Stories & Updates

“Village Blend” by E.J. Whitmer is a delightful book that makes you feel good and fall in love with so many characters. Admittedly, I loved this book so much I’ve now read it probably half a dozen times. I picked it up to read again recently and knew I just had to review it for the blog.

“Village Blend” follows the story of Violet Monroe, a take no shit woman with a dream. She has just recently moved from Iowa to Billybog, Ireland with her Insta-famous French Bulldog, Bruce Wayne (AKA B-Dubs). She is making a new start after a tragic loss by opening up a coffee shop and sharing her story on her popular blog.

Violet’s new beginning starts out with a bang when she meets the Donovan brothers, Quinn and Aidan. Quinn is sweet and funny, one of my favorite characters in the story, while Aidan is broody in all the right ways. An instant attraction between Violet and Aidan is clear and sparks fly.

It’s a hilarious start to this romance as Aidan and Violet overcome dramatics, past loves, hurt feelings, and more to find their happily ever after. The novel has such amazing characters, both human and animal. Don’t believe me? There are twelve chickens with jeweled anklets, a male milking cow named Daisy, and a goat that will ram you in the butt as soon as you turn your back. And that’s just the animals! The people in this novel shine even more!

“Village Blend” has an amazing mix of witty humor, sizzling sexy times, and a burning romance that ignites your heart. It’s easy to get lost in the book and forget your reading, to look up and realize hours have passed as you sit back and enjoy your time in Billybog. I didn’t want the book to end. I wanted to stay in that little Ireland town and drink coffee, eat those fantastic sweets Violet makes and spend time at the Iowish Flower (Violet’s Coffee Shop). I’d definitely recommend this book to all who enjoy a good contemporary romance with a sexy side, especially if you like the idea of a broody male protagonist!

Be sure to order your copy today of “Village Blend” by E.J. Whitmer.

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As a special treat, let’s hear from the amazing author herself about the book, her writing process, and what we can expect coming up next!

1) When did you first come up with the idea for this novel? 

E.J. Whitmer – I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland. It’s just so magical and happy and so full of history. My husband and I took a trip there in 2017 and we both fell in love with the people and the topography and the way of life. As we traveled from village to village, we discussed how if our lives had taken different paths and we ever wanted to “start over”, Ireland is probably the place we would go. So from there, I just kind of ran with it! We sampled some delicious sweets while we were there, so the idea of owning a bakery kind of stuck. The pieces all just fell together and I was ready to write my heart out when we got home!

2) Reading your novel, I fell in love with the little town of Billybog. It has a very special charm to it. Are there certain towns or places that inspired Billybog?  

E. J. Whitmer – We visited dozens of tiny villages as we traveled around the country. I desperately wanted to visit Tipperary. (I love that song!) It was SO cute! While on a bus tour, we learned that the buildings in several villages were all painted fun, bright colors because back in the day, people wanted to make it easier to find their houses after a long night at the pub. i.e. Harry might be a little tipsy, but he knows his house is the lilac one, so he’s sure to walk to the right house. We loved the bigger cities like Cork and Galway, but it was the little villages that really stole our hearts.

3) There are amazing farm animals in this book that have just as much personality as any human. Are there real-life animals or experiences you pulled from when writing those amazing animals? 

E.J. Whitmer – I have always had animals in my life and every one of them has been quite the character! I have a Boston Terrier named Rowdie who keeps us on our toes and a cat named Capone (we call him Sh*tty Kitty) who is FULL of attitude. My mother-in-law has a couple very ornery cows on her property who are constantly escaping and a few goats who she scolds for being ornery all day. I love their antics and wanted to add that “spice” to Violet’s life! 

4) Every writer has their own system of writing and publishing books. What does your process look like? 

E.J. Whitmer – I usually have an “aha” moment where all of a sudden I just have an idea! It’s a pretty broad idea, though, and over the course of a few nights, I identify the big plot points and develop my characters in my head. It’s my goal to write something five days a week, whether it’s 50 words or 5,000 words. Then when I go to bed at night, I lay there thinking about what my next scene will include. It’s not quite outlining but not “pantsing” it either. 

