Frequently Asked Questions

Here’s an interview I gave for Tempting Levi! (02/05/2020)

When did you have the inspiration to tell the story of the Cade Brothers?

After I wrote the Never Date series, I didn’t want to leave the world I’d created. I came up with a theme about five brothers who were blue-collared workers forced to take on white-collared careers after the death of their father. I could imagine all kinds of fun stories coming out of these alpha brothers working in a world they weren’t used to, and that formed the basis for the Cade Brothers.

Why did you decide to write a novel that involves family stories?

It’s the universal theme we all can relate to, whether we have close biological family or friends we consider family. Families fight, they love, and they stick together when the going gets tough. I loved the idea of watching these manly brothers rely on each other to get through difficult times.

What was the biggest challenge in writing Tempting Levi?

Levi’s story was a challenge, because he’s the oldest brother and the head of the household. He had to be strong, and on the other hand, also in touch with his emotions enough (eventually) to fall in love. That was actually the challenge with all of the brothers. They’d been on their own for so long, it was hard for them to break down the walls and let in a woman. Falling in love is the biggest leap of faith, and Levi suffered with the fear of losing someone he loved after he’d lost his mother, and later, his only serious girlfriend. It took a lot of coaxing (and stripping) on Emily’s part to get the big guy to loosen up, lol!

Which book written by you is your favorite?

Eeek! Worst question ever. I LOVE all of my books equally. That’s like asking me to pick a child. Can’t do it. *Shakes head*

When you started writing the Cade brothers series, were all the characters already pre-determined in the story or did any of them appear at the time of writing? If so, which one?

They were all predetermined, but their personalities came out on the page as I wrote. That’s how it is for all of my stories, and it’s so much fun! I literally fall in love with the heroes as I’m writing/reading them, just like readers.

When you were writing Tempting Levi did you have someone close to you who inspired you for Levi?

Not personally, no. But I’ve always had a thing for firefighters, just ask my husband. Levi is an ex-firefighter, and that makes his character arc all the more interesting. He was forced to give up the job he loved, then forced again to take on a career as CEO of the family’s resort after his father died. He didn’t want any of it, but it’s a testament to his character that he never lets his family down. He was willing to suffer through something that wasn’t a good fit for him professionally in order to protect his brothers.