Another NEW cover! By@BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

 I am very excited to announce that more books are coming from me set in the lovely beach town created last year in Last Chance Beach. You may recall that I wrote Hangover Husband in a lovely box set of short romances. 

Today I'm revealing my next full length novel titled FAKE ME. You guessed it, this is a fake relationship story. 

What happens when a matchmaker matches a matchmaker with her grieving brother? He gets well and truly tired of being set up.

Never mind that Grady O'Hara's turned himself into the biggest grouch in Last Chance Beach and hidden away in the Landseer Motel...his sister is determined to pull him out of his bolt hole and bring him back into the light. 

Except Grady has a secret he won't share with anyone, especially not his sister. And this pretty, sweet-faced, pitbull wannabe that shows up at his door won't make him.

Grady O’Hara has gone to ground at the Landseer Motel in Last Chance Beach.

For months he’s licked his wounds after his fiancée’s drowning. What the world doesn’t know is she’d been on her way to her lover when her canoe tipped the night before the wedding. Grady is in no hurry to return to his life in New York. He’s unkempt, unhappy, and likes it that way.

Farren Parks needs the Landseer Motel and the man ensconced there. Her plans for Singles Fest, a dating app aimed at single parents and their children hinge on providing the amenities, location, and price range of the closed motel.

Farren needs Grady to open his motel, and his grouchy, bruised heart. What she finds when she forces her way into the international real estate broker’s life is enough to make weaker women run for the hills. But Farren’s future depends on getting Grady onboard with her plans.

Grady knows the real reason Farren has been sicced on him. His sister is back to her matchmaking schemes and he’s had enough, considering how the last set-up ended.  The only way to get his sister to leave him to his solitude is to pretend the match with the delectable Farren Parks has paid off. 

Grady promises to help Farren with her fledgling business and open the motel if she’ll play along with his fake dating plan. Only to get his sister to back off, of course. 

Author Bonnie Edwards lives with her husband and pets on the coast of British Columbia. She has written novels, novellas, and short stories for Kensington Books, Harlequin Books, Carina Press, and Robinson (UK) although now she publishes her work herself. With four ongoing romance series and contemporary family novels in her newest series, Return to Welcome, she rarely spends a day without writing. For new release info and to get a free romance sign up for her newsletter: Bonnie’s Newsy Bits.

See more about her here: https://www.bonnieedwards.com/ Find her online here: BookBub Amazon Twitter Facebook Instagram

Showers of Riches by Liz Flaherty #RomanceGems

A week or so ago, when I said, Sure, I'll write a post for a vacant day, I threw that title up there at the top to save my place. "Showers of Riches." Because, you know, showers for April. Riches because...well, because no one had used it yet. And because, when I went to adding them up, April does indeed offer an abundance of them.

Both of my parents were born in April, as were my oldest son and two of my grandkids. That same son married my beloved daughter-in-law 31 years ago on the 30th. I am grateful beyond measure.

But this is a writing blog, isn't it, and my writing life hasn't been quite so enriched in past years. While I'm happy for those who've had great years and who are embracing the changes I can't quite keep up with--actually, there's no "quite" to it; I can't keep up, period--I've spend most of the past several years wondering about my place in publishing. In the inimitable words of Clash, "Should I stay or should I go?"

Of course, it was never a real tossup. I'm staying. Probably until they withdraw the mouse from my cold, dead hand. But I've talked about quitting so much my friend Nan rolls her eyes and my husband completely ignores me. (He does that on other occasions, too, but we're not talking about that today.)

So I did what writers always do. I asked my friends what it was like for them.

Kari Lemor said, "Every time I look at my dashboard and see days and weeks of no sales, I think 'what's the point?' But then the stories in my head nag at me to write them. I'm not really given a choice."

Well, yes, there is that...and Nancy Fraser agreed. "Like Kari, the stories that pop into my head keep me going. I'd hate think how crowded it would get in there if I didn't get them out."

Marcia King-Gamble said, "After writing as many as five books a year, and managing a demanding full time job, traditional publishing underwent a change.  Publishers began buying  a different kind of book. Sex really does sell. My income took a hit, but I couldn't not write. There's still a market out there for readers who want good stories with a slower sensual build."

From Bonnie Edwards: "I'm not sure what my mind would be full of. Without writing I envision a huge black void, like the deepest reaches of space...infinite, cold and alone. What would I fill that with if not characters and stories?

The whole idea is terrifying."

M. J. Schiller said, "I've never thought of quitting, but scaling back on marketing, yes! I have a few more books I want to get out and aggressively market and the others I will take more time with and make it more of a hobby than a job."

From Jan Scarbrough: "Writing is part of my identity. When I was getting chemo last summer, I couldn’t volunteer, I couldn’t go horseback riding, but I could write."

Kara Watson says: "I keep publishing so I can make my characters real. If they stayed in a manuscript on a laptop, no one else would ever get to know them. And that's so sad to me."

From Amie Denman: "Writing makes me happy, and I need a place for all the stories in my head!"

For myself, once I asked this question, I thought over and over about how many 1000s of words I've written since the beginning of the pandemic. Did it make my voice different? Uh-huh. But it gave writers an endless and bottomless place to put our frustration. It reminded us every day that even masked and distanced, we could still laugh, love, and work. 

Quit? Oh, no. Not going to happen.