5) What projects can we look forward to seeing from you in the future (will any of them take place in Billybog)? 

E.J. Whitmer – I’m finally excited to start publishing again! After the birth of our second child, life got crazy! Some writers are total rockstars who can write ten books while wrangling multiple toddlers and keeping the house clean and wearing mascara every day. I am not one of them! But I think I’m in a place now where I’ve got a slight handle on things. (Slight.)

So I’m alternating between three books.

One is a romantic suspense novel, which is totally new to me. It’s not humorous and is pretty angsty. I have to be in the right headspace to write it, so that one is going slowly.

The other is a romantic comedy that emphasizes being comfortable with who you are and loving yourself. (Something I struggle with. It’s kind of cathartic to write about someone else healing!)

And the third is, yes, another Billybog book! This one will follow the other Donovan brother’s love story. I did have to change his name. In the first edition of Village Blend, his name was Brian. I hadn’t planned on writing more Billybog books, but I’ve had several readers request more, so okay! BUT, my boss / good friend is also named Brian. And I can’t write schmexy scenes about a dude named Brian. Can’t do it. Nope. I love my Brian like a father and no way am I going there! So I went back and changed the brother’s name to Quinn in the second and updated version of Village Blend. Quinn’s story involves a secret baby and a feisty redhead and is titled, “It Takes a Village”. I’m really trying to have that one out this year so keep a look out!

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Thank you so much to E.J. Whitmer for answering the interview questions, writing such an amazing book as “Village Blend”, and making my dreams come true by giving us a Quinn book! I can’t wait until publication date to read it. I know it’s going to be just as amazing as “Village Blend”.

“Future Fake Husband” by Kate Hawthorne and E.M. Denning is without a doubt one of my favorite reads this summer. With its LGBTQ+ themes, adorable tropes, and spicy scenes, it quickly became an all time favorite in my collection.

The story follows two characters, Cole Mallory and Rhett Kingston. Each has their own quirks and lovable personalities. When you first meet them, you wonder how everything will turn out, but it quickly becomes clear, it’s going to be a romance unlike any other.

The book begins with Cole Mallory. Cole is a wine connoisseur making a living at his family vineyard in California. He hopes to inherit the family business soon. With all his dreams and responsibilities, Cole never had time for dating or long-term relationships. In fact, his past lovers include: Ginger from Starbucks. Tattoos at Gas Station. Kristen’s Baker. Yet, it takes him by surprise when he finds out that, unless he gets married soon, he may lose the family vineyard to someone else.

Meanwhile, Rhett Kingston is in his own little world of heartbreak. Rhett is the bookish twin of Ryan Kingston, Cole’s best friend, and has recently gone through a pretty bad breakup. In a moment of weakness and a want for peace, Rhett lies to his brother that he’s dating someone in hopes of getting Ryan off his back. This, of course, makes him realize that he needs a secret boyfriend, fast!

This book was everything I didn’t realize I wanted and then more. By chapter 3, the proposal of a fake marriage between Cole and Rhett is set and accepted and the drama starts. This novel wastes no time in getting you into the thick of it and I loved… Every. Single. Moment.

Being Ryan’s best friend, Cole has always been a part of Rhett’s life and vice versa. However, it isn’t until the moment they decide to carry out this façade that it finally clicks, and the attraction and insanity begins. And oh, boy, does it begin!

This book was a beautifully crafted masterpiece, and I don’t use that term often. There are little hidden tropes that I loved, a quick and burning attraction between both men, and a plot that kept me reading…and reading…and reading… It wasn’t until I was finished did I realize I read all night and into the next morning.

Complete hats off to Kate Hawthorne and E.M. Denning because this book had it all. The romantic scenes made you swoon. The sexy bits were H-O-T and SPICY! The funny bits had me rolling in laughter.

And that ENDING!

No spoilers here, but Kate and E.M. if you’re out there, I LOVED THAT ENDING! Such twists and turns I hadn’t expected. These authors made me fall in love not only with Cole and Rhett but every other character who made an appearance: Penny, Ryan, Kristen, even our little plant friend Lucy.

