Buy links:
Amazon  

And now for Nancy's Bake Off story...

Found: One Secret Baby, my book out July 7 from Harper Impulse, is a twenty-first century variation on the Cinderella story. My heroine, Rosalie Walker, doesn't need rescuing, thank you very much, but she has spent much of her life taking care of her late mother. When Morgan Danby comes into the story, one reason among many she distrusts him is her not-entirely-unfounded fear that he's trying to buy her in order to create a family for his step-brother's son, whom she'd been raising since the boy's mother died. 


As part of Morgan's campaign to persuade Rosalie to marry him, he buys her two very expensive dinners. After one of them, they order the signature low-calorie dessert of a (fictitious) Malibu restaurant that caters to movie stars -- angel's food cake and lemon sorbet. Rosalie is suitably impressed, but I prefer my desserts to at least taste as if they have lots of calories. 


The cake my grandmother always made for my birthday (a signature dessert of sorts) managed to taste rich, as well as yummy, and still be moderately not-unhealthy. Starting with angel's food cake the way my made-up restaurant did, cuts calories without cutting taste, and the store bought kind is, in my experience, almost as good a homemade, so it cuts preparation time, too. I can't call what follows a "recipe," since Grandmother made it up as she went and I learned to make it by watching her. Still, it's something to try next time you see strawberries in the store. [Note: preparation is spread over a whole day as ingredients need to be chilled between steps]

1. Wash, hull, and slice about a half-pound of strawberries, sprinkle with sugar, and set aside for several hours. 

​

What a delish cake for Wimbledon Week. Thanks so much for sharing Nancy.

If you'd like to catch up with Nancy, find her here:

nancyhollandwriter.com
www.twitter.com/nancyholland5

Wow! That looks SO yummy! Thank you to Zara for coming on BOOKY BAKE OFF today, and for sharing your mouth-watering recipe! 

Find out more abut Zara...
Website     Twitter    Facebook    Amazon    Pinterest

Meet Katie...

Katie Oliver loves romantic comedies, characters who "meet cute," Richard Curtis films, and Prosecco (not necessarily in that order). She currently resides in South Florida with her husband, two parakeets, and a dog.
Katie’s been writing since she was eight, and has a box crammed with (mostly unfinished) novels to prove it.  With her sons grown and gone, she decided to get serious and write more (and hopefully, better) stories.  She even finishes most of them.

And Katie's latest release is... 

​Who Needs Mr Willoughby (The Jane Austen Factor)

Who should rule – your head or your heart?

When sisters Marianne and Elinor Dashwood are forced to leave their family home to live in a rural Northumberland cottage, Marianne is convinced her social life is over. Somehow, she can’t see kitten heels coping well in the countryside – and being stuck in the middle of nowhere, miles from London, sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry. Not to mention her arrogant new boss, Dr Brandon, who doesn’t seem to think much of her city ways.
When she meets the gallant, charming and handsome Mr Willoughby, Marianne begins to think that country life might not be so bad after all…especially when he suggests that marriage might be on the cards.  But the countryside still has a few tricks up its sleeve for Marianne…after all, love rarely blossoms in the most convenient places!

BUY LINKS for Who Needs Mr Willoughby? (The Jane Austen Factor)
Amazon US 
Amazon UK 

There are also two other books in this fabulous series, The Trouble with Emma, and What Would Lizzie Bennet Do. Details on Katie Oliver's Author Pages...
Amazon Author Page US 
Amazon Author Page UK

If you'd like a copy, here are the buy links:

HarperImpulse (all buy links)
Amazon UK
Amazon US
KOBO
iTunes
GooglePlay
Sainsburys

