So, my upcoming release has a new cover and title, and I’m super-excited to share it!
Some of you are probably asking why there’s a new cover and title. The short answer is, even though I really liked the previous cover (which you can see here if you’d like), a few months ago I started to get this nagging feeling that it wasn’t quite the right fit for my book. Two things concerned me: (1) I felt like the woman on the cover looked a little too passive for the heroine of this book, and (2) I thought the cover seemed too subdued, and didn’t convey how fun the book is.
After raising these concerns with the team at Berkley (my publisher), we spent the next few months coming up with a cover that fit better. And I have to say, I LOVE this cover. Check it out:
Pretty cool, huh? What I like about this cover is that it really captures the fun, sexy feel of the book. As for the title change, even though I had come up with the original title, Flirty Little Secrets, I’d always worried that it seemed more like the title of a Young Adult book. When we decided to switch the cover art, we agreed that THE THING ABOUT LOVE was a better fit. And we also changed the back cover blurb a bit, too. Here you go:
Two undercover FBI agents can hide who they are from everyone but each other in the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Suddenly One Summer.
After spending six years in Los Angeles—and the last six months wondering how her marriage fell apart—FBI Special Agent Jessica Harlow is looking for a fresh start. When she finds out that the Chicago field office has an opening for an undercover agent, returning to her hometown seems like the perfect answer. But her new partner, John Shepherd, is someone she never expected to see again. Six years ago, the cocky Army Ranger was her top competition at the FBI Academy, and the one man who got under her skin like no other.
Just one assignment away from joining the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, John isn’t going to let anything throw him off his game—not even the self-assured woman who once showed him up at Quantico. He’ll work with Jessica to take down a corrupt Florida politician, even if pretending to be business partners staying at a beachfront resort means getting closer than they’d expected. For two experienced agents, it should be a simple enough assignment, but the heat behind their nonstop sparring threatens to make the job a whole lot more complicated…
So, there you have it. Those of you who like my FBI books will probably be pleased to see that there are two FBI protagonists in The Thing About Love. The heroine and hero, Special Agents Jessica Harlow and John Shepherd, meet at the FBI Academy, where both of them are determined to be the best in their class. A not-so-friendly rivalry ensues and . . . well, I don’t want to spoil it for you. 😉 You’ll have to see for yourself when the book comes out on April 18th.
The Thing About Love can be preordered at Amazon and iBooks (more buy links to come, I’ll post as soon as they’re available)
And now for the giveaway! To celebrate the cover reveal, I have five signed copies of Suddenly One Summer up for grabs.
To enter, simply leave a comment below. Giveaway is international, and will remain open until 9pm CST on Thursday, June 30. Please enter only once. Good luck!
Love the new cover!!!
Cute new cover! April is soooo far away.
Love the new cover, and can’t wait to read the book!!!
Like this cover better too. Other one looked ok for a “beach read”, not FBI -like. ?
Great new cover!!
Love the cover, can’t wait to read it
April is too far away!!!! Can’t wait though!
Like the new cover.
That’s one awesome cover and can’t wait to read the book. Like the name change too does fit better and sounds more mature.
How exciting. Book pre-ordered. I’ve always been a fan of “going with your gut”. YAY!
So excited!!! I can’t wait for April!!
That cover makes me even more anxious for the book to come out! I am not patient enough for this. 🙂
ooh I really adored the old cover but after reading your reasoning I’d have to agree, this one definitely fits better. ugh 2017 can’t come soon enough!
Thank you for the giveaway!
I’m so looking forward to your new book. I saw April of 2017 and I started dating everything 2017, will that make it get here sooner? Ha! Love the title and the cover!
Love the cover and new title.
April is so long away! I can hardly wait.
Excited
It will be a honor for me to have one of the copies of Suddenly one Summer, so… I’m really excited and thank you very much for this amazing opportunity Julie.
Fantastic cover and the blurb sounds amazing! 🙂
It sounds amazing.
April can’t come fast enough.
Can’t wait for the new book!
So excited for your new book!
Great new cover! Another winner from a winning author!
I can’t wait. Love your books.
The cover looks amazing! Can’t wait for this book so I’m reading them all again (again). ?
As much as I love Flirty Little Secrets I’m quite fond of The Thing About Love, it does sounds more adult. And, the cover is quite sexy! Can’t wait for it!
I love the cover!
A big fan of your FBI books. Preordered this back before publishing date was changed and then the title. Next April can’t come soon enough!
The new book sounds great!! I love FBI characters & a rivalry between characters (especially when you know they are going to end up hooking up *L*). Can’t wait to read it!!
Amazing! I love the new cover!
I like it I wish I could wear shoes like that. I can’t wait to read it. ?
