Romance Stories With Children by Laura Scott

Good morning and happy Monday! Laura Scott here with a question for readers. Do you like books that feature heroes and heroines with children and if so, why or maybe, why not?

I have written over 50 books for Harlequin - more than 25 of them Love Inspired Suspense. Having kids in books is something our editors love to see and as a mother, as much as I love kids, I'm often torn by this particular trope. 

I'm going to be honest, our problem child (who is now a nurse and no longer a problem, thankfully) nearly broke us apart. We managed to survive, celebrated 35 years of marriage in May, but there were times especially during the teenage years, when I thought kids were highly overrated. Ha!

Sure, kids are cute, but raising them is no picnic. It's stressful, and never easy. Too much discipline, or too little. Of course the kids in our stories are always cute and adorable, not necessarily doing some of the things real kids do. Hence my dilemma.

I'd like to hear what you as readers think? Is it romantic to fall in love with a single mom or dad? 

My 54th book for Harlequin, Guarded by the Soldier is available on July 1st. This is the story of a pregnant mom with a little boy on the run from mercenaries determined to kill her. Of course, Ryker isn't going to let that happen. 

I would like to offer a free book to one person who tells me what they do or don't like about single mom/dad stories. I'd love to hear from you! 

Sincerely, Laura Scott

He’ll put his life on the line…

If it means protecting a little boy and his pregnant mom.

After months of searching, security expert Ryker Tillman finally finds Olivia Habush and her young son—just as they are attacked by mercenaries. Now safeguarding Olivia, her unborn child and little Aaron is the former special ops soldier’s new mission. But to save the family burrowing into his heart, Ryker must figure out why someone wants them dead…

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What would you take? - by Magdalena Scott

If your house is on fire and you had 60 seconds to escape, what is the one thing you would take with you?

This question is posed in one of my favorite Rom-Com movies, Leap Year. Handsome, exasperating Declan asks the question of spunky, starry-eyed-for-a cardiologist Anna. If you haven't seen the movie, check it out. Such fun. Glorious Irish scenery. And Anna's realization of her fiancee's answer to this important question.

A friend and I each recently faced a situation where we packed a car in preparation for a trip that might be one-way. We were allowed more than one thing, of course. My list began with my cat, Selina, and included boring stuff like paperwork, and chargers for my phone and laptop.

If I could take only one "thing," it would be Selina.

If taking a carload, I'd hope to include at least one scratching post.

I also need to give you this link to Francine Jay's post about intentionally walking away empty-handed. It's powerful reading. (Full disclosure: I'm not sure when, or if, I'll ever achieve this level of minimalism.)

What about you? Do you know what you would take?

USA Today Bestselling Author Magdalena Scott is a practicing minimalist, having downsized from a 3,000 square foot house to a studio apartment, where her Giant Closet continues to resist taming. When not writing at home or spending time with family and friends, she loves to travel–carry-on baggage only–and is always pleasantly surprised at the kindness of strangers.


Website: https://magdalenascott.com/

And they lived happily ever after ...

Sometimes, Happily Ever After really happens. Okay, maybe not laughing and smiling all day every day--life happens to all of us--but with that deep, underlying contentment that says, "Yes, you made the right choice. You are spending your life with your best friend."

This past weekend, Roger and I celebrated our Golden Wedding Anniversary. 50 years! On the day we were married in 1970, we couldn't imagine what our lives would look like fifty l-o-n-g years into the future. Now, as we look back, it doesn't seem like it really could have been five decades. Aren't we still the same young people who spoke our vows that day?

Becca, our daughter, began planning for this anniversary a year ago. We were going to have a dinner for friends and a barbeque for family the following day. When COVID-19 hit and shut everything down, we let go of expectations, believing our 50th would pass in virus-induced silence.

Then, about three weeks ago, Becca decided that could not be tolerated. She began calling her brothers and planning with their wives. Before we knew it, the family portion was on. We celebrated this past Saturday in the "bubble" of our family, not yet willing to mingle with others.


