Hello and thank you for visiting!
I’m Carmine Valentine.
Welcome to my website. I write romance where you can expect the unexpected: mystery, danger, and love. All Fired Up is my first published novel and is book 1 in The Barefoot by Moonlight Series with book 2, All You Desire, coming in 2026.
My stories are set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest where I was born and raised and continue to call home.
With the holidays upon us, check out my Christmas romance short story set in the Cascade Mountains.
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OUT NOW!
Reviews for All Fired Up, Second Edition
“… a brilliantly woven web of threats, kidnappings, and long-held secrets … A dramatic love story with a heart of gold, All Fired Up is a suspenseful, slow-burn romance where the bonds of family, loyalty, and love are tested by betrayal and the shadow of violence.”
– INDIES TODAY
“I’d recommend this book to readers who love cozy mysteries, small town settings, and slow-burn romances with heartfelt moments. If you want something that mixes danger with tenderness and a little island charm, this will be right up your alley.”
- LITERARY TITAN
“… Valentine’s prose is descriptive but not overindulgent; her settings pulse with atmosphere. You can practically feel the salty air of the ferry ride, the creak of the old Perrigo Mansion, and the cold mist rolling off the harbor. The Pacific Northwest becomes more than a backdrop; it’s a living part of the story, moody and mysterious, mirroring Marianne’s own emotional journey …”
- Seattle Book Review
“ …Readers who enjoy romantic suspense with heart will find All Fired Up deeply satisfying. Fans of authors like Nora Roberts, Barbara Freethy, or Christina Dodd’s Pacific Northwest series will feel right at home. It’s also a great pick for cozy mystery lovers who want a touch of danger without the grit of darker thrillers. The book’s second edition shows Valentine’s polish as a storyteller: it’s confident, witty, and layered with emotional truth beneath the romantic tension …”
- Seattle Book Review
All Fired Up
Second Edition
Book 1, The Barefoot by Moonlight Series
He needs a room. She needs his bad-guy hunting skills.
Danger and mystery on Orcas Island where a long-buried secret has surfaced.
What they didn’t expect was to fall in love.
Romance and intrigue on a Pacific Northwest Island.
COMING IN 2026
If you’ve read book 1, then you’ve met Ian and Fiona.
They are about to have their own romance and intrigue.
All You Desire
Book 2
The Barefoot by Moonlight Series
He’s her big crush. She's his prime suspect.
And when a million dollars vanishes, danger comes to the idyllic Lilac Bed-and-Breakfast in LaConner.
Can they unravel the mystery while trying to hide their feelings for each other?
Complicated? That’s an understatement.
Romance & Intrigue in a Pacific Northwest Small Town.