Ally Blake Romance Author - Blog

Latest news from Australian romance author Ally Blake, writer of fun, fresh flirty romance novels.

Thursday 18 October 2012

RIVA's Back! Now meet your new best friend, Sarah, from Mills & Boon's "FLIRTING WITH ITALIAN" by the fabulous Liz Fielding!

ebook from millsandboon.co.uk
Name:  Sarah Gratton

Age:  27

Occupation:  Teacher

Vital Stats:  Grey eyes, warm chestnut hair, tall, woman-shaped.  (How can Matteo resist?  Matteo, you ask?  Check out Natalie Anderson's blog to meet him!)

Who'd play her in the movie of her life:  Kate Winslet, perhaps?

Instant BFF or Gotta Earn Her Trust:  Instant BFF

Friends or Family: Loads. Mum, Dad, brothers and sisters but she has a special relationship with her great-grandfather.

Satin Teddy or Cotton Comfort :  Cotton comfort

Shower or Bath:  Bath

What she doesn't want the hero to know: Nothing. She’s an open book – not that he believes that for one moment.

We'd be her friend because... She’s kind, generous, loving, funny and just human enough to wish swollen ankles on her ex’s pregnant new love.

In her words…

Italians are incredibly elegant, even in the classroom and my first task was a complete revamp of my working wardrobe. It was tough, but I know you’ll appreciate my sacrifice.
Spending so much on clothes had come as a bit of a shock to the system but her savings account was no longer burdened with price of her dream wedding dress. And handing over her credit card to pay for her spending spree had slammed the door on any lingering hope that Tom might come back. That her sacrifice in giving up her job so that he could return to Maybridge High would bring him to his senses.
It was too late for him to be having regrets.        
There is also a rule that no one should come to Italy without buying at least one pair of shoes. I bought these. And these. And these.
She stretched out her foot to admire the sandal she was wearing. Well, she wasn’t on holiday. One pair was never going to be enough and, just to make the point, she picked up her phone and took a photograph of it.
As you can see, there is a lot more to Rome than a load of old ruins but since you’re expecting churches and I wouldn’t want to disappoint you, this is Santa Maria del Popolo. You’ll probably recognise it from one of the gorier bits in the film Angels & Demons.
Rome boring?  I think not.
It was probably not quite what the Head had in mind when he’d asked her to write a blog about working in Rome, Sarah thought. With luck he’d remove the link from the school website sooner rather than later. Then, as she loaded up the pictures, she wondered if Tom would bother to read it. Whether Louise could resist taking a look.
Those shoes would evoke envy in the heart of any woman. Especially one whose ankles were swelling…
Several of her ex-colleagues had made a point of texting her to let her know that Louise was pregnant, but not before Tom had told her himself. Wanting her to know before she heard it from anyone else. As if it would hurt any less.
She gave herself a mental bad-girl slap as she clicked “post”, but there were limits to her nobility.


What's the book about? 
Could stepping into the past make your future perfect? Sarah’s been dumped. Unceremoniously. Painfully. A romantic at heart and a historian by profession, Sarah has always wondered about her grandfather’s wartime romance in Italy. Who was that brave woman who cared for him during the war? Clearly this is the time to heal her wounds with the trip of a lifetime to Rome and maybe find a hot Italian lover to take her mind off the past. Armed only with a photo of the house her grandfather stayed in, the village, and the name Lucia, Sarah sets out to find her…and meets the beautiful Italian count Matteo di Serrone there. Now here’s a man who could move Sarah on from her broken heart! It’s a fairy-tale romance, until Sarah realises she’s made the most rookie mistake of all: falling in love with her holiday fling…

Find out more about Liz's gorgeous books on:


Til the end of October, keep dropping by Natalie Anderson's blog for giveaways, sneak peeks at more great stories and the low down on RIVA's hottest heroes.
And check out the awesome RIVA app on Facebook for more!

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Thursday 11 October 2012

RIVA's back! Now meet your new best friend, Nadia from RIVA's "Dating & Other Dangers" by Natalie Anderson


ebook from millsandboon.co.uk
Heroine:  Nadia Keenan

Age: 26

Occupation: HR assistant in an old school insurance company by day, web warrior by night…

Vital Stats: To put it bluntly, she’s short. Here’s Ethan’s impression: she looked like one of the fairies on his three-year-old niece’s miniature china teaset. All fine bones and fine features in her heart-shaped face, with her hair tumbling loose and kinking at the ends.  (More about Ethan at Nat's blog!)

Instant BFF or Gotta Earn Her Trust:  You have SO got to earn her trust—and you’re going to have to work hard to do it.

Friends or Family: She’s all about her girlfriends—sisterhood unite!

Satin Teddy or Cotton Comfort : With Ethan? It’s all about the game so it would depend on the strategy required at the time...

Shower or Bath: Bath, with her mobile and a glass of wine in easy reach.

What she doesn't want the hero to know:  That despite his horrific reputation and how gallingly confident he is, she so WANTS him!

We'd be her friend because...  Nadia is full of passion and energy and totally wants to do the right thing, she’s fully supportive of her girlfriends—mates before dates all the way!!!