It was everything we might have imagined, complete with decorations (provided by Becca and our daughters-in-law), catering (tri-tip barbeque, anyone?), a gorgeous-delicious cake (can you believe she made those sugar flowers?), and family photos. We couldn't have asked for anything lovelier.




Are we that same cute young couple that married 50 years ago? Yes! Well, inside us anyway, even if the outside shows the years, and the mileage. The family shows the years as well.

We're adding another boy! The news arrived just in time to herald our 50th. Our eldest grandchild and his wife are expecting our first great-grandbaby in November. An event of that magnitude takes time.

We're thankful to Becca for not giving up on the day our family began and gathering loved ones to enjoy this important day.

50 years with my bestie! Yes ...



Sometimes, Happily Ever After really does happen. May you find yours.


Susan Aylworth is the author of 20 novels. Her newest series, "Seasons of Destiny," explores romance in every season of the year in the small, former Gold Rush town of Destiny, California in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  Paris in the Springtime, Sunny's Summer,  Amber in Autumn, and Winter Skye are all available now in e-book and paperback. She is re-releasing her beloved Rainbow Rock Romances and beginning a new "Daughters of Destiny" series featuring five sisters-cousins who sing together, complete with plenty of interesting song lyrics. Look for them in the coming months along with a Christmas novella coming in October in a new "Puppies for Christmas" series. 

Why Black Characters in A Book Matters by Pat Simmons (AOC)

I had so much fun writing my first Christian romance in 2006. Guilty of Love sparked my writing career, opening the door for my first series—the Jamieson Legacy. The impact of my genealogy research on readers--black and white--was amazing. I enjoyed the journey to uncover historical documents tucked away in forgotten files in dusty back offices of county courthouses. One reader shared she had never heard of Juneteeth until she read this book. There was so much for me to learn about American history and Blacks who contributed to society.  Since I'm an Author of Color, I write for a Black audience, but White audiences would not be denied the pleasure of a history lesson. White book clubs invited me to speak at their meetings, and we had a great time. Readers said they were inspired to research their own family roots. 

Fast forward many years later, and the popularity of the Jamieson Legacy continued. In The Guilt Trip, a white reader gave me a great review, and said one things that surprised her was how long it took to service black hair—washing, drying, heating, styling, etc. I'm glad she was able to take away one tidbit about People of Color (POC).

In The Confession, Book 8 in the Jamieson Legacy, which won the Emma Award for Best Inspirational Romance, I wrote about documented white oppression toward Blacks that scanned hundreds of years in the plot, but it didn't overpower the second chance at love theme.  As a Christian, I don't believe in pointing fingers to shame people. God is their judge. My position is to have compassion for people’s souls. Some people offend others through ignorance, or as the Bible says, lack of knowledge. Others are malicious in their intent. Those people need pity and prayer. I didn’t want to be a hurtful person, so because of the sensitivity of the subject matter, I reached out to one of my white author friends, Danica Favorite, and asked her opinion about my story. Here's her review:

Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2015

"I really enjoyed this book (The Confession) a lot. The author asked me if I would read the book and give her honest feedback as a white woman in terms of how I felt about the racial issues. I'm so glad I read it because it gave me insight into a lot of what it's like to be black, and some differences in our cultures. I really loved the passion I saw between the characters, and how deeply they connect and feel their emotions and care for each other. It was delightful to be immersed in that world and connect with the characters. I think more white people need to read this book, because I learned so much about black history, and it was really eye-opening. I wish they'd teach more of this in schools."
Danica's assessment was humbling and rewarding. With loving kindness, God has drawn us to Him.

My newest release, Lean on Me, was a featured selection of the Together We Read, a Digital Book Club through libraries. This is an international program sponsored by OverDrive, so this was a big, big deal.
The reviews were mixed, but one stood out. The reader identified herself as white and said she enjoyed the story that reminded her of the Huxtables, a fairytale about successful black families. What offended me most wasn't that she bought into stereotypes about black folks, but she missed the opportunity to learn about other cultures.

