<![CDATA[Alix Nichols, author of romantic comedies and fantasy romance - Blog]]>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:06:22 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[“The Grumpy Count” Coming March 2nd]]>Sun, 19 Feb 2023 17:35:15 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/the-grumpy-count-coming-march-2nd
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I am thrilled to bring you the next novel in the It’s Raining Royals saga! "The Grumpy Count" is an electrifying romance between Count Jonas d’Alenq and actress Margot Nolan.

Margot and Jonas meet while rehearsing for an adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” in London’s theater district. Strong-willed Margot, unafraid to speak her mind, challenges the handsome, wealthy and macho single dad Jonas at every turn.

As the pair spar and clash, onstage and offstage, they realize that their mutual disdain masks something else entirely. Chemistry sizzles, hearts get broken, and what starts as a battle of wits turns into a passionate love story that will leave you swooning!

👉 Mark your calendars for March 2nd
👉 Add "The Grumpy Count" to your Goodreads Shelf
👉 Preorder on Amazon the special pre-release price (or wait until Release Day if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription). 
]]><![CDATA[The newest "It's Raining Royals" romance is LIVE!]]>Sat, 08 Oct 2022 10:20:42 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/the-newest-its-raining-royals-romance-is-live
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I hold the necklace up to her eyes so that she can appreciate its workmanship.

“How much did it cost?” she asks. “My guess is the annual GDP of a small developing country.”

“It cost exactly what it’s worth.”

I drape it around her neck.

Unable to resist, I let my fingertips brush the sides of her neck.

My thumbs bear down on her nape, and my palms press into her shoulders.

The ephemeral caress lasts no more than a few seconds before I come to my senses and fasten the adjustable clasp so that the necklace matches the cut of her dress.

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Do opposites really attract?

Penniless street artist Camille and royal duke Louis are about to find out…

"A Royal for Christmas" is the new action-packed, sexy romance you've been waiting for! 

  • Marriage of convenience
  • Gripping mystery
  • Fabulous makeover in Paris

★★★★★  "Heartwarming, wittily humorous and passionate." Linda Reads, Amazon Vine Voice

★★★★★ "Equal amount of romance, suspense and comedy, with some steamy bedroom scenes." Sheila L., Amazon Vine Voice

Grab your copy on Kindle, print or Kindle Unlimited! 

]]><![CDATA[The Boss Prince (It's Raining Royals, #1) coming July 9]]>Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:35:22 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/the-boss-prince-its-raining-royals-1-coming-july-9
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A chapter in “The Boss Prince” was inspired by my favorite scene in “How to Steal a Million” with Audrey Hepburn and Peter O’Toole. 

Just like I always wondered what a kiss between Mr. Darcy and Lizzy Bennet would be like (and ended up writing “Find You in Paris”), I’ve also always secretly wondered about that tender kiss in a broom closet of a Parisian museum between Hepburn’s and O’Toole’s characters. 

  • What if it had grown more passionate, and gotten out of control? 
  • What if they’d been unable to stop?
  • Would they’ve done something as crazy as make love in that tiny storage room? 
  • What kind of lovemaking would that be?

Those tantalizing questions are responsible for the first love scene in “The Boss Prince” (It's Raining Royals, Book 1).

ENGLISH EDITION COMING JULY 9, 2021, on Kindle, print and Kindle Unlimited!
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]]><![CDATA[An Autumn in Paris]]>Sun, 04 Nov 2018 22:10:05 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/an-autumn-in-paris
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My first (and only) romantic comedy this year, An Autumn in Paris, is here!

When single mom Dana meets handsome vet Thomas, she dares to dream again… But will his past tear her dreams apart?

ARC reviews have been wonderful:

"An Autumn in Paris is a a touching, steamy, smile-filled swoonfest, that I could not help but love." Jackie D., (Goodreads)

"Sweet and emotional." Kristen Lewendon (Goodreads)

"Alix Nichols has brought us, what I think is her most emotionally stirring story yet and I loved ever second of it." Zena (Goodreads)

"One of those stories that jerk at the heartstrings." Margaret Watkins (Goodreads)

I am sooooo excited for you to join Dana and Thomas as they get their second chance at love!

