Growing up, I was that kid who always had a book with her—and frequently got in trouble for reading under the edge of my desk at school. And yes—I did dream of growing up to be Jo March. I was lucky enough to achieve that dream, first as an author and editor of juvenile nonfiction for an educational publisher, and now as a novelist.
Like so many of us, in March 2020 I suddenly found myself with a great deal of time on my hands. I used that opportunity to spend hours at my computer, researching locations and plotting the story that became Picture Imperfect. I’m blessed with friends who read, praised, criticized, and encouraged as needed. This includes one who said “Oh, hell no!” to the original ending. (And she was right!)
Of course, once I was finished telling the story, I had to learn how to sell the story. (Not the same thing. Not by a long shot!) I made some typical newbie submission errors and was thinking of scrapping the project and starting something new, when a friend told me about The Wild Rose Press. That’s when my stars aligned and I was assigned to my amazing editor, Judi. She saw potential in my characters and my story. She coached me through filler words, and show don’t tell, and encouraged me when I mentioned I’d like to tell another story about Dan and Lacey.
Picture Imperfect was released March 2023, followed by A Perfectly Imperfect Holiday, A Perfect Brew, and Falling for the Cat Guy, book one of a brand-new series called Carson Mills, debuting September 2024.
Falling for the Cat Guy is very special to me. I’ve had pets my entire life, mostly cats, and many of them were rescues. During the pandemic lockdown, when I wasn’t writing, I was watching rescue livestreams, mainly Tiny Kittens (in Canada, famous for Grandpa Mason) and Kitkat Playroom (in New Jersey, home of several special needs kitties, including internet sensation Wyatt).
When you adopt a rescued pet, you meet them when they’re clean, healthy, and socialized. When you watch a rescue live stream, you see all the work that goes into the creating happy, healthy pet you bring home. You see things like a rescuer shambling into a room in the middle of the night to feed tiny bottle babies or sitting on the floor reading to a scared cat who’s hiding in a bin of blankets. You see them pouring their heart and soul into fragile newborns or managing feral colonies. I’m in awe of what they do.
I currently reside in western New York in a tiny apartment full of books and Legos with my cat Miss Toby Toebeanz. Toby was adopted from a local rescue. She’s currently “helping” me with a summer romance, a wedding romance, another Destination Romance novella, and another Christmas story. When I’m not writing, I like to walk through my charming neighborhood which features two local chocolate shops, a gelato café, and a wonderful farmer’s market.
Happy reading!
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Title
Picture Imperfect
(Destination Romance Book One)
Author
Kate Berberich
Genre
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb:
Bad girl turned heiress, Lacey Devere has a penchant for falling for precisely the wrong person. Her dad is determined to give her a fresh start, beginning with a luxurious European tour and a new camera to capture each perfect moment.
Dan Lewis is a modern-day highwayman traveling the world, relieving wealthy tourists of their excess cash and jewelry. He learned the hard way not to let anyone get too close.
Their heads are urging caution, but their hearts are being swept away by the glamour and romance of the dazzling cities they’re visiting.
Excerpt:
“Shall I take a photograph of the two of you together?”
He froze. Pictures were bad. Pictures could be evidence. Especially pictures taken for a former big-city cop with plenty of connections. But creating a scene in a very public tourist attraction could be worse. “Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. That’s very kind,” he replied with as much of his usual nonchalance as he could muster.
Lacey raised an eyebrow at him. He offered a half-shrug in response, then stepped in beside her and settled his hands at her waist. He rubbed his thumbs over the thin fabric of her dress. For someone with such an enormous personality, she was quite slender. And short. She tipped her head back to see past her hat brim and rested her hands on his forearms. This close, a faint scent of citrus and herbs tickled his nose. Rather than look at the camera, he angled his face down, looking at Lacey. She gazed up at him.
“Oh, that’s perfect,” Mrs. Wilson cooed.
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Author Biography:
I am an author with a penchant for writing about strong, sassy ladies and the men they love (and cats!). I have a background in historic and theatrical costuming. I live in New York with my cat, Miss Toby Toebeanz, and lots and lots of books.
Picture Imperfect is my debut novel. The sequel, A Perfectly Imperfect Holiday, was released for the 2023 holiday season, followed by A Perfect Brew, a Destination Romance novella set between Picture Imperfect and A Perfectly Imperfect Holiday.
Falling for the Cat Guy is a sweet, small-town Halloween romance (with cats!).
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You can also find me at Goodreads and BookBub.
Title
A Perfectly Imperfect Holiday
(Destination Romance Book Two)
Author
Kate Berberich
Genre
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb:
Lacey Devere is looking forward to her first holiday season with the love of her life. Unfortunately, her sister’s wedding wiped her out. But is it just stress? Or are she and Dan facing the prospect of another passenger on their new journey together?
Dan Lewis thought he had it all—a new legitimate career and an amazing woman he loves. But his new beginning is off to a rocky start. A robbery took place on the last tour, and he has no alibi. Can he live down his past, or will his and Lacey’s first holiday season together be their last?
As the Christmas tour progresses through London, Amsterdam, Nuremberg, and Vienna, they’ll deal with everything from bungled reservations to lost luggage—as well as a couple of life’s biggest questions—with their trademark blend of humor and love. Most of all, they’ll figure out how to build a life together.
Excerpt
“If you’re pregnant with our kid, that kid is gonna meet all the Santas and angels and—I dunno—Easter bunnies? All the stuff me and Dylan didn’t get—”
“Our kid will be loved, is what you mean. And…you mean it? ‘Our kid?’ ”
“Well, yeah.”