THE DANGEROUS GIFT by Jane Hunt
Release Date: February 9, 2016

​After a tragic plane crash kills Jennie Taylor’s guardians, she returns to her childhood home—and her first love, Jared Stewart.
 At just eighteen years old, Jennie had left the Unicorn Ranch in Texas to seek a life in the outside world. But she wasn’t just running toward independence. Heartbroken and confused, Jennie fled her home after Jared harshly rejected her on the eve of her birthday.
 Now she must choose between making a new life on the ranch she has grown to love, or returning to her simple but empty life in England. The choice seems obvious at first, but nothing in life is simple…
Jared is forced to share control of his beloved ranch with the woman he wants but can't have.
When Jennie receives an anonymous note, she goes to Jared for support. But what she finds is more than she was prepared for, driving the two further apart than ever. When an old friend is murdered and suspicious accidents escalate, endangering Jennie’s safety, Jared becomes her reluctant protector.
 Jennie knows Jared is hiding something, but does he really want her gone from the ranch? And if so, could he be the one behind the ominous threats?
 Determined to prove Jared isn't involved, Jennie turns detective. Can she succeed in her courageous but reckless investigation…or is the truth a dangerous gift she won’t survive?


Buy link 

COVER DESIGNER: https://www.facebook.com/TOJPublishingServices


ABOUT JANE HUNT: ‘Writing has touched my life in every decade. At fifty, I took a risk and made writing my career, fulfilling a lifetime ambition.’
I enjoy writing blogs, book reviews and especially stories. Vivid imagery, atmospheric settings, strong females and sensual males are essential for my stories. Everyday life and ordinary people inspire me. How would someone react, if faced with something extra.
I want to let my readers escape their lives for a while, experience new places, new people and most importantly, new emotional lows and highs My favourite parts of the writing process are; finding a person, event or place that makes me want to write a story about it and the writing itself; when your fingers cannot type fast enough, to transcribe your thoughts.
Family is very important to me. My two children are my greatest achievement to date.
I am an animal welfare supporter and regularly use social media to promote animal welfare issues.
Limitless Publishing: http://www.limitlesspublishing.net/authors/jane-hunt/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jane.hunt.509511
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jolliffe03
Website: http://jolliffe01.com/
Blog: http://jolliffe01.com/blog/

The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore! The perfect novel for reading in the sunshine... and falling in love with London.
Picnics in Hyde Park 
A summer to remember... or forget?

When Zoe Harper returns to the UK after five long years in New York, the last thing she expects is to find her younger sister Melody jobless, homeless, broke and dumped. Unfortunately, life has a way of delivering the unexpected. She should know that, given her ex-fiancé Greg’s faithless behaviour. 

Filled with rage and determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers for her sister’s heartbreak, as well as get some answers, Zoe hatches plan Nannygate. Unfortunately that means moving in with the gorgeous but uncaring music producer Matt Reilly to be nanny to his two adorable, complicated children. But something isn’t adding up, and over the course of the hot London summer, she starts to think that perhaps Matt isn’t so bad after all. 

Let down by his last nanny and weighed down with guilt about his wife’s death three years before, wealthy but camera-shy Matt has spent a long time pushing people away, including his own kids. His stunning new nanny challenges him every single day in completely different ways, but maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. 

But what happens when you open your heart, and someone isn’t who you thought they were? And can it really be true love when it’s on the rebound, and starts off with a plan for revenge? 

Out on 13th August as an ebook, paperback to follow. Get it from only £2.99!

Amazon UK 
Kobo 
Nook  

Excerpt from Picnics in Hyde Park....

Matt Reilly is a complete, unbelievable bastard and I’m going to make him pay, Zoe Harper vowed as she pounded the gold lion-head knocker against the door of his exclusive Knightsbridge residence. 

When there was no response, she switched to thumping the glossy black wood with the side of her fist. 

Thud. Thud. Thud. 

Answer. The. Door.

Utter fury was squeezing her chest so tight it felt like her ribs were suffocating her lungs and a horrible pressure was building behind her eyeballs, the sure sign of a tension headache.

Where the hell was he? She stepped back to gaze up at the impressive facade of the town house, which had to be at least four storeys tall including the basement area below her. The top two floors were exposed brickwork but the ground and lower floors were painted white, decorated with manicured window boxes. The property screamed refined wealth, as did the beautiful leafy communal garden area in the middle of the square. He must have paid extra for the property, which sat back from the road slightly. It was one of the only houses with off-road parking.