Love the new cover. Can’t wait till April! Love your special agents! ??
I love the new title and cover! I’m very excited to read this; don’t know how I’ll wait until next April!
Pre ordered this book a long time ago and after reading the new blurb, I’m really glad I did! Can’t wait for April. Thanks for doing this giveaway!
Can’t wait for the new release. . .it sounds so badass! And the new cover awexome!!!!
I’ve been reading your books since high school to law school and still by far my favorite fiction author!!!
You are the only author of non-law books that I am willing to read in a pile of law books. PLEASE, BOOK AND RAFFLE GODS, LET ME HAVE THAT BOOK AND SAVE ME FROM THE TEXTBOOKS ?
The new cover is wickedly wicked. Especially with tiny pieces of a crushed candy heart scattered like that. The stiletto heel is so wickedly suggestive (symbolic?)—I love it!
I liked the old title, had no problem with it, and didn’t realize it had potential marketing issues. The Thing About Love, however, is very Julie James-esque—something I can easily and quickly associate/identify with you—so I approve of this change!
I am so excited for this book and for you! Thanks for sharing these bits of exciting news…even if the publication date didn’t change to something a little earlier, haha, so status quo on the agonizing wait. Also, as always, thank you for making most of your giveaways international.
I’ve been posted all the Croatian versions on your FB profile few days ago. But a book with your sign will makes me incredible happy. You can’t imagine. Your name on the book is all! Love you a lot and I can’t wait for your next book! Seems very interesting! Can’t wait!! Love, Mateja <3
Love the new cover!
Enticing blurb. Looking forward to reading it. Thanks for the chance to win Suddenly One Summer.
Love the cover, can’t wait for the book… I adore your books Julie ???
Such a long wait!! But sure it’s gonna be awesome.
Love the cover and the title!! ❤️❤️?
Love the cover and new title! I cannot wait to read the new book. Super exciting!!!
Looking forward to your new book! I can’t wait.
Excited about the book!! Can’t wait!
Love the new name AND the cover! The shoes are always fun to see.
I think it’s great!!
I like the new title & cover. I’m looking forward to reading it next April.
Thanks so much! Love the cover!
I love your books and can’t wait for the new one! Love the new cover and title!
Can’t wait to read this!!
Love the cover, and LOVE the FBI series! Looking forward to next year to read this book.
I’ve been wanting to read this!!
THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME. ??????
I read all your books and I must say they gave me a good laugh and some lady boner. I love how detailed you are with your characters and story lines and the fact that you even bothered to think about the cover and title to fit what you envision in your head is amazeballs. YOU HAVE A GIFT IN WRITING. XOXO FROM PHILIPPINES ?
Neato! Love that cover. Thanks for the chance!
How exciting! Although, April seems so long to have to wait for your release. I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the chance!
The cover makes me more excited (if thats even possible) about the book. I cant wait to meet my new role model ? .
No matter what changes, your covers always slay me ? So excited for this one!
Ohhh. And thank you for the chance. ? Love the cover.
I love the teaser for this and can’t wait to read more! Great cover as well! =D
Thanks for the chance to win a signed copy of Suddenly One Summer! I listened to it on audio and it was brilliant!
Love the new cover. Sexy and fun, like your books!
Please and thank you. ?
Love the cover. Can’t wait for this to come out
I love the cover & I can’t wait to read it, Thanks for this generous giveaway.
Great cover!!
I love the new cover-It’s definitely sexier and sharper than the previous one!
Great cover and tittle. I would love to have a signed copy of your book.
So excited for this new book!! Love all your books!!
I REALLY love the new cover!!!! Of course I haven’t read the book but I agree with you that both the first cover and title sounds like a YA book. This one is more sophisticated. Can’t wait to read it. Love books about the FBI.
Oooo, one of my favorite covers yet! I cannot WAIT for this book.
Looks fantastic..
I love all ur books but the FBI series is my favorite. Now waiting for this one till April ?..too long….
Great cover. Looking forward to the book.
Contests and great books! All we need now is wine. Thanks Julie !
The new cover and title of “the thing about love” look and sound great! I would love to read it. Thanks for the giveaway of a copy of Suddenly One Summer, I hope I win one!
I do love your covers!
I don’t think I can wait that long! Too excited!
Forever in love with your books. ??? Can’t wait for this one ??
Cannot wait for this new book! I am sure it, like all of your others, will be devoured and then re-read numerous times!
Oooh, more FBI agents!!! I love the new cover and the teaser too. Can’t wait to read it but April is just too far away! 😉
I love the new cover! Can’t wait!
Can NOT wait!
Can’t wait!! Already preordered!!
How exciting!!! I love the cover and I really can’t wait for this book. It feels like a long time since I read your last one.
