Once upon a time, a friend told me that readers like series.
I’d always written standalones.
“Readers enjoy dipping in and out of the lives of characters they’ve already met”, they said.
So I girded my loins and decided to tackle a series. The Anderson Sisters. Two books. I’m not sure that actually counts as a series. The titles are Taylor’s Law and Grace Under Fire, but because I don’t want readers to feel they’ve been left hanging by a thread or one step from the edge of a cliff, they can each be read as standalones.
Have I said, I like standalones?
I decided to be bold for my next series and make it three books. I started with two sets of identical twins. Six individuals. One twin from each set fell in love with each other (Masquerade-Book 1), but the other twins found their true loves elsewhere (Quinn, by design-Book 2 & Betrayal-Book 3). The series is called Choosing Family.
I also started with the idea that life sometimes delivers thorns when you want roses, that is, you wake up to find yourself in a dysfunctional family. Families may have gone pear-shaped for any number of reasons—death, divorce, war, forced separation, ill-health, violence, poverty or just bad luck. But to balance that, all my books also offer examples of loving close families.
Yes, Virginia, there are happy families in the world.
In March 2025, I added A Just Man-Book 4 to the list. I had an idea looking for a home, and with some sleight of hand, it fitted the theme of Choosing Family.
And so we come to An Accidental Flatmate—Book 5 releasing on 8 July 2025. Although pre-orders are available now from your favourite bookseller.
Accident:
- an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury
- an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause
In this book, I opt for the second definition. Neither of the main characters intended to share an apartment. They each arrived believing it was empty. But, hey, now we’re here, let’s see what happens.
And without conscious thought—can I say that when I actually created these people?— they both come from biggish, loving families. An accident? Or kismet?
Casildo and Beatriz both love their families, but sometimes love comes with obligations. Many migrant families struggle to gain their feet in a new country. Parents may carry obligations to support other family in their home country, as well as helping their children to flourish in a new land. Children may feel responsible to help their parents when their peers have no such responsibilities. Love is complicated. That’s what An Accidental Flatmate is about.
But as I often say, I write romance, so I look for the triumph of love and loyalty.
I’m taking a break from the Choosing Family series. It may be permanent, or I may discover characters who insist on being part of that world. The current set includes:
Masquerade—Book 1 🔺 a masquerade, a road trip, a steamy attraction and Kate & Liam discover the steps they took to protect their hearts might break them🔻
Quinn, by design—Book 2 🔺antiques shop owner Lucy vs woodworker Niall, a debt vs a gift, opposites attract, and then there’s that will…🔻
Betrayal—Book 3 🔺accidental enemies Anna & Hunter, a shared project, explosive secrets, but passion has its own rules …🔻
A Just Man—Book 4 🔺Kelly & Mick, old enemies, job sharing, house sharing, unexpected lovers, until the present bears an eerie resemblance to the past .. 🔻
An Accidental Flatmate—Book 5 🔺Casildo & Beatriz, chance flatmates, friends to lovers, family expectations, and promises we come to regret … 🔻
My next book is a standalone entitled Finding Cleo. It’s set in Helsinki, Finland with Australian characters due for release in March 2026. More about it later. Plenty of time for you to pick up one of my earlier books, if you haven’t already, and let me know what you think.
You can find me and my books here: website FaceBook Instagram
Find me on
- Instagram https://www.instagram.com/romanceauthorjen/
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jenniferrainesauthor
- Goodreads—https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22577889.Jennifer_Raines
- Bookbub – https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jennifer-raines
- Diana Kathryn Penn’s Indie Reads Aloud podcast has recordings of me reading the opening 20 mins of my books:
- Betrayal—Choosing Family Book 3 (episode 212)
- Quinn, by design—Choosing Family Book 2 (episode 208)
- Masquerade—Choosing Family Book 1 (episode 188)
- Lela’s Choice (episode 143)
- Planting Hope (episode 101)
- The Anderson Sisters (episode 54 Taylor’s Law and 80 Grace Under Fire) http://www.dkpwriter.com/indie-reads-aloud-podcast.html
You can also contact me directly via the contact page on my website if you have any other questions.
Jennifer Raines 