Y’all are in for such a treat today!!! I was completely starstruck and speechless when I met Julie Lessman, today’s featured author, at the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat back in August.
It was a fangirl’s dream… but it’s still a bit of a shock when one of your favorite authors of all time recognizes YOU!!!
Anyway, y’all are going to love her just as much as I do and she has all kinds of fun for us!
About the Author
Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose tagline of “Passion With a Purpose” underscores her intense passion for both God and romance. A lover of all things Irish, she enjoys writing close-knit Irish family sagas that evolve into 3-D love stories: the hero, the heroine, and the God that brings them together.
Author of The Daughters of Boston, Winds of Change, and Heart of San Francisco series, Julie was named American Christian Fiction Writers 2009 Debut Author of the Year and has garnered 18 Romance Writers of America and other awards. Voted #1 Romance Author of the year in Family Fiction magazine’s 2012 and 2011 Readers Choice Awards, Julie was also named on Booklist’s 2010 Top 10 Inspirational Fiction and Borders Best Fiction list.
Julie’s novel, Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love was voted on Family Fiction magazine’s Top 15 Novels of 2015, and Surprised by Love appeared on Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2014. Her independent novel A Light in the Window is an International Digital Awards winner, a 2013 Readers’ Crown Award winner, and a 2013 Book Buyers Best Award winner. Julie has also written a self-help workbook for writers entitled Romance-ology 101: Writing Romantic Tension for the Sweet and Inspirational Markets. You can contact Julie through her website and read excerpts from each of her books.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest
Five Favorites
Julie: A favorite five? Welllllll, we both know what those are going to be, right?
Beth: Yes, ma’am… Let me grab my fan!
Julie: Here are five of my favorite kisses I’ve written in no particular order. My top two favorite kisses can be found on my website in their entirety HERE.
1. This is the first kiss in my prequel novella, For Love of Liberty, which will kick off the Silver Lining Ranch series I’m currently writing. Think Bonanza meets McClintock. I like this clip because it reminds me of a Mary Connealy love scene, where the no-nonsense hero grabs the heroine to shut her up with a kiss:
For Love of Liberty by Julie Lessman excerpt
“Okay, Liberty Bell, I’m going to ask you one more time, real nice and civil-like …” He peered up beneath hooded eyes, a near smile on his face. “Will you please move out of my way?”
“Nope.” She smiled and shook her head, as if quite confident he was on the thaw. She clutched her hands behind her back like a little girl about to misbehave, green eyes issuing a dare. “And you can’t make me.”
He sighed. Poor, misguided little rich girl. “Yeah?” He pushed the brim of his hat up. “Watch me.” Hurling his satchel to the floor, he heard the catch of her breath when he struck like lightning with an arm to her waist, jerking her close to kiss the daylights out of her while her boots dangled in the air.
Unfortunately, the moment he tasted those soft lips parted in surprise, he was struck by a little lightning of her own, electrifying every nerve in his body while his blood simmered to a dangerous boil. When a soft telltale mew escaped her throat, he was helpless to contain the low moan that rose from deep in his belly.
Butting her to the door, he cradled her face in his hands, longing surging through his bloodstream as he claimed the sweetest lips he’d ever known—and he’d known plenty—completely disarmed by the scent of her skin, the soft flesh of her ear. Sure, he’d dreamed of kissing Liberty O’Shea for as long as could remember, but he never expected this—a kiss that could surely tame his taste for all other woman.
The very thought bucked like a thorn-saddled bull, and with a rush of ice water through his veins, he dropped her to the floor like he’d been bit by a rattler. She teetered precariously—along with his heart—eyes glazed and mouth still open in shock. Mustering all the calm he owned—which was a mite low at the moment—he yanked his hat down low and reached for the knob. She bolted away so fast, Finn had to stifle a chuckle, tossing her a wink as he opened the door. “Told you.”
Beth: Finn, you ornery varmint! *giggle* Oh boy, Julie! He sounds like a keeper to me!
2. In A Passion Most Pure, the second hero, Mitch Dennehy, has been a perfect gentleman with the heroine, Faith O’Connor, until he discovers she still has feelings for another man, which he attempts to dispel with a heated kiss. I like this kiss because the hero stakes his claim with it, issuing a warning.
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman excerpt
When he took her home that night, he had given her his usual gentle kiss.
“I’ll see you Monday,” she whispered, pushing the door ajar.
Something inside had compelled him to pull her close. “No, you’ll see me tonight, in your dreams, and that’s an order. But just to make sure . . . ”
Never would he forget the look—eyes blinking wide as he dragged her to him, her soft lips parting in surprise as his mouth took hers with a hunger long suppressed. His hands wandered her back, urging her close while his lips roamed the curve of her neck, returning to reclaim her mouth with a fervor. For one brief, glorious moment, the terms were his, and by thunder, she would feel the heat of his kiss in her bones.