Recently, my proofreader who is white, Judy DeVries, exchanged an email with me where she mentioned while watching TV, she reflected on my story descriptions and wondered how I would describe this Black man’s skin and eye color. 
So these are just a few reasons why Black characters matter in a story--to shatter the stereotypes and invite readers into our world of experiences, our voices, and our hearts. 
I'm interested in hearing your comments about books you have enjoyed written by Authors of Color (AOC). Check out my selection of the Jamieson Legacy. Check out my family roots. #weneeddiversebooks

Pat Simmons is a multi-published Christian romance author with more than thirty-five titles. She is a self-proclaimed genealogy sleuth who is passionate about researching her ancestors, then casting them in starring roles in her novels. She is a three-time recipient of the Romance Slam Jam Emma Rodgers Award for Best Inspirational Romance: Still Guilty, Crowning Glory, and The Confession. 

Pat describes the evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost as a life-altering experience. She has been a featured speaker and workshop presenter at various venues across the country.

Hear what some say about her work: Reader, Dominique, writes, “I  absolutely love her books. I mean spirituality in them is strong and the romance is real. My favorite is Love Led by the Spirit. Jet' s character is so real. I feel like I relate to her a lot when it comes to anger.”

A fellow author describes Pat’s writing in In Defense of Love, “What can I say about Garrett and Shari? I loved their love. I thought Kidd and Eva (Guilty by Association) were it for me but this couple was hot!!! I loved the way Pat Simmons weaves a tale of a smoking hot romance around the infallible Word of God. I nearly had a heart attack but as only Pat would do...she made it all better in the end.”

Romance Novel, Inc., says, “Wow!  I loved the way that the storyline (No Easy Catch) flowed so smoothly. Pat’s scriptures were well timed and very appropriate, without being preachy or over the top. I loved how Shae and Rahn seemed like normal, everyday people that lived normal everyday lives. They were not so overly wealthy, or so over the top sexy that they were unbelievable.” 

Pat’s readership reaches across genres besides Christian romance and ethnicities. She has converted her sofa-strapped sports fanatical husband into an amateur travel agent, untrained bodyguard, GPS-guided chauffeur, and administrative assistant who is constantly on probation. They have a son and a daughter. Pat holds a B.S. in mass communications from Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. Visit her at www.patsimmons.net.

Don't trifle with my dessert - Laura Ashwood

I'll never forget the first time I met my mother in law. It was Thanksgiving and my husband (then fiance) was bringing me to the family meal. It was the first time I would meet his parents and his family. His mother assured me that I didn't need to bring anything, but my North Dakota German background insisted that I did. So, she told me I could bring Jell-O.

I spent the next two weeks searching for the "perfect" Jell-O dessert recipe and finally found one that would be guaranteed to impress. I showed it to my husband, whose only comment was, "Don't you think that's a bit much?"

The answer to that, as you may have figured out, was a resounding no.

Early in the morning, the day before the big meal, I began working on my masterpiece. Seven layers of Jell-O and fruit with creamy whipped topping. I would surely make a big impression on his family.

Unfortunately, this was long before taking pictures of food was cool, so I don't have photo proof (which is probably a good thing) of the dessert, but the photo here is just a small representation of what it actually was.

Picture a large, clear glass trifle bowl. FULL TO THE TOP with layered Jell-O in seven different colors/flavors. The layers were perfection, the topping creamy and glorious.  I think it weighed close to 10 pounds.

I'll never forget the look on her face when I presented her with my creation, or the long pause while she tried to find something nice to say. I think it was something along the lines of, "Oh my, isn't that...colorful." But, she set it on the food table in its proper place at the end with the bars I later found out she'd made as back up.

To make a long story, short - I took a nearly untouched, almost completely full trifle bowl back home with me. There were two spoonfuls taken out it. Hers and my husband's. I was mortified. I asked him about it on the way back to my house and he said it wasn't that it wasn't good, it was, it was just that they had never seen anything like it before and were not comfortable asking me because they didn't know me.

