Many readers want to know whether I set my books in real places or are the settings entirely fictional. My answer is – ‘that depends…’ Not helpful, but true. Take my Island Romance series, for instance; all three books are set on the island of Tenerife, part of the Canaries in the Atlantic. The island is real and so are all the locations mentioned. If you're interested, I've written a blog pos t where I talk about the scenery and places that appear in the books. Even the v

I love incorporating animals into my writing because, let's face it, many of us have them and they're part of our families. My first uplifting romance - Sunshine at Cherry Tree Farm - was inspired by the loss of my little Westie. You can read about that here , if you like. The book acted as a catharsis, encouraged me to adopt Poppy, my adorable cockapoo. Millie is the pooch on the left, by the way. Then when writing about Nell, the Border collie in The Tanglewood Flower Sho

Explore how embroidery, sewing, pottery, and even sea glass found their way into the Scottish Isle books.

A pottery fail that inspired a Scottish island romance.

A nostalgic look back at childhood longings, the joy of restoring a dolls’ house, and how a second-hand treasure inspired the creation of Tara McTaigh in Surprises on the Scottish Isle - a heartwarming tale of miniature masterpieces and second-chance romance.

Pub gossip, market-day smiles, and maybe a hint of matchmaking... I’m often asked where I get the ideas for my characters from, and to be honest, I find them everywhere. Behind every pub counter, every market stall, and every cottage door, there’s a little romance waiting to happen - everyday people who could belong in a romance novel.   Whenever I’m out and about, especially when I visit the little villages and small market towns that feature in my stories, it doesn’t take m

From Jane Austen’s Bath to vintage key shops, explore the inspiration behind Tabitha Locke’s Key to Happiness, an uplifting and cosy romance novel.

Many villages in Wales have community and friendship at their heart, and I especially love the little market towns in the Welsh Marches (that's what the land along the border between England and Wales is called). The Tanglewood Village series is loosely based on one of them - Crickhowell. Set in a green valley with a river running through it and mountains on either side, it’s a place I would love to live. It has a couple of cafes, a pub or two, a florist and a bookshop. The

Tucked away in a hidden corner of the stunning Welsh countryside, Foxmore nestles in the bottom of a pretty valley with a river flowing through it, and is surrounded by tree-clad hillsides with dramatic mountains rising above. I usually do some research before I start writing, which also gives me some inspiration, and I based Foxmore loosely on these places. The high street is Usk in South Wales, and the valley is Dinas Mawddwy, at the lower end of the Snowdonia National Park

Tinstone is an entirely fictional town and not based on anywhere in particular, although I was kind of setting it somewhere around the West Midlands, Shropshire area. However whenever I wrote about the care home where Nelly and Edwin live, I visualised the wonderful home where my own great-aunt spent the last eighteen months of her life. In some ways, she was very much like Nelly - feisty, opinionated, and very set in her ways, just not as sneaky.  Images: carehome.co.uk When

My gorgeously sunny rom-com, Summer on the Turquoise Coast, is set in the resort of Olu Deniz in Türkiye.

It's my OH who is the cycling fan, but I was quite happy to be persuaded to visit France when Le Tour de France cycling race was on a few years ago. I mean, I could put up with seeing some sweaty men on bikes if it meant being in France, right?​

I've been lucky enough to have visited this glorious island several times, and the variety of landscapes never ceases to amaze me. I fell in love with it from the very first day, so I suppose it was only natural that I would use it as a setting in my novels - three of them, to be exact, collectively known as The Island Romance series. In Sunrise on the Coast , Sophie regularly walks along a coastal path between Alcalá and Playa de la Arena, and I have strolled this exact sam

Discover the charming childhood tradition that inspired Lilac Mills’ festive novel A Very Lucky Christmas. From the sixpence in grandma’s Christmas pudding to hidden wishes and holiday magic, this post unwraps the story behind the story and the joy of finding unexpected good luck.

The book is set in Barcelona, and I think this is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. It’s got it all – surrounded by mountains, it has fabulous beaches, history dating back to before the Romans, amazing architecture, fantastic restaurants and cafes, and a truly cosmopolitan culture. I visited Barcelona in my mid-teens and it astounded me then (though to be fair, I think it was the shopping that really caught my eye) and when my husband, who is a keen marathon ru

My debut uplifting rom ance, Sunshine at Cherry Tree Farm , was born out of a need to celebrate the life of my gorgeous little Westie, Millie. It was my first chick lit novel, as I felt that was the best medium to tell the story. Although Jenni is nothing like me and neither is the circumstances or the plot, Millie in the book is heavily based on my own little dog. My dog, Millie, immortalised in Sunshine at Cherry Tree Farm She was such a sweet-natured, gentle dog with a te