In a raspy gulp of air, she lunged back. “I can’t believe you did that!” she gasped.
“Believe it,” he quipped, his tone nonchalant.
“But, why? After what I told you tonight, why would you do that?”
“Why? Let’s just call it a bit of insurance.”
“What?”
“Insurance. If the woman I love is going to have memories of passion, it’s going to be with me, not him.”
“I don’t entertain memories of passion.” Her voice was edged with anger.
“You will tonight,” he said. And turning on his heel, he left her—hopefully with a warmth that defied the coolness of the night.
Beth: *briskly fanning* No doubt about it, Mitch and Charity bring the heat!
3. I absolutely love this sweet kiss from A Love Surrendered, probably because I don’t write many of them, so it’s unique. 😉 The heroine’s five-year-old sister, Glory, has just given the hero a sweet peck on the lips after he drove her and her sister, Annie, home.
A Love Surrendered by Julie Lessman excerpt
“Wait! Aren’t you going to kiss her too?” Glory spun around, eyes wide with the innocence of a little girl who had no earthly idea what she was asking him to do.
He blinked, noting the expanse of Annie’s eyes.
“Glory, no—” she whispered, turning ten kinds of pale.
“Please?” The little troublemaker stared at him with those wide eyes of an angel.
Heart thudding, he did the only thing he knew to do—he kissed Annie right on the tip of her nose. Clearing his throat, he stepped back. “Well, good-night, ladies.”
“No, silly,” Glory said, “like this . . .” She demonstrated with a sweet little peck on her sister’s lips as if he were too stupid to understand, then tilted her head. “See? It’s easy.”
Too easy, he thought with a trip of his pulse. Way, way too easy . . .
“Stop it, Glory, Steven doesn’t want to—”
“Sure I do,” he whispered, his words shocking him as much as Annie. Gaze holding hers, he slowly leaned in, close enough to see the long sweep of her lashes, the pale gold in eyes so green, he felt like he was in Oz, about to be granted a wish. He heard the soft hitch of her breath when she stopped breathing because it coincided with the halt of air in his own lungs. Cupping her face in his hand, his eyelids sheathed closed at the touch of her lips—soft, supple and just a hint of peppermint from the candy she’d offered him in the car. It was meant to be no more than a peck like Glory had given him, but somehow his mouth wanted to linger and explore . . . He stepped in close, body grazing hers and Glory’s till they were one. A little-girl giggle broke the trance, and Annie’s lips curved beneath his.
“His whiskers are itchy, aren’t they, Annie?” Glory asked, patting his face once again. “Kinda makes you wiggly all over, doesn’t it?”
Annie’s eyes glowed as she caressed her own cheek. “Very wiggly,” she whispered.
Beth: There are only a few of your books that I haven’t had a chance to read yet. This is one of them… but not for long!
4. This is the first kiss between my older secondary hero in Isle of Hope, Ben Carmichael, after he realizes he’s falling in love with the secondary heroine, Tess, his perky friend and neighbor. I guess I like it because I just love the chemistry between Ben, the lovable grouch next door, and Tess, his adorably sweet and bubbly neighbor who is appalled to discover she’s falling for him too.
Isle of Hope by Julie Lessman excerpt
“Talk about a lamb in the lion’s lair,” she muttered, spinning around with a squeal as something tickled her neck. Her body flashed hot when she realized it was Ben’s lips.
“Don’t go,” he whispered, caging her in, the smoky look in his eyes all but welding her to the spot. “I might be willing to negotiate, Tess …”
Her heart battered her ribs. “Yeah? Well, I’m no—” The gentle brush of his mouth against hers stalled the words in her throat, robbing her of both reason and resistance when his kiss intensified. Liquid fire coursed through her body at the rush of feelings she hadn’t felt in such a very long time. She wanted to push him away, but her insides melted into submission, rendering all resolve as limp as her legs.
“So help me, I want you, Tess,” he said, his voice hoarse as he cupped her face in his hands. Hungry lips lured her eyelids closed when they locked a moan deep in her throat. Her breathing was as ragged as his when he moved in close, melding his body to hers.
Beth: That’s one of my favorite things about your style, there’s always plenty of attraction to go around!
5. Call me crazy, but a single phrase can be one of the main reasons I love some kissing scenes, such as in the scene below from A Passion Denied, with the phrase “gentle mating.”
