Get Lost With... Jessica Hart

Please join me in welcoming Jessica Hart, as she celebrates the re-release of 5 of her early novels!

Jessica Hart Vintage Collection

Publisher: Coleman Hart

The Blurb:

Five of award-winning romance author Jessica Hart’s earliest novels are now available for the first time as ebooks.  Previously published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon, the books in the Jessica Hart Vintage Collection are personally introduced by Jessica and feature her trademark warm, witty and feel-good style.

Rediscover your old favourites or meet new friends and treat yourself to a feast of romance and adventure - from the green of the English countryside to the heat of the Australian outback.

Read an excerpt on Jessica's website

Meet Jessica!

Jessica’s earlier career was a haphazard one, including stints as foreign newsdesk secretary in London, cook on an Australian outback cattle station, TEFL teacher in Jakarta and interpreter on expedition in Cameroon.  She first stumbled into writing as a way of funding a Ph.D. in Medieval Studies, and since then she has written 60 books for Harlequin Mills & Boon.  A RITA®  finalist in 2013 and 2009 and winner in 2005,  Jessica is also a past winner and multiple finalist for  the UK’s coveted Romance Prize (now the RoNA Rose Award).  Jessica was awarded the National Readers’ Choice Award (Traditional category) for her 50^th book, Last-Minute Proposal, in 2009 and again in 2010 for Cinderella’s Wedding Wish.

Jessica lives in York, and also writes ‘time slip’ novels under her real name, Pamela Hartshorne.

Let's get to the good stuff!

Lara: How often to you get lost in a story?

JESSICA: When I’m reading, every day!  When I’m writing … well, sometimes it can be a slog, and sometimes there’s a moment of magic when the story becomes real and the characters take over and suck me into their world.  That’s when I know the book is going to work, and it’s the best feeling!

Lara: What is your biggest vice?

JESSICA:  Impatience

Lara: Be honest, when reading...do you put yourself in the heroine’s role?

JESSICA: Is this something I should be ashamed about??  I do this all the time!  If I can’t identify with the heroine, I can’t get into a story.  [Lara: No need to be ashamed--I feel the same way!]

Lara: How did you come up with the idea for the books in your vintage collection?

JESSICA: After two false starts, I finally had the bright idea of reading a book on how to

Jessica's childhood home

write romance, and I remember it advised me to write about what I knew.  So I did.  The Vintage Collection features five of my earliest books, including my first three, and the settings are all based on my own experiences.  The very first, A Sweeter Prejudice, is set in an English village like the one I grew up in, The Trouble with Love has an African setting and used all sorts of incidents from my time on expedition there, and I once spent three months as a cook on an outback cattle station in Australia which was the inspiration for Woman at Willagong Creek.  I still like to write about settings I know well, and re-reading the books in my Vintage Collection was a real trip down memory lane for me!

Lara: What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

JESSICA: Writing enabled me to fund and complete my PhD.

Lara: What do you do to unwind and relax?

JESSICA: Walking and cooking are favourite activities of mine, but to be honest the best way I’ve found to relax is to have a good chat with a friend over a bottle of wine.

Lara: What sound or noise do you love?

JESSICA:  The whirr of insects on a tropical night.

Lara: What will always make you smile, even on a bad day?

JESSICA: A dog, wagging its tail. [Lara: That makes me smile just thinking about it!]

Lara’s GOTTA ASK: What are the next five books on your ‘to be read’ pile?

Jessica’s GOTTA ANSWER:   Make My Wish Come True by Fiona Harper; The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley; The Perfect Match by Kristin Higgins; The Autumn Bride by Anne Gracie; The Nightingale Sisters by Donna Douglas.

Where can you find Jessica?

Her email: jessica@jessicahart.co.uk

Website

Facebook

Twitter handle: @JessicaHartXX

What's next for Jessica?

Mr (Not Quite) Perfect (Harlequin KISS, Mills & Boon Modern Tempted, January 2014)

Jessica will be giving away a voucher to download all five books in the Jessica Hart Vintage Collection for free.  The books can be downloaded onto any e-reader, and anywhere in the world.

