THE SECOND TIME I SAW YOU by Pippa Croft

Publishing 22nd May 2014 Penguin

It's the beginning of a new term at Wyckham College, Oxford, and a fresh start for Lauren Cusack. Her fingers were badly burnt when a whirlwind romance with gorgeous English aristocrat, Alexander Hunt, became too hot to handle - and now she's determined to keep her distance.
Her resolve is shaken when Alexander appears on her doorstep - he's been completely torn apart by some devastating news. Lauren knows that she should stay away, but their chemistry is undeniable and she soon finds herself back in Alexander's arms.
Can Lauren handle the drama that comes with Alexander Hunt? Or will she have to sacrifice the most exhilarating passion she's ever known . . .
(THE SECOND TIME I SAW YOU you is the 2nd book in the Oxford Blue Series.)

About the Author

I am delighted to welcome Pippa Croft on the blog today to talk about her writing and her novel.

Hello Pippa. It is a pleasure to meet you today. Can you tell us a little about you?
I’m the daughter of a miner, the wife of an engineer and the mum of doctor... my daughter has just graduated as a PhD in May so I’m feeling very proud of her. I live in a small village in Staffordshire and I like reading, walking, swimming, body boarding and shopping.

What did you want to be when you were a child? Did you always know you wanted to write? 
I didn’t know or want to be a novelist until I was about 42, which is mad really, because from as early as I can remember, I used to write. However, I didn’t write ‘stories’, I used to make up little brochures and booklets about places I’d been and facts I’d read and illustrate them. After I left Oxford, where I read English Lit, I worked as a copywriter and journalist until I finally decided to write my first piece of fan fiction, which was inspired by a TV drama called North and South.

Where do you get your ideas for your stories?
Everywhere. Inspiration can strike at any moment and rarely when I’m looking for it. Once you start writing fiction, you seem to unlock the gates of your subconscious to likely ideas and characters. The problem is, the gates can never be shut again.

I know the feeling! I sometimes think it's lucky nobody can see what goes on in my mind. When and where do you write? Do you have a special 'writing' time?
I try to keep office hours, which may be anytime from seven am to eight pm, and I work on Sundays quite often. I write in various rooms of the house so I don’t get bored or stuck in one chair.

What comes to you first, the characters or the plot?
Usually both, they tend to grow organically alongside each other.

What kind of man is Alexander, your hero?
Alexander is a darkly sexy and wealthy aristocrat, who is also a member of UK special forces – he’s been given a sabbatical from his unit to do a master’s at Oxford but that doesn’t stop him from disappearing off on ops from time to time! He seems to have it all, but under all the bravado, he’s a very troubled soul though he hates showing his feelings which causes anguish with his family and Lauren.

He sounds absolutely fascinating. What kind of woman is Lauren, your heroine?
Lauren is an American senator’s daughter. She’s smart and sassy, and adamant she won’t take any flak from anyone, least of all a bunch of snobby Brits. However, underneath it all, she feels like a fish out of water at Oxford and she’s also nursing a broken heart at the start of the series. She’s determined to enjoy her year in Europe and avoid any entanglements, especially not with someone as dangerous as Alexander!

So, what did Alexander think the first time he saw Lauren?
He’s intrigued, annoyed, maddened and completely bowled over by his response to her. She’s sexy, feisty and very different to the type of woman he’s gone for before. When she refuses to fall into his arms – or bed – he can’t resist the challenge. What Alexander wants, Alexander gets... but he has no idea what he’s getting himself into!

And what did Lauren think the first time she saw Alexander? 
Her physical reaction is instant and overwhelming – in fact, the sexual chemistry between them is so powerful, it terrifies her. She also thinks he’s arrogant, emotionally repressed, and to be avoided at all costs, but fending off Alexander is like trying to stop the tide.

THE SECOND TIME I SAW YOU is the second book in a series. How many books are you planning to write in this series and why did you choose to write a series of novels?
Three are planned so far – but you never know! The series has been inspired by my own student days at Oxford, and also by hearing all the stories my daughter shared me from her time there.  I love writing passionate steamy stories about dark brooding alpha heroes and feisty women and I’ve been dying to write a book set at Oxford. This is my dream project!

Thank you so much Pippa for coming on the blog today, and good luck with THE SECOND TIME I SAW YOU! You can meet Pippa on

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The First Time We Met is the first novel in the sizzling new Oxford Blue romance series from Pippa Croft.  When US Senator’s daughter Lauren Cusack arrives at the enchanting Wyckham College of Oxford University, she hopes to mend her broken heart by throwing herself into her studies.
But then English aristocrat Alexander Hunt walks into her life and everything changes. Handsome, brooding, and with his own dark past to escape, Alexander is exactly what Lauren doesn’t need – but she finds herself helplessly drawn towards him.
Both Alexander and Lauren know that they should stay away from each other . . . but sometimes desire is so powerful that it conquers all else.