I later found out his mother had told me to bring Jell-O because "how can you mess that up?" Well, I found a way. In trying too hard to impress, I ended up creating something they were afraid to try. If I had stayed true to myself, instead of trying to be over the top, the end result would have been a lot less stressful.

I was lucky enough to marry into that family (so lucky) and had a very close relationship with my mother in law until she passed away in 2013. It was a running joke between us every holiday when we discussed the menu for the family meal. I volunteered every year to bring the Jell-O and she would laugh and laugh. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her. But my favorite memory of her hits me hard every holiday when I make a simple bowl of Jell-O for our family.

Do you go over the top when you are trying to impress? Was there a time you had to bring a dish for an important meal and it went sideways? I'd love it if you'd share. It's all good after the fact.

Enjoy the rest of the month and I'll see you at the Cafe!

xo, Laura


P.S. If you click here, it will take you to the recipe I used that has a much more accurate photo (copyright laws being what they are, I couldn't use their image) of what the end result looked like.

Happy Father's Day! by Janice Lynn

Happy Father's Day! I am so lucky to have been blessed with a lot of great dads in my life.

My dad has always been someone I could look up to. He's a hardworking Christian man who has always been there for his family. We were 'dirt' poor while I was growing up, but we never went without food or clothes or love. Honesty, integrity, ethical--these are all words that describe my dad. I appreciate that if I say his name and someone knows him, they only have good things to say about him (and my mom!).

When I first started work as a nurse practitioner, I was blessed to work for a man who I consider my work 'dad'. He was my mentor, the most amazing doctor I've ever known, and was such an advocate for his patients. He was brilliant, alpha, very take charge of life, very compassionate and kind, yet a lion when he needed to be. He didn't care who he upset in making sure his patients got taken care of. He's been gone several years now. I miss him dearly, often wish I could call him up and ask his opinion about a patient or just to say hi. I am so grateful that I got to share in a small piece of my work 'dad's' legacy.

My husband is also a wonderful dad in my life. He is so patient, kind, and loving with our kids. It makes me love him all the more when I see how great he is as a parent. I look forward to when I get to watch him as a grandpa someday.

As I'm writing heroes for my stories, I'm sure I pull characteristics from the men in my life as they've been such strong influences in who I am. In my first Hallmark Publishing story, Wrapped Up in Christmas, my heroine Sarah Smith's father has many of the same qualities as the dads in my life.

What are some of your favorite characteristics or stories about the dads in your life? Any special memories that stand out? What about fictional dads from novels you've read? Any that particularly stand out?

USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author JANICE LYNN lives in Tennessee with her Prince Charming, their kids who think they're all royalty, her vivid imagination, an adorable Maltese named Halo who's the true princess of the house, and bunches of unnamed dust bunnies that moved in after Janice started her writing career. In addition to writing romance, Janice is a nurse practitioner, a quilter, an exercise queen, a military mama, and an avid supporter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. Just kidding on the exercise queen. www.janicelynn.com   WRAPPED UP IN CHRISTMAS available at AMAZON Barnes & Noble WALMART

June New Releases by Authors in Sweet Romance Reads

Direct Threat

Kimberly Rose Johnson

One little girl. 

Two bodyguards.
Only one chance to guard their hearts.

Protection Inc. co-owner, Carissa Jones, an ex-cop turned bodyguard, has one goal—keep her young client safe. When her business partner brings in a new guy to help, she discovers her heart desires more. Can she still do her job and follow her heart without compromising her client’s safety?

Marc Olsen, a former Military Police officer, struggles to find his way as a civilian. He agrees to help out an old friend for the summer. He gets more than he bargained for when he’s assigned to work with the feisty co-owner of Protection Inc.

When sparks fly faster than bullets, will the bodyguards be distracted from their task, or will they work together as an even stronger team?

Purchase here: https://amzn.to/2Qk2V7L

Imminent Threat

Kimberly Rose Johnson

When one bad decision changes the course of her life, Jenna must seek protection from a surprising source.

The Protection Inc. team is growing, and so is their client list. Former cop and new team member, Peter King, seeks to solve the mystery surrounding threatening notes being sent to Jenna Walsh.