She turned to look at the gravel driveway. Someone had to be in, there were three cars parked up; a garish, canary-yellow convertible sports model, a sexy low-slung black supercar and a more modest silver Prius hybrid.

Thudding the door again, there was still no answer.

If she was some kick-ass action movie heroine she could bust the door down, flatten whichever of the selfish idiots was inside (although both at the same time would be preferable) and just be done with it. But at five foot seven, as well as pounds lighter than she’d been in years, she hardly looked or felt the part. Still, if there was anything guaranteed to bring out her fighting side it was protecting her younger sister Melody. She was her only proper family left apart from their Great Aunt Ruth, who’d always been distant and had all the affection of a watermelon. 

What it came down to was that anyone who hurt Melody deserved justice. But she didn’t really believe in violence, and ruining her beautiful nails with their miniature stars and stripes design on every tip didn’t appeal either. The manicure was a present from her ex-boss Liberty, named after the statue of. It was something to remember New York by, a city she’d come to love. But better not to think about that, or what else she’d loved and lost.

Where the heck was Mr. High and Mighty Reilly, or for that matter, his younger brother Stephen? Surely they had enough staff to answer the bloody door for them. A girl could die of heatstroke out here. The midday sun was ferocious and prickling heat along the back of her neck. It was sure to be scarlet by dinner time.

Thud. Thud. Thud. 

Her hand was never going to be the same again. Then she’d be suing the sods for personal injury as well as emotional trauma for Melody. Her sibling had been crying so hard at Jemima’s flat in multicultural, packed Holloway that Zoe hadn’t been able to get the full story on arrival from Heathrow. There’d just been a lot of mumbling and sobbing around swollen red eyes and handfuls of soggy tissues. Still, what she’d figured out had been enough to instantly trigger her big sister reflexes. The stale, stuffy black cab had made for a nightmare journey across London but the sunlight glinting off the windows had matched her heated, murderous thoughts perfectly. She’d avoided direct eye contact with the chatty driver, jaw clenched as she replayed the fragments of her sister’s story in her head.

Fell in love with Stephen... Matt ended it, fired me... kicked me out without notice… never see the kids again… looked after them for three years! 

How dare he? It was bloody outrageous and unbelievably unfair. How could anyone be so uncaring that they’d do someone who trusted them out of a relationship, job, home and salary all on the same day? So here she was outside of his posh, rich-guy’s, I’m so fabulous home, fully intending to grab her sister’s belongings as well as telling Matt Reilly exactly what she thought of a guy who’d treat a naïve twenty-two year old like dirt. If she could grab his brother by the scruff of the neck at the same time and give him a good shake for helping break her sister’s heart, she’d do that too. He had a lot of explaining to do as to why he wasn’t answering Mel’s calls.

Bloody men. They were a faithless lot at the best of times, the reason she’d left the States after five long years. But her sister’s boss had reached new levels of bastardom, if that was even a word.

Part of her wished that when confronted, Matt might admit he’d made a terrible mistake, beg forgiveness, tell Melody that of course she was good enough for his brother, and ask her to come back to them. But the text that had just pinged on her mobile meant the idea was a non-starter. 



Appreciate the support Sis, but

please don’t cause a scene and

DON’T try and get my job back.

I’m never going back there.

 M x

Zoe didn’t really want her sister anywhere near them anyway. Still, an apology from Matt, an opportunity for Melody to say goodbye to the kids properly, pick up her belongings and be offered some kind of compensation for the notice pay she was surely entitled to would be something. Along with some explanation as to why Stephen had gone AWOL and seemed to be letting Matt make all the decisions. Perhaps he didn’t feel able to stand up to him? Or maybe he was intimidated by his older brother’s success.

