Broken Ties follows a woman on the run from an abusive ex who winds up in a small town in Wyoming where she meets a man just as cautious as she is about relationships. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story? 

Believe it or not, the inspiration was actually the setting. My past 4 books have all been set in northern or central Arizona, and I wanted to write about someplace else, but I had to keep the series together. So, I had Bailey leave Arizona right at the beginning of this book, and Jackson Hole was always my ideal setting to continue this series. Bailey’s story started in the first book in the series, The Ties That Bind. She was such a pivotal character in that book that her happily ever after was begging to come out. I started with the move out of Arizona and let the story develop organically as any unplanned journey might actually unfold. 

One thing that makes a great romance novel is the ability for readers to connect with the characters. What were some of the emotional and moral guidelines you followed when developing your characters? 

I really wanted Bailey’s struggle to be real, not forced. I’ve known people who came from abusive relationships, so I know how they think, feel, and act. My main goal was to let readers know that the cycle can be broken. It’s not easy, but it’s possible. That was always foremost in my mind when the story was under construction. I also didn’t want my hero to be a typical Type A personality, Alpha Male, so popular in romance novels. That personality wouldn’t have worked in Bailey’s recovery process. I needed a hero with a quiet, gentle strength, who was just one of the good guys, without being spectacular in any way other than having money in this case. I just wanted to develop real people with real problems and real solutions. 

There is so much to be said about love in this book. What do you hope your readers take away from your story? 

I hope that readers will walk away feeling like they should never give up on their dreams of finding a mate who suits them and makes their lives better. I also feel it’s important for people to trust their instincts. It took Bailey a long time to learn that, but when she did, her life changed for the better. 

Will there be a third book in the Family Ties series? If so, when will book 3 be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers? 

Yes!! There is a third book, and the final book in the series. It’s called Untie My Heart and will be released, hopefully, sometime later this year. That book centers around Noble Jabeaux, who played a key role in this book. Noble finally finds his perfect mate, but not before a series of seemingly unsurmountable circumstances plague him and keep him from his destiny. This last book also deals with a highly sensitive issue: military PTSD and suicide, which was very difficult to write about. The message of hope, forgiveness, and loving and accepting yourself are what I try to convey in that story. I hope it will be as well received as Broken Ties has been.

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