Bethany Maines's Blog

Brainstorming & the Creative Process

This week, I taught a workshop for the Pacific Northwest Writers Association called Brainstorming Your Murder. This was a new workshop for me, and as always, I was struck by a case of nerves because I hate the idea of under-delivering.  The workshop evolved out of what I call my “Plotting Parties” – backyard get-togethers to co-write with author friends.  But I soon saw that what started as spontaneous processing of our projects could be systematized to move a novel forward.  And while for me, it seemed like a natural outgrowth of my process, after talking with several writers, I realized that the groupthink of auxiliary brains was not a natural part of their creative process.  So I created a workshop to teach my system and then practice the skills we discussed.

Bravery in the Face of Strangers

Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult to share an undeveloped story even to other writers, so I was also worried that the class attendees might not want to participate.  Then there was the fear that people would be like “yawn, I already know this.”  So while my attendees had to share their ideas, I had to make sure I was giving fresh new thoughts.  It was a time for bravery all the way around!

Brainstorming Success?

For me, despite being moved to strictly virtual due to potential inclement weather, the evening was a wonderful success.  Several authors walked away with solutions to their novel problems, gut-check reactions to their proposed formats, and some lightbulb ideas on how to shape their novels in progress.  To see someone’s face light up with an “OH! THAT IS IT!” moment is gratifying.  So thanks to the PNWA for hosting me and making those moments possible and I hope to be able to share this workshop with others in the future!

 

The post Brainstorming Your Murder first appeared on Bethany Maines.

I was elected…

To the Board of the Northwest Chapter of the Mystery Writers of America!�� As a cross-genre writer who bounces between mystery and romance, I’m subject to imposter syndrome in every genre I touch.�� Is this enough of a mystery?�� Is this romance-y enough?�� Someone give me a kiss-o-meter!�� So when a friend reached out and suggested I run for the Board I thought… eeee, I don’t know.�� What if someone finds out that all my mysteries have kissing in them?�� Then I realized that was probably the silliest thing I’d thought lately and I said we could maybe think about it.

And now I’m Treasurer.

Where’s that facepalm emoji when I need it?�� Although, to be honest, this is also how I ended up as the Treasurer of my local business district a few years ago. And that turned out fine. (We held a wine walk and a farmer’s market!) So I suppose we shall see if I can figure out how to make the MWA hold a wine walk.�� What’s the author equivalent of a wine walk?�� Now I need the heavy thinking emoji.

Crime’s of the Heart

But as I ponder if I’m mystery enough for the mystery crowd, or romance enough for the romance crew, I realize that I couldn’t have written my most recent book without my mystery and crime fiction background. The idea was simple enough���I hate The Shining.�� (Confession: I’ve never read the book.)�� The movie bugs me.�� It’s stylish, terrifying, and (for me) the characters behave in completely unbelievable ways.�� Every time I’ve seen it, I think… why would the caretaker leave?�� Why would she not leave her husband prior to going to a snowed-in hotel?�� Why has no one ever noticed the creepy ass shit before this? What kind of hotel owner would let a hotel be empty for six months of the year? And then I had the action movie thought, that this could be solved a lot of ways that weren’t… any of this.�� It’s like how most action movies could really be avoided if someone just shot the bad guy the moment he started pontificating.�� Which led me to think that this kind of nonsense wouldn’t fly in Vegas. Cursed hotel?�� Oh, hell no.�� The mob is not standing for that���they would be getting in a priest the first time some evil twin ghosts interfered with a slot machine.�� Crime families cannot be having blood dripping from the walls.�� That would cut down on the profits.�� And then I said, “Ooooooh. I might need to do something with that.”�� And since I’m an adult and I can give in to all of my intrusive thoughts if I want… I did just that.

Heart’s Curse

Writing under the pen name Sirena Corebeau for Varus Publishing, Heart’s Curse is about Lucas Kane, a hotel boss who’s on his way up the ladder and his first shot at the big time in Vegas is The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino.�� There’s just one tiny problem… it’s cursed.�� Charlotte ���Charlie��� Auvray has always been told she���s nothing special���just the magicless daughter of a powerful witch family. But when a disastrous spring break lands her in Las Vegas, she stumbles into the path of Lucas Kane, a dangerously magnetic casino boss with secrets of his own. Lucas is juggling mob ties, a cursed hotel, and powers he can never reveal. What he doesn���t need is a heartbroken college girl counting cards at his tables��� or kissing him in front of her cheating ex. But when blood rains from the showers and guests descend into madness, Charlie proves she sees what no one else can���the curse that haunts the Lucky Heart���s Casino. To break it, she���ll have to embrace her hidden magic and trust Lucas with her heart. Because in Vegas, the stakes aren���t just money���they���re life, love, and destiny.

