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My Rock Star Neighbor Publication Day!
I am so thrilled to announce that today is happy publication day for My Rock Star Neighbor, my fake dating, friends-to-enemies, rock star romantic comedy!
Thank you to these rock star reviewers!
And the first reviews have been fabulous! Thank you to Jill, a librarian, for this review:
I love a good rockstar romance! This was so much fun! I was looking for something light and fun to read … and this perfectly fit the bill! I love any books that deal with the glamorous rockstar world and this was a great choice. Great characters, great chemistry, and lots of fun rock star action! Be sure to check this one out you won’t regret it. – Jill (a librarian)
And thank you to Donna for this review:
Maddie’s a journalist for a local New York City newspaper. She’s working on a story about corruption in the city official offices, but finding the culprit is proving tricky.When Maddie’s musician neighbor Nick plays music until all hours, it drives her crazy, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t enjoy his friendship. When Nick is photographed with Maddie, she’s mistaken for being his girlfriend.Now the pair are fake dating. Nick’s helping Maddie in her investigation and she’s giving him a cover as his girlfriend. But maybe there is more to this that neither is admitting.
Kathy Strobos’s stories tend to use the city backdrop as a side character and the city really sparkles in this latest instalment. Late night meetings on the fire escape, singing at the local bar, eating dumplings with friends all add to the charming setting. There’s a whole whodunnit happening in the story, and Nick is as much of that part of the story as his own backstory. I loved how this cute couple support each other, put each others needs at the forefront and fit seemlessly in with each other’s friends and family. It’s another cutie from the author 
More Rock Star Reader Reviews
And thank you to Lisa for this review:
Fun New York City Rom – Com with Wonderful Characters, Setting and Even a Mystery
This was a great book from start to finish – all of the characters were likable and well developed and both the will they / won’t they fake to real romantic plot along with the mystery Maddie is hoping to solve for her news story kept the pages turning and I couldn’t put the book down. I enjoyed the dual POV so the reader understands both of their growing feelings as well as their “found family” group of friends who were all there to support them. The New York background was also fun to revisit as a former resident – I felt like I was back in the heart of the city again. It is part of a series but it easily read as a standalone. I look forward to reading the next book from this author.
Pinterest Board for My Rock Star Neighbor Publication Day!
I’ve also created a Pinterest inspiration board for My Rock Star Neighbor, which was super fun. What do you think of it?
Where can I buy this?!!
Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered. You can buy it from all good bookstores, including Bookshop.org and Ripped Bodice, as well as Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, Apple and Google Play:
You can also buy it direct from me, as either an ebook or a signed paperback:
Thank you so much for your support!
Thank you so much for all your support!! Every sale makes me do a little happy dance! Here’s a video of me expressing my thoughts about publication day. I’m so happy with these great reviews! It’s always a rollercoaster experience releasing a book and it doesn’t seem to get any easier 🙂
And I hope you have a great weekend. We’re supposed to have a lot of rain, so I hope I get some reading done.
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Behind the Scenes: Rock Star RomCom
I want to take you behind the scenes for my rock star, fake dating, frenemies-to-lovers romcom, My Rock Star Neighbor!
Here’s the blurb:
When a rock star and a reporter fake date to bury a scandal, will true love be the real story?
Nick: I do my best songwriting while playing my guitar on the fire escape. Unfortunately, my in-bed-at-ten next-door neighbor, Maddie, is not a fan of my music. She clambers out on the fire escape to yell at me about making “noise.” In bunny slippers, no less. But then she trips and falls into my arms. That photo of Maddie plastered all over me hits the papers, just as my dream recording company wants to sign my band. Which is a problem, because an obsessed fan is claiming that I’m her boyfriend and now the media is blowing up that I’m two-timing them both. Good-bye recording contract, unless…
Maddie: I’m supposed to cover the story. Not be the story! But when Nick begs me to fake date, I can’t resist the chance to be Nick’s girlfriend—even if fake—the opposite of my life as a city desk reporter. But my ex said I’m a terrible kisser, and there’s no way I want Mr. Hot Rock Star saying the same thing. Hence, clause 11 in our contract: There will be absolutely no physical contact.
Nick: When Maddie receives a threatening photo of the two of us with an X over her face, my desire to protect her suddenly feels all too real. It’s either a troll or her undercover investigation has been compromised. With both our careers at stake, is breaking up the only way to keep Maddie safe?
As you know, when I write a book, I try to walk around New York City and visit the places I describe in my book, although of course some places are fictional, like the Books & Banter cafe.
