August’s Book: The Scoop Genre: Contemporary Romance Author: KW Thomas Character: Cleo Carrigan Willa Drew: What should I call you? Do you prefer a nickname? Cleo: Cleo’s fine, thanks! WD: Welcome and thanks for agreeing to talk to us today. C: You’re welcome and thanks for having me. Makes a change for me to be on this side of the interview! WD: Right, fellow reporter here. I’ll have to be on my toes. Can I get you something to drink? Water? Soda? Coffee? Wine? Whiskey? C: I’ll never say no to a glass of wine! Or a decent cup of tea, but as a lass from north east England, I’ve got to be honest and say that I’m slightly suspicious of any American who says they can make one. WD: Better order us two wines then. While we wait, tell me a little about yourself? C: Well, my name’s Cleo, and I work in radio. I’m 5 foot 3, I have brown curly hair and an insatiable appetite for junk food. Wow, it’s really quite different being the interviewee, isn’t it? WD: Shoe on the other foot so to speak. Where do you live? C: I live in London now, but I’m originally from Northumberland, which is the bit of England just below Scotland. WD: Ah, the county with the most castles in England. See I did my homework. C: You certainly did. I don’t think even I knew that. WD: Do you have any jobs or hobbies? C: I’m an entertainment reporter for a radio station. As for hobbies… does ordering sushi from UberEats count? WD: Does in my books. I’m proficient in it. On Monday morning, are you excited to go to work, or are you sad? C: So excited. I still can’t believe this is my life. I love my job – I get to interview amazing musicians and actors, talk to them about their work, find out a bit about them. It’s a bit difficult when the person you’re interviewing really doesn’t want to be there, but I kind of like the challenge of trying to get something out of those people. I’m interviewing Devon Grant soon, though, and I’ve heard he’s a tough nut to crack… WD: Devon Grant! Now that’s a scoop. I’d love to interview him. Maybe someday… Anyhow this is about you. What are some of your likes and dislikes? C: I like good food, and crap food, hanging out with my best friend, Michael, and talking to people – that’s why I love my job. I dislike people who don’t do right by their families. I mean how hard is it, to be nice to the people you’re supposed to love? WD: I agree. Speaking of, tell us about someone important to you? C: My best friend and his mam mean the world to me. They’re the only family I’ve got, really. My own parents moved to France and I mainly keep up with them via their house renovation Instagram account. Michael and Liz are my everything, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for them. WD: Sometimes found family is the best. Do you like to cook? C: God, no. I like to eat, but I’m a terrible cook. Who needs to know how to cook in London anyway? WD: Benefits of moving to the big city. Okay, you know this is coming, Are you in love? C: No. I was in love once, but it faded eventually. Doesn’t it always? WD: I suppose that’s a matter of perspective. Do you have a secret? C: Everyone’s got secrets, right? No one can know everything about another person. You’re good at these questions, though. What else have you got for me. WD: Well, since you asked…what is your greatest fear? C: Losing my best friend and his mother, who practically raised me. They’re the only people who’ve ever really mattered to me. WD: If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? C: I love my life. I’m not sure I’d change anything. Well, there’s maybe one thing, but it’s kind of complicated. And it’s more someone else’s life, really… *sigh* I wish my best friend wasn’t a paparazzi photographer, for sure. And I wish the reasons he became one didn’t exist, which are the same reasons that… OK, next question! WD: One professional to another, I’ll give you a pass. Are you happy we know your story? C: Hmm. I’ve always been the one to tell other people’s stories. I’m not sure how I feel about being the story. But I guess the truth will always come out in the end. WD: Is there anything you want to say to your fans? C: I have fans? Oh wow. Erm, hi, I guess? Thanks for being awesome, because I’m sure you’re totally awesome. WD: Can we look forward to reading more of your story? C: A little! Although I’ll be quite happy to fade into the background next time, as my best friend hopefully pulls his head out of his backside and sorts his life out. WD: Let’s hope that happens soon. Cleo, it has been a pleasure interviewing you, but our time is up. You can go back to being the interviewer now. I’ll be tuning into your radio show for your next interview. If you’d like to read Cleo’s story and find out more about how that interview with Devon Grant goes, connect with KW Thomas on Instagram and Facebook . About the Book Secrets make great stories. Unless they’re yours… Devon Grant might look like a dream on the big screen, but he’s every journalist’s nightmare – his hatred of the press is as legendary as his abs.  Cleo Carrigan is one of the few reporters who’s ever managed to get him to unclench his undeniably attractive jaw long enough to utter more than two consecutive sentences. And apparently that counted as a successful interview, because now he’s chosen her to break the story he tried so desperately to keep hidden. But there’s no way they could ever be friends, right? Let alone anything more. They must both be imagining this spark between them. Because how could the most fiercely private celebrity on the planet ever trust a journalist …?

