Amy Andrews is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling, triple RITA nominated Aussie author who has written eighty contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets and sold over 3 million books. Her books bring all the feels from sass and quirk and laughter to emotional grit to panty-melting heat. She loves frequent travel, good books and great booze although she’ll take mediocre booze if there’s nothing else. For many, many years she was a registered nurse. Which means she knows things. Anatomical things. And she’s not afraid to use them! She’s just moved back to her central Queensland roots taking a sea change in the pretty little coastal town of Yeppoon where she gets to stare at the ocean all day.

Your 80th book, Playing with Trouble, comes out on 30 November, What was the inspiration for the story?
There wasn’t really any inspiration as such. My editor Liz wanted me to do a crossover book between my Credence, Colorado series and my Sydney Smoke rugby series to entice those readers who’d only read one of the series to read the other. We hashed out a plot of an injured Smoke rugby player going to the US to lick his wounds and winding up in Credence at Wade (hero in bk #1 of Credence series: Nothing But Trouble (Credence, Colorado Book 1)) Carter’s house. He thought he was going to be there alone only to discover he has to share the house with the woman who’s been employed to do a special renovation project, her four year old son and a pet chameleon called Carl. So there’s all the characters from Credence in there and the introduction of an American rugby player who will be heading into the Sydney Smoke world!

Out of all your books, which one is closest to your heart?
Ha! That can change from day to day – I’m so fickle. And I could say all of them because they are each my favourites for different reasons. But I’ve always said that the first book I wrote at 22 is my fave because its rejection is what spurred me on to be an author, to prove to Harlequin that I would write a book they wanted to publish if it killed me. Rejection made me bloody minded. Of course that book is terrible and will never see the light of day but without it, I wouldn’t be 80 books into my career. I did write a medical romance early in my career – How To Mend A Broken Heart – that does hold a special place as the themes in that were very much a reflection of some of the situations I’d dealt with during my nursing career.

Who is your perfect movie or tv hero? And why?
Oh gosh – this is where I come across as terribly daggy and old fashioned because whilst I appreciate eye candy, I’m usually more into guys who aren’t necessarily the sex symbol or playing the he-man. I’m not into superhero stuff or fantasy worlds and tend to usually go for the wise cracking best friend – particularly if he’s geeky, a little overweight and possibly bald. Having said that I think probably Jamie Fraser is the perfect hero. Honourable, dedicated, protective. Would slay any enemy to keep his woman/his kin safe. But has a conscience and an innate sense of fairness and justice. Also…looks hot in a kilt.

Which 5 people would you invite to a dinner party and why?
Idris Elba – do I need to explain why???  (I told you I appreciated eye candy)
Nora Roberts – so I could pick her brains and maybe have some of that star dust brush off on me!
Michelle Obama – because I find her utterly fascinating!
Dr Anthony Fauci – because if anyone needs a few hours of R&R with some good food and even better booze its him!
My mum – just to see her one more time

Other than books, what is one item you can’t resist buying?
I love poking around in antique shops and buying old glass stuff particularly if its colourful. See – daggy and old fashioned.

Blurb of Playing with Trouble

From pro rugby player to…manny?

Australian rugby pro Cole Hauser has had enough of speculations about his future post-injury. So when a football buddy puts his house in America at Cole’s disposal, he jumps at the chance for some peace and anonymity. The plan is perfect—until he discovers he’s roomies with a woman who knows how to wield a nail gun and her kid. Awesome. Not.

Single mom Jane Spencer is supposed to be spending four weeks alone in the wilds of Colorado rehabbing a house that’ll put her business on the map. Instead, her time is overrun by her four-year-old and a grumpy, too-sexy rugby dude whose only goals are to watch ESPN and brood. Awesome. Not.

When, surprisingly, McHottie offers to get his ass off the couch and help Jane out with Finn, she’s hesitant. But before she knows it, Cole is knee-deep in kid activities during the day and they’re both fighting their simmering attraction at night.

Anything between them can only be temporary – their time together is short and Cole lives on the other side of the planet. It should be easy to say goodbye, right? Wrong. It doesn’t take long for them to realize they’ve borrowed a whole lot of trouble.

But trouble never felt this good.

Buy Playing with Trouble here (Amazon Affiliated Link)