Cover Reveal - Breakaway

I mentioned in my last blog post that I'm embarking on a new part of my career and writing a contemporary hockey romance.

Well, today I have cover art! Happy birthday to me. :)

Breakaway is the first novel in my Portland Storm series. It's a hockey romance with a New Adult feel, and it'll be available in December of this year. I'll have more details about it in the coming weeks. For now, here's the cover.

And...well... For a little added bonus, here's a teaser I shared earlier this week on Facebook and Twitter.

On the Shelf, and On the Horizon

Things have been changing in my world, lately. Some of these changes are enormously exciting, and others are more than just a little frustrating.

I know that many of you have been waiting (incredibly patiently) for Shelved. I've spent months trying to give Jo and Duncan the story they deserve. Some stories are harder to write than others, and for whatever reason, this one has been an absolute beast for me. Through experience, I've come to realize that sometimes the best thing to do is set a project aside for a while and work on something else.

Because of that, I'm putting Shelved on the shelf for the time being.

I do not have a date for when Shelved will be available. I don't have an estimate. When that changes, I will let you know. I'm not giving up on this. The story will be written, but only when I can know for certain it will live up to both your expectations and mine.

In the meanwhile, I'll continue with the historical novella series I've started...and I'm excited to say that I'm diving headfirst into a new part of my career.

In addition to historical romance, I'm delving into the world of contemporary romance. Or, more specifically, hockey romance! If you follow me on Twitter, then you probably are aware of just how hockey-obsessed I can be. For the first time, I'm putting that obsession to good use.

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about this new venture, and I can't wait to be able to share it with you all.

The first novel in a new series will be available in December of this year. I'll share more details in the coming weeks!

Pre-Orders, Audio, and More

A Pact Between Gentlemen officially releases on November 1, when it will be available at all retailers. If you purchase your books through iBooks, though, you can be sure it automatically downloads on that day. Here's the link.

My novella, Thick as Thieves, is the third novella in the Bexley-Smythe Quintet. Want to know what Thick as Thieves and the other novellas are about?

In Ava Stone's A Bit of Mistletoe, Everett Casemore, the very serious Marquess of Berkswell, returns home for Christmas, slightly shaken by the death of an old friend. Determined not to suffer the same sort of fate at the hands of a woman, Berks resolves himself to eternal bachelorhood. Unfortunately, both his resolve and his peace of mind are threatened by the arrival of a beautiful, thoughtful, but mostly unsuitable lady. * Miss Theresa Birkin knows better than most that an error in judgment can lead one down an unfortunate path. If only she'd been wiser when she was younger. If only she hadn't followed her foolish heart. If only she'd met Lord Berkswell long before now. 

In Jane Charles's Lady Disguised, Mr. Sebastian Stanwick never intended to marry. It was bad enough that his father gambled away everything they owned and then drank himself to death, leaving his mother broken until she could not go on. But the death of his good friend at the hand of the man’s wife only solidifies Stanwick’s decision to remain a bachelor. Women were simply unpredictable and unstable if not taken care of properly. * Hélène Mirabelle wants few things in life. One, is to perform on the stage, and the other, is to be out from under the roof of her overbearing new family: Lord Bentley and the Trent brothers. Since her mother’s recent passing, Hélène's desire to return to Milan and the stage has only grown. A husband could never fit into the plans because no decent man would take an actress as a wife. * One fateful night leaves Hélène questioning if being an actress is the only thing she wants, while Stanwick begins to wonder whether all women are truly prone to madness and if they are, he may never get Hélène off of his mind. 

