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Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood – a Review

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Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood – a Review

 

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Description:
Grace Isabel MacKenna had a hundred things to do today. Killing someone wasn’t one of them. It was supposed to be a quick visit to Boston for the Buchanan anniversary party, then on to Scotland to collect an inheritance. She checks into the hotel and then decides to go for a brisk walk. But after getting lost she ends up with a wounded man stumbling into her arms, and then his shooter coming after them both. When she fires back in self-defense, she doesn’t expect him to drop dead. Thanks to the Buchanans dispatching Navy SEAL and now a lawyer Michael Buchanan to help her deal with the police, Isabel endures hours of interrogation and is finally free to go.

Isabel knows she should be grateful for Michael’s help, but since she’s harbored an extreme dislike for him for years, gratitude is difficult to muster. Michael has appointed himself her de facto guardian, and she’s stuck with him despite their constant bickering and sizzling attraction. Even when Isabel goes to Scotland to claim her inheritance, Michael follows her, but he isn’t the only thing she can’t shake. Mysterious threats against Isabel surface, and before they can deal with their growing feelings for each other, Michael and Isabel must first survive.

 

 

Review:

Grace Under Fire by Julie Garwood is the 14th book in her wonderful Buchanan-Renard series. We meet our heroine, Grace Isabel McKenna, having just graduated from college and now on her way to Boston to attend the Buchanan Anniversary Celebration at their Nathan’s Bay home. Isabel is days away from her 21st Birthday, when she will inherit land in Scotland left to her from a distant uncle; with her sister planning to travel with her. Happy to see many of the Buchanan family, whom she is close to, as her sister Kate is married to Dylan Buchanan. After Isabel checks into the local hotel, she decides to take a walk, and out of the blue and man falls in front of her bleeding profusely, and as she tries to help him, she notices another man running toward her aiming a gun; Grace grabs the injured man’s gun and shoots the villain dead.

Michael Buchanan, our hero, is the one who will come to help Isabel, since he is an attorney.  She of course isn’t happy to see him, as they have never gotten along over the years. Michael has appointed himself Isabel’s guardian, as he plans to watch over her, despite the constant bickering between them.

Before she went to Nathan’s Bay, on her last night of graduation, she was with friends drinking, and a video of her singing a song she wrote herself became viral. Isabel is approached by a famous popular singer, who wants to her to sing her song at his upcoming concert.  Isabel always loved music, even though her deceased mother was against it, but now she wants to pursue her dream; she becomes an overnight sensation, though she prefers just writing the songs.

Isabel has received constant calls regarding selling her inheritance, and in a short time her life is in danger, as threats against her materialize.  Isabel secretly left after the anniversary celebration to go early to Scotland, and the family learns there is a kill order on her life.  Michael immediately appoints himself as her protector, and flies Scotland in hopes to find her, before the attempt against her. 

What follows is an exciting and suspenseful story, as Isabel and Michael find themselves in the middle of dangerous situations.  I loved Isabel and Michael together, even their bickering was fun; as their romance escalated and their chemistry was off the wall sizzling.  Isabel was a great heroine, always liked by everyone, and Michael was tough, smart and the perfect alpha. I loved seeing many of the Buchanan family, such as Kate/Dylan, Theo/Michelle, Alec/Regan, Nick/Laurent and Noah/Sydney.

Grace Under Fire was another fantastic addition to this series, and so very well written by Julie Garwood.  I have missed some previous books, and one day I will find time to back and read them. I suggest you read this book, as I loved it.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by publisher

 

 

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Wired by Julie Garwood – Review & Giveaway

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Wired by Julie Garwood – Review & Giveaway

 

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Description:
A beautiful computer hacker and a bad-boy FBI agent must collaborate—in more ways than one—in the sizzling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood.

Allison Trent doesn’t look like a hacker. In fact, when she’s not in college working on her degree, she models on the side. But behind her gorgeous face is a brilliant mind for computers and her real love is writing—and hacking—code. Her dream is to write a new security program that could revolutionize the tech industry.

