Blog Tour: A Week to Be Wild - JC Harroway (Guest Post: Writing Contemporary Settings)

I'm thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour to celebrate the release of one of the first books in the new Mills & Boon Dare range, A Week to be Wild by JC Harroway. I have a fab guest post from JC to share with you but first let me give you a bit more information about the book!

A daring game of temptation

She’ll play his game―but only by her rules!

Alex Lancaster is an adrenaline junkie. He’s also a sexy British billionaire who should come with his own warning signs. When Libby insists she is done with men who live on the edge, Alex coaxes her out of her comfort zone―professionally and very, very personally. Libby’s taking a high-stakes gamble, but the pay-off could win her everything…

Visit JC Harroway's website for more information

Doesn't it sound awesome! Now I'm going to hand over to JC Harroway for this fab guest post about giving stories contemporary settings:

Writing Contemporary Settings

by JC Harroway

London, Paris, New York- the iconic cities we love provide the perfect backdrop to the intense, passionate relationships at the heart of every DARE story and pave the way to a whirlwind romance of all our wildest fantasies. These vibrant settings are rich with possibility when it comes to DARE characters, who can come from any walk of life. But How does a contemporary setting build on the DARE promise?

• The sophisticated locations-be it glamorous nightclubs, swanky hotels or fast-paced corporate office blocks-provide the tantalizing sizzle of an ultra-contemporary romance. With DARE, we view life well and truly in the fast lane! Dare characters are successful, affluent and want life on their terms.
• Of course alongside this high octane living, our characters face real world problems relevant to modern life-career crises, family dynamic dramas or personal problems, Dare heroes and heroines have a lot to contend with.
• Of course the biggest issue they face is the romantic relationship itself, and here the contemporary setting comes into play, perfectly. Setting evokes mood, be it a tryst in a dark intimate corner of an elegant restaurant, or an illicit encounter in a deserted boardroom late at night with the city lights spread out below.
• The iconic landmarks of famous cities not only ground the reader in time and place, they allow the characters to do something ordinary, but with a twist, of course-a meet cute when cell phone dies seconds before capturing the view of the London Eye, a love scene back dropped by a view of the Eiffel tower through a hotel room window, or a getting to know you scene while playing tourists, especially if one of the characters is from out of town.
• Back to nature. Of course, our characters need a daily dose of vitamin D and exploring the great outdoors can be fun, too. Whether it's cruising the Thames or the Seine, viewing the city from a helicopter ride or jogging in Central Park, the opportunities for flirty fun and games are endless.
• Contemporary settings allow for fast paced action, intensely passionate love affairs and the ups and downs of daily life. Who wouldn't want to visit London's highest restaurant or attend a wedding at a boutique winery…?
• Making the most of a contemporary setting means employing the senses- the hoot and rumble of city traffic, the bump and jostle of a crowded street, the breathtaking city views from the top of a skyscraper.

All this glamour and sophistication helps to fan the chemistry between the hero and heroine to the max and we, the readers, have a ring side seat as they are swept along into one sexy, passionate and bold journey.

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Thanks for stopping by JC, I love getting to explore different cities through stories, books can be a great way to travel without leaving home LOL.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the posts on the blog tour too!