ORDER NOW: https://amzn.to/49fdeli

LEARN MORE: Sirena Corbeau

Heart’s Curse releases March 3, 2026!�� Whether or not my reign of terror at the MWA treasury position goes as well as the romance for Lucas and Charlie remains to be seen.

The post Blessing or a Curse? first appeared on Bethany Maines.

I’m Being Judged… by the Derringer Awards

Every year, the Short Mystery Fiction Society holds the Derringer Awards. Judged by volunteers from the society’s membership, these competitive awards recognize short mystery stories published that year.�� The judging process and program management are a lot of work and I’m always impressed at the volunteers who bring the awards program to life.

Derringer CategoriesBest Flash Story (Up to 1,000 words)Best Short Story (1,001 to 4,000 words)Best Long Story (4,001 to 8,000 words)Best Novelette (8,001 to 20,000 words)Derringer Judging

Each category requires three primary and one alternate SMFS members to whittle their assigned category down to five finalists.�� Each judge is provided with a criteria sheet and a batch of short stories, and then the scores are totaled by the Derringer coordinator. And having judged before, I know that the quality of the stories is fantastic and that anyone who submits is up against some top-notch writers. I loved getting to read such a wide spread of stories with different mystery sub-genres and sensibilities.�� Believe me, getting down to top five is hard!

Stiletto Gang Stories

As a member of both the SMFS and the blog group The Stiletto Gang, I’m always excited to see which of my friends have also submitted for an award.�� This year, three of us at the Stiletto Gang have taken the plunge. With the array of submissions below, I’m hoping that at least one of the Stiletto Gang can take home a Derringer Award medal.

donalee Moulton

donalee has three stories in consideration.�� With a 2024 finalist spot, donalee is shooting for a repeat with one of her three stories. “Bon Ami” from the Signed, Sealed…Deceased Cozy Mystery Anthology. “Maladaptives Anonymous” from the Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Anthology.�� And “Zebra Finch” from The Most Dangerous Games.

Judy Penz Sheluk

Judy submitted “A Foolproof Plan” from the Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Anthology. This fantastic mystery/crime anthology features 22 tales of mystery and suspense. Last year, the previous anthology, Larceny & Last Chances picked up a Finalist spot in the Derringer’s Anthology category, so we’re all hopeful for a repeat with Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers!

Bethany Maines

In 2025, I wrote two mystery stories that qualify to be submitted for the Derringers ��� “Front Desk Staff” (published in Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers)��and “Love, Lefse, & Murder” (published in Cooking Up Death).�� “Front Desk Staff” went into the highly competitive Short Story Category and “Love, Lefse, & Murder,” which clocked in at 9k words, will be in the Best Novelette category.

Winner announcements happen in March and and I wish all of the Stiletto Gang members luck as our precious stories make their way across the judges desks!

Buy Now

Want to check out these award-worthy stories?

Midnight Schemers & Daydream Believers Signed, Sealed…Deceased The Most Dangerous Games Cooking Up Death

 

The post Derringer Danger first appeared on Bethany Maines.

Christmas Strikes Back

A few years ago, I became interested in scriptwriting. Like many people, I assumed that after a lifetime of watching movies that writing them couldn’t be that hard.�� I’ll pause here for your laughter to die down.�� Specifically, I was interested in Christmas movies and why they sucked.�� Which is unfair, one person’s terminally bland Christmas movie is another person’s soothing blankie that keeps the holiday season from emerging from under the bed and devouring them whole.�� I didn’t want gritty reality Christmas, but I did want something more.�� And since that didn’t exist, I set out to write it myself.