Facing an uncertain future, Jenna is afraid for her life. Will the team at Protection Inc., specifically Peter, be able to stop the threats before things escalate, or will tragedy strike before Peter is willing to face his growing attraction to Jenna?

The team must divide and conquer when two big cases present themselves at the same time. Carissa Jones and Marc Olsen work to protect a young college student who is staying in the home of a federal judge. All work and no play has put a strain on their relationship. Can they find balance or will their fragile bond be extinguished?

Join the Protection Inc. team as they face one challenge after another, including challenges of the heart.

Purchase here: https://amzn.to/2VMgMXq

Journey to Peace

Lyn Cote

Sweeping Historical Saga

Book 4 The American Journey series

Identical twin brothers-stained by an unjust scandal and separated by miles of wilderness. Two young beauties in jeopardy. Will they learn to trust before it’s too late?

Outcast from his home town New Orleans, Johnny McKuen has taken refuge in Mexican Texas in 1827. He’s still reeling from the aftermath of an engagement gone terribly wrong but trying to build a new life on the frontier. Out of the blue, a friend he considers nearly a brother arrives with Johnny’s neighbor, bleeding and mortally wounded. As he breathes his last, he entrusts his wife to Johnny, a man of honor.

Near to giving birth to another child, the new widow Angel slumps against the bed, her head on her husband’s hand. Her world crumbles. How is she to care for a farm and her children with the birth of a child imminent? And who shot her husband and started to scalp him like a Comanche would? Nothing makes sense.

Keeping the family plantation Beau Rivage going, Callum McKuen alone faces the rejection by New Orleans society.When will his father return from a sojourn East? When will he see his beloved brother again? Has his family abandoned him? Don’t they realize that it’s not just the scandal? Forces resentful of their anti-slavery stand are at work to destroy their livelihood.

On a rare visit to the French Quarter, Callum meets Minette, a lovely young woman who hides her beauty beneath layers of clothing and a hat and scarf. Why isn’t she displaying her beauty in order to find a husband?

Minette also lives under a cloud of unjust scandal. This makes her a target for an unscrupulous man of bad reputation who wants her as his mistress. As the only provider for her grandfather and little sister, she soldiers on even as the scoundrel becomes relentless. Who will free her from this threat?

The twins face these challenges as the gentlemen they were raised to be. Who killed Angel’s husband and why? And how can Callum protect Minette if she won’t trust him? How and when will the twins be reunited? A compelling parallel story you don’t want to miss!

Purchase here: https://booksbylyncote.com/SWBS/books-by-lyn/journey-to-peace

1-800-Summer

Josie Riveria

The last thing she can fix is her own life. Until one man’s offer changes everything.

There’s been one constant in Belle Boots’ nomadic life. Horses. She’s lived in North Carolina for a couple years, but lately, the universe seems to be telling her it’s time to pack up her equine therapy practice and move on. Maybe Florida. Or California.

But when she’s offered a horse-friendly fixer-upper, her sense of adventure gives way to a longing for something familiar. Salt air, wheeling seagulls, summer sand between her toes. Home.

The universe chooses that moment to muddy up her plans with a man whose emerald-green eyes and rich Scottish accent do funny things to her pulse.

Andrew Branfield knows what it’s like to have important things slip through his fingers. A marriage. Money. Though Belle’s teasing voice and gray eyes stir the ashes of his loneliness, his first priority is doing whatever’s necessary to keep his daughter’s favorite equine therapist from drifting away.

He never expected, when he set out to build Belle the barn of her dreams, that he’d build something else. A home for their hearts.

Sometimes you have to leave a place to discover it’s really your home.

Purchase here:mybook.to/1-800-SUMMER

Two New Books and the Indie Book Process with Kimberly Rose Johnson

June is a big month for me. I have two books releasing! Never before in my writing career have I released two indie books in one month. It was an interesting process for sure.

I am both indie and traditionally published and though there are some similarities there are more differences. I am in charge of everything when I independently publish.

