Award-winning, USA Today and national bestselling author Anna J Stewart writes sweet to sexy romances for Harlequin and ARC Manor’s CAEZIK (Kay-Zehk) Romance. Her sweet Harlequin Heartwarming books include the Butterfly Harbor series as well as the ongoing Blackwell continuity series. She also writes the Honor Bound series for Harlequin Romantic Suspense and has contributed to the bestselling Coltons.
Q: Is this the start of a new series?
Anna: This is a new series called the McKenna Code. This is the first book of four. Aiden was in the last Honor Bound Series. He will pop up in all the books. There will be a lot of quirky characters.
Q: Why did you choose Alaska as the setting?
Anna: I watched a news story on Whittier, Alaska, which has a self-contained building where all the businesses and residences are in one place. I based the town in my story on this real town. It’s a small, enclosed community that lends itself well to a mystery—no one can just disappear. One of my best friends lived in Alaska for several years, and her parents visited there a few times, so I was able to get insight into how the town operates. I’ve also been to Alaska myself and was able to draw on the town, the people, and the lifestyle. Alaska has a particular feel that I hoped to capture.
Q: How would you describe Wren, the female lead?
Anna: She is confident, has a slight temper, tenacious, tough, cautious, defiant, and determined. All the McKennas have a family code—an unwavering loyalty.
Q: How would you describe Ty, the male lead?
Anna: He can be stubborn, patient, and composed. He is struggling with being out of control. He doubts himself and questions his choices because the woman he asked to testify is in a coma. Ty has a lot of ghosts that haunt him. He is wondering if he will leave the FBI, trying to rediscover himself, and figuring out where he wants to