Here is a photo of the Sticky Rice Cafe which is near where Maddie and Nick live on the lower east side:
Here’s a photo from the neighborhood where Maddie’s office is located:
And here are some photos from the Chinese New Year parade that Maddie covers as a reporter, with Nick by her side:
It was raining that day. And in the book, I describe how the streets are pretty with the papers from the poppers:
And here’s the lion that guards the park near them:
Here’s a photo of rowboats on Central Park:
I hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes tour. You can also buy My Rock Star Neighbor directly from me:
I’m so excited for this release. Here’s a video of me discussing it:
I also had a great time meeting readers at the Brooklyn Book Festival! Here I am with our club president, author Katy Berritt!
Remember that you can always buy signed paperbacks with bookmarks directly from me at my little shop:
Hope you have a great week!
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My Rock Star Neighbor!
I am thrilled to announce that I’m publishing a new book, My Rock Star Neighbor, on October 10. Here is Nick and Maddie’s story!
Here is the blurb:
When a wary rock star and a cynical reporter fake date to bury a scandalous rumor, will true love be exposed as the real story?
Nick: I do my best songwriting while playing my guitar on the fire escape. Unfortunately, my in-bed-at-ten next-door neighbor, Maddie, is not a fan of my music. She clambers out on the fire escape to yell at me about making “noise.” In bunny slippers, no less. But then she trips and falls into my arms.
That photo of Maddie plastered all over me hits the papers, just as my dream recording company wants to sign my band. Which is a problem, because an obsessed fan is claiming that I’m her boyfriend, and now the media is blowing up that I’m two-timing them both. Good-bye recording contract, unless…
Maddie: I’m supposed to cover the story. Not be the story! But when Nick begs me to fake date, I can’t resist the chance to be Nick’s girlfriend–even if fake–the opposite of my life as a city desk reporter. But my ex said I’m a terrible kisser, and there’s no way I want Mr. Hot Rock Star saying the same thing. Hence, clause 11 in our contract: There will be absolutely no physical contact.
Nick: When Maddie receives a threatening photo of the two of us with an X over her face, my desire to protect her suddenly feels all too real. It’s either a troll of her undercover investigation has been compromised. With both our careers at stake, is breaking up the only way to keep Maddie safe?
A closed-door, friends-to-lovers, rock star romantic comedy set in New York City!! My Rock Star Neighbor is the 4th book in the New York Spark series!
My Rock Star Neighbor is the fourth book in the New York Spark Series!
If you’ve read My Book Boyfriend, you first met Maddie and Nick there. You may remember that Maddie complained because Nick was playing his guitar at all hours of the night.
“My rock star neighbor wrote me a song. See?” Maddie asks. “It’s dedicated to my neighbor who always complains.”
“You’re someone’s muse,” Jing says.
“That’s so sweet,” Bella says.
“Not really. At the end of the note, he said that instead of getting soundproofing, he used his funds to hire another music editor.” Maddie snorts. “But he hopes I’ll forgive him because he dedicated a song to me.”
I can’t wait for you to read Nick and Maddie’s story!
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Peek into Lily’s New York Life!
Peek into Lily’s New York life! I realized I never did a behind-the-scenes tour of all the places that inspired the scenes in My Book Boyfriend, my enemies-to-lovers, librarian-saving-community-garden vs. developer-who-wants-to-bulldoze-it romantic comedy. But I did previously include photos of the community garden inspiration! Here’s the short blurb: Lily loves her community garden. Rupert wants to bulldoze it for community housing. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
Here’s the My Book Boyfriend cover – click on the image below for links to your favorite retailers!
So where should we start? She lives in a small walk-up in a brownstone, and she works in a library on the Upper West Side. I used the St. Agnes library branch as inspiration. Here’s a photo:
She goes on a date to the New York Public library gala, which doesn’t go quite as well as expected:
When my date at the ball ditches me to flirt with another woman, and Rupert, my enemy – the hot shot developer who plans to bulldoze my community garden—asks me to dance . . .
“You look like you’re plotting mischief.” Rupert appears by my side as I watch my date dancing with another woman.
Why does Rupert have to be so attractive?
“He’s a fool,” Rupert says.
It looks like I’m the fool.
Here’s a photo of a New York Public Library lion all bedecked for the holidays:
And she hangs out with her friends at a fictional cafe called Banter & Books, which is filled with plants, books, coffee, tea, cookies and friends 🙂
Here are some photos of the community garden inspiration (inspired by the Elizabeth Street Garden):
We may have had too much fun blurring faces I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek into Lily’s New York life 🙂
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Thank You to My Readers!
