Sneak peek of Dating Little Miss Perfect

A funny thing happened on the way to publishing this book . . . Everything happened. Including a global pandemic. Now it’s almost release day and I can’t believe I’ve almost got this book baby out into the world.

Dating Little Miss Perfect is my quirky take on You’ve Got Mail, with anonymous online dating, workplace romance of the rivals to lovers variety, banter, cupcakes, and a spark of science! I can’t wait for everyone to meet my spunky scientist heroine, Doctor Eden, and the gorgeous Aussie marketing manager hero, Finn (who may possibly look like a Hemsworth).

I hope you enjoy reading this excerpt of Dating Little Miss Perfect, releasing on 24 May 2023 in ebook and paperback.

Excerpt of Chapter One

HotAussie007: Hi stranger. Talk dirty to me!

Eden heard her smartphone ding and knew who it was before she looked. She grabbed her phone. Yes, it was her anonymous almost boyfriend. Hardly anyone messaged her. And that tingly anticipation in her lower belly, no one else had that effect.

She shouldn’t be doing this at work. It seemed naughty. A little dirty. But she was addicted to messaging him. As with any addiction, she couldn’t help herself. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her pristine white lab coat and smoothed back a lock of hair escaping her high ponytail. Silly, considering they couldn’t see each other, but she wanted to look her best.

Eden tapped out her response… No. Delete! She wouldn’t go all the way totally sexy. Not at work.

LittleMissPerfect: Hey big boy, what’s up?

HotAussie007: That’s it? Nice dirty talk. You’re a real bad girl LOL

LittleMissPerfect: I’m at work. Covert messaging in progress *side eyes*

She scanned the lab. Her fellow science geeks were absorbed in their work, some plugged into earbuds as they conducted experiments or typed up reports. Felicity, her research assistant, was focused on analyzing the drug assay.

All clear.

HotAussie007: I’m working too. Coffee break. What are you wearing?

LittleMissPerfect: Not telling. You have to guess. Some men fantasize about my prim and proper outfit. And what’s underneath…

HotAussie007: Gah! Librarian? School teacher? Am I close? Stern, bossy, smart as a whip. I like this train of thought *daydreams*

LittleMissPerfect: I’m picturing you in underwear over tights. I’ve got this whole Clark Kent/Superman fantasy going on…

HotAussie007: *choke* Standard office gear today. Sorry to disappoint. But you can be my Lois Lane any day.

LittleMissPerfect: You’re making me shy *blushes*

HotAussie007: Don’t be shy. I like you.

Her belly flipped. Likey like.

HotAussie007: Will you meet me IRL?

Meet him? In real life? Her skin tingled, heat rising up her throat and across her cheeks. Oh God.

It could go spectacularly wrong, but she wanted to meet him. She wanted. Bad. All this online flirting had her mind intrigued and her body set to explode at the merest hint of a sexual fantasy. It was weeks since they’d ditched the dating site for one-on-one chats. But they’d kept things casual. And anonymous.

She’d chickened out of meeting him once already. Maybe she’d been smart. What if he took one look at her and bolted out the door? What if he didn’t go for geek girls? What if she couldn’t be sexy and funny in real life?

Eden loved the banter they shared online. But it was way easier to sex it up virtually with a faceless man than to flirt with a real, live, hot and sweaty human. Oh, but she wanted hot and sweaty.

Time to bite the bullet, to see if he was as funny and sexy as he seemed in their chats. She was dying to know what he looked like. Perhaps she’d indulge his librarian fantasy.

LittleMissPerfect: You’re on. Sweep me off my feet, big shot. Get back to me with a time and place. I’ll wear something strict.

HotAussie007: *dies* Will message later

Eden stared into space, indulging in her superhero fantasy. But Superman was too boring. This situation called for Thor. Lois Lane morphed into the spunky scientist Jane. With her long dark hair and subtle curves hidden under a lab coat, she did look a little like Eden. She’d help Thor save the world and hold on to his hammer… She’d happily oblige her hero. Strong, powerful, built like a pro wrestler but with a caring side. He’d do anything to protect her and save humanity.

As she was stroking her bare thigh near the edge of her summer skirt, a looming presence materialized behind her, sparking warning tingles across her nape, making the tiny hairs stand on end. Eden knew who it was. The man had timing. Bad timing. And he’d snuck up behind her bench in the open-plan lab. Was he trying to make her uncomfortable?

A few words rose to the front of her mind and they weren’t polite. Eden tried to keep it cordial with the bane of her professional existence. “Donohue. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

She swiveled on her stool to face her work rival, and not for the first time, she wished Finn Donohue’s looks matched his unpleasant personality. Instead, he had stunning sea-green eyes, tousled caramel hair, and over six feet of hunky height. All the muscles. None of it made him more appealing. It just didn’t. Okay, his Aussie accent made him a tad more attractive. But only a little.

