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Kick Off the Summer Holidays with Two Books from USA Today Bestselling Series!! Enter for a chance to win the bestselling Seabreeze Inn and Coral Cottage paperback book plus a tote bag with surprise swag! Get a free ebook when you join Jan's VIP group on her website. Be sure to share for more chances to win!

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If you're in San Diego, I'm giving a talk on Monday, May 12th, at 6:30 p.m. at Marla Haas Community Room on my newest beach release, Seabreeze Library. I'll answer questions and sign books afterward. The talk is free to attend, see flyer attached for more details. Get your questions ready and see you there!

What: The Friends of the Point Loma/Hervey Library present: Author Talk, Seabreeze Library with Jan Moran

When: Monday, May 12, 2025 �� 6:30pm

Where: Marla Haas Community Room

Jan Moran is a 5-time Wall Street Journal Top Ten Fiction and a 9-time USA Today bestselling author of 30+ heartfelt women’s fiction series, beach reads, family sagas, and romantic 20th- century historical novels. Her family sagas include Hepburn's Necklace, The Chocolatier and The Winemakers. Her contemporary beach series include Crown Island and the Coral Cottage, while the Summer Beach series has been optioned for television.

Seabreeze Library �� As Ivy Bay and her sister Shelly breathe new life into the historic Seabreeze Inn when a visitor arrives in a vintage bookmobile. Who is this newcomer, and what stories does she bring? While Ivy lobbies the Summer Beach council and her husband at the helm for a new community library, the inn's renovation reveals a secret that will change everything they imagined.

�� Discover the most anticipated indie releases of April & May—now on BN.com! 📚��

Your next favorite indie author is waiting—who’s on your must-read list? 👀 Drop your recs in the comments! 🤗 #IndieAuthors #TBR
Find the collection here! 👉

Featured titles include:

💙The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose
🤍 Protecting Maggie by Susan Stoker
💛 The Elusive Earl by Grace Burrowes
🤍 Speak of the Devil by Christine Pope
💙 Want by Chelle Bliss
🤍 A Cowboy's Trust by Vivian Arend
💛 Fishing & Forgery by Lucinda Race
🤍 The Icarus Coda by Timothy Zahn
💙 When She Was Gone by Sara Foster
🤍 Slip by L. Ryan Storms
💛 Love, Lies, and Whiskey: Doc Whiskey by Melissa Foster
💙

�� Discover the most anticipated indie releases of April & May—now on BN.com! 📚��

Your next favorite indie author is waiting—who’s on your must-read list? 👀 Drop your recs in the comments! 🤗 #IndieAuthors #TBR
Find the collection here! 👉

Featured titles include:

💙The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose
🤍 Protecting Maggie by Susan Stoker
💛 The Elusive Earl by Grace Burrowes
🤍 Speak of the Devil by Christine Pope
💙 Want by Chelle Bliss
🤍 A Cowboy's Trust by Vivian Arend
💛 Fishing & Forgery by Lucinda Race
🤍 The Icarus Coda by Timothy Zahn
💙 When She Was Gone by Sara Foster
🤍 Slip by L. Ryan Storms
💛 Love, Lies, and Whiskey: Doc Whiskey by Melissa Foster
💙

The wait is over��! 🎉

Return to the charming town of , where love, mystery, and second chances are waiting to be discovered–along with bookmobiles, hidden treasures, and new characters. This heartfelt new story is now available, and I can't wait for you to dive in!

If you love uplifting, feel-good stories filled with unforgettable characters and a setting that feels like home, this book is for you! Look for it at your favorite��.

�� Read an exclusive excerpt below ��

I hope you love this new story as much as I loved writing it. I’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to comment and let me know what you think!

��

A mysterious guest. A seaside renovation. And the quest to reopen a library��

As Ivy Bay and her sister Shelly breathe new life into the Seabreeze Inn, an unexpected visitor rolls into town—driving a charming, book-filled bus. But who is this intriguing newcomer, and what stories does she bring?