Cookies for Christmas

On the whole, I enjoy Christmas movies, but the problems arise from the Hallmark rules that keep Hallmark movies on brand ��� no cancer or dying, celebrate small towns, low stakes, etc.�� I get why those movies exist.�� Viewers want a sugar cookie movie, not a complicated dessert.�� But I didn’t understand why we couldn’t have Christmas stories with a little more… ass kicking.�� You see, I also love action movies ��� they are an excellent chocolate chip cookie of a movie.�� (Which is why I also stand firm in my belief that Die Hard is a Christmas movie, but that’s a topic for another blog.)�� ��So over the last several years, I’ve explored how to make the perfect Christmas cookie.�� They have all the sugar, fluff, and icing, but sometimes you need a few chocolate chunks and nuts.�� And I’ve accumulated three novellas worth of Christmas desserts.

Christmas Traditions

The challenge to writing a Christmas crime story was in finding the right mix of romance, holiday tropes, and humor to make people feel both awwww Christmas and Yippe-kai-yay MFers!�� This required research and I dutifully watched, Die Hard, It’s a Wonderful Life, Lethal Weapon, and White Christmas as well as many others.�� And OK, I also took a few classes on writing Hallmark and Christmas movies.�� But popcorn and couch time is way more fun than studying and learning from experts. So if you’re looking for a Christmas story that feels a little more hefty, but still hits that sugar craving, check out The Christmas Carols.

The Christmas Carols

Blue Christmas: Buy Now ��� GET IT FOR FREE

Blue Jones just stole Jake Garner’s dog. And his heart. But technically the French Bulldog, Jacques, belongs to Jake’s ex-girlfriend. And soon Jake is being pressured to return the dog and Blue is being targeted by mysterious attackers. Can Jake find Blue and Jacques before her stalkers do? For Blue, Christmas has never been quite so dangerous. For Jake, Christmas has never been quite so Blue.

Oh Holy Night: Buy Now

Graphic designer Violet Harper is usually found at her local Starbucks. Handsome Roman Knox is usually carrying a gun. But tonight they���re both in a bank and there���s a body on the floor. It���s a mess, a robbery and almost the worst day ever, but maybe a Christmas miracle can get them out of the bank and into love.

Winter Wonderland: Buy Now

When Marcus Winters, a photographer with a bah humbug take on the holidays, meets Larissa Frost, a set designer who loves all things Christmas, sparks are destined to fly. But when a famous diamond goes missing from the shoot they���re working on Larissa finds that Marcus may be the only one who can keep her from being framed for a crime she didn���t commit.

Or get all three Christmas Carols in hardback: https://amzn.to/3Uj9PLh

Like your chocolate chips, but not at Christmas?

Try out the 12 Knights of Christmas anthology from Buttonhall Publishing featuring 12 delightful tales of Christmas, including my story ���Carol of the Bells.��� These stories are all romantic and certified sugar sweetness. (Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and as an audiobook.)�� BUY NOW: https://books2read.com/12Knights

The post Christmas the Movie Way first appeared on Bethany Maines.

2025 Was a Very Busy Year!

I kept myself busy in 2025 with short stories, novels and more.�� Check out the video below to see the full recap!

I was featured in four (!) anthologies:

Midnight Schemers & Daydream BelieversPumpkin Spice RomanceCooking Up Death12 Knights of Christmas

I published the Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy:

Elevator RideBetween FloorsEmergency ExitBUY NOW: https://amzn.to/4nVjK5X

I did multiple guest blogs, interviews, essays, events, and… crafts

Read the essay at The First Two Pages for Art TaylorDo the Paper Poppy Craft

Two of my manuscripts placed in the Pacific Northwest Writers Associations Unpublished Contest (both are currently on submission)

Paint for the Wild – finalist
Art, attitude, and just a hint of apocalypse. Mystery meets the Paranormal, in this ���enemies to lovers��� romance where a snarky artist and an alpha wolf uncover a deadly supernatural conspiracy���and maybe their feelings���when a fundraising gala goes demonically off the rails. The Black Crown – 2nd Place
This fantasy trilogy is Lord of the Rings meets Arcane and Pacific Rim, as a rebel elf, human inventor, and a band of chosen family misfits fight demons with ancient technology.What’s next for 2026?

A new contract with Varus Publishing and a new pen name – Sirena Corbeau!

Learn more about the 4 (!) Sirena Corbeau novels coming out in 2026!

<div class='avia-iframe-wrap'><iframe loading="lazy" title="2025 Author Retrospective" width="1500" height="844" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/J4r0Q_y..." frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The post 2025 Retrospective first appeared on Bethany Maines.

