Toni Blake's Blog

Toni’s latest Coral Cove novel is now in stores! Take Me All the Way is the third book in the Coral Cove series and follows Love Me If You Dare. 

Tamra Day swore off men a long time ago. Her art, her friends, and her garden have always been enough . . . until now. Suddenly, Tamra is aching for a connection. Unfortunately, Coral Cove's most eligible bachelor is the troublemaker who's building the mini-golf course she's designing. Brusque and sarcastic, he's made a habit of annoying Tamra. But more infuriating is the fact that Tamra can't help noticing how sexy he is.

They call him a war hero, but Jeremy Sheridan knows better. Still haunted by painful memories from Afghanistan, he's just hoping for a fresh start. So far, the only problem is his new boss, Tamra, a control freak who's easy on the eyes—and way too fun to tease.

Despite their differences, Tamra and Jeremy aren't as alone as they think they are. And together, with a little Coral Cove magic, they'll discover how good it feels to embrace a bright new future.

 Read an excerpt here. 

Take Me All the Way is also getting terrific early reviews! Publisher's Weekly said, "Sex scenes sizzle, and emotional encounters resonate with honest feelings." RT Book Reviews gave it a 4 star review and announced "Blake has written another winner!”

Take Me All the Way is available at numerous booksellers and retail outlets as both a mass-market paperback and an ebook. Order using any of the links below:

Download for Digital Readers:
Avon Digital | Kindle | Nook
iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Buy the Paperback:
Avon Romance | Amazon | B&N | BAM
Walmart | Indiebound | Book Depository

Buy the Audiobook:
Audible

Not able to find a copy at your local bookstore? Be sure to ask them to order it. If you don't have a bookstore locally or if you're trying to find the book outside the US, Book Depository offers free shipping worldwide. 

To learn more about Jeremy and Tamra, visit ToniBlake.com or follow Toni on Facebook. Keep checking back to learn what’s new with Toni and her forthcoming books!

Toni’s latest Coral Cove novel is now in stores! Love Me If You Dare is the second novel in the Coral Cove series and follows All I Want is You.

Camille Thompson is the best at what she does—closing deals. That's why real estate developer Vanderhook has sent her to Coral Cove, Florida, where the stubborn owner of the Happy Crab Motel is refusing to sell. Camille's never had a problem turning a "no" into a "yes," but then she's never been so captivated by a man's sexy smile before.

Laid back Reece Donovan likes life simple. No amount of money—or any other temptation Camille can offer—will convince him to give up the one link to his past. Of course, it would be easier without the powerful chemistry raging between them.

As a fragile romance begins to grow, can Reece trust Camille with his secrets? And when promises are broken, along with hearts, can the charm of Coral Cove help bring them back together? Read an excerpt here. 

Love Me If You Dare is also getting terrific early reviews! RT Book Reviews gave a it 4 star review and said, “Fans of adorable small towns with fun, quirky characters will love Coral Cove. The second in the series is easy for new readers to follow, and the story is a real page-turner.”

Love Me If You Dare is available at numerous booksellers and retail
outlets as both a mass-market paperback and an ebook. Order using any of the links below:

Download for Digital Readers:

Avon Digital | Kindle | Nook
iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Order the Paperback:

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Target
Indiebound | Book Depository | Rhapsody

To learn more about Camille and Reece, visit ToniBlake.com or follow Toni on Facebook. Keep checking back to learn what’s new with Toni and her forthcoming books!

We're excited to announce that the second Coral Cove novel will be here on December 28, 2014! Enjoy this peek at the cover and blurb, or read a preview of Love Me If You Dare. You'll meet new friends in this sexy and heartwarming sequel to All I Want Is You and, as always, get reacquainted with beloved characters from Destiny, Ohio. 

WHEN THE QUESTION IS LOVE, THE ANSWER IS ALWAYS YES . . .

Camille Thompson is the best at what she does—closing deals. That's why real estate developer Vanderhook has sent her to Coral Cove, Florida, where the stubborn owner of the Happy Crab Motel is refusing to sell. Camille's never had a problem turning a "no" into a "yes," but then she's never been so captivated by a man's sexy smile before.

