Beverly Farr's Blog

 If you haven’t been into romance novels, maybe you need to rethink it. Lynette did.

True story: Lynette had never read a romance novel before she read my book Her Ex Next Door.

As she says:

“This was the first romance novel I ever read.  Honestly, the plot synopsis made it sound like the type of super cliché book that I would totally hate. But it wasn’t!  . . . I read this book during finals week, and it made my life so much easier.  Great Stress reliever.  It was a fun book.”  (read the rest here)

Just like Lynette, there are millions of readers out there who either (1) don’t think they will like romance novels or (2) they’ve read some romance novels that didn’t work for them.

I’m here to say, Give love a chance.

Romances are just stories about two people finding each other and working through the problems we all have until they reach a happy ending.

Sure, some romances are overly sweet, stupid or unrealistic.  But not all of them.

And some are a lot of fun.

I think mine are, and Lynette agrees.  Awhile back she reviewed Marry the Doctor, Book Two in my Love and Chocolate Series.

“Every time I read a Beverly Farr book, it hits me how much I love her writing.  I always forget just how beautiful it is.  Every time I open one of her books, I get re-immersed not just in her worlds and her characters, but her masterful writing.  It pulls me in immediately. 

I thought the premise of this one was very intriguing and refreshingly different.  The characters were middle-aged, quirky and realistic.  Frank was dealing with the passing of his wife, being the single parent of two daughters, and when he finally ventures back into the dating world, he deals with countless people who are just after his fortune, and don’t actually care about him.” (read the rest here)

Thanks, Lynette.  I love it when readers appreciate what I’m trying to do.  I write clean and clever romances about smart people in difficult situations who fall in love.

Romances really can be like chocolate.  Go ahead, take a taste.

The post Maybe You’re a Romance Reader and Don’t Know It Yet appeared first on Beverly Farr.

MARRY THE DOCTOR

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You can start reading for free here.

Book Two in my Love and Chocolate Series is about Frank.  And I love him.

In Book One, he’s Louisa Brannigan’s younger brother.  He’s funny, he’s smart, he’s adorable, and loyal to Louisa and his grandfather Cyrus, even if he’s not too keen on the family business.  He thinks there is more to life than chocolate and the millions and maybe billions he’s worth with his Brannigan’s stock.

He is also a neurosurgeon at Lindley Hospital in Dallas, and after the tragedy in Book One, he is a single father with two daughters.  Life has dealt him a tough hand, and Frank is a shadow of his prior self at the beginning of Book Two.  He works all the time and wants to be a good parent, and he’s desperately lonely.

Because I believe in love and second chances and  believe it’s through difficult times that our true character shows,  I wrote Frank as a sweet and sexy guy who is a slightly nerdy/brainy hero who wants what is best  and learns to move forward and eventually fall in love again.

Did I also mention he’s funny? You may know that if you read Book One, but I’m not assuming. Check out the first book in the series if you haven’t already. It’s free!

And for those who are not familiar with my writing, I’m partial to good guys, and especially when they’re brainy/nerdy and sexy.

I hope you love Frank as much as I do.

 

 

The post What about Frank? appeared first on Beverly Farr.

For a limited time, Baby Comes First will be on sale for 99 cents.

Start reading for free here.

Or you can purchase at these booksellers:

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First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in the baby carriage — but Hannah’s doing it in the wrong order.

Hannah has a secret. She’s given up her dream of a traditional family and gone to a sperm bank. She’s thrilled to be pregnant, but she doesn’t want her handsome new boss Luke asking too many questions.

Luke is a high-powered trial attorney. He doesn’t have time for love, but he finds his new secretary Hannah increasingly attractive. And he senses that there’s something she’s not telling him.

The post Baby Comes First — On Sale for a Short Time appeared first on Beverly Farr.

The new Jane Grix book is here!