July’s Book: Beauty of Corruption, Lies and Loves Book 1 Genre: Mafia Romance, Poly Author: Suki Williams Character: Blake Book: Beauty of Corruption, Lies and Loves Book 1 Willa Drew: What should I call you? Do you prefer a nickname? Blake: I go by Blake. No need for anything formal like last names or anything. First name is complicated enough for some people. WD: Blake it is. Welcome and thanks for agreeing to talk to us today. B: Don’t thank me yet, we just started talking. Let’s see how the talks go and then you can let me know if you’re happy about it or not at the end. WD: I think you’ll find I’m pretty open minded. Can I get you something to drink? Water? Soda? Coffee? Wine? Whiskey? B: I’ll take a coffee. Black. Biggest cup you have. All the way to the brim. WD: Coffee addiction I see. On its way. While we wait, tell me a little about yourself. B: Now there’s a loaded question. Here’s the long and short of it. I’m the child of one of the most notorious unalivers for the German Family out in Boston. We had a falling out after I came out and I went off on my own. Ended up in Seattle and somehow fell in with the Irish Family there. Once you’re in the life you can’t ever escape it. WD: Unalivers. There’s a term I don’t hear everyday. Aside from that family business, do you have any jobs or hobbies? B: I love cars. Work as a mechanic for a garage in the city. My other hobbies aren’t really for polite company… but let’s just say my father trained me to take his place. And I do it very, very well. WD: Point taken. What are some of your likes and dislikes? B: I love coffee, vintage cars, and my privacy. I dislike people who don’t even try to figure out my pronouns and people who try to hurt the ones that I consider mine. WD: What is your greatest fear? B: That something will happen to the people that I care about. WD: Speaking of… are you in love? B: Yes. I’m lucky to love four incredible people. WD: Lucky indeed. B: But don’t tell them that. They don’t need the ego boost. WD: Do you have siblings? B: One brother. Even if I don’t see him often he’s one of my best friends. One call and he’d drop everything to come help me. WD: People you can rely on are important. Do you have any special talents? B: Pickpocketing. Specifically my boyfriend’s pockets for his car keys. As if I could pass up driving a vintage Jaguar?! He should be better at keeping ahold of his things. WD: True. I would not be able to resist either. Do you have a secret? B: Don’t we all? I love secrets. They are always fun to know and pull out when it’s the most beneficial. For myself specifically. WD: Ah, a fellow collector like me. Do you like to cook? B: I like being cooked for and eating. But honestly, I don’t mind cooking. Everybody’s got to eat. WD: If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? B: Oh the age old question… I wouldn’t change anything honestly. Even the horrible parts got me to where I am now. If I change even one single thing, I wouldn’t be the same person. That sounds so damn cliche but I’ll stick to it. WD: I like it. I like your confidence. Are you happy we know your story? B: I’m indifferent. You know the parts I want you to know. I keep my cards pretty close to my chest. WD: More of those secrets. Is there anything you want to say to your fans? B: There’s more coming. There always will be. It’s always fun checking in with old friends. WD: Can we look forward to reading more of your story? B: My duet is done, but my story isn’t. I’ll always be hanging out, even if it’s only in the background helping things unfold. WD: Oh, seems our time is up. When we started this interview, you were maybe a little skeptical about the process. I truly enjoyed talking to you and I hope you’ll come back sometime for an update. ​And maybe I can get a ride in that Jag?​ If you’d like to read Blake’s story and find out more about the secrets she keeps, connect with Suki Williams on Instagram . About the Book The old saying is true: you can never outrun your past, not forever. A life of crime isn't always black and white. The mafia has a lot of room for gray, except for when it comes to being anything outside of the box. The mafia prefers their women to be Barbies, not non-binary. When it became clear that I’d never live up to the family’s expectations without losing my identity, the only thing left for me to do was run. Now I have a new name, in a new city, with only one man on my side who knows the truth. I was ready to start over, but life had other ideas. Unwittingly brought back into the mafia lifestyle by three deadly men with a passion for blood, bondage, and… each other, my past collides with my present, and I don’t know who to trust. Once again, I find myself in a world of gray. Though this time it’s filled with a lot more splashes of crimson than I expected. I’ve always known the only way out is death. If I’m lucky. Though my men are making me wish that there was another way. When the game of love is filled with death, lies, and corruption, is it possible for its beauty to survive?