Thanks to everyone for their answers to my "help me with this!" question. Both the variety and the sameness in the answers reflect back to the blog title, don't they? Whether we are traditionally, indie, or hybrid published, our voices and the methods in which we use them are indeed showers of riches. 

Of course, that prose is a little purple: showers of riches, indeed. Hmph. Obviously, I need an editor. 

Winter Wonderland? Where? by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

The theme this month for our merry band of writers is Winter Wonderland. Yesterday, it dawned on me that I'm already dealing with a seasonal allergy. In Canada, in January. 

I know that might seem strange to most people in North America, because, well...Winter Wonderland. But, where I live heather is blooming, moss is in season, grass is growing. It's so green here it looks like Ireland! We're seeing some winter sunshine on rare afternoons and the temperatures are pretty warm...considering Winter Wonderland.

We walked past a blooming plant that was about ten feet tall the other day. Long yellow flowers that were so heavy with blossoms, they drooped in a lovely arc. Lovely, until I realized that yellow blooms are supposed to be the highest in allergens. Since that afternoon, we've walked on the other side of the road. 

All this to say the sniffles, itchy tongue, and slight sore throat are not the virus, although the symptoms  had me wondering because we should be in a Winter Wonderland. 

Today, for our walk I decided to try wearing a mask. It's easy to social distance here when you're outside, so I usually leave my mask at home. Other dogwalkers stay well back as we chat...or call to each other from across the road.

Now, when you wear glasses they tend to fog when you wear a mask, and even more so when your heartrate picks up as your breath becomes heavier. Have I mentioned we live in a very hilly area? We get our cardio by default. 

Off we went, me in a disposable mask, trying to hold my glasses off my face so I could see where I was stepping in the woods. After the woods we always do a tour of the neighbourhood and yes, we walked past the yellow blooms again. My fella wandered over for a closer look, but we don't know what the shrub or bush is. Could be related to a sumac? Or not. 

How did I fare? Better! I'm not as sniffley as yesterday and that's a very good thing. The niggley worry that lurks in the back of everyone's mind is gone. Allergies it is...Winter Wonderland? Not so much. 

So, now that I've found a second reason to wear a mask...it feels like I've paid half for them since there's a new use for them now.

Something for you allergy sufferers to consider when your Winter Wonderland is over. Cheers everyone and happy reading!

Author Bonnie Edwards lives with her husband and pets on the coast of British Columbia. She has written novels, novellas, and short stories for Kensington Books, Harlequin Books, Carina Press, and Robinson (UK) although now she publishes her work herself.

With four ongoing romance series and contemporary family novels in her newest series, Return to Welcome, she rarely spends a day without writing. For more news you can sign up for her Bonnie's Newsy Bits.

Check out her website at https://www.bonnieedwards.com/

Say Hello to 2021 (don't let the door hit you on the way out 2020) by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

I'm so excited to be here in this new year. I've never looked forward to a new year quite as much. Well, maybe I have in years past when my personal world was atumble. But today? The whole world held their breath at the end of that last year whose number will not be said. 

We're all so ready to move on, to move forward, to have a future where we can do what people do: hug, kiss, commune in whispers, shout, sing together, play together. BE together. 

And we will do it all, when the time is right. 

Confession: I'm writing this a couple of days before Christmas...so if things are worse when we get to this day, forgive me for my hopeful thoughts. (How terrible is this Long Pause we're in that I must qualify my hopefulness?)

But in keeping with new starts and new plans, I bring you three romances of mine you may have missed over time. Love Stories is a collection of some of my favourite books: Love in a Pawn Shop, Sweet Ride!, and Like An Angel.

The connecting theme to this set is family...and each one is unique. Love in a Pawn Shop is about a sister & brother moving into their futures and about finally having your dream come true...only to find love has another idea for you.

In Sweet Ride!, the family consists of a young woman who can't do "family" being swept up into the lives of her grumpy boss and his way-too-attractive nephew. Can she accept that love is the most important connection?

And finally, in Like An Angel, a lonely, wealthy woman discovers love on a Saskatchewan prairie when she's forced to help a foster family from being torn apart. She has no skills, no experience, and no defense from the foster dad who's desperate and the children who need her.

Sold separately, these romances would cost nearly $15, but to celebrate the new year it is sale priced so that you get three full novels for the price of two. 

Settle in, let the winds howl and relax with these three steamy and sweet romances. You can buy Love Stories here or read it in Kindle Unlimited.

Author Bonnie Edwards lives with her husband and pets on the coast of British Columbia. She has written novels, novellas, and short stories for Kensington Books, Harlequin Books, Carina Press, and Robinson (UK) although now she publishes her work herself.

With four ongoing romance series and contemporary family novels in her newest series, Return to Welcome, she rarely spends a day without writing. For more news you can sign up for her Bonnie's Newsy Bits.

Check out her website at https://www.bonnieedwards.com/

May 2021 bring you all the peace, good health and togetherness you crave! Be safe, be healthy and read romance! 

Bonnie Edwards

My Gift of Romance to you by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

This month's theme is the Gift of Romance and we're so lucky to have such a gift. Readers and writers love Chapter One, Page One, because it means we've opened a whole world of possibilities and we know that whatever else happens...things will work out in the end. By things, I mean relationships, jobs, and life decisions, because there can't be a happily ever after if the things surrounding the hero and heroine aren't sorted out along with the love they share. 

