June Highlights

Hello, friends!

I can't believe we're already at the end of June. Somehow this month has been filled with books, edits, family adventures, far too much tea, and some very exciting plans for the weeks ahead.

Thank you for being here. Whether you've been reading my books for years or you've only just discovered Emerald Harbour, I'm so grateful you've joined this little corner of the internet.

📚 This Month in Books

June has been one of my busiest writing months yet. Several manuscripts have gone through major editing, polishing, formatting, and quality reviews, and I'm incredibly excited about what's coming later this year.

From heartfelt contemporary romance to sweeping fantasy, psychological suspense, and epic romantasy, there's something special waiting on the horizon.

Writing is still my favourite place to disappear—and hopefully the stories I'm creating become somewhere you love escaping to as well.

☀️ Summer Has Arrived

Summer has officially begun, and we're trying to make the most of every sunny day.

One of our favourite adventures this month was spending the day at Stanley Park. We wandered the seawall, watched the boats drift across the water, found plenty of spots to stop for photos, and simply enjoyed slowing down for a while. Sometimes the best days aren't the ones packed with plans—they're the ones where you just walk, laugh, and breathe.

Those are the days I remember most.

🐾 Puppy Countdown

The biggest excitement in our house?

We're getting a Cavapoo puppy next month!

Needless to say, we've already started shopping.

Tiny toys.

Tiny blankets.

Tiny bowls.

Probably far too many treats already.

Everyone keeps asking what we'll call our newest family member, and let's just say there have been a lot of opinions! I'm sure you'll all be seeing plenty of puppy photos in future newsletters.

🎬 Currently Watching...

I'm doing what many Outlander fans seem to do after a finale...

Starting it all over again.

Yes, I'm rewatching Outlander from the beginning because, quite honestly, I'm still in denial that it's over. There's something comforting about returning to characters who have felt like old friends for so many years.

Some stories don't really end.

They simply become part of you.

For me, Droughtlander is forever.

☕ Behind the Keyboard

People often imagine authors spending their days in beautiful cafés with perfect notebooks and endless inspiration.

The reality?

Cold coffee.

Fifty browser tabs.

Characters arguing in my head while I'm trying to make dinner.

Notes scribbled on receipts.

A sentence that refuses to work until two o'clock in the morning.

And somehow...I wouldn't trade it for anything.

💌 Reader Questions

Where did you grow up?

I was lucky enough to grow up with connections to both Northern Ireland and Dublin, and each place shaped me in different ways.

The North taught me resilience, humour, and the strength of community. Dublin gave me a love of stories, bustling streets, history, and the feeling that every corner has another tale waiting to be told.

Both places live inside everything I write.

What are some of your favourite childhood memories?

Some of my happiest memories are wonderfully ordinary.

Family walks.

Rainy afternoons that somehow became adventures.

Long conversations over cups of tea.

Books borrowed until they practically fell apart.

Summer evenings that seemed as though they would last forever.

Looking back, it's rarely the big moments we miss.

It's the little ones.

Why do you still believe in true love?

This is probably the question I'm asked most often.

The honest answer is simple.

Life can break your heart.

People can disappoint you.

Love doesn't always last the way we hope it will.

I've experienced heartbreak, just like so many people have. But I've never believed that disappointment means love isn't real.

I still believe true love exists—not because it's perfect, but because it's a choice we make every day. It's found in kindness, loyalty, forgiveness, laughter, and showing up even when life gets messy.

Maybe that's why I keep writing love stories.

Every novel is another way of saying that hope is always worth believing in.

📖 What I'm Reading

My bedside table is, as always, overflowing.

I'm bouncing between fantasy, romance, mysteries, and the occasional nonfiction book that somehow turns into research for another novel.

If you have any recommendations, I'd love to hear them!

🌿 Looking Ahead

July is going to be a wonderful month.

New writing.

New adventures.

A new puppy.

Hopefully some sunshine.

And plenty more stories to share with all of you.

Thank you for supporting my books, cheering me on, and making Emerald Harbour such a lovely community.

Until next month...

Happy reading, and enjoy every moment of summer.

With love,

Laura Carpenter