Interview With Rachel Brimble, Author of What Belongs To Her

I’m delighted to welcome back Rachel Brimble for an interview and a look at her new contemporary romance, What Belongs to Her.

Hi, Rachel, so glad to have you here today. Tell us a little about What Belongs To Her:

What Belongs To Her is the third book in my Templeton Cove series, but can also be read as a stand-alone. The first two books (Finding Justice & A Man Like Him) were romantic suspense but What Belongs To Her is mainstream contemporary romance. Sasha Todd and John Jordon are new characters I’ve added to the series and the connection between these two is fabulous. They were a joy to write!

Blurb:

She’s ready to take back what’s hers

Since the moment a local crime boss claimed ownership of her family’s fairground, Sasha Todd has dreamed of righting the wrong. Now it’s time to act, and backing down from the man’s estranged son is definitely not an option. After all, giving up her legacy to hot-blooded John Jordon means losing the chance to finally heal the wounds in her past.

Stopping John in his tracks—and resisting the sizzle between them—is Sasha’s best defense. But there’s more to him than she thought, which changes everything. With what matters most at stake, she’ll have to risk a brand-new future with John, or walk away from the man whose heart belongs to her.

What are you working on now? Do you have any releases scheduled for this year?

Right now I am plotting the fifth book in the Templeton Cove series and hope to get the first three chapters and synopsis to my Harlequin editor by May 1^st. I am also polishing the full manuscript of my third Victorian romance with eKensington­­––this is linked to the first two (The Seduction of Emily & The Temptation of Laura), and continues my theme of writing about the lower classes of the Victorian times rather than the gentry. I have to say, Thomas (the hero), might well be my favorite hero of all time. I am truly in love with him…

What are your writing goals for this year?

I’d really like to query a big romantic suspense novel this year – my books currently stand at around 85,000 words but I’d love to write a darker, grittier story of around 100,000 words. Authors like Nora Roberts, Sharon Sala and Tess Gerritsen are a huge inspiration to me and I feel ready for the challenge of a ‘big book’.

As well as that, I am hoping Harlequin will contract more Templeton Cove books once I hand in this latest proposal, if they do, I will try my best to get another book finished for the series this year J

What do you enjoy most about writing?

All of it! I can honestly say, I consider myself a full-fledged workaholic these days and if I’m not creating, editing or promoting, I get fidgety and agitated…much to my family’s distress! I love every aspect of my job and truly believe I have found what I am meant to be doing with my life. The next stage is to be independently and financially stable purely through my writing – that’s the ultimate goal J

Do you have a favorite time of day for writing?

I am my most productive in the morning but I pretty much write all day – I am lucky enough to be a stay at home mum so I write from 8.30-3.30 every day (with a dog walk in between!) and then back and forth to the laptop as much as possible around the kids until about 7pm. Then it’s family time…the weekends are hit and miss depending on what we have planned to do together.

Where is your favorite place in the world?

My favorite place (so far!) in the world isn’t somewhere exotic or overseas, it’s actually North Wales where my family and I have holidayed every year for the last six years. We rent a log cabin on a site deep in the valleys of Coed-y-Brenin, which is surrounded by the most breathtaking scenery. There are lots of fabulous walks, a beach close by and the most exquisite, picture-perfect hamlets to explore. I feel so grounded there…and best of all the internet connection is zero!

What do you like to read?

Almost everything! I read romance, crime and biographies of past English queens for the most part, but will try anything once. I love receiving recommendations from friends and family, but my “go to” authors are Nora Roberts, Philippa Gregory, Jill Shalvis and Elizabeth Chadwick.

Who first introduced you to the love of reading?

My mum – she was always reading and I became fascinated with books at a very young age. I can remember my teacher telling my mum that my reading and comprehension were very advanced at the age of five so I’m not even sure how early I started to read! Books are a vital part of my happiness J

These are few of my favorite things:

1. My laptop

2. My bed

3. My books

And now Rachel has a question for you all: I love talking books! Who is your favorite author? Which of their books is your favorite? Why?

A Giveaway! I’d like to give away a PDF of any book from my Harlequin Templeton Cove series to one random commenter.

Excerpt:

He turned and his dark blue eyes, aflame with anger, pinned Sasha to the spot. She forced herself to stand still as his gaze languidly glided over her face, lingering for a moment at her lips. No smile lifted the corners of his mouth. No softness seeped into his hardened study.

She smiled even as her stomach knotted. “Hi.”

He continued to stare.

Okay, so he’s got that sexy, broody thing going on, but since when does a guy––any guy––leave me speechless? Say something…

“Well, you’re all sorts of angry, aren’t you?” Great, Sasha. Just poetic.

He lifted an eyebrow and turned his focus back to the ride.

She frowned and glared at his profile, feeling like an idiot. The guy needed to take a serious chill pill. Did he think he had a monopoly on being pissed off? Wakey, wakey, Mister, the entire human race holds a grudge of one kind or another.

“I was only trying to make conversation. If you don’t want to talk to me, that’s fine.” She shrugged. “I haven’t seen you before and, as I’m the person running things around here, I thought you might appreciate a friendly word, a kind welcome. My name’s Sasha­­––”

“I know who you are.”

She stiffened. The deep, smooth lilt of his upper English class voice filled her with equal measure of attraction and warning. “Pardon me?”

He faced her and crossed his arms across his broad chest. “You’re Sasha Todd, exceptionally pretty and svelte manageress of this fairground, known so lovingly as Funland. You work for Kyle Jordon. Although, while Kyle’s currently boarding at Her Majesty’s pleasure in prison, you are undoubtedly forced to answer to his bull mastiff of a lapdog, the wonderfully charming and partially toothed Freddy Campton. Am I right?”

Sasha crossed her arms, mimicking his stance as irritation simmered inside her. “Yes, but who––”

“How do you feel about that, Miss Todd?”

“What?”

“Moreover, how are you going to feel knowing from tomorrow, you’ll be answering to me and not him?”

Sasha froze as his words filtered through her mind. Her heart pounded and hot heat seared her cheeks. What the hell did he just say? She uncrossed her arms and splayed her hands on her hips. “Is this some kind of joke?”

A flicker of amusement lit his eyes before he blinked and they turned cold once more. “No joke. From tomorrow you’ll be reporting to me.”

Panic and disbelief hurtled through her. Who the hell does this guy think he is? She huffed out a laugh. “I don’t think so. Who are you?”

“Your new boss.”

She grinned, hoping it would coerce some semblance of a smile to his lips and make him tell her he was kidding. “Very funny. You’re a funny guy, Mr…”

“You don’t believe me?” His face remained unnervingly impassive.

Okay, enough was enough. Sasha glared. “I asked you who you are. If you want to toss a revelation like that at me, the least you can do is tell me your name. Not that I’m likely to believe a word you say after this little, slightly creepy, performance.”

He uncrossed his arms and offered his hand, which she took without thinking. His hand enveloped hers. Warm, smooth and unnervingly large. Why did she have the sudden and unwelcome suspicion nothing about this guy was small or weak?

“John Jordon.” He shook her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

You can buy What Belongs To Her at:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble

Bio: Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK.  After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington–her debut was released in April 2013 and she has since signed for three more.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

You can find Rachel at:

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook