A few years ago I approached Aussie author friend Narelle Atkins about the possibility of doing a multi-author Christian contemporary romance series.
We brainstormed ideas, authors we knew who wrote in a similar genre (or planned to), and settled on the concept of a fictional town set in east Washington state called Trinity Lakes. The hope was to help Aussie authors gain further exposure in the US market through this collaboration, and it’s been an interesting process over the past few years as we’ve worked to bring these stories to life.
My book, Love Somebody Like You (the title is based on a certain song by Keith Urban), the fifth in the Trinity Lakes Romance series, releases next week, and is my first real venture into the world of cowboys and ranches. I have to admit, as an Aussie I’d never really understood the fascination of cowboy romance, despite it being a consistent top seller in romance categories. But once I realised it’s actually more about family, small towns, and relationships – all things I love to write about – then I thought this was worth delving into. So while Love Somebody Like You isn’t too cowboy-y, I hope readers of that genre find enough to make them smile.
In this book we see a half-Aussie nurse, Lexi Franklin, returning to her family in Trinity Lakes after a traumatic incident at her workplace. It takes time to find her place and find purpose again – something I think we can all experience at times – as she slowly readjusts to a slower pace of life and finding new friends in Trinity Lakes. The challenges of family and friendships and gradual shift from focusing on the past to the future are explored, not just from Lexi’s perspective, but also from ranch-owner Jackson Reilly, who is facing financial pressure and his own family challenges.
Several years ago my family and I visited Washington and visited a number of Hallmark-worthy towns such as Chelan and Walla Walla. (I’ve posted some pictures from my trip to east Washington state on my website here.) It was fun to further research this area, everything from ranch fences and house styles to what gets stocked in their hardware stores, and then plan our fictional town of Trinity Lakes in this region. I have now written three books for the Trinity Lakes Romance series (all with Keith Urban song titles), and the plan is to release one a year as the Trinity Lakes authors coordinate release dates around life and other writing projects.
Really keen readers of my books will see I’ve been setting this book up for a while now, both through the Daring Mr Darcy romcom I co-wrote with Meredith Resce (some of those characters get a mention in Love Somebody Like You – find out who now while it’s only 99c), but also in my free-novella-for-newsletter-subscribers Originally Yours (which mentions Lexi’s dad, Peter Franklin), and Jackson’s eldest brother Dermott, who is a key character in my books in the Independence Islands romance series, especially Regaining Mercy. I love to cross-pollinate my writing worlds and give my super readers tiny easter eggs as they re-meet different characters along the way. So yes, that means Jackson’s hockey playing brother will one day get his own story in my new Northwest Ice hockey series too – of which Fire and Ice is book #1).
Love Somebody Like You releases June 20 (a week earlier than originally planned, as Fire and Ice releases on July 10 and I needed some buffer time before that). And at the bargain price of 99c, now is the time to preorder your copy! (Especially as it’s currently available wide – on Apple, B&N, Kobo, GooglePlay – but will be withdrawn and put into KU from July, when the price on Amazon goes up too).
Here’s some more about the book:
For Lexi Franklin, returning to Trinity Lakes feels a little like running home with her tail between her legs.
But what’s a girl to do, when her life has been turned upside down on the other side of the world? She needs a place to regain hope and healing – just didn’t count on meeting a cowboy whose own battered heart might need nursing back to health too.
Jackson Reilly has his own set of troubles, between caring for his ranch, his mom, and the black hole of finances. So when a pretty redhead with a sassy tongue offers some distraction – and a potential solution to one of his most pressing concerns – he’s not going to say no.
But as they spend time together, questions soon rise about their future, and whether faith can truly win over fears. Will Jackson be able to save his ranch, and his hopes and heart, before Lexi returns to Australia?
An opposites attract, small town contemporary Christian romance. Book five of the Trinity Lakes Romance series (can be read as a standalone). Visit Trinity Lakes and meet the fun and quirky characters who value family, faith, and happily-ever-after.
Releasing June 20. Preorder for only 99c at Amazon, other retailers
I have to say I am not a huge cowboy fan. I like historicals with cowboys and there have been some series I have loved like Jillian Hart’s The Granger Series. I guess having lived on a farm while it was ok I wasn’t into horses or the farm animals. they scared me. I personally wouldn’t like to live on a farm or marry a farmer. They hours they have to work and the fact especially in Australia if you marry a cowboy you normally end up doing farm work,
It also depends on the story. I like series that connect and other characters are included in future books. It doesn’t have to be a lot and all characters but a mention of a few is always good. I also like the series which have a secret thread in them where you get spooned fed a little bit more in each book. It makes you want to read all in the series. If the books are linked by location but thats all and are basically stand alone I then will pick and choose what books I will read.
I am a super fan of Gilbert Morris (even though he is now in a better place) He will always be my favourite author. Also Penny Zeller, Janette Oke. and Susan Page Davis. And I cant forget Robin Jones Gunn
Hi Carolyn, Congrats on your Trinity Lakes Romance book release! 😊