In Catherine Gayle’s Thick as Thieves, David Hounslow, the Marquess of Preston, will not stand aside while those he loves are hurt. When it becomes clear his brother-in-law’s guest is up to no good, Preston determines to scrutinize every move of the would-be thief. Not that he minds such a task—Lady Frederica is as beautiful and intelligent as she is enigmatic. Considering her close relation to a wastrel brother and her current proclivity for the less-than-savory, Preston never expected to be won over to the lady’s charms. Yet she just might steal his heart. * Desperation has become Lady Frederica Bexley-Smythe’s constant companion due to her brother’s recent affinity for gambling and carousing. With the fate of both her mother and sister resting upon her shoulders, perhaps the time has arrived for Freddie to bend the rules. How else can she secure their future? Unfortunately, Lord Preston’s scrutiny is complicating her task. Far more perplexing than his perusal is his caring nature, which is distracting her from the treasures she intends to steal. But desperate times call for desperate measures…

Also available for pre-order at the iBookstore is the companion anthology, A Gentlemen's Pact.

In Jerrica Knight-Catania's All He Wants For Christmas, Rowan Findley can't imagine a fate worse than what his friend suffered at the hands of his mad wife, so he's made the decision to remain a bachelor for all eternity. That is, until Olivia walks into his cousin's drawing room for a Christmas party. Her fiery red hair and sweet demeanor remind him of a night so many years ago that he would never forget. * Olivia Edwards can't quite believe her eyes when Rowan Findley waltzes back into her life, as handsome and charming as ever. It's been almost seven years since she's seen him, and the secret she's been harboring all that time has her on edge whenever he's about. Yet she can't deny that she's still drawn to him, nor can she deny the desire she's kept hidden in her heart these many years.

In Aileen Fish’s Chasing Lord Mystery, Lord Northcotte is not in the holiday spirit when he joins his sister’s family shortly after the brutal death of a friend. Discovering a matchmaking scheme is afoot, he tells them he will never marry Lady Miriam or any other woman. Now if only his heart would listen. * Lady Miriam’s mother accused her of chasing Lord Mystery after a noble act by a handsome stranger six years ago became the measure of all other men. Now he’s staying at the home where she’d hoped to escape a summons from her grandfather, the Duke of Danby. Terrified Northcotte will recognize her and reveal the contents of the scandalous letter she wrote him years ago, she can’t decide which is the bigger threat: the duke armed with a special license, or Lord Mystery, who carries a secret she’d never live down.

In Julie Johnstone’s ’Tis The Season For Surrender, Lillian Lancaster would rather catch the plague than a husband. Unfortunately, her abusive, recently deceased father’s will stipulates her inheritance hinges upon her marrying a lord. With time running out, Lillian proposes to the guilt-ridden, marriage-adverse Lord Edgeworth after securing his agreement to a marriage in name only. * Edgeworth feels responsible for his former betrothed’s death and believes he doesn’t deserve love, which makes Lillian’s proposal oddly perfect. Commanded by his grandfather to marry by Christmas or become penniless, the obviously perfect choice is a woman who wants nothing to do with him. * When Lillian displays a brave and true heart and Edgeworth reveals his honorable, protective side maintaining a marriage of convenience becomes harder than these two wounded souls imagined. Now, Lillian and Edgeworth must decide if they are courageous enough to risk their hearts and surrender to love.

In other news, the collection THE CAVENDISH BROTHERS, containing both novellas An Unintended Journey and To Enchant an Icy Earl, is available now at the iBookstore.

And finally, the audiobook version of CHARMING AND JUST A BIT DISARMING is out now! You can find it at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

More soon!

~Catherine

Multiple Announcements

Hi, everyone! Lots to announce today.

First of all, my two Cavendish Brothers novellas are available as a single item now. You can buy the Cavendish Brothers novellas at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and it will soon be available at the iBookstore.

It contains both novellas, An Unintended Journey and To Enchant an Icy Earl, all in a single purchase. If you haven't purchased them yet, this is a great way to get them both at once.

Additionally, all of my novellas which are currently available in ebook format are also now available for sale in paperback format through Amazon. If you prefer to purchase in paper, you can find all of those titles here.

For readers who prefer to listen to audiobooks, the audio version of To Enchant an Icy Earl is available today. You can find it at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

If you've been waiting for Rhyme and Reason, the second Bexley-Smythe Quintet novella, to make it to iBooks, the wait is over. You can purchase it now.