From USA Today Bestselling Author Gail Haris, comes a twist of romantic comedy and suspense. This laugh-out-loud, quirky opposites attract romance is about a crime lord and the woman, who in a strange turn of events, he rescues. How do I go from getting coffee to waking up in the hospital? Imagine how alarmed I was to discover the handsome stranger, who I spilled my coffee on, was the reason I was alive... And also the reason I had found myself in danger. Apparently, I crossed paths with the so-hot-it-should-be-illegal notorious Tristan Goodman. To me, it feels as though fate brought us together. But the police—and my fiancé—don’t agree. Still, I go against all rational thought and visit K.O., The Knock Out, which is owned by my mysterious hero. It might be dangerous, but it also might just be worth a shot.

April’s Book: Spellbound Genre: Paranormal Romance Author: Crystal J Johnson and Felicity Vaughan Character: Gemma, Soren, and Archer Willa Drew: Hi there. Whoa, it's a whole crew here. What should I call you? Gemma: You can call me Gemma! Soren: Soren. Archer: At your service. *Soren smacks him on the arm.* That was a pathetic hit. I guess my boring twin brother would like you to call me by my name… Archer. WD: Welcome and thanks for agreeing to talk to us today. Can I get you something to drink? Water? Soda? Coffee? Wine? Whiskey? G : It’s a little early in the day for alcohol. *laughs* I’m always up for some Diet Coke, though! S: We are fine. Thank you. A: See, he is boring. WD: Hmmm, you two look alike, but I’m sensing you're quite different. Tell me a little about yourself? G : Well, I just inherited my great-aunt’s hotel, the Reynard. I’m so excited to own it. I grew up going there during the summers. I feel a little over my head with everything that’s required to run it. And it doesn’t help that my parents don’t think I can handle it. That might be because I’ve never finished anything I’ve started. But to be fair I have ADHD, and things just get away from me. Sorry, I’m rambling. I just want to continue my family legacy and make my aunt proud. Archer: Don’t forget us. I mean, we have been spellbound to the hotel for over a hundred years. My brother and I are the reason people want to stay. They hope for an encounter with the paranormal, and we always deliver. S: Let’s just hope Gemma can deliver as well. G : Why do you have to be such a jerk? A: Don’t listen to him, Gem. You got this. Hazel wouldn’t have left the Reynard to you if she didn’t believe in you. S: We’ll see about that. WD: Okay, there’s a lot to unpack there. Soren and Archer are spellbound? As in bound by magic? A: You’re quick. We are all stuck in the hotel. G : That’s not true. I’m not. I love the town that The Reynard is in, Spelling, Connecticut. It’s a tourist trap for those who want a paranormal experience. Let me tell you, we have the best donuts you will ever eat. WD: And two ghosts? A: *groans* We’re not ghosts , we’re— S: *interrupts* All right, that’s enough. I don’t think we have enough time to get into all that right now. WD: Got it. And do spirits have any jobs or hobbies? S: If you count knocking on walls and creeping into hotel rooms to move people’s personal items as a job, then yes. A: I enjoy helping our new hotel owner. S: I don’t think making out with Gemma in the hallway is a hobby. G : Says who? I mean, I don’t have time to do much with taking care of the hotel, so if making out with Soren’s brother can be counted as a hobby, I’m going with that. WD: Well, a girl has to have some fun. What are some of your likes and dislikes? A: I like cooking. G : You’re good at that. I like eating said food. S: I like playing the piano. And I dislike workplace fraternization and procrastinators. G : I dislike people who don’t mind their own business. A: I’m with Gemma, but I’d like to add stick-in-the-mud twin brothers. WD: I’m sensing some, ahem, underlying tension here. Let’s dive a little deeper. What is your greatest fear? G : That the Reynard will be taken from me and given to my snotty cousin. A: I fear being stuck in the hotel forever. S: *mumbles* Falling in love. WD: If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? A: That I only get to leave the Reynard for one night a year. Oh, and the years with Betty. God, I hated Betty. S: I’d face Betty again if it meant others I loved were not hurt by her. G : How is it possible that you say the sweetest things and turn right around and make me want to scream? S: Trust me. The feeling is reciprocated. Just stay focused on the reason you are at the hotel and we will be