Fran Thomas – Yuletide with the Rookie

December is I :::Heart::: the Holidays month at my blog. During these next twenty-two days, besides the usual blog posts, I’m featuring authors who write holiday romance. Today, I have Fran Thomas in the interview chair. We’re discussing Yuletide with the Rookie. Be sure to check out the excerpt.

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1. What draws you to writing holiday romance?

Fran: The holidays are all about love, friendship, and family. What could be better?

2. How many holiday romances have you written so far? And which one would you recommend for readers to try, besides the one you are featuring? Feel free to leave a link.

Fran: The fourth book in my Just Desserts series is a holiday romance. The link is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09K4NHW36.

3. What do you like most about writing holiday romance?

Fran: I like the coziness and the chance to include snow. Living in Florida, I miss those traditional aspects I grew up with in Pennsylvania.

4. What do you like least about writing holiday romance?

Fran: What I like least is trying to include the tropes readers expect but in a different way they haven’t seen before.

5. What inspired you to write your featured holiday story?

Fran: The heroine in my book drives her younger brother to skating lessons as I once did.

6. If a reader asked you why they should read your holiday romance, what would you tell them?

Fran: My book is short and sweet, perfect for when the holidays get too overwhelming.

7. Lastly, how are you going to spend the holidays?

Fran: I’ll be spending my holidays surrounded by family, trying to get all the dinner components hot at the same time.

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Title: Yuletide with the Rookie
Series: N/A
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 48 pages, 12,787 words
Heat Rating: 2 Flames
Publication Date: November 19, 2020
Publisher: Self-Published

The course of true love never did run smooth.

Blurb: Baseball rookie Brett Hoak is spending the off-season teaching kids to ice skate. The knockout big sis of one of his pupils is a bonus.

Leeanne Corey was sure teaching was her best career path. Now, she’s having second thoughts.

When Brett shares a secret and needs Leeanne’s help, she can’t refuse. But losing her heart to a jock again isn’t in her plans.

Goodreads | Amazon

I claimed a bench next to one already occupied by a woman older than I, probably the mother of another prospective hockey star. She looked up from the e-reader she was holding and we exchanged smiles. “Any idea where the big celebrity is?” I asked her. “Think he’s too important to worry about keeping his fans waiting?”

The woman’s eyes grew big and she pointed behind me. I turned to find a ruggedly handsome man. Black hair curled over the collar of a worn leather jacket. Glacial blue eyes were framed with more eyelashes than should be allowed on a male. His smirk told me he had overheard my remark.

“Sorry to have been late, sweetheart. How can I make it up to you? Want me to autograph something?”

I snorted. As if I’d want a jock’s autograph. I’d learned my lesson with athletes long ago. “I’m not a fan. I meant the boys over on the ice.”

Said boys were all but jumping up and down when they noticed me talking to their hero.

Brett grinned at them and waved. “Why don’t you get some skates and join in the fun.”

“No, thanks. I’ve got work to do. My brother and his friends can fill me in on what I’ve missed on the ride home.”

“If you change your mind, just give a holler.” He chuckled as he loped over to the ice where he was immediately surrounded as he laced up his skates.

The woman on the next bench was now shaking with silent laughter. “The look on your face was classic.” She got up and extended her hand. “I’m Linda Maznicki, by the way. My daughter is the one in the red plaid jacket.”

She had a firm handshake. I liked her already. “Leeanne Corey. My brother is the blond one by the fence. The other two next to him are his buddies. Looks like we’ll be spending a lot of time together.”

She leaned in and lowered her voice. “If I wasn’t a happily married woman, I could go for him. He’s better looking in person than he is on TV.”