And last but not least, I've joined with a group of fourteen bestselling and award-winning historical romance authors to offer you a free excerpt book. In First Kiss, you will find either the first kiss, or the almost first kiss, from fourteen different novels and novellas. The best part? It's free anywhere and everywhere we have been able to make it free. Even if you purchase it from somewhere in which you must pay a fee for it, all proceeds are being donated to charity. I hope you all go out and pick up a copy of First Kiss today.

You can find it at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and Smashwords, and it will be at other retailers soon.

Pariah is Now in Audio

Pariah, the second book in the Old Maids' Club trilogy, is now available in audio format.

After selling his major's commission in the Dragoons, Lord Roman Sullivan wants nothing more than a calm, sedate life in the country where he's agreed to act as steward over his father's estate. Society is no place for a man who can't sleep without fear of attacking an innocent in the night, after all. But upon his arrival, madness lands in his path in the form of a secret-keeping pixie of a lady, a precocious boy, a lady in the throes of dementia, and a band of rabidly loyal servants, who combine to capture both his attention and what's left of his heart in one fell swoop.

Bethanne Shelton keeps a great many secrets, most of which are not hers to reveal. Keeping them close to her chest is the one sure way to make certain her life remains as normal as possible. Even her family can't discover the truth, lest Finn be taken away from her. In order to protect him, she ignores the whispers of pariah and worse. But her Aunt Rosaline's health is rapidly declining, and Roman is the only one able to calm her. He's getting too close, and if he unveils Bethanne's mysteries, she'll lose her family. One thing is certain: no matter what happens, she is bound to lose her heart.

It is available at Audible and Amazon, and iTunes.

A Note on My Linked Novella Series

I have a few different series of novellas going, and some of them are linked.

The Devilish Devalles series (currently only The Devil to Pay is available) is not linked to any of my other novellas or novels.

The Cavendish Brothers duo and the Bexley-Smythe Quintet, however, are linked fairly intimately.

The suggested reading order is as follows:

An Unintended Journey
Flight of Fancy
To Enchant an Icy Earl
Rhyme and Reason
Thick as Thieves

As more novellas are released, in these series or in any other series which are similarly related, I will update this post.

How are they linked?

Wesley Cavendish (the hero from An Unintended Journey) and Tristan Cavendish, the Earl of Fordingham (the hero from To Enchant an Icy Earl) are brothers.

Georgie Bexley-Smythe (the heroine from Flight of Fancy) and Mattie Bexley-Smythe (the heroine from Rhyme and Reason) are sisters.

Abby Goddard (the heroine from An Unintended Journey) and Thomas Goddard (the hero from Rhyme and Reason) are sister and brother.

The Duke of Danby (the link to all the stories in the Summons anthologies) makes appearances, whether in person or simply through "off-screen" meddling, in An Unintended Journey, To Enchant an Icy Earl, and Rhyme and Reason.

Georgie and Cedric (Flight of Fancy), and Abby and Wesley (An Unintended Journey) all make appearances in To Enchant an Icy Earl.

Additionally, in my Bexley-Smythe Quintet novella Thick as Thieves (in the anthology A Pact Between Gentlemen), the heroine is Freddie Bexley-Smythe (sister to both Georgie and Mattie). We also see more of Robert Goddard, the eldest Goddard brother here, though he is not the hero of this story. You'll have to wait for that one.

Percy Bexley-Smythe, the Marquess of Stalbridge, is a recurring character in Flight of Fancy, Rhyme and Reason, and Thick as Thieves. He can also be found in Ava Stone's novella My Lord Hercules (part of the anthology A Season to Remember) and in her upcoming novella in A Pact Between Gentlemen.

Red Door Reads Labor Day Sale

For all of Labor Day weekend, you can get each of these books for only $0.99! It's a great deal, so hurry and go get your copy of each of them now. The links below are for Amazon, but the sale is on at most, if not all, ebook retailers unless otherwise noted.