I’m closing out 2024 with a huge THANK YOU to my readers. I love writing stories, and it means the world to me that my stories have found an audience. I feel a great sense of pride in what I accomplished this year (and most of it, before July):
1. One of the highlights of my year is always the Brooklyn Book Festival. This year, two readers who bought my books in 2023, returned to buy more books. In the rain!! And there’s no greater compliment than that. It really makes me so happy. Here’s me with Michael Molloy, another author.
2. Published My Secret Snowflake, my holiday, workplace romantic comedy. Thank you to all my reviewers. I’m so happy with the reviews. “My favorite so far in this series!” – Thank you to Lisa M.!
3. Translated my books into German, Spanish, Turkish, Korean, and Brazilian Portuguese! It was so great to correspond with my translators too. Hopefully one day I can meet them in person.
4. Published my first audiobook — My Book Boyfriend narrated by Eric Altheide and Stacy Gonzalez.
5. Produced and published my own audiobook of My Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, read aloud by me. (Thank you to Derek Doepker for the audiobook course).
6. Opened my own Shopify store and Story Origin store (for international sales). I really enjoyed wrapping the paperback orders and adding all the little gifts. I added some miniatures, like a holiday miniature shopping bag, a miniature snowman cookie that I made, and glittery paper snowflakes!
7. Held a book club or Leserunde in German (!) on Mein Book-Boyfriend on Lovely Books. So much fun! Thank you to Kris Alice for all the marketing help and for recommending this.
8. Discovered that more of my books are in the New York Public Library and the Brooklyn Public Library.
9. Sent My Rock Star Neighbor off to my critique partners. I so enjoy my conversations with my critique partners, Giulia Skye and Ellen Gilman, throughout the year. I couldn’t do this without them.
10. Attended the RNA Conference. I made more author friends and caught up with friends in person. I met up with Giulia in London for a wonderful talk.
Thank you to all my author friends, my friends, and my family!
But most of all, thank you to my readers for an exciting year.
Wishing you a happy and healthy 2025!
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Meow! I’m taking over this blog!
Meow! I’m taking over this blog. Yes, this is me, Fatma, the cat soulmate of Iris. I’m taking over the newsletter today. My scene was cut!! I think a dog lover suggested that it was too sad. So Kathy said I could take over the newsletter. That may have been because I wouldn’t stop meowing in protest.
“But what was the scene?” You ask. “And what was your role?”
Iris’s rock star boyfriend cheated on her, and I was there! And I didn’t let that slide. The woman tried to pet me. As if I ‘d fall for that. I scratched her. When they were kissing on the couch, I stuck my head between them. I hissed at them.
Only then they disappeared into the bedroom and shut the door. So it didn’t work out quite the way I planned.
I wrapped myself around Iris’s ankles when she found out to give her comfort and to explain that it’s better just the two of us.
I still can’t believe my scene was cut. Kathy needs to warn her friend who asked for his daughter’s cat, Fatma, to be memorialized in a book. I’m quite warm and loving but also feisty. A bit like Iris? And apparently my previous namesake did not like being a housecat because she always ran out the front door whenever she could and then hissed when they’d try to bring her in from the garden. I suggested to Kathy that she add that scene in the book, but she said I’d have to go through the bar. I told her I’d be a great bar cat. She said she’d think about it.
Meow! Update on My Secret Snowflake and How I’m Helping
Kathy is hard at work polishing My Secret Snowflake before her proofreader does the final edit. She just got it back from her line editor. I’ve been very helpful, sitting on her lap and lying on her desk, holding the papers in place so they don’t blow away. You never know when there might be a breeze. Sometimes I also help her by typing on the keyboard.
Anyway, don’t forget to pre-order your copy today. I still have a few other scenes, so it’s worth it for those, including one pivotal moment where I give my approval to Sebastian.
Burned by love, Sebastian has sworn to remain single, but he may have just met his match.
Sebastian: Being single is under-rated. No inexplicable mystery of love for me. I admit I’m attracted to my co-worker Iris—and not just because she was wearing glowing cat paw underwear. But even though she’s breached my first line of defense, I’m set in my Grinch ways.
Iris is the Secret Snowflake for her perfect man—who is definitely not Sebastian.