As I write this, I can say that I typed the words Chapter One yesterday. That's right, my new gift of romance will be titled: Claiming Shandy Return to Welcome Book 4. I'm really excited to start this book because Shandy Camden was introduced to readers in the very first pages of the first book in this series.  

It's fitting that she finally gets her own HEA. She started off setting her sights on the hero of book one, and losing out to the heroine, Mercy. By book 2 Shandy popped up again and renewed her acquaintance with the heroine Elle and they formed a strong friendship. In Book 3 Shandy's innate kindness and bravery endeared her (finally) to Mercy...her erstwhile rival.

A foursome of strong, bright, confident women supported each other through a lot! 

Still, the woman who'd wanted to meet a decent, good man throughout the series was still alone. Who is her hero, you ask? 

Ah! But that's the gift, isn't it? The not knowing, the anticipation of new love and fresh perspective, of things coming right and happy endings.

I expect to have Claiming Shandy Return to Welcome Book 4 available in the summer 2021 but it's set at Christmas time. 

Which got me thinking about how many Christmas books I've written and here they are in one picture. 

Love at Christmas is a collection of the 3 books on the bottom: Invitation to Christmas, Not-so-Blue Christmas and One Crazy Christmas. I included it because I love the cover and it's less costly to buy the collection than it is to buy the books individually. 

The Tinsel Tango is one of ten lovely holiday romances in the fabulous boxset Christmas Comes to Dickens.

And Christmas to the Max is my newest book that crosses two series with a hero from one series moving to Welcome WA where my Return to Welcome series is set.

If you want to see more on these titles please check out my Amazon Author Page where you'll find a complete list of all my romances. (over 30!) 

Even though this Christmas will be quieter than most we've had, it'll be safer and healthier and soon enough a memory. And won't that make next Christmas all the sweeter? I think so.

Meantime, happy reading and stay safe.

Bonnie Edwards

Gratitude for Release Day! Christmas to the Max by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

For the first time ever, I backed up into a story. Normally, I’m a writer that knows what book is up next. I even tell people what my next book will be before I start. Not that I plan out for years in advance...but I know which one is next. You know...like a normal person.

But not this time! Weirdly, in this month of thankfulness, I'm kind of, sort of, grateful for the lockdown. There were days I had nothing to do but write. I began and finished other stories because I committed to them. I ignored Max's call because it wasn't the book I was supposed to be writing. 

Amazon Exclusive

I had planned to write Claiming Shandy Return to Welcome Book 4. It was the logical next step in the series because I’d written books for three of her friends (one started as a frenemy, but they worked it out). I even put information on the book at the end of Craving Jake (Book 3).

But then I thought I could jump on a bandwagon with other writers and come up with a linked story to suit a different sort of project. I planned a quick novella to fit in before I started Shandy’s story. Then the characters and setting came to life and suddenly I had more to say than a novella could hold. And I had the perfect characters and setting to say it. Christmas to the Max was born.

I am so glad the story pulled at me. I'd wanted to write about a female house renovator for years. I'd fallen for Max when he stood on the front steps of his home and talked to his ex-wife in One Crazy Christmas. 

And today is RELEASE DAY! Here's a bit about the story...

A stand-alone Return to Welcome Novel: Christmas to the Max brings two charming and romantic series together! 

Max Whyte (Love at Christmas) moves to Welcome, WA. (Return to Welcome) Max Whyte moves to Welcome WA to live closer to his daughters. He wants to fix up an old home, settle into his new job, and try not to think about turning forty alone. Burned by a single mother before, he vows not to get tangled with another woman with children.

When he saves the life of a small boy, he finds himself hooked in more ways than he can imagine. 

The boy’s mother turns out to be the perfect person to do his renovations, but Max has trouble keeping his personal feelings out of their employer/employee relationship.

Kaylin Simpson has returned to Welcome to give her boys the kind of home she longed for as a child. She needs a fresh, stable start and to run her own business. Her three-year-old twins keep her hopping, but after she finishes the renovations for Max, she hopes to have her life well in hand.

Max is drawn to Kaylin and her adorable twin boys despite his reservations. Her wit and feisty spirit pull at his heartstrings until he remembers being a stepfather is never what he wanted.

Kaylin’s gutsy spirit changes her view of herself. She and Max struggle to find a way to move beyond past hurts to let love blossom.

I'm very excited to share this news, of course and to wish everyone a happy holiday season full of good books! 

Happy Reading! 

Bonnie Edwards

Bonnie's Newsy Bits (newsletter)

Happy Ever After by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

 We always hear about how life is not like a romance novel. That romances are pure fantasy and not at all “real.” Well…here’s the real deal…

There was once a teen in high school who enjoyed the company of a very pretty girl. Every day during lunch period they’d walk the grounds of the school and she was so nice that she would point out lots of other girls that he could ask out. She knew there were plenty who wanted to see more of her friend. Nothing came of their good friendship because the nice, pretty girl was spoken for and had a long-term boyfriend who went to another school.

They went their separate ways, she to a college far away, and he to university, where they both excelled. They launched their careers and the pretty girl lived in a different city with her long-term boyfriend. The man returned to their hometown and succeeded in business.

Sometimes, the old friends would chat the night away at parties hosted by old friends in town, while the long-term boyfriend was the life of the party.

Eventually, after the pretty girl realized her boyfriend was still a boy and not a man, they broke up. After years of being attached, the pretty girl saw that she’d been looking at the wrong man to share her future. The real man she wanted had been there all along, kind, considerate, and patient.