I cannot wait for the new book. I will be rereading some of your older books this summer.
Sounds like a good summer read! Looks like the competition is fierce for this one! Fingers crossed!
YAY! I love the title and the cover is absolutely stunning!! I can’t wait to read it! ?
It will be released two weeks before my birthday. Maybe I will treat myself with it as a birthday present, who knows?
The Thing about Love cover is awesome! It looks to be a great read! Thanks for the chance! 🙂
Love the new cover and the title, cannot wait to read it. I am sure it will be another hit like all of your other books 🙂
The cover looks fabulous!
I love it!!
I like the new cover and title! Thanks for the chance to win. :o)
Sexy new look. Can’t wait to read it. Hope I win!
OMG!!! Love it! Just reread SLS yesterday to get my Julie James fix. Love the cover and the story line! Can NOT wait!!
Absolutely in LOVE with the Cover??? Gorgeous ?❤? I would LOVEEE ❤Thank you for Fabulous chance???
Can’t wait to read the book!
Can’t wait! I love all of your books!
Awesome cover!
Love the cover and I can understand the title change …I look forward to reading it
I love the new cover! Your books are awesome.
As a member of a family with a major shoe addiction, I love the cover. April is sooooooo far away.
I love the cover.
Totally love the new cover!
Love the cover and Title, also will be a good read!!
Beautiful cover. Would love to read it! 🙂
The cover is really pretty and fun! Thanks for the giveaway 🙂
Can’t wait!
Love the cover and the new title and the revised blurb. It all works so well!
I don’t need to win a copy of the book as I’ve already got my signed copy 🙂 but did want to leave a comment to say congrats on what looks like another winner!
I’m excited about the new book! Can’t wait!
You always have the best covers! Have had SOS on my tbr list so would love to win a copy! Thank you for this fun giveaway!
I would love to read another one of your great books!
the first cover was more in the line of your other books but with your explanation it’s sure that the new one fits better
It’s pretty 🙂 I can’t wait to read it!
Thanks for the chance! Can’t wait for April. The great thing about pre-order, you don’t forget!!
Love it!
Love the cover and title. Love your books!!!
I love your books!! I discovered on audio first.. Love!! But now I’ll take them any way I can read them haha.. Can’t wait for your new book to be released.
Really love the new cover! Very eye catching.
Great cover!!
Love, Love this cover.
I’m actually listening to “Suddenly One Summer” now on audible. Have the ebook but didn’t have time to read it.
Great cover and title. It’s now on my Amazon list.
I can not wait! Seems like another best seller! Love your books and all your powerful heroines 🙂
Great cover. Love your books
I really like the new cover! The previous one gives the impression of flirty beach – this one is very intriguing!
I love the new cover. Thank you for the chance for the signed edition.
Can’t wait for this book. Would love the give away. Also, do we need to cancel our current pre-order for Flirty Little secrets and reorder it for this new one?
Thanks!
I’m pretty sure all pre-orders for FLS transfer over to THE THING ABOUT LOVE.
Your new book sounds very interessting and the cover looks great. Thanks for the giveaway.
Can’t wait! The blurb sounds fantastic and the cover is great!
I love this cover:).
I can’t wait!!!
Cover looks great !
Love the cover and blurb.
Love the new cover! Can’t wait to read it!
Absolutely love the change an. So looking forward to it. ❤️??
I’m soo excited for this book! Ahh April 18th! Lol I love all your stories! Keep them coming lol
Love the cover and can’t wait to read the new book!
Oh, love this plot SO much! And the cover is beautiful! Can’t wait!!! *___*
I loooooove the cover. I love how sexy it looks. You can tell just seeing the book cover. Omg. I can’t wait. April is soooof far away.
My heart is heavy… April, oh that is just so not fair. What do we read until then??? Cover is awesome though.
I love the cover. It grabs you n makes you wanna grab the book n read it. Great idea!!!
Love the new cover! Just finished reading Suddenly One Summer! Loved it! Hurry up April 2017! Would love to win a copy to add to my collection of books! Thanks!
So excited about the next book! Can’t wait for next April!!!
Awesome cover! I love the heart-shaped lolly pops. Sounds like a fun read. Can’t wait!
Can’t wait to read the new book. It sounds soooo good!
Love the cover and can’t wait for the book to come out, I love your FBI series!!! ?????
The cover looks awesome. I’m a HUGE fan of black/white/red combination and this just gets me more excited for coming April!
That was a really promising blurb up there. Can’t wait for release day. Sexy cover, too! (It doesn’t have to show the couple for it to be flirty and sexy. Way to go!!)
Great cover! I can hardly wait for the book to come out!
Great cover and new title.
Can not wait to the release.
