Cordially Barbara

  • Coming Soon: Notes on Being Human
  • Spirit of Christmas: A Holiday Anthology
  • Teal Paisley Tights
  • Take a Right at the Mistletoe: A Very Vienna Christmas

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Pittsburgh’s White Whale Books & Coffee

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The White Whale Books & Coffee is a lovely bookstore completely dedicated to books, coffee, and sweets. What could be better? If you’re in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and you’d love to have a quick trip to a bookstore, White Whale Books & Coffee is the place to go.

Bloomfield is a quaint neighborhood with a number of fabulous shops, boutiques, and restaurants. White Whale is one of the many.

What I love about White Whale is that someone so clearly chose the style and design. It’s well-thought-out and so very loved. Every line, choice, and design seems to shout it from the roof. So, have you been yet?

White Whale Bookstore recently grew to become White Whale Books & Coffee, which means that this cozy, adorable bookstore is now offering your favorite caffeine choices as well as sweet snacks. Grab your book, coffee, snack, and a table for an afternoon of reading!

I loved that the shop was somewhat split between bookstore and coffee shop. While books are everywhere, it’s clear to see that one side is more meant for snacks and quiet chatter than the other.

White Whale offers more than just books — you can also buy cards, bags, t-shirts, and more. This is a spot to outfit your bookish friends with books and other paraphernalia!

But something I love best is that you can order your books online, pay, and pick-up. While I’m not neard White Whale Books & Coffee often, I was so excited to purchase a book online and then pick up in person to enjoy coffee and the bookstore vibe.

Have you been to White Whale Books & Coffee? If not, what’s stopping you?!

Cover Reveal: Take a Right at the Mistletoe AUDIOBOOK

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I never knew I’d love audiobook so much, but surprise! They are often the soundtrack to my life, and now, I’m so pumped to share that my Christmas novella will be joining the audiobook shelves! And this meant a new cover!

Each and every holiday season at Vienna’s Christmas market, Matilda bakes confections for holiday tourists and quirky locals alike. Looking to escape the market drama, she sets her heart on culinary school.

Dylan has come to Vienna and the market to recover from a career-upending mistake and to unearth new inspiration. But when he nitpicks Matilda’s marzipan, she hears fighting words and perhaps the key to her culinary school application. They strike a deal: he’ll taste test and she’ll show him around Vienna. With each new pastry experiment and Viennese adventure, their relationship sweetens.

But their relationship doesn’t seem written into life’s cookbook. Dylan can’t stay in Vienna, and Matilda has to follow her dreams, so it seems some ingredients just don’t belong together. And yet, their hearts have already committed. Will a Christmas filled with marzipan and mistletoe give them both what they want the most?

I can hardly wait until you can listen to this one via audiobook!

Clean Romances Do Relationship Better

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Do you believe that Clean Romances do RELATIONSHIP better? When I was discussing what clean romances do that readers enjoy so much, a few readers shared that they believe that clean romances do relationships better than spicy romances.* 

So let’s talk about WHY Clean Romances Do Relationships Better!

Clean Romances Do Relationship Better

A big difference between a Clean Romance and a Spicy Romance is the levels of physical intimacy. While a Clean Romance may have kissing, a Spicy Romance has kissing and much more. When the physical elements are removed from the story, the thrill and excitement must come from other story mechanics or relationship details.

Clean Romances rely on friendship, level of attraction, and story mechanics to move a relationship forward. Key moments may include the Meet Cute moment, the Real Life Emotional Intimacy moment, and Solve a Problem Together moment.

Meet Cute

Clean Romances spend more time on wholesome moments, and the Meet Cute not only shows off a physically attractive character, but it may also highlight a great characteristic. It’s the opportunity to see the hero be kind to someone … or maybe valiantly uphold a boundary with a bully. 

While the characters may experience a zing of attraction, it’s not just about that physicality.

Real Life Emotional Intimacy

“I think clean romances do relationships better because they have to focus on how the characters relate to each other instead of what they’re doing to each other.” – Karin Beery, Avoiding Marriage


Clean Romances lean on the characters’ ability to become emotionally vulnerable with one another. This intimacy can be just as exciting to readers as it moves the relationship forward as the characters understand one another better. It’s a heart-connecting moment.

The emotional moment of connection can be the turning point of the relationship.

Solve a Problem Together

Clean Romances further the connection between the couple by having them solve a problem together or sometimes separately (using something they’ve learned from the other). Nothing is quite like the energy of teamwork, especially when a couple is determining whether or not they can partner in life too.

The satisfaction of solving a problem together can bind a couple together and help them believe in their ability to do these things side by side.

So do you think Clean Romances do RELATIONSHIP better?

Newsy News!

Take a Right at the Mistletoe will be hitting audiobook shelves shortly, and I am beyond excited for this story to come to life through sound. Have you seen the reimagined book cover? 

Take a Right at the Mistletoe

Each and every holiday season at Vienna’s Christmas market, Matilda bakes confections for holiday tourists and quirky locals alike. Looking to escape the market drama, she sets her heart on culinary school.

Dylan has come to Vienna and the market to recover from a career-upending mistake and to unearth new inspiration. But when he nitpicks Matilda’s marzipan, she hears fighting words and perhaps the key to her culinary school application. They strike a deal: he’ll taste test and she’ll show him around Vienna. With each new pastry experiment and Viennese adventure, their relationship sweetens.

But their relationship doesn’t seem written into life’s cookbook. Dylan can’t stay in Vienna, and Matilda has to follow her dreams, so it seems some ingredients just don’t belong together. And yet, their hearts have already committed. Will a Christmas filled with marzipan and mistletoe give them both what they want the most?

Why do you love Clean Romance?