A Passion Denied by Julie Lessman excerpt
The rhythm of his pulse quickened and he swallowed hard, like a child about to taste his first candy after a long season of Lent. His lips parted as his gaze fixed on her mouth, and a heat he’d denied far too long radiated through him like an August sun on a mile of blacktop. In slow motion, he reeled her into his arms, ignoring the stiffness of her body. He bent his head until his mouth hovered over hers. “Nothing I can do? Oh, but there is, Beth,” he whispered, studying her lips through hooded eyes. Her mouth parted in shock when his lips grazed hers, and he could smell the sweet scent of mint on her breath. An aching moan rumbled low in his throat, and he took her again, molding his mouth with a need that shook him.
He felt her tension melt beneath his touch and he deepened the kiss, heady with the taste of her. His lips wandered to explore the curve of her jaw and then the softness of her throat, losing himself in the scent of lilacs and innocence and Beth. A soft moan left her lips, and it undid him, luring him back with a fervor that consumed him.
She jerked away, a hand to her mouth while tears swelled in her eyes. “Oh, Brady, do you mean it?”
He caressed the side of her face with his palm, then feathered the corner of her lip with his thumb, the intensity of his gaze all but swallowing her whole. “What do you think, Elizabeth?” he whispered. With a telling smile, he leaned in and closed his eyes, nuzzling her mouth in a gentle mating that purled through him like warm honey.
And your readers can find even more kisses on the Kisses, Kisses, Kisses tab of my website.
Beth: *frantically fanning* Whew! Let’s cool things down just a bit and turn our attention to books…
Books
Tell us a little bit about your latest book release and then your latest series.
Julie: My latest “Christmas” release is “Last Chance Christmas,” part of Gilead Publishing’s Cowboy Christmas Homecoming historical collection that includes novellas by Mary Connealy, Ruth Logan Herne, and Anna Schmidt.
Think cozy Christmas tales on the prairie with hunky cowboys! 😉 Here’s the blurb:
Last Chance Christmas by Julie Lessman
A Cowboy Christmas Homecoming novella
Accidents Happen and Then There’s Grace …
Pastor Cole McCabe isn’t sure he’ll survive the holidays with his new housekeeper and nanny, ex-saloon girl Grace O’Malley. She’s dyed his long johns pink, taught his daughters poker, and scorched both his food and his kitchen—pert near torching his home. But he’s desperate, and she’s as destitute as they come.
Goodreads | Amazon
Beth: I enjoyed this collection! Y’all can check out blurbs for all four novellas and my reviews here.
Julie: Then my latest series is a contemporary called Isle of Hope, and book 1 is Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love, which is a double love story loosely based on my own dysfunctional relationship with my estranged father.
I’m happy to say that Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love is an award-winning five-star novel that made Family Fiction magazine’s Best of 2015 AND just happens to be ON SALE FOR ONLY 99 CENTS (almost 90% off!) until 12/16, so readers can download it HERE. Here’s the jacket blurb:
Can a wild girl gone good rebuild bridges with a good boy gone bad?
She’s the girlfriend serving up temptation. He’s the pastor’s kid bent on serving God. Till tragedy separates them for eight long years. Now she’s a woman of faith, back to make amends to the father she defied, the boyfriend she deserted, and the best friend she betrayed. But can a turning of tables—and hearts—lead the way back to “hope” for them all?
Goodreads | Amazon
My latest release is book 2 in the Isle of Hope series, Love Everlasting, and also has a five-star rating on Amazon.
Here’s that blurb:
Love Everlasting by Julie Lessman
He sets hearts on fire.
She’s been burned by love.
Can hope survive the flames of the past?School teacher by day, ghostwriter by night, sweet and shy Shannon O’Bryen doesn’t mind writing romance on the sly, but to live it? No, thank you, not since the man she loved turned out to be a player who broke both her heart and her spirit. Now focused more on her faith and her fiction, she vows the next time she falls in love, it will be safely—through the pages of a book.
Dr. Sam Cunningham is a charismatic player who breaks hearts as regularly as he washes his pearl-white Corvette. Abandoned as a baby, Sam was an orphan shuffled through the foster-care system, bitterly driven to prove he is worthy of love—the kind that lasts forever. Once he learns Shannon is a romance writer, he enlists her help in winning back his ex-girlfriend. She teaches him about faith and the true definition of love, and he soon discovers he’s been seeking it in the wrong place all along—and with the wrong girl. But can he convince a woman who’s been burned by love to open her eyes—and her heart—to a love everlasting?
Goodreads | Amazon
Beth: I’m a big fan of your contemporary series! Here are my reviews for book 1 and book 2!
What are you working on now?
Julie: Right now I am writing book 1 in the Western trilogy mentioned above, tentatively titled The Silver Lining Ranch series. This will be a lighthearted Western series set in Virginia City, Nevada in the late 1800s, a la the old TV show, Bonanza.