An Announcement

Last month, I blogged about having to scramble to pick a new pen name after the reader-tested and selected name was snagged out from under me.�� Cue the gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair. ��I was upset because I had every intention of using the pen name for a series of new novels that I had pitched to a publisher.�� And when that publisher came back with an offer, I was elated��� until I tried to acquire the domain name. And then I discovered that my carefully vetted pen name had been taken while I dithered around. However, we managed to select a new pen name���Sirena Corbeau���and now I get to make the announcement that 2026 will be magical year!

New Publisher

Varus Publishing and I, writing as Sirena Corbeau, will be releasing four new paranormal romances in 2026.�� Varus Publishing is an imprint focusing on uplifting and championing romance authors and I���m excited to be able to bring a new world, series, and characters to life with them. This is the first time I���ve written in the romance genre with a strictly romance publisher and I am excited to learn from their experience.

About the Series

In this sizzling paranormal romance series, each book delivers a stand-alone, binge-worthy romance sparked by the meddling of Dante Montanari, a 400-year-old dragon shifter. Dante Montanari has a knack for bringing things together���supernatural deals, magical items, and even fated mates. The wealthy dragon barely cares for human laws, but he���s as protective of his employees as he is of his hoard. With pulse-pounding danger, passionate fated love, and a touch of dragon-forged magic, each book is perfect for readers who crave strong heroines, magnetic heroes, and happily-ever-afters that burn brighter than fire. Expect Book 1, Heart���s Curse, in March of 2026!

HEART���S CURSE – Lucas Kane is a talented telekinetic and ruthless casino boss looking to move up in the Montanari organization. Charlotte ���Charlie��� Auvray is a witch with no magic who believes she has nothing to offer. But when a curse drives the newest Montanari property, The Lucky Heart Hotel & Casino, into bloody chaos, Lucas realizes Charlie may be the only one who can stop the madness. What happens in Vegas might break the curse���and his heart.

Heart���s Curse will be followed by Forged in Flame, Curselocked, and Swamp of Shadows. Each book will expand this fantastic new world where humans and magical creatures mix, and bump into the problems of our modern world.

Interested in Paranormal Romance?

But if you want some paranormal romance now, now, now, please check out my existing Supernaturals series!�� https://bethanymaines.com/supernaturals/

The post Road Blocks & an Announcement first appeared on Bethany Maines.

The Return of Noir at the Bar!

November 6 saw a thematically appropriate torrential downpour and the return of Noir at the Bar to Seattle’s Alibi Room. Noir at the Bar features mystery and crime fiction writers sharing stories of murder and mayhem. Hosted by Scotti Andrews, with dynamite readers Kathleen Kaska, Brian Thornton, Kate Jackson, Jim Thomsen, Alex Kenna, Robert J. Binney, and yours truly.�� Each reader brought something different to the table.

Jim Thomsen (a Quinn Martin Production) kicked it off with real-life tales of awkward postal employee encounters, and the glorious description of seventies Seattle from The Killing Rain anthology.

Alex Kenna followed up with an excerpt from her novel featuring kidnapping, and force burglary, and now I’m dying to know what happens next. (It also made me want to sing Cops & Robbers from George Thorogood, but that was probably just me.)

Brian Thornton brought us to the intermission with historical fiction featuring a ghost ship of the 1800s.�� His reading included accents and gave off Wild Wild West vibes (no, not the horrible movie version, the original 60s TV version that was probably a Quinn Martin production…)

The newest Stiletto Gang member, Kathleen Kaska, brought us an excerpt of her post-WWII detective that started out as a short story, but couldn’t be contained by that kind of word count.

Robert J. Binney gave us Eddie Vedder as a Private Eye solving the mystery of who stole the Heart concert box office take. It had old-school Encyclopedia Brown short-form mystery vibes, complete with clues and Seattle references. (I would read more.�� Eddie Vedder was clearly destined for P.I. greatness.)

Kate Jackson gave us an Elton John-themed murder of a caregiver who had stopped giving decades earlier.�� Best part of murder fiction?�� Killing off those who deserve it guilt-free.

I finished off the evening by trying to cut through the rain with a little Hawaiian sunshine and Mayhem & Mahalo – just a sunshiny story about five dead bodies and one no longer mint-in-box heroin addict.

Thanks to Scotti Andrews for all her hard work putting the evening together!

Want to hear more Noir at the Bar?