While Ivy lobbies against her husband for a new town library, the renovation reveals a secret that will change everything they imagined.

Escape to Summer Beach, where friendships bloom, love lingers in the sunshine, and a touch of mystery keeps everyone guessing.

Dive into the next heartwarming chapter of the beloved Seabreeze Inn series!��Find out why readers say, “Life is better in Summer Beach.�� From a USA Today bestselling author.

Genres: Clean & wholesome romance; women's fiction; family life, sisters & siblings.

I promise you’ll be interested in this, Nan had told her, refusing to say anything else until Ivy arrived. She wondered what Nan had put aside for her at Antique Times in the village. Likely, it had to do with the renovation of the Seabreeze Inn. She’d been searching for vintage fixtures and parts for replacements.

Ivy walked toward the stucco façade ablaze with flaming pink bougainvillea flowers fluttering over the doorway. Once inside, the scent of lavender potpourri emanated from a crystal bowl warmed under a Victorian lamp.

Her friend looked up from the glass countertop she was cleaning.

“Hi, Nan. What treasures did you find for me?��

Nan hurried to greet her, her red curls fairly bobbing with excitement. “I have it right here.�� She opened an old scrapbook and pointed to a yellowed article. “Read that.��

Ivy inclined her head. “But I thought you might have crystal doorknobs or light fixtures for me.��

“Trust me, this is what you really want to see,�� Nan replied, tapping the article.

Her husband emerged from the office and greeted her. With his English accent and proclivity for Hawaiian shirts, Arthur was a delightful addition to Summer Beach. He gestured to the snipped column. “Go on, read it.��

“Just a moment.�� Ivy couldn’t imagine why they were staring at her with such rounded eyes. She brought her orange butterfly-print reading glasses from her straw tote and peered at the old article.

In an instant, she realized why they’d called her.

Her chest tightened, and she could hardly believe what she was reading. “Why have I never heard anything about this?�� She looked up at the proprietors of the shop.

“Well, it was a long time ago,�� Nan replied. “That article is from early 1939.��

“A century-ish ago now,�� Arthur added, his eyes sparkling behind his glasses. “It was another time, yet in many ways, not so very different from our own. People don’t change much.��

Nan clasped her hands. “They still love to read.��

Ivy tucked her hair behind an ear and reread the short piece. “This reports that Amelia Erickson had plans to build a library here. What exactly did that mean?�� Mildly frustrated, Ivy blew out a puff of air.

Why hadn’t the journalist been more specific? Ideally, Ivy needed a location, plans, and a large bag of gold coins hidden under a mattress.

Arthur flipped through the old file of articles he and his wife had collected in their research on Summer Beach. “Amelia Erickson was quite civic-minded. Remember how she spoke of purchasing the defunct Seabreeze Shores Airfield?�� He tapped an article. “It’s right here. She planned to dedicate that land for a community park.��

“And now it is,�� Ivy said. Not long ago, the residents of Summer Beach came together for that effort. “Does she mention a library in that piece?��

Arthur shook his smoothly shaven head. “Sadly, no.��

A strange sense of energy sizzled through Ivy. She shivered slightly, even though it was a warm spring day in the small beach town. Yet, this feeling was also familiar, especially when she stumbled on one of Amelia Erickson’s unfinished projects. The woman’s presence still infused the old inn once known as Las Brisas del Mar, which had been her beach home. Everyone felt it, including her sister Shelly, their niece Poppy, and her daughters Sunny and Misty.

Occasionally, even guests.

Still, Ivy wasn’t ready to admit that publicly, as that would brand the Seabreeze Inn as haunted. She had worked too hard to revive the old property her late husband intended for his mistress for people to fear visiting.

