happy chocolate day!

blog tour :: manga maniac cafe

Today I'm at the Manga Maniac Cafe.

They asked the BEST questions about my current release THE SECRET WEDDING DRESS.  Really made me think about the characters in ways I hadn't before.

Want to know what three things you'd never find in this guy's bedroom?   Head on here to find out!

(And ok, so that's not completely the case - Joe Manganiello and I aren't that close.  But he looks close enough to my hero, Gabe Hamilton, we can all pretend, right?)

THE SECRET WEDDING DRESS
Read more ::  Buy now!
North America - April 2013

gotta love a great review!

Stumbled upon another super lovely review of THE SECRET WEDDING DRESS on the great reader-led blog, The Good, the Bad, and the Unread.

And I quote:

"Ally Blake is a new-to-me author, but this won’t be the last book of hers that I read. Her voice is fresh and genuinely young without trying to hard or using achingly trendy slang, and her characters behave in a way that feels natural. They’re likeable people who make mistakes..."

And it goes on ever so nicely from there!  Read the rest of the review here...

good reads...great reviews!

THE SECRET WEDDING DRESS - my first ever Harlequin KISS is mere days away from hitting bookshelves across North America and I just had to share a couple of the early fab reviews spilling onto Goodreads!

"Fast paced, funny, warm and deliciously hot, this is the kind of can't-put-down story Ms. Blake is famous for writing. What's more, she has a magical way of making it feel like the heroine is a best friend who is telling her story over cocktails instead of within the pages of a book. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE!"

...Trish Wylie, Goodreads

"If you enjoy fun, flirty, contemporary romances, you'll love The Secret Wedding Dress.  Paige is ballsy and quirky, Gabe is flawed and incredibly sexy.  Thoroughly enjoyed!"

...Nicola Marsh, USA Today Bestselling author

 

THE SECRET WEDDING DRESS

Harlequin KISS - April 2013

Read more ::  Harlequin  ::  The Book Depository  ::  M&B UK  ::  M&B Aus/NZ

rain rain go away

It's been raining in my part of the world for ever.  At least that's how it feels.

Our beautiful pool is a swamp and our kids only outside play for weeks has been "strip down and go play in the mud in between showers kids!"

That said, getting this view  from our backyard and onto our roof is pretty special.  The looks on the kids' faces as they imagined those pots of gold...

Okay, that's enough of the pretty!  Sunshine!  Please!

australian romance readers convention

So I'm back home, after braving the driving rain to get to the Australian Romance Readers Convention book-signing, and it was worth it!  Just wonderful to meet so many lovely readers, all so excited to collect autographs from their favourite Australian - and some fab special international! - authors.

Some highlights for me were getting Anne Gracie's new book The Autumn Bride signed for my mum who is a huge fan (shhh, don't tell her it's a surprise!).  Nabbing Kelly Hunter's The Trouble With Valentine's (there were rumours of zombies as she wrote the thing, so I have to find out if it was all true ;)) Getting the low down on Fiona McArthur's day on the Orient Express.

Total fan-girl moment happened when I met Kristan Higgins!  I'm madly in love with her warm, funny, delightful small town stories.  And, as fully expected, she was just lovely.

Then a glass of wine afterwards with some lovely writing friends, and a new one in the illustrious order of Cathy Maxwell, and I dind't even notice the rain as I walked back to the car.

 

final farewell

FAKING IT TO MAKING IT is done and dusted.  I won't get to see it again til it hits bookshelves this August!  But it was such fun reading it again.  Saskia and Nate were awesome company.  When the hero looks quite a bit like this guy, you won't hear a complain from me!

Come Monday I get back to my current couple who are - so far - treating me remarkably well!  (Now of course I've said that out loud my muse will make me pay!)

But till then, the big fabulous Australian Romance Readers Convention book-signing hits Brisbane tomorrow! Soooo looking forward to the buzz of all that glorious shiny book love in one room!!! Bring your dog-eared favourites; for an author with a pen in hand, they're the absolute best.