It’s so exciting to see the whole series out in audiobook and I have to thank the very talented George Ellington for bringing my books into this new medium. Here’s a sample of his wonderful narration.
Have you listened to the rest of the series? I’d love to know what you think.
P.S. I have a few audio codes available in exchange for honest reviews.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
A lovely book, I stayed up way too late most nights reading this because I just had to know what happened next.
Blurb
In the idyllic seaside town of St Carys, Sophie is putting the past firmly behind her.
When Josh arrives in St Carys to run the family hotel, he can’t understand why Sophie has zero interest in letting any man into her life. He also can’t understand how he’s been duped into employing Sophie’s impulsive friend Tula, whose crush on him is decidedly unrequited.
St Carys has more than its fair share of characters, including the charming but utterly feckless surfer Riley Bryant, who has a massive crush on Tula. Riley’s aunt is superstar author Marguerite Marshall. And Marguerite has designs on Josh’s grandfather…who in turn still adores his glamorous ex-wife, Dot…
Just how many secrets can one seaside town keep?
My brief review
This is a perfect example of a feel-good, heart-warming romance.
I fell in love with the main characters, Sophie and Josh, but also with the many side characters and their stories. I honestly didn’t want to stop reading this and I’m sad the story is over.
I loved the location, which was my initial draw for picking up this book, a seaside escape whilst stuck in lockdown!
I enjoyed reading about Sophie’s career as a freelance photographer and her backstory was a powerful one. The many love matches in this book are a huge bonus, especially Sophie’s best friend Tula.
Thanks to this book, and Meet me at Beachcoomber’s Bay, Jill Mansell has become one of my favourite romance authors. I don’t think anyone who picks up this book could dispute her talent for weaving immersive tales that stay with you long after the books are finished.
4 people out of 20 prefer an author to have different names when they publish in different genres, whilst 7 people suggest the same name is fine. With 9 out of 20 people happy with either option, I take that as a successful result for using the same name.
So hopefully very soon, Suzanne Rogerson will be an indie author of both fantasy and romance books. I will be back soon with more news.
Thanks very much to those who have voted and commented. If you still want to have your say, please reply to this post. I’d love to know your thoughts.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic fantasy and heart-warming romance
Happy weekend everyone. I hope you are all doing well and at least the sun is shining in Surrey for a change!
I just wanted to share the news that the first two books in Silent Sea Chronicles trilogy are 99p until 24th February.
‘I highly recommend checking this one out. It’s addictive, fast-paced, with some really fantastic world-building. I can’t wait to continue in this series!’ Goodreads Reviewer
As an indie author I love the freedom I have to publish what I want, when I want. I’ve been building my platform as a fantasy author since 2015, but when we first went into lockdown in March 2020 I found myself drawn to the more light-hearted escapism of romance. This new direction has been an exciting change and I’m now planning to publish a 7 book romance series.
As I get closer to completing the first book, I’ve begun to wonder what to do about publishing in this new genre. Should I stick with Suzanne Rogerson or come up with a new name so my fantasy readers won’t mistakenly buy my romance?
I would prefer to keep all my writing under the same name, but I’m interested to get some advice from you guys. So, please take part in this twitter poll and comment in the post with your thoughts.
I read this book just after Christmas. I loved the two protagonists, Hannah and Nico, and their story had me glued to the pages. Here’s the blurb from Amazon…
Blurb
A sparkling Christmas read from the Sunday Times bestseller – perfect to snuggle up with this winter!
Hannah and Nico are meant to be together.
But fate is keeping them apart…
As soon as Hannah bumps into her brother Rob’s best friend Nico in Stockholm, the two rekindle a fast friendship. But Hannah has a boyfriend – and Nico has two children to look after.
When Hannah loses her beloved shop in Stockholm, though, she is forced to move back to the little village of Middledip – only to find Nico has just moved in too. Under the same snowy sky, can the childhood friends make a romance work – or are there too many obstacles standing in their way?
My Brief Review
Oh my goodness, this story blew me away. I loved Nico and his kids and really wanted him to find his happy ever after with Hannah from the moment they were together on the page. Fate keeps getting in the way of these two people who are so clearly made for each other.
The locations were wonderfully described, both in Stockholm and the UK.
It was impossible to put this book down. It had plenty of fun but also heartfelt moments that had me secretly crying into my pillow. One of my favourite reads of 2020.
This is a 5 star read, and one you don’t have to wait to read at Christmas. Pick it up now I say!
Note – after reading this story I see there are other books set in Middledip. It clearly works as a standalone as I didn’t feel I was missing anything. And now I’m excited to read the other books set in Middledip and start a new adventure.
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
Ok, so I had planned to post this at the beginning of January but due to lockdown and its various issues I haven’t been able to focus much on my writing. It’s still great to have a plan, even if it keeps changing and evolving so here’s the original post I planned for January with some changes to my writing and publishing goals.
The start of a new year is always a great time to set some new goals. As usual I have a head full of ideas and not enough time in the day to work on them all. But I thought if I set out my plans here then it might help me keep on track.
As I shared in my post Books I’ve read in 2020, I have been reading some how to books on writing. In particular romance and series writing. This is a whole new direction for me and one I am very excited about.
Romance Plans
What started as an idea in the March 2020 lockdown of a woman turning up in a quaint seaside town has steadily grown into a series. The original idea was nine novellas, but I have condensed these ideas into 6 longer books and a Christmas special. I can’t wait to get these books written and out into the world.
It’s exciting times, but I have to learn to curb my impatience as I want to have several books written before I publish anything. It’s going to be tough, but I hope it will be worth the wait.
Here’s the working blurb for book 1 – let me know what you think.
Will Evie’s dreams of a seaside escape turn out bittersweet?
Songwriter Evie Rose lives in the background, her confidence knocked by a past trauma that keeps her from the limelight. When her creativity dries up, threatening her livelihood, she heads to the seaside town of Lowenporth hoping to find inspiration.
Lowenporth’s lush sandy beaches and dramatic seascapes are just what burnt-out Evie needs. She adores the quirky charm of The Mermaid Hotel and is soon intrigued by another guest. Brooding William Bristow could be just the man to help her find her muse, but Evie’s sure he’s hiding something from her. And his secret could threaten everything. Can Evie write herself out of the slump and find the confidence to star in her own life? And will William be there by her side, or will the secret he’s keeping come between them?
Fantasy News
The Starlight Prophecy series is another project I want to finish and publish asap. I know what to do, it’s just getting around to finishing it. The structure of the series has a dual timeline so I’m desperate to get my beta readers opinion on how it works. Again, I’m so excited but I want the first two books finished this year and published, whilst working on the third. I have a plan, but with the new lockdown and kids home schooling time for writing is not something I have a lot of.
I also have another fantasy series I would like to start planning. The characters have been in my head for years and are eager for their time in the limelight. There are also other story paths I’m eager to explore in particular with my Silent Sea Chronicles series.
My big plans for the first quarter of 2021
Finish book 1 of The Mermaid Hotel Romance Series.
Complete draft of book 2 in MH series.
Plan book 3 in MH series and try to draft it.
Plans for second Quarter of 2021
Finish the extra scenes for book 1 of The Starlight Prophecy.
Work on the end of book 2 in The Starlight Prophecy.
That is plenty to work with, but the sooner I get things finished, the sooner I can get them into beta readers hands.
I will review my progress at the end of March when hopefully life at home (and for the rest of the world!) is more normal.
Wish me luck!
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Suzanne Rogerson – Author of epic and heroic fantasy
Suzanne Rogerson Fantasy Author 