➜ Get your copy now!
]]><![CDATA[Keepers of Xereill]]>Sat, 25 Aug 2018 09:19:32 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/keepers-of-xereillScience fiction romance is a genre I've always loved as a reader. As an author, I've wanted to write it for a long time. I had the concept, the stories, many of the characters and some of the settings… But one crucial element was missing. Courage.

And then, last Christmas, something happened. I got up the nerve and began to write. Suddenly, I was on fire, completing 3 novels, a novella and a short story in the first seven months of 2018. Crazy, right?

What’s even crazier is how book reviewers, bloggers and readers embraced the series.

I’m so honored and grateful for all the lovely things you had to say about the Xereill books! Your support has done more than you know to keep me writing. I want to take the chance to publicly thank you. You know who you are. You're awesome.

—> To my diehard contemporary readers: Now is the perfect time to check out my sci-fi romances! This weekend, all four books are on sale. The prequel (The Cyborg’s Lady) is FREE.

Oh, and look, it’s the #1 science fiction romance in the Amazon Free Charts today!
The Cyborg's Lady
Hold on, I need to go pinch myself. Be right back.

TL;DR: The Xereill books are intense, action-packed, steamy and deeply romantic. They are sci fi romances with a paranormal edge. If you like Outlander, Game of Thrones, Black Dagger, Midnight Breed, and cyborg or shifter romances, you’re bound to enjoy Keepers of Xereill. 

Click to get the series now, while it's 50% off!

Love,
Alix
]]><![CDATA[THE TRAITOR'S BRIDE is live!!!]]>Mon, 26 Mar 2018 09:34:26 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/the-traitors-bride-is-liveThe first book in the Keepers of Xereill series -- and my first sci fi romance -- is live on Amazon! I won't lie, I'm really excited about this one.

On her untamed gift hinges the future of a planet — and her lover’s life.

A month ago, ex-army Major Areg Sebi was thrown into prison.
Now he’s on the scaffold, laying his head on the block.
No public trial for the disgraced war hero. No cyborgs from the League of Realms to whisk him away.
No help. No escape.
A priestess chants a prayer for the major’s soul, even as a judge cries out, “Death to the traitor!”

In the crowd below, laundry maid Etana Tidryn stares into Areg’s eyes.
His lips were hot against hers last night. His hands roamed her body, worshipped her, pleasured her. 
She’s falling for him, hard and fast. 
She’s still hoping, even if he’s given up…
Can Etana transcend everything she knows — transcend life itself — to save him?
Can she rise to meet her destiny?

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING...

“Tender and action-packed.” Avid Reader
“Intense.” Dora la exploradora
“The world-building is outstanding, and the characters have depth and big personalities.” Annie555
"Great storyline." Juanita E. Arp 
“A few chapters in and I cannot read this book fast enough. I'm loving it!” Miranda
"I had to continue until I finished it in one setting." kra1staol
"What fun!" Betababe
“Really enjoyed it, and am looking forward to the next book in the series.” Linda

Note 1: While this story is its own, the ending does lead into the next book in the series, THE COMMANDER’S CAPTIVE, which comes out in April.

Note 2: This week, you can get THE TRAITOR'S BRIDE at the introductory price of $0.99 / £0.99. I’m doing this for my contemporary romance readers who don't usually read sci-fi, and need a little encouragement. :-)

Click PREVIEW below to read the first chapter of THE TRAITOR'S BRIDE.
Or check it out on Amazon!
]]><![CDATA[Clarissa & the Cowboy is LIVE!]]>Sat, 08 Jul 2017 06:15:12 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/clarissa-the-cowboy-is-live
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The heat between archeologist Clarissa and cowboy Nathan is explosive. But the worlds they live in couldn’t be further apart…
GUARANTEED: truckloads of humor and heart, one 40,000-year-old phallus, zero cliffhangers.
~
FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS, 
Clarissa & the Cowboy is $0.99 only, and includes a bonus standalone, Playing for Keeps
(Free with Kindle Unlimited)
GET YOUR COPY NOW!
PRAISE FOR CLARISSA & THE COWBOY

