Roisin Black's Blog

I’ve had many requests over the years for audio versions of my books but there were a number of hurdles that prevented me from doing so. Firstly, events in my personal life such as big moves – between continents – and illness. And then the loss of my husband.

Secondly, human narrated audiobooks are not a simple undertaking. They involve sourcing good narrators, then contracts have to be sorted out and payment arrangements agreed upon. Then there is the cost. Human narrated audiobooks are not cheap. 

With everything that has been going on in my personal life, I haven’t had the bandwidth to delve into human narrated audiobooks. However, recent developments in AI mean the process is much simpler and the quality of the audio is much better than what it was in the early days of AI.

I am using a company called ElevenLabs to produce AI audiobooks of my books. ElevenLabs are generally regarded as the market leaders in AI voice generation. They recently launched an audiobook app called ElevenReader which has a number of pay to listen tiers but the basic level is FREE!

Nearly all of my books are currently available on the ElevenReader app! I’m so excited about this – especially since you get to choose the voice in which you prefer to listen to the story. So, if you don’t like the way it’s being read by one narrator, you can pick another one and keep picking until you find one you’re happy with. 

But this is just the start! ElevenLabs has a bespoke studio option for authors and this is where I will be producing dual narration versions of my books. Imagine listening to the banter between John and Maggie in Someone To Come Back To as if it was them speaking! I’m so excited to bring their voices to life.

I’m not sure yet when the studio versions of the books will be ready. There’s quite a learning curve involved but keep an eye out for updates. 

Finally, should there be enough demand for the audiobook versions of my books, then I’ll look into getting human narrated versions done. I’m aware many readers only want the human versions but I also know many readers get their virtual assistants such as Alexa to read books to them! I’m hoping the AI versions are a happy medium. 

Below is a sample of the ElevenReader version of Someone To Come Back To. I’ve paired it with some images of the vibe of the book for extra enjoyment. 

Surprise! New Release!

My secret project is finally out in the world! Back in late September 2024 an idea took hold in my writer’s mind for a Christmas story and it wouldn’t let go. Initially, I intended this story as a Christmas novella to say thank you to all my loyal readers who have patiently waited for me to release a new book. However, as I started to write the story it grew legs and quickly became a full length novel!

Now, my first proper Christmas romance is published and I don’t think it will be my last. I loved writing Daisy and Xander’s story so much – the Christmas markets, ice skating, first snow, hot chocolates, Christmas lights – all the Christmassy things. I’ll definitely be writing more but I’ll try and get the next one out before Christmas!

A City Christmas takes place in New York and tells the story of Xander and Daisy.

Christmas is definitely not the most wonderful time of the year for New York billionaire Xander Cartwright. In fact, all he wants for Christmas is to hole up in his apartment and wait until the holly jolly nonsense is over. However, a leak, leading to some serious water damage, puts paid to that plan and a shortage of hotel rooms means he has to move in with his brother. Except, his brother isn’t there and some small town blow-in insists she’s rented the place till January. That’s simply not happening.

Small town girl Daisy Moran adores Christmas and this year she’s spending it surrounded by the bright lights of New York City. She’s heard about the magic of NYC at Christmas time for years and now a unique opportunity means she gets to experience it for herself. There’s only one problem, the guy whose apartment she rented didn’t mention he had a brother. A brother who insists he’s staying there too and comes with a frosty attitude and a list of silly rules. No way is she doing the holidays with this Christmas Grump.

However, as the Christmas lights glisten, the first snow falls and the city weaves its festive magic, icy relations between these two start to thaw. Soon their sizzling attraction can’t be denied and they go from ice cold enemies to red hot lovers. However, as the clock counts down in Times Square and a new year is rung in, do these opposites have what it takes to be more than just a seasonal attraction?

If you want some tingle in your jingle this winter then this scorching hot, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, grumpy sunshine, forced proximity Christmas romance is just the ticket!

Early readers are loving it!

Feel Good Romance – Amy

What a delightful story. It’s a beautiful romance set in a big city at Christmas time with holiday lights, Christmas markets and ice skating. It’s well worth the read anytime of the year!!

Great NYC Christmas Story! – Rose

So many laughs at the meeting between Xander and Daisy! They do such a great job driving each other crazy.

Another great story from Roisin Black – Jo

A twist on the usual boy-meets-girl story with all the hallmarks of a classic rom-com – with extra Christmas sparkle.