Odd how she was surrounded by Australians, online and at work. A little alarm went off in her brain but she ignored it. This particular Aussie was definitely annoying.

Finn heaved a long-suffering sigh. “You know why I’m here, at least you should. The final clinical trial report. It’s three days overdue, Eden.”

He leaned over her, drumming his fingertips on the bench, invading her personal space. She crossed her arms under her breasts, and his gaze tracked down to her V-neck for a second. Eden stared at him without speaking until he slowly blinked and met her eyes.

Her lips stretched in a mock-friendly smile. “It’s Doctor Robinson. And as I said in my email, I’m still waiting on the blood test results from the LA lab. I can’t magically make them appear on my desk here in San Diego.”

Finn straightened. “Well, keep me updated. We need to get this drug to market ASAP, and I won’t be held accountable if you don’t deliver your end of the project.”

Eden waved him away. “I get it. Now, shoo!” She must have scared him because he took a step backward. Smoothing down her skirt, she sighed. “Go back to your marketing cubicle. Relax in a beanbag chair and sip your hipster coffee. Send some tweets or whatever it is you do, and let the smart people do their jobs.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Right. Wouldn’t want to interrupt all that important texting, Doctor Eden.” Finn shot her a glimmer-of-death glare, then turned and strode from the lab.

She did not admire his retreating form in his sharp suit. Broad shoulders, slim waist… firm butt. Nope, she scarcely noticed him.

He’d caught her slacking. She had to be careful. Her future at Magna Smart was precarious. From now on, she’d be the consummate professional to ensure her team received the special projects funding. Patients depended on her, on the heart medication that could save their lives. Years of research had gone into Magna Smart’s new drug.

She’d built up a team of good people who deserved a chance to prove themselves. They wanted to see the project through to completion and have their achievements recognized. She deserved recognition too. Plus, she needed the job. A big-ass mortgage didn’t pay itself. If she lost the project, she’d be downsized faster than you could say, ‘you’re fired.’ And finding another job at her level would take months, not weeks.

The funding would not be wasted on Finn Donohue’s marketing team. Again. The amount of funding his team received last year versus the paltry amount for her scientific research team was appalling. Eden’s gaze snagged on the memo from a few months ago, stuck to the partition behind her workspace. She reread it, her fists clenched in her lap.

Memo

To: All Staff, Heads of Department

From: Dr. McTavish, CEO Magna Smart Operations, USA

All departments now have the opportunity to compete for the current round of Future Smart Special Projects Funding recently announced by our parent company, Magna Smart Pharma (Europe). As part of this outstanding initiative, I am pleased to announce I have been appointed the arbiter of project suitability and likelihood of success, i.e., commercialization potential, revenue generation, and talent recognition for the United States arm of the company. A total of US$10 million in new funding is available for approved projects.

Department heads are to compile detailed proposals on their special projects for my initial input and approval by 1 March. As this opportunity was conceived as a ‘Best of Breed’ initiative for ideas that will impact the consumer business, proposals are sought from consumer-facing units, including Marketing and Business Development, Research and Innovation Commercialization, Information Technology, and Medical Science Partnerships.

If relevant teams choose not to take up this excellent opportunity to submit Future Smart Project proposals, management will, of course, carefully consider resource reallocation in future endeavors. The US Operation will aim to put its best foot, or feet, forward as the case may be.

Signed,

Dr. McTavish

Eden shook her head, dismissing the urge to throw tacks at the stupid memo with its implied threats.

She pushed Finn Donohue to the back of her mind too. She needed to concentrate on this potential thing with HotAussie007. Soon she’d meet him. In. The. Flesh. That was fantasy and a half — enough to stop her heart *dead*.

***

Finn had finally escaped his painful conversation with that woman. Thank you, Jesus, or Odin. Whoever’s listening. He stomped down the corridor, his feet beating a rhythm like a call to war.

Doctor Eden could suck it, in his humble opinion.

If only that thought didn’t make his blood run as hot and thick as the chocolate sauce on his favorite banana split. Eden’s lips, that petulant pout and the tempting curve of her mouth when telling him off, nearly had him saying, or doing, something stupid.

The way she talked down to him, as if he wasn’t worthy of breathing the same air as her and the other snooty scientists in her lab, as if he was something she’d scrape off her surprisingly purple Doc Martens and shove in a doggy-do baggie. But it wasn’t worth spending any more time thinking about. Not how she spoke, not the words, and especially not her hot little mouth.

No, he needed to focus on his work. He stormed along the polished concrete and glass corridor toward the Marketing and Business Development Department, at the opposite end of the building to Eden’s research lab. His jaw clenched as he recalled her final dig: Let the smart people do their jobs.

He’d show her smart. He had plans, damn it. Big plans. He had so much on his plate it was hurting his brain, but he didn’t deserve her scorn. He’d try to be her ally if he could.