Hotshot FBI agent Liam Scott has a problem: a leak deep within his own department. He needs the skills of a top-notch hacker to work on a highly sensitive project: to secretly break into the FBI servers and find out who the traitor is. But he can’t use one of his own. He finds the perfect candidate in Allison. Only, there’s one problem—she wants nothing to do with his job and turns him down flat.

What Liam doesn’t know is that Allison is hiding secrets that she doesn’t want the FBI to uncover. But Liam will do nearly anything to persuade her to join his team, even break a few rules if that’s what it takes. A temptation that could put his job—and both of their futures—on the line…
and longing for more . . .

 

 

Review:

Wired by Julie Garwood is the 13th book in her Buchanan/FBI series.   I am a big fan of Julie Garwood, and I am happy to say that I loved Wired.  What makes this story fun to read, were the two lead characters, Allison Trent and Liam Scott.   I loved both of them.   The story line was also exciting, fun and with the two wonderfully likable characters, it was a fast fun read.

Allison Trent, our heroine, is a college student by day, a part time model, and a hacker at night.  Allison is a genius, and can find bugs, break viruses or stop hacks and writes her own security programs.   Allison visits the FBI’s new cyber building with her friend Jordan , but while there she is approached by two men who want her to work for them to find a leak in the FBI. 

Liam Scott, our hero, is an FBI agent, who has researched and discovered Allison.  Liam does not work for the Cyber division, but he recognizes that Allison is the one who will be able to find the leak, which has been stopping some of their key investigations.  At first Allison refuses, as they want a commitment of a year.  She is also afraid that they will discover how easy it is for her to get into any computer system, even if she only fixes bugs, or helps find and return millions of dollars scammed from seniors.  But Liam will arrange for Allison to have immunity, as they need her to work on this sensitive project, which thus far has been impossible. 

As Liam slowly fights off his attraction to the smart, tough, beautiful Allison, he learns about her rough life.  When Allison mother and father died years before; she and her sister were forced to live with their aunt and uncle.  They used Allison to do modeling work, and would take all her money.  They were really nasty people, who badgered her constantly with phone calls.  

Rather than give spoilers, what follows is a wonderful story that blends an exciting storyline that threatens Allison, as well as the threats from her relatives; but it is also such a sweet romance that will develop between Allison and Liam.  This was a fun story, and Allison was such a great heroine.  Liam was also good, as he was always there for Allison, even when he was determined to not let his growing feelings change anything in his life.

Wired was a wonderful fast exciting, fun read, with a great couple, some humor and nasty villains.  Julie Garwood once again gives us another wonderful enjoyable story.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

giveaway

Julie Garwood’s publisher is offering a hard copy of WIRED to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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8. Giveaway runs from July 4 to 8, 2017

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One Red Rose by Julie Garwood – a Review

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One Red Rose by Julie Garwood – a Review

 

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Description:
The Claybornes are back — and love is in bloom! First introduced in Julie Garwood’s magnificent New York Times bestseller “For the Roses,” which inspired the Hallmark Hall of Fame television film “Rose Hill,” the Clayborne brothers of Blue Belle, Montana, have been embraced by millions worldwide. Now Julie Garwood spins the individual stories of these three spirited brothers — once a mismatched gang of street urchins — in a trio of special novels that continues with “One Red Rose.” Adam Clayborne has always put great stock in the power of books. As an escaped slave — and a wanted man — reading has been his only ticket to the wonders of distant lands. Adam is content with his life as a confirmed bachelor, which is why his Mama Rose has summoned the irresistible Genevieve Delacroix to Montana. Also a former slave, Genevieve shares his dream of seeing the world, but she arrives to find Adam unfailingly polite…and just as distant. Undaunted, Genevieve determines to teach Adam what he’ll never learn from a book — that true freedom only comes when you open your heart.

 

 

Review:

One Red Rose by Julie Garwood is the 4th book in her Clayborne Brides series, which includes a three book novella.  In One Red Rose, Adam Clayborne returns home late at night for a family party, and finds a woman in his bed.  After the initial shock, Adam recognizes Genevieve as the woman who Mama Rose invited to become Adam’s wife; but that was almost a year has passed.  Why did Genevieve decide to come now?  Adam makes no bones that he is not interested in getting married …..ever.