Laidback Reece Donovan likes life simple. No amount of money—or any other temptation Camille can offer—will convince him to give up the one link to his past. Of course, it would be easier without the powerful chemistry raging between them.

As a fragile romance begins to grow, can Reece trust Camille with his secrets? And when promises are broken, along with hearts, can the charm of Coral Cove help bring them back together?

 

Love Me If You Dare is available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and iBooks.

 

Amazon / Kindle | B&N / Nook
Indiebound | iTunes

Available May 27, 2014   Pre-order today!

We're pleased to announce that the 1st Coral Cove novel is almost here! Enjoy this peek at the cover and blurb of All I Want Is You. You'll meet new friends in this sexy and heartwarming introduction to Coral Cove, Florida, and see some familiar, beloved characters from Destiny, Ohio! 

Sometimes you have to create your own destiny …

Christy Knight grew up in Destiny, Ohio, but lately she feels that her future lies elsewhere. Her parents are gone and the beautiful jewelry she creates doesn't pay the bills. Maybe it's time for Christy to grow up and find a guy who's smart, sexy, and solvent. Her rugged handyman neighbor fits the first two categories, but he's all wrong for her. If only he didn't have such captivating blue eyes.

Wary of trusting others, Jack DuVall hasn't been entirely honest with Christy. He's not really a handyman. He's not really broke. And sharing the long drive to visit her beloved grandpa isn't just about gallantry—he finds gorgeous, feisty Christy completely irresistible.

When secrets are exposed, Jack and Christy struggle to find their way back to one another, but the quirky seaside town of Coral Cove could prove the perfect place to find a red-hot destiny of their own.

It’s been a snowy winter so far where I am, and I’ve been using all of the winter weather to get plenty of work done. I love to be out in nature when writing—even if “nature” means writing in my car in a sunny spot at the local park!  I know it sounds a little crazy, but it gets me away from other distractions and the feel of sun on my face reminds me summer is right around the corner!  My winter “work uniform” includes pair of alpaca-fur fingerless gloves, which have come in handy as I create the second book in the Coral Cove series (title to be announced – hopefully soon!):

“Author” time runs differently from “reader” time, however, which is why, although I’m currently writing the second book, the first Coral Cove book, All I Want Is You, is now available for preorder at both Amazon and Barnes and Noble  and comes out the last Tuesday in May. Once again, the cover art team at Avon has outdone themselves.  I think this might just be my favorite cover ever – although it’s a tough call because the cover gods have blessed me many, many times.

Winter is for friends and family, and I spent a lot of time with both this past Christmas season. Here’s a fun picture from the annual Romancing the Holidays booksigning at the West Chester, OH Barnes and Noble, where author friends Lori Foster, Jules Bennett, and I were photobombed by none other than Santa himself! (photo courtesy of Lori Foster)

December also marked the re-release of Wildest Dreams a book I am mega-excited to get to introduce to readers who missed it the first time around.  A sweet reader friend, Marcie, even brought along a copy of the original edition so I could get a picture of both the old and the new side-by-side.  And is the new cover gorgeous or what?  Again, thank you Avon art department!

Here' something fun! Back when I was writing Wildest Dreams (first published as In Your Wildest Dreams in 2005) I took a research trip to New Orleans accompanied by my best friend, Robin. We put a fun travelogue with lots of pictures on my website, and I've just now had the travel diary added again, so I hope you'll check it out. (Random observation: I have better hair now. I was only highlighting then - and now I color all the way ;))

I stayed close to home for the holidays, however. Other festivities included an annual holiday luncheon at Lori Foster’s house for readers and authors, and local publisher Samhain kindly welcomed me to their holiday bash as well.  I myself hosted a game night with girlfriends, and well … let’s just say it’s a good thing I can write because drawing is clearly not my forte.  This is me drawing a dog in a kennel – I would have given him all four legs, but I was in a hurry! ;) 

Of course, now that the new year has begun, much of the fun and games have given away to more taxing times! While I love creating heroines you can root for, heroes you’d like to meet in real life, and sweet and sexy stories that bring them together, some of my writing duties are less than thrilling…

Maybe you’re working on your taxes too. Maybe the post-holiday blues are getting to you. If so, come visit my Facebook page, where I’m currently giving away a signed book EVERY WEEK to someone who comments on one of my posts. No hoops to jump through, no tricks or games to play—just come join in the conversation with my readers and me. It’s easy and fun, and we can all use more of that!