Swerving off route, Finn pushed open the heavy fire door to the spacious courtyard between the two main buildings and sucked in the salty sea air, breathing deep and filling his lungs with oxygen. It was a little humid out there but much better. Not so stifling. Outside, still standing on the concrete paving of the company’s campus but overlooking the Pacific Ocean, he could breathe.

The courtyard boasted an architectural centerpiece—a man-made stream bordered by blocks of granite ran down the sloped ground before dropping off a step into a small water feature. Finn plonked himself on the edge of the polished rock by the clear, running water and rolled his shoulders, shrugging off the tension. He came here whenever he needed to find his calm. Chant some ‘oms.’ Whatever.

He wasn’t the only one catching some rays. Quite a few of the worker bees had escaped the hive to eat lunch or work on their laptops outside. Surveying the scattered geeks and admin staff, he spotted one of his guys: Nate, their new website analytics guru.

Nate caught his eye and nodded once, his long black hair flopping over his eyes. The younger man picked himself up and ambled over, touchscreen laptop in hand. He needed a haircut, big time. No one would take him seriously when he looked like an overgrown student who’d escaped from a frat house.

“Hey, man, you okay? You look stressed out.”

Nate needed a makeover in how he spoke too. Finn was his manager, and as such, he deserved respect. Before he moved to the States, he’d thought Aussies were laid back. But some of these Californian dudes were so laid back that they were almost comatose.

“I’m fine, thanks. Just taking a breather.” Finn held up a hand to shield his eyes from the blinding summer sun. Beautiful day, as always. He’d rather be surfing, for sure. Maybe at Bells Beach back home.

Nate nodded, his head bouncing like one of those bobblehead dashboard ornaments Finn bought for his Chevy. “I want to show you something. Can you spare a few minutes?”

Finn dipped his chin in Nate’s direction. “Sure. What have you got?”

“Weirdness with the website. A whole lot of traffic from Eastern Europe, and considering Magna Smart doesn’t trade there, it stood out. Could just be a blip, but it could be something more.”

Nate pulled up a graph on his screen and showed Finn the data. He talked him through the usual site traffic, mainly from the US and Canada, with some hits from Asia on particular products. The Eastern-European thing did seem odd. The pattern was out of whack compared to previous months, and Finn had read a lot of records lately. There were also large file transfers happening that Nate hadn’t seen before. The younger man shrugged, as if to emphasize his uncertainty. There could be a new partner or a reseller we haven’t heard about, sending traffic our way. Or, not to be too doom and gloom, it could be bad news. A hacker or someone else targeting our site. Do you think we should check with IT?”

“Absolutely. Get your information over to Data Security and see what they reckon.” Finn dragged his hand back through his hair and gazed out across the vast expanse of blue sea and sky. “Great day for surfing.”

“Surfing’s not my thing, but I’d like to try that one day.” Nate pointed to the clifftop to the right of the company’s complex, where a couple was preparing to jump. It wasn’t an emergency. They were strapped into a tandem hang glider.

Finn and Nate watched in silence as the couple launched off the cliff, hovered, and then lifted in an updraft of air. It looked impossible, or at least implausible, but they flew. Amazing. They swooped and glided on invisible trails of wind, rising higher still before tilting downward and skimming across the ocean. After a couple of minutes, they disappeared from view.

Finn sighed, brushed off his weird mood, and stood. “Yeah, I should try hang gliding.” Before I head back home to Australia. The depressing thought popped into Finn’s head, uninvited. He turned to Nate and shrugged. “Guess we should be getting back. Let me know what you find out about that blip.”

“Sure thing, boss man.”

“Don’t call me that. Finn will be fine. Mr. Donohue, if you’re feeling formal or we’re in a meeting with the Establishment.”

“Can do, Finn.” Nate saluted.

With a shake of his head, Finn headed across the courtyard to the opposite building, back toward the concrete bunker housing his team. But before he went inside, he succumbed to the urge to get his own back on Eden. Speaking to his smartphone’s dictation app, he drafted a quick email:

“Doctor Eden,

I greatly appreciated your attitude in our earlier chat. Your reminder of our formal work relationship and the importance of letting ‘smart people do their jobs’ was timely. Please find attached a file you may find of interest.

Your humble servant,

Finn Donohue

Manager, Marketing and Business Development

Magna Smart Pharmaceuticals

Attach file: Civilization”

“Send.”

It was juvenile, and she’d most likely hate him even more, but he couldn’t resist. When the cartoon titled ‘Civilization’ came up on his Twitter feed earlier, he’d immediately thought of her.

The cartoon depicted the slaves of ancient Egypt hauling rocks and lugging cartloads of tools to build a pyramid. A lone female figure stood at the top of the pyramid, raised on a lofty platform, shaking a finger at the workers below. Her long robe, black hair, cat-eye makeup, and jewels made it obvious she was the famous Queen Cleopatra. The caption nailed it.