Nan touched Ivy’s hand. “We thought you might like to know. Maybe you can sway the mayor with this information.��

Ivy smiled at the idea. “I wish it worked like that, but my husband is committed to doing what’s best for Summer Beach. That includes fiscal responsibility.��

Arthur chuckled. “Indeed he does. I remember when Bennett blocked your application to turn the old house into a bed-and-breakfast.��

Nan joined him in laughter. “It took a natural disaster to convince him that time. The two of you might never have fallen in love if he hadn’t been forced to relocate to the inn after the fire.��

“It was something like that,�� Ivy said, smiling. “I hope funding a new library doesn’t take another disaster.��

“Faulty wiring destroyed the old one,�� Arthur said, shaking his head.

That occurred late last year. Ivy had taken it upon herself to return the community’s support of the inn by welcoming former library patrons to its public spaces. Meanwhile, she had been lobbying the city for a replacement library.

So far, she had failed, and that was a sore point between her and her husband. But she wasn’t giving up.

“Everyone misses gathering at the library,�� Arthur said. “Small as it was, it was important to people of all ages. After all, what’s a town without a library for books and news and a place to meet without the admission price of a cup of coffee?��

The wait is over��! 🎉

Return to the charming town of , where love, mystery, and second chances are waiting to be discovered–along with bookmobiles, hidden treasures, and new characters. This heartfelt new story is now available, and I can't wait for you to dive in!

If you love uplifting, feel-good stories filled with unforgettable characters and a setting that feels like home, this book is for you! Look for it at your favorite��.

�� Read an exclusive excerpt below! ��

I hope you love this new story as much as I loved writing it. I’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to comment and let me know what you think!

A mysterious guest. A seaside renovation. And the quest to reopen a library��

As Ivy Bay and her sister Shelly breathe new life into the Seabreeze Inn, an unexpected visitor rolls into town—driving a charming, book-filled bus. But who is this intriguing newcomer, and what stories does she bring?

While Ivy lobbies against her husband for a new town library, the renovation reveals a secret that will change everything they imagined.

Escape to Summer Beach, where friendships bloom, love lingers in the sunshine, and a touch of mystery keeps everyone guessing.

Dive into the next heartwarming chapter of the beloved Seabreeze Inn series!��Find out why readers say, “Life is better in Summer Beach.�� From a USA Today bestselling author.

Genres: Clean & wholesome romance; women's fiction; family life, sisters & siblings.

I promise you’ll be interested in this, Nan had told her, refusing to say anything else until Ivy arrived. She wondered what Nan had put aside for her at Antique Times in the village. Likely, it had to do with the renovation of the Seabreeze Inn. She’d been searching for vintage fixtures and parts for replacements.

Ivy walked toward the stucco façade ablaze with flaming pink bougainvillea flowers fluttering over the doorway. Once inside, the scent of lavender potpourri emanated from a crystal bowl warmed under a Victorian lamp.

Her friend looked up from the glass countertop she was cleaning.

“Hi, Nan. What treasures did you find for me?��

Nan hurried to greet her, her red curls fairly bobbing with excitement. “I have it right here.�� She opened an old scrapbook and pointed to a yellowed article. “Read that.��

Ivy inclined her head. “But I thought you might have crystal doorknobs or light fixtures for me.��

“Trust me, this is what you really want to see,�� Nan replied, tapping the article.

Her husband emerged from the office and greeted her. With his English accent and proclivity for Hawaiian shirts, Arthur was a delightful addition to Summer Beach. He gestured to the snipped column. “Go on, read it.��

“Just a moment.�� Ivy couldn’t imagine why they were staring at her with such rounded eyes. She brought her orange butterfly-print reading glasses from her straw tote and peered at the old article.

In an instant, she realized why they’d called her.

Her chest tightened, and she could hardly believe what she was reading. “Why have I never heard anything about this?�� She looked up at the proprietors of the shop.