According to the tabloids, Stephen was abroad a lot of the time, a playboy who basically partied and shopped his way around Europe with the family money. Why her sister had fallen for him she couldn’t understand. At thirty, Matt was older by seven years, a famous music producer who was hardly ever out of the press, despite his attempts to evade the spotlight. Snapping pictures of his children was a rabid hobby for British journos and there were rumours of a new girlfriend every week, although you couldn’t believe everything you read in the papers. She and Melody were close, despite the vast miles that’d been between them, and Melody had told her a lot about Matt’s children via Skype and text messages but nothing about any of his personal relationships, respecting her boss’s right to privacy. 

Not that she’d got any thanks for that loyalty and professionalism.



About Nikki Moore....

A Dorset girl and social media addict, Nikki Moore has a HR day job, two kids and a lovely boyfriend to keep her busy alongside the writing. She was in the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme for four years and is now a full RNA member. Nikki was a finalist in several writing competitions from 2010 including the Elizabeth Goudge trophy and Novelicious. Undiscovered, before being offered a publishing contract.

Published mainly by HarperImpulse, she’s the author of the #LoveLondon series, which has attracted four and five star reviews on Amazon, with some of the novellas featuring in the Top 100 short story charts on Kobo and the Top 20 in the Amazon UK bestsellers Holiday chart. The last in the series, Picnics in Hyde Park is due out in August. She has a short story in the bestselling RNA/Mills & Boon anthology Truly, Madly, Deeply. Her debut novel Crazy, Undercover, Love was shortlisted for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2015 (for new writing) and she is a strong supporter of aspiring authors.

Praise for the #LoveLondon series...
‘The writing style is impeccable. How I'll fill the void left by this series is something I've not yet figured out an answer to.’ K.L Beeden, Books with Bunny.


Strawberries at Wimbledon

‘I eagerly read and absorbed every page. Such a good feel read earns an easy 5 stars from me.’ Sheerie Franks, Amazon UK.

Cocktails in Chelsea

‘I loved every single minute of this fun, flirty romance… the perfect read for your boring commute to work.’ Holly, Bookaholic Confessions 

Valentine’s on Primrose Hill

‘Uplifting and at the same time thought provoking too. I guarantee you'll be hitting that button on Amazon to order the fourth book in the #LoveLondon series as soon as you've finished this one.’ Dawn, Crooks on Books

New Year at The Ritz

 ‘A sweet and flirty short story, I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what Nikki comes up with for the next book in the series.’ Simona Elena, Sky’s Book Corner.

Skating at Somerset House

‘Sexy, fun and everything you need in one neat, gorgeous package. This is a winner for me.’ Chicks That Read.

About Eve...


Growing up in locations like Botswana and Venezuela gave me quite the taste for adventure and my love for romances began when my mother shoved one into my hands in a desperate attempt to keep me quiet during TV coverage of the Wimbledon tennis finals!

When I wasn’t consuming books by the bucket-load, I could be found pretending to be a damsel in distress or running around solving mysteries and writing down my adventures. As a teenager, I wrote countless episodes of TV detective dramas so the hero and heroine would end up together every week. As an adult, I worked in a library to conveniently continue consuming books by the bucket-load, until realising I was destined to write contemporary romance and romantic suspense myself. I live in leafy Surrey in the UK, a book-devouring, slightly melodramatic, romance-writing sassy heroine with my very own sexy hero husband!


And her novella, 
The Dress...
(Which has one of the most beautiful covers ever...)

Venice, 1615 and instead of the man her father wants her to marry, lacemaker Caterina dreams of Matheo. But when she dabbles with magical lace, she falls foul of the ruling family, altering not only her destiny, but Matheo’s too, and now imprisoned, Caterina must design a way to entwine their fates again. 


England, 2015 and when Cait bumps into Matthew, back from his travels for their friends’ wedding, the spark between them flares instantly. But is it another case of the right place at the wrong time for this bridesmaid and best man, or can a dress from Cait’s lace exhibition at the Museum of Fashion weave its magic through the fabric of time, and unite their destinies, too?

The Dress is part of the boxed set, Magical Weddings...