fine. G : You know what I’d change about my life? I’d want certain people to understand that having ADHD doesn’t mean that I can’t accomplish things. I might take a longer route to finish a task, but it will get done. Especially when it is important. WD: Good point. We all have our own paths to follow. Tell me, who’s your favourite person in the world? All Three at Once: Hazel Fox. G : Eccentric, fun, kind, and loving–there was no one on earth like my great-aunt Hazel. WD: She sounds like a lovely person. Let’s flip it around. Do you have an archnemesis? G : My cousin Raven. She thinks the Reynard should have gone to her. She isn’t afraid to do the most despicable things to try and take it away from me. S: Agreed. She might be the spawn of Satan. A: She isn’t that bad. S: Please don’t tell me you forgot about the time she did the thing with the— Archer: Nope! I remember. You’re right. Evil to the core. WD: Okay, Raven is on the naughty list. Any secrets you’d like to share? S: Not only do we have a secret but so do the past owners of the hotel. The question is: can Gemma unveil those secrets? G : It would be so much easier if you just told me. S: You have to read the tome, Gemma. G : Who calls it a tome? You’re such a grandpa. WD: Hey, you two. Settle down. Back to the interview, If you could cure one disease, which would it be? All Three at Once: Cancer G : Especially breast cancer. It is what took Hazel’s life. WD: Nasty disease. Time for the big question. Are you in love? G : I might have found my forever during this book. If I chose a brother, I’m not telling you which one. You will have to read to find out. WD: Well, call me interested. On that note, are you happy we know your story? G : I am, because it isn’t just my story. It’s Soren and Archer’s and every Fox woman who has owned the Reynard before me. It is my family history. Although there was pain, abuse, and heartbreak, there was also unconditional love, healing, and unbreakable bonds. S: And magic. G : There was definitely magic. WD: Who doesn’t want a little magic in their life? Is there anything you want to say to your fans? G : I have something I want to say. For everyone, especially women, that saw themselves in my struggles with ADHD, I believe in you. It’s alright to take your time and do things differently. It is alright to feel overwhelmed by your emotions. It’s alright to make mistakes. It was important to me that I be my most authentic self and not hide how my brain processes information. I hope that by sharing who I am that you saw a little of yourself in my story. WD: Brava! Well said. Can we look forward to reading more of your story? G : I think my story has found its happily-ever-after, but maybe Soren or Archer will have a little more to share in the future. A: An entire book about me. How amazing would that be? S: As amazing as a dumpster fire. Archer: Better than a snooze fest. WD: Oh, I think that might be some guests looking to check in, so I guess our time is up. Thanks for sitting down with me today. Good luck reading that tome… I mean book, Gemma. G : We hope you will visit us at the Reynard Hotel and experience the magic for yourself. WD: Got any free rooms tonight? If you’d like to read Gemma, Soren and Archer’s story and find out who it is Gemma falls in love with, connect with Crystal and Felicity on Instagram and TikTok About the Book When Gemma Fox inherits the storied Reynard Hotel from her great-aunt, she’s totally unprepared for the responsibility. It’s not the bills or the renovations or the repairs piling up. Or her family’s complete lack of confidence in her ability to manage the hotel. It’s that she’s not alone. Bound to the hotel are two spirits, Archer and Soren Hyde. Brooding, handsome, immortal–they’ve been haunting the Reynard for generations. And Gemma is now their custodian. As Gemma fights to keep the hotel from going under, she also finds herself fighting a growing attraction to the brothers. Each offers something different: Archer is impish, fun, sexy and just the distractions she needs. Soren’s arrogant, passionate, sinfully attractive, and driving her crazy. In turn, they each want something from her–one wants freedom, the other wants her heart. It turns out that Archer and Soren are holding back a secret that might finally see them no longer spellbound. And when the truth comes out about who—and what–they are, their imperfect triangle shatters. With her life and her happiness on the line, and the pressure mounting on all sides, Gemma is forced to make a decision that could change everything–for eternity.