“Well, it was a long time ago,�� Nan replied. “That article is from early 1939.��

“A century-ish ago now,�� Arthur added, his eyes sparkling behind his glasses. “It was another time, yet in many ways, not so very different from our own. People don’t change much.��

Nan clasped her hands. “They still love to read.��

Ivy tucked her hair behind an ear and reread the short piece. “This reports that Amelia Erickson had plans to build a library here. What exactly did that mean?�� Mildly frustrated, Ivy blew out a puff of air.

Why hadn’t the journalist been more specific? Ideally, Ivy needed a location, plans, and a large bag of gold coins hidden under a mattress.

Arthur flipped through the old file of articles he and his wife had collected in their research on Summer Beach. “Amelia Erickson was quite civic-minded. Remember how she spoke of purchasing the defunct Seabreeze Shores Airfield?�� He tapped an article. “It’s right here. She planned to dedicate that land for a community park.��

“And now it is,�� Ivy said. Not long ago, the residents of Summer Beach came together for that effort. “Does she mention a library in that piece?��

Arthur shook his smoothly shaven head. “Sadly, no.��

A strange sense of energy sizzled through Ivy. She shivered slightly, even though it was a warm spring day in the small beach town. Yet, this feeling was also familiar, especially when she stumbled on one of Amelia Erickson’s unfinished projects. The woman’s presence still infused the old inn once known as Las Brisas del Mar, which had been her beach home. Everyone felt it, including her sister Shelly, their niece Poppy, and her daughters Sunny and Misty.

Occasionally, even guests.

Still, Ivy wasn’t ready to admit that publicly, as that would brand the Seabreeze Inn as haunted. She had worked too hard to revive the old property her late husband intended for his mistress for people to fear visiting.

Nan touched Ivy’s hand. “We thought you might like to know. Maybe you can sway the mayor with this information.��

Ivy smiled at the idea. “I wish it worked like that, but my husband is committed to doing what’s best for Summer Beach. That includes fiscal responsibility.��

Arthur chuckled. “Indeed he does. I remember when Bennett blocked your application to turn the old house into a bed-and-breakfast.��

Nan joined him in laughter. “It took a natural disaster to convince him that time. The two of you might never have fallen in love if he hadn’t been forced to relocate to the inn after the fire.��

“It was something like that,�� Ivy said, smiling. “I hope funding a new library doesn’t take another disaster.��

“Faulty wiring destroyed the old one,�� Arthur said, shaking his head.

That occurred late last year. Ivy had taken it upon herself to return the community’s support of the inn by welcoming former library patrons to its public spaces. Meanwhile, she had been lobbying the city for a replacement library.

So far, she had failed, and that was a sore point between her and her husband. But she wasn’t giving up.

“Everyone misses gathering at the library,�� Arthur said. “Small as it was, it was important to people of all ages. After all, what’s a town without a library for books and news and a place to meet without the admission price of a cup of coffee?��

��

About the book:

The��Seabreeze Innis ready to welcome guests for a grand harvest celebration, unveiling the vintage beach house's stunning renovations for the season’s most anticipated gathering. Locals and returning guests come together for an unforgettable evening filled with warmhearted traditions.

But just as the festivities begin, unexpected surprises threaten to derail the celebration.��With her reputation and the inn’s future on the line, can Ivy and Bennett salvage the��event before it’s too late? Or will this night be remembered for all the wrong reasons?

Join Ivy, the Bay family, and Summer Beach residents for a heartwarming, feel good beach story of��romance, friendship, resilience, and the power of second chances. Perfect for fans of small-town romance and seaside escapes!

One of my most requested recipes is one that my friend Aly from New Zealand often whips up in honor of blazing sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. In fact, this recipe inspired the name of the Seabreeze Inn novel, and in the series, sisters Ivy and Shelly Bay are often found mixing �� virgin or fully loaded, as we say. Whichever your preference, these yummy, colorful juice cocktails or mocktails are a treat on warm days. Cheers!

