We caught up with Mills & Boon Dare and True Love author Rachael Stewart to chat about her new festive romance, Unwrapping the Best Man. Read on to find out how fans of Getting Dirty helped to bring this book into fruition…

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I am so very excited to bring Caitlin and Jackson’s story into the world, and with such a gorgeous title too, Unwrapping the Best Man—Sawoooon!

And boy, is Jackson a hero worthy of such an unwrapping…I mean, have you seen those tattoos and all that brawn, it’s no wonder he’s at the tippy top of Caitlin’s Christmas list 😉

Of course, it’s not just about appearances. Caitlin brings out the brooding-worst in this guy and he has his reasons, but what lies beneath is utter mush! I promise you!

As for what inspired me to write their tale…

For me, every character, no matter how small a part they play in the book, has their own story to tell. They are fully fleshed out human beings in my writerly head with their own back stories as well as their own wants and desires. So, when I wrote Ash and Coco’s story in Getting Dirty, their best friends leapt from the page as having a story worthy of an entire book. And those friends are Caitlin and Jackson.

But I hadn’t planned to write it.

I was actually tapping out a very different story, about a very different cast of characters when Getting Dirty was released into the world, and low and behold, it wasn’t just me thinking about what happens next. It was the readers too, many demanding a sequel, and I couldn’t resist.

Jackson wasn’t the only man in the running for winning Caitlin’s heart either. Philip was also a candidate, Coco’s disillusioned and some may say heartless brother. He certainly has enough of a tale to tell and who knows, maybe I’ll write it one day…

As for this book, it was Caitlin’s flirtation and unrequited feelings for Jackson that decided it in the end…Plus, I was curious about Jackson too. I wanted to delve more into his past and work out why he was like he was, why did he really resist someone as gorgeous, as fun and flirty, and as loving as Cait? Was it purely because of the owner-client relationship, or was there more going on?

And the marriage of Ash and Coco, their best friends, made the perfect opening for their own book. An opportunity to reset the boundaries of their relationship and also get Jackson in a kilt—Double sawoon!

As for the Christmas theme, I love a good Grinch story, where you throw a Merry, Merry, Christmas elf up against said Grinch and watch as their magic rubs off. That change in the character is just wonderful to witness. And I LOVE Christmas, like LOVE LOVE LOVE it, so writing Caitlin was an absolute joy. Writing her melting Jackson’s heart even more so!

If you haven’t guessed already, I have such a soft spot for this book, not only because it brings back Coco and Ash, but because it has so many of my favourite things wrapped up in it:

• Christmas
• The Highlands of Scotland
• Kilts(!)
• Family time
• Sexy fun, not to mention, costume fun
• And did I mention…Christmas, Christmas, Christmas!

So, thank you readers for loving Getting Dirty and asking for a sequel, without you Jackson and Caitlin’s tale would have stayed locked inside me. I hope you love this book just as much and that it brings you much warmth and festive enjoyment as you unwrap it.

Happy Christmas and loads of festive love!

Rachael xx

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Unwrapping the Best Man by Rachael Stewart is out now on our website and will be available in stores on the 26th November!

By Becky Lushey