March’s Book: Sushi and Sea Lions Genre: Women’s Fiction (heavy romance) Author: Rachel Corsini Character: Daniela Verdi Pronouns: she/her

Rule #1: Don’t f*ck with la Jefa. Rule #2: Don’t get caught. Rule #3, and most importantly: DON’T fall in love with your boss—especially when he’s the faceless, elusive mastermind behind the international and highly covert organization known as the Upper Echelon. Arcángel might have chosen to forego some of that anonymity when it came to me, but the man still had secrets he refused to share. Secrets that came back to haunt us when he suddenly wanted to whisk me away and rescind the terms of our “no strings attached” relationship for something more. I considered it, warring between rationality and my heart’s desires. Until the Feds stepped in and I found myself trapped in tight, shiny cuffs. Now, I’m paying the price, rotting away at the hands of the judicial system and facing possible deportation after serving his time. After all these years, Ángel should be nothing more than a ghost from my past, and yet he’s ever-present, popping up at the most random and inopportune times.

December's Book: Kisses, Lies, & Us Genre: Hidden Identity, Holiday Romance Novella (First in Series) Author: Willa Drew Character: Nick Stavros Pronouns: He/him A wannabe film student walks into a bar with a fake ID and orders a drink…yes, sometimes my life does feel like a joke. Take tonight. Abandoned by my dad at a swanky resort on Christmas Eve, I search for a little holiday cheer of my own. Trying an Old Fashioned at the hotel bar might be what I need to reset my lonely night in LA. Cue Sarah, a beautiful bartender who tells it like it is. She’s a struggling screenwriter, and I’m about to typecast myself as the hero in her story. Only this once I decide to actually be myself—except for that whole fake ID part. She must like me for me because next thing I know, she invites me to a party. We laugh. We talk. We kiss. Sarah might be the only person who sees the real me… but that doesn’t mean she knows the whole truth about who she’s falling for. If you like secret identity, movies, soulmates, friends-to-lovers, and a right person wrong time new adult romance, Kisses, Lies, & Us, Book One in the Falling for the Liar Series is for you. Each of the five stories in the series revolves around a major holiday throughout one year in the lives of Sarah and Nick and offers a rollercoaster of emotions and adventures inside and outside the US. Willa Drew: What should I call you? Do you prefer a nickname? Nick: People in Chicago like to call me Nicky, but I prefer Nick. When I more to LA, I’ll only allow my mom to call me Nicky. WD: Welcome and thanks for agreeing to talk to us today. N: Perfect practice. I plan to give out many of these. I have a few minutes before my flight. WD: Can I get you something to drink? We have a fully stocked bar here and I’m buying. N: Is this a trick question? Are you going to ask me for my ID next? No need. I’m nineteen. I’ll stick with a Coke. WD: Tell me a little about yourself? N: I’m in my last year of high school, played left defense in the Chicago’s Young Americans team, good with a camera, and plan to study film in UCLA next year. Think of me as a future director of your favorite film. WD: Where do you live? N: LA born, but after my parents split up when I was nine, Mom moved us to Chicago to live with her family. Not looking forward to putting my parka back on when I get back there. LA Christmases might not have snow but at least they’re warm. WD: Do you have any jobs or hobbies? N: Does music count? (points to his headphones.) Never go anywhere without these. But for the most part, my job is my hobby. Movies, cameras, thinking about a way to present something on the screen, that’s how I spend all my days. For now, my ex-girlfriend’s dad’s camera shop lets me do all that and get paid but I’ll have