The day to celebrate romance is fast approaching! I am thrilled to share with you my first two published novels in newly edited editions, both very romantic love stories that Christina Boyd of Austenprose.com rated five stars and said kept her “turning pages well into the wee hours of the morning.” Both novels feature strong, intelligent, accomplished heroines who meet men who are every bit their equals, and who experience a love so deep, immediate, and profound, it forces them to rethink their future and the very meaning of romance. They are now available in Trade Paperback and for Kindle and Nook, just in time for Valentine’s Day. (I’m thrilled to say that they were featured as a Nook First on bn.com during the month of January–a real honor!)

 

In Songbird, when Southern California radio deejay Desiree Germain hosts a contest on the air, she is immediately taken by the smooth, deeply masculine voice of caller number twelve, Kyle Harrison. Later that afternoon, the man behind the voice walks into her studio, and Desiree is instantly smitten. Kyle Harrison is not only devastatingly handsome, he is a brilliant, extremely wealthy entrepreneur from Seattle who is used to getting what he wants.

Desiree can’t help her attraction to Kyle—and if the intense way he looks at her and keeps delaying his flight back to Seattle is any indication, it seems her feelings are more than reciprocated. They embark on a thrilling, passionate love affair that plays havoc with the life Desiree has struggled so hard to carefully control. It might take a Maserati, dozens of red roses, and a lot of airplane tickets, but Kyle is determined to sweep Desiree off her feet and claim her as his own. Can Kyle convince Desiree to risk her heart and her career for love?

 

“Provocative, sultry romance! Songbird hits all the right notes with this lyrical, poignant love story. Syrie James’s realistic characterization of two strong personalities kept me turning pages well into the wee hours of the morning.” -Christina Boyd, Austenprose

Read Christina’s entire review here.

Read an excerpt from Songbird here.

Book two in The Harrison Duet series, Propositions focuses on freelance advertising artist Kelli Ann Harrison, sister of Kyle Harrison, the hero in Songbird. When Kelli agrees to oversee the final phase of construction on her brother’s glamorous Lake Tahoe house, she intends to make a holiday out of it: lend her brother a helping hand and at the same time enjoy the area’s winter sports.

An unexpected encounter at a holiday mixer, however, leads to a job offer that throws Kelli’s plans into disarray. Grant Pembroke, founder of Pembroke Advertising, is in town to bid for the lucrative Cassera’s Casino account. Impressed by Kelli’s artistic vision, Grant makes her a proposition that’s too exciting to refuse: team up with him to forge an ad campaign for the bid. Kelli is determined to keep things professional, but that won’t be easy, considering the high-voltage charge that sizzles between them from the start.

With his creative ingenuity and broad-shouldered, dark-haired good looks, Grant makes it very difficult for Kelli to concentrate on her work—especially when it becomes clear that his feelings for her go far beyond the workplace. They make a wonderful team. But can business and pleasure mix? If Kelli and Grant play their cards right, can a whirlwind love affair last forever?

“I loved, loved, loved this perfectly crafted, lush love story… This poignant, steamy romance will have you believing there can be love at first sight. 5 stars!” -Christina Boyd, Austenprose

Read Christina’s entire review here.

Read an excerpt from Propositions here.

These are very personal love stories…

I wrote these books years ago, and I still love them—and they both hold a very special place in my heart.

Songbird is especially meaningful to me because it was inspired in part by my relationship with the man I love. Just like Desiree and Kyle, Bill and I had a whirlwind courtship. But we lived in different cities and were faced with the challenges of a long-distance relationship. From the start it was difficult, and when he moved many hundreds of miles further away, it became more difficult still. I’ll never forget how devastated I was each time he or I had to get on a plane and leave. But from the moment of our first meeting, we each recognized our missing other half. We’ve been married now for thirty-seven wonderful years, and I am grateful for every minute.

In Propositions, Kelli and Grant work in advertising, a field in which I was involved many years ago and really enjoyed. In looking over all the books I’ve written since then, I notice that an immediate attraction between lovers and a whirlwind courtship is a recurring theme. There’s a reason for this. From my great-grandparents to my parents to my own relationship with my husband, my family has many examples of couples who met, fell in love, and married within a matter of weeks or months—all marriages which have stood the test of time and have been very happy.

Love at first sight may be rare, but I know from personal experience that it’s possible. As one of my characters says in Propositions: When you know, you know.

In some ways, reading these novels is like stepping back in time, to an era before computers and cell phones took over the world and changed the way we do everything. No matter how much the world changes around us, however, the fundamental things in our lives do not change. We work hard. We have dreams. We fall in love. We experience the joys of a new relationship, and risk our hearts on the road to happiness.

I hope, as these stories take you back to an earlier time and place, that they will touch your heart and make you smile.

Happy Valentine’s Day! Happy Reading!