Work smarter, not harder, that’s my motto. Civilization will thank me later.

He’d probably put his foot right in it. Still, it was better to be the shit-stirrer or even the one stepping in it than to be the excrement. There was a life philosophy.

Now that he thought about it, Eden kind of looked like Cleopatra, the classic Elizabeth Taylor version. Beautiful. Imperial. Scary. But irresistible, nonetheless.

Buy Dating Little Miss Perfect from major online retailers from 24 May 2023!

Girl on a Plane – new cover reveal!

I’m so excited to share the brand new cover of the second edition of my debut contemporary romance novel, Girl on a Plane. I recently regained my publishing rights from the former publisher, so now it’s indie time! I’ve been working myself a little ragged getting this book ready to independently publish. I’ll be releasing a new edition of the ebook, along with print — a paperback and hardcover — for the first time.

Cover reveal

Girl on a Plane will be re-released on 29 March 2023 and features a gorgeous cover design from Deborah Bradseth at dbcoverdesign.com with a softer colour scheme and a modern romcom feel. Exactly what I was looking for!

For the contemporary romance and romcom fans out there who haven’t read this one yet, I do hope you’ll enjoy it. The updated book blurb is below.

Blurb

Perfect for fans of The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren and The Layover by Laci Waldon, Girl on a Plane is an entertaining summer read for grumpy-sunshine romcom lovers.

Sparks fly in mid-air when Sinead, a fun and feisty Irish flight attendant, meets Gabriel, a gorgeous but grumpy Aussie CEO in First Class.

When a storm hits during their flight from Melbourne to London, they are unexpectedly grounded in Singapore. No-one could predict Sinead and Gabriel would be locked-in together in the same hotel suite…with only one bed! One steamy night could lead to more as they chase each other across the world.

Sinead doesn’t know if she can follow her heart after her disastrous relationship with her stalker ex-boyfriend. He shook her so much, shattered her confidence in men, and made it hard to trust. Her connection with Gabriel is powerful, a call to throw caution to the wind. Maybe it’s time to find love, a man to call her own. To heal her broken heart.

But Gabriel isn’t exactly an open book. He wants Sinead with an intensity that scares him but he can’t afford to let a woman in, to pursue anything besides a hook-up. What if Sinead doesn’t understand the limits he has to place on relationships? What if she cracks him wide open and disturbs the careful balance of his life? He may never recover.

Follow Sinead and Gabriel as they navigate a new relationship while dealing with the excess baggage of their pasts. Will love take flight?

Where to buy

The ebook version of Girl on a Plane is ready to preorder from major online sites including Apple Books, Amazon, Kobo, Google Play Books, Barnes & Noble and Booktopia. The hardcover design and paperback links are coming soon . . . Check my Books page for updates.

Preorder the ebook now!

#GirlOnAPlane #CoverReveal #romcombooks #romancenovels #grumpysunshine

Dating Little Miss Perfect – Cover Reveal!

Exciting news, book lovers! My next full-length contemporary romance novel is nearly ready to fling into the world, or in other words, release it wide!

Many thanks go to my fabulous Australian book cover designer and illustrator, Kylie Sek, who was an absolute star and totally got what I was looking for. I said, 90s romcom movie vibes, bright colours, a scientist heroine who rides a Vesper scooter, and an Aussie hero who looks like a Hemsworth brother. Nailed it!

Without further ado, here is the gorgeous cover:

Dating Little Miss Perfect by Cassandra O’Leary. Cover design by Kylie Sek.

Blurb

The perfect romcom read for fans of The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren and The Hating Game by Sally Thorne . . .

On an anonymous online dating app, LittleMissPerfect meets HotAussie007 and it’s love at first click. In real life, a smart but spiky woman in STEM, research scientist, Dr Eden, meets a laid-back Aussie marketing manager, Finn, at the big pharma company where they both work in California. They’re forced to compete for special projects funding, and both their jobs are on the line.

Eden just wants to win at science and in life. It’s not happening! She can’t stand Finn’s too-cool-for-school, nice guy act, or his delectable forearms that keep invading her space. While Finn is stupidly attracted to Eden, when she’s not telling him off, he isn’t free to pursue her. He’s stuck in the worst position in his professional life, and doesn’t see a clear way out. He can’t tell her the whole truth about what’s going on at work or in his personal life. . . or it could all blow up in his face.

When they realise the truth about their online alter egos, dating is off the table. Can they ignore their inconvenient attraction, and work together to take down their unethical boss? Or will intense rivalry cause their IRL work lives and online love lives to collide and explode like a science experiment gone wrong?

Note: Dating Little Miss Perfect is an updated take on You’ve Got Mail for lovers of online dating romcoms, with added science, cupcakes and old movie references! This new novel from award-winning author Cassandra O’Leary is a stand-alone contemporary romance of approximately 95,000 words.