At a wedding of old friends, the man waited for the pretty girl to arrive. He paced and worried about if she was bringing a date. (Buddies reported he was in a heck of a state.) Of course, she didn’t. She went, hoping that he’d be there alone and maybe, just maybe, something would spark to life between them…

And here we have three standard romance tropes: Friends to Lovers, Second Chance at Love, Small Town Reunion (at a wedding no less) with a happily ever after ending. And it’s all true! My daughter and her husband now have two little boys, two thriving businesses, and life is grand.

In my romance Finding Mercy (Return to Welcome Book 1) failed actress Mercy Talbot returns to her small town, Welcome, WA where memories are long and grudges are fresh as daisies. Gossip is the stock in trade and returning only feeds the rumor mill and brings up old animosity. But Mercy finds a purpose in her motherless niece and decides to help the child be herself. To do that, she must do battle with her own mother who's doing the best she can for her granddaughter.

What doesn't work is her startling attraction to her brother-in-law, a widowed single father who struggles to be the best daddy he can be...but Clay Foster needs help and he knows it.

Falling for Mercy would be a bigger mistake than marrying her sister had been...and when her career takes Mercy away again, she'll take his little girl's heart with her and leave him broken. 

For the month of September, Finding Mercy is available for only 99c. If you haven't read it yet, please do...it's a different take on small town life and the cast of characters are well-rounded and real. Including Dilly, who saves worms and hates dancing lessons. 

Finding Mercy Return to Welcome Book 1 is an Amazon exclusive title and can be enjoyed through Kindle Unlimited if you're a subscriber. OR you can purchase for the low price of 99c for the next two weeks.

Happy reading!

Book Birthday! Rayder's Appeal by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

This isn't my normal blogging day on Romance Gems and I have Liz Flaherty to thank for switching with me, but I've got special news to share:

Today I'm pleased to announce that the fourth book in my series The Brantons is finally available! Rayder Cole is from a darker, unsavory branch of the Branton family. Undeniably sexy, Rayder once used his appeal to finesse his way into Ellie Macklin's heart...and her bed. Tsk tsk!

And in keeping with this month's theme of Steamy Days and Steamy Nights...Rayder's Appeal has the steam!

I'm old enough to have enjoyed the TV series Remington Steele in the 1980s. The show starred Pierce Brosnan (be still my heart - the man gets better with time!) and Stephanie Zimbalist. You were never really sure if Remington was up to his old con man tricks or not.

I bring that same dynamic to Rayder's Appeal. At least, I hope I did. If you read it, feel free to review and let me know!

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Available everywhere fine romances are sold!

What can a reformed con man do when the woman who changed his life needs his help? Eleanor Macklin has overcome her past and repaired the damage done by her first, and only, love. She has all she’s ever wanted, her family’s art gallery. If she’s not as spontaneous, or giving, or loving as she once was, well… that’s a life lesson she learned the hard way from a master of deceit. And trust is a thing of the past…

Rayder Cole has stumbled on a plot to forge stolen art that could ruin Ellie Macklin’s art gallery. He must get the forgery back before Ellie’s life is in ruins. He’s done enough damage to the only woman he’s ever loved, and now, he’s back to save what Ellie’s worked hard to build.

If Eleanor doesn’t take a chance on Rayder, she’ll lose everything. But trust lost is almost impossible to regain.

While the race is on to find the forger, Rayder’s appeal begins to work its magic again and Eleanor hates that she still finds him sexy. Rayder’s determined to reclaim the woman who stole his heart before he even knew he had one…

This is the end of the month and so it is the last day to enter our Monthly Giveaway



And all of us here on Romance Gems are so excited to talk about Last Chance Beach: Summer's End. You can learn all about it here on our dedicated page. Don't forget to pre-order because you'll want it first thing in the morning on August 4!

And I'm not done yet! The authors of Last Chance Beach have concocted a recipe book of special beverages that's yours free: You can get your copy here: Cocktails on Last Chance Beach

For now, happy reading! And please drink responsibly. Cheers!

Bonnie Edwards

Veranda Beach? Balcony City? by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

When we were young and broke we didn't have the money for a fancy vacation and exotic travel was for other people. Most of us back then had no choice but to opt for Veranda Beach (if you lived in a house) or Balcony City if you lived in an apartment that actually had a balcony. Once we were homeowners we graduated to heading out with a tent to a campground or hitting Backyard Valley. (I've been known to soak my tootsies in my babies' blow up pool.)

With the warnings to stay close to home this summer and international travel curtailed, I'm excited to share that even though you're hanging out at home, you can visit Last Chance Beach for a wonderful, romantic escape!

Here's my cover for Hangover Husband:

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay there...

Sometimes youthful crushes can carry over into adulthood.

Hangover Husband is a sweet, sassy friends-to-lovers short story.

Hangover Husband was born in my mind several years ago and I never got a handle on a conflict that would be strong enough to carry the weight of a full-length novel or novella. But I loved the idea of a hasty Vegas wedding and the aftershocks it could cause.

What seems like a good idea after a fun night on the town, can seem like a disaster in the bright light of day.

What's a girl to do but ask for an equally hasty divorce?