It’s the fun and family-oriented story of two suffragists from New York, a godmother and her goddaughter, who fall in love with confirmed bachelor ranchers and their family in Virginia City, Nevada in the late 1800s. This is the “Wild West,” so think “Bonanza meets McClintock” with lots of fireworks going on between two couples during the fascinating era of the transcontinental railroad and the Comstock Lode silver mine upon which Virginia City was built. Here’s the blurb for book 1:
Love’s Silver Lining by Julie Lessman excerpt
A Match Made in Heaven? Or Someplace a Whole Lot Warmer?
She’s stubborn, educated, and looking to give women the vote.
He’s bullheaded, successful, and looking to give her a piece of his mind.
But when things heat up, they just may give each other a piece of their hearts.
Beth: Julie, thank you for sharing some of your favorite kisses and taking the time to give us a little peek at what you’ve been working on! *whispers* Eeeep! Julie Lessman!
Julie: Beth—thank you SO much for hosting me on your blog—it’s been fun! I love to hear from readers, so they can find and contact me at www.julielessman.com, or through Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, or Pinterest or by signing up for my newsletter or my Journal Jots blog.
I am also part of a group blog called Seekerville that inspires, encourages, teaches, and informs aspiring writers on the road to publication and beyond. Although Seekerville has been listed on Writers Digest 2013, 2014, and 2015 “Best 101 Websites for Writers,” it is also a blog devoted to readers as well.
Oh, and readers can also check out my favorite romantic and spiritual scenes from each of my books on the “Excerpts” tab of my website.
Freebies
Julie: Finally, I have the following FREEBIES currently going on:
FREE download for the novella
prequel of Isle of Hope!
YES, there IS a prequel to my latest series, Isle of Hope, and it’s called A Glimmer of Hope, so take advantage of this free e-book HERE!
Beth: Snatch up that novella! Hop over to read my review!
FREE subscription to
Family Fiction Magazine!
Check out the December issue for great articles, great books, and great recipes from your favorite authors, including my original, award-winning dessert recipe where I combined four of my favorite desserts!
Giveaway
Julie Lessman has graciously offered to give one fortunate reader a paperback or ebook copy of Isle of Hope or Love Everlasting!
Enter via the Rafflecopter form below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
So bookish friends, let’s talk fictional kisses!!! Which of Julie Lessman’s 5 favorite kisses did you like best?
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Faithfully Bookish 
Wow, Beth and Julie! I need to turn on my hurricane fan now or go take a walk outside in the snow! I can see why Julie was on the kissing panel at CFRR. LOL What a fun interview!
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Whoops … those instant replies beneath the comment stumped me again! Winnie, see my comment to you below. 🙂
Hugs,
Julie
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Julie is REALLY good at the kissing 😀
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Love your stories.
Thereadmaster@me.com
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Hey, BIGREADERSITE, THANK YOU!! And I don’t recognize your addy, so if you are a blog reviewer, I would love to add your list to my blog-tour/influencer list if you’re game!
Hugs and THANK YOU again!
Julie
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I love Julie’s stories, too!
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Nobody writes a kiss like you do, Julie. McClintock meets Bonanza? Those are going to be more great stories!
Julie and Beth, I hope you all have a great Christmas!
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Agreed! Merry Christmas to you, Jackie!
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JACKIE!!! Thanks SO much, my sweet friend — I definitely like a little more heat with my kisses … 😉
I have always loved the movie McClintock, I guess because the head-butting between John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara was always so fun (that was before society got so touchy about strong-man types tossing a gal over their shoulder or taking a kiss without permission). And since Bonanza was always a favorite of mine, too, I thought — why not?
I wish you and yours (and Beth’s family too) a happy, healthy, and holy holiday season!
Hugs and more hugs!
Julie
P.S. I’ve been praying you would sell your house, Jackie, so let me know when you do, okay?
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I think #4.. I like older lately. 🙂 I think because I am getting older.
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Becky, I agree! It’s nice to see the “older” ladies still got it!
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LOL, move over, BECKY, because I’m right there with you, girlfriend! That’s why I include a secondary love story between an older couple in every one of my books — I just flat-out got tired of the youngsters having all the fun! Now that my hubby and I are empty-nesters, we are like teenagers again, crazy in love with each other, so I wanted to tell that type of story, too, to give us Baby Boomers a little romance as well. 😉
In The Daughters of Boston and Winds of Change series, the mom and dad, Marcy & Patrick O’Connor, are the secondary love story and WOW, was that fun!! I got to sow in all the marriage lessons God taught me over the years from my own marriage into Marcy & Patrick’s marriage, WHICH is actually based on my husband’s and mine 🙂
In my Heart of San Francisco series, the older love story is the widowed matriarch of the family and her brother-in-law she had once been engaged to before he cheated on 25 years prior, prompting her to marry his brother instead.