"Alix’s writing is hotter than ever in this opposites attract novella” (Marns)

"A blend of sweetness, humor, passion and sizzling heat." (SouthernAngel)

"Great storyline and great romance!" (Mpodhrasky)

"I did not put this book down ... because I had to know how this craziness was going to play out between two different types of people!” (Jackie)

"Clarissa and The Cowboy will make you swoon...or maybe drool...and certainly make you wish you could find a Nathan of your own! (Texas)
DOWNLOAD NOW
]]><![CDATA[4 reasons why women love athletes ]]>Fri, 24 Feb 2017 20:02:30 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/4-reasons-why-women-love-athletes​#1: Yummy bods
Not all sports are equal in this regard (think chess). IMHO, swimming gives men the best body shape of all. It helps even the pear-shaped, but the lucky ones who were V-shaped to start with turn into something out of this world. Like this guy. 
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#2: Drive
Athletes share this trait with another beloved romance hero – the wealthy businessman. Top-level athletes are just as smart and driven as the next billionaire. And we love that about them.
 
#3: Discipline and sacrifice
Athletes are men of action. A good athlete doesn’t second-guess himself and doesn’t give up in the face of adversity, much like a good soldier. His mission is to succeed, or help his team to succeed, and he’ll give it his best shot. And that, my friends, is sexy.
 
#4: Team spirit
Even in such solitary sports as running and wrestling, athletes from the same country come together in national teams during world championships and Olympic Games. But in team sports, the collective energy generated by a band of hunks working in sync with each other is almost palpable. It’s contagious. Their defeats dampen our spirits. Their victories make us happy. They inspire us. And they remind us that the sky is the limit for those who dare to dream.
 
 Would you agree?
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ADD ON GOODREADS!
]]><![CDATA[Noah's passion]]>Thu, 05 Jan 2017 22:11:20 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/noahs-passionThe third book in the Darcy Brothers series (Noah’s story) is coming along nicely.

Below is a pic that contains a clue about the hero’s passion. Can you guess what it is?

​And, no, you smart mouth, Noah’s passion doesn’t lie in looking gorgeous while lathering his scalp.

​But it does have something to do with water.
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Noah plays water polo!

If you don’t know what water polo is, google it and prepare to swoon over pictures of hunks wearing nothing but speedos and bonnets.
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Photo by Hossam el-Hamalawy
 Correction: The appropriate term is “headgear”.
 
It’s to protect the players’ ears.

But, really, it’s a bonnet.  
]]><![CDATA[GLUTEN-FREE DESSERT YOU CAN WHIP UP IN 10 MINUTES]]>Thu, 22 Dec 2016 22:43:21 GMThttps://www.alixnichols.com/blog/gluten-free-dessert-you-can-whip-up-in-10-minutes
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Eaton Mess is a very simple and yummy British dessert, traditionally made with strawberries. I’ve replaced them with mixed berries (frozen berries are good, too--just remember to thaw them first), and substituted yogurt for half of the heavy cream. The result is healthier and just as delicious.

Origin myths of this dessert include a Labrador who sat on a meringue dessert at an Eton picnic, and a bumpy ride to an Eton cricket match, which turned a properly layered meringue-and-strawberry cake into a mess.

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 cup (250 g) mixed berries (fresh or defrosted)
  • 9 store-bought meringue nests
  • 4 oz (125 g) plain or vanilla yogurt
  • 2 tbsp sugar (skip if using vanilla yogurt)
  • 4 oz (125 go) heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a bowl, crush the meringue nests and stir in the berries (save a handful for garnish).
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2. Whip the yogurt and cream using an electric hand mixer (about 3 minutes).

3. Add the whipped yogurt-and-cream to the bowl and stir carefully, so everything becomes evenly distributed. 

4. Divide the mixture between plates and top with the reserved berries. 

Enjoy!
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