Tender Deceit by H.Y. Hanna‏


H.Y. Hanna was born in Taiwan and has been a globe-trotter most of her life, from growing up in the United Arab Emirates to attending school in New Jersey, from working in the glamorous world of London advertising to emigrating Down Under.

Along the way, she somehow managed to pick up a wonderful husband, a huge, slobbery dog, two rescue cats, an assortment of cardboard boxes and a slightly dodgy "trans-atlantic" accent. After graduating from Oxford University, she tried her hand at a variety of jobs before returning to her first love: writing.

She’s the author of the Amazon bestselling children’s mystery series, Big Honey Dog Mysteries, and is now diving into the world of romantic suspense with the launch of Tender Deceit, Book 1 in the First Love Series.

You can find out more about H.Y. Hanna and her books at: www.hyhanna.com or catch her on Facebook at “H.Y. Hanna” or the Big Honey Dog Mysteries Facebook Page.

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First love. Second chance. All they have to do is stay alive…
Following her father’s mysterious death, Leah Fisher leaves her life in London and returns to her childhood home of Singapore. She’s braced to confront her past and determined to lay the ghost of her “first love” to rest. Toran James may have been the boy her fourteen-year old heart yearned for, but the magic of stolen glances and first kisses had faded with his betrayal.

Then Leah meets Toran again and finds that he has grown up into a dangerously attractive man. And the past holds more secrets than she realised. Was her father’s death really an accident? What is hidden in his study? And why has Toran contacted her again after all these years?

Someone is out to silence Leah – and that someone might be the man she’s rapidly falling in love with… again.


Q) What inspired you to write this story?
When I first joined Facebook a couple of years ago, I heard from a lot of people who had excitedly looked up and found their high school crushes or other childhood sweethearts... Most people are curious to see what he/she looks like now they're grown up, what they've done with their lives... maybe even curious to see if the spark is still there?

It got me thinking about the whole thing and what would happen if you did meet your “first love” again? You know, we all have one: that first special person who made your heart beat faster, "the one that got away", the one you still remember with a little smile—and the "what ifs"... what if you met again? What could happen this time, now that you're both adults, if the attraction is still there? And what if there is deceit and danger? What if you find yourself falling in love with him again… but you’re not sure you can trust him?

Those “what ifs” inspired this story. J

Q) How long did it take you to write?
I wrote the first draft in about 6 weeks—and then had another few weeks revising, sending out to beta readers, further revisions after getting their feedback, and then revisions again after the editor… the whole process took just under three months.

Q) What is your favorite thing about writing?
Being able to stay in my pyjamas all day!

No, seriously, my favourite thing about writing this particular story was getting to indulge in “armchair travel” every day, as it features danger and romance in an exotic, foreign setting. I love books that have strong atmosphere, with vivid descriptions that really “take you there”—and I spent a lot of time and effort making sure my own story gave the reader that experience. I’ve had several readers contact me saying they felt like they had a holiday in Singapore—which is really lovely to hear. And I was incredibly lucky that it wasn’t just “armchair” travel—halfway through writing the first draft, my wonderful husband actually surprised me with a weekend trip to Singapore for my 40th birthday. I’d visited several times before, of course, but it was great to get the chance of a fresh experience while writing the story and do some hands-on research (um, mostly in the eating department!)

Q) What is your least favorite thing about writing?
I get terrible RSI in my left arm & shoulder from spending too much time sitting at my desk, typing—and some days I get shooting pains down my arm and fingers… so I do dread the physical toll that comes from intensive typing, especially as I have a bad habit of typing too hard and too fast!
Other than that, I do also go through the usual writers’ blues, getting stuck on plot or feeling like the whole thing is rubbish and needs to be thrown out. Fighting the demons in my head—that’s not so fun.

Q) If you could be any famous person for one day, who would you be and why?
OK, she’s not really ‘famous’ famous but I’d love to be Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv) from the cult sci-fi TV show, Fringe (my favourite show in the world!) – especially on the day she kisses Peter Bishop (Joshua Jackson) and they finally get together (Season 3, Ep 14 “6B”—yeah, I’m one of those obsessive Peter & Olivia “shippers” who knows all the sad little details like that!). I also just love Olivia because she is such a kick-ass heroine who is also vulnerable and tortured and beautiful and kind.

Q) What is the oldest thing in your fridge and how old is it?
A jar of special chilli sauce which only has the dregs left but is so good, I can’t bear to throw it out. It’s probably months old. I love spicy food and put chillis in everything—and am always on the hunt for the next good chilli oil or sauce!

Q) What can readers expect from you in the future?
Well, I’ve just started writing Book 2 in the First Love Series. You get to find out what happens in that last scene at the airport—do Leah and Toran have a second chance together? What really happened 12 years ago? What about the fiancée? And a completely new mystery involving a sinister, all-women cult. So more danger, mystery and romance in sultry Singapore!

I’m also planning a slightly different contemporary romance series—especially for animal lovers!—to be released hopefully later in the year. And I am also continuing my children’s mystery series for 9 ~ 12 year olds, featuring a slobbery Great Dane and her canine friends. Book 3 in that series should be released just before Christmas.

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