worked the last four years to rebuild her life after the death of her military husband in Iraq. She now works as one of the trainers for her college friend’s canine training facility. When assigned to Shane and Decoy, she has problems with Shane’s military background, but they go on to work well together.
Piper is having feelings of being watched and there have been strange things happening around her home. Shane is concerned and works with local police to discover who is the danger to Piper before his plans to leave to join an SAR in Montana in a month.
I absolutely loved every character and dog in this romantic suspense. The romance is slow with both Piper and Shane hesitant to start anything, especially with Piper still not sure if she is ready for a romance and Shane planning to leave in a month. Shane is also undecided on his future and still has nightmares every night since the explosion. For me, all these reasons make this slow-moving romance plot realistic. The suspense is paced well throughout the story and a believable scenario with Shane involving local law enforcement. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and the continuation of these characters, both human and canine.
I highly recommend this well written romantic suspense.
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About the Author
I’m a transplanted Long Island girl who has fallen in love with the Jersey Shore. When I’m not taking long strolls along the boardwalk, I’m also a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 50 novels and novellas. Some friends will introduce me and say “She’s got a million books published,” and I’m always quick to shy away from that claim. I still find it hard to believe that I have sold that many books since my first release in 1999.
I am passionate about writing and helping others explore and develop their skills as writers. It’s why I helped found the Liberty States Fiction Writers and love to do workshops to share what I’ve learned over the years. I also love to keep on improving my own skills as a writer and meeting new people by attending a variety of conferences during the year. You can find out more about where I’ll be by visiting my Events page.
Where else can you find me? I retired from my day job as a lawyer and owe New Jersey Transit a big thanks for letting me write on the commute to and from New York City. If I’m not writing, I’ll have my nose stuck in a romance novel since I am a hopeful romantic and truly believe there is a Happily-Ever-After for everyone. Even vampires and other things that go bump in the night.
Moving to Montana is the chance Thomas Kemp needs to open his own business and seek a wife—while keeping his shameful past hidden. Except the beautiful Amish widow who catches his eye wants financial independence, not marriage. When Emma Fisher’s toddler bonds with the newcomer, she believes Thomas is everything she wants in a husband. But can she accept his past…for the chance at a future together?
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Book Description – The Amish Midwife’s Bargain
An accident on a stormy night
Will change the course of their lives…
Grieving after the loss of a patient, midwife Miriam Kemp returns to her Amish roots and vows to leave her nursing life behind. But when she accidentally hits Aaron Lapp on a rain-drenched road, she offers to help the scarred and handsome—if somewhat cranky—bachelor while he recovers. Could this arrangement allow them to heal…while finding a love they never expected?
***
Elise’s Thoughts
Their Road to Redemption and The Amish Midwife’s Bargain by Patrice Lewis continues the story of the Kemp siblings. Both are books about forgiveness, hope, and how choices made can influence someone’s life.
Their Road to Redemption is the second book in the series. Thomas Kemp travels to the Amish community in Montana to redeem his life. He is ashamed of his criminal activities of the past. Now working as a bookkeeper, he meets an Amish widow and single parent, Emma, who has vowed never to get married. But her toddler, Hannah, bonds with Thomas and they become attracted to each other. He questions if she will accept his past where the three can become a family.
The Amish Midwife’s Bargain has one of the Kemp siblings, a nurse, Miriam, grieving after losing a patient. She decides to visit her Amish brother, Thomas, after vowing to leave the nursing profession. But when she accidentally hits Aaron Lapp on a rain-drenched road, she offers to help him recover. He has his own scars literally, after having his face burned in a barn fire. This story will remind readers of “Beauty and the Beast.”
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story, Their Road to Redemption?
Patrice Lewis: I had a three-book series of siblings, and this is the middle sibling. This is a story of redemption and making better choices. Everything someone does from morning until sleep is a choice. I wanted to show how the hero, Thomas, had his bad choices catch up and then his good choices turned it around.
EC: How would you describe Thomas?
PL: He was a juvenile delinquent when younger, but now he is redeemed. He is broken, subdued, quiet, shy, scarred, and humble.
EC: How would you describe Emma?