We learn that Genevieve is keeping a secret about some trouble she is in.  When she leaves abruptly after the party, Adam and the others in the family are concerned.   Adam does find a telegram warning Genevieve to run, as someone is coming for her.   This will set Adam to find Genevieve and help her from whoever is chasing her.

What follows in this quick paced short story, is an exciting tale of a preacher from Genevieve’s past who is evil, and wants her back.  Adam will do whatever it takes to protect her, even if she insists he leave her alone.  Genevieve finds herself caring for Adam, but does not want his help because she fears for his safety.  It is also a sweet slow build romance that will find Adam falling in love with Genevieve and her believing he could never love her.   They were very good together, and it was a happy ever after.   If you enjoy western themed romances, with a great couple and a shorter storyline, then you should read the Clayborne Brides trilogy.\

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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One White Rose by Julie Garwood – a Review

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One White Rose by Julie Garwood – a Review

 

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Description:
Douglas Clayborne will never turn his back on anyone in need, and everyone in Blue Belle knows it. Time and again, his intolerance of cruelty of any kind has made him a champion of the defenseless … but his quiet strength faces its ultimate battle when he meets Isabel Grant. He arrives at her ranch to pick up the magnificent Arabian stallion he’s purchased, but he cannot leave the vulnerable woman behind when he discovers the danger that threatens her. Convincing the stubborn, strong-willed beauty that she needs him is another matter. Douglas can stop the men from stealing her ranch and her horses, but he cannot stop Isabel Grant from stealing his heart

 

Review:

One White Rose by Julie Garwood is the 2nd book in her Clayborn Brides series.  This is Douglas Clayborne’s  time to be the hero, and it was a fun read.  When he arrives to pick up the Arabian Stallion that his brother purchased, Douglas finds himself in the midst of a ranch war and a pregnant young lady desperately trying to survive.

Isabel Grant is widowed and alone, close to term on her pregnancy and trying to ward off the town’s wealthy and nasty rancher, who everyone fears.  When Douglas arrives, Isabel threatens him, not knowing that he is not part of the rancher’s men.  In a short time, after he convinces her why he is here, she starts having contractions and it Douglas who will help deliver the baby.

What follows is a sweet romance that will build as Douglas will stay and help Isabel, until she can recover, in about 8-10 weeks.  Knowing the rancher is keeping an eye on Isabel, with plans on forcing her to marry him, Douglas goes out each night to investigate the rancher and his violent ranch hands.  He also visits the doctor, who secretly gives Douglas medicine and food for Isabel.  Together Douglas and Isabel , who are falling for each other, must fool the rancher that the baby has not been born, long enough to escape.  It was nice to see Douglas’s brothers come to help. There is a twist near the end that will explain why the rancher desperately wants to force Isabel to marry him. 

Knowing Isabel does not want to leave town, Douglas is determined to help her, and the town rid themselves of the fear and violence they have endured.  Douglas, who has fallen in love with Isabel, is convinced that she only feels obligated to him.  Will he let her go?

This book is a short story, but Garwood does a good job of giving us a sweet romance, and an exciting story.  I enjoyed One White Rose, and look forward to the third book in this series, One Red Rose.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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One Pink Rose by Julie Garwood – Review & Giveaway

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One Pink Rose by Julie Garwood – Review & Giveaway

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Description:
THE CLAYBORNES ARE BACK! AND LOVE IS IN BLOOM! — First introduced in Julie Garwood’s magnificent New York Times bestseller For the Roses, which inspired the Hallmark Hall of Fame television film Rose Hill, the Clayborne brothers of Blue Belle, Montana, have been embraced by millions worldwide. Now Julie Garwood spins the individual stories of these three spirited brothers — once a mismatched gang of street urchins — in a trio of special novels that begins with One Pink Rose.

Travis Clayborne may be the youngest of the Clayborne brothers, but he’s most definitely his own man. Unless it means saying no to his beloved Mama Rose. And that’s why Travis is escorting young Bostonian Emily Finnegan to Golden Crest, Montana — where she’ll discover what awaits her as a mail-order bride. Emily has made it perfectly clear that she’s taken charge of her destiny and nothing is going to interfere. Falling in love with the perfect stranger isn’t part of her plan, but the journey with Travis across this beautiful, rugged land opens her eyes… and her heart. Perhaps her destiny isn’t exactly as she imagined.