Magical Weddings: 15 Enchanting Romances 

Whether real or only in the hearts of the bride and groom, the magic of weddings is undeniable. And irresistible! As these 15 enchanting happily-ever-afters by bestselling and award-winning authors prove.

From sweet to spicy, the romances bundled into this set, 14 of them new releases, cross time and unite hearts, cast spells of laughter, battle wedding jitters and fight back tears, while weaving love’s hopeful magic throughout 1400 pages.

Buy Links: 

AMAZON BARNES & NOBLE GOOGLE PLAY iTUNES KOBO

And now for Eve's shoes...

And Eve's shoe story...


I wear these on the same day every year. I know they don’t look much, but to me they add a very magical quality to my day—that of comfort! Plus, they’re flowery…and so utterly perfect for my annual visit to the Chelsea Flower Show. 

Hubby and I have been visiting Chelsea Flower Show for the past ten years and I’ll let you into a little secret…you don’t need to be a ‘certain’ age, or obsessed with your garden to enjoy it.  For us it’s more about spending the day together, enjoying inspirational design, pretty flowers, and excruciatingly expensive and magnificent froufrou for the garden. Of course we also consider it our duty to quench our thirst in the Pimms and champagne tents before walking from Chelsea back into the centre of London to enjoy dinner out!

I get to wear shoes that allow me to spend the day walking for miles without getting blisters because whichever direction you walk in, there’s something new to see. Visual prettiness that soothes my soul, and as we stretch our leg muscles out by walking back into the centre of London—past the Houses of Parliament, past the London Eye, and with the city skyline lit-up in front of us, I always feel like my feet have led me in the right direction to help refill the well.

Last year I took this photo of a dress made out of flowers because I thought it was completely magical. I had no idea back then that a year later I would be writing a book about a magical wedding dress for the box-set Magical Weddings.  

Where to find Eve...
WEBSITE  TWITTER  FACEBOOK

Thanks Eve, for sharing your shoe story. Those shoes look lovely, and the flower dress is beautiful, and so unusual. Good luck with Magical weddings!

About Zara...

Bestselling author Zara Stoneley lives in deepest Cheshire surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and amazing countryside. When she's not visiting wine bars, artisan markets or admiring the scenery in her sexy high heels or green wellies, she can be found in flip flops on the beach in Barcelona, or more likely sampling the tapas!

Zara writes hot romance and bonkbusters. Her latest novels, 'Stable Mates' and ‘Country Affairs’, are fun romps through the Cheshire countryside and combine some of her greatest loves - horses, dogs, hot men and strong women (and not forgetting champagne and fast cars)! 

She writes for Harper Collins and Accent Press.

And her book...

Country Affairs

'A great treat for readers who love their books jam-packed with sexy men and horses.' Bestselling author Fiona Walker

Welcome back to Tippermere for the wedding of the year…

Scatty but loveable Lottie Brinkley is famous throughout the village for her disorganised personality so when she steps up to plan the perfect wedding the only likely outcome is disaster.

And when her globetrotting, love cheat of an ex, Todd, literally crashes the wedding on a not-so-noble steed things definitely look set to take a turn for the scandalous! As rumours of why he’s back spread through the village quicker than the stable girl can drop her knickers, is Lottie's future with sexy eventer Rory Steel about to fall at the next fence?

With a wave of unexpected pregnancies, steamy shenanigans in the hay and a farrier with more than shoeing horses on his mind, will Lottie ever be ready to take on the coveted title of Lady of the Manor and restore the Estate to its former glory?

As the heart of the village, Tipping House Estate, makes its move into the 21st Century, pulses start to race in a novel packed full of charm, hunky stallions (the guys that is), and a daring plan that just has to succeed...

Buy links:
Amazon (UK)    Amazon (COM)   Amazon (paperback)
Foyles  Waterstones   iTunes    Google Play     Blackwells 

And now for Zara's shoes....

And her shoe story...

These shoes are quite a bit different to most of the ones I own. I spend most of my time in Converses, flip-flops or riding boots, but I do like special shoes for special occasions. And I bought these for what will be the most important day of the year for me – my wedding in June.

