AustLit

'Regency romance author, Luella Linley, arranges her characters' lives, making sure that they weather all storms and live happily-ever-after. Her characters are putty in her hands, but her 21st Century adult children are not so easily organized. When her daughter, Megan, asks for support with an inappropriate situation at work, Luella decides Megan should get a boyfriend to intimidate her boss. The cop who just pulled Luella over for speeding is a likely candidate.

'Cam Fletcher is expecting to be interviewed by a famous author. Instead of sharing insights into his job as a police officer, he is sharing a meal with the famous author and her daughter, Megan. When left alone with Megan, Cam wonders when the interview will begin. The parents' extended absence gives him a clue, which Megan confirms. Luella Linley is playing matchmaker, but is he willing to play the game?' (Publication summary)

'The temptation to matchmake is too much to resist. Louise has one success already under her belt having introduced her other daughter, Megan, to her new husband. Now, this handsome, successful lawyer has just admitted he isn't married. Single and in possession of a large fortune, Michael Sullivan must be in want of a wife. Louise's second daughter, Chloe, would be just the right sort of woman for him.

'There is no way Chloe will let her mother organize a blind date for her like she'd done for her sister. Chloe has her principles-and she has a ridiculous, unjust speeding ticket. The person she needs is a lawyer to help argue her case in court. Is it dishonest, when her mother's lawyer calls and asks her on a date, to agree with ulterior motives?

'Michael Sullivan has ulterior motives of his own. This all expenses paid trip to the sunny Gold Coast is merely a case of one person helping the other out-isn't it? Everyone else might think they're a couple, but it's just about winning a court case-isn't it?

'Can Regency romance author, Luella Linley (AKA Louise Brooker) hit the target two times in a row? Meddling in her adult children's lives is almost as much fun as creating fiction characters, except her children have minds of their own, and don't always cooperate.' (Publication summary)

Mother of three adult children, and Regency romance author, Louise Brooker (AKA Luella Linley) should feel satisfied that she has been instrumental in getting her two daughters happily settled. Her meddling was successful but came at a price, and husband, Russell, has advised she leave the children to their own devices.

But her eldest, Pete, is thirty-five, living back at home and discouraged. His fiancée left him days before the planned wedding and six months on, Pete still hasn't recovered. Louise might be biased, but her responsible, hard-working and handsome son would make a good husband and father-but he's given up after three failed relationships. He is a good catch, but unlikely to be fooled by his mother's scheming and meddling as she did with his sisters.

This situation calls for something special. A direct approach. Just like in her novels. Let the parents do the arranging and sort out the wheat from the chaff. This method will take any risk of rejection out of the equation, and let's face it, a mother can tell what's needed for a successful long-term relationship.

Carrie Davis dedicated herself to her career long ago. Her one and only serious relationship was a disaster, put down mainly to her youthful naivety at the time. Up until the birth of her niece, Carrie had not considered she might even like a relationship, but now thoughts of loneliness are stalking her. Carrie's sister, Ellen, knows and when she sees an odd advert in the classified ads she begins to wonder if this is a prank or an opportunity sent from heaven. "Wanted. For a social experiment. A family arranged marriage."' (Publication summary)