I thought that author, Kate Braden did a nice showing with her debut book. I liked the beautiful, snowy, remote mountains of Canada. It made for the perfect setting for this story. Although, I don't know if I could live there myself all year around. I am more of a warm person. I would never leave my home, I would want to sit by the fire drinking hot cocoa and reading books all day if I lived in Canada.
So I liked Cecily. She had this tough exterior that made me get attached to her. I like the tough women in stories. Ian was hot but he did lose some points with me on his grouchy attitude. I could have overlooked if for a little bit but it seemed to go on for a long time. The romance was fine. I liked that they did not fall all over each other right from the beginning. Although, when they finally hooked up to do the deed. It was almost half way into the story. It felt a little lackluster and clinical. This is not what you really want it to feel like with someone. There should be passion and love. Luckily the next time was better.
Author Bio:
Kara Braden makes her debut in modern romance with a story of love in isolation. She believes that engaging, romantic fantasy can be found everywhere in the world, even in the most unlikely places. With the support of her wonderful husband, cats, and dogs, she writes from her home office outside Phoenix, Arizona, where she spends her time hiding from the sunlight and heat.
What was the writing process like for The Longest Night?I’m a seat-of-the-pants writer. I get an idea for a starting point and characters, and then I just run with it. Sometimes it takes me someplace wonderful; sometimes, not so much.For me, it’s important to write realistic characters with believable motivations behind their actions. Starting with a solid, rational foundation lets me build a story that can go almost anywhere without breaking a reader’s suspension of disbelief.
Did the characters or the story come first?Actually, the setting came first. I live in Arizona, so I’m constantly daydreaming about places that don’t reach 120 degrees during August. When I got a request to write a story set in Canada, it was the perfect antidote to Arizona’s heat. Then I asked, "Who lives there?" and "Why?" and the rest of the story just wrote itself.
Did you picture any specific actors/celebrities when writing Cecily and Ian?I’ve got an entire inspiration board at Pinterest (http:/HYPERLINK "http://www.pinterest.com/KaraBraden/the-longest-night-july-2014/"/www.pinterest.com/KaraBraden/the-longest-night-july-2014/) where I collect ideas for books I’m writing as well as future sequels.
I imagined Cecily Knight to look like Katee Sackhoff from the Battlestar Galactica remake, only with red hair. Ian Fairchild looks like Leif Stacey, a model. Cecily’s best friend, Marguerite, is based on the gorgeous Gina Torres.
Do you have a favorite scene from The Longest Night?I loved writing their first kiss! Without giving away too many spoilers, their first kiss was in the most un-romantic situation—when they were out in the snow for a day of shooting and hiking—and it was still one of the sweetest kisses I’ve ever written. And then Cecily got to scold Ian for taking off his glove: "Idiot. Do you want frostbite? Put that back on."
What can readers expect from you next?The Deepest Night is another story of love in near-isolation. It’s about Preston’s business partner, Ray Powell, going back to his childhood vacation spot on the Isles of Scilly. There, he meets Michelle Cole, who’s been asked to check out the bed and breakfast that her best friend recently inherited. When Ray becomes her unexpected guest at the B&B, sparks fly—literally, in the case of the day he tried to cook bacon and forgot it on the stove.
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