The
#LoveLondon series was born out of me pitching my second full length novel Picnics in Hyde Park (a romance wholly
set in London) to my lovely editor
Charlotte, and her brilliant idea to write a number of London based short
romances leading up to the novel. The idea has evolved a number of times, but
we eventually settled on a linked series that would start at Christmas - Skating at Somerset House - with a story
to follow roughly once a month to capture key dates or events, with one
character in each short related to / friends with one of the main characters,
Matt or Zoe, from Picnics. And so New Year at The Ritz, Valentine’s on Primrose Hill, Cocktails in Chelsea and Strawberries at Wimbledon were created
to follow on from Skating.
I’ve
been more than honest on blogs and in interviews about how much work this
series has been... a real labour of love. I call it this because although the
challenge of ensuring continuity, timeline accuracy and clear characterisation
has at times made me want to sit rocking quietly in a corner somewhere, it has
also been the most exciting, fun and satisfying writing project I have ever
worked on. I’ve also been amazingly lucky with the overwhelmingly positive
response readers and bloggers have had to the series. So, I’m definitely not
complaining.
While I’m sad the
release of Picnics in Hyde Park means
the series is almost over, I’m equally happy that I’ve had a chance to tell
these stories. I quite regularly admit that all my characters are just friends
who live in my head J and I
think that’s part of why I’ve had such a blast.
Picnics
in Hyde Park
Released
13th August 2015
#LoveLondon
Series; eBook 6 (novel)
by
Nikki Moore
‘Whoever said romance was dead has clearly never read a Nikki
Moore book’ – Rachel’s Random Reads
The last story in the fun & flirty #LoveLondon series from
exciting new chick lit author Nikki Moore! The perfect novel for reading in the
sunshine … and falling in love with London.
Hot summer romance…or cold revenge?
Super nanny, Zoe Harper is mad! It was bad enough discovering her
ex-fiancé Greg cheating on her just weeks before their wedding. But now she’s
returned home to London to find her younger sister Melody has been left
jobless, homeless, broke and dumped.
Zoe is determined to get revenge on the infamous Reilly brothers
for her sister’s heartbreak. So when an unexpected opportunity gives Zoe a way
in to uncaring—and dizzyingly gorgeous!—successful music producer Matt Reilly’s
world, she jumps at the chance to make him pay.
But living with Matt as nanny to his two adorable, but complicated
children, Zoe soon begins to suspect that not everything is as it seems… Matt
insists on pushing everyone away including his children, but why? And if his
delicious summer kisses are anything to go by, he can’t be that bad surely?
Can Zoe convince Matt to open up a little and help fix this family
before she leaves…or worse, before Matt learns who she really is?
Out on 13th
August as an ebook, paperback to follow. Get it from only
£2.99!
Amazon UK http://amzn.to/1PJBlfi
Kobo
at https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/picnics-in-hyde-park-love-london-series
Nook at http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/picnics-in-hyde-park-love-london-series-by-nikki-moore/9780007583249.
Praise for the #LoveLondon series...
‘The writing style is impeccable. How I'll fill
the void left by this series is something I've not yet figured out an answer
to.’ K.L Beeden, Books with Bunny.
Strawberries
at Wimbledon
‘I eagerly read and absorbed every page. Such a
good feel read earns an easy 5 stars from me.’ Sheerie Franks, Amazon UK.
Cocktails
in Chelsea
‘I loved every single minute of this fun,
flirty romance… the perfect read for your boring commute to work.’ Holly, Bookaholic Confessions
Valentine’s on Primrose Hill
‘Uplifting and at the same time thought provoking too. I
guarantee you'll be hitting that button on Amazon to order the fourth book in
the #LoveLondon series as soon as you've finished this one.’ Dawn, Crooks on Books
New Year at The Ritz
‘A sweet and flirty short story, I really
enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what Nikki comes up with for the next book in
the series.’ Simona Elena, Sky’s Book
Corner.
Skating at Somerset House
‘Sexy, fun and everything you need in one neat,
gorgeous package. This is a winner for me.’ Chicks
That Read.
Excerpt
Matt Reilly is a complete, unbelievable bastard and I’m going to make
him pay, Zoe
Harper vowed as she pounded the gold lion-head knocker against the door of his
exclusive Knightsbridge residence.
When there was no response, she switched
to thumping the glossy black wood with the side of her fist.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Answer. The. Door.
Utter fury was squeezing her chest
so tight it felt like her ribs were suffocating her lungs and a horrible
pressure was building behind her eyeballs, the sure sign of a tension headache.
Where
the hell was he? She stepped back to gaze up at the impressive facade of the
town house, which had to be at least four storeys tall including the basement
area below her. The top two floors were exposed brickwork but the ground and
lower floors were painted white, decorated with manicured window boxes. The
property screamed refined wealth, as did the beautiful leafy communal garden
area in the middle of the square. He must have paid extra for the property, which
sat back from the road slightly. It was one of the only houses with off-road parking.
She
turned to look at the gravel driveway. Someone had to be in, there were three
cars parked up; a garish, canary-yellow convertible sports model, a sexy
low-slung black supercar and a more modest silver Prius hybrid.
Thudding
the door again, there was still no answer.
