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New Release Review and Conversation with Kate Meader, Author of TAKING THE SCORE (plus a giveaway!)

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Welcome, Kate! What 5 things should readers know about you?

I have a section on my website that covers this exact question! I’ve listed fun facts about me below:

  1. I got married in a tenth century castle nestled in the hills of Florence, Italy. Read all about it.
  2. I hate peanut butter, pretzels, and ketchup. These dislikes are enough to label me “un-American” by my husband.
  3. I’ve been known to bitch slap people who say “irregardless”, “supposably”, and “for all intensive purposes.” Not really, I would never resort to violence. Instead I’ll glare at them until they become very, very uncomfortable.
  4. I didn’t write any fiction until well into my thirties, proving it is never too late to follow your dream.
  5. I’m a dual citizen: Irish and American. When I became an American citizen, my husband played a prank on me that was 17 years in the making. One day, I’ll share that story but for now, it remains locked in the vault!

LOL—I don’t think I’ve ever actually heard anyone say “for all intensive purposes”—I’m not sure what I’d do if I did! (And at least bacon isn’t on your hate list—you can’t imagine the grief I get for that one!)


Tell us all about your main characters—who are they? What makes them tick? Most importantly, what one thing would they need to have with them if stranded on a desert isle? 😉

The main characters in TAKING THE SCORE are Brody Kane, a tree-trunk-up-his-ass, nerdy Texas billionaire with a dominant streak in the bedroom, and his personal assistant Emma Strickland, a former bad girl shooting for respectability—and failing miserably (probably shouldn’t be giving really bad lap dances at the local strip club!). Both of them are control freaks in their own ways. Brody needs it to retain order over a life that imploded months before the story starts. Emma needs it to keep her down n’ dirty self in check while she tries to get her own life back on track. If stranded on a desert isle, Brody would need his glasses—they’re part of his identity as nerd masking a dominant superhero. And Emma would take Kevin, her attack cat.

Oh my goodness, Brody and his stick—when his sister called and asked if he would stop polishing it long enough to talk to her, I almost spit out my iced tea!

Would Kevin get to bring his gourmet cat food with him, do you think? It’s only fair that he’d get “one thing” too…


Where did the inspiration for this book come from?

Brody and Emma were secondary characters in EVEN THE SCORE, the first book in the series. I’d never done a boss-assistant romance before, so this seemed liked an ideal pairing.

I’d have to agree—definitely ideal!


How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?

I’ve been writing for about 5 years, 4 years seriously with the aim of publication. My inspiration: I felt like I was watching too much TV and that coming home from work and becoming one with my couch every night was not how I wanted to go out! There had to be more, and so I started that book I’d always wanted to write.

Awesome—I like it!


What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?

I love being able to come up with the snappy comeback that I wish I could say in real life. My characters are always such witty smart asses! The challenging part is managing my time.

Ah, yes—it’s always so much easier to be witty on paper, when there’s plenty of time to think of the perfect response. But at least that works out great for authors—and their readers!


What are you working on right now? What can readers look for from you in the next year?

Right now, I’m doing research about hockey for a multi-authored anthology I’ve signed on for. I don’t know all that much about hockey, so I’m learning and looking at some hard-bodied athletes. Yeah, it’s a chore 😉

You had me at “hockey.” Really, you should probably visit a couple of locker rooms after games—you know, for research purposes. (cough!) If you need any volunteers to go with you for moral support, I could be persuaded to take a road trip (though maybe not until the snow lets up just a bit).


What authors and/or books have inspired you?

I love romantic comedies from authors like Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Julie James, Lauren Layne, and Jill Shalvis. But I also like it a little bit more angsty as well. Victoria Dahl is one of my favorites – amazing sex-positive heroines with funny, potty mouths.

Great list! Two thumbs up 🙂

 

What are you currently reading? What are your thoughts about it so far?

I’m currently reading my super-sekrit stash of books nominated for the RITA award – that’s the romance Oscars. Per the rules, I can’t tell you which books, so lips zipped!

Not fair! Good luck with that super-arduous task… 😉


If you had to “sell” this book in a single Tweet, what would you say?

She’ll give her boss the worst lap dance in adult entertainment history… and still manage to rock his world #BadStripper #TallDarkAndTexan

Perfect! That works!

To find out more about Kate and her latest book, TAKING THE SCORE, keep reading!

 

Originally from Ireland, Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper
novels, with some Mills & Boon thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron or a fire hose, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads 

 
TAKING THE SCORE
Tall, Dark and Texan #2
Kate Meader
Releasing February 15th, 2016
Entangled Brazen

A sexy category romance from Entangled’s Brazen imprint…

His office temptation is now his full-blown fantasy…

Paying down her sister’s debts has left Emma Strickland with little more than the thrift store suit on her back. And as if the suckfest couldn’t get worse, she’s forced to moonlight as a waitress to support herself and her cat. At a strip club. Her uptight, sexy-as-hell boss Brody Kane can never find out.

Texas property tycoon Brody Kane hired Emma for her spreadsheet skills, but her prim and proper demeanor sealed the deal. There’s no room in his life for a sexy distraction … and yet, he can’t stop lusting after the delicious Ms. Strickland. And then he takes an important client to a Chicago strip club and gets the worst lap dance in adult entertainment history. From Emma.

Now that he knows his office good girl has a naughty streak, Brody makes it his mission to uncover her secrets, one steamy, illicit, over-the-desk encounter at a time. But Emma is hiding more than her side job, and her final secret could end up destroying them both.

 Review-Banner

The hero wears R2D2 / C3PO socks given to him by the heroine. Do I really need to say more? 😉

(No. But I will…)

I just love Kate Meader’s sassy heroines and alpha males and their fantastic banter, interspersed with true laugh-out-loud moments and smoking sexy times. Really, no matter which series she’s writing, her books have them all–and Taking the Score is definitely not an exception.

So. Much. Fun.

Emma’s starting over–or trying to–with a super-responsible job at Score Property that she’s fantastic at, and a second job at a strip club which she’s…not. Normally, she’s just a (scantily clad) server, but naturally on the night her super-sexy, geeky-nerd-in-the-best-way boss shows up, she’s trying to branch out in an attempt to earn more money faster. The conversation she has with Brody after her disastrous lap dance (pretty much a “full-body dry heave” a la Elaine from Seinfeld, only, you know, on her boss’s lap. While wearing shiny hot pants) is truly laugh out loud.

“And the dancing? Was that your gift to the world? Because if so I hope you kept the receipt.”

A series of unfortunate (or is it fortunate?) events lead to Emma and her somewhat less-than friendly (though he does like to leave “presents”) cat Kevin moving in with Brody temporarily, and then the sparks really start to fly. But Emma’s hiding from him the real reason she’s working at Club Girl (such a classy name) and refuses to ask Brody for help…though there definitely are shades of Pretty Womangoing on here, so I can’t say I really blame her. Brody’s been burned by love before, though, and he’s not going to take the possibility of another betrayal well…

How soon until Flynn’s (and the person who I’m pretty sure will be in it too, but I’m not going to put their name here, because spoilers) book comes out? Can’t wait!

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I received a complimentary book in exchange for an honest review.

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Don’t Miss the First in the Tall, Dark & Texan Series
EVEN THE SCORE
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