Tall, Tatted and Tempting by Tammy Falkner

Behind the Mask by Linda Winstead Jones

The Love List by Deb Marlowe

Lord Rotheby’s Influence – The Series by Catherine Gayle

My Favorite Major by Ava Stone

Second Chance by Lori Handeland

Endgame by Dee Davis

Lady Revealed by Jane Charles (Amazon and Barnes and Noble Only)

Kick Start by Caren Crane

Angel Unborn by Andris Bear

The Holding by Claudia Dain (Amazon and Barnes and Noble Only)

Drive Me Crazy by Marquita Valentine

More Than a Governess by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Unmasked by Michelle Marcos

The Devil to Pay in Audio

Another novella is available now in audio format.

Over the years, Gabriel Devalle has more than earned his reputation as one of "those devilish Devalles." No one is more surprised than Gabe, therefore, when a debutante tosses herself into his path, only to have her gown "accidentally" ripped by her mischievous and alluring sister, all in the name of causing a scandal. Or was it to prevent a scandal? Either way, the gown-ripping sister has certainly drawn his notice.

Miss Miranda Hunt will do anything to prevent her sister from making a mistake which would bring scandal down upon their family...even make a deal with the devil. Mr. Devalle is no angel-fallen or otherwise-but he is devilishly handsome, shamelessly wicked, and as infamous a gentleman as Miranda has ever known. He promises to circumvent her sister's schemes...for a price. What is a proper young lady to do when she has The Devil to Pay?

You can buy The Devil to Pay now at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

Rhyme and Reason, Out Now

*throws confetti*

I have a new release! Rhyme and Reason, the second novella in the Bexley-Smythe Quintet, is out now at most ebook retailers and on its way to the others.

The Duke of Danby is matchmaking again.

No matter what his overbearing duke of a grandfather wants, Thomas Goddard has no intention of marrying a high-born lady. He’s the son of Danby’s by-blow, for heaven’s sake, and no gentleman! When yet another letter—complete with yet another marriage license—arrives, Thomas does as any reasonable man would do. He rips the thing to shreds, tosses it over the cliffs, and curses Danby’s name. Regrettably, his shouted curse startles the very lady his grandfather intends for him to marry.

Because of her wayward brother’s numerous and repeated indiscretions, Lady Matilda Bexley-Smythe has just endured yet another Season on the receiving end of both salacious gossip and censorious glances. She’s had all of London Society she can stand, so she intends to find a husband who is unconcerned about her brother’s ne’er-do-well behavior. She settles on the seemingly perfect choice—a gentleman unswayed by gossip—but when Mattie finds herself being carried home in a handsome stranger’s arms, her whole world unravels at the seams.


You can find it now at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo. It should be available everywhere else very soon.

As a bonus, there is a sneak peek of the third Bexley-Smythe Quintet novella, Thick as Thieves, which will be available on November 1 as part of the anthology, A Pact Between Gentlemen.

Seven Minutes in Devon - in Audio

Seven Minutes in Devon is now available in audio format.

You can find it at Audible, Amazon, and iTunes.

During a minutes-long span three years ago, their lives were forever changed when Lady Morgan Cardiff nearly drowned.

Returning to the disastrous scene for the first time, Emma Hathaway is older, wiser and ready to move on. With her parents quickly aging, she needs a husband. Alas, she is an awkward, bookish girl with no dowry to recommend her, and she is far from being an Incomparable or an heiress who might rouse a gentleman's interest. Her hopes of changing the ton's view of her are dashed upon the arrival of the others involved in that life-altering moment. Aidan Cardiff's perpetual glares prove he blames Emma for Morgan's scarred, blind condition. His unfounded hatred alone leaves Emma shaken, but his unbidden advances threaten to thwart her husband-hunt.

Ever since his sister's failed attempts to take her own life, Aidan Cardiff has been a loathsome, brooding artist. He's spent three years creating artwork to depict the revenge he'd like to exact against anyone, save himself, who can be blamed for Morgan's pervasive melancholy. Yet, his art has been far from enough to assuage the rage he's built inside. Morgan is finally ready to live again, but Aidan fears letting her out of his sight - particularly with Emma Hathaway, the chit whose very existence sets his blood to boiling. But is the heat fueling his fire due solely to his anger, or is there something more?