For your chance to win, answer Jessica's question in the comments below:

All the books in the Jessica Hart Vintage Collection are set in the early 1990s.  Rereading them brought back all sorts of memories for me.  What’s your best memory from the 90s?

Note: Please leave an email address for notification. Offer void where prohibited. Prizes will be mailed to North America addresses only unless specifically mentioned in the post. Odds of winning vary due to the number of entrants. Winners of drawings are responsible for checking this site in a timely manner. If prizes are not claimed in a timely manner, the author may not have a prize available. Get Lost In A Story cannot be responsible for an author's failure to mail the listed prize. GLIAS does not automatically pass email addresses to guest authors unless the commenter publicly posts their email address. 

Celebrating NOVELS with STRONG ROMANTIC ELEMENTS

The Get Lost in a Story crew sends our CONGRATULATIONS to the

THE ANATOMIST'S WIFE
Anna Lee Huber
Scotland, 1830. Following the death of her husband, Lady Darby has taken refuge at her sister's estate, finding solace in her passion for painting. But when her hosts throw a house party for the cream of London society, Kiera is unable to hide from the ire of those who believe her to be as unnatural as her husband, an anatomist who used her artistic talents to suit his own macabre purposes.

Penguin Group USA
Berkley Publishing Group 
Michelle Vega, editor

Kiera wants to put her past aside, but when one of the house guests is murdered, her brother-in-law asks her to utilize her knowledge of human anatomy to aid the insufferable Sebastian Gage-a fellow guest with some experience as an inquiry agent. While Gage is clearly more competent than she first assumed, Kiera isn't about to let her guard down as accusations and rumors swirl.

When Kiera and Gage's search leads them to even more gruesome discoveries, a series of disturbing notes urges Lady Darby to give up the inquiry. But Kiera is determined to both protect her family and prove her innocence, even as she risks becoming the next victim...

Anna is also a finalist in the Best First Book category

MULTIPLE CHANCES for an autographed copy of Anna Lee Huber's THE ANATOMIST'S WIFE. (But you'll have to register through the Best First Books Rafflecopter drawing on Saturday, July 20th.) (north America) Start by leaving a comment.

Previously on GLIAS
Website


BEFORE AND EVER SINCE
Sharla Lovelace

EMILY LOCKWOOD, YOUR PAST IS SHOWING... 

Emily Lockwood has been sitting on a secret for so long, and buried so deep that she really doesn’t even think of it anymore. Why should she? She has a successful career, an ex-husband who rarely tests her patience, a mother who usually does, and a stubbornly independent grown daughter. Everything is fine, just another crazy kind of normal.

Penguin Group USA

Berkley Sensation

Wendy McCurdy, editor

Until Ben Landry comes back to town. From childhood friends to young lovers, Ben and Emily had an unbreakable bond. Or so she thought—until he disappeared for over twenty years without explanation. Seeing Ben again triggers more than mere memories and a tug at her heart. It rips the cover off an old secret that could hurt the people she loves most.

While Emily works to keep her secret safe and her heart safer, her sanity gets a reality check. She’s been seeing things—her past played out like home movies unreeling before her eyes, visions that are making Emily see herself, her family, everyone she knew, and every choice she made, in a revealing new light and a startling new angle. For Emily, seeing her life in rewind makes her realize she has hard choices to make for her future. Choices that may redefine everyone else’s future as well.

website

BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES
Kristina McMorris

Los Angeles. 1941. 

Kensington Publishing Corp.

John Scognamiglio, editor

Violinist Maddie Kern's life seemed destined to unfold with the predictable elegance of a Bach concerto. Then she fell in love with Lane Moritomo. Her brother's best friend, Lane is the handsome, ambitious son of Japanese immigrants. Maddie was prepared for disapproval from their families, but when Pearl Harbor is bombed the day after she and Lane elope, the full force of their decision becomes apparent. In the eyes of a fearful nation, Lane is no longer just an outsider, but an enemy.