Just in case you can't read the image above, here are the recipes from :

Compliments of Ivy and Shelly Bay

Sea Breeze and Bay Breeze Coolers are refreshing tonics that conjure beachside sunsets. These fruit juice blends are just as yummy without alcohol, too. Adjust the ratios of juices for taste as desired

4 oz. cranberry juice drink

1 oz. ruby red grapefruit juice drink

1 oz. vodka (optional)

Lime wedges

Mix together juices and add vodka if desired. Serve in a chilled glass with a wedge of lime over ice. Squeeze the lime into the juice for extra tartness.

Serving suggestions: This juice cocktail is a refreshing pop of color at summer parties. Serve in mason jars, highball glasses, or any unusual glassware.

Note: The original Sea Breeze recipe is thought to have originated in the 1920s, possibly at The Savoy hotel in London. Made with gin, apricot brandy, grenadine, and lemon juice, it was quite different.

3 oz. cranberry juice drink

3 oz. pineapple juice

1 oz. vodka (optional)

Lime wedges

Similar to the Sea Breeze, the Bay Breeze packs a cool tropical punch. Mint makes a refreshing garnish.

Of course, always drink responsibly and don’t drive and drink.

Here in San Diego, spring is in the air, and my lettuce is thriving in the garden, as long as my midnight snail raids remain effective. (Poor little devils, but a girl's gotta eat!) To me, the change of seasons signals a time for fresh starts and new discoveries.

Such as limited-time 99-cent deals you might not find anywhere else. Read on to see the Top 10 list below and discover new authors and other books from those you know.

It's never been a better time for heartwarming stories. To that end, a few of my author friends and I put together 10 sweet, feel-good escapes we think you’ll love. Click below to unwrap this month’s special bookish treats.

But hurry, these deals are good for just a few days–the weekend of March 28-30, 2025 only.

Some books are exclusive deals, and some are available at certain online retailers. Be sure to check each link or book cover image below. Here's the list of 10 sweet reads for you:

��

At any time in your life have you ever had to reimagine your path and make tough choices? I certainly have, so I love including women who do just that in sweeping family sagas. Fierce mothers, strong yet vulnerable, willing to stop at nothing to protect those they love. And their grand loves are silver-screen worthy��

I invite you to step into the lives of five extraordinary women in stories often inspired by real events as they navigate love, family, and necessary ambition across breathtaking settings—from the sun-drenched shores of Italy to the lush vineyards of Napa and beyond.

This filled with passion, resilience, and the power of reinvention.

📚 Included in this bundle:

✔️ The Chocolatier �� A journey of family discovery, love, and chocolate-making from Italy to San Francisco
✔️ Hepburn’s Necklace �� A dual timeline present day/mid-century love story plays out in the golden era of Hollywood set on the sparkling Italian coast
✔️ The Winemakers �� A high-stakes story of family secrets, high drama, and romance set in Tuscany and Napa Valley
✔️ The Perfumer �� A riveting story of resilience and passion from Paris to California at the height of WWII
✔️ Life is a Cabernet �� A heartwarming companion novella to The WInemakers set in the vineyards of Napa Valley

If you love historical sagas that transport you to another time and place, this collection is for you.

Readers are calling these “un-put-downable�� and “like a cozy getaway in book form.�� Receive all these books in a special value bundle in my shop. If you've started the series, pick up the ones you haven't read. Use 10JANOFF for a 10% discount!

Read on for an excerpt from Hepburn's Necklace, featuring our heroine Arianna and her indomitable grandmother, Ruby Raines, a reader-favorite character!