 

Review:

One Pink Rose by Julie Garwood is a sweet humorous historical romance. Even if you have not read the first book, For the Roses, this read very well as a standalone.  In the next two months, I will be reviewing the next two books in this series. 

Travis Clayborne , our hero, is the youngest brother in the Clayborne family, who sets out to find the man who stole something from “Mama Rose”, and to honor his promise to escort a mail order bride to her destination. Emily Finnegan, our heroine, is the mail order bride, who is determined to bypass love and take charge of her own life.

When the two meet, Travis will be taken by surprise, as Emily, not knowing who he was, pulls out a revolver.  The banter between the two of them was fun, as they both could not agree on anything.  She was stubborn and righteous, and he was opinionated about why she would want to marry a man she never met.  As they travel to their destination point, their attraction to each other starts to heat up quickly, though both are determined not to let their feelings change anything.

What follows is a sweet romance, with a western background, a wonderful couple we rooted for, and some nice secondary characters, especially Jack.  When the time comes to meet her betrothed, Emily knows that she has fallen in love with Travis.  Will she stop her promised marriage?  Can Travis win her over?

This was not only a nice romance, but a lot of fun.  As we get closer to the end, there are some exciting parts that threaten both Emily and Travis. One Pink Rose was a nice read, which did have an old fashion feel, and a nice change to a pure romance.  If you love historical romances, something which Julie Garwood always did so well, then I suggest you read One Pink Rose.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

giveaway

Julie’s publisher is offering a paper copy of the first book, FOR THE ROSES to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

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8. Giveaway runs from May 10 – 14, 2016

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Fast Track by Julie Garwood – a Review

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Fast Track by Julie Garwood – a Review

 

Fast Track
Buchanan/Renard series – Book #12
by Julie Garwood
Release Date: July 29, 2014

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Description:
Cordelia Kane has always been a daddy’s girl—her father raised her alone after her mother died in a car crash when Cordelia was just two years old. So when he has a serious heart attack, Cordelia is devastated, and the emotion is only intensified by the confusion she feels when he reveals the shocking truth about her mother.

Cordelia can’t suppress her curiosity about the woman who gave birth to her, and when she discovers the answers to her questions lie in Sydney, Australia, she travels there to get them.

Hotel magnate Aiden Madison is Cordelia’s best friend’s older brother. He’s oblivious to the fact that she’s had a crush on him for years. When he gets railroaded into taking her along to Sydney on his company jet, he unknowingly puts her life at risk. He’s recently angered a powerful congressman by refusing to purchase overvalued land. Congressman Chambers is not a man to let such an offense slide, and he has the resources to get even and to get what he wants.

In Australia sparks are flying between Cordelia and Aiden, but multiple attempts on Aiden’s life are made while Cordelia is with him, and he realizes he must put a stop to the madness before he loses the thing he values most.

 

 Review:

Fast Track by Julie Garwood is the 12th book in her Buchanan/Renard series. I have read the last few books in this series, and have loved them. However, after reading this one, I need to go back and see which of the earlier books have the characters from this story. I totally loved them all. Unless you want to read the other books, it is not necessary as these books can be read as standalones very well.

We are introduced to our heroine, Cordelia (Cordie) when she was just 5 years old. She lives alone with her father, as her mother died not long after she was born. When she attends her first day at kindergarten, she meets her friends, Sophie Rose and Regan Madison. The three girls, would remain inseparable friends for life, as well as the other members of their families. Even at the age of 5, Cordie developed a crush on Regan’s older brother Aiden, but she hid her secret well.

We switch to current day, where Cordie, now in her twenties, is sitting by her father’s bedside in the hospital, as he is near death. Andrew Kane was a simple auto mechanic in the early days, who rose to be a multi-millionaire, owning all the Kane Automotive stores he built. Before he takes his last breath, he tells Cordie that he has protected her in his will, so that “she” cannot touch it. Confused, Cordie asks “who”? In his last breath, he tells her that her mother was still alive.