If she
was some kick-ass action movie heroine she could bust the door down, flatten whichever
of the selfish idiots was inside (although both at the same time would be
preferable) and just be done with it. But at five foot seven, as well as pounds
lighter than she’d been in years, she hardly looked or felt the part. Still, if
there was anything guaranteed to bring out her fighting side it was protecting
her younger sister Melody. She was her only proper family left apart from their
Great Aunt Ruth, who’d always been distant and had all the affection of a
watermelon.
What it
came down to was that anyone who hurt Melody deserved justice. But she didn’t really
believe in violence, and ruining her beautiful nails with their miniature stars
and stripes design on every tip didn’t appeal either. The manicure was a
present from her ex-boss Liberty, named after the statue of. It was something
to remember New York by, a city she’d come to love. But better not to think
about that, or what else she’d loved and lost.
Where
the heck was Mr. High and Mighty Reilly, or for that matter, his younger
brother Stephen? Surely they had enough staff to answer the bloody door for
them. A girl could die of heatstroke out here. The midday sun was ferocious and
prickling heat along the back of her neck. It was sure to be scarlet by dinner
time.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Her hand
was never going to be the same again. Then she’d be suing the sods for personal
injury as well as emotional trauma for Melody. Her sibling had been crying so
hard at Jemima’s flat in multicultural, packed Holloway that Zoe hadn’t been
able to get the full story on arrival from Heathrow. There’d just been a lot of
mumbling and sobbing around swollen red eyes and handfuls of soggy tissues.
Still, what she’d figured out had been enough to instantly trigger her big
sister reflexes. The stale, stuffy black cab had made for a nightmare journey
across London but the sunlight glinting off the windows had matched her heated,
murderous thoughts perfectly. She’d avoided direct eye contact with the chatty
driver, jaw clenched as she replayed the fragments of her sister’s story in her
head.
Fell in love with
Stephen... Matt ended it, fired me... kicked me out without notice… never see
the kids again… looked after them for three years!
How dare
he? It was bloody outrageous and unbelievably unfair. How could anyone be so
uncaring that they’d do someone who trusted them out of a relationship, job,
home and salary all on the same day? So here she was outside of his posh,
rich-guy’s, I’m
so fabulous home,
fully intending to grab her sister’s belongings as well as telling Matt Reilly
exactly what she thought of a guy who’d treat a naïve twenty-two year old like
dirt. If she could grab his brother by the scruff of the neck at the same time
and give him a good shake for helping break her sister’s heart, she’d do that
too. He had a lot of explaining to do as to why he wasn’t answering Mel’s
calls.
Bloody
men. They were a faithless lot at the best of times, the reason she’d left the
States after five long years. But her sister’s boss had reached new levels of
bastardom, if that was even a word.
Part of
her wished that when confronted, Matt might admit he’d made a terrible mistake,
beg forgiveness, tell Melody that of course she was good enough for his
brother, and ask her to come back to them. But the text that had just pinged on
her mobile meant the idea was a non-starter.
Appreciate the support
Sis, but
please don’t cause a
scene and
DON’T try and get my
job back.
I’m never going back
there.
M x
Zoe didn’t really want her sister
anywhere near them anyway. Still, an apology from Matt, an opportunity for
Melody to say goodbye to the kids properly, pick up her belongings and be
offered some kind of compensation for the notice pay she was surely entitled to
would be something. Along with some explanation as to why Stephen had gone AWOL
and seemed to be letting Matt make all the decisions. Perhaps he didn’t feel
able to stand up to him? Or maybe he was intimidated by his older brother’s
success.
According to the tabloids, Stephen
was abroad a lot of the time, a playboy who basically partied and shopped his
way around Europe with the family money. Why her sister had fallen for him she
couldn’t understand. At thirty, Matt was older by seven years, a famous music
producer who was hardly ever out of the press, despite his attempts to evade
the spotlight. Snapping pictures of his children was a rabid hobby for British journos
and there were rumours of a new girlfriend every week, although you couldn’t
believe everything you read in the papers. She and Melody were close, despite
the vast miles that’d been between them, and Melody had told her a lot about
Matt’s children via Skype and text messages but nothing about any of his personal
relationships, respecting her boss’s right to privacy.
Not that she’d got any thanks for
that loyalty and professionalism.
About the author
A Dorset girl and social media
addict, Nikki Moore has a HR day job, two kids and a lovely boyfriend to keep her busy alongside the writing. She was in the Romantic Novelists Association New Writers Scheme for four years and is now a full RNA member. Nikki was a finalist in several writing competitions from 2010 including the Elizabeth Goudge trophy and Novelicious Undiscovered, before being offered a publishing contract.
Published mainly by
HarperImpulse, she’s the author of the #LoveLondon series, which has attracted four and five star reviews
on Amazon, with some of the novellas featuring in the Top 100 short story
charts on Kobo and the Top 20 in the Amazon UK bestsellers Holiday chart. The last in the series, Picnics in
Hyde Park is due out in August. She has a short story in the bestselling
RNA/Mills & Boon anthology Truly,
Madly, Deeply. Her debut novel Crazy,
Undercover, Love was shortlisted for the RNA Joan Hessayon Award 2015 (for
new writing) and she is a strong supporter of aspiring authors.
Please pop over for a chat on Twitter
@NikkiMoore_Auth or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NikkiMooreWrites She would love to hear from you!
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