Iris: No more naughty heartthrobs for me. Catching my rock star ex cheating cured me. All I’m asking Santa for is my work bonus and a nice—dare I say boring?—guy. And that’s my Secret Snowflake recipient: Ernest. But now our company has been hacked, and secrets abound. I’m working around the clock to figure out who and why—with our aloof, but oh-so-attractive company counsel, Sebastian—before I get a stocking filled with coal for the holidays.
The last thing I should also be trying to decipher is him. I know I can trust Sebastian to help me. It’s trusting my heart that’s the problem.
When things are definitely not what they seem, sometimes it takes the light of the holidays to reveal the clues to love.
Meow! I’m taking over this blog!
Please also tell Kathy you’d like me to take over her social media posts too 🙂 She also has a cat in her next book, so if you’d like to suggest a cat name, feel free to leave a comment.
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My Book Boyfriend Audiobook Tour
Thank you to Home Cooked Books and all the bloggers who took place in the My Book Boyfriend Audiobook Tour. It’s been wonderful to see all the positive reviews being posted. If you’d like to listen to some audiobook samples, click here.
Thank you to TeaandBiscuits13 (Instagram) for this review (and I loved the background image with the plants):
“This was such a fun, laid back romance.
The story was engaging and fun, the characters were unique, real, and engaging.
I really enjoyed the banter between Lily & Rupert. They were both such kind people that even though they were supposed to be adversaries, they were always kind.
The narrator both did such a wonderful job portraying the characters so well.
This was all around a fun romance with some laughs and swoony moments.”More Reviews from the My Book Boyfriend Audiobook Tour
Thank you also to Lindsey for this Instagram post: “I absolutely loved this book! The banter was fantastic and I love an MMC who is a book nerd!! This story was so sweet and one of the most relatable stories I have read in a while! This is definitely a must read!! The audiobook was absolutely fantastic!!!”
Thank you to Bella for this review:
This was such a cute slow-burn frenemies/rivals-to-lovers story. It was fun, entertaining, and such a good read. I really enjoyed their chemistry and how, although they tried to stop their feelings from developing further because they were on opposing sides, they just couldn’t help it, and couldn’t help spending more time together. I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop and also seeing that turn into the romance we eventually got. The various side characters, and friends and family of Lily and Rupert also made this book even more enjoyable and fun to read. If you’re in need of a cute, fun, cosy-type rivals-to-lovers romance story, pick this one up, you won’t be disappointed!
Stacy Gonzalez and Eric Altheide were excellent with the narrations. Their voices, and the emotions that were portrayed, helped bring the story, and its characters to life. I definitely felt all the feels!
BellaThank you again to all the bloggers for taking part in the tour and to Home Cooked Books for organizing the My Book Boyfriend audiobook tour.
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Audiobook New Releases and Deals
This is an exciting week for Audiobook New Releases and Deals. My Book Boyfriend is being featured in a Kobo Plus Indie Audiobook Deals and a Get that Book promo. It’s exciting that I now have an audiobook.
My Book Boyfriend Blurb
Here’s the blurb for My Book Boyfriend:
A feel-good, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy.
Tall, dark, and handsome. That’s what I think the first time I see Rupert Evans in the library.But then I find out he is the developer who just sent my community garden a cease-and-desist letter because he plans to raze the garden and construct some towering monstrosity there.
The only one who is going to cease and desist is him. That community garden is my found family.
But then he asks me out at book club night.
Suspicious, right?
I’m attractive, but I’m not the type hot bachelors are lining up around the block to ask out. Let’s be real. I’m still in the brunch date spot with my next-door neighbor after a year of my pursuing him.
Rupert is trying to butter me up and lead me down the garden path so I’ll concede. Never.
He has no idea what we’re planning to do to stop him. Our little community group may look like a bunch of frail roses, but we’ve got thorns. As long as I weed out these pesky feelings for him, I know we can win. But will I lose my heart?
*The romcom books in this series are interconnected closed door romantic comedy standalones set in the same world in New York City. Each can be listened to as a pure standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.Have you listened to it yet? What did you think? Remember that you can always buy it directly from me at my store for $10.99:
If you haven’t listened to it yet, what are you waiting for?
Here are some book reviews from the blog tour to tempt you.
Kobo Plus Indie Audiobook Deals
All those books look great. Click on the image below to access the site and other audiobook deals:
It’s also featured as an audiobook new release in Get That Book Deals – click on the image below to access the deals:
What Audiobook Deals and New Releases will you pick up?
Wishing you a lovely week!
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Easter Egg Book Hunt
And in honor of the Easter eggs I will be hiding on Sunday, I’ve created a little egg hunt for you.