And now in my latest series, Isle of Hope, we have the crotchety next-door neighbor, Dr. Ben Carmichael, and his perky ex-friend, Tess O’Bryen (whom he hasn’t spoken to in 8 years since her pastor husband had an affair with Ben’s wife — VERY complicated!). But, ohhhhhh, did I have fun with that one too!! 😉
Becky, if you would like to read Tess & Ben’s story in Isle of Hope (#4 above), it’s currently on e-sale for only 99 cents, so I hope you take advantage. And the prequel, A Glimmer of Hope, is actually available for FREE DOWNLOAD, so here are the links:
ISLE OF HOPE:
ISLE OF HOPE
A GLIMMER OF HOPE
A GLIMMER OF HOPE
HUGS and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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LOL, WINNIE … love the “hurricane” fan!
Trust me — I come by all the “heat” naturally because I generally sleep all winter long with my feet out of the covers, eventually kicking both sheet and covers off most of the night. My husband says I’m like a blast furnace in the winter, which he loves, but not crazy about so much in the summer … 😉
Hugs and GOOD LUCK in the draw, my friend.
Julie
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A Passion Most Pure!
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Nice choice! Mitch and Charity are a great match!
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Hey, JOAN — yep, I have some pretty heated kisses in APMP, so I was really shocked at the time that Revell allowed me to keep them all (such as the wall-pushing kiss in APMP and especially the one in A Hope Undaunted between Katie & Luke since it’s pretty pronounced. 🙂 But I’m sure glad they did, although it has earned me more than my fair share of 1-star reviews … 😉
Thanks for coming by, my friend, and here’s to a win!
Hugs,
Julie
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Um ya, that was a bit steamy !!! I ref-reigned from reading that to Mark !!! do we have to choose a favorite ? That very scene in a passion denied , is one of my favorites, very tender and moving to say the least….
Linda Marie Finn
faithfulacresbodysoulspirit@gmail.com
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Aw, yes! That Brady is a special guy!
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LINDA!!! Yeah, there tends to be more “steam” in my kisses than not, except for the one sweet kiss I’ve ever written (#3 above). I think Brady & Lizzie’s love scenes are all the more potent because Brady is a still-water-runs-deep type of guy who holds it all back so much, it tends to gush out when he does get around to kisses … 😉 Uh … like the scene above … 😉
Hugs and no need to wish you good luck, my friend — you were born with it! 😉
Julie
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Thanks for the lovely giveaway, ladies!
I sure love kisses in the A Passion Most Pure!
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Hi Janka! A Passion Most Pure is one of my favorites, too!
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Hey, JANKA, soooooo good to see you making the rounds, my friend! And, yep, I’m rather partial to those kisses in APMP, too, because they are the first ones I’ve ever written. 🙂
Hugs and GOOD LUCK!!
Julie
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I don’t think I can choose just one!! Thankfully I still have my fan from CFRR!! After meeting this fire ball of a writer, her books just come to life even more.
Great blog today, thanks so much!!
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Hi Dawn! I won’t limit you to just one (that’s just cruel)! You can have as many favorites as you like!
I have to agree, meeting Julie in person cranks her books up to another level 😀
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LOL, DAWN … good girl! Those fans definitely come in handy! 😉
And “fire ball of a writer”?? Thank you SO much because I definitely have a lot of sizzle inside, both for romance and for God, so I’m glad it comes through. 🙂
Hugs and more hugs and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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I had to stop by because I saw DOUBLE. Great post. That Julie knows how to ramp up the heat in a purely inspirational way. I never pick favorites..well Julie is my favorite.
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Hi Tina!!! As I was tweaking and polishing the post, I couldn’t stop myself from reading and rereading! Woo hoo!
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Aw, TINA, that blesses the socks off of me that you came by, my friend! Now get off the Internet and start writing because I’m STILL praying for focus and other things for you! 😉
And you’re one of my faves, too, but you already know that. Even IF you get bossy at times … 😉
LOVE YOU!!
Julie
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I liked the first one there, for Liberty Bell. 😉 I’ve read quite a few of Julie Lessman’s books and enjoyed them all!
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I’m excited to meet Liberty Bell, too!
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ROSALYN, I thought I already responded to your comment, but I don’t see it, so forgive me! Thank you SO much for reading my books, and it sounds like we need to fill in some of the gaps of the ones you haven’t read yet, so GOOD LUCK in the contest!