Christmas magic – Amazon Customer

This book left me with a warm Christmas holiday feeling Made me smile, giggle & tissues needed at one point! Brilliant addition to Roisin Blacks books. One to keep & reread on gloomy winters days.

A Great Christmas Read – Carolyn

Well written, great characters and dogs! What more can I say? A fantastic book

It’s currently on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited >> https://readerlinks.com/l/4499715

Over Sixty Paperbacks Up For Grabs & So Much More

Spring is very much in the air here in Toronto with the birds singing and fresh shoots starting to peep above ground. It’s exciting after what’s been a weird but very grey winter. The promise of sunnier days and summer holidays is floating on the breeze and it feels like it might be a good time to stock up on some books – especially when they’re free!

Myself and quite a few of my author friends have got together to bring you the Spring Into Romance Promotion where over sixty paperbacks are up for grabs. Yes – sixty! And Amazon Gift Cards to the tune of $200, $100 and $50 respectively.

The giveaway is open to residents of the United States and United Kingdom only. Big apologies to readers in other countries but we’re operating within a number of restrictions. Also, by entering, you agree to receive newsletters from all participating authors.

To enter click the link here >> https://kingsumo.com/g/ntj6qf/spring-into-romance-book-giveaway or the image below.

Best of Luck!

The crew of Omega Security are saying a big hi and are looking forward to you getting to know them in 2024.

Thanksgiving Day Scene from Someone To Come Back To – Book One In The Omega Security Series – Where emotions run high

Thanksgiving dinner. Roasted turkey garnished with cranberries on a rustic style table decoraded with pumpkins, vegetables, pie, flowers and candles

John looked over at Maggie.  The closer they got to Richmond, the less she spoke and she hadn’t said anything at all in the last five minutes, which had to be some kind of record.  He reached over and placed his hand on her thigh.

“It’ll be fine, Maggie,” he assured her.

She looked over at him and smiled. “That’s easy for you to say, you know these people.”

John laughed. “Yes, I do and that’s all they are, people, not girlfriend-eating monsters.”

Maggie laughed. She supposed he was right but she still couldn’t help being nervous.

They passed the university and were soon driving through the affluent neighborhood of Westham.  A few minutes later John turned off the main road and drove along a secondary road from which he steered the truck onto a private driveway.  Rock was going nuts with excitement and pacing along the back seat.  Over the past few weeks Maggie had successfully trained him, with the liberal application of treats, to sit in the back.  She reached behind her to pet him, wishing she could share his excitement.

A few seconds later the picture perfect colonial style home of a successful upper middle class family came into view.  Maggie drew in a sharp breath.  John squeezed her hand and smiled.

“I promise I’ll be by your side the whole time.”

Maggie smiled weakly and was just about to reply when the air was filled with a high pitched squeal.

“Uncy Don! Uncy Don!  Wocky, wocky, I’m here.”

John burst out laughing. “They’ve sent their most evil emissary as the welcoming committee.”

Maggie looked out the window to see the most adorable two year old girl jumping up and down with excitement, her dark brown curls bouncing around her chubby cheeks and her caramel colored eyes gleaming with excitement.

She laughed. “She might not be able to swallow me whole but she looks like she could take a fair chunk out of me.”

John got out of the truck and scooped his niece up into the air, which resulted in more high-pitched squeals.  Maggie got out and released Rock before he combusted.  John had explained this is where he stayed when John was on deployment, so it was like his second home.  He had also warned her she could expect to take a back seat in his affections as the dog adored the three kids.  Judging from the way Rock was licking Sophie’s face, she didn’t doubt it.

“Uncle John!”

A young boy of about eight years of age burst from the house and hurled himself at John.  

John laughed. “Hey buddy,” he said as he reached down to ruffle his nephew’s hair.

A few seconds later an older boy appeared.  She knew from what John had told her this was Marc, his oldest nephew but she wasn’t prepared for how much he looked like his uncle.  John’s house was full of family photos of when he and his sister were children and it was as if Maggie was watching one of those photos come to life in front of her.  

Marc was a much cooler emotional prospect than his siblings and approached with his hands in his pockets and the practiced nonchalance of a pre-teen but his smile gave away his absolute delight at seeing his uncle John.   

