Today I’m interviewing Kelly Hunter, author of the fourth book in the Montana Born Bachelor Auction series, What A Bachelor Needs. Welcome, Kelly, and congrats on your latest release!
1. Tell us a little about the hero and heroine in the story.
The heroine here is bar waitress Mardie Griffin. She has a huge mortgage, a run-down old house, a one-year-old daughter and a well-earned mistrust of men. But there’s one man she trusts – extreme sports enthusiast, fixer of things and irrepressible flirt, Jett Casey. He’s had his eye on Mardie since high-school, and he’s about to up the ante…
2. How does Mardie end up buying Jett?
Mardie’s friend Ella Grace Emerson (from What A Bride Wants) buys Jett for his handyman skills – and then gives him to Mardie, who reluctantly accepts the charity.
3. What makes their relationship complicated?
Backstory, baby! Mardie’s marriage was abusive and left her with shatteringly low self-esteem. She can’t quite believe that this gorgeous man who brings her so much sunshine wants to stick around.
4. Is What A Bachelor Needs related to any of your other books?
It’s loosely connected to What A Bride Wants, in that I revisit Grey’s Saloon and the people who work there. Ella Grace – heroine from the Bride story puts in another appearance here. I adore revisiting recurring characters – even if only briefly.
5. If you could buy any celebrity for a date, who would you buy and what kind of date would he take you on?
Sherlock Holmes would be my date and he’d take me back in time. No? Okay, Robert Downey Jnr. would be my date and he’d take me on set with him for a day, on a Sherlock movie. Jude Law would also be there. Mudwrestling would ensue.
Speed-dating round
If you could travel back in time, where would you go?
Singapore, Malacca and Penang in the late 1800’s
Name two of your favorite romance novels.
No Place Like Home by Barbara Samuel and The Paladin by CJ Cherryh
When you were a kid, what was your dream job?
At one point, I wanted to be a zookeeper. Didn’t everyone?
If you won the lottery, what’s the most expensive thing you would buy?
Property.
What’s the most beautiful place you’ve been to?
There are so many breathtakingly beautiful places in this world… Montana’s lovely. Australia’s Northern NSW beaches are gorgeous also – home ground these days, so I’m going to give them the win.
Name a place you’ve never been to but would love to visit.
Guam – for the diving. Madagascar – for the biodiversity (chameleons!). I’ve travelled farther for less 😉
Who was your first crush?
I think it was Luke Skywalker (and now I feel so old…)
Name three famous people—living or dead—you would love to invite to a dinner party.
Elvis, Jimmy Dean and Mae West.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
See, that would depend on money…
What’s one food you hate?
Chicken feet. I just…can’t.
Giveaway!
Kelly’s giving away a $20 gift voucher from Amazon. Leave a comment below to enter. The winner will be announced Tuesday March 24.
Your date with ski champ Jett Casey is an either/or deal. He’ll take you off-piste for the ultimate Montana ski adventure or he’ll put his handyman skills at your disposal for a week.
Single mom Mardie Griffin has a run-down old house in need of fixing and a memory of Jett Casey as her saviour in a time of great need. So when her friends acquire Jett’s services at a bachelor auction and send him to fix up her house, she sets aside her mistrust of men and lets him in.
Elite athlete Jett Casey has the world at his feet and no desire for stability. But there’s one woman he’s never forgotten and if he can help make her safe this time, maybe she’ll stop haunting him.
No strings, no sex, no commitment. Just fix things. Surely it can’t be that difficult…
About the author
Australian born Kelly Hunter is a USA Today bestselling author, a three time Romance Writers of America RITA finalist, a winner of Romance Writers of Australia’s RBY award and loves writing to the short contemporary romance form. Visit her at www.kellyhunter.co.
Buy the Bachelor Auction books on Amazon
zookeeper, yes! I’d also buy a property if I won the lottery hehe.
I’m curious about how Mardie is going to trust Jett !
What a great cover! This story sounds like it includes some of my favorite plot twists so I will be looking for this book.
Can’t wait to see where this goes!
this was a fabulous story! <3
Sounds like there’s still fun to be had in Montana!
I’m really enjoying this series
I’m looking forward to reading this Kelly!
Sounds interesting, I added it to my TBR
This is a great series! Looking forward to reading this!!
Can’t wait to start Mardie’s and Jett’s story. Will start reading it tonight! Love this series.
Great post, thanks for sharing! “What a Bachelor Needs” sounds fun. I’ll have to check the rest of the Montana Born Bachelor Auction books as well.
I can`t wait to read this 🙂
Thank you for the chance!
We’ve had chicken feet at dim sum and it’s pretty good.
How have I managed to never hear about this?
Oooh! I love your celebrity for a date idea. Two hot guys, one stone. 😀
this is my favorite bachelor book by far
Great interview! But I was always a Han Solo girl. I’m old, too!
I’d have to say no to a ski trip. I walk with a cane to keep my balance. I’d start out with a total wipeout, not to mention what would happen to anyone in my way. lol. Sounds like a great series.
luck skywalker is untemporal^^ ( and so often dethroned by han^^)
thank you for the interview
Enjoyed the interview. Thanks.
I really liked Ella Grace from What A Bride Wants, so I’m looking forward to seeing her show up in Mardie’s book. LOL I also love this cover. Yum!
Two years later, I was a Han girl. Around about the time the empire struck back.
Thanks for the warm welcome, everyone, and to the lovely Kat for hosting!
That was a lovely and fun interview. Thanks for sharing.
Sounds like a fun story! Thanks for the entertaining interview and the giveaway.
My niece is a zookeeper in CT…she loves it! Can’t wait to read about your bachelor…it’s on my kindle!
Kelly, the book sounds interesting.
I agree with you about property would be the most expensive thing that I would buy if I won the lottery but I would also be buying airfare and cruises so I could see the world
Can’t wait to read this story!!! I’m loving this series!!! I always wanted to be a teacher since I was 4 or 5. I got to be one for 37 years! 🙂
I love the idea of a bachelor auction. Fun interview thank you.
Chicken feet? I didn’t even realize people ate those!
I LOVED reading What a Bachelor Needs. Great story!!! A Zookeeper…really? LOL that’s pretty cool. Great interview.
fun interview
Thank you for the interview. This sounds like it could have curves thrown in everywhere! It sounds fascinating! I’m putting it on my TBR list!
Hot cover!
It’s always fun to hear what people wanted to be when they were growing up, then compare it to what they actually end up doing. Author and zookeeper are pretty far apart!
Author and zookeeper are definitely very far apart. I also recall a wanting to be a ballerina phase. Missed that one by a mile.
Can’t wait to start reading these amazing books:)
I would buy property too!
Great interview! Thanks for the giveaway.