Hugs,
Julie
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Read this post. Open freezer. Stick head in. Reconsider. Climb directly into freezer & read post again. 😀
WOWZA! love love love it (which of course everyone already knew lol)
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Whoops … did it again … replied in a separate comment instead of replying to yours, so here’s what I said:
ROTFLOL!!!! Oh, girl, that’s my first real belly laugh today — THANK YOU!! I just love you to pieces, you know that? MISS YOU, too!!
HUGS,
Julie
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oh goodness, Julie! I love YOU to pieces! And I miss you like crazy 🙂
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😀 I love you, Carrie!
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ROTFLOL!!!! Oh, girl, that’s my first real belly laugh today — THANK YOU!! I just love you to pieces, you know that? MISS YOU, too!!
HUGS,
Julie
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I hate choosing which is my favorite. But I have to go with A Passion Most Pure. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read!
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Good choice! I promise we won’t hold you to it 😉
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Whoops, KATHRYN … looks like I skipped you, so I apologize. And, WOW, THANK YOU for your sweet comment, my friend — reallllly appreciate it!
Hugs and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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For Love of Liberty was my favorite. I love Julie’s books.
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Me too, Sonetta! Me too!
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SONNETTA!!! Goodness, I apparently skipped over quite a few comments, so I apologize for missing yours. Thank you SO much for reading my books, my friend and coming by today. Here’s hoping it nets you a win!
Hugs and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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Julie, Julie, Julie! I love each of those kissing scenes and I can’t wait to read Liberty Bell’s story!! A fan is definitely needed when you read a Julie Lessman kissing scene.
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ANDI!! It always makes my day when you come by, darlin’, so THANK YOU!! And, yes, I think you will be one of the ones who really likes my Western since you’re married to a hot cowboy yourself! 🙂
Hugs and more hugs!
Julie
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Reading five at once is pretty intense 😉 I read and reread while getting the post ready to roll 😀
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WOW!! Just these scenes alone tell you why Julie Lessman is the Queen of kissing scenes! Thanks Beth Erin and Julie for this great interview! (Perfect to warm me up on a cold winter day. 🙂 ) SO hard to chose a favorite,love them all ! If I have to pick a favorite ,though I would have to pick two ; the A Love Surrendered kiss for sweetness and the A Passion Denied kiss for the unexpected passion beneath the surface of the normally quiet John Brady. The thing I love most about the kisses and romance in Julie’s books is that it’s not just lust,but love behind them. (No need to put me in the drawing,already have these books. Just wanted to do this little shout out for Julie 🙂 )
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I like the way you think, Lynne! Why pick one when you have so many great kisses to choose from? Julie’s writing is irresistible! Thanks so much for stopping by!
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Thanks, LYNNE — the A Love Surrendered kiss is definitely a favorite of mine, but I will admit I’m a wee bit surprised the John Brady kiss is so popular. Of course, that’s probably because I didn’t include a Luke McGee kiss — HUBBA, HUBBA!! Those and the Mitch kisses are my faves, but then I like more dominant heroes, so that explains that. 😉
Thanks for all of your incredible support, Lynne — you are a lot like my dear friend, Bonnie Roof — a constant blessing!
Hugs and more hugs!
Julie
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I seriously love all of them!!!!!!!! I have to choose Faith’s shocking kiss because it was the first of Julie-s kisses I experienced!!!!!! Faith was SURE to think of him after that!!! WOW!!!!! That’s HOT, Julie!!!!!!
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All the kissing scenes are good but my favorite is between Steven and Annie. I’ve read all of Julie’s books except Love Everlasting and the Cowboy Christmas book. I’m a big fan of her books.
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Hi Pam! I can’t wait to read Steven and Annie’s story!
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PAM!! Sounds like we need to get Love Everlasting into your hot, little hands, so here’s to a win, my sweet friend — GOOD LUCK!!
Hugs,
Julie
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BETH … I jumped right into comments without thanking you for hosting me on your blog. You are such a special person so me, and I am SO grateful for how beautifully you set up this interview, so THANK YOU!!
Hugs forever!!
Julie
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Aw! Julie, it was my great pleasure to share your passion and enthusiasm here! Your suggestion and the end result completely rock! Hugs!
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Loved the interview – Julie and Beth, thank you!! Choose a fave Julie kissing scene?? Impossible – love them all, LOL!! Let’s just say it’s always her latest and leave it at that – not hard for your readers to see why she’s known as the “queen of kissing” after reading the above scenes, is it, Beth – LOL?? That scene between Liberty and Finn gave me a chuckle, as did the scenes between Ben and Tess in the Isle of Hope series. I intensely disliked Ben’s character in the first part of ‘Isle of Hope’ – a testament to Julie’s writing gift that I found him to be a “hoot” in the sequel ‘Love Everlasting’!!