In case you're wondering what the differences are, here's a quick list of differences.

A traditional publisher will create the cover, edit, proofread, market--somewhat, register the book with the Library of Congress, post to all book seller sites, post to Goodreads, send the book to readers for reviewing, large houses give the author reader copies to do with as they please and finally, many houses are now also creating the audiobook version of the book.

Conversely, when I indie publish, I have to do everything listed above and market like crazy since I don't have a publisher backing my book. In addition to that, I send my books to beta readers before I send it to my editor. I find my own proofreaders after the edit and then have to decide if the proofreaders are right or wrong and whether I need to incorporate their suggestion. After that I read the book out loud to myself for the final proofread.

Why do I do it if it's so much extra work? Because I like to have complete control over what I produce. On the other hand, I like the extended audience a publisher provides, so that's why I do both.

I held a celebration release party on facebook earlier this month where I read a few pages from the first two books in my Protection Inc. series. If you click over there and watch the video, you will learn a lot of behind the scenes kind of things. Watch Video

Direct Threat is now available and free to read with Kindle Unlimited. Amazon
Imminent Threat is available for Pre-order. Amazon

Award winning author Kimberly Rose Johnson married her college sweetheart and lives in the Pacific Northwest. From a young child Kimberly has been an avid reader. That love of reading fostered a creative mind and led to her passion for writing. She especially loves romance and writes contemporary romance that warms the heart and feeds the soul.

Kimberly holds a degree in Behavioral Science from Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers.

Sweet Romance Bargain Book by Lyn Cote

My newest Western historical JOURNEY TO PEACE

is on pre-order till Friday the19th for $2.99.

Identical twin brothers-stained by an unjust scandal and separated by miles of wilderness~ Two young beauties in jeopardy~Will they learn to trust before it’s too late? Johnny ventures to frontier Texas.  Out of the blue, a friend he considers nearly a brother arrives with Johnny’s neighbor, mortally wounded. As he breathes his last, he entrusts his wife to Johnny, a man of honor. Who killed Angel’s husband and why?

The other twin Callum stays at their New Orleans plantation, trying to keep it afloat while forces resentful of their anti-slavery stand are at work to destroy their livelihood. On a rare visit to the French Quarter, Callum meets Minette, a lovely young woman who hides her beauty beneath layers of clothing and a hat and scarf. Why isn’t she displaying her beauty to find a husband? 
Minette also lives under a cloud of unjust scandal. This makes her a target for an unscrupulous man of bad reputation who seeks to force her to be his mistress. How can Callum protect Minette if she won’t trust him? How and when will the twins be reunited? A compelling parallel story you don’t want to miss! On pre-order for $2.99 till June 19th

To learn more or purchase, click here.

Dealing with Disaster by Merrillee Whren

About a week ago I took the photo above when the Bighorn Fire in the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona, was burning brightly in the night. Now the fire has moved to the other side of the mountains, but there are still flare ups on the side we can see. The fire has been burning over a week. It was started by a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. It has burned over 9,000 acres at the time of this writing. People have had to evacuate their homes. Some have been able to return, but others have had to evacuate. Some are on alert for evacuation. Fortunately, we live in an area that is far enough away from the mountains, but we have a full view of the smoke during the day and flames at night.

In life we have to deal with disasters of different kinds. The whole world has been dealing with a deadly virus. We have learned how to cope with all the necessary ways to fight against it. Disasters are a part of life. We have to learn how to handle them. As authors our job is to create characters and put them into the middle of a disaster of some sort. Sometimes the disaster can be life-threatening and other times just something the character doesn't want to face.

I've used disasters such as a hurricane in Four Little Blessings, a tornado in Country Blessings, a blizzard in Hometown Promise, a stolen car in A Song to Call Ours, the threat of losing a child in A Family to Call Ours, an unwanted pregnancy in A Baby to Call Ours, and the heroine's discovery that her life has been a lie in A Place to Find Love, just to name a few.