After the funeral, with her friends (Regan and her husband Alec; Sophie and her husband, Jack; both of whom we met in earlier books, Aiden and the other brothers) there to give her support, Cordie confides to them the shocking truth about her mother. She shows them the goodbye letter her mother wrote her father when she left him, saying she it was mistake, she wanted a better life, and did not want custody “You can have her”. With that statement, Cordie wants nothing to do with her mother. Only after a bit, she decides she would just like to see her once, to see if she got everything she wanted in life, with no feeling about her betrayal of her heartbroken father.

What follows is a great story of finding her mother with the help of her friends (Alex and Jack are FBI agents). Aiden, who begins see the grownup Cordie in a different light, finds himself being attracted, as well as protective of her. The story becomes very exciting, as she reveals to her mother who she is, and the repercussions are escalated. Her mother is part of a wealthy powerful family, and Cordie is deemed a threat. Her life is now in danger, and Aiden protectively guards her and brings her home. It is her friends and family that will stand by her and help her fight against the threats that follow her home.

Besides this suspenseful storyline, the romance between Aiden and Cordie is wonderful to watch. Cordie may have had a crush all her life on Aiden, but she never thought that there was ever any hope. This romance built with each passing day that they spent together, with Aiden taking control. The sparks flew over the pages, as their chemistry together was sizzling. I loved the humor between them

Fast Track is a fun filled story, with a wonderful couple, super secondary characters, and an exciting climax at the finish. The romance was a sweet and delightful one, and I adored the friendship of them all. Being a true romantic, I love when there is a nice epilogue, giving us a peek at our heroes at the end. Julie Garwood has another winner.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

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Hotshot by Julie Garwood – a Review

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Hotshot by Julie Garwood – a Review

 

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Links to order Hotshot:  Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository

Description:
Peyton Lockhart and her sisters have inherited Bishop’s Cove, a small, luxurious oceanfront resort, but it comes with a condition: The girls must run the resort for one year and show a profit—only then will they own it.

A graduate of a prestigious French culinary school, Peyton has just lost her job as a food critic. Out of work and in a bad place personally, a year doing something completely different sounds wonderful.

There are countless challenges and too many people who want to stop the sisters from succeeding. Among them are Peyton’s contentious cousins, who are outraged that they didn’t inherit the resort, as well as a powerful group of land developers who have been eyeing the coveted beachfront property.

It’s soon apparent to Peyton that their efforts are being sabotaged, but she refuses to let the threats scare her—until she’s nearly killed. She calls on her childhood friend and protector, Finn MacBain, now with the FBI, and asks for his help. He saved her life once; he can do it again.


Review:

Hotshot by Julie Garwood is a romance thriller.  This was an enjoyable read with a mix of romance, family relationships, mystery, danger and a wonderful couple.  We meet our couple when they were very young; Finn our hero, was 14 years old when he saved Peyton, only 6 at the time,  from drowning in her family’s swimming pool, during a party. 

Peyton always had a crush on Finn, following his Olympic swimming career, as she grew up.  Finn though never really paid attention to Peyton.  The story picks up years later, as Peyton, who having graduated from college & having spent time learning to specialize in cooking under a culinary chef,   heads for Minnesota to work for a cooking  magazine.   Her dream job turns into a nightmare, as she is sexually harassed by her boss.  Refusing to leave her alone, she finally decides to take matters into her own hands.

Finding out that her boss had a bad temper, and was becoming aggressively dangerous, Peyton leaves and goes back home to Texas.  While attending a wedding, Peyton meets Finn, and to his surprise, he sees this beautiful woman walking toward him, who proceeds to give him a kiss.  Peyton realizes Finn does not recognize her, and calls him by her nickname for him, when they were young…Hotshot.  Of course Finn is shocked that the scrawny child he saved, and who would follow him around, was now all grown up and a beautiful young lady.

Finn, who is now an FBI agent, notices Peyton’s car has bullet holes.   She explains to him that when she left Minnesota, someone was following her.  She proceeded to tell him the story, and Finn decides he needs to investigate and protect Peyton.