Yet, although I love Julie’s kissing scenes, realistic characters and storylines, unexpected story twists, warm families, and humor – it’s her passion for God, both in her writing and her personal life, and the happy ending of each of her books through the flawed characters’ redemption by Him that have made her such a fave with me – she “had me” with the first few lines of the first book of hers I read. I now have every book she’s written in both eBook and paperback.
Such wonderful reading bargains available right now with her ‘A Glimmer of Hope’ prequel to ‘Isle of Hope’ being free, and ‘Isle of Hope’ (my fave of her books) for only $.99. I hope none of your readers miss out on these, Beth – especially since the ‘Isle of Hope’ bargain expires in 2 days on 12/16!!
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I couldn’t agree more, friend!
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Oh, ANGEL, you just made my day, my sweet friend!! God bless you for your sweet encouragement, which I have to admit I sorely needed after responding to comments on my Seeker blog this morning when I realized that a HUGE majority of Christians prefer subtle spirituality in their books over the emotional/heart-piercing kind that I like to write. YIKES! Which explains why my publisher wanted me to “tone down the spirituality” in Isle of Hope in order to buy it, to make it more saleable.
But I have to say that sometimes I feel like a fish out of water in the Christian market — too passionate romantically, yet too passionate spiritually too. Sigh.
Anyway, your comment blessed me immeasurably, my friend, and I truly appreciate it. God bless you!!
Hugs and more hugs,
Julie
P.S. I don’t recognize your addy, but I’m sure I’d know your name if I saw it. 🙂
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Julie, you just keep being you! Variety is the spice of life and God didn’t make us all to be vanilla 😉
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Thanks, BETH, and I will, I promise because frankly, I’m not sure I could change! 😉 And we all have to follow the path God has for us regardless of the influence of others, because therein lies our greatest joy.
Hugs and more hugs!
Julie
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Liberty Bell silver linings
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Finn looks like my kind of guy!
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Thanks, DONAMAE! It should be a fun story when I’m done … I hope! 😉
Hugs and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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A Passion Most Pure is one of my favorite books, so I’m going to have to choose that one!
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There is just something special about the first time we met the O’Connor family 🙂
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Thanks SO much, JORDANN — really appreciate that. I’d say APMP is far and above my most popular book with my readers, and I agree with Beth. I think it’s because it was so new and different when it came out, meeting the O’Connor clan for the first time. That and the fact it had a war in it and stories on two continents.
Hugs and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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Angels95 Is word press moniker for Bonnie Roof, Julie. Sorry – I don’t do well with word press, for some reason and tried to sign-in with my FB account but the blog didn’t want to accept it so used the word press. And just for the record – your writing style is exactly as He wants it!! Love it – and you!!
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Whoops … typed my response below in separate comment! 🙂
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BONNIE!!! I should have known, my friend — I got this warm feeling when I read your comment and just KNEW it had to be somebody I loved!!
You are a gift, my friend, and I thank God always for your touch in my life! 🙂
Hugs,
Julie
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I love ALL of Julie Lessman’s kissing scenes. No way I could pick just one.
A Passion Most Pure was one of my favorite books by Julie, so if forced, I would rank that one #1.
Thanks for writing such fantastic Christian fiction, Julie. And thanks to Beth and the other bloggers for all the reviews and author spotlights. I love getting to know my favorite authors better.
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No pressure, you’re welcome to love them all equally 🙂
Thank you for stopping by, Connie!
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LOL, CONNIE, no “forcing” going on, I promise, unless it’s Collin pushing Faith to the wall in APMP when she comes out to see him after he throws a rock at Charity’s bedroom window … 😉 Seriously, thank you, my sweet friend, for your kind words and support — they mean more than I can say!
And I couldn’t agree more about all the wonderful bloggers who support Christian authors with reviews and spotlight s — THEY ROCK!! But, uh … few rock more than Beth! 😉
And, Connie — are you a librarian? And if so, did you leave a comment on my Joy to the World Seeker blog this week? If so, you better head over to Seekerville to check out the winners … 😉
Hugs and GOOD LUCK, you sweet thing!
Julie
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Ooooh #2! Sorry Colin and Charity, but I still miss Faith and Mitch as a couple 🙂
-Sarah C
scribblesandsomedays(dot)wordpress(dot)com
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They’re all very close, aren’t they 😉
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LOL, SARAH … seriously??? I just adore Charity and Mitch together and absolutely LOVE writing about them and Katie and Luke, which means I definitely prefer fire and spunk in my romance relationships. 😉
Good luck, my friend, and Hugs!
