Release Day for Girl on a Layover!

It’s release day for my novella, Girl on a Layover (Girl on a Plane series #2) and I’m excited, people!

#2 – Girl on a Layover

The ebook is out now at major online bookstores and I’ll be getting the paperback version ready to go soon. Sometimes it takes a little longer to format the paperback for print and to get the distribution channels to display the book online. Anyway, it won’t be too long for my print readers. I will also have copies available to buy at any book signing events I attend next year, including A Romantic Rendezvous in March (Melbourne, Australia)!

When Yuki met Declan . . .

There were times when I never thought I’d be able to publish any other stories in this ‘world’ and I’m so glad I finally have the opportunity. I just really like these characters and the themes of travel, finding love and a sense of home, and I hope you will too. Of course, this story is also heaps of fun.

When I released the ebook of Girl Under The Christmas Tree, the prequel novella in December 2020, I was rapt with the chemistry on the page between characters Yuki and Declan. I knew I’d have to revisit them as a couple and work out how they could get to their happy ever after, without making it too easy, because where is the fun in that?

I decided to skip ahead a few years when revisiting this series, as I’d regained the publishing rights for Girl on a Plane and wanted to extend the series. I moved forward so the events in newer books would occur in current times, more or less. When Yuki and Declan first met, I was writing about events a few years in the past, but I wanted them to meet again sooooo . . . TIME JUMP!

Six years have passed since Yuki and Declan first met, in the story timeline at the start of Girl on a Layover. Both characters have been through some stuff (no spoilers!) that have left them bruised and battered by love, in a metaphorical sense. But they are now ready for a real chance at love, and their second chance romance was a joy to write.

Blurb

Yuki Yamimoto has a problem with billionaires. If only she wasn’t stuck in a luxury resort with one billionaire in particular!

Yuki agrees to be her friend Sinead’s bridesmaid at her second wedding in a heartbeat. She’s a flight attendant and used to jetting around the world, but staying at a luxury resort in Thailand for Sinead and Gabriel’s renewal of vows sounds amazing – like a mini vacation. The only problem is. . . Declan Moriarty.

Years ago, Yuki and Declan shared a mind-blowing one-night stand and a few weeks of bliss, and then nothing. Nada. Was it all a dream? Or a nightmare? Because he cheated on her with his ex-fiancée and Yuki left before he could break her heart. Declan was Yuki’s big fish, the one who got away. An Irish IT geek and billionaire built like a pro rugby player with bonus soulful blue eyes and dark wavy hair.

Yuki has a sinking feeling Declan will also be at the resort for the wedding celebration. Declan is a good friend of Gabriel’s after all. But she won’t have to hang out with him, surely? Yuki doesn’t believe in second chances anymore. Besides, Yuki’s just been dumped and humiliated and all she wants is rest and relaxation on this layover.

Declan no longer believes in love. In fact, he’s probably cursed. Yuki isn’t the only woman who ran from him or broke his heart. When he sees Yuki at the airport, he can’t take his eyes off her. She’s as gorgeous as ever. Maybe his luck is changing. Another fling might be just what fate has in mind!

A feel-good, second chance romcom novella with steamy scenes. And a monkey. This book is #2 in the Girl on a Plane series.

Buy now from major ebook stores including Apple Books, Amazon, Google Play Books, Kobo or check the universal link for more!

Note: I earn from Amazon Associates links on my website.

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!

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok

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.

Heart Note Blog Blitz!

It’s almost the festive season and this weekend my new release, Heart Note, is having a party! Well, sort of. It’s a Blog Blitz and everyone is invited.

From 25 to 27 November 2017 a whole host of bloggers are playing home to my Christmas romcom novella and lots of blogs about perfume, Christmas, romantic comedies, working as a ‘spritzer chick’ on a perfume counter and much more. There’s also a giveaway so make sure to check out the blogs to enter.

Thanks so much to the fabulous Rachel’s Random Resources for organising my Blog Blitz!

Visit the Blog Blitz stops

And now just a little note about Heart Note! I enjoyed writing a novella which is a fast-paced romcom with a little heist sub-plot and a great big dash of Christmas festiveness mixed in.

I hope you’ll love the main characters, Lily and Christos, as much as I do and cheer them on towards their happy ending.

Heart Note – blurb

A funny, romantic comedy Christmas novella, perfect for fans of Love Actually . . . from the award-winning author of Girl on a Plane.

Love is like a fine perfume. The top note draws you in, an instant attraction, but the Heart Note is the true essence. Like true love – a great perfume should be a woman’s perfect match.

At least, that’s what perfume counter manager, Lily Lucas, tells her customers in one of Australia’s largest department stores.

It’s almost Christmas, the store is bedecked with baubles and Lily has about eleventy billion gifts to wrap and sell. She and her team of spritzer chicks are glamorous, professional and hoping they don’t have to wear the hideous red onesies and reindeer antlers the store manager has in mind.

The high point of Lily’s work life is Christos Cyriakos, ex-cop, security guard, possible Greek god. He’s a mystery box she’d love to unwrap. But can she trust him?

All Lily wants for Christmas is to kiss Christos (and more), catch a band of thieves running amok in the store, and live happily ever after. Is that too much to wish for?

Reviewers love Heart Note!