I spent ages angsting over my wedding dress. We’re getting married in Barcelona and so I wanted something lightweight and cool, and I didn’t want anything too flouncy or over the top so I spent hours wandering around shops, annoying friends and surfing the net, until I spotted my dream dress in a shop that’s only a ten minute walk from home (why didn’t I look there first?). So with the dress sorted I hit the next problem, I was really struggling to find the right pair of shoes to complement it. Until I saw these.  And I knew straight away that they were the ones. 

In Country Affairs there is a wedding, and I was actually searching for wedding dress pictures on Pinterest for the new book board I was setting up, when these popped up.

They’re gorgeous, not too high and match the detail on my dress perfectly.

So until June I’m keeping them safely wrapped up in their box, but I can’t wait to wear them.

Find out more about Zara...

Website      Twitter        Facebook        Google+      Pinterest

Thanks Zara, it's great to have a sneak preview of your lovely wedding shoes, hope you have a wonderful day in June!


A TASTE OF WHAT'S TO COME FOR ZARA'S WEDDING!!!
Zara writes...
My pretty shoes are heading to Barcelona this weekend, ready for the wedding - I can't believe it's less than a month away now! The hotel we're getting married in is magical (and we're starting with cocktails on the terrace which has a view of the whole city), but the whole city is just so romantic. 

Quiet beaches only a few miles up the coast....

.....amazing tapas, seafood (and cake!), a champagne bar overlooking Port Vell... I could go on and on. 

And then of course there are those sexy Spanish waiters (check out my fav polo player Nacho Figueras if you want to know what I mean!) - not of course that I'll be looking!

Wow, this looks like a fairy tale wedding Zara. Wishing you, and the future Mr Stoneley, so much luck for a wonderful day xxx

"A witty, warm-hearted romp through the lives and loves of three friends – with a cool retro vibe, and a sense of fun that will never go out of fashion." – Debbie Johnson
Meet The Vintage Cinema Club….three friends, in love with all things vintage

Izzy is a wow at making unwanted things pretty, but with three brothers and her shabby chic furniture business to run she doesn’t have time to date. Could a fabulous French proposal change her mind?

Single mum Luce’s vintage bridal dresses are exquisite, but there’s no way she’s ever going to wear one or walk down the aisle for that matter. She’s a strictly no romance, one night kind of woman – or so she thinks…

Dida seems to have it all – a chocolate and banana cake recipe to die for, lovely kids (most of the time!) and a great lifestyle. But what good is a fabulous home, when your marriage has more cracks than a pavlova and your husband is having it off with half of Lithuania?

Three retro fabulous friends, in love with all things vintage, run their dream business from the faded grandeur of a rescued cinema. When that dream comes under threat, they’ll do whatever it takes to save it.

Fans of Lucy Diamond, Michele Gorman and Milly Johnson are going to love this heartfelt, funny story.

"I loved this book for so many different reasons that I lost count. The Vintage Cinema Club had everything I loved to see in a novel. There was also a hugely satisfying ending to another brilliant book" 5* Review from Reviewed The Book, Festival of Romance Book Blogger of The Year, 2014.


"I absolutely loved it....I read a lot of books and this by far has been my favourite book in a long time." 5* Amazon review


"oh my god, brilliant doesn't even cover it....there's humour, there's tears, there's drama and there's heartfelt moments....everything you could wish for in a novel. I can't recommend it enough!" 4* Review Charlotte Reads



"The Perfect Chick-Lit book!! Buy it!!" 5* Amazon Review

"A perfect holiday read, especially on a sunny afternoon on the beach!!!" 
4* Amazon Review

"Completely fab - characters you can identify with and root for, a great setting, and a story that sweeps you out of your own world and into theirs. A perfect read from Jane Linfoot." 5* Amazon Review

HarperImpulse (all buy links)  
Amazon UK
Amazon US
iTunes 
Sainsburys 
Nook 
Google play