The writers who've brought Last Chance Beach: Summer's End to life invite you to hang out, put your feet up, sip a tall cool one and enjoy all that summer has to offer: sunshine, cool shade, great drinks and the most romantic stories you'll find!

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW! AT THE AMAZING PRICE OF 99 PENNIES

Relax and enjoy the read...

Don't forget in all this excitement that we still have our monthly giveaway going on:

MONTHLY GIVEAWAY

July's Steamy nights are busy! by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

July nights are certainly steamy...and the days stretch clear and lovely ahead of us. Walks on the beach are allowed! We can safely distance from each other where I live, so we're heading out often to enjoy the shells, the tide pools, and the salty breezes. I hope you find yourselves a secluded spot to enjoy the best that July has to offer.

I've been exceptionally busy lately with some secret projects of my own. Effective now, some of my titles are available more widely.

Find Body Work Here

Find Slow Hand Here


Very Sexy Beach Read!

Hot and Steamy Second Chance!

Find Whole Lot o' Love Here

Warm, secret baby second chance romance!

All of this uploading and republishing is to support my next release, Rayder's Appeal, which is the fourth installment of this series. Rayder Cole comes from a totally different branch of the family, a darker, more criminal branch. But, naturally he's totally reformed. Sort of the way Remington Steele was reformed. Honest.

Rayder's Appeal is a romantic suspense with a second chance romance.

What'a reformed con man to do when the woman he loved needs his help?

You can pre-order Rayder's Appeal here for your e-reader. It lands on July 31! Check it out and tell me what you think of this cover!

Two lucky commenters will receive an e-copy of Body Work just by commenting with their email address! Happy reading!

Don't forget to enter our Monthly Giveaway too!

Happy Reading and if you're curious about Last Chance Beach...stay tuned!

Cover Reveal for Rayder's Appeal by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

Kindle Unlimited

Summertime where I live teases us in April. We're in shorts, sandals and getting just a little sun-kissed. But in June, the last of the Arctic winter air is shoved south and the month is known as Junuary. Today, for example, is grey with mist that turns to drizzle that turns to rain. Repeat cycle...for days. Perfect for reading by the fire or writing up a storm.

I've been busy with final revisions and edits for the fourth book in my Brantons series, Rayder's Appeal.

In July, all of the novellas in The Brantons will be available at all major retailers. But for now, Body Work, Slow Hand, and Whole Lot o' Love (and the collection pictured here) are still available in Kindle Unlimited. If you're a member, I'd say it's time to read this set while it's available.

Now onto Rayder's Appeal. This full length novel is a departure from the others in this series. One, it's longer and two, it's more of a mystery/suspense with no lives at stake: just hearts. (See how I slipped the romance in there?)

First and foremost this is a romance, a steamy, sexy, gotta-have-you romance. When I first conceived this idea I was told by other authors and an editor or two, that this heroine wouldn't work. Well...I'm the most stubborn of the astrological signs (no...not Taurus). I'm the one who patiently waits to clear roadblocks, who finds a way around obstacles to get what I want. And I wanted to write a romance about a woman who'd been conned. I wanted the hero to be that con man.

Challenging? Yes...but then I'm the author who brought a heroine with children from different fathers to fruition and readers LOVE her. So, I believe readers will appreciate the conflicts between Rayder and Eleanor. (He calls her Ellie.)

Rayder's Appeal will be available to purchase at the end of July.


What can a reformed con man do when the woman who changed his life needs his help?

Eleanor Macklin has overcome her past and repaired the damage done by her first, and only, love. She has all she’s ever wanted, her family’s art gallery. If she’s not as spontaneous, or giving, or loving as she once was, well… that’s a life lesson she learned the hard way from a master of deceit. And trust is a thing of the past…

Rayder Cole has stumbled on a plot to forge stolen art that could ruin Ellie Macklin’s art gallery. He must get the forgery back before Ellie’s life is in ruins. He’s done enough damage to the only woman he’s ever loved, and now, he’s back to save what Ellie’s worked hard to build.

If Eleanor doesn’t take a chance on Rayder, she’ll lose everything. But trust lost is almost impossible to regain.

While the race is on to find the forger, Rayder’s appeal begins to work its magic again and Eleanor hates that she still finds him sexy. Rayder’s determined to reclaim the woman who stole his heart before he even knew he had one…

Please try your hand at winning our Monthly Rafflecopter Draw for an Amazon gift card!

Blooming Sweet by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

Romance in Bloom is our theme this month, but we've been hearing about our lives in isolation as well. And why shouldn't we? The world is different from a couple of months ago. We're different. Some of us are coping better than others.

I think writers are coping well. Some of us are more productive because the day job is gone or happening remotely from home. Some of us are not writing at all because of the stress surrounding the changes we've seen and worry over the changes still to come. That does not mean they aren't thinking about their works-in-progress in the back corners of their minds. When their personal stress eases, the stories will flow again and they'll be fired up by all the pent-up ideas and creative energy.

I wondered until yesterday what I had to share here about my writing life and how I cope on a daily basis. I bake!

This is Chocolate Meringue Pie and my husband requested it. On other days I've baked butterscotch pie. But I won't show a photo because it looked a lot like this one. I've had a lot of comments on my meringue. The secret? Whip it longer than you think. Meringue should be pretty firm to peak like this. I've also been baking biscuits to go with some meals like chili or homemade soup. Muffins are another favourite in our home. Baking relaxes me, so I'm using it to help me cope.