When her husband is interned at a war relocation camp, Maddie follows, sacrificing her Juilliard ambitions. Behind barbed wire, tension simmers and the line between patriot and traitor blurs. As Maddie strives for the hard-won acceptance of her new family, Lane risks everything to prove his allegiance to America, at tremendous cost.


MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed copy of Kristina McMorris's BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES. (north America) Start by leaving a comment.

Previously on GLIAS
website

A GIRL LIKE YOU
Maria Geraci

Every ugly duckling is a swan in waiting...

Emma Frazier is smart, hardworking, and loves her job as a journalist for a Florida lifestyle magazine. Emma knows she’s no great beauty, but she’s pretty certain she has a shot with her handsome new boss, Ben Gallagher—until Emma overhears a mutual acquaintance refer to her as the “ugly friend.” In an effort to reclaim her battered self-esteem, Emma decides to impress Ben at work by promising an exclusive interview with NASCAR legend, Trip Monroe.

Emma and Trip went to high school together and although it’s been fourteen years since they've spoken, Emma is certain she can score an interview with the elusive super star. But connecting with Trip turns out to be harder than Emma imagined. Her quest for the interview leads her back to her tiny hometown of Catfish Cove, where old secrets and a new romantic interest shake up Emma’s views on life and teach her that maybe the key to finding true love is as simple as accepting yourself for the person you were always meant to be.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed copy of Maria Geraci's A GIRL LIKE YOU. (north America) Start by leaving a comment.

Previously on GLIAS
website

THE HAUNTING OF MADDY CLARE
Simone St. James

Sarah Piper’s lonely, threadbare existence changes when her temporary agency sends her to assist a ghost hunter. Alistair Gellis – rich, handsome, scarred by World War I, and obsessed with ghosts – has been summoned to investigate the spirit of nineteen-year-old Maddy Clare, who is haunting the barn where she committed suicide. Since Maddy hated men in life, it is Sarah’s task to confront her in death.

Penguin Group USA
New American Library
Ellen Edwards, editor

Soon Sarah is caught up in a desperate struggle. For Maddy’s ghost is real, she’s angry, and she has powers that defy all reason. Can Sarah and Alistair’s assistant, the rough, unsettling Matthew Ryder, discover who Maddy was, where she came from, and what is driving her desire for vengeance – before she destroys them all?

Simone is also a finalist in the Best First Book category

Previously on GLIAS
Website



TIME'S ECHO
Pamela Hartshorne

York , 1577: Hawise

Macmillan Publishers, Ltd.

Pan Macmillan

Wayne Brookes, editor

Aske smiles at a stranger in the market, and sets in train a story of obsession and sibling jealousy, of love and hate and warped desire. Drowned as a witch, Hawise pays a high price for that smile, but for a girl like her in Elizabethan York, there is nowhere to go and nowhere to hide.

Four and a half centuries later, Grace Trewe, who has traveled the world, is trying to outrun the memories of being caught up in the Boxing Day tsunami. Her stay in York is meant to be a brief one. But in York Grace discovers that time can twist and turn in ways she never imagined.

Drawn inexorably into Hawise’s life, Grace finds that this time she cannot move on. Will she too be engulfed in the power of the past?

Pamela is also a finalist in the Contemporary Series Romance category writing as Jessica Hart.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed copy of Pamela Hartshorne's TIME'S ECHO. (international) Start by leaving a comment.

website

THE WELCOME COMMITTEE OF

BUTTERNUT CREEK

Jane Myers Perrine

Upon his arrival, Butternut Creek Christian Church's newly-minted minister is met by a welcome committee led by Miss Birdie and her friend Mercedes, a.k.a. "the Widows." Their first order of business, to educate him on how things should be done, quickly gives way to a campaign to find him a wife. 

Hachette Book Group, Faith Words

Christina Boys, editor

When their matchmaking efforts fizzle, the Widows turn to another new bachelor. Amputee and Afghan vet Sam simply wants to be left alone-- a desire that's as good as a red flag to the Widows! Soon they're scheming to pair him up with Willow, his beautiful physical therapist, a divorced mother of two who is afraid of commitment, Perrine's small-town tale is a big-time triumph of gentle humor, fast-paced plot, and wonderfully engaging characters.