In the past few weeks, many of my readers shared with me on Facebook their “wildest dreams” for 2014.  Being a positive thinking sort of chick, I believe that if you have faith and give the best you have to give, you can get everything you want from life. Being able to share my books with so many people has been a dream come true for me, and I wish the same joy in life for everyone reading this.  

What’s next for me?  In March, I’ll be attending the Public Library Association’s conference in Indianapolis, where I’ll be signing books and speaking on a romance panel – hope to see some of my librarian readers there!  In May, I’ll be heading back to the Big Easy for Romantic Times convention.  And right after that, All I Want Is You will hit shelves!

But for now it’s back to the business of a cold, snowy winter  May you all have a warm and cozy season filled with lots of wonderful books! 

Toni 

P.S. I’ve been out and about on the internet. If you’d enjoy learning more about what I read, advice for writers, and the stories behind the stories, do check out the following links (and, of course, come join me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!)

Toni recommends upcoming romance novels at USA Today

Toni named on USA Today’s list of Best Romances of 2012

Toni blogs for writers about embracing career challenges

Happy Fall!  And what a perfect season it has been!  From pumpkin patches to corn mazes to haunted house hayrides, Toni's been out enjoying all that rural Kentucky has to share in this red and gold and cinnamon and apple pie season.

It turns out Toni, a cat person if there ever was one, also likes alpacas. Who knew?  One more autumn discovery this year.  And are they not totally adorable?

It hasn't been all fur and
games, however.  Toni's completed her next novel, and it's not called
CORAL COVE anymore! New title: ALL I WANT IS YOU, a Coral Cove Novel.
Yep, we're going with a new kind of title!  And yes, we're leaving
Destiny - but it won't really feel that way. ;) In June, 2014, you'll
find some characters you already know, and part of the book is set in
Destiny, so Coral Cove will just feel like a home away from home.

Toni
celebrated her book and her birthday with her annual girls night
out- this year a dance party. It was super fun evening full of dance
hits from the 80s and a crazy local Cincinnati band, the Naked Karate
Girls--who weren't girls, weren't naked, and didn't do any karate! But
boy could they play that funky music.

Halloween comes shortly after Toni's birthday, so October is a month full of costumes and cupcakes! She co-hosts a party with her friend Lindsey each year...and her chocolate kitty cupcakes were gone in a flash.

Here are Toni and Lindsey—it was a horns vs. halo type of affair. Spicy and sweet, just like Toni's books! If you want to snag free autographed copies, visit Toni's Facebook page frequently. Thanks to rules changes, she's allowed to give away even more than before, so comment, share and "like" her posts and you might be a winner.

 

She's been so busy, it's hard for Toni to believe that Christmas is right around the corner, along with the long-awaited re-release of her New Orleans set book, WILDEST DREAMS, which comes out on November 26. And a book release means booksignings! Toni will sign at Barnes & Noble in Lexington, Kentucky on Saturday November 30 and at the Barnes & Noble in Westchester, Ohio a week later on December 7.  Toni will also be signing her holiday bestseller, HOLLY LANE, and more at these events.  Watch www.toniblake.com and Toni’s Facebook page for details.  But back to WILDEST DREAMS - isn't that cover gorgeous?

In the meantime, if you'd like a taste of fall in Destiny, why not check out Sugar Creek? It's filled with fall leaves, apple orchards and bonfires--and a hunky cop who meets his match in a prodigal hometown girl.

 

 

 

 One Reckless Summer  hit the USA Today  bestseller list!

What a wild ride this summer has been for Toni!

In June, Barnes and Noble named her their Spotlight Author, which resulted in her first Destiny book, One Reckless Summer, climbing to #2 on the Nook rankings just behind Dan Brown's latest. It stayed in the top five for over a week, then hit the USA Today bestseller list—four years after it first came out! Toni was totally stunned and completely thrilled. Thanks to the book's newfound success and the great reviews for Half Moon Hill, new readers are falling in love with Destiny—and Toni could not be more grateful to everyone who has read and shared their love of her books.