I have put it up for ebook preorders (paperback links coming soon) and I do hope you’ll all enjoy reading it when it’s released on 24 May 2023.

Preorder Dating Little Miss Perfect now!

Friday I’m In Love is out now

I’m so excited to release this surprise novelette at the end of the year, like a mini Christmas present for readers! Friday I’m In Love: A Sweet and Saucy Novelette is a super cute and funny short read, which I first published in the Hot In The City collection in June 2022. I thought some readers would prefer a short stand-alone ebook, so here it is!

It’s only 99c from major ebook sites so grab it now…all links on my Books page.

Friday I'm In Love book cover by Cassandra O'Leary. Features an illustration of a young couple with dark hair dancing, with a heart as a background image.

Blurb

A girl couldn’t help spying sometimes. Surely if she ever met him, he’d understand…

Megan Macauley looks forward to her private rendezvous with her ridiculously hot, across-the-road-from-work neighbour. Every Friday morning, Megan and her inappropriate older colleague Jean, stop work on the company website to stare goggle-eyed at the vision of manly beauty in the apartment across the street. When he returns from his gym sessions and strips off his shirt, Megan can barely keep her tongue in her mouth.

Megan didn’t mean to become a voyeur. It was an accident! She’s always had a feeling the situation might rear up and bite her. One Friday, fate proves her right. The hottie from across the road shows up at her office as the new auditor, in other words, the man with the power of hiring and firing.

Cruz Ono is even more smouldering hot up close. A prime example of Japanese-Australian beefcake and smart as a whip. When he invites her to a private meeting, Megan nearly faints. He could either fire her or let her keep her annoying, underpaid job. Which would it be?

When Cruz reveals he knows Megan has been watching him, she knows it could be the end of her career. But the way he smiles and flirts with her says it could be the start of something else…

Note: Friday I’m In Love is a short read or novelette of approximately 10,000 words. It’s also available in Hot In the City: A Romantic Comedy Story Collection in both ebook and paperback formats.

Buy Now!

More news coming soon…

Hot in the City release day!

Hot In The City: A Romantic Comedy Story Collection releases today, 30 June, as an ebook!

Description

Hot In The City is a collection of short romantic comedy stories and novellas from award-winning author, Cassandra O’Leary. Perfect for reading on your lunch break, on the go or anytime really!

Hot In The City by Cassandra O'Leary, ebook cover design. Features an illustration with a city skyline and a couple sitting on the floor in an apartment.

Never before published in one book, this collection includes:

– Chocolate Truffle Kiss: A Romantic Comedy Novelette – An older woman meets a younger man in a story full of pining. A lonely writer, a hot rockstar barista, a cafe setting with stolen moments, poetry and chocolate. . .

– Tree Love: A Romantic Short Story – A short story with a sweet second chance romance, an urban lumberjack and emails to trees!

– Girl Under The Christmas Tree: A Steamy Holiday Romance Novella – A prequel to the novel Girl on a Plane, featuring Yuki, a hotel staffer looking for adventure, and Declan, an Irish IT CEO with a broken heart. They come together right before Christmas for just one night. . .

– Friday I’m In Love: A Short and Sweet Story – A brand new story set in a pyjama company in the middle of the city. Featuring a Japanese-Australian beefcake, a wacky computer nerd, workplace romance, spying and wardrobe malfunctions.

. . . and a new novelette. . . Girl On A Babymoon! Sinead and Gabriel from Girl on a Plane return, five years later. It’s their anniversary, and Sinead has a big surprise for Gabriel. A romantic getaway and steamy role-playing feature in this laugh-out-loud story of a marriage in trouble, or maybe, a marriage that will be stronger than ever!

Each story is set in the author’s home city of Melbourne, Australia, with a cameo or two from other fabulous destinations around the world. Whether the setting in a central city cafe with a smoking hot barista, or a Santa-packed hotel in the lead-up to Christmas, these stories will introduce you to a world of steamy kisses, swoony couples and funny love stories each with their own a happy ever after (or happy for now) ending.

Buy Now

Universal ebook link!

Girl on a Babymoon excerpt

Read on for a short excerpt of Girl on a Babymoon, the new novelette in Hot in the City!

Melbourne, Australia

Sinead had no hope of containing her giggles as she stared at her phone’s screen, but she slapped a hand over her mouth anyway. She half snorted, half coughed into her palm before shaking her head to get herself under control. The Uber driver would think she’d lost her mind, but who cared about that? Not today, she didn’t.

She clicked out of the amazing image on her phone screen and stared out the car’s passenger side window instead, watching the streetscape whiz by in a blur of colours, sky blue, white and grey. The warm fuzzies in her belly settled, fluttered and subsided.