Previously on GLIAS
website

Congratulations to all the nominees for the RITA® in the

NOVEL with STRONG ROMANTIC ELEMENTS category!

~ ~ ~

JOIN US tomorrow as RITA® week 
continues with the LONG CONTEMPORARY SERIES ROMANCE category. 

Don’t forget to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter
north America
*an autographed copy of Anna Lee Huber's THE ANATOMIST'S WIFE. 
(But you'll have to register through the Best First Books Rafflecopter drawing
on Saturday, July 20th.)
*an autographed copy of  Kristina McMorris's BRIDGE OF SCARLET LEAVES
*an autographed copy of  Maria Geraci's A GIRL LIKE YOU

international giveaway through Rafflecopter (separate)
*an autographed copy of  Pamela Hartshorne's TIME'S ECHO 

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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHICK FLICK?

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Celebrating Short Contemporary Series

The Get Lost in a Story crew sends our CONGRATULATIONS to the Short Contemporary Series Finalists

BECOMING DANTE

Day Leclaire

Book Nine: Gabe and Kat

All his life, Gabe Moretti has denied his Dante heritage–but when he meets Kat Malloy, his late wife’s cousin, the Dante Inferno cannot be ignored.

He tells himself it’s only business–her hand in exchange for a necklace his mother created. But when one touch leads to another–and a kiss leads to more– Gabe realizes he’s in over his head. Because Kat has secrets he needs to uncover. And now he’ll have to do the one thing he’s sworn never to do–go to his Dante relatives to find out the truth about this powerful passion….

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win a digital copy of Day Leclaire's BECOMING DANTE or her WACKY WOMEN BOOKS. (international) Start by leaving a comment.

Website

COWBOY IN THE CROSSFIRE

Robin Perini

Unjust accusations shattered Blake Redmond's big-city police career—and destroyed everything around him. Now, all this sheriff lives for is keeping watch over his small Texas town…until Amanda Hawthorne and her five-year-old son come fleeing out of a snowstorm with killers on their trail. 

The terror Blake sees in the young boy's eyes makes Blake swear to protect him and his injured mother. But winning Amanda's trust is as difficult as resisting the passion drawing him to this beautiful, determined woman. With their every move thwarted and time running out, the only way Blake can clear his name and save this little family is to confront his own dangerous past—no matter what the cost.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed copy from Robin Perini's available backlist. (north America) Start by leaving a comment.

Previously on GLIAS

Website

THE LAST SINGLE MAVERICK

Christine Rimmer

Texas Cowboy Lassos Runaway Bride?

Look out ladies: there's another Traub bachelor in town! Jason "Jace" Traub is every bit as gorgeous as his sexy twin brother, but rumor has it he is even more marriage-shy. There's not a woman alive who could make this restless rancher settle down.... 

Yet insiders whisper that Jace has been talking wedding plans with Jocelyn Bennings, the chestnut-haired beauty who ran out on her own wedding just days ago! Could the confirmed bachelor really be hooking up with heartbroken, headstrong Joss? Stay tuned, loyal readers, to find out if their marriage of convenience runs amuck-or if lasting passion will finally rope in the last single maverick!

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed copy of Christine Rimmer's THE LAST SINGLE MAVERICK. (north America) Start by leaving a comment.

Previously on GLIAS

Website

A MARRIAGE WORTH FIGHTING FOR

Lilian Darcy

First Book of the McKinley Medics Trilogy

When Alicia McKinley agreed to a whirlwind Las Vegas wedding, she'd been swept away by the sheer romance of it all. How could she not say "I do" to Michael James McKinley, the gorgeous doctor who offered her everything she'd ever dreamed of? Still, after years of coming in second to MJ's career, it was time to say "I don't" to the workaholic husband who took her totally for granted.

But MJ is not a man who gives up without a fight. He and Alicia might not have a perfect marriage, but now that he knows what is on the line, he is determined to risk everything—including his heart—for a second chance with his wife!