to figure out a place to work when I move to LA for school. WD: What are some of your likes and dislikes? N: Likes? Easy. Movies: watching them, learning about the directors, the screenwriting, the sets. I recently met a screenwriter and we brainstormed some scenes for her manuscript while eating tacos. LA tacos are definitely on my like list now. Dislikes. Spicy food. My mouth burns even thinking about spices. Mom raise us on lots of traditional Greek food, and I haven’t ventured much beyond. WD: What is your greatest fear? N: Not seeing this girl, Sarah, I met on Christmas Eve in LA again. WD: Sounds like there’s a story there... N: Sarah is… amazing. I’ve never met anyone like her. She’s an aspiring screenwriter. She’s the one I was working on a script with. She took me to see the view from Griffith Park. WD: If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? N: Tell the whole truth. Less hiding. Not give Sarah a fake name when I met her. WD: A fake name? Care to explain? N: See, my friends gave me this fake ID for my birthday. As a joke of course. I wasn’t going to use it, but with my dad leaving me alone while he was schmoozing some business associates on Christmas Eve at this swanky bar, I had to entertain myself. A nineteen-year-old can’t have much at a bar, so I used my birthday gift. Sarah happened to be my bartender. When she invited me to her party, it was a perfect way to spend the evening in LA, but at that point she knew me as Shawn Rosstav. WD: You didn’t correct her? N: We talked all night, and I wanted to tell her, but then Dad interrupted us, and I ran out of time. WD: Are you happy we know your story? N: That’s the thing. No one really knows my story. But they will because Sarah has to know who I am. I’ll tell her first chance I get. WD: Is there anything you want to say to your fans? N: You mean the choir I filmed last semester? I guess thanks for the gig. I used the documentary as my entry into the Starlight Foundations Future Filmmakers Competition. If I get into the competition I can move back to LA early and win money for my tuition. WD: Can we look forward to reading more of your story? N: I have so much more to tell. I’m heading back to LA in February. WD: Oh, looks like we have run out of time thanks for chatting with me today. And good luck explaining to Sarah your little…mishap. N: I’ll find her and explain that even though I lied, I’m not a liar. She’ll have to see I didn’t mean to deceive her. She has to believe me. Click here to read Nick’s story, Kisses, Lies, & Us , the first book in the Falling for The Liar series . If you’d like to get behind the scene’s goodies, find Willa Drew on all the socials including Facebook and Instagram , or subscribe to our newsletter on our homepage.

Award wining narrator Teri Schnaubelt reads a snippet of Kisses, Lies and Us! Take a listen to her reading of a crucial moment from the story.

Stage name. Secret plans. Real love. Escaping the shadow of my famous rock-star step-father… and the paparazzi, is how I find myself microphone-in-hand at a bar off campus wearing a disguise and my heart on my sleeve. I just want to sing. I need melodies like I need air to breathe. Music isn’t just some hobby: it’s my everything. And from the moment Wil steps on that stage next to me, I know my life won’t ever be the same. Our connection is instant. We want each other almost as much as we want the money. He’s in the States on scholarship, and I’m trying to make my way in the industry. We forge an alliance, not knowing the secrets we both keep. Even tangled in a duet of lies, we make sense . . . we blend. Together, we could have it all. Or lose our hearts. WE Blend is the first full-length romance in the WE Series about El and Wil. If you enjoy reading about music and forced partnerships, all mixed with a bit of international flair, this friends-to-lovers slow burn romance is for you.