Armed with gypsy magic, Caroline plots to take Fitzwilliam Darcy away from Elizabeth Bennet. At Netherfield, Caroline takes Elizabeth’s place – through a body swap – and Darcy must determine which woman is his true love.

Found at these booksellers:

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Writing Jane Austen VariationsIn addition to writing clean, clever romances as Beverly Farr, I also write Jane Austen Variations under the pen name of Jane Grix. If you’ve never read a Jane Austen Variation before, check out An Heir for Pemberley, which is a free short story found at these booksellers:



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The post Stealing Darcy: A Pride and Prejudice Variation appeared first on Beverly Farr.

This weekend, a ton of new readers – over 40,000! – sent Corporate Husband into the Amazon stratosphere. It is currently in the top 10 for all the free books on the site.

For all my new readers: Thank you and welcome to my world! I hope you enjoy Corporate Husband as it represents what I find so satisfying in the romances I write — clean and clever stories where smart heroines are swept off their feet by strong, decent men who know what they want and are willing to fight for it.

And I would love to hear from you — either with a review (always appreciated) — or you can email me. I would love to know what makes a satisfying romance for you.

Please check out the other books in The Love and Chocolate Series:
Book 2 — Marry the Doctor
Book 3 — Something Sweet
Book 4 — Wake-up Call

The post A Big Thank You to All My New Readers appeared first on Beverly Farr.

Romance Novels can be therapeutic.  Back when I used to do hours of neurodevelopmental therapy with my autistic children, I watched a lot of Cary Grant movies and read romances.  I was rarely able to read a book in one sitting because my day was chopped up with implementing therapies and taking care of those children.  But romances gave me hope that life was good and love was possible.  They were something sweet in days that often were long and discouraging.

Something Sweet is Book Three in my Love and Chocolate Series.  It is now available.  My heroine, Amanda is the single mother of a child on the Autism Spectrum.  She doesn’t think she has time for love, but the hero, Rick Boudreaux thinks otherwise.

I love this story and hope that it gives other women a break, a mental and emotional vacation.  Life is good and love is possible.

The post Something Sweet appeared first on Beverly Farr.

I have no idea what your Mother’s Day was like this past weekend, but if you’re looking for a little R&R, check out my romance Baby Comes First, which is on sale for only 99 cents on Amazon.

 

There’s nothing like reading a book that you wrote four years earlier.  I recently reviewed Baby Comes First in preparation for putting it on sale.  I took out the 100 extra commas (I’m a Comma Queen) and updated the Note from the Author at the end, letting people know that I’ve written other books and have a new pen name Jane Grix.

 

Overall, it was a great experience.  I’d forgotten how much I love the hero and heroine of this story.  Hardworking, funny, tough Hannah who just wants to have a baby and her handsome, grumpy boss who thinks he knows everything.  When they interact, sparks fly.

This book is a sweet, sometimes funny, sometimes gutsy book about love, secrets, second chances and being a mother.

Happy reading.

The post When Life Hands You Lemons, Read a Good Book appeared first on Beverly Farr.

I love Bacon.  I always have.  When I was growing up as one of six kids, I usually got 2 slices.  Less if I wasn’t paying attention.

It wasn’t until I was an adult and could pay for restaurant meals that I realized I could actually eat 4 slices of Bacon at a meal.  And then when I was out on my own and could buy it myself and cook it, I could eat an entire pound, which would make me sick to my stomach, but sometimes I still did it.

But over the years, I’ve learned that for me, 8 slices are ideal.  Less than 8 and I feel disappointed, cheated.  More than 8 and my mouth starts feeling greasy and my stomach rebels.

And ideally, the bacon is crispy, dissolve in your mouth crispy, not burnt and especially not soggy – ugh.  In my own way, I am a bacon snob.

Now for the sex analogy, particularly sex in romance novels.

As with Bacon, we all know what is the right amount for us.  Some people don’t like Bacon at all.  Some want plates full.

