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Saturday, April 09, 2016

The Sydney Brides Trilogy - Kandy Shepherd


Do you enjoy reading connected stories in romance? I'm a fan. I love catching up with characters from previous books and anticipating when favorite secondary characters will get their stories. I really like reading connected stories—and I’ve discovered I like writing them too!

My most recent connected stories are about three friends who run a party planning business called Party Queens. Each heroine brings her own strengths to the business—and each falls for a very different hero. Not only did I love creating a deeply emotional romance for each hero and heroine, I also enjoyed writing the strong, supportive friendships that developed between the three heroines over the arc of the three novels.

 Each book is a stand-alone that can be enjoyed without reading the other two.

I’ve only just seen the cover for The Bridesmaid’s Baby Bump and am sharing it here.



The first is Andie and Dominic’s story, Gift-Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress (November 2015); the second gives the stage to Gemma and Tristan in CrownPrince’s Chosen Bride (March 2016); and the third and final in the series, The Bridesmaid’s Baby Bump (July 2016) is Eliza's and Jake’s story and—and brings readers up to date with what is happening with the first two couples too.



I feel a bit sad to say goodbye to these lovely, spirited heroines and the gorgeous heroes who win their hearts. But the good thing about being a writer is I’m totally involved now in the characters for my next book!



The three Party Queens books are published by Harlequin Romance  in North America as the Sydney Brides mini-series. (Mills & Boon Cherish in the UK; Mills & Boon Forever Romance in Australia and New Zealand.)

Do you enjoy a connected series in romance? Do you prefer a complete romance in each book or one that develops over a series? What are your thoughts on cliffhangers? I’d love to read your comment!

 The Bridesmaid’s Baby Bumpwill be released on July 1, 2016 and is available for pre-order now.

Kandy Shepherd is an award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She lives on a small farm in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her family and a menagerie of four-legged friends.

Visit Kandy at her website


Connect with Kandy on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest





8 comments:

Laney4 said...

I only enjoy the connected series if there is a complete romance in each book. I live for my HEAs! Guess that answers your next question: no, I don't enjoy cliffhanger stories. I feel ripped off and have been known to throw a perfectly fine book across the room in disgust when I have realized this outcome to a story. In other words, I do not rush out and buy the next book in the series (nor any more by that author).

Back to the connected stories. I have been enjoying your Party Queens stories very much. I think that that feeling of familiarity with the characters and storyline helps draw readers in and thus makes us want to read more of the other connected stories. I know I do. I am really looking forward to reading the third book in your series. Mind you, I have enjoyed all of your stories I've read so far, so of COURSE I want to read your next book too. Duh!

Thank you, Kandy, for sharing the love. Your stories have grabbed me from their first pages, and you have "massaged" that interest on all the subsequent pages. Not all authors are able to do what you do: make me believe and feel the love and passion of two characters with whom I can totally relate - yet keep me on the edge of my seat, wondering what will happen next. I enjoy the "language of love" that they each have, and you constantly make me smile. What more could a reader want?

Kandy Shepherd said...

Laney, thank you for such lovely feedback - very good for this author's soul! I so enjoy a good love story myself and it's wonderful to know my stories connect with you. I really believe in my characters when I write them and go on that falling-in-love journey with them.

I'm with you on the cliffhangers. I have been following a crime thriller series and was, quite literally, furious to have the latest one end on an unresolved cliffhanger--and the next book not available for six months. Will probably not buy it...

jcp said...

I prefer each book in a mini-series if it can be read as a standalone. I've discovered many series that way.

Anna Campbell said...

Kandy, congratulations on your next release. I love that cover. I think it's so romantic. Can't wait to read it. I loved Gift Wrapped in Her Wedding Dress, beautiful story, and I've got The Crown Prince one - got a bit of time off in a week or so so it's first off the top of the TBR pile.

Kandy Shepherd said...

Me too, jcp, a mini-series of standalone is my favorite!

Kandy Shepherd said...

Hi Anna, thanks for calling by! It's a lovely cover, isn't it - and so nice to see Sydney Harbour as the background. I'm so glad you enjoyed the first book in the series and hope you enjoy the other two. I certainly enjoyed writing them!

Devika Fernando said...

Such beautiful covers. I loved Books 1 and 2 and can't wait for Book 3.
As for romance series, what I love most is a bigger series that takes place in one (fictional or real) setting and has characters that may be directly or indirectly connected. But trilogies with the same character set are also great.

Unknown said...

I enjoy seeing characters from previous books in series. Seeing them connnect even if its for a short spurt.

I do enjoy a standalone.

Your books I love because I know they are HEA and Im not overly fussed on cliffhangers cause it keeps me wandering if I will ever get my hea lol. But saying this if it happens eventually I dont mind.

Your stories are always true romance. Sweet, loving and with such wonderfully delivered characters.

Looking forward to this one to find out how our first two party queens are going and to see Eliza's story.

Always love the covers

gorgeous .