Another way I'm coping is reading romances I've read and loved before. They take me away from the headlines of the day. But every night I find myself marveling that the entire world is suffering through this pandemic. I think of the people we interacted with in Portugal: the waitstaff, the bartenders, the cashiers, the cleaning lady, other tourists and realize they, too, are dealing with fear, worry, loss of jobs, and the health of their families. So, too, are the airline personnel who got us home.

When I think of that wide scope, it makes me feel blessed to live where I do. We're allowed to walk park trails, and stroll the beaches because of our relatively small population. We're not crowded and social distancing is easier. We've seen and waved and chatted to more strangers in the past weeks than we ever have because everyone is out walking.

The book I'm working on now is titled Rayder's Appeal and it is connected loosely to my novella series, The Brantons. This one has a quest, or a mystery (but no one dies) and lost of romance. More than once, I was told that Rayder's Appeal had a heroine that wouldn't work. But then, that's my specialty and now I'm ready to unleash Ellie Macklin on the world. I'm in the midst of revisions now and don't have a cover to share, but I should next month so please stay tuned because Rayder's Appeal is coming soon!

Please don't forget to enter our Rafflecopter Giveaway for May! You'll love it.


May's Rafflecopter!

Until next time, keep reading and enjoying the health you have.

Bonnie Edwards

Blooming Romance! by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

In May, everything's in bloom, including love. Spring fever is another euphemism for the desire to get outside, to meet people, and fall in love after being cooped up all winter.(or for weeks of a pandemic)

Yesterday a grandson told me they'd seen a broken Robin's egg on the ground under a tree. Spring and baby birds are here!

Today is a SURPRISE day on the blog, where we don't have a scheduled post and I thought maybe readers would like to know that while love is blooming and life is renewing this month, so are romance books.

So, surprise! I have a couple of stories priced at only 99c that you may have missed.

First up is a novella that has a warm place in my heart because I was invited to write it by a stellar group of ladies to have it included in a boxed set.The set is no longer available but Whole Lot o' Love is still a fun, happy romance.

If you haven't read my work before, I'd like to introduce you to Ashlee Branton and Brick Harcourt, two young lovers torn apart by his family when they were too young to fight back.

She's strong now. She's capable now. And no one can make her run away again.

Amazon Exclusive

Ashlee Branton’s lottery win is enough to give her and her son a new, settled life back home.

Except that returning to Blaine, Washington means facing her son’s father, Brick Harcourt, in a most unsettling way.

But Ashlee has two pasts now, one with Brick and one with an ex who wants to crash their reunion.

Will she run again or stay and sacrifice money for love?



I love reuniting past loves as a writer. When characters know each other in ways the reader doesn't, it makes for a deeper connection than expected. There are shared memories, good and bad.

Next up is a short story, Long Time Coming that was borne of frustration because I couldn't make the idea into a full-length novel. There just wasn't enough "meat" on the bone and I don't like to write books without depth. BUT, as a short story, Long Time Coming is fun, sexy and again, brings two people together who deserve to be after years of being apart.

Available Everywhere!

Kurt McCord has waited far too long to see Leigh Douglas again.

Once, they’d shared a foster home but at 16, he knew it was wrong to want her the way he did.

But that was another time and today, he has Leigh right where he wants her: in his home with her eyes full of promise.

Can they shake off the shackles of the past and finally have all they’ve ever wanted? In a short story that sizzles with heat first love can be a long time coming. . .



Don't forget to enter our Monthly Giveaway for a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Our Monthly Giveaway is in full swing!

Renew yourself with a #FREE book by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

Spring, the time of renewal and regrowth, of seeds sprouting and pollen blowing. Yes, I suffer from seasonal allergies. Which, in this time of the pandemic is a bit disconcerting considering sufferers are sneezing and coughing and sniffling and blowing.

If those symptoms describe something you're going through, here's a tip: if allergy meds put an end to it, it's not the dreaded virus. So, even if you've never had seasonal allergies before try an allergy med if you can. You will save yourself a lot of anxiety about whether or not you've caught this virus that has the world in isolation.

PSA over, and you're welcome. (I've seen much panic on social media about these same symptoms - and allergies can come at any time in your life - I was about 50.)

My previous posts this year were written before we went away to Portugal. OH! Here's another PSA: never try to fly out of a country on the day they declare a State of Emergency. Talk about anxiety!

But enough about me: here's what brought you here, right? To give you some
much-needed relief from the news of the day, I bring you Love in a Pawn Shop for free.

An Amazon Exclusive

A pit bull, a pawn shop and a pain-in-the-butt kid brother. . . Dix is good with two out of three.

She's had it with dusty shelves, desperate people and her teenage brother. With Riley about to graduate, Dix is ready to buy her one-way ticket to Paris.

Then sexy cop Dane Caldwell walks into her store on the hunt for stolen goods, and threatens her brother and her business.

The worst threat is to Dix's heart...if she loses that, she loses her dream. Dane soon realizes he's found love in a pawn shop. Even the pit bull thinks he's okay. Now all he has to do is convince Dix that love is more than just another complication.

I've posted some Easter Eggs for our scavenger hunt. To find them, you need to check out my social media.

Check me out at:

My Amazon author page

Follow me on BookBub

Follow me on FB

 

I trust you're doing all you can to flatten the curve of CoVid-19 by staying home, washing your hands and wearing a mask if you need to. Me? I'm heading off to make some...wish me luck!