Gabriel was going to absolutely love her anniversary surprise. Love. Adore. Worship at her feet and hopefully worship every last nook and curve of her whole body in minute, sensual detail. Several times. Oh, yes. This anniversary trip had been an excellent idea. How could they have been married for five years already?

She didn’t know how her news would go down with Gabriel. Hopefully, he’d be on board. All she had to do was let him know what she wanted and fill him in on the plan. She sighed, exhausted suddenly. He would be pleased, wouldn’t he? Happy? It was a lot to take in. She’d had a minor freak out already.

He’d be okay, she was almost positive. He’d research this like he would with a business deal or an investment. He was good at details, her Gabriel. The best at everything he did. Having a man like him, so focused and determined in everything, work and play, had turned out very nicely in their relationship so far, especially in the bedroom. The only problem was, sometimes he was a wee bit put off by spontaneous changes of plan.

He’d love her surprise. And if he didn’t bloody love it, she was possibly going to have him killed. Or at least torture him in a sexy way until he admitted he loved her and her surprise, and then he could do the minute detail worshipping of her body.

Yes, that was a plan. She grinned and rubbed her hands together with pure, undiluted, only slightly evil glee.

She gave a nod and word of thanks to the Uber driver, a very sweet man named Aziz who often drove her home from work at the luxury travel agency she ran at Gabriel’s office building in the city. She straightened out her shirt and threw her phone in her bag. The car rolled to a stop.

In one mostly elegant motion, she launched herself and her handbag out of the car and onto the footpath, then she was clacking along in her electric blue high heels. Her phone was in her hand, tapping on her husband’s name and he answered the call before she’d even taken five steps towards the front door of their beachfront townhouse.

“Hello, Irish.” His voice was gravelly and rumbly, pinging her pleasure centre and tugging at something in her abdomen. She bit her lower lip and almost tripped over the spiky plant near her front steps.

Sinead pressed her lips together before the exciting words exploded out of her in a great rush.

Control. Plan the announcement. Don’t freak him out.

Sinead nearly peed herself from the effort of keeping it inside. She released her lower lip and took a shuddery breath. “Ah, it’s the man himself. Are you looking especially handsome on this fine day? I’ll bet you are.”

“I was just thinking about you.”

She grinned so hard her cheeks ached. “All good thoughts, I hope. Maybe naked thoughts?”

He chuckled, deep and low in her ear. “Always good, and many naked thoughts of you, my love.”

What happens next? Read Hot in the City to find out…

P.S. Don’t forget to follow me on social media for more updates. I’m now on TikTok too for bookish content and a laugh!

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Hot In The City!

Hot In The City preorder header graphic

I’m so excited to announce that I have a new story collection coming out on 30 June 2022. Hot In The City: A Romantic Comedy Story Collection is a new book collating some of my previously published short stories and novellas, and featuring a brand spanking new novelette! Preorder the ebook now!

This collection will also be available in a print edition, so keep your eyes peeled for more news coming soon.

Description

Hot In The City is a collection of short romantic comedy stories and novellas from award-winning author, Cassandra O’Leary. Perfect for reading on your lunch break, on the go or anytime really!

Never before published in one book, this collection includes:

– Tree Love: A Romantic Short Story
– Chocolate Truffle Kiss: A Romantic Comedy Novelette
– Girl Under The Christmas Tree: A Steamy Holiday Romance Novella
. . . and a new novelette. . . Girl On A Babymoon!

Hot In The City by Cassandra O'Leary, ebook cover design. Features an illustration with a city skyline and a couple sitting on the floor in an apartment.

Preorder Ebook

P.S. Don’t forget to follow me on social media for more updates. I’m also on TikTok now, just for fun!

Heart Note paperback out for Christmas!

I’m very excited to announce that I’ve published a paperback edition of my book, Heart Note: A Christmas Romcom Novella, just in time for the holidays! This is a favourite work of mine, based on my experience working as a perfume counter sales assistant many years ago. Set in the hustle and bustle in one of Australia’s largest department stores in the lead up to Christmas, Heart Note is both funny and heartfelt, with a little romance and mystery thrown in.

It took me a little while to learn the whole self publishing process including paperback print production, but I’m glad I’ve got the print edition of this book out into the world. The ebook was published in late 2017, but I always wanted to see this one in paperback too. Thanks to the cover designer, Lana P., who did a sensational job and my writer friend PJ Vye who helped with the book layout. This book looks absolutely gorgeous and so festive in real life.

I hope some of my readers will order the paperback version now. It would also make a fabulous Christmas gift!

Blurb – Heart Note: A Christmas Romcom Novella

A Christmas romcom with heart.

When a curvy redhead meets a possible Greek god, it’s like all Lily’s workplace dreams have come true…except she has to wear a ridiculous Santa dress and stop a department store heist! This Christmas, will Lily find love under her tree or just a box full of heartbreak?

