Happy holidays, friends! I have spent the day celebrating the release of my sweet holiday romance, LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ. The book hit shelves today, courtesy of Tule Publishing. Keep reading to check out a few fun facts about the book, including what inspired me to write it, deets on the characters, my favorite quotes, and more! Stay til the end for a link to an excerpt. :-)
LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ tells the story of Mina and Scott, two former army brats who grew up in a small German town called Gosberg. Their parents are business partners and own a popular winter-themed bistro called The Icicle Café, which they’re planning to sell to a hotel chain. Mina, who’s now living in California and working as a high-powered attorney, is happy for her parents’ retirement. Scott, however, serves as The Icicle Café’s executive chef and wants nothing more than to keep it in the family.
When Mina returns to Gosberg to help facilitate the sale, she’s forced to face Scott’s resistance. But as the former friends spend time together, their icy relationship thaws. Scott asks Mina to extend her trip and help plan the café’s Icicle Festival. She agrees, and the magic of the holiday season kicks in, leaving the pair wondering whether there’s a future for them in the snowy village of their past.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“You know,” Mina began, “there are times when I do miss Gosberg. The beautiful snowfalls, the townspeople that feel more like family…there’s a coziness to this place that you just don’t get living in the city.”
Mina was overcome by a sense of comfort within her father’s warm embrace.
“I was just being a queen, straightening my fellow queen’s crown.”
Mina spun around on her heels and sauntered toward the back of the café, adding a little swing in her hips as Scott watched her walk away.
Many people have asked me what inspired LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFE. The main inspiration behind the book is my love of Christmas. I wanted to write a romance that truly captured the spirit of the holiday season; one that celebrates love, family and friendship. I was also motivated to create realistic characters who appear to have life completely figured out, but underneath it all, are reevaluating their wants and plans for the future.
A Few Fun Facts:
Mina is very ambitious and headstrong, and fiercely loyal with a soft side. She’s dating a fellow attorney and on the cusp of making partner at her law firm. Her life looks great on paper, but in reality she’s struggling in her relationship and facing some pretty tough adversities at work.
Scott is outgoing and hard-working, passionate and very connected to the Gosberg community. He’s consumed by The Icicle Café, which hasn’t left him much time for a personal life. His focus is on expanding the Icicle brand, which is why he’s so devastated after finding out the café is up for sale.
Mina currently lives in southern California, and Scott has remained in Germany. While she loves her exciting life in the city, he cherishes their hometown’s warm, tightknit community. But when Mina returns to Gosberg to help facilitate the sale of the café, she unexpectedly reconnects with the town’s magical charm.
As you’ve probably guessed, LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ centers around a lot of delicious dishes! Scott, who is the café’s executive chef, is known for his popular jerk bratwursts. Mina, who enjoys baking as a hobby, has mastered her mother’s beloved red velvet cupcake recipe. (*Warning: this book may very well have you running to the kitchen in between chapters!)
Mina works as a patent attorney at a prominent law firm. On any given day she’s dressed in a power suit and high heels, carrying a briefcase, running from meeting to meeting and spending time in the courtroom.
Scott on the other hand is usually dressed in comfy jeans and button down shirts. He spends his days creating unique recipes, ordering holiday-themed souvenirs for the café’s gift shop, and planning Gosberg’s highly-anticipated annual Icicle Festival.
The Readers' Takeaway:
I hope that LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFÉ will leave people feeling inspired and fulfilled. I’d love it if the characters’ courage motivates readers to fight for what they want out of life, and reminds them that it’s never too late to pursue a passion or chase a dream they thought had expired.
What's Next For Me:
2021 is going to be a busy year! I just finished editing a sweet holiday romance for Tule Publishing called CHRISTMAS IN FULL BLOOM that hits shelves in December 2021. It’s about a floral designer who returns to her hometown for her sister’s winter wedding and unexpectedly reconnects with an old crush. I’m currently working on a romantic thriller for Harlequin Intrigue called CAPTURED AT CHRISTMAS. It tells the story of an investigative journalist who’s covering the bizarre disappearance of her old college roommate. The book is a classic case of whodunit as the victim’s narcissistic husband, sociopathic twin brother and government coworkers are all suspects.
As for my upcoming releases, I’ve got a contemporary romance called SHE GETS WHAT SHE WANTS coming out on March 8, 2021 via Tule Publishing. It’s the first book in my FEARLESS FAIRYTALE series and introduces a timid, small-town woman who throws caution to the wind after getting her heart broken by abruptly moving to LA and starting over. My romantic thriller COLD CASE, TRUE CRIME hits shelves in June 2021 via Harlequin Intrigue. It follows a popular true crime blogger as she teams up with a detective to help solve the cold case of a murdered high school friend.
CLICK HERE to read an excerpt from LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFE, order your copy and get the scoop on my upcoming Tule Publishing releases!
CLICK HERE to read the early reviews that LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFE has received!
CLICK HERE to check out the blog post that I wrote for Tule on the inspiration behind LOVE AT THE ICICLE CAFE. I shared a few personal tidbits as well... 😊
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