“It’s just…you said you’d support my decision. You never said you wanted—”
He swallowed a hard lump of the past. “It was a lot to think about, you know? I never really considered…but yeah. If I helped make a kid, and you wanna have that kid…I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned down and kissed her—right there in the middle of the market. After a moment there was a scattering of applause accompanied by a chorus of “oohs.” They broke the kiss to more applause and quite a few camera flashes. Heat crept up his neck. Dammit. He rested his forehead on Lacey’s. “They must think I just—”
“There are worse things. Just go with it.” She smiled at the crowd and waggled her left hand, even though she was wearing her red wool gloves.
More applause and a few calls of “Gefeliciteerd.” A chubby-cheeked baker in a green-striped apron bustled out from her stall and presented them with two heart-shaped ginger cookies.
It was entirely more attention than he was comfortable with, but Lacey glowed with happiness, and that made it worthwhile.
It made a lot of things worthwhile.
Even picking up her socks off the rug every morning.
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Title
A Perfect Brew
(A Destination Romance novella set between Picture Imperfect and A Perfectly Imperfect Holiday)
Author
Kate Berberich
Genre
Contemporary Romance
Publisher
The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb
Dan Lewis is a man on a journey—and not just the summer tour of Prague. He’s escaping his past and embracing the sweetness of his new love and new career with equal fervor. But old instincts are strong. When his younger sister, who he’s taken care of all his life, joins them for her graduation trip, it stirs bitter memories of their history and all the things he did to keep them safe.
Lacey Devere is savoring every drop of summer, visiting romantic locales and reveling in long, steamy nights with Dan. She dumped her past mistakes down the drain and embarked on their bold new future together. However, she’s learning love is more than just sugar and cream.
Together Dan and Lacey learn true love means accepting your partner’s imperfections and blending the bitter with the sweet. And sometimes, the best family is the one you find for yourself.
Excerpt
Dan sauntered into the hotel lobby, hand in hand with Lacey. A few paces in, she wrapped her free hand around his arm, slowing them enough for Dylan to get a few steps ahead. She rested her head against his shoulder and smiled at him. He grinned, watching his sister, frozen on the green and blue mosaic tile floor, staring around in open-mouthed wonder.
Honestly, he’d had the exact same reaction the first time he walked into this hotel. Almost forgot to look for security cameras. He found them easily now: main entrance, front desk, concierge desk, and elevator bank. A tinkling fountain marked the center of the two-story lobby. Potted palm trees created intimate corners, and armchairs and settees upholstered in soft blue velvet nestled among the greenery.
Dylan wandered over to the gleaming glass enclosure, stretching to the skylights. She touched her fingertips to the window and a peacock stirred and blinked its beady eyes at her. A moment later, it unfurled its glorious tail feathers and took a few mincing steps closer to the glass. She glanced over her shoulder at them. “Okay, now I understand why you do this. Wow. Just…”
“Wow?” Lacey asked, tugging Dan by the hand.
A uniformed bruiser Dan pegged as security frowned at Dylan’s attire, but then noticed her teal Dolce Vita wristband and subsided with a gracious smile and nod.
“Very wow.” Dylan flung her arms around Dan. “You’re the best big brother ever. Thank you.”
He kissed her temple. “You’re welcome.”
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Title
Falling for the Cat Guy
(Carson Mills Book One)
Author
Kate Berberich
Genre
Sweet Romance
Publisher
The Wild Rose Press
Book Blurb:
Take Maggie Edwards, a skilled paramedic who transferred to a quaint little town to rehab her heart after the jerk of an ex stomped all over it. Add Brad MacKenzie, a handsome, kind-hearted cat rescuer who gave up on romance long ago.
Socialize gently. Sprinkle liberally with sweet friends and salty colleagues. Infuse with found family and season with second chances. Serve in a Halloween candy bowl garnished with cute fluffy kittens.
Excerpt
“Thanks for your help. I’m Maggie.”
“I’m Brad. Brad MacKenzie. Um…welcome to the neighborhood?”
She laughed and shook his hand. Small, warm fingers closed around his in a firm grip. He held on a few seconds longer than he probably should have.
“Yeah, that was quite the welcome, all right. You were great with that dog.”
Brad scrubbed a hand through his hair. Why are people so much harder to talk to than animals? Especially smart, pretty people with kind eyes and beautiful smiles who are surrounded by guys who make their living running into burning buildings. Heroes. I’m just a guy who rescues cats.
And his new neighbor stood there waiting for a response.
“Well, I’m better with cats, but like Elsie said, Cuthbert’s not a bad dog, really, he’s just hopelessly untrained.”
A couple more loud barks echoed down the street and behind them someone in the Adams house slammed a window shut. Maggie turned and glanced up at the third floor, frowning. Brad rolled his eyes at the edge of the curtain caught in the window frame.
“That’s your upstairs neighbor, Butch,” Elsie explained. “He’s the night watchman at the old paint factory.”
“Hey, Mags—you wanna show us where the rest of this stuff goes?”
Maggie raised an eyebrow. “You sure figured out where the cookies go.” The pumpkin-shaped plate in Elsie’s hands was empty except for a scattering of crumbs.
“Plenty more where those came from. I’m Elsie Tatum, by the way. I volunteer at The Clowder.”
“The Clowder?”
“A clowder is a group of kittens,” Elsie explained. “The house across the street, with the cat flag.” Brad nodded toward the butter-yellow house enclosed by a neat white picket fence. “I run a cat rescue—”
“Wait—haven’t I seen you on the local news? You’re the Cat Guy.”
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