Today's Special - - Laura Florand

I'm delighted to welcome Laura Florand to The Romance Dish today. Laura is the international bestselling author of the Amour et Chocolat series. Her books have been nominated for Reviewers Choice Best Book of the Year, received the RT Seal of Excellence and been recommended by NPR, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. Born in Georgia, Laura has traveled extensively across the globe, living in a variety of foreign cities, including Paris, where she met the Frenchman who is now her husband. Her home base these days is back in the United States where she is a lecturer at Duke University though the family spends every summer in Paris. Chase Me was my first Laura Florand book and by the time I finished, the only question in my mind was, "Why did I wait so long?!?" I adored everything about this book: the humor, passion, suspense, tenderness, banter, action, resilience and strength. Resilience and strength, not only of the characters but of Paris (a character in itself) and her people, especially in the aftermath of last November's terrorist attack. Chase Me is one of my favorite books of 2016 and has my enthusiastic recommendation. I can't wait to read more from this exceptionally talented author. 

Welcome, Laura! I just finished CHASE ME and am sitting here with a huge smile, teary eyes, and a happy heart. Oh, the feels! Will you please give our readers a brief description of what they should expect from this book? 

An arrogant Navy SEAL meets his match in a woman who wants to have it all! Top chef Vi Lenoir is used to handling arrogant men, but when Chase “Smith” breaks into her Paris restaurant in the middle of the night, he gives a whole new definition to “too hot to handle”. That’s okay—because if there’s one thing Vi knows how to do, it’s take the heat. And give out a little of her own.

I adored Chase! What was the most fun part of creating his character? The most difficult?

I had so much fun with Chase! I think everything about writing his character was fun. I did have to do a lot of research to try to capture his career correctly, so maybe the most challenging part was a fairly common challenge in research—trying to absorb and process all the information without letting Chase’s own personality get swamped by it.

Vi is the perfect match for a man like Chase (as he is for a strong woman like her) but there’s

more to her than her strength and independence. What do you want readers to understand about this complex character?

Vi has had to fight hard for everything she has, in a very difficult setting, and honestly I think what she most wants outside of her career is a man who can take all she is, without trying to make her smaller. She’s not very good at making herself smaller.

There’s a feeling of comfort and familiarity with the Paris setting of this novel. What’s your history with the City of Light?

Well, that’s our second home. I met my own husband when I was living there (he was born in the 10^th, which is also where we lived together). We live in the US now, because I took a job at Duke in Romance (French) Studies, but we go back every summer and sometimes at Christmas. So it’s a place I love, and which I associate with falling in love.

Vi is a two-star Michelin chef. Do you cook? If so, what’s your specialty? What foods make your own taste buds dance?

I cook, but nothing like Vi! Or like any of my chefs. We do cook a lot of French food, and I have some different chocolate tarts that friends and family request a lot, but honestly the most popular things at home are the comfort foods. Chicken pot pie is probably my daughter’s second favorite request (right after plain pasta!). My husband has more fun when I get more creative, but having a small child does put a certain cramp in one’s cooking style.

And good chocolate always makes my taste buds dance!

Is Chase Me part of a series? How many books are planned? Will each book stand on its own or is it preferable to read them in order?

Chase Me is the second book in the Paris Nights series, but they definitely each stand on their own. They’re loosely connected through the friendships among the main characters. I don’t think you need to read them in order at all, no.

I noticed while reading your bio that we share a love of travel. What destination to which you have not yet traveled would you most like to visit? What is it about the place that intrigues you? What destination that you have already visited did you enjoy the most?

There are SO many destinations I would still love to visit. We have such a huge list, and we spend a lot of our travel time in France, so we may never get to everything. Some of the places I’ve talked a lot about recently with my husband are Croatia, back to Greece (my daughter wants to go and even started studying Greek!), Peru, or just some more trips to Italy and Spain, which we really love and don’t see enough of.

My husband is really pushing for a trip to Corsica right this moment, which actually works out well, because I have a character coming up who is based there. But we’ll see where we end up next!

Will you be attending any book signings this year where readers can meet you?

I am not attending any conferences this year. I am sorry! I feel bad to disappoint my readers, but it’s hard to maintain my academic commitments and my writing commitments and stay a sane person who has time for her family and friends, so this year I had to really dial conference attendance back.

Where can readers find you online?

My website is lauraflorand.com, and for more casual interaction, my page is www.facebook.com/LauraFlorandAuthor . And I’m on Twitter @LauraFlorand. I’d love to meet up with you all there!

What’s next?

I’m working on Book 3 in La Vie en Roses series, in Provence, and starting the drafts for the next book in the Paris Nights series. (I have two different main characters for which I’ve drafted some initial chapters, so I’m not sure which of those books will take the lead, but I *think* that Lina’s story is going to end up being next.)

Thanks for visiting with us, Laura! Would you like to ask our readers a question today?

Well, since Vi is a top Paris chef, what are your favorite food memories of Paris, if you’ve been to Paris? (And if you haven’t been yet, what would you most like to try when you go?)

Thanks so much for having me!

One randomly chosen person who leaves a comment on today's post will receive a copy of the first book in the Paris Nights series, All For You (winner's choice of print or e-book). 

A Michelin two-star chef at twenty-eight, Violette Lenoir could handle anything, including a cocky burglar who broke into her restaurant in the middle of the night.

Or so she thought.

Elite counterterrorist operative Chase "Smith" had been through things that made Hell Week look easy. But nothing had prepared him for a leather-clad blonde who held him at bay at knifepoint and dared him to take her on.

Now if only saving the world didn't require he ruin her life.

Two people who thought they could handle anything now have to take on each other.It's a battle neither one expected. But with their futures on the line, they have nothing to lose...but their hearts.

Warning: This book contains one arrogant Navy SEAL, nights of Paris passion, and a woman who wants to have it all.

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