Hand around that bottle of fizz and bust that box of chocolates open cos today is the day The Country Girl hits shelves around the globe!

That means it’s time for you to discover cool secret things about the book and for me to waltz around the house drinking champagne and giggling a lot.

It’s also a day when I wax lyrical about how excited I am and what a ball I had writing the book. And yeah, I know, I say that all the time. But it’s true, it really is. I did have a ball writing this book.

It’s because of Tash. That girl just radiates happiness and it’s contagious. Little wonder Patrick can’t resist, no matter how crazy-hard he tries.

The Country Girl is a boy-next-door or friends-to-lovers romance that will wring out your heart, tingle your tastebuds and leave you sighing with happiness.

Grab your copy today from your favourite bookstore or chain, or order online from:

amazon.com | amazon.com.au | amazon.co.uk

iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Nook

Booktopia | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson Bookworld

And now, as has become tradition on release day, here are…

6 Secret Things About The Country Girl

1/. The Country Girl’s original title was…

Castlereagh Road, after the road Tash, Patrick and Maddy live on. Then I decided to call it Quarry Road, except that made it sound like a serial killer novel so I reverted to the original.

Unfortunately, Castlereagh Road didn’t appeal to my publisher, and with solid reason. It’s more like an historical novel’s title and would probably fit awkwardly on a rural romance cover. It doesn’t give the right feel for the book either.

After much brainstorming – and I mean MUCH – we settled on The Country Girl.

2/. The theme song for The Country Girl is…

Just Another Girl by The Killers.

It’s perfect for the book and for Patrick because no way in hell is Tash just another girl. She’s special. Bright, joyous, big-hearted and irresistible, and the perfect girl to heal his sore heart.

3/. The Country Girl had quite a long music playlist…

The longest since Rocking Horse Hill (which had a whopping 49 songs on its playlist). Usually my playlists hover around 4-6 songs, with one or two setting the theme, but it really does vary between books.

Other songs on The Country Girl’s playlist included:

When Love is Dying – Elton John and Leon Russell

Everytime – Broods

Look Up – The Finish and Toni Collette

Nature’s Law – Embrace

Try – Pink

Be Still – The Killers

Come Around Again – Jet

Run – Snow Patrol

It’s Beautiful – Spiderbait

Steal My Sunshine – Len

Le Manque a Donner – David Hallyday

Black – Pearl Jam

Can you guess which songs belong to Patrick and which are Tash’s?

4/. I came up with Tash’s character during…

a beautician’s appointment after a misunderstanding about… um… female pleasuring devices.

You can read the full tale in The Magic Bullet: The Story Behind The Country Girl.

5/. The horse Khan’s original name…

was Flash. I changed it because it rhymed too closely with Tash and there were too many -ashes going on.

I didn’t settle on Khan straight away though. For a while he was Prince, but that was a P word like Patrick and Pa, and had to go. I also liked Mr Bojangles but that was too close to Tash’s old pony Bubbles.

6/. I have made every one…

of the recipes mentioned in the book. Sadly not with the same success as Tash. But I tried!

I hope you enjoyed these revelations about The Country Girl. Here are those links again for you to grab your copy:

amazon.com | amazon.com.au | amazon.co.uk | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Nook | Booktopia | Dymocks | Angus & Robertson Bookworld

Thanks to everyone who has helped get The Country Girl onto shelves, including editors Rachael Donovan and Di Blacklock, all the amazing team at Harlequin, and my agent Clare Forster from Curtis Brown Australia.

Also to my writing buddies who are a delight and keep me from going potty when this writing biz threatens to send me bonkers. Last but never, ever least, thanks to my Jim. My rock and darling man.