The first time I met Christos, I fell into his arms. I didn’t know what to do with myself when the department store security guard and chief hottie, volunteered to catch me as I fell off the stage at the staff training day. My heart thundered inside my (ample) chest, my knees turned to liquid but I managed not to swoon or have a heart attack. It was a close thing.

Workplace relationships are fraught with danger, I know this. I’m the perfume counter manager at one of Australia’s biggest department stores and I need this job, need to get my life and my sister’s on the right track. I don’t need a distraction in the form of a brooding, overprotective but undeniably sexy man. Or do I? Christos is a mystery box I’d love to unwrap…and the tall, dark and impossibly handsome thing is working for me, big time.

All I want for Christmas is the perfect perfume, a chance to kiss Christos, to help him catch a band of thieves running amok in the department store, and to live happily ever after. Is that too much to wish for?

Buy now from major print book retailers:

Universal link for ebooks

More news is coming soon, but until then, happy holidays and Merry Christmas!

Note: I am a member of the Amazon Affiliate program and I earn a small amount if you click and buy from one of the Amazon links on my website.

Girl Under The Christmas Tree – new release out now!

I’m so excited to share my new release with all of my readers. Girl Under The Christmas Tree is a steamy holiday romance novella, guaranteed to add a smile to your face. This novella was a joy to write, and I hope my you all find it just as much fun to read.

Blurb

A hilarious holiday romance on the steamy side, featuring a girl who won’t say no to a fling, a guy who needs some holiday fun, one naughty night in a hotel suite… and a conga line of Santas!

Yuki Yamimoto isn’t the kind of girl to say no to opportunity, especially when it comes swaggering into the five-star hotel where she works, dressed in a three-piece suit. The handsome wavy haired man with a movie star smile and charming Irish accent is almost irresistible… If only he wasn’t a hotel guest!

Declan Moriarty can’t keep his eyes off the gorgeous girl at hotel Reception. Her wide eyes and flirting have him wondering, should he dare ask her out? When his whole life has fallen into the cosmic toilet the past year, it seems too much to ask for a dream girl like Yuki for Christmas. But maybe just this once, luck might be on his side.

A steamy Christmas Eve date has them both wanting more, but Yuki isn’t supposed to fraternize with hotel guests. Not even a cheeky, handsome guest who also happens to be one of the youngest tech CEOs in Ireland. She definitely isn’t supposed to stay in his hotel suite, even if it is just a fling for one night only. What if she loses her Christmas bonus or gets fired?

Declan wants nothing more than to keep Yuki, the girl under his Christmas tree. But he only has days in Melbourne, Australia before he has to fly back to Ireland for Christmas, then back to work. Is it foolish to risk putting his heart on the line again, when it was recently battered and bruised by his cheating ex-fiancée?

Yuki’s about to embark on a life full of adventure…but will she get to keep Declan as part of the package deal? She hopes so. It’s her number one Christmas wish.

Note: Girl Under The Christmas Tree is a holiday romance novella of approximately 18,000 words, written as a prequel or companion story to Cassandra O’Leary’s novel, Girl on a Plane. This novella has a Happy For Now (HFN) ending, leaving Yuki’s future wide open.

Buy Now!

Universal link – books2read.com/GirlXmasTree

Available at the introductory price of 99c / 99p on all major ebook sites.

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I’ve had a bit of a break from writing, not only because of the super long and hard lockdown where I live in Melbourne, Australia (but it was super long, and hard), but because of some ongoing health issues. Anyway, it seems my brain is back in action for now, so I’ll look forward to working on some more new releases for 2021. Here’s hoping the new year will be a new beginning, in lots of ways.

Happy reading!

Another Little Piece of My Heart

I was asked to write a blog on the theme, ‘What touches my heart?’ and it’s a tricky one, because the answer is many things, many people, books, movies, music… There isn’t only one answer. There isn’t only one thing to feel or to love. This post is dedicated to all the little things that add up to something joyful and touching in our everyday lives.

A quiet sunset

My last little family getaway was to Lakes Entrance, a few hours away from where I live in Melbourne, Australia. One of the highlights of the trip was staying across the road from a lake with a pier, just right for fishing with the kids. Watching the sunset over the lake was so relaxing, it made me want to go for sunset walks more often.

A funny movie

Is there anything better than snort-laughing along to a funny movie? I think not! This week I watched Pitch Perfect, a film about the exploits of competing Acapella singing groups at a university campus. It stars the wonderful Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson (Aussie and funny, yeah!) and is chock full of silliness and great songs. Yes, I was singing along to the Ladies of the 80s songs in the riff-off scene. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s great fun.

A great piece of music

I’m remembering the concert I went to last year, sitting in the front row at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival. The great sax player and composer, Branford Marsalis, was on tour all the way from New Orleans. One of the songs he played was an original composition with multiple layers and a few classical bits and pieces thrown in…amazing! His quartet absolutely killed it too.