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win three digital copies of LILIAN DARCY books: SAVING GERDA, ALL DRESSED UP OR CAFE DU JOUR. (international giveaway) Start by leaving a comment.

Website

A NIGHT OF NO RETURN

Sarah Morgan

Private Lives of Public Playboys Book 1

Money, charm and sensual skills don't make up for a heart colder than ice...

Wild parties, wanton women, relentless work-nothing helps tycoon L ucas Jackson escape his dark and haunting past. Arriving at his rural castle in a snarling snowstorm, he craves only complete isolation.... But it seems oblivion can take an unexpected and highly intoxicating form!

Personally delivering the vital file left on her boss's desk, secretary Emma Gray starts to seriously regret her dutiful overtime mission. She never expected the dark side of the usually controlled Lucas could generate such a primitive, powerful-and entirely inappropriate-reaction.

Previously on GLIAS

Website

SURGEON SHEIK'S RESCUE

Loreth Anne White

Sahara Kings

Off the cliffs of Brittany, danger awaits. To Bella DiCaprio, the windswept island offers hope. The story that cost her a prestigious reporting job has brought her here, where a mysterious recluse holds the key to a horrific bombing….

For Sheik Tariq Al Arif, the grief is still fresh. That tragedy took not only his career as a lifesaving surgeon but also his fiancée. Only here, walking the windswept cliffs by the haunted abbey, does he begin to feel alive again. And when the American beauty shows up on the storm-ravaged island off the coast of France, he knows their passion is dangerous.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed set of Loreth Anne White's SAHARA KINGS--including the SHEIK'S COMMAND, SHEIK'S REVENGE, SURGEON SHEIK'S RESCUE & GUARDING THE PRINCESS. (international) Start by leaving a comment.

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THE TYCOON'S SECRET DAUGHTER

Susan Meier

The CEO's Second Chance

Max Montgomery had it all—charm, good looks and a career as CEO of the family business. Marriage to Kate Hunter was the icing on the cake. Until a devastating family secret sent his world—and then his marriage— crashing down around him….

Years later, Max is accidentally reunited with Kate, who also has a secret—the daughter he’s never met! Bonding with adorable Trisha may come naturally, but with the shadows of the past still haunting him, recapturing the heart of the woman he’s never stopped loving is quite a different matter….

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win one of three autographed copies from Susan Meier's back list including THE TYCOON'S SECRET DAUGHTER.  SHE's GOT THREE SETS to giveaway. (north America) Start by leaving a comment.

Previously on GLIAS

Website

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS

Jessica Hart

"I've Done It!"

Clara is a production assistant for a TV film-making company and she’s got a new project. Romance: Fact or Fiction is make-or-break for Clara’s future, and her first challenge is to get Simon Valentine, financial guru turned prime-time pin-up, to front the program.

But Simon’s got no time for romance, real or fictional, and it’s going to take all Clara’s powers of persuasion, not to mention a broken wrist, to get him on board.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter to win an autographed copy of Jessica Hart's WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS. (international)  Start by leaving a comment.

Website

Congratulations to all the nominees for the RITA® in the

Short Contemporary Series Romance category!

~ ~ ~
JOIN US tomorrow as RITA® week continues with the ROMANTIC SUSPENSE category. 

Don’t forget to FOLLOW us on Twitter #GetLostStories or LIKE us on Facebook.

MULTIPLE CHANCES through Rafflecopter 
North America Giveaway
*autographed COPY from Robin Perini's backlist
*autographed The LAST SINGLE MAVERICK by Christine Rimmer
*autographed 3 copies of The TYCOON'S SECRET DAUGHTER by Susan Meier
(3 sets for 3 winners)

International Giveaway through Rafflecopter (enter separately)
*autographed complete 4 book SAHARA KINGS series by Loreth Anne White
*digital copy of BECOMING DANTE by Day Leclaire
*digital copy WINNER'S CHOICE by Lilian Darcy
*autographed WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS by Jessica Hart

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WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ROMANTIC COMEDY MOVIE?
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