What follows is an exciting story, as Peyton’s life is possibly in danger, but she is determined to bring the truth out, so that she can save other women from this awful man.  But Peyton’s sister and friends convince her to say nothing, and move on. 

Then Peyton, and her sisters are offered a deal take over their Uncle’s oceanfront resort in Florida to fix it up, bring it back to it’s former luxurious state, and if they show a profit, it will be come theirs to own.  Her sister Lucy is another one Garwood’s wonderful characters in this book.  The scene shifts to Bishop’s Cove, an oceanfront resort, where the sisters will work to bring it back to its former glory, but betrayals, family jealousy will make it that much harder to succeed.  

During all of this, the threat against Peyton is still real, and Finn is determined to protect her.  What follows is a beautiful romance between two wonderful characters in Finn and Peyton.  We know from the start that Peyton falls hard for Finn, but dedicated to his job, he refuses to allow himself to commit to anyone, though he doesn’t truly understand his strong feelings for Peyton.  Their sexual chemistry was hot, but despite that, Finn wouldn’t let it sway him. 

But when danger rears it head against Peyton, Finn returns and works out a plan with her to reveal the people sabotaging the resort, as well as working with the FBI to expose her former boss in Minnesota. 

Hotshot was an exciting story filled with action from start to finish. In between the suspense, we have a wonderful story of the sisters working to rebuild the resort, and love is in the air for both of them.   Will Finn open his eyes and his heart to Peyton?  Will they find out who is sabotaging them in time to save the resort?  Will Peyton be able to stop & expose the ex boss, before he comes after her?  So many questions that will answered by the end.  But the best part of Hotshot is the romance between Finn and Peyton.  I do recommend this book to all who like romance, suspense and a fun exciting read.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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Catching Up with Julie Garwood

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Catching Up With Julie Garwood

 

 

The Reading Cafe is thrilled to have Julie Garwood with us today. Julie is here today to discuss her newest release ..Sweet Talk, as well as to tell us anything else that might be upcoming on her busy schedule.

Without further ado, let’s catch up with Julie.

 

 

TRC: Hi Julie. Thank you for taking the time to visit us at The Reading Cafe, to discuss your new release “Sweet Talk”, as well as to give us an update as to what you have in store for us for the remainder of the year and in 2013.

TRC: Sweet Talk was released on August 7th. Would you please tell us the premise of this romance suspense story? Also, how did you come up with this idea?

Julie: The story in Sweet Talk centers around Olivia MacKenzie and her quest to stop her father from hurting innocent victims with his investments schemes.  She’s convinced he’s running a scam, but she hasn’t found proof.  She’s even taken a job with the IRS to learn more about investigative methods.   At the beginning of the book, she’s interviewing for a new job because of cutbacks at the IRS and accidentally gets mixed up in an FBI sting operation.  It’s a disastrous situation, except for one thing—she meets Agent Grayson Kincaid.  As her life gets more complicated and dangerous, and things begin to heat up, so does her relationship with Grayson.

I was inspired to write this story after reading about the greed and corruption of men like Bernie Madoff and Ken Lay.  I created a heroine who is the daughter of one of these con artists.  She sets out to stop her father from destroying the lives of people who trust him.  Her crusade gets her into all sorts of trouble, but in the process, she meets Grayson.   She’s hesitant to let herself fall in love, but he’s not only irresistible, he also shows her what a good man truly is.

TRC: What were your challenges in writing Sweet Talk, especially since your heroine was an IRS Agent, and the hero was an FBI Agent? Do you use the same writing process for each book, as you did for Sweet Talk?

Julie:  My writing process was the same for this book as it has been with most of my others.  I start out with a question of “What if…?” and go from there.  The challenge is always getting the first chapter just right.  Those first few sentences set the tone for the rest of the story.

 

Links to purchase Sweet Talk:
Amazon:
Barnes and Noble:
IBooks:
RainyDayBooks:

TRC:  Your first book published was a YA book titled, A Girl Named Summer. You re-released this book in e-format in June of this year. Why did you decide to re-release your first book?

