Uncaged: You write in a wide variety of genres, from historical to young adult and romantic comedy. The one common theme that connects them all is romance. Can you tell us a bit more about your latest book, Charming the Runaway Duke?
I do write in several subgenres of romance, but whether they are contemporary rom-coms, high school love stories, or historical regency romps, all of my books tend to be lighthearted and sweet. Charming the Runaway Duke is a perfect example of that style. A regency Christmas novella, it’s a feel-good romp that I hoped would be a quick escape for readers during the hectic chaos that surrounds the holidays.
Uncaged: You recently released a young adult book, Playing the Enemy – which is set as book one in a series. Can you tell us more about that book? How many books are you planning for that series?
Playing the Enemy is the first of a multi-author YA project. The series, The Trouble with Tomboys, is now complete with three books, although the other authors and I are already plotting a spinoff series in that same world. This was such a fun project to work on! Each heroine in the series is a skilled athlete trying to find her place in the world (and in her high school.) I love writing strong, confident female characters and these heroines are as feisty as they come!
Uncaged: What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
So many projects! I’m launching three new series in early 2020. The first is a sweet small-town rom-com series starting with Fake Dating the Unsuspecting Heiress. For YA romance, I’m getting ready to release my first interconnected duet, which has been a whole new challenge for me. The first book, Charming the Cheerleader, goes live at the end of January. For historicals, I’ll be launching a new series called School of Charm in May.
Read the rest of the interview in the issue of Uncaged Book Reviews below
Maggie Dallen is a big city girl living in Montana. She writes adult and young adult romantic comedies in a range of genres. An unapologetic addict of all things romance, she loves to connect with fellow avid readers.
maggiedallen.com
Charming the Cheerleader
Maggie Dallen
Young Adult/Romantic Comedy
Will the new guy in school be the one to win the bet and thaw the ice queen? Maybe. But only if he doesn’t fall for her first.
Conner and his stepsister are new to town, new to Talmore High, and very new to this whole step-sibling situation. As of three weeks ago they were only children…and now? Well, now their parents’ newly wedded bliss is wreaking havoc with both of their lives.
Not that Conner is worried. He might be the new kid but he’s never had a problem being the big man on campus. Until now. No one at this school seems to have gotten the memo that he’s beloved. The girls aren’t swooning and the guys are looking for any excuse to kick his butt back to California. When his stepsister throws out the challenge, it’s a no brainer. If he can make head cheerleader Rosalie “The Ice Queen” Farlow fall at this feet, he’ll have it all.
But then again, if he wins the bet…he’ll lose her. And what’s the use of having it all if he loses the only thing that matters?Â
Excerpt
If I’d thought my day might turn around with some greasy cafeteria food and a whole lot of stares and attention from my peers, I was wrong. True to his word, Lars had fetched me from class and led me to the cafeteria, sitting next to me at a table in the back.
Great, not only was I the new kid, I was now the new kid who was friends with the class loser. That was the only explanation for why Lars found a spot in social Siberia and why no one came over to join us.
But that was fine. I mean, Lars might have been an odd duck—no, scratch that. He was definitely an odd duck, no ‘might have beens’ about it. His big bulging eyes were too interested, too eager, too…excited. Like I was his shiny new toy and he couldn’t wait to dissect me and check out my innards.
He was kind of creepy, to be honest.
What had my life become that I’d gone from the king of my former to school to this?
But whatever, it was just a matter of time, right? I’d never started over at a new school before but my bet was, this was totally normal. To be expected, really.
I was ignoring Lars’ neverending questions and eyeing the cafeteria trying to get a sense for the social hierarchy when I spotted Harley hovering with her tray near the front of the line, eyeing the crowded room like she was about to forge into battle.
I raised a hand and flagged her down. Relief flickered across her features before she clearly remembered that she didn’t like me.
That was fine. Join the club.