John high-fived him as Maggie reached into the back of the truck for the flowers and post-dinner treats.  When she turned around, a carbon copy of John’s mother was making her way towards them, a huge smile on her face.  She and John took each other into a warm embrace and then she turned her attention to Maggie.

“Hi, I’m Juliette,” she said, her eyes brimming with kind curiosity and her hand extended.

Maggie shook her hand.

“Maggie,” she replied, “I’m pleased to meet you.”  

Juliette’s smile widened.

“Oh these are for you,” Maggie said as she placed the flowers in Juliette’s hands.

“Thank you,” Juliette said and then motioned towards the house, “come on let’s get inside and rescue George from the kitchen.”

The two year old cherub known as Sophie had both her arms encircled around John’s neck and his youngest nephew, Luc, held onto his hand.

Marc fell into step beside Maggie, his hands now safely back in his pockets and his eyes focused on the driveway.  Maggie could almost feel his shyness.

“Hi Maggie, I’m Marc,” he said in a quiet voice.

Maggie smiled over at him and said, “I’m very pleased to meet you Marc.”

Marc glanced sideways at her and smiled and again she was struck at just how like his uncle he was.

Sophie waved from John’s shoulder. “Hi Aggie, my name is Sophie, I’m peesed to meet you too.”

Everybody laughed as they went into the house and that set the tone for the whole day.  The next few hours were a happy mix of laughter, teasing and easy conversation.  Maggie was touched at the closeness between John and his sister and amazed at the loving relationship he had with the children.   

She hadn’t really thought about this side of him and she felt another piece of her heart slip away as she watched the easy affection he shared with them.  Juliette’s husband, George, seemed to pick up on her nerves and had gone out of his way to make her feel comfortable which had eased her stress levels considerably and she’d found herself enjoying the day much more than she’d thought possible.

They’d taken a break from eating after the turkey and Maggie, John, Rock and the kids had all gone for a walk but now everyone was seated back at the table as Juliette approached with a stunning looking cake.   

Maggie wondered why there were a number of candles on it and figured maybe it was George’s birthday.  Sophie bounced up and down with excitement on John’s knee and Maggie turned to laugh at him but the laugh died away in her throat as she noted his strained expression.  

“I’m not sure if John has told you Maggie,” Juliette spoke, “but today is also our mother’s birthday.”

Maggie looked at Juliette and glanced quickly at John, who was staring steadfastly at the cake.

She turned back to face Juliette.

“No, he didn’t mention it,” she said quietly, as she sat there very much wishing he had and wondering why the subject of his mother seemed to bring him so much pain.

Juliette half-smiled and looked at John but he didn’t meet her gaze either.

“I blow, I blow,” exclaimed Sophie as she ratcheted up the bounce factor on John’s knee.   

“No! Me, I want to blow,” shouted Luc.

Juliette laughed. “All the children have to blow out the candles together, you know that,” she admonished her youngest son as she set the cake down in front of John and Sophie.  Marc and Luc crowded around.

“Bonne anniversaire Maman,” Juliette said in a quiet voice that splintered slightly at the end.

The children blew out the candles all at the same time and their happy faces were in stark contrast to the tight jaw and unsmiling face of their uncle John.  Maggie continued to stare at him, willing him to look at her.  She reached under the table and searched for his hand.  She found it and laced her fingers between his.  He turned to look at her and the pain in his eyes washed over her like a shockwave.  

She wanted to take him into her arms and soothe it all away but even if she could get past Sophie, she knew it wasn’t going to happen.  He had been very careful all day not to be overly physical.  Maggie wasn’t sure why, maybe he was shy about showing his feelings in front of his sister or maybe he wanted to keep the heat factor under control.  Either way, Maggie found it a bit strange, as back in Virginia Beach he could never keep his hands off her for more than five minutes and it wasn’t always in a sexual way. Whether they were sitting on the couch or out on the deck he would have his arm thrown around her or take a hold of her hand.  It was one of the things she loved about him, amongst a long list of others.   

Love.  There was that word again and as she repeated it in her head, she knew she was totally in love with the man beside her.  Seeing the pain in his eyes had caused her heart to swell with a need to take his hurt and ease it, to make it her own and free him of it.  If that wasn’t love she didn’t know what was.

He turned to her and passed Sophie into her arms.

“I need the bathroom,” he told her in a tight voice as he walked past her in the direction of the hallway.   

Juliette handed George a knife and followed her brother.