Julie
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Julie,
Don’t get me wrong – I love Charity+Mitch and Faith+Colin! I just also always liked Faith+Mitch, too, even though I knew they wouldn’t end up together. 😉
I miss all the O’Connors! Must be time to read those books again…
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I hear you, Sarah, and I missed the O’Connors, too, which is why I am rereading the entire series RIGHT NOW (I do that once a year right before I release a new book), and am almost at the end of my FAVORITE book I’ve ever written — A Hope Undaunted. I’ll bet I have gone through 20 Kleenex on that puppy so far because I just love Katie and Luke (my editor said she did too!), plus it’s the first real O’Connor book that has a little bit of POV of every O’Connor in it, so it just feels more complete to me than the others.
So, no argument from me — it IS time to read those books again since Christmas is the ideal time to do so, with all the Christmas scenes I have in each one. 🙂
Hugs and happy reading!”
Julie
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My favorite kissing scene would be in ‘A Love Surrendered’. It is such a sweet scene, with little Glory chiming in with her chilidish, inocent thoughts.
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Gotta love kids and the things they say!
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Hey, AGBOSS777, that is a sweet scene, isn’t it? Unfortunately for lovers of typically “sweet” romance scenes in the CBA, most of my kissing scenes are a wee bit more passionate, as you can tell from the rest of the excerpts, most of which are from my historicals.
BUT … other than that scene above between Ben & Tess from Isle of Hope, most of the kisses between the primary heroes and heroines in both Isle of Hope and Love Everlasting lean more towards sweet with the exception of a brief early kiss in both books that was necessary to the plot.
Thanks for coming by, and GOOD LUCK in the contest!
Hugs,
Julie
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Well, I have read some of these before, but the one, #3, with sweet not-so-innocent little sister forcing the issue is my favorite.
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Makes me even more eager to read that one!
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Hey, REBECCA, you and the comment before yours (AGBOSS777) are definitely in sync with sweet kiss in #3, which as you know as a reader of my books, is not typical for me. But it was fun to write, so I guess I should start writing more since so many people seem to prefer the sweet kiss above! 😉
Thanks for coming by and GOOD LUCK!!
Hugs,
Julie
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My favorite kissing scene would have to be from For The Love of Liberty. Thanks for sharing some of your books with us.
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Hi Kirsten! Excellent choice!
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Hey KIRSTEN, you’re more than welcome, and guess what? I can do better than sharing excerpts, my friend, because right now I have a free download going on right now of a novella prequel to my new contemporary series, Isle of Hope. And not only is the prequel free, but book1 in that series, Isle of Hope: Unfailing Love — which has a firm 5-star review on Amazon with 173 reviews and was on Family Fiction’s Top 15 Novels of 2015 — is only 99 cents till the end of the year! So here are the links:
A GLIMMER OF HOPE FREE DOWNLOAD:
A GLIMMER OF HOPE
ISLE OF HOPE 99-CENT DOWNLOAD:
ISLE OF HOPE
ISLE OF HOPE PAGE ON MY WEBSITE:
ISLE OF HOPE WEB PAGE
HUGS and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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I love your writing Julie and have always enjoyed those kissing scenes. My fav is probably those in A Passion Most Pure. Keep up that super great writing.
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SANDRA!!! Thanks SO much, my sweet friend, and you know I feel the same way about your writing, too, we are two peas in a pod, I think! 🙂
You keep up the super great writing, too!
Love you!
Julie
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Great Post I’d choose #4. This is the first kiss between my older secondary hero in Isle of Hope as My Favorite though I like them all
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It’s hard to pick a favorite when you like them all!
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Thanks, LINDA, I like that one, too, but then I’m a Baby Boomer, so 40-ish love stories are my thing, and Dr. Ben Carmichael (the next-door grouch) is one of my faves too. 😉
Thanks for coming by and here’s to a win!
Hugs,
Julie
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Probably number 5. Really enjoy Julie’s books and especially liked all the Boston related ones!
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Those have a special place in my heart too!
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Thanks, CATHY, really appreciate your sweet comment. And Brady’s and Lizzie’s kiss is a favorite of a lot of my readers, so thanks for chiming in!
Fingers crossed for a win, my friend, and GOOD LUCK!
Julie
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A Passion Denied like thatvonevbest.
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That is a popular choice!
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Hey, Nance, I agree with Beth — that’s been a favorite here today, so if you haven’t read the book, you might want to start with book 1 in The Daughters of Boston (the love scene you picked is from book 3, but the other two books set up the love story :)).
Good luck and here’s to a win!
Hugs,
Julie
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