Julie:  My publisher came to me and asked if I’d be interested in releasing it as an e-book, and I was thrilled.  Even though it was written many years ago, we decided not to change it or update it for 2012.  We thought it would give a nostalgic look back at a more innocent time, and hopefully mothers would share it with their daughters.  So far, the response has been great.  I’ve heard from readers young and old who tell me they identify with the characters, and that’s so gratifying.

TRC:  You write both historical and contemporary romance novels. Do you have a preference, if so why? Would you consider writing another genre like YA again?

Julie:  I love writing both.  The historicals will always be near and dear to my heart, but I also love the freedom of incorporating current topics and language into my contemporary novels.  In my dream world, I’d be writing both at the same time, but unfortunately, I haven’t figured out how to do that yet.  The publisher has asked for several more contemporary romantic suspense stories, so that’s what I’ll be working on for a while, but I’d love to visit medieval Scotland again.  I’m always a little homesick for the Highlands, so I’ll keep them in mind as I’m working on new ideas.

As for the YA’s—there again, in my perfect world, I’d have time to write more of them.  I’ve actually got a plot outline for a book that I’ve been wanting to develop for years.

I know I’ll write it eventually, but I just can’t predict how soon.

TRC: Would you like to share with us what you may have upcoming in 2012 or 2013?

Julie:  I’m working on a book for 2013 that’s the first in a trilogy.  It’s about three sisters who unexpectedly inherit a small resort on the Gulf.  Each of their stories shows how their lives change when they set off in a new direction.

TRC: This trilogy sounds wonderful.  I can’t wait for the first book.

TRC:  Thank you, Julie for giving us an update on what we can look forward to for the rest of this year and next. Good luck on Sweet Talk.

If you want to learn more about Julie, you can visit her at the following links:

Website: http://www.juliegarwood.com/
Facebook:
Twitter:
Goodreads:

Biography
It’s no surprise that Julie Garwood became a writer. Growing up in a large family of Irish heritage, she took to storytelling naturally. “The Irish relish getting all the details of every situation,” she explains. “Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life I learned that self-expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick.”

Creating stories was always a passion for Julie, but she didn’t focus on making it a career until the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young adult books, she turned her interests to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published in 1985, and there has been a steady parade of bestsellers ever since. Today more than 36 million copies of her books are in print, and they are translated in dozens of languages around the world. One of her most popular novels, FOR THE ROSES, was adapted for a HALLMARK HALL OF FAME production on CBS.

Whether the setting be medieval Scotland, Regency England, frontier Montana, or modern-day Louisiana, her themes are consistent: family, loyalty, and honor. Readers claim that it’s the humor as well as poignancy of her novels that keep them coming back for more. Julie described her goals this way: “I want my readers to laugh and cry and fall in love. Basically, I want them to escape into another world for a little while and afterwards to feel as though they’ve been on a great adventure.”
Julie lives in Leawood, Kansas, and is currently working on her next novel.

Bibliography
Novels:
Gentle Warrior
A Girl Named Summer
Rebellious Desire
Honor’s Splendour
The Prize
Saving Grace
Prince Charming
Sweet Talk

Crown’s Spies Series:
The Lion’s Lady
Guardian Angel
The Gift
Castles

Lairds’ Brides Series:
The Bride
The Wedding

Highlands’ Lairds Series:
The Secret
Ransom
Shadow Music

Clayborne of Rosehill Series:
For The Roses
One Pink Rose (and in “The Clayborne Brides”)
One White Rose (and in “The Clayborne Brides”)
One Red Rose (and in “The Clayborne Brides”)
Come The Spring

Buchanan-Renard-McKenna Series:
Heartbreaker
Mercy
Killjoy
Murder List
Slow Burn
Shadow Dance
Fire and Ice
Sizzle

 

 Julie has graciously agreed to offer one lucky winner of The Reading Café a free copy of her wonderful new novel “Sweet Talk”. 

1.  You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are not a member, please register using the Log-In at the top of the page, or by using one of our social log-ins.

2.  If you are using a social log-in e.g. Twitter, please leave your email address along with your comment.

3.  Please post a comment and tell us your favorite novel by Julie.

4.  Giveaway open to U.S. or Canada only

5.  Contests runs from August 24st – 27th.

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