My romances are sweet, rated G or PG.  They are similar to the romantic comedies of the 1930’s and 1940’s but set in modern day.   Sex is acknowledged as an important part of romance, but there aren’t any explicit or graphic sex scenes.  I tend to have a closed door or fade-to-black policy.  However, my characters do talk about sex sometimes, when the plot requires it, because – well, I think grownups in a romantic situation end up talking about it eventually.

So, if you like BLTs or sweet, quirky romances with smart heroines, kind heroes and the occasional hell or damn, but no Lord’s name in vain or f-bombs, welcome to my world.

Oh, and I also write Pride and Prejudice Variations under my pen name Jane Grix.  In those stories, Darcy sometimes talks about Bacon, too.

 

 

 

The post Sex is like Bacon appeared first on Beverly Farr.

Although I believe that men and women are more alike than they are different, there are a few differences between the sexes that can range from Vive la Difference to Why Doesn’t S/He Get It?

These differences can cause miscommunication at the workplace, in social settings, and most important, in our personal relationships and family.

Now I’ve read and reread Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray and You Just Don’t Understand by Deborah Tannen. These are both helpful books that analyze the differences between men and women, but I sense that more women are reading these books than men. Or if the men in my life are reading these types of books, they certainly aren’t talking about it.

I could probably come up with twenty things I wish men knew about women, but I will limit it to only 3.

1. Romance novels are cathartic and can help women be happier and ultimately more productive in their lives.

I may be biased because I write romance novels and have been reading them since I was 12, but I find that a good romance novel reminds me that love is possible, helps me become more at peace with my chaotic world, and encourages me to go forth to succeed.

2. Women don’t want to be told what to do.

At least, most of the women I know don’t want that. I think sometimes women allow themselves to be bossed around out of fear, insecurity or habit. But that’s not ideal. Isn’t it always better to have two people figuring out the best course of action rather than relying only on the wisdom of one?

3. If you do nothing else, Listen.

It’s nice to have someone to agree with you, to admire you, or to offer help when needed, but ultimately I just want to be understood. Listen to me with respect. Whatever happens next, I’ll deal with it. But please, listen first. And I’ll do my best to listen to you, too. This goes along with Stephen R. Covey’s “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” habit.

In listing these three points, I realize that my husband is pretty good on all of these. I guess I should ask him what three things he wishes Women Knew About Men. Vive le difference.

The post 3 Things I Wish Men Knew About Women appeared first on Beverly Farr.

I have been following the writing career of Hugh Howey for several years. I first learned of his indie publishing success on a writer’s message board – kboards.com. He had written books before, then one short story Wool took off, inspired more short stories in that world and made boatload of money.

As I read his comments on the writer’s board and did a little research, I found many things to admire about him:

1. The writing. I read Wool and it was a lot of fun. I could see why so many people bought it and clamoured for more.

2. The relationship with his fans. Hugh Howey is one of the few authors who is able to respond to reader reviews without sounding awkward or like a jerk. His remarks are funny and clever. I remember watching a Youtube video in which he surprised some fans at a restaurant. He seems to be level headed and fun.

3. The research. Hugh Howey did some research on author earnings, analysed it and it up on a website for the world to see.  The reports and analysis are very encouraging to me. Thanks. I know this took a lot of time, effort, and probably cost as well.

But what about this fine author has recently inspired me to change my life? His Facebook page and blog Wayfinder. Hugh is currently sailing around the world. Now, I don’t have any desire to sail around the world, but I admire him for going after his dream. And more importantly, he looks great: fit and healthy and happy. Oh, and he bakes bread (I bake bread, too.)

That’s what I want – to be a writer and to be fit and healthy. So he’s inspired me to get out more and exercise. I’m going to eat better and lift a few weights. I don’t think I will ever post pictures of myself in a swimsuit – but I am going to post pictures of myself living a fit, happy life. Today is Day 1 of Living a Better Life.

So thanks, Hugh, for the inspiration.

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