All the best to you and yours during this challenge. Take heart -- we'll get through.

Lucky in Love and Money! by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

Earlier this month, Kari Lemor used this title for her post: Luck of the Draw. I smiled when I saw it because one of  the boxed sets I had a book in was called just that. And lucky I was, too, to be included.

I was visiting Las Vegas on a tour of SoCal, Nevada, and Arizona for a winter break when I got an email inviting me into this set with several authors I’d worked with before. The catch? The book had to be written quickly and had to center around the idea of good luck changing a life.

ONLY 99C ON AMAZON

This is where you picture me plotting a story on my iPad as we fly across Hwy 8 from Nevada into SoCal. Pretty country! Understand please, I am not used to plotting books ahead of time, but I knew I had to have the bones of the characters and what they had to learn well before I got back home. I did it!

She's strong now. She's capable now. And no one can make her run away again. 

Ashlee Branton’s lottery win is giving her and her son a new, settled life back home.

Except that returning to Blaine, Washington means facing her son’s father, Brick Harcourt, in a most unsettling way. But Ashlee has two pasts now, one with Brick and one with an ex who wants to crash their reunion.

Will she run again or stay and sacrifice money for love?

The other thing I wanted to do was add to a series I’d written for Kensington Books. They didn’t realize it was a series but I always wanted to write about a family who’d had to pull themselves up and out of a trailer park childhood that was less than pretty. Two of the novellas were published by Kensington and the third (with different character names because my dream of a connected series was dead) was published by Carina Press.

So I felt as if The Brantons was incomplete (until I get the rights back from Carina, that is) and there was room for Whole Lot o’ Love.

So, this goes along with my feeling that luck comes to those who work for it and make sure they’re in places where it can happen. Connecting with other authors and editors is key to luck in publishing.

Speaking of luck, don't forget to hop on over to our Monthly Giveaway page to enter our Rafflecopter contest. If you're in a rush to get to the pot of gold you can also click on this Quick Link.

May the Luck O'The Irish be with you!

Bonnie

Celebrations of Love by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

Again, as I write this, I'm preparing for a trip to sunny Portugal where Valentine's Day is not celebrated in the same way as it is in North America.

While running errands surrounding our trip my husband disappeared in the mall. Not a surprise, plenty of men do this, particularly when -ahem- the wife decides she must check out the store with 70% off. By the time I came out of the store with a new camisole and leggings he'd gone on some mysterious quest of his own.

I found him in the card section of a store. You see, he won't be able to buy me a Valentine's card when we're away. Portuguese men are not nearly as well-trained on this celebration as North American men. A lack, I think, of foresight from the women in Portugal.

In fact, the only thing we'll be able to do to celebrate Valentine's Day (in public, anyway) is go out for dinner. Why? Because the restaurants have embraced the day reserved for love and lovers while card makers and touristy stores have not.

It's even difficult to find birthday cards! And wouldn't you know it, my birthday falls shortly before Valentine's Day.

So he had to find not one, but two cards that show his undying love and support of me: the wife.

Be aware please that I did not prod him to go card hunting before our trip. He wants to avoid all the tramping around from store to store he did last year. He's learned that if he wants the romance to continue, he needs to plan ahead.

Good man. Well trained. Is yours?

A quick update on my year's plan (posted last month): I'm working on adding words to Christmas to the Max! This is the Christmas story that I’ve set in Welcome, WA.

DH is a late sleeper and I'm an early riser so those couple of hours are all mine to write, after I do my short morning yoga practice.

If you enjoy a good second chance romance and feel like grabbing a bargain (who doesn’t?) you might check out my story Whole Lot o’ Love This is a book about a woman with a new start and an old love...and another old love... and it’s only 99 pennies.

Please don't forget to enter our Monthly Giveaway for your chance to win. You can also go directly to the entry form by clicking HERE.

What's Next for health, family & writing by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

I'm writing this post in advance because by the time you read this I'll be away for a much needed sunny winter break. If you want to see more pictures you can always follow me on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/Bonnie.Edwards.Author

What's Next for me? What plans do I have for this new and shiny new year?

I'm a sorry excuse for a planner and am easily distracted by new shiny things and squirrels!! Writing this blog should help keep me on track with my plans for 2020. (I can't even imagine what the end of this decade will bring so there's no way I can think that far ahead.)

For my health: I mention this first because without guarding your health, there's not much hope of attaining any goals. I plan to continue practicing yoga so I can focus on a daily basis. I plan to maintain my recent weight loss (over 20 lbs) so I can avoid diabetes and its complications.

For my family: I plan to pitch in with childcare throughout the year as needed. My grands are growing and these years are precious and fleeting. I will support my siblings as they go through their continuing health challenges.

For my writing: (now this is where the new shiny things can distract me)

1- Complete Christmas to the Max (A Return to Welcome Christmas Book)
2- Write Claiming Shandy Return to Welcome Book 4
3- Plot a book for Hallmark Books
4- Combine my Perdition House novellas into a collection
5- Combine my single title standalone books into a collection
6- Laugh at my ambitious plans on December 1 when I see how little I get done.

Don't forget to enter our monthly giveaway. Full information on the Rafflecopter drawing can be found on our Monthly Giveaway page. You can also find the the entry form HERE.

While your checking out the Giveaway page, don't forget to take a peek at our Movie Theater and Bookstore pages. Not to mention our Free Book giveaways!