Maggie looked questioningly at George as he sliced into the cake.   

His expression was one of grudging acceptance as he passed her a piece.

“Their mother’s death is still something that doesn’t sit easy between them,” he explained to Maggie.

Maggie was just about to ask how she died when Sophie dropped her slice of cake on to the floor and went into the kind of meltdown only a two year old was capable of.

Juliette came running back into the dining room when she heard the screams of her daughter and Maggie could see the tears hiding in her eyes.

“John has just taken Rock out for a few minutes,” she informed Maggie before she scooped Sophie up into her arms and tried to console her over the cake that was now splattered all over the floor.

“Okay,” Maggie nodded, wondering what it was about their mother’s death that caused such pain for the two of them.

***

John watched Rock disappear into the trees and let out a long breath.   

“Fuck,” he exclaimed and the words formed a small breath-cloud on the cool Virginia air.

He dragged his hands through his hair in a vain attempt to calm the emotions swirling through his body.  All the familiar ones were there, guilt, regret, sorrow and grief but they were overlaid with the ones he wasn’t so familiar with, happiness, contentment and joy.  He’d been having one of the best days of his life up until Juliette had produced that damn cake.  It wasn’t that he didn’t want to observe their mother’s birthday, he’d just have preferred it to be more of a private moment between him and his sister.  He’d known the minute he’d seen the candles that the cake wasn’t just dessert and he’d been completely unprepared for the juggernaut of emotions it had released.  And all that in front of Maggie.

Maggie.  Watching her interact with the kids and engage in easy conversation with Juliette and George had done something strange to his heart.  It was as if the bindings he hadn’t realized he’d wrapped it in had been loosened and he’d felt a happiness he barely remembered flowing through his veins.   

“Fuck,” he swore again as he started to climb back up the hill to the house.  He’d promised he would stay by her side throughout the day and here he was out in the woods caught up with the pain of his past when he should be focusing on the new-found happiness of his present.

He entered the front door only to find Maggie coming out of the downstairs bathroom.

“Hey,” she said, “you okay?”

He smiled at her and took her hand.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Rock just needed to go out” he told her, brushing off the concern in her eyes and continuing to walk in the direction of the dining room.

Maggie didn’t move, forcing him to stop.

“What’s up?” he asked

She took her hand from his and crossed her arms across her chest, protective and wary.

“I think we’ve just stepped into the ‘getting to know each other’ stage John but for that to happen, we’ve got to actually talk to each other.  You and I both know it wasn’t Rock who needed to go out, it was you and you can try to hide what’s really going on with you as much as you want but at some stage you’ve either got to open up to me and tell me what’s going on or maybe we’re best rethinking this whole thing before it goes any further.”

John was taken aback at the depth of emotion quivering in her voice and the hurt smoldering in her eyes.  He was so used to keeping his feelings to himself, to clinically compartmentalizing them and storing them away in a shiny safety deposit box in his mind, he hadn’t realized his actions had affected Maggie.  How could he?  He wasn’t used to having someone like Maggie in his life, someone who cared primarily about him and he most certainly wasn’t used to sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings.  He stood in front of her now, not sure what to do.

She walked past him.

“Think about it John,” she whispered, as he watched her disappear into the dining room.

***

To find out more about John & Maggie or to buy the book, click the image below.

Are you a spicy small town romance fan?

Are you a paperback lover?

Are you excited about signed copies?

If you said yes, you’re going to love this g-i-v-e-a-w-a-y!

TWELVE signed paperbacks are going to be sent to one lucky person!

Entering is easy – just check on the in below for the entry form and answer all three questions!

The grand prize includes a signed paperback of:

For Avery by Natalie Jess
Wild Child by Allison Martin
Foundation by Lainey Davis
Bring It On by Bella Michaels
Peri by Indie Sparks
Unraveled by Amy Knupp
Back to Me by TC Matson
Dahlia Made a List by Jenna McCall
Just a Fling by Sarah Everly
Someone to Come Back To by Roisin Black
Just a Client by Michelle Donn
Make Me Lose by Ember Leigh

This is open to readers living all over the world who have a mailing address that can accept mail from the US!

Best of luck – the form collecting entries closes December 31st!

Link: https://forms.gle/CovhqvJdxcbCAW3R6

Twelve spicy small town romance paperbacks up for grabs! And they’re all signed!