PL: High-spirited, outspoken, a go-getter, confident, independent, passionate about her skill of making soap, and determined.
EC: What about the relationship between the two?
PL: Emma does not want to rely on a man for financial support. She is gun-shy since her late husband was emotionally abusive, selfish, and stubborn. Emma is determined to remain single. She and her late husband never wanted to be married, but after she became pregnant, they did marry. Both she and Thomas have secrets and hold each other at arm’s length. Yet, they do admire each other. Thomas does not think he is worthy of her.
EC: What is the role of a secondary character, Jeremy?
PL: He is another redemption. In Thomas’ backstory, he feels he must pay it forward. He sees in Jeremy himself and wants to help him to redeem his life.
EC: What about the role of Hannah, Emma’s young daughter?
PL: She is instrumental in bringing Emma and Thomas together. Hannah sees Thomas as a father figure and becomes attached to him. Emma starts thinking maybe her daughter sees something in Thomas that she doesn’t. Hannah saw his kindness.
EC: What about the second book, The Amish Midwife’s Bargain?
PL: This is about the third sibling, Miriam, a nurse. I saw this reference to a private nurse, which enabled me to have Miriam and Aaron get closer. She helped him after she accidentally hit him with her car. This led me to a “Beauty and the Beast” theme. It became effortless to write. Hands down it is the favorite story I have written so far. My mother used to be a nurse and I saw how some have painful journeys.
EC: How would you describe Aaron, the hero?
PL: He has been terribly disfigured in a barn fire. Now he wants to be left alone. His became bitter with a very scarred face. He can be stubborn, grumpy, with emotional pain, prickly, lonely, and likes animals more than people.
EC: What was the role of the scar?
PL: I wrote two ways that children responded to his disfigurement. Hannah accepted him and never saw his scars. Then there was an “English” boy who runs away from him in terror. He realized with Hannah’s reaction that some could be accepting of him and not consider him a monster, a beast.
EC: How would you describe Miriam?
PL: Determined, patient, and a helper. She responds to those in pain, emotional and physical. She was devastated and doubted herself after she lost a patient.
EC: What about the relationship between the two?
PL: Miriam feels she must get past Aaron wanting to live in solitude. She wanted to show him that his outward scars did not diminish who he was as a person. Aaron helped her to realize she lost a patient because they were beyond help. Both have scars, admire, and respect each other. Both helped each other to get back on “their horse.”
EC: Next books?
PL: A book will come out in March, titled The Amish Beekeeper’s Dilemma. It is about a woman who became a property keeper for an old man. His nephew came to take over the farm. A conflict develops around it. Another book that has no release date but is titled, Uncovering Her Amish Past. The main character, Penelope, is “English.” She is adopted and an only child. She went to an Amish settlement, staying at a Bed & Breakfast. It turns out she is a twin to an Amish woman. THANK YOU!!
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
Talia March, Pallas Llewellyn, and Amelia Rivers, bonded by a night none of them can remember, are dedicated to uncovering the mystery of what really happened to them months ago—an experience that amplified innate psychic abilities in each of them. The women suspect they were test subjects years earlier, and that there are more people like them—all they have to do is find the list of others who took that same test. When Talia follows up on a lead from Phoebe, a fan of the trio’s podcast, she discovers that the informant has vanished.
Talia isn’t the only one looking for Phoebe, however. Luke Rand, a hunted and haunted man who is chasing the same list that Talia is after, also shows up at the meeting place. It’s clear he has his own agenda, and they are instantly suspicious of each other. But when a killer begins to stalk them, they realize they have to join forces to find Phoebe and the list.
The rocky investigation leads Talia and Luke to a rustic, remote retreat on Night Island in the Pacific Northwest, where the Unplugged Experience promises to rejuvenate guests. Upon their arrival, Talia and Luke discover they are quite literally cut off from the outside world when none of their high-tech devices work on the island. It soon becomes clear that Phoebe is not the first person to disappear into the strange gardens that surround the Unplugged Experience retreat. And then the first mysterious death occurs. . . .