Listen to a recording from KUOW and/or of Bethany reading one of her NATB short stories:�� CONNECT

PreviousPreviousPreviousNextNextNext1234The post Noir at the Bar November first appeared on Bethany Maines.

Originally published on the Lois Winston / Anastasia Pollack craft blog.

Paper Poppy Craft InstructionsMaterials:Hard Straws or sticksStyrofoam ballsGlue – I used hot glue, but you could also use glue that doesn’t burn your fingers.Tissue or Crepe Paper – red & blackFlorists tapeOptional:Paper petal templatePaint / MarkerStep 1: Prep WorkCut out the flower petals – They don’t have to be perfect! Trace the outline over folded paper and then cut them all out at once. You will need about 12 per flower.Cut out a circle to cover the Styrofoam ball – If you don’t have black tissue paper, color some black.Fold / Twist the petal shapes – Imperfect is better! Do a little zig-zag folding and also crumpling.Step 2: Putting it togetherCover the ball in black paper, secure with glueShove straw into bottom of ball, glue to secureGlue petals to ball and stem – As many as you think looks good.Step 3: Optional Final TouchesCover stem and base in florists tape – My straws weren’t all the same color, so I wrapped them in florists tape to make them more uniform. Secure both ends with glue..avia-video.av-lac03d7b-088381dad1b1b762a9c297cb5535107c{background-image:url(https://bethanymaines.com/wp-content/... class='avia-iframe-wrap'><iframe title="Paper Poppy Tutorial" width="563" height="1000" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zrR-ohm..." frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Poppy Craft inspired by an Elevator Ride

This craft was used in Elevator Ride—Book 1 of the Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy—an action-packed, age-gap romance mystery. The heroine, Vivian Kaye, is the chair of the event committee for a Veteran centered non-profit.  When the non-profit throws a fundraising gala, they use over-sized paper poppies as part of the décor.  Of course, poppies are also used to denote Memorial Day—a tradition since World War I inspired by a poem written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae—so there was a nice nod to veteran tradition as well. Vivian’s father was a Marine Corps veteran who helped found the non-profit and Vivian has always been dedicated to it—something that the hero Rowan Valkyrie, an ex-Marine, doesn’t realize when he dismisses Vivian as a non-serious twenty-something.  Of course, he ends up eating his words, AND shooting at the bad guys who are trying to kill Vivian and her boss.

The Valkyrie Brothers Trilogy was inspired when I visited the Smith Tower in Seattle several years ago. The Smith Tower has a hand operated elevator and was once the tallest building west of the Mississippi.  It’s distinct pyramid top and gorgeous art deco interior are an amazing setting for any story.  However, while I quickly came up with the idea for the opening of what would become book three, when Ash and Harper to meet in the elevator, it wasn’t until several years later that I finally figured out how to make all the brothers meet their love interests in their own elevators.  Yes, that’s right… I really made them all meet in an elevator.

In Elevator Ride, Vivian ambushes Rowan in an elevator to serve him with papers. In the next book, Between Floors, Rowan’s brother Forest is a single dad who thinks that perfection is the only answer to controlling the chaos of the universe.  So, of course, fate delivers him a perfectly imperfect nanny. And then they get stuck in an elevator together and have to escape.  And in Emergency Exit, the youngest Valkyrie brother, Ash arrives at a party with Harper, the girl he just met in the elevator only to have everyone assume she’s his girlfriend.  Except that a fake girlfriend might be just what Ash needs. The Valkyrie Brothers trilogy is a laugh-packed series of connected romantic mysteries starring the Valkyrie Brothers–Rowan, Forest, and Ash–as they struggle to find love AND stay alive in Seattle.

The post A Romantic Craft first appeared on Bethany Maines.

Congratulations to all my fellow authors in the Cooking Up Death Anthology!

Cooking Up Death from Camden Park Press features sixteen tales of wonderfully food-centered murder and mayhem.  With toxic treats and lethal luncheons, each amateur sleuth must hunt down the murderer.  And each mystery is presented with an accompanying (non-deadly, we swear) recipe.

Featuring stories by John M Floyd, Annie Reed, Lauryn Christopher, Alan Orloff, Bethany Maines, Abigail Leigh Reed, Debra Henry, S.B. Watson, Wayland Smith, Sally Milliken, Jena Rey, Susan Madon, Melissa Behrend, Sheila Dene’ Lawrence, Mary Birk, and Kirlagh James. Edited by Lyn Worthen.