In my latest book, Second Chance Gift, my heroine encounters several disasters. She deals with a broken down car, the discovery that her teenage son has been less than truthful about his activities, and trying to hide the past she fears will alienate her from her dearest friend.

 

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3dkechk

B&N: https://bit.ly/2WabFk2

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2znHQn2

Apple: https://apple.co/2TsdJSI

What kind of disasters have you encountered?

 Have You Signed up for the Sweet Romance Reads Quarterly Newsletter Yet?

If not you can at the top right of the blog page.

Merrillee Whren is the winner of the 2003 Golden Heart Award presented by Romance Writers of American. She is married to her own personal hero, her husband of forty-plus years, and has two grown daughters. Connect with her on her Facebook page and sign up for her newsletter.

 

Chocolate Mayonnaise Mug Cake by Cindy Flores Martinez

Have you ever had chocolate mayonnaise cake? I heard about it for years but never tried it. The idea of mixing mayonnaise and chocolate didn’t sound very appetizing. But when I saw the recipe for a chocolate mug cake that substituted mayonnaise for egg, I was intrigued. I decided to give it a try, and what a surprise. It was delicious! There wasn’t the slightest flavor of mayonnaise in it, and the texture was super moist.

As a fan of dark chocolate, I created my own mayonnaise mug cake recipe using dark cocoa instead of regular cocoa. It was better than I had imagined! I think you'll like it too. Here’s the recipe.

Dark Chocolate Mayonnaise Mug Cake

Directions

In a mug or small bowl, mix the following ingredients:

3 TB all-purpose flour

3 TB sugar

2 TB dark cocoa

1/4 tsp baking powder

Add:

3 TB mayonnaise

3 TB milk or milk substitute

1/8 tsp vanilla

Blend well and cook in the microwave for about 1 minute. Let it cool and enjoy!

NOTE: If you prefer regular cocoa, substitute 3 TB for the dark cocoa.

What about you? Do you make mug cakes? What's your favorite flavor?

 

Cindy Flores Martinez is a USA Today bestselling author who writes Christian Romance. She has an MFA in Creative Writing with an emphasis in Screenwriting. Her debut novel, Mail-Order Groom, started as a screenplay and movie project, which she shopped around Hollywood, New York, and other parts of the world. You can learn more about her at www.cindyfloresmartinez.com

The beginning of summer by Josie Riviera

June marks the official beginning of the summer season, and it’s time to enjoy the upcoming warm nights and warmer days.

But first, yesterday was Father’s Day! A day to celebrate all the special fathers in our lives. Some of our fathers taught us how to play ball and ride bikes as children. And later how to mow the lawn (yeah, thanks dad) and drive. To giving advice or listening with an empathetic ear, there’s no doubt that fathers are important. I hope you had the opportunity to thank that special dad, and/or to reminisce about any extraordinary moments that you and your father shared.

Now, look ahead to relaxing sunny days, picnics, games of catch in the yard with our children, or, perhaps, horseback riding. (My heroine in my newest romance is an equine therapist.)

Together, we’re resilient, so let's make the most of every summer day.

*Have you ever gone horseback riding? Please leave your comments below.

Love a summer beach romance? Love horses?

Grab your copy of 1-800-SUMMER, my newest sweet contemporary romance.

1-800-SUMMER is on pre-order for only 99¢! Releasing June 17^th.

The last thing she can fix is her own life. Until one man’s offer changes everything.

Belle stirs the ashes of Andrew’s loneliness, but his first priority is doing whatever’s necessary to keep his daughter’s favorite equine therapist from drifting away. He never expected, when he set out to build the barn of Belle’s dreams, that he’d be building something else. A home for their hearts.

Available in ebook, Paperback, and Large Print Paperback.

Josie Riviera is a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary, inspirational, and historical sweet romances that read like Hallmark movies. She lives in the Charlotte, NC, area with her wonderfully supportive husband. They share their home with an adorable shih tzu, who constantly needs grooming, and live in an old house forever needing renovations.

To see her latest family adventures, follow her on Instagram.

And remember to join our Sweet Romance Reads Facebook cafe.