|
|
Welcome to this month's update!
|
|
|
This month The Floating Venice Bookshop is published so I'll be celebrating that when it comes out on Thursday 12th February. It's also going to be available in Tesco and Sainsbury's, which is super exciting! If you're in the UK, please do grab your paperback copy from there as publishers love supermarket sales! Tesco will stock from publication date, while Sainsbury's are taking it a little bit later, from the end of March. (Scroll down for an excerpt which also happens to be one of my favourite swoony scenes I've ever written!)
|
And while I wait for the last book in this series to come out (The Floating Copenhagen Cafe comes out in July), I'm working on something new.
|
And in other news, I recently had my first German publication date for the Floating series and it's been so exciting to see my book translated into a different language and enjoyed in another territory. Thank you to all the German readers who are picking up a copy!
|
As usual, if I'm not writing I'm reading and doing all things mummish. After publication date I also plan to run a giveaway of four signed copies of The Floating Venice Bookshop exclusively for you guys on my mailing list, so keep an eye out for that dropping into your inboxes in March!
|
|
Until then, happy reading,
|
|
|
|
My month...
|
|
|
|
Out Next Week!
The Floating Venice Bookshop
|
|
Can a bookshop bring two hearts together?
Beth loves everything about living in Venice. The meandering canals and the cobbled streets have captured her heart, so when she loses her job and fears she’ll have to return to England, she’s devastated.
|
Until she stumbles upon a book barge for sale, it seems like fate. Beth has long harboured a dream of opening a specialised bookshop that combines her two passions: art and books. She just needs to be brave enough to take a chance, and maybe a little help from a local.
|
Enter Marco, a gorgeous, passionate local art promoter, and their chemistry is instant and electric. Beth needs Marco's local knowledge to launch her business, but as they work together, both seem determined to ignore the sparks flying between them.
|
The closer they become, the more their attraction grows. Soon, they will have to choose – face their fears and give love a chance – or walk away forever.
|
|
The Floating Venice Bookshop is out in February 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
This month I'd love to know...
|
|
|
What's your favourite fictional couple?
|
Obviously, we all love the classics Lizzie and Darcy but who do you love?
|
Bonus question: What modern fictional couple do you love?
|
|
Photo by Khadeeja Yasser on Unsplash.
|
|
|
|
|
|
My favourite read of the month...
|
|
If you loved Indiana Jones, you'll love this!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
99p bargains from my back catalogue
|
(and I don't know how long they'll be on offer for!!)
|
|
|
|
The Little Library on Cherry Lane
|
|
Elsie Martin may lead a quiet life, but working in her beloved local library is enough to make her happy. After all, books have always been her armour against the world. So when the library is threatened with closure to make way for a new housing development, Elsie knows it has to be saved – and that, despite being painfully shy, she needs to lead the campaign to save it.
|
Jacob Yardley thinks he’s doing the right thing by building a new affordable housing development. Why shouldn’t local people be able to buy a house in the place they grew up? Having to leave his own small hometown broke his heart. Plus, people don’t really use libraries anymore, do they?
|
|
As Elsie and Jacob clash over the future of the library, sparks begin to fly. Jacob is falling back in love with books and libraries – could he possibly be falling for her too? And will Elsie be able to save the library that means so much to her?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February Must-Read Romances!
|
|
3 Reads on my TBR list...
|
|
|
|
|
Something different for me
|
|
|
|
I love action-adventure romance!
|
|
|
|
|
|
My favourite swoony scene that I've ever written...
|
From The Floating Venice Bookshop...
After a moment’s silence, Marco spoke again, his voice more tremulous than before. ‘Are you glad you stayed here in Venice?’
|
‘Very.’ She turned to him. ‘It was a big change for me. I don’t do things spontaneously. I never have. But this…staying here…it just felt right. And I’m glad I trusted my instincts for once. Nowhere has felt as home as Venice does.’
|
‘Good. I’m glad you stayed too. I…I like you, Beth. Very much, but you already know that.’
|
The boat passed under the Pont des Amours, the Bridge of Lovers, and it was almost as if the world was sending her a sign, just like it had when she had lost her placement and heard the book barge was for sale. The beautiful, iconic bridge of Venice seemed to speak to her, to prompt her into taking the next step, grabbing this moment with both hands before it could fade away as it had at the masquerade ball. That same feeling of impetuosity began to fizzle in the pit of her stomach, and she turned to look at him. She felt his arm tighten around her, and she leaned forwards and pressed her lips to Marco’s.
|
His mouth moved with hers and his hand threaded into her hair. A feeling of complete bliss washed over her, calming her nerves whilst exciting her at the same time. The kiss deepened and lingered until a moment later, they stared into each other’s eyes.
|
Marco stroked her cheek. ‘I was not expecting you to do that, but I’m very glad you did. I – I think I’m falling in love with you, Beth.’
|
|
Her breath hitched as she took in the words she’d longed to hear. ‘Really?’ she whispered. ‘I’m falling in love with you too.’
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks so much for reading! See you all next month!
Katie/Annabel
xxx
|
|
|
  
|
|
|
|