This YouTube clip of In The Crease is an example of the type of tune, or more like an immersive experience. When you’re right up close to musicians in this league, it’s emotional and intense. This piece is not quite the same as the show I saw, but I hope you enjoy it.

My kids laughing

Honestly, sometimes my boys behave like little monsters, but other times they are completely adorable and hilarious. Is there anything cuter than kids laughing so hard, they’re in hysterics with tears running down their faces? Lately I’ve been thrilled to see my kids reading funny books to themselves, and then just busting out laughing. Latest #kidlit recommendations are Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, anything by Tom Gates, and of course we’re re-reading Harry Potter.

A good book and time to think

The time after everyone else goes to sleep and I read a good book, just because I can and it gives me pleasure. Lately I’ve enjoyed reading these fabulously fun romantic comedies:

The Austen Playbook by Lucy Parker

On The Same Page by (fellow Aussie) Penelope Janu

A Girl Like Her by Talia Hibbert

Grab one of these books for a few laughs and some happy sighs!

And a puppy?

Yes, my family have decided unanimously to become a dog family. We already have quite the menagerie, with a cat named Tom Sword, a parrot named Storm, many fish, and eight chickens of various sizes and stages of cluckiness.

My kids adore animals and we thought…why not? It’s good for kids to learn about looking after a pet, the responsibility it entails, but also having a new friend to love. This could be an absolutely manic and crazy choice. Will the dog attack the cat? Or vice versa? We shall see.

Please enjoy our first photo of our puppy, coming to live with us in a few more weeks. We’re thinking of calling him Archie.

Another little piece of my heart…

All of these things are little pieces that make up a whole lot when added together. What makes your heart fuller, more capable of love, or reminds you to live life to the fullest?

Note: This blog was originally published by Romancing The Genres on 28 February 2019. Copyright remains with the author, Cassandra O’Leary. Amazon affiliate links are used on this page.

Holly Jolly Hop!

The holidays are just around the corner, which means it’s time for Chick Lit Chat HQ’s annual Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop and this year it’s bigger and better than ever! 63 bestselling and award-winning authors in the Chick Lit and Romantic Comedy genres are participating in this fun-filled event and each one is doing a fantastic giveaway. Books, author swag, gift cards, and other assorted holiday treats are all up for grabs. This event runs from 3-9 December 2018.

My prize giveaway…

I’m giving away a holiday reads prize including:

1 x paperback copy of Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding (to be mailed to the winner from Book Depository UK)
1 x ebook gift copy of my holiday romcom, Heart Note.

I thought, why not give away one of my all time favourite chick lit books? It’s full of holiday fun and terrible Christmas jumpers too. I’m sure Bridget and my heroine, Lily Lucas, would be great friends.

Heart Note is based at the perfume counter manager at one of Australia’s largest department stores, where Lily is the counter manager. In the lead-up to Christmas, Lily has to wrap approximately eleventy billion gift sets and pander to some very odd customers. But all she really wants is to unwrap Christos, the smokin’ hot ex-cop security guard, and maybe have him cuff her to a Christmas tree…

By the way – my holiday romcom novella, Heart Note, is on sale for 99 cents or FREE in Kindle Unlimited. Go to Amazon to check it out!

See the post on my Facebook author page for details of how to enter my giveaway.

Note: my giveaway is open internationally but is not endorsed by or associated with Facebook. The winner will need to provide a postal address to receive the paperback book prize, and an email address to receive the ebook prize.

More prizes…

But wait! There’s much, much more. On the hop’s Facebook group page, you can enter to win our Grand Prize—a large holiday gift box filled to the brim with a fabulous variety of holiday and winter-themed goodies (the darling, KitschNStyle gingerbread house apron, Snoozies! sherpa socks, Calvin Klein cashmere pom-pom beanie in petal pink, Too Faced sugar cookie eye shadow purse palette, Sally Snowflakes mug by Bella Pilar, Well Read Women: A Reader’s Journal, and handmade chocolate soaps shown in the graphic below are just a few of the items included in the box!).

We’ll also be handing out four Runner-Up Prizes. Each one is a pair of Fitz & Floyd holiday mugs that will be accompanied by a canister of Williams-Sonoma classic hot chocolate as well as a tin of The Republic of Tea’s Hallmark Channel Countdown to Christmas Tea. So, you’ll have delicious, warm beverages to keep you cozy all winter long!

The celebration runs from Monday, Dec. 3rd through Sunday, Dec. 9th, so head on over to the Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop Facebook group for some lively conversation with both authors and readers, incredible prizes, and lots of holiday fun! You’ll find each day’s featured authors, along with the links to their pages/giveaways, in the pinned post at the top of the group. We look forward to seeing you there!

*The Grand Prize giveaway is open to US residents only. However, all of the individual author giveaways and the Runner-Up Prize giveaway are open internationally.