In her words…

He leaned closer, resting his hands on the wall behind her as he bent, his words whispering across her face. “Anticipation is everything—didn’t you know?”
            It’s only everything if the end result is a disappointment,” she said caustically. “If the end result was as amazing as it’s meant to be, then the anticipation would be forgotten in the heat.”
“Oh, you’re wrong.” He smiled. “You need to live moment by moment.” His head lowered. “It’s much more fun.” He paused, his mouth a millimetre from hers, as he gently instructed, “You start with lots of soft, teasing touches.”
His lips brushed hers lightly, just once. But the second she went to snap back at him he did it again. Then again and again and again. Until it was lots—as he’d said. Not deep, hungry kisses, but slivers of rich sensuality that made her open her mouth for more before she’d thought to stop it. Then she couldn’t think at all—she only wanted to move closer for more.
But he kept them light, lifting back as she tilted towards him.
“Uh-uh,” he teased. “You keep it the same—don’t go deeper until she’s begging.”
With one hand he played her like an instrument, gliding one finger after the other across her neck. Not making music but pleasure, with gentle touches. But she knew the strength was there.
And she wanted it.


Dating and Other Dangers is part of the RIVA launch in the UK and is available as an ebook from AmazonUK.

 Here’s the blurb for the new look Riva!

Could two players both win the dating game? Nadia Keenan is corporate HR by day, web-dating warrior by night – she runs WomanBwarned.com, where bad-date stories are aired and shared to help other women avoid the same pitfalls. Ethan Rush, serial dater-and-dumper and utterly, gorgeously lush, has just found out he’s been trashed – repeatedly – on Nadia’s website and he’s…um…not happy. Both know they’re in the right. Neither is ready to back down.
Let the battle of the dates begin!

It is also on the shelves in stores in North America this month as a Presents Extra and you can grab it online from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Here’s the blurb for the US version:

Nadia Keenan’s first date Do’s and Don’ts:

1.      Do boost your confidence by looking hot
2.      Don’t put out until at lease date two
3.      If the man is trouble (however sexy!) do report all on www.WomanBWarned.com
After being trashed on Nadia’s website, serial dater-and-dumper Ethan Rush is about to put Nadia’s rules to the test. He’s determined to change her mind about him. She’s determined to prove him for the cad he is.

Let the battle of the dates begin…

Find out more about Natalie's books at:


Through September and October, keep dropping by Natalie's blog for giveaways, sneak peeks at more great stories and the low down on RIVA's hottest heroes.
And check out the awesome RIVA app on Facebook for more!

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Thursday 4 October 2012

RIVA's back! Now meet your new best friend, Maddie from RIVA's "She's So Over Him" by Joss Wood



ebook & paperback @ millsandboon.co.uk
Heroine:  Maddie Shaw

Age: 29

Occupation: Event Co-Ordinator/ PR Specialist and Cale manoeuvres her into helping him organise his charity triathlon race in remembrance of his twin brother.

Vital Stats: Dark, curly hair and amber eyes. Thanks to her insane shopping habit (Cale thinks she keeps the retail sector in champagne and caviar) she’s always stylish. (And who's Cale? I hear you ask.  You can meet him over at Natalie Anderson's blog - and boy are you gonna wanna meet him!)

Who'd play her in the movie of her life:  Mila Kunis

Instant BFF or Gotta Earn Her Trust:  Got to earn her trust.

Friends or Family: Since she has the world’s most dysfunctional parents, friends are her family. 

Satin Teddy or Cotton Comfort : Satin teddy.

Shower or Bath: Bath, with her mobile and a glass of wine in easy reach.

What she doesn't want the hero to know:  How insanely, crazily attracted to him she still is.

We'd be her friend because...  Maddie is warm and funny and vulnerable beneath her tough, business-girl exterior.

In her words…

Cale crossed his arms and rested his glass against his bicep.
Sexy arms, Maddie thought. What would he look like with his shirt off? Images from long ago flashed in her head. A wide chest, lightly covered in crisp blond hair, strong shoulders—and did he still have that washboard stomach? Her eyes brushed over his lower mid-section and drifted across his slim hips. Oh, yes, it was still there…
Whoah, boy—chemical reaction.
Maddie hauled in her breath, shoved an agitated hand into her hair and counted to ten. Then she counted to twenty, frantically thinking that she might have to go to two thousand and sixty-two to get her heart-rate under control.
Damn him… If he ever gave up his day-job he could hire himself out as a
defibrillator. Huh! That was a pretty impressive word for—she glanced at her watch—twenty to one in the morning.
‘Earth to Maddie?’
Maddie was jerked out of her thoughts by Cale tugging on the curl again before allowing it to fall off his finger.
‘You took quite a mental side trip. What were you thinking about?’
Your muscles under my hands…
‘Cardiac arrest and defibrillators.’
Cale’s eyebrows lifted in surprise and he scratched his forehead. ‘I’d
forgotten about your weird thought processes.’
‘You always said that I had a mind like a grasshopper,’ Maddie agreed. ‘It drove you crazy.’
‘Newsflash: everything about you drove me crazy.’
Maddie’s stopped her glass halfway to her mouth and silently cursed when Cale turned his face away, leaving her with a very good view of his strong neck.
What, for the love of all things bright and beautiful, did he mean by that? Was he joking? Being serious? Sarcastic? Unfortunately his neck and the back of his head didn’t give her a clue.
 
What happens next?  Buy the book to find out!

What's the book aboutWhat not to do with your ex…
 
He’s back. He’s insanely hot. He’s absolutely the last person she should date. Maddie Shaw is a part-time bartender with a never-get-involved attitude to dating and a flair for the perfectly served drink. Yet when ex-boyfriend Cale Grant walks into her bar, a whole ten years after their massive bust-up, she’s blown away all over again by his dark chocolate voice and deep blue eyes. So, just how over him is she?

Find out more about Joss's books at:

Through September and October, keep dropping by Natalie Anderson's blog for giveaways, sneak peeks at more great stories and the low down on RIVA's hottest heroes.
And check out the awesome RIVA app on Facebook for more!

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