I love the new cover! But then all the covers of your books are fun. Sounds like a great book, can’t wait to read it.
BEST. COVER. EVER.
Can’t wait for it!!! Love all your books
April can’t come soon enough!
Great cover!!!
I like the new cover as it shows the book is a bit more racy then the original cover. The original cover is awesome also, but needs a story to fit with it too.
Love…love…the new cover.
I was hoping it was August….LOL. Can’t wait. It sounds so good and the cover looks perfect. Impatiently waiting……..
I love your books and it seems like a while since we’ve had one. I love the new cover and this sounds like the kind of book I like to read.
Absolutely love the new cover and title!! Can’t wait until April! 🙂
Love the new cover!!! Anything “red” is seductive & sexy!!! Can’t wait to read!!
Can’t wait to read this new book.
Oh gosh, I seriously cannot wait for this book!
Love the new cover! Can’t wait for this book!
Love the cover and would love to win your book. Thanks for the opportunity.
Love the cover! Just looking at it
makes me long for the days when I
could wear high- heeled shoes. At
my age (almost 80) and after knee
replacement surgery, those days
are now history!
Love, love, love your books!
I’m really loving the cover and I’m counting down the days until April!!! Thanks for the giveaway, I hope to be one of the lucky winners!
Such a long wait, this cover is shockingly dangerous
Love the cover!
Need in my life. I need a new thrilling adventure in the shape of a book and this sounds perfect.
I love this cover and can’t wait to read it <3
Love the new title, goes so well with prior titles.
Love stories on FBI agents and I can’t wait for this book. I have your last 2 books in my stack, but I’ve got a Nook & a Kindle app and I went a little crazy buying ebooks, so I haven’t read them yet. A question: Did Jordan and Nick (my favorite couple) have their babies yet?
Looks like another great book. I can’t wait.
Whoa! Thanks so much for the chance! I can’t wait for the new book. The cover looks amazing!!! <3
Thanks for the chance!!! The cover is just gorgeous!Can’t wait!!!
Love the cover. Can’t wait to read it!
Love the cover and title! April is too far away though….
congratulations!
Love that new cover!!!
Love the blurb, and the stiletto on the cover too! I wonder if the characters from the previous FBI books will make an appearance!?!
Love the smashed lollipops and heel !<3 great cover it looks fun
Yay!! I love your books and can’t wait for the new one!!
Covers awesome too!
The new cover is fabulous!
What’s not to like? I like the crushed lollipops LOL! 😀
Can’t wait!! Love the cover!!
Can not wait. Thank you
I like this cover it is eye catching. It is the covers that draw me to a book at the book store first and I think that this one will stand out.
I love the new cover and I can’t wait to read it!
I’m excited for this book. .I love your writing!
I really like the new cover. It pops and makes you want to see what the book is all about!! I can’t wait for the release so I can get to reading!!!
Greetings from a longtime fan and a fellow lawyer/writer all the way from MACEDONIA ! Love the originality of your new cover! I hope this new book will be sold here too soon !
I ❤️ The new cover. I’m a big fan!
I like it!!
I can hardly wait the book! Sounds great! ?
I liked the other cover but I love this one. Cant wait.
OMG, Ms. James. The cover is absolutely stunning! And I am so excited to read The Thing About Love! Adore all your books and a day when you release a book it feels like Christmas! Thank you for sharing your talent with us. And thank you for the amazing chance to win! Would love to add Suddenly One Summer to my favorite bookshelf! ❤️
I’m looking forward to this! I have been wondering when a new book will come out. Thanks.
1. Thank you for writing romance novels that always portray women as intelligent funny and kickass!
2. I would love for the Cubs to face my SF Giants this year in the NL Championship series.
I love the new cover and title! I cannot wait until April.
Love the new cover, but next year??? Oh my.
I must be regressing, because the black, red and white is so stimulating as they are supposed to be for infants. That and my eyesight is rapidly deteriorating since turning 40 and they’re probably the only colors I can differentiate. 🙂
Regardless, it’s a gorgeous new cover.
I love the cover.
I’m addicted to your FBI romantic mysteries! Thanks for the chance to win one!
Love the new cover!! Can’t wait to read this one!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the cover and can’t wait to read this one. Thank you for the chance.
That is definitely a change in your cover for the series. I do love it though; it really gives it a hype on being sexy.
Love the cover!!! Can’t wait to get my hands on The Thing About Love!
Thank you for the opportunity <3
I actually love both covers and titles. I would read both books! Then again I’m a book whore, you can’t go by me. I do love shoes too …Yes, I have a shoe habit too. Great cover, great title, looking forward to reading it.
P.S. I love the crushed candy heart. I’m taking that as a sign that the heroine is my kind of gal!