Author Spotlight: Jillian David Is Back with a New Alaska Romance & a Giveaway!

Cheri J, you are the winner of the 3-book print set of Yukon, Alaska, and BN100, you are the winner of the 3-book digital set of Yukon, Alaska. Jillian will be in touch with you after she gets back from a trip. Congratulations to both our winners! Thanks for stopping by!

What fun to welcome fellow Tule author, Jillian David back to the Spotlight!  I love, love her website tag line, “Jillian David: romance, adventure, and suspense – just what the doctor ordered!” And it is sooo true!

Award-winning and bestselling author Jillian David quickly writes then slowly edits medical romance, paranormal romance, and romantic suspense books. She loves to use medical situations and characters to drive drama in her books. Her favorite cell is the platelet and her least-favorite organ is the pancreas. She fully believes that curse words, when appropriately deployed during surgery, are hemostatic. Which also explains why no book of hers will ever bleed out …

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Hi, Nan. Thank you for hosting me on your author spotlight!

I wanted to share with your readers an exclusive excerpt from my newest book, Five Alarm Love. It’s a friends-to-lovers medical romance story for the ages, set in the rugged wilderness of Alaska. For so many reasons, it was one of the hardest books I’ve written to date, and I’m told it really punches readers in the chest (emotionally, not literally!).

This novel features Tuli Sampson, a secretly injured fire chief and very outgoing social media influencer who doesn’t believe he’s good enough for a relationship with his childhood best friend, Louise Wright. Waiting until he becomes better means that he’s missed his chance.

For her part, Lou is a shy, dedicated medic who hates any public exposure but secretly longs for Tuli. That is, until she receives life-altering news and sacrifices her future happiness for Tuli’s. These two star-crossed lovers have to fight for even the tiniest chance of a future together. When their friendship finally blazes into passion – wow, does it become a five alarm fire!

I want to give you that one very special moment here. The moment when everything changes. It was such a powerful scene to write. Of course, there are so many other layers to Lou and Tuli’s story and background than what you see here. You’ll just have to read the book to experience their history and the obstacles they have to overcome!

I hope you will visit Yukon Valley and meet all of the medical professionals who fight for lives – and love – in the rugged Alaskan wilderness.

If you enjoy these kinds of stories, I’d like to invite you to join me on my newsletter HERE. I chat about my books, provide exclusive subscriber-only goodies and sneak peeks, and share details about my own medical career … which at times has strangely mimicked my books!

Happy reading!

GIVEAWAY! Jillian is giving two lucky commenters a chance to win either an ebook set of all 3 Yukon Valley, Alaska books or a print book set of the 3 books (US only for print). Two chances to win! Just tell her in the comments if you’ve ever been to Alaska or if not, would you like to go? We’ll draw two winners on Saturday morning.

Five Alarm Love

Lives—and hearts—are on the line in Yukon Valley, Alaska.

Yukon Valley Fire Chief Tuli Sampson has spent years protecting his hometown, but the only thing he’s ever wanted to save is Louise Wright’s heart. His childhood best friend has always been his anchor, steady and unyielding like the Yukon River. Now, with his career thriving and his charm earning him fame as a tourist influencer, Tuli is ready to risk it all for the woman who’s been his forever girl.

Louise Wright, a shy and dedicated medic, has spent her life dreaming of more—more courage, more love, and maybe even Tuli. He’s always been her secret wish, the one man who could make her heart race faster than a snowstorm. But just as their undeniable chemistry sparks into something real, Lou receives devastating news that threatens to shatter their future.

Caught between her own happiness and Tuli’s, Louise chooses his. But in a town where matchmakers never quit and love runs deeper than the salmon-filled rivers, can these childhood friends turn years of longing into a lifetime together?

Excerpt from Five Alarm Love

For the first time in forever, Tuli went utterly still and serious. His intense gaze pinned Lou in place. A muscle ticked in his jaw.

Her mouth went dry.

She’d never experienced him like this.

He stepped forward until they were a few inches apart. Heat rolled off him, bringing with it Tuli’s light scent of soap and smoky aftershave. He looked down at her. “What if there was more than friendship?”

Lou’s thoughts swirled like puffs of smoke from a forest fire. One thought chased another to its inevitable, painful conclusion. The genetic report. His dreams. Her changed future. “There’s a lot going on right now. Things are complicated.”

Tuli’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “Life is always complicated. That’s life. But sometimes things are truly simple.” He rolled his lips. “At some point, we will miss out on some awesome moments by keeping everyone out of our business.”

“Sometimes keeping people out of our business reduces the chance of pain.”

Nodding, he said, “Connection has risks. It requires trust. Respect.” He patted his pocket containing the phone. “It opens us up to criticism and to not living up to others’ expectations.”

It was like he read her mind. “Why risk the pain?”

“Because letting people into our business can also be a joy. Trust. Simple connection.” He extended his arms to the sides.

Lou pointed. “That phone attached to the internet makes things not simple.”

“Huh?”

She reached for the only logical argument that didn’t force her to share her deepest secret. “I had my personal business broadcast all over town once before. I can’t do it again. I can’t live that exposed of a life. Not like you do.”

“No one’s asking for you to be broadcast anywhere.”

“Aren’t you? That’s part of the Tuli package. Social exposure.” As if she had a shot at being part of that package. Lou knew the score. She did not have a chance.

“What are you getting at?”

“I’m a very private person.”

“And I’ve respected that privacy. Always. Never mentioned your name online. Never put you on camera.”

She kept going. “I can’t deal with any relationship, friendship or otherwise, on display for others to see and examine. I don’t know if I want to be around someone who thinks about life as a series of clips for thousands of people to see.”

“Technically, over a hundred thousand people.” He gave a self-deprecating snort. “That’s literally my job.”

“People aren’t content.”

He flinched like she had slapped him.

Lou blew out a harsh breath. “You’re never off. This is why you’re so … you … all the time.”

A beat. Then two. Then he said, “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

Horror dawned when she realized what she had said. Lou had undermined what he valued most in his life. She had attacked the person he was. Oh, God. Maybe she could take the words back. “Never mind. I don’t want to say anything else.”

“Why not?”

She fought to form the words. “Because I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Lou.” He was a breath away.

“Yeah?”

“I’m not talking about anything public. I’m not talking about filming things. I’m not talking social media. This conversation right here? It’s about you and me. We’ve been through thick and thin together. Leaned on each other for help. Lifted each other up. All I’m asking is, what if there’s more for us?”

Her heart hammered in her chest. The risk of pain versus the risk of … something good … tempted her. “I don’t know.” Even as she said the words, she leaned toward him like he was the anchor off the side of a fishing boat. The weight and the current pulled her toward the churning water.

The scent of woodsmoke and aftershave swirled around him.

What he was suggesting was akin to watching a fall wildfire blaze out of control. The act would be final, irreparable, and risky. Things would never be the same after the flame. Someone could get burned.

She tilted her head up. Somehow, she had ended up a hair’s breadth away from him.

His rapid breath feathered over her, warm and familiar. “Lou,” he said on an exhale.

She needed that heat like she needed oxygen. “I don’t—” Unable to stop herself, she brushed her lips over his. Once. Twice.

Something deep down sparked to flame and crackled to life.

Blazed through her heart.

Then consumed everything in its path.

Tuli. Her friend. How was this possible?

He gave a shuddering breath, lifted her chin with his fingertip, and returned the kiss. Pressed to her lips, his trembled. His kisses drifting over her sent heated waves through her body.

Twenty-six years. She had waited her whole life for this moment.

A moment that had changed everything.