The winner who answers all of the questions correctly will receive a code to redeem the audiobook of My Book Boyfriend and listen to it via Bookfunnel!
Let the Easter Egg Book Hunt Begin!
1. Which characters from the New York Friendship series show up in the New York Spark series?
2. Which book is this passage from:
“Rumor has it that you’re competing against your cousin,” I say.
He tilts his head. “Rumors are not always correct. Page Six will have us married by tomorrow.”
“There are still 12 hours left in this night,” I say.
What book?3. In which museum does A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts take place?
4. What museums do they visit in Is This for Real?
5. What is the chocolate cookie bakery that my characters frequent?
6. What book is this scene from:
“Could you unbutton my dress?” I ask. “I’d really like to change into jeans and a T-shirt.”
He moves closer. I present my back to him, as my hands hold up the straps on my shoulders.
I tilt my head, exposing my neck to him. His fingers graze my neck softly as he uses both hands to unbutton that top button. I close my eyes. His touch is light and sure. I swallow as he works his way down the buttons, slight touches feathering my skin. My heart flutters. Can he hear it?
“It’s done.” His voice is almost a whisper. His warm breath caresses my neck. Sends tingles down my spine. Without thinking, I find myself arching toward it.
More Clips from My Book Boyfriend Audiobook
Here’s a clip of Rupert 🙂
I think Eric Altheide is perfect as Rupert! And My Book Boyfriend is now available on Amazon, Apple, and Google Play, in addition to StoryFair, Kobo, Kobo Plus, and my website. It should also be available on other retailers soon!
Happy Easter!
I hope you enjoyed this Easter Egg Book Hunt! Here is a link to a hint 🙂
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My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour #2!
Thank you so much to all the bloggers and reviewers on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour organized by Rachel’s Random Resources and here’s post #2 about the tour! For post #1, click here.
Here are some excerpts from the reviews. To see the full review, click on the links. I am so grateful for all your positive reviews and so touched that my words found a home.
Thank you to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers for this great review: “A great pick for Contemporary Romance fans, and book lovers alike, for the love and laughs, but also the chance to see a bookish ending that’s all deserved!” as well as this lovely quote:
“Today’s the day all your bookish dreams come true! How so? Well, because a particular author took a particular idea đź’ˇ that every book lover has had at some point or another, and made it a reality… in a story at least!”
Satisfaction for Insatiable ReadersMalloch Books gave this lovely review on Instagram. Their feed has many great book recommendations, so definitely follow them on Instagram: “This ticked so many boxes for me: community, library, book-based romance. I found this to be a perfect summer read with lots of swoon worthy moments and happy little dances along the way. I found Rupert adorable, he gave major Labrador vibes, and I just wanted to hug him.”
This review definitely made do a happy little dance 🙂
Books, Life And Everything also gave this lovely review: “This is a well written, enemies to lovers romcom, with a varied cast of characters and a great community feeling.”
“There is plenty of humour in the story and a wry look at people’s reading habits and likes. I enjoyed all the sessions which Lily led in her book club – her love for reading is quite infectious. Most of all, the secondary characters add real colour and humour to the story to go alongside the growing romance which you feel is inevitable.”
Books, Life and EverythingYorkshireCarly’s Book Reviews recommended My Book Boyfriend as “the perfect summer read,” but also made this interesting point:
“I enjoyed that the two main characters Lily & Rupert are both huge book worms, because mainly it’s the female protagonist that loves books so it was quite refreshing and the romance was adorable.”
Yorkshire CarlyMore Reviews from My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour #2
Thanks so much for these reviews too! I agree that book readers are definitely sexy, don’t you?
“Rupert was an ideal bookish hero with oodles of swoonsomeness and proved book readers are sexy. “
The Enchanted Emporium Bookshelf“I could see this as a Hallmark movie, it’s that cute.”
Inspired by PMDDI also recommend following these bookstagram accounts for more great book reviews:
“This was a cute, heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers story and I really enjoyed it.”
https://www.instagram.com/mrsljgibbs/?hl=en“It was wonderful to read about books in a book.. . I love New York and books set there always have a special place in my heart. The setting was accurate–felt like I was in downtown.”
https://www.instagram.com/bookishllly/“Strobos gives us a quick and light read, with realistic characters showing community as well as friendship, my heart felt warm for them all. . . This is an author I will be picking up again and a series I will be following.”
https://www.instagram.com/nlcraigwrites/Let’s Talk
Thank you again to all the book bloggers and to Rachel’s Random Resources! Next up is the book tour for Love Is an Art!