Book Makeover! I'm pleased to announce that the Love California series books are now available on Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Amazon with a brand new look, now called the Sunshine & Second Chances series. This fun, circle-of-friends series is available in ebook and audiobook, and for the first time ever, in hardcover and large print. If you enjoy uplifting women's fiction that whisks you away on international escapes with gorgeous locations, food, and fashion, this series is for you, with stories set in Paris, Provence, Spain, Sydney, and Ireland. Author Melissa Foster calls it an “engrossing view into the world of beautiful people.” Tap here to check out the ebook bundles on my shop.
Readers often ask about the story behind the book, so here goes… When I began to write Flawless, the first book in the Sunshine & Secod Chances series (aka the Love, California series), I was inspired by my experiences and observations in working in the beauty industry. (I created a touch-screen program called the Fragrance IQ and Skin IQ for Sephora and Duty Free shops around the world.)
The Series Backstory
These novels were often written on airplanes or in hotel rooms as I traveled, so they feature authentic details. For example, in Flawless, you'll visit one of my favorite hotels in Paris, the Villa and Hôtel Majestic in the sixteenth arrondissement. I set one of the romantic scenes between lead characters Verena and Lance in the pool area, where I swam almost every morning and many evenings in a beautifully lit saltwater pool — and even made friends with a real-life handsome prince. (But that's another story…) Le Crabe Marteau and Le Speakeasy are also real restaurants in Paris where I went with friends from Paris.
As for the Beverly Hills location, you'll read scenes set at the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Polo Lounge, as well as other local spots. (If you ever visit the Polo Lounge in the Beverly Hills Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, be sure to order my favorite champagne cocktail, a Kir Royale.)
As a young woman fresh out of college, I moved to Beverly Hills for work, where I dated, fell in love, and did all the things a new graduate/single mom might do. But most of all, I made wonderful, life-long friends there. My female friends were smart, accomplished, creative, and lovely — on the inside and out. In this series, I wanted to share the feelings and depth of these friendships.
The swoon-worthy chef in Flawless, Lance Martel, is a fictional character. However, the recipes and dishes are very real. Yes, I ate my way through France (and Spain, Ireland, Australia…that's half the fun).
While the action in this series is fictional, the business aspects are pretty accurate. Part of the fun of writing this series was sharing an insider's view of the beauty business. You'll learn a lot about the inner workings of how perfume, skincare, fashion, and jewelry businesses are created. My characters are pretty smart and savvy, and they have a lot of fun running their businesses, sharing with friends, and falling in love. Each book features a different friend in the lead, starting with Verena in Flawless, who is running her grandmother's skincare salon in a rapidly changing market while caring for her younger twin sisters after their parents' death.
What to expect
As with my Coral Cottage and Summer Beach series and family sagas, this romantic women's fiction series is fairly clean (nope, no F-bombs here) with tasteful relationship scenes (no body parts) and an HEA (happily ever after, or happy for now). Come travel with me, and happy reading!
A breathtakingly real look at the cut-throat world of the beauty industry. An engrossing view into the world of beautiful people. – New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Melissa Foster
Tap here to check out the ebook bundles on my shop.
Get the books now! Tap here to check out the ebook bundles on my shop. Or shop your favorite retailer below:
Flawless – https://viewbook.at/Flawless
Beauty Mark – https://viewbook.at/BeautyMark
Runway – https://getbook.at/Runway
Essence – https://getbook.at/Essence
Style – https://getbook.at/Style
Sparkle – https://getbook.at/Sparkle
