It’s December, and it really is a magical time of the year. Underneath all the frantic busy-ness is a sense of wonder and joy. We’re tapping into that feeling this week.  the Blog Hop. Our topic is:

How do you balance realism and hope in stories of second chances?

I love second chances romances. I’ve known couples whose relationship deteriorated (one as far as divorce) who then found a way back together. Exploring how that comes about is fascinating to me.

Many romances only seem to skim the surface of realism (billionaires and dukes, anyone?). But when you dig down into those stories, you realize you have a connection with the characters because of what they feel, not what they are. 

So, if we take that as our guideline for realism (emotions, not physical reality) then I think it’s simple to balance that with hope. All romance gives us hope. By letting us get to know people (characters) who are flawed and  showing them finding love, we believe we can find it for ourselves. And when it comes to second chances, that connection is even deeper.

After all, who hasn’t made a mistake we’d like to take back? 

Now, hop over to Jenna Da Sie to read her thoughts on this topic.

The Promise of Frost
 
An adventurous kitten, a curious dog, and a matchmaking eight-year-old guarantee this will be a holiday to remember.
 
ONLY 99 Cents!
 

• Single Dad
• Later-in-Life
• December Holidays
• Neighbours to Lovers
• Isolated Cabin
• Polar Bear Dip
• Snowmobile Ride on Frozen Lake
• Steamy, Slow Burn

Read an excerpt here!

Happy (almost) Thanksgiving to all my American friends! And you know what that means, right?

The festive food season is upon us! Share your favourite holiday recipe.

Are you a cranberry sauce person? I definitely am. I love how tart and tangy it is, and it complements turkey perfectly, IMO. I used to buy it canned, and then I discovered just how easy it is to make (and store), and now I’ll never go back. Here's the recipe I used (from AllRecipes.com) with my own notes. Enjoy!

12 oz fresh cranberries (the store I buy from sells them in bags about the right weight)
1 cup white sugar (I usually cut this back a bit)
1 cup orange juice (I use unsweetened without pulp)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve sugar in orange juice. 
Add cranberries and cook until they start to pop (this is so much fun!!), about 10 minutes. (I continue cooking until the consistency of popped to un-popped looks right to me).
Remove from heat. Sauce will thicken as it cools.

I usually make this a few days in advance, so I keep some out to serve and the rest I save for later. If you like, you can freeze it in pretty glass jars and serve it right from there. Just be sure the sauce is completely cooled before freezing (I leave it in the fridge overnight) and that there is enough room for expansion.

And that’s it! Easy-peasy! Now hop over to Jenna Da Sie to see what's cooking in her kitchen!

SECRETS UNDER THE COVERS
Start the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series for FREE!
(Also available in print for a low price!)

Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.

(Helen and Nathan are both 55)

We’re getting deep into our author psyches today:

Do you think writing romance novels requires a different mindset or approach compared to other genres?

To be honest, writing in any genre takes a different mindset. Writers have to believe that other people are interested in their thoughts and ideas, otherwise why would we bother? How often have you read about a character doing or saying something and wondered if that was something the author has done or said in their own life?

If we compare romance with mystery or thriller or fantasy, though, I think the difference is the authors fascination with people – with how people interact with others, how they learn to compromise, how they search to become their better selves. Romance writers explore relationships to a depth not often found in other genres. And I think that’s why it is so popular and powerful a genre.

Now I encourage you to hop over to Leslie Hachtel for her take on this topic.

Allegro Court

​Start the Bendixon Sisters Series for FREE!
Second chance * Forced proximity * Family angst * Bet the house * Awkward first time * Cinderella moment * professional cellist (MMC) * building contractor (FMC)

What reviewers are saying:

I can highly recommend this emotional second chance romance. (Romance Reviews - 5 stars Top Pick)

A great second chance romance with amazing characters that will get you excited about this series! (Fun Under the Covers - 5 stars)

This is such a sweet story with a touch of angst. The writing flowed smoothly and I liked how it kept me intrigued through out. This was my first read by this author and I was not disappointed. (A Book Lover's Emporium - 4 stars)

I want to take a moment to honour Remembrance Day. It’s a time to reflect on all the Canadians who have and continue to serve the cause of freedom. Never forget.
​
Now, on to this week’s topic:

Evening is falling sooner, and the dark days of winter are near. What do you do to keep yourself busy?

I’m just going to say it. I greatly prefer a -20C day with fresh snow and bright clear skies to pretty much any day in November. It is one of the darkest months, as there is no snow to reflect any light, and this month we’ve been getting lots of rain and wind, which makes getting outside rather unpleasant.