This summer, Toni has gotten to reconnect and visit with lots of friends. She was delighted to welcome fellow Avon authors Cathy Maxwell, Elizabeth Boyle, and Lorraine Heath to the greater Cincinnati area for a signing at one of Toni's favorite bookstores, Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Crestview Hills, KY. 

When they weren't signing books, they took some time out to play:  Toni took them on a quick tour of Cincinnati and out for a fun dinner.

Only a couple of weeks later, Toni's dear friend, author Lori Armstrong/Lorelei James came to stay with Toni – but they didn’t stay home! Among their stops was the famous (or infamous?) town of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky--where the locals routinely elect a dog for mayor.

But Lori didn't just come to play with Toni. Together, they met readers and signed books at one of Toni's favorite annual events--the Reader & Author Get Together sponsored by Lori Foster.

Even though the Get Together has blossomed from 50 attendees to over 500 in the last eight years, Toni still finds it warm, friendly, and a great time and place to catch up with friends and fans. Lori Foster pulled off the event with her usual grace--even though she had a broken arm!

Toni with Lori Armstrong/Lorelei James

Toni with Lori Foster

When she’s not working or visiting with friends, Toni has been enjoying some home decorating and landscaping.  Check out her daisies, which remind her of Whisper Falls.  

 

To get an idea of what Toni’s personal style and decorating inspirations are, join her on Instagram and Pinterest.  For readers who like to get in touch by postal mail, her new address is P.O. Box 1053, Union, KY 41091.  If you stick a SASE in your envelope, you just might find some Toni Blake bookmarks in your mailbox one day!

Toni's updated her digital home as well. Her website has a new host and a new look, so stop by and let her know what you think. She loves hearing from readers in person, by mail, by email and on Facebook. She reads all of her comments and responds as often as she can.

The biggest event of Toni’s summer is almost upon her:  The annual conference of the Romance Writers of America (RWA).  Thousands of writers, readers, and publishing professionals will converge on Atlanta, Georgia next week for workshops, meetings, awards ceremonies…and parties!  If you’re in the greater Atlanta area, you can attend the HUGE RWA booksigning, open to the public, and meet Toni and hundreds of other fabulous authors.  Join them all at the Atlanta Marriott on Wednesday July 17 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. For a more intimate signing, you can also meet up with Toni at the Eagle Eye Bookstore in Decatur, Georgia on Saturday July 20, from 2 to 3:30 PM.

As busy as she has been, Toni’s been working feverishly on her next book, Coral Cove. Avon artists have already shared the beautiful cover art with herand Toni looks forward to sharing a sneak peek of the artwork with her readers soon.  Also coming soon on Facebook and at www.toniblake.com:  the gorgeous cover for Wildest Dreams, which comes out this December.

But in the meantime, if you love having great narrators read you great stories, you can get Half Moon Hill on audiobook – the audio version just became available on July 10. 

 

Toni with a copy of the newest Destiny book, Half Moon Hill. 

Toni wants to thank all of her readers for their enthusiasm about her 6th Destiny book, Half Moon Hill. She's glad that Spring is here, and that the great weather has been enticing romance lovers to join her in person at the all of the book signings on her crazy-busy schedule!

First stop this month: Barnes and Noble, West Chester, Ohio, where Toni joined a number of other great romance writers and friends—including Lori Foster and debut author Jennifer McGowan.

Toni is already gearing up for her next multi-author signing, and if you're in northern Kentucky she would love to see you there!  One of her favorite bookstores, Joseph-Beth in Crestview Hills, KY is welcoming Toni and her friends, Cathy Maxwell, Lorraine Heath and Elizabeth Boyle for the Avon Romance Author's Panel and booksigning at  7pm on May 15. Toni plans to play hometown tourist, and share "girlfriend time" with her fellow authors, showing them what greater Cincinnati area has to offer.

Lori Foster, Toni, and Jennifer McGowan at the Barnes & Noble booksigning earlier this month. 