“Future Fake Husband” is a fantastic MUST READ book this summer. If you’re looking for something sexy with a side of good ‘ol dork humor (because yes, they’re both dorks), THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! Five out of Five Stars!

Thank you to the authors for “Future Fake Husband” and adding another book to My Favorites shelf at home! I can’t wait for my next adventure into another one of your books.

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As a special treat, I reached out to these two amazing authors, Kate Hawthorne and E.M. Denning, and they both agreed to answer five quick interview questions about the book and their process. Thank you to both of you for participating! It made the book even more special after reading your responses!

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1) When did you first come up with the idea for this novel? 

EM – The idea for Future Fake Husband came about one day when I told Kate about a very outlandish idea involving an Omega and a dowry and a fake marriage. But between the two of us, it quickly morphed into what it is now, and I couldn’t be happier. I love sharing a brain with her. 

Kate – OMG I forgot all about that until you said it!! LOL.

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2) I know you aren’t supposed to pick a favorite, but I’m curious. Who was your favorite character to write for this novel? 

Kate – Well we each took one lead. I wrote Cole, so I’m partial to him, but I think the errant street crabs may have been my actual favorite.

EM – Rhett was the character I wrote, so naturally I love him just a bit more than I love Cole. I love that he has a plant named Lucy that he talks to. I love that he’s afraid of errant street crabs and I love what a soft, sweet person he is. He’s precious. 

Shanna – A word about errant street crabs. You all may be looking at the screen a bit funny, wondering what that is all about… but as someone who has done a marine internship and worked with them…they can be vicious! Beware!

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3) What was your favorite scene to write? 

Kate – I loved writing the whole book, but I really enjoyed writing Cole and Rhett’s dinner at the seafood restaurant. I based it on a place my husband and I ate on our honeymoon in Tahiti, so it was fun to go back through old pictures and relive that a little bit. In the book, it was also one of those awkward scenes where the characters knew they had feelings for each other but were still hiding it, so that’s always fun. I love to torture my characters. Haha

EM –  OH god. Don’t make me choose. I really enjoyed the whole Tahiti experience. I’d never written a destination wedding before, so it was fun to escape to that. Tahiti was a very romantic place for the boys, and I enjoyed every bit of it. 

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4) Co-writing a novel can be a very challenging process and many writers have horror stories about the process. However, not only have you written “Future Fake Husband” together, but also “Irreplaceable”. What is the secret to your success for crafting such fantastic stories together? 

Kate – We’ve actually written 5 books together now. Irreplaceable was our first, then Future Fake Husband, and we have two more books set at Mallory Vineyard, Future Gay Boyfriend and Future Ex Enemy. And there is a 5th book, that EM and I wrote with another friend of ours EM Lindsey.

EM – Our secret to writing so brilliantly together is our friendship. We enjoy a lot of the same things in the books we read, and that easily transfers over to what we like to write about. We’re both willing to compromise, but seldom does the need to ever arise. Working with EM Lindsey on Cloudy With a Chance of Love was much the same way. 

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5) What future projects can we look forward to seeing form you both in the future (together or separately)? 

EM – I haven’t announced what my next series is just yet, but fans of past adventures might be pretty happy with what I’m doing and where I’m going. The first book is called Everything to Lose and it’s a brother’s best friend romance and I’m very excited about it. 

Kate – So much!! I am just about finished with a 5 book series about brothers who inherit a hotel in a small town called Cherry Creek. The series is called Room for Love, and it’s been so much fun to write. The characters are all different and troublesome and wonderful. I’m working on bonus content for an older series, Secrets in Edgewood, and that will be out this fall. As for 2021, who knows!

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Thank you again to Kate Hawthorne and E.M. Denning for responding and answering those interview questions. I loved every response and now know that I have a few more books to hunt down, especially because I adore Ryan (Rhett’s brother) and I need to know if one of those books is for him!

Thank you to all of you as well, I hope you enjoyed the review. But more importantly, I hope you go out and buy your own copy of “Future Fake Husband”. You won’t be sorry!

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