Because of the early dark, we tend to eat dinner earlier than in the summer. This makes for long, long evenings. That’s why the jigsaw puzzles come out. It’s a great non-screen way to pass the time. We listen to music while sipping a beverage, and an hour can go by in a flash.

While I do crochet all year long, I do much more of it in the colder months. Sitting and listening to an audio book while creating something is true relaxation for me (even when I have pull stitches out because I lost my concentration, LOL).

And, of course, there’s game nights. Since the little grands have come along, it’s become more difficult to find time for that. But this may be the winter we start up again.
​
How about you? What do you do to pass long, dark evenings? Comment below, then hop over to Jill Haymaker!

WHEN TIME FALLS STILL
A Winter Romance

An ex-NHL hopeful and an ambitious academic battle their own hearts—and a vicious stalker who strikes much too close to home.

​This is what we’re discussing this week on the Blog Hop:

What’s your take on the “enemies-to-lovers” trope? How do you make this dynamic feel fresh and believable?

I quite enjoy enemies-to-lovers…with one caveat. It has to be realistic. And that's a really fine line to navigate.

New guy that moves in and she hates because he won’t say hi to her on the sidewalk? Nah.

Two people blinded by their own false beliefs that keep them from seeing themselves and the other clearly? Sign me up! (Pride and Prejudice, anyone?)

The conflict that makes them enemies not only has to be believable, it has to be equal. One of them can’t be less invested than the other. They must both stand to lose something critical in order for the enmity to make sense.

In Crossroads Corner, Camryn Bendixon is struggling to cope with losing both her financial security and her career. She’s determined to seek validation by saving her grandfather’s construction company from a takeover bid. The man in charge of the takeover is Will Danson. To a single dad with a blind daughter, not achieving his goal could jeopardize everything he has planned for his daughter.

To be honest, they are very polite enemies (Canadian, eh?). But their conflicting goals provide another layer of tension between them – even though he falls fast and hard the first time he meets her.

You can find out more about Crossroads Corner below. Then hop over to Jenna Da Sie for her take on this topic.

Here’s this week’s topic:

What real-life experiences have inspired your romance writing?

Wow. What real-life experiences haven’t inspired me?

Before I even knew what a meet-cute was, I loved to hear about how people met their partners. Some of those stories you just can’t make up, LOL. It was hearing some of those that made me want to write my own.

And then there are the people I meet. I’ve never used a real person as one of my main characters, but I have certainly used them to inspire me. Sometimes it starts by wondering “Who is their perfect love match?” That can set off all sorts of interesting ideas.

I think my biggest real-life inspiration for my stories are locations. I live in a beautiful part of the world, and my characters enjoy visiting many of my favourite places. But the story that was heavily influenced by a location is No Life But This.

Sao Miguel is an island in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. My husband’s parents emigrated from there to Canada in the 1950’s, and in 2013 we were lucky enough to visit. We attended a religious festival at their tiny parish church, and I couldn’t help but include that experience in the book. It gives Abigail a deeply personal insight into Santos, and I greatly enjoyed reliving my own memories when I wrote the scene.

Now hop on over to Jenna Da Sie to find out what real life inspiration she has to share.

Sure, a beer in the backyard on a hot summer afternoon is wonderful, but there’s something extra speacial about a warm drink on a chilly day.

This week on the Blog Hop, we’re sharing our favourite cold weather drink. I’m even providing the recipe. 😊

Mr. C and I love to walk in the winter. The air is crisp and clear,  there are no bugs...and the bears are sleeping! We often pack a snack and find a handy log so we can sit and enjoy it. Our favourite drink to bring along is a hot toddy.

There are many ways to make hot toddies, but this is our recipe. Mr. C is a master at it.

2 oz rye whiskey
.5 tsp honey
1/3 cinnamon stick
Slice of lemon
Hot water to fill mug

Enjoy!

Now hop over to Leslie Hachtel to discover her favourite cold weather drink!

​LOVING BETWEEN THE LINES
​
A one-night stand neither will forget.
She wanted a final fling before choosing science to make her a single mom. He needed an escape from the regret grinding him into dust. Her baby isn’t his…but maybe family is more than DNA.

Get the sexy bonus prologue when you sign up for my newsletter!

This week’s question is:

How do you approach creating conflict in a romance novel without losing the emotional connection between characters?

Conflict comes in many forms. It can be subtle or overt. It can be physical or mental. One thing is for sure – the people that can hurt us the most are the people we love.