My story, Love, Lefse, & Murder, was inspired by a Nordic bakery in Poulsbo, WA, and my many trips to the delightful tourist towns on the coast of Washington. I love cozy mysteries, and I can’t wait to dive into the entire collection, which includes recipes for not only clam chowder, but also Chinese dumplings and Oreo truffles.  And I hope everyone will enjoy my tale of small town murder, marketing, and museums, as well as my lingonberry jam recipe.

Love, Lefse, & Murder

When Ryden Johanssen moved to Dune Park, Washington, to open his Scandinavian bakery, he never thought he’d end up as suspect number one in the Mayor’s murder. Now, Ryden is making friends and enemies as he investigates the death and attempts to clear his name AND the reputation of his beloved lefse.

BUY NOW (all retailers): books2read.com/CookingUpDeath

BUY NOW (Amazon): https://amzn.to/4orgLDo

See more anthologies from Bethany: bethanymaines.com/catalog/anthologies/

 

The post Cooking Up Death! first appeared on Bethany Maines.

This October is set to be a busy time for me with three (3!!) anthologies being published.�� With 12 Knights of Christmas, Cooking Up Death, and the Pumpkin Spice Romance, I have been kept busy with marketing and all of the pre-release items that go into these ventures.�� It has been exciting to work with editors and other authors to see these anthologies come to life.�� However, I think that in my next forays into submitting short stories, I may pay slightly more attention to publication dates.�� I just didn’t think that all of the stories I submitted for October anthologies would get accepted!

The Pumpkin Spice Romance

I’m particularly excited to share this anthology with such fantastic stories and authors!�� I’m also excited for our online release party on October 25th.�� The Caffeinated Romance Readers Group is a romance readers group on Facebook that focuses on clean romance books.�� During the “party,” I’ll be giving away some free e-books and the other authors will also be sharing some prizes as well.�� Join the group if you want to win some prizes on release day!

ORDER THE PUMPKIN SPICE ROMANCE NOW

JOIN the GROUP

Deja Brew – Bethany Maines – Sometimes love needs a splash of pumpkin spice magic. Even with the ability to glimpse the future five minutes ahead, chaotic coffee shop owner Maddie Scott can���t stop herself from soaking a grumpy (and gorgeous) new customer, Felix Faraday, in pumpkin spice. But as sparks fly and supernatural secrets brew, it���ll take more than magic to keep this romance from boiling over.

Pumpkin Spice Joy Ride – K. Harris Tully – Toy store manager Carrie Smith needs a boyfriend, a Thanksgiving side dish and a hundred thousand dollars (not necessarily in that order). When ex-high school crush Buck “Bad Boy” Buchetti shows up with a shipment of the hottest toy of the season, Carrie jumps at the chance to save her store. There’s just one catch to this ’90s nostalgia second chance romance: Carrie may have to join the mob.

There’s Pumpkin Between Us – Kathryn LeBlanc – Running her family���s pumpkin farm keeps Autumn Piper too busy for love���especially when her old flame shows up unannounced. Graham Oakley never planned to return to Hayden, Vermont, or face the fiery redhead he left behind. Amid small-town charm, crisp autumn nights, and one mischievous goat, second chances take root. There���s Pumpkin Between Us is a cozy, small-town, second-chance romance filled with laughter, farm life, slow-burn chemistry, and the irresistible magic of falling in love.

Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Love –��Birdie Song – She was still his favourite human, after all these years: When Leonie walks out on a failed marriage, she never imagines running into Hayden, that shifter boy from school now all grown up and running his own caf��. Old feelings rekindle as fast as ever, but is Leonie still that human kid who couldn’t stand up to her paranoid parents? Hayden hopes not, even though he���ll love her all the same.

Picture of Love – Virginia’dele Smith – Scarlett St. James has a chip on her shoulder and a camera in her hand, and that���s all she needs���until a fabulous job sends her to picturesque Green Hills. There she���s tasked with producing the annual Pumpkin Spice Festival. With little time to work, Scarlett accepts help wherever she finds it. Enter Noah Ford. The affable ��� albeit hot ��� small-town assistant is so much more than Scarlett bargained for. Can she trust the feelings he incites? Or is his instalove too good to be true?

>ORDER THE PUMPKIN SPICE ROMANCE NOW<

The post Deja Brew & the Pumpkin Spice Romance first appeared on Bethany Maines.