THE NIGHT ISLAND (The Lost Night Files Book #2) by Jayne Ann Krentz is an exciting second book in The Lost Files paranormal trilogy featuring three heroines bonded by a night none of them can remember. This book has a complete romance plot HEA, but the trilogy’s overarching suspense plotline is carried over from Sleep No More, the first book in the trilogy. I feel these books are best read in order.
Talia March has always had a knack for finding things, but since her lost night, it is like her power has been super charged, but also now includes the ability to find dead bodies. She follows a lead from the women’s podcast to find a woman who claims to have a list of all the test subjects and discovers she has vanished.
Luke Rand also shows up at the missing woman’s house. Luke is a history professor on the run for the last three months after waking up after his own lost night. While suspicious of each other, they agree to work together to find the missing woman and the list they are both after.
Talia and Luke follow the clues to the remote private Night Island, one of the San Juan islands off the Washington coast. It is a private retreat with strange vegetation covering the island and secrets below the surface. As they search for clues, their chemistry builds even though both feel they are not being completely honest with each other and neither feels they are made for lasting relationships. They discover a dead body of one of the island’s staff and soon they are caught up in a dangerous mysterious garden that may lead them to the missing woman they are searching for and answers to questions regarding their lost nights.
I really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy and this one was even more engrossing. Knowing what we know about the lost nights from the first book allowed me to focus more on the overarching mystery and romance. Besides the suspense/mystery of the lost nights, I enjoyed Talia and Luke’s romance. Talia is endearing as she tries to convince Luke he has control over his powers and his fears are not true. There are sex scenes in this book, but they are neither overly graphic nor gratuitous. I loved and laughed at Talia’s ability to always put good food above all else. More is revealed regarding the antagonists and their motives in this book, which makes me want the next book sooner rather than later.
I highly recommend this addition in The Lost Night Files trilogy.
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About the Author
Jayne Ann Krentz is the author of more than fifty New York Times bestsellers. She has written contemporary romantic suspense novels under that name and futuristic and historical romance novels under the pseudonyms Jayne Castle and Amanda Quick, respectively. Jayne currently lives in Seattle, WA.
Detective Lana Tate’s convinced there’s only one man who can help untangle her husband’s mysterious death: Agent Eamon Quinn. The FBI superstar is an old friend who will stop at nothing to find the truth. He joins forces with Lana—the once-favorite colleague he’d secretly pined for. But as their long-buried attraction bursts into flame, so does the danger threatening them at every turn…
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Book Description – Vanished
She’ll risk everything to expose the truth.
Since her twin sister Sylvie’s disappearance seven years ago, single mother Mabel Reynolds has turned grief into action and become a strong voice for victims of violence and abuse.
When new revelations shed light on what may have happened not only to Sylvie, but dozens of other women, Mabel’s hope for answers is reignited. But the new oh-so-charming DA overseeing the investigation seems more interested in a quick rather than an accurate resolution.
With little faith in the system, Mabel isn’t about to stay quiet, not when she’s finally close to the truth. She’s willing to go up against anyone—even a smug, irritating, attractive DA to get the answers she and other families deserve.
Open and shut.
That’s what Assistant DA Paul Flynn has been told about his new assignment supervising a house of horrors case. With a high-profile conviction at stake, Paul can’t afford to make a wrong move if his professional goals are to be achieved.
But Mabel Reynolds has his attention. All of it. Attraction aside, the woman knows far more than what’s in the official files which makes her something even more intriguing. But using Mabel as an asset means exposing her and her young daughter to even more danger. Danger that is closing in on them from every side. As even darker forces appear, and their lives are threatened, Paul is faced with risking not only his entire career, but also the one thing he never anticipated losing: his heart.
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Elise’s Thoughts
A Detective’s Deadly Secrets by Anna J. Stewart is sadly the last in the series. The hero is FBI Agent Eaman Quinn, someone readers should be familiar with. He is reunited with a former girlfriend, Lana Tate. She is searching for answers surrounding her late husband’s death but needs his help. Together they work the case and become reacquainted.