Today Only – Thirty FREE Protector Romance Books!

@roisinblackauthor

Over Thirty Protector Romance Books just for you and they’re all ZERO CENTS! #protectorromance #steamyromancerecs #spicybooktok #spicybooksofbooktok #romancebooktok #actionadventureromance #steamybooksoftiktok #spicyreads #spicyromancebook #kindleunlimitedromance

♬ Made You Look – Meghan Trainor

www.protectorromancebooks.com

In honour of the day that’s in it, I’ve reduced my boxset – The Coming Home Series – to 99 cents. The price reduction will last till the end of the month and all royalties will be donated to The Red Cross Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine Appeal.

The Coming Home Series is my little box set of three novellas based in Ireland. Each story features the main character returning to Ireland to reconcile with their past.

In Remember Me, the very gorgeous billionaire Flynn Murphy returns to exact revenge on those who wronged him in the past but he gets way more than he bargained for. 

In Unfinished Business, Liberty Rose returns to Ireland for the wedding of her daughter to the son of her ex. Old passions simmer beneath the surface, secrets are revealed and Liberty is forced to face up to the reality of her own marriage.

In Over Your Dead Body, Ryan Kennedy returns to Ireland to face the past that haunts him every day. He needs to confront those who destroyed him but he doesn’t know if seeing them again will prove to be his salvation or ultimate undoing.

Each story takes place against the backdrop of the beautiful west of Ireland. So if you’d like to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Emerald Isle – today’s the day!  Just click the link below to be taken to the sales page.

https://readerlinks.com/l/1591147/the-coming-home-boxset

I’m afraid I have to run now and get ready to go to the pub. Saint Paddy’s Day celebrations await! I hope you have a great day. Lá Féile Phádraig shona duit!

Oh the trials and tribulations of being a romance writer. If it’s not one social media site refusing to let you post your content because it’s too sexy then it’s another. Now it’s TikTok’s turn! I spent ages putting a post together for The Games We Play only to be told it’s “inappropriate” and promptly had it banned. So, I figured rather than waste all my efforts and since this is my space, then I’ll post it here! Enjoy.

Here it is! Drum Roll please!

I can finally reveal the cover for The Games We Play – Book Three In The Omega Security Series – releasing on May 27th 2021. The wonderful cover designer Hang Le has done it again and brought the magic. I hope you love it as much as I do.

The book is currently available on pre-order for the special pre-order price of $2.99. It will be releasing straight into Kindle Unlimited and will be going to full price on 27th May. So don’t delay and grab your copy today! Click the pre-order link here >> https://readerlinks.com/l/1819028

Blurb

“I’m only going to say this once, so listen carefully. There is not going to be a you and me.”

Behind his seductive smile and piercing blue eyes, ex naval intelligence officer Sam Taber hides a world of disappointment, pain and heartbreak. He conceals it all behind a cocky, devil may care facade and is content to find fleeting intimacy in the emotionally empty world of easy hook-ups and one night stands. He doesn’t care if he’s seen as a player with no heart. The shattered pieces of his heart are safely locked away in a steel vault and that’s where they’re going to stay.

Gina Gallinaro, former New York prosecutor, is looking for a quieter life in Little Creek, a small town in the heart of the Adirondacks. Burnt out and exhausted she’s looking forward to a slower pace of life, making new friends and maybe even finding something meaningful in the relationship department. Therefore, it takes her all of two seconds to shoot down Sam Taber’s offer of fun times and no strings attached sex. The only pity is, their chemistry is off the charts and those ice blue eyes of his do peculiar things to her insides. However, she’s had her fill of the games guys like him play back in New York. She’s making a fresh start – in all things.

However, when Gina’s world comes crashing down, Sam is uniquely placed to understand what she’s going through and when a lethal predator puts her life in danger his special skill set is just what’s required to keep her safe. The only problem is, the closer he gets to Gina the more his own defenses come tumbling down and the steel bolts around his heart start to give way. Incredibly, he’s being given a second chance at love but the question is, can he reconcile what happened in the past and get out of his own way or should he simply walk away?

I’m so excited to finally be bringing Sam and Gina’s story to you! I’ve totally fallen in love with this kind hearted but complicated man and adore the uncompromising but fun loving Gina. The sparks fly between these two, so buckle up and settle in for the ride because this book isn’t called The Games We Play for nothing!