That means, for me, that conflict in a romance novel is directly related to the depth of the character’s emotions. So, the question answers itself. Conflict should be designed to increase the emotional connection, not sever it.

When a new character pops into my head, I immediately begin to imagine the worst person for them to fall in love with. Here’s a  example from Crossroads Corner. Camryn needs to save her grandfather’s construction company from a hostile takeover. Her love interest? Will, the man responsible for completing the deal – and if he doesn’t do it, he could lose his job. To add even more complexity, Camryn is a career woman who never considered having children. Will is a single dad whose daughter is blind.

All that leads to conflict that Camryn and Will have to work their way through to achieve their happy ending. But it is in dealing with the difficulties that they forge a relationship the reader believes will last.
​
Now I invite you to hop over to Jenna Da Sie for her thoughts on this!

Does Crossroads Corner sound interesting to you? It's third story about the Bendixon Sisters - which you can get in the Taking His Measure box set today!

Three steamy, open-door, full-length contemporary romances with all your favourite tropes. Second Chance, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers
 
Allegro Court
 
Determined to save her beloved construction company, Mattie Bendixon makes a reckless wager with Marcus Temple. All he has to do is stay in his hated hometown for one month. All she has to risk is her heart.
 
Gateway Crescent
 
Neither flighty Jo Bendixon nor steadfast Luke Donwell prophesies the temptation flaring hot and bright between them. It might scorch them to the heart…or spark a match made in heaven.
 
Crossroad Corner
 
Will Danson can't stop thinking about his captivating business rival. Camryn Bendixon won't be distracted by the sexy single dad standing in her way. They are competing for construction bids and career-making contracts—but it is her battered heart that he truly wants to win.

Okay, let's settle this! Pumpkin Spice - yea or nay?

I enjoy a piece of pumpkin pie and appreciate a pumpkin spice scented candle. But I certainly wouldn’t go out of my way to get a latte, and I am just as happy with lemon meringue pie and prefer vanilla-scented candles. So, I guess I fall into the “nay” category.

What about you? Do you love it, leave it, or simply don’t care either way?
Comment below, then head over to PG Forte to cointinue your hop!

SECRETS UNDER THE COVERS
Start the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series for FREE!

Two long-time friends…one impulsive seduction…zero percent chance their lives will ever be the same again.
​
🧡55-year-old widow & widower
🧡cancer threat
🧡tattoo artist
🧡strong, creative heroine
🧡caring, supportive hero
🧡steamy open-door sex
🧡standalone read
🧡friends-to-lovers
🧡she seduces him

We’re talking about tropes on this week’s blog hop. Specifically, the second chance trope.

Would you rather read (or write) about a rekindled flame or a brand-new passion? Is your choice influenced by the age of the characters?

I love reading about rekindled flames. A story that brings two characters together who’ve totally screwed up once and helps them heal, then shows them love is still there, is so much fun.

As for the second part of our topic question this week, my choice is influenced by the age of the characters. If the characters are younger than thirty, I have a little trouble buying a second chance romance between them. Not that it’s impossible, but I feel older characters are better suited for that trope, because they’ve seen what life can throw at them and understand how precious love is.

That being said, I think I’ve only written two second chance romances. And to be completely honest, one of them, Allegro Court, isn’t a true second chance, because only one of the characters thought their first relationship was long-term to start with. (Intrigued? Find out more here.)

But Turn the Next Page is true to the trope and features older characters. It also has one of my favourite mini-mysteries. You can find out more about it below!

Now hope over to Leslie Hachtel for her take on this topic.

Turn the Next Page

High school sweethearts, their marriage was shattered by tragedy. Thirty years later, a startling confession reignites long banked embers.

You can read an excerpt here! 

On the outside, politician Aubrey Windt is assured and assertive. On the inside, she’s a confused tangle of nerves and regrets. A lost election is the perfect opportunity to reset her life, and she’s going to take it, no matter what anyone says. This time, she means it.
 
Everything’s fine with Philip Church. Just fine. His second divorce was amicable, his twin sons are grown, and his landscape business runs itself. The fineness is driving him crazy. But reconnecting with his first love provokes an upheaval more potent than he’s ever imagined.
 
When Aubrey and Phillip learn a startling fact that will forever link their lives, they set out to find the brother Aubrey didn’t know she had. To do so, they must forge a new path, unexpectedly abetted by a stray cat and the eclectic members of a unique book club.

(Book Three in the Silverberry Seduction Seasoned Romance Series but can be read as a standalone. Aubrey is 52 and Phillip 53.)