A Real Prince
The Fundamental Things
Summer ’43
How To Get a Pill Into A Cat
Life of Pies
Head Over Heart
The Marriage Bargain
Shocking Behaviour
Feel The Fear
The Eighth Promise
A Night To Remember
The Truth About The Other Guy
The Fairytale Way
DIGITAL EXCLUSIVE!
The Charmer
Making the Grade
Minuet – A Georgian Romance
Holiday Romance
The Anniversary
Captivating Sacha
The Language of Flowers
Bitter Sweet
One Night
Kiss Me, Kill Me
First Date
Second Date
Third Date
Fourth Date
Desperate Measures
Well, guess what? The last compilation of short stories by RNA members was such a dazzling success that they were asked to do it all over again. And this time they managed to do it even better than before. Really, is there nothing these brilliant writers can’t do? (And I say this as an RNA member who finds writing short stories the hardest thing in the world, which is why I’m providing the foreword again. Those who can, do. Those who can’t, provide introductions…)
Someone asked me the other day where was my favourite place to read. And having given it some thought I decided the answer was: wherever I happen to have a book. Because it really doesn’t matter where you are –in bed at night, on the beach somewhere exotic or under the desk at work –if you can lose yourself in another world, you’re winning. Trapped on a train that isn’t going anywhere? A book will help you through it. Waiting in the car for a small child to finish their karate lesson? Escape to a better place through the pages of a novel and time will fly by. Just so wrapped up in a story that you keep sneaking off to read a few more pages, leaving the family to wonder where on earth you’ve got to? Ah well, never mind. If they’re your family, they’re probably used to it by now.
To love reading is a gift and I feel genuinely sorry for those who don’t have it. We’re the lucky ones. And as long as we have books like this one to entertain, enthrall and engage us, we need never be bored. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I am so proud to be a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, surely one of the friendliest and most supportive groups anywhere. We work hard, play hard and have an amazing wealth of talent among us. Best of all, we will make you laugh and cry and think about love, life and all it entails. It is our aim to entertain.
I really hope you enjoy reading the carefully selected stories in this anthology. And if you do, please do let us know on Facebook and Twitter. Most of us are on there and we love to hear from our readers. Plus –sshh, don’t tell our editors –it’s always good to have an excuse to stop writing the books and have a little online chat instead!
Adele Parks
ADELE PARKS worked in advertising until she published her first novel, Playing Away, in 2000; she’s since published thirteen novels, including Whatever It Takes and The State We’re In. All her novels have been top ten bestsellers; she’s sold 2.5 million copies of her work in the UK alone, and has been translated into twenty-five different languages. Adele is known for writing unforgettable heroes and lovable (although sometimes cheeky!) heroines.
She has spent her adult life in Italy, Botswana and London until 2005 when she moved to Guildford, where she now lives very happily with her husband and son. Adele believes reading is a basic human right and good for your health! Therefore she’s an Ambassador for The Reading Agency, a charity that encourages the love of literacy in all.
Visit www.adeleparks.com to learn more about Adele. Find her on Facebook www.facebook.com/OfficialAdeleParks and follow her on Twitter @adeleparks