Hearts of the Press Series by Dani Elias

BREAKING: ONE REVIEW. ONE TOMATO SAUCE. AND A SPARK NEITHER OF THEM EXPECTED. Carlisle prides itself on being quietly respectable. Unfortunately for everyone involved, a food critic and a chef have just made that impossible. Chloe. Speed dating has been a masterclass in lowered expectations, and my tolerance for nonsense is at an all-time low. So yes, my latest column was sharp. The tomato sauce deserved it... moreBREAKING: ONE REVIEW. ONE TOMATO SAUCE. AND A SPARK NEITHER OF THEM EXPECTED. Carlisle prides itself on being quietly respectable. Unfortunately for everyone involved, a food critic and a chef have just made that impossible. Chloe. Speed dating has been a masterclass in lowered expectations, and my tolerance for nonsense is at an all-time low. So yes, my latest column was sharp. The tomato sauce deserved it. What I did not anticipate was the furious chef turning up at the Carlisle Gazette, review in hand, pride wounded, smelling like fresh herbs and righteous indignation. He’s intense, infuriating, and far too attractive for someone who insists this is just an argument. Tom. That sauce is my grandmother’s recipe. It’s not a trend, not a shortcut, and not up for debate. When Chloe dismisses it in print, I go looking for accountability. What I find is a woman who’s clever, unapologetic, and entirely unimpressed by my temper. This is not flirting. This is a professional disagreement. A serious one.  Except the arguments don’t stop. They deepen. They linger. And suddenly I’m thinking about her far too often for someone who insists this is purely about food. Late nights turn heated. Boundaries blur. And when care creeps in where it doesn’t belong, it becomes uncomfortably clear that this isn’t just about a review anymore. Because in a small city where reputations are fragile, careers are political, and women pay the price for being human, wanting each other might cost more than either of them is prepared to lose. And walking away might cost just as much. Fair warning: there’s a cheeky dose of adult content inside. Set in England and written in British English. less

MATCH CHEMISTRY 1 – SELF-CONTROL 0 our shyest sports reporter stepping into the limelight and straight into the path of football’s most charming former heartthrob. Word is, he’s already turning on the full wattage of that smile. She might be immune for now, but I would not bet against a little spark turning into something far more delicious. I trust you can keep a secret… because I’m about to break mine and tell it all. Ava. I don’t do interviews... moreMATCH CHEMISTRY 1 – SELF-CONTROL 0 our shyest sports reporter stepping into the limelight and straight into the path of football’s most charming former heartthrob. Word is, he’s already turning on the full wattage of that smile. She might be immune for now, but I would not bet against a little spark turning into something far more delicious. I trust you can keep a secret… because I’m about to break mine and tell it all. Ava. I don’t do interviews. I cover the stats, the analysis, the solid, fact-based reporting that doesn’t require me to talk to anyone with abs. But thanks to a flu outbreak, I’ve been sent to cover Carlisle United’s post-match presser. And who’s waiting? Jack Westland. Former Premier League heartthrob turned annoyingly charismatic manager. He’s all dimples, winks, and too many teeth for a Tuesday. I just want to get through the interview without melting into the floor, or worse, laughing at one of his jokes. The man is a walking distraction. In very fitted trousers. Jack. I wasn’t expecting her. Most reporters come in loud, all elbows and questions, but Ava walks in quietly, eyes sharp and not the least bit interested in the charm I usually get away with. I try to be friendly, maybe a bit flirty, and manage to make myself look like a complete numpty. Turns out she’s not just clever, she’s a proper journalist; observant, brilliant, and probably telling her mates I’m a mansplaining cliché. He’s all in from the start. She’s got boundaries, rules, and absolutely no interest in being charmed. But as training ground run-ins and locker room “accidents” start piling up, Ava’s about to learn that Jack Westland isn’t playing games. He’s treating this like the transfer window’s about to close, and she’s the only signing he’s got his eye on. Fair there’s a cheeky dose of adult content inside. Set in England and written in British English. less

REPORTER WALKS INTO FIRE… LITERALLYWord in the newsroom is that our most overworked breaking news reporter has landed himself in rather hot water. Or should I say, hot flames. A recent article about a near-disastrous blaze may have unintentionally suggested that the real problem was not the fire itself, but the fact that the watch manager was a woman. That woman happens to be the youngest watch manager in the county's Fire Brigade history. And trust me, she does not suffer fools... moreREPORTER WALKS INTO FIRE… LITERALLYWord in the newsroom is that our most overworked breaking news reporter has landed himself in rather hot water. Or should I say, hot flames. A recent article about a near-disastrous blaze may have unintentionally suggested that the real problem was not the fire itself, but the fact that the watch manager was a woman. That woman happens to be the youngest watch manager in the county's Fire Brigade history. And trust me, she does not suffer fools. The official solution? He’s to shadow her for a few weeks to get a taste of the real thing. The unofficial prediction? Sparks. The kind no hose can put out. I shouldn’t be telling you this… but I will. Philippa. Being in charge of a shift at a rural fire brigade is no small feat. I’ve worked twice as hard to prove I can do the job, and I don’t have time for people who think my gender is my biggest challenge. So when a Gazette reporter decides to question my capability in print, I make sure the chief knows exactly how I feel. The next thing I know, I’ve got a shadow. A tall, tired, annoyingly attractive shadow who seems far too used to late nights and not enough coffee. AJ. I didn’t mean for the piece to come across the way it did. But apparently, I’ve “got something to learn about modern firefighting”, so here I am. My desk has been traded for fire engines, my deadlines for 3 a. m. callouts, and my press pass for a high-vis vest. Philippa is sharp, competent, and has perfected the art of looking right through me. And yet, somewhere between the alarms, the banter, and the way she looks in her turnout gear, I can’t stop wondering what it would take for her to let me in. He thinks it’s just an assignment. She knows it’s going to be a test. But neither of them is ready for how hot things are about to get. Fair there’s a cheeky dose of adult content inside. Set in England and written in British English. less