In the meantime, Toni is also getting out and about online. From interviews to rave reviews, Toni feels genuinely grateful and blessed that Half Moon Hill is receiving so much love from readers. Tiffany Tyer of Heroes and Heartbreakers says, “By the end, it wrenches that wistful sigh from us, the one where we don't want the book to end, the one where we're completely satisfied, the one that delivers tip to tail a toe-curling, completely fulfilling romance.” 

Toni reveals quite a few secrets about Destiny, the future of her characters and the process of writing books in her visits with bloggers and interviewers, such as this lovely write-up at USA TODAY. For the real story behind the stories and an excerpt of her book, be sure to see her website.

She's just found out that Half Moon Hill is going to be an audiobook as well! Toni will be keeping everyone up-to-date on when the audiobook comes out on her Facebook page, so be sure to "Like" her there and add her to your interests lists. Don't be shy about "Liking" and commenting on posts, either. Facebook is one of the ways Toni kicks back and has fun! 

Speaking of fun on Facebook—be sure to check out her contest page for fun prizes. This month's challenge: Count the number of butterflies on the Half Moon Hill cover. Get the correct number, and you'll be entered in the drawing. Want a head start? Here you go:

How many butterflies can you spot on the cover? 

Toni’s latest Destiny novel  is now in stores! The sixth book in the beloved Destiny series and follow-up to One Reckless Summer, Sugar Creek, Whisper Falls, Holly Lane, and Willow Springs releases today.

A rugged loner and ex-biker-gang member, Duke Dawson is looking for some peace and quiet while recovering from an accident. But when Anna Romo comes wandering through his woods and into his cabin, she completely rocks his world. The last thing he expected – or wanted – was to find himself hungering after a woman whose eyes held hurts even deeper than his own…

It’s a perfect time to immerse yourself in Destiny, Ohio. Start now with the excerpt for Half Moon Hill.

Half Moon Hill is available at numerous booksellers and retail outlets, including Amazon (both as a paperback and on Kindle), Barnes and Noble (both as a paperback and a Nookbook) and Book Depository, which offers free worldwide shipping. Don’t see it at your local store? Be sure to ask someone to help you find or order it.

Half Moon Hill is getting terrific reviews! Romantic Times gave a it 4 star “HOT” review and said, “…you can expect two things from a Destiny, Ohio story: that it’ll be heartfelt and sexy hot. Half Moon Hill is no exception.” Read more of the early praise for Half Moon Hill .

To learn more about Anna and Duke, visit ToniBlake.com for treats and treasures about the book and series. You’ll find recipes from the books, character profiles, and places of interest on the Destiny Series pages. Keep checking back to learn what’s new with Toni and her forthcoming books!

Toni’s latest Destiny novel [image error] is now in stores! The sixth book in the beloved Destiny series and follow-up to One Reckless Summer, Sugar Creek, Whisper Falls, Holly Lane, and Willow Springs releases today.

A rugged loner and ex-biker-gang member, Duke Dawson is looking for some peace and quiet while recovering from an accident. But when Anna Romo comes wandering through his woods and into his cabin, she completely rocks his world. The last thing he expected – or wanted – was to find himself hungering after a woman whose eyes held hurts even deeper than his own…

It’s a perfect time to immerse yourself in Destiny, Ohio. Start now with the excerpt for Half Moon Hill.

Half Moon Hill is available at numerous booksellers and retail outlets, including Amazon (both as a paperback and on Kindle), Barnes and Noble (both as a paperback and a Nookbook) and Book Depository, which offers free worldwide shipping. Don’t see it at your local store? Be sure to ask someone to help you find or order it.

Half Moon Hill is getting terrific reviews! Romantic Times gave a it 4 star “HOT” review and said, “…you can expect two things from a Destiny, Ohio story: that it’ll be heartfelt and sexy hot. Half Moon Hill is no exception.” Read more of the early praise for Half Moon Hill .

To learn more about Anna and Duke, visit ToniBlake.com for treats and treasures about the book and series. You’ll find recipes from the books, character profiles, and places of interest on the Destiny Series pages. Keep checking back to learn what’s new with Toni and her forthcoming books!