Ruby stepped as close to the rocky point as she dared, taking quiet joy in overlooking the shimmering, deep blue water that filled the verdant fjord stretching before her. To the north soared snow-capped Italian and Swiss peaks. On either side of the lake, palms, firs, and mulberry trees clustered in villages tucked at the base of steeply sloping hillsides, where yellow daffodils and violet crocuses bloomed in abundance.��

Ruby lifted her chin to the breeze the locals called��Breva, Lake Como’s afternoon winds from the south. She ran a hand over her dark red, shoulder-length coiffure. Though she had a top stylist who faithfully matched her trademark color, her hair was hardly the luxuriant, glossy mane that had earned her childhood nickname.��

As a girl, her hair was so dark and shiny her mother called it ruby. The name stuck because Lucille Eunice was too long to call out. For her stage name, Ruby adopted her mother’s maiden name of Raines. She’d thought it sounded so fancy and elegant—and her talent agent had thought her surname of Smith was too ordinary for an actress.

While the small, private tour group of retired film actors chattered on behind her, she folded an arm across her torso, recalling the feeling of Niccolò’s arms twined around her as they’d stood on this very spot in Bellagio. His strong hands had spanned her narrow waist. At the memory, a fine, exquisite feeling filled her chest. Her love for him had never wavered, never dimmed.

This type of love was all that Ruby wished for her niece Ariana. Yet, Ruby feared Ariana might not have the chance.��

My dearest, my Niccolò.��They had met in the summer of 1952 on the set of��Roman Holiday, which remained her favorite film. The story of an independent-thinking, runaway princess who scorns her duties for a magical escape in Rome and a taste of true love never grew old. That film had made Audrey Hepburn a star and, in a roundabout way, launched Ruby’s career in film as well.

Placing her hand over the hollow of her neck, she caressed the worn silver pendant that Audrey had given her. Ruby had been moved by her generosity, though that wasn’t the primary reason she’d cherished it.��

That summer was imprinted on a movie reel in her brain—quite apart from the film shown in theaters.

It was June of 1952����

Wearing a full, sky-blue skirt with a crisp white shirt and a jaunty scarf at her neck—compliments of the wardrobe supervisor—Ruby stretched out her legs on the Spanish Steps in Rome. The Hassler, a grand hotel where Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, and Eddie Albert were staying, loomed above the steep stone steps.

In the summer heat, Ruby rolled her sleeves high on her arms as the wardrobe assistant had instructed and tried to focus on the script in her lap. She had to memorize the lines for her short scene.��

Ruby rubbed her stomach, which was tied up in knots as tight as the bowlines her father had taught her to tie on the ranch back in Texas. Here she was, living the dream she’d imagined.��A real speaking part in a film in Italy!��She could hardly believe her good fortune. Ruby had her mother to thank for this adventure.

Just below her in the piazza, Mr. Wyler and his assistant director conferred. Miss Hepburn and Mr. Peck were relaxing between takes while their hair and makeup were being refreshed. Grips and gaffers adjusted equipment and lighting. Above them, people watched from railings, and smoke from their cigarettes curled into the warm air. Their chatter would be silenced when filming began again.

A shadow crossed her script.

��Buongiorno,��Signorina.��

Ruby shielded her eyes and looked up into a pair of incredible blue eyes rimmed with thick, dark lashes and a slash of eyebrows. With sculpted cheekbones and shiny dark hair that framed a strong face, he was the most breathtakingly beautiful man she’d ever seen.

“Hi,�� she managed to say as her throat constricted.��

��Americana?��

“I’m a Texan. The state used to be a republic. For ten years.�� Silently, she chastised herself.��Why did I say that?��She’d been as nervous as a cottontail rabbit ever since she’d arrived in Rome.

A smile played on his full lips. “I’m Niccolò. Do you mind if I sit with you? We can rehearse together,�� he added, opening a copy of the script.

“Ruby. Pleased to meet you.�� His melodic voice made her toes curl with pleasure. “Where did you learn English so well?�� she asked.

“I learned a little from my parents, but mostly at the cinema, American films, English films. I love the magical way they make you feel. I’ve wanted to act—and maybe write—for as long as I can remember. Maybe we’re alike that way.�� He touched her shoulder as he spoke. “And now, here we are, part of that magic, too.��

She nodded, barely able to speak. What Niccolò said was exactly what she felt in the depths of her soul, too. “So much alike.��