In this first book in the new One Night in Miami series, readers meet the quirky Cuban/Irish Hernandez family. Alana Hernandez, the baby sister of the family, knows the second-best way to former Navy SEAL Cole Roberts’ heart. And, on Valentine’s Day, this chocolate espresso cake would be just the ticket. www.AndieJChristopher.com
Cake Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking soda
1 large egg
2/3 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup cooled espresso
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Beat until smooth – 3 minutes. Bake in greased and floured 9 by 13 pan at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Watch it carefully, sometimes it takes less time
Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup butter
2/3 cups milk
2 cups brown sugar
4 squares unsweetened chocolate or 4 envelopes of melted chocolate
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
Combine butter, milk, brown sugar and chocolate in heavy pan, Bring to Boil while stirring. Boil 3 minutes – do not stir at all while boiling.
Remove from heat and immediately stir in sifted powdered sugar and vanilla.
Stir well until it starts to thicken. Pour on cooled cake.
One night.
New Year’s Eve in Miami. Even workaholic Alana Hernandez can’t resist the call of the city, especially if it will get her little sister off her back. But a night of celebrating turns into a night of mischief when an alluring stranger catches her eye across the dance floor.
No names.
Former Navy Seal Cole Roberts isn’t looking for anything more than a good time in Miami. Since leaving the military and being betrayed by his former fiancée, he’s not interested in unnecessary complications. But the moment he sets eyes on the sultry beauty, Cole knows this night will be far from ordinary.
No going back.
Neither Cole nor Alana are looking for a relationship, so they strike a deal: One night. No names. No repeats. But things get complicated when their night of passion becomes something neither can walk away from.
“The epitome of a page-turner. The multi-dimensional characters are vulnerable and simply pulsate with unbridled lust and passion. An ultra-hot tale.” —RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars
Author Q&A
Andie J. Christopher writes edgy, sexy, contemporary romance. Her debut novella Stroke of Midnight, the first book in the One Night In South Beach series, hits e-readers on January 3, 2017. In this Author Q&A, she talks about the music that gets her in the mood to write sizzling scenes, her favorite books, and her inspiration for setting a series in Miami.
Why did you decide to go into this genre?
I’ve loved reading romance novels since I was way too young to be reading them. I read everything, but I always come back to romance when I need something guaranteed to be uplifting.
What do you like to read?
Mostly romance, very steamy contemporary romance in particular. Although I also love a good Regency romance once in a while. I read a few literary books every year, and I “read” non-fiction in audiobook form.
What was your favorite book when you were a kid?
My grandmother bought me a very old edition of Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which I adored when I was very young. As an adolescent, my aunt—an English teacher—introduced me to Jane Austen when she gave me Pride and Prejudice for Christmas, and I never looked back. I think, when I read that book, I knew I wanted to write romance. (It was either Jane Austen or the grocery bags full of Harlequin Romances that my grandmother gave me to read during the summer.
Do you have a favorite EVER book?
Pride and Prejudice is still one of my favorites—every time I read it, it remains lovely and witty. But Mating by Norman Rush is the book that knocked me on my a$$ the most as an adult. It is the most beautiful elegiac telling of doomed romantic relationship that I have ever read. It’s simply astonishing, and I’ve never read anything like it.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends, but I usually create a draft in about a month once the plot coalesces in my head and I sit down to write it.
How do you get inspiration for your books?
Everywhere. For the One Night in South Beach series, I had been spending a lot of time in Miami with friends. I fell in love with the city, and could picture scenes in so many of the places we visited.
Do you have any music to write by?
I usually create a playlist for each series or book, and I listen to that while I’m writing. Certain songs remind me of certain characters, and I like to listen to a song that reminds me of the couple while writing sex scenes.
Do your characters ever do things you weren’t expecting?
All the time, and I love it when they do!
Florals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.