Mills & Boon novels were Julia James' first "grown-up" books she read as a teenager, and she's been reading them ever since.

She adores the Mediterranean and the English countryside in all its seasons and is fascinated by all things historical, from castles to cottages. In between writing she enjoys walking, gardening, needlework and baking "extremely gooey chocolate cakes" and trying to stay fit! Julia lives in England with her family.

Joss Wood wrote her first book at the age of eight and has never really stopped. Her passion for putting black letters on a white screen is only matched by her love of books and travelling (especially to the wild places of Southern Africa) and, possibly, by her hatred of ironing and making school lunches. Joss was a finalist in the Voice of Africa/Essentials magazine short story writing competition in 2010 and placed third in 2011. It was through this competition that her first book was brought to the notice of the Mills & Boon editors.

Joss has a background in business and marketing. When she's not writing or being a hands-on mum, Joss, fueled by coffee, works for a nonprofit organization to promote the local economic development and the collective business interests of the area where she resides. Her hobbies include coaching her young daughter's field hockey team, meeting her friends for a before-work cappuccino and an after-work cup of tea, and reading, reading, reading.

She is happiest with a rucksack on her back and an airplane ticket in her hand and has been fortunate enough to indulge her passion for travel by visiting many countries within Southern Africa, Europe and America. Joss lives in a rural town in the province of Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, in an area surrounded by wild-game farms and stunning mountains. It is not unusual for her to see rhinoceroses and giraffes, antelope and zebras while driving to have tea with her mother in a neighbouring town.

Joss lives with her husband, son and daughter - and their pets - happily and chaotically, surrounded by books, family and friends.