Coleen Kwan

When my first book, WHEN HARRIET CAME HOME, was published in Oct 2011, I remember being thrilled by my cover. It was so much better than I could have envisaged. Somehow the artist had managed to capture the right mood of my book. Since then, I've published a few more books, and I love all my covers (especially my steampunk ones). But if I had to pick a favourite, I would have to go with REAL MEN DON'T BREAK HEARTS.


I just love the fun, flirty chemistry between this cute couple! (And the guy has great biceps, which always helps) This isn't the original cover for this book. It was redone when the second book in the series came out, and I have to say this one is so adorable. It makes me happy every time I see it.

In Baiting the Boss, my hero, Jack Macintyre, quits his job and cuts all ties with his family following a tragedy. He’s still hurt and grieving when he stumbles across a tiny, remote Pacific island and discovers a place where he can heal and find peace. Filemu Island is a slice of paradise, a lush island filled with stunning mountains, swaying palm trees, and perfect beaches. Its inhabitants are laid-back, friendly, and welcoming. I love Filemu Island, but unfortunately it’s a completely fictional place, so I can only visit it in my imagination!

Writing Baiting the Boss made me think about travelling and the places I've visited that captured my imagination. Here are five getaways I've loved and would love to revisit one of these days:

San Juan Island, Washington, USA. Many years ago I visited the San Juan Islands north of Seattle. I caught the ferry to Friday Harbor and was amazed by the stunning scenery—green islands surrounded by sparkling ocean. Friday Harbor was charming and quaint, popular with tourists but not overrun by mass commercialism. The locals were wonderful, too, friendly and helpful. What more could you ask?

Venice, Italy. No surprises here. This ancient city is a feast for the senses. I visited here as part of a group tour, and yes, we did the cheesy things like go for a gondola ride. But my friend and I also managed to get lost one day, and that was a wonderful experience. We wandered through the laneways and alleys, stumbling across little surprises around each corner, and found a local trattoria where we enjoyed a great lunch. Everyone should see Venice at least once.

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Kruger National Park, South Africa. It’s one of the largest game reserves in Africa and a stunning place. Seeing a giant African elephant next to your dinky little car is definitely a heart-stopping experience. You can drive for miles and not see any animals. Then you round a bend and next to the road you see a cheetah and its two cubs. Or a leopard. Or a pack of rare wild dogs.

Mount Cook, New Zealand. Aoraki, the highest mountain in New Zealand, lies in the South Island. I was gobsmacked when I visited this place. I’d never seen a glacier before and everything had an eerie look to it. We went for long walks through alpine valleys with snow-capped mountains surrounding us. Wonderful.



A beach house somewhere in Australia. Over the years we’ve enjoyed some wonderful beach holidays here in Australia. It’s too difficult to pinpoint a favourite location because the beaches here are varied and beautiful. I love the crashing of waves, the squeak of sand between my toes, the salty tang in the air, the warm sunshine on my skin. Just writing about it makes me want to go there right away.



So there you have it—five of my favourite getaways.

My Christmas novella, White-Hot Holiday, is out now. It's one of four stories in Entangled Bliss's Christmas anthology, Stranded With A Hero.




Naomi played with her can of soda, seemingly as ill at ease as he. “Did you speak with your parents?” she asked, breaking the stilted silence.

He nodded. “They were very understanding.”

“I’m so sorry.” Her brow furrowed in sympathy. “For them, I mean. I know you don’t mind missing Christmas with them.”

“I thought I wouldn’t mind, but I don’t feel as carefree about it as I’d imagined.”

“Oh?” She glanced up, gazing at him fully for the first time since last night. A tiny smile curled her lips. “Could it be possible that Aaron Cade isn’t the Big Bah Humbug he likes to make out he is?”

He grinned, glad to see her smile again, even if it was at his expense. “I never claimed to be the Big Bah Humbug. That was you.”

“True.” As her eyes warmed, he moved closer, drawn to her like the proverbial moth to a candle. The choir started up once more. Around them, everyone began singing, except them.

“I’m glad you’re smiling again,” he said under cover of the singing. “I thought I’d mortally offended you last night.”

She looked away, the cusps of her cheeks turning pink. “You didn’t offend me.” She paused, then shook her hair back. “It’s just that I thought you’d be thousands of miles away by now. That’s
why I…” She made a circling motion with her hand as her cheeks grew rosier.

“Why you gave me the most fantastic kisses?”

“Fantastic?” Her eyes widened at him. Her lips parted, and he ached to taste them again right here in the middle of this crowd singing goddamn “Jingle Bells.”


Buy Stranded With A Hero at
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My third release in three months! I'm happy to announce that today is release day for STRANDED WITH A HERO, a Christmas anthology of four novellas by Karen Erickson, Cindi Madsen, Roxanne Snopek, and myself.


Getting snowed in never felt so good as boundaries are crossed, opposites attract, and friends discovering more promise a Christmas no one will ever forget.

Loving Mindy by Karen Erickson
Mindy can’t believe she's stuck with her ex–best friend—and the man whose heart she broke years ago—for the holidays, though the tension between them is more than enough to keep them warm. Josh Powers never forgot Mindy, but he can’t risk his heart a second time.

White-Hot Holiday by Coleen Kwan
Naomi’s sworn off men like Aaron—rich, cocky, and dismissive of holiday traditions. Aaron decided to spend Christmas in sunny Australia to avoid snowy New York, not to fall for the woman his best friend warned him away from. But when a volcano grounds him, Aaron and Naomi's relationship becomes eruptive.

An Officer and a Rebel by Cindi Madsen
The last person police officer Nate Walsh expected to discover in a snowstorm is his brother's ex and former town rebel, Kelsey Cooper. She’s his complete opposite and totally off-limits, but as they wait out the storm together, all he can think is how he wishes she'd stay forever.

Saving the Sheriff by Roxanne Snopek
Frankie Sylva was determined to free the reindeer cruelly held for a holiday roadshow, even if it meant risking her own life. Deputy Sheriff Red LeClair set out to save a stranger in a snowstorm, never expecting he’d be the one to be rescued.

Available at   Amazon | Barnes&Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Amazon UK

This frog looks pretty happy in his pond...