Vanished is the second book in the “Red Lily series.” It featuressingle mother Mabel Reynolds who wants to find answers regarding her twin sister’s disappearance. When new revelations shed light on what may have happened not only to her twin, Sylvie, but dozens of other women, Mabel hopes to find answers. New to the case is Assistant DA Paul Flynn who is willing to listen to her concerns and to investigate the case. Even allowing Mabel and her friends to add their input. As they get closer to finding what happened their lives become endangered. As they work together there is an instant attraction which complicates matters further.
Both these books have a riveting suspenseful story with some romance. Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they won’t want to put these books down.
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Author Interview
Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story?
Anna J. Stewart: This final book in the “Honor Bound Series” evolved. I wanted it to be Eaman’s story, appearing first in Gone in The Night, book three. When I ended the series, I wanted to go full circle with this book eight. Since book three he has made appearances in all the books. It made sense to me to make his love interest someone he knew but could not get involved with because she was married.
EC: How would you describe Eaman?
AJS: Honorable, protective, loyal, calm, and confidant. He is somewhat lost, questioning his own motivations as to why he still is an FBI Agent. He specializes in child abductions and child killings.
EC: How would you describe Lana?
AJS: Lana is the one who really guides the story. She can kick butt. She was an alcoholic but is now ninety days sober. Determined, skittish, stubborn, with a lot of inner strength. She makes poor decisions.
EC: Why the alcoholism angle?
AJS: I made her newly sober. An alcoholic is always an alcoholic. I wanted her to be in a place where a relationship is not an impossibility, but she must be careful to take care of herself. I wanted to write a character with substance abuse for quite a while. For this romantic suspense it added an extra layer.
EC: The relationship?
AJS: She comes back into his life after her husband died eighteen months before. Lana has burned bridges because of her grief. He is the only person she can trust. Lana is an interesting counterbalance to him. He wants something more than work and darkness.
EC: How did you get the idea for your other book, Vanished in the “Red Lily Series?”
AJS: It is book two in the series. Exposed was the first book that ended with the heroine in Vanished, Mabel, having her sister disappeared eight years ago. I wanted to write a book where she experiences the loss of her identical twin sister but without any answers. There is a bit of a cliff hanger.
EC: How would you describe Mabel?
AJS: A single mom to an eight-year-old daughter, born at the same time her sister disappeared. She lives in an apartment building with four of her best friends, trying to help her what happened to her sister. She is going through a lot of emotional traumas. She is spiraling downward after Sylvie was tragically murdered. She is trying to deal with her emotions of anger, sadness, and frustration to find answers. Logically she knows Sylvie is dead but has a slimmer of hope she is alive.
EC: What was the significance to the twin sister, Sylvie, coming alive in Mabel’s dreams?
AJS: My editor is a twin. I read a lot and talked to them about the psychological connection of identical twins. She is part ghost and so much a part of Mabel. There is this inherent connection. Readers can think of Sylvie as a dream, ghost, and/or Mabel’s self-conscious. I hope they consider her as an actual character in the book.
EC: What are the differences between Mabel and Sylvie?
AJS: Mabel is practical, level-headed, logical, haunted, determined, and energetic. Sylvie was a dreamer, the romantic one, and happy. She chased the dream of stardom in Los Angeles. She always persevered.
EC: How would you describe Paul Flynn?
AJS: He grew up in Los Angeles and has always hated it. He is charming, kind, empathetic, tender with a little attitude. He is a high-profile DA which comes with a lot of confidence. I liked playing with the dynamic that depending on who he is in contact with he has some different personality traits. He is very good at adapting to different situations and handling different types of people. He thinks quickly on his feet.
EC: What about the relationship?
AJS: Paul and Mabel have an instant connection. He sees in Mabel someone who really needs answers.
EC: Next books?
AJS: Book three picks up a couple of weeks after Vanished ends. The epilogue of Vanished has a cliff hanger. The titled is Buried out in November. This will be the story of Dr. Cassia Davis, a forensic expert. She is has not left her apartment in four years, but the hero is hired as her eyes and ears.
The next book is the third book in my “Hawaiian Reunion series,” titled Surprise Second Chance. The plot has a single father who is dealing with some custody issues of his children with his ex. He needs to find the work-home balance. He is given the opportunity to reconnect with his high school sweetheart living in Hawaii.
THANK YOU!!
***
BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.