Return to Welcome's Next Book by @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

Amazon Exclusive

Our theme on Romance Gems this month is What's Next? And I've done something a little different with my small town romance series, Return to Welcome. Available NOW!

I've joined two different series by taking a character from my Love at Christmas books and moved him to the lovely town of Welcome, WA, where it's not-so-easy to return.

Amazon Exclusive

                     

Max Whyte moves to Welcome where he hires single mom Kaylin Simpson to reno his home. Her new job is Kaylin's first piece of good luck since moving back to town. Seems simple, right? But returning to Welcome never is...


Linking two series has been fun and interesting for me. I get to revisit characters I haven't "talked" to in a long time and I get to set the story in a familiar place I created two years ago and have "visited" three previous times. It's new and familiar all at once. I hope you take this journey with me.

And just to sweeten things today only, Craving Jake Return to Welcome Book 3 is available for #FREE here: Amazon Exclusive

Returning to Welcome was easy…staying will be a challenge. Especially when someone is determined to drive her out.

Brianna Bowler has returned to her small town of Welcome to help run Bowler’s Dog Rescue. She’s also doing everything she can to set aside thoughts of her high school crush Jake Morrow. Jake appears to be with a perfectly perfect sprite of a woman. (Not that she minds how opposite she and the sprite are. Really, she doesn’t.)

Paramedic Jake Morrow has a woman in his house: she cooks, cleans, clings —and irritates the hell out of him. He’d felt sorry for her, injured, alone and broke, and offered to help. Big mistake.

What would really make Jake’s day? His ex-girlfriend finally moving out. But she won’t take his word for it that things are over.

What’s worse is Brianna Bowler's return to Welcome. Their shared tragic past and attraction burns between them as Jake accepts that things aren’t quite right with his ex.

A break-in at the dog rescue, smashed windows, and a stolen laptop all add up to serious trouble for Jake and Brianna. But with his ex in the wind and escalating, Jake’s protective instincts rise as events take a deadly turn.

With the love of his life in danger, Jake comes to see that some women can’t be set aside, not even for their own good…but others want revenge.

Below is our monthly rafflecopter draw. This giveaway ends on Jan. 31 so you have lots of chances to enter. Come back often!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/21df08a233/

Love at Christmas @BonnieEdwards #RomanceGems

I don't think there's a more love-filled season than Christmas. Even if your holiday is blue, as mine is this year, love fills us. For me, it's love for my sister who passed away in June. And it's love for my brother who is suffering terrible pain from his cancer as I type this. Yes, some years Christmas is hard.

We all have years like the one I'm living. That, oddly, is a comfort. The idea gives me strength because hey, if everyone else can survive Christmases like this one, I can, too.

But this post is about love, not grief. It's the love I feel for my other siblings, for my children, and their children that will help me through. I remind myself every few minutes of all there is to be grateful for. My health is good and so is my husband's. We're planning a winter getaway and we're looking forward to lots of family time and fun over the holiday.

I'm blessed. I truly am.

My first Christmas romance is titled Not-so-Blue Christmas and is about grief and love and second chances. I'm pleased to have written it. Even now, I take comfort from Kirk and Miranda's story. I hope you do, too.

Love at Christmas contains three outstanding, warm-hearted Christmas romances that readers love.

In these stories love straddles the American/Canadian border and brings joy to three unique couples…

AMAZON EXCLUSIVE

Not-so Blue Christmas:  In this second chance at love romance, Kirk Fontaine can't bear to talk to anyone, let alone enjoy Christmas. Away from home, in a small harbor city in Canada, broken-hearted Kirk's lost and alone until one small dog refuses to give up on him.

Vibrant widow Miranda Bailey is ready to move into the next phase of her life, except this Christmas is shaping up to be the worst since her husband's death. But instead of hiding, she takes charge, and drags Kirk into her Christmas miracle.

Invitation to Christmas: Tom and Jordyn
Jordyn Bailey kissed Tom Fontaine last Christmas.

But their parents are engaged...

For Jordyn keeping secrets in a family determined to mesh their lives is all kinds of crazy. Secretly sleeping with Tom could get messy because she's on the baby track while he's on the party track.

If they're careful and keep their attraction under wraps maybe it will burn out and they can be friends.

Now...It's Christmas again and Tom wants to unwrap everything, including Jordyn.

One Crazy Christmas: Cade and Karyn
Between them, they have five daughters. They live in different countries. But love doesn’t give a fig about that because this is One Crazy Christmas…

Karyn Whyte is a busy single mom of two, the owner of Whyte’s Christmas—a woman who would like to meet a convenient man—one who lives nearby, has no baggage and makes no demands. Oh, and he must like curvy women.

Cade Devine’s a devoted single dad to three little girls. Sure, he’s got his hands full, but that doesn’t mean he wants to be alone. At a mutual friend’s wedding, interest flares at first sight. Enticed and attracted, they break free of their constraints for one long weekend of passion and deeply satisfying companionship.

With five other hearts at stake Karyn and Cade accept that responsibility must win over the love they’ve found. Fate can be cruel and sometimes love hurts. Accepting an invitation to Christmas with their newlywed friends brings Karyn, Cade, and their children face-to-face and anything can happen when love and family come together on one crazy Christmas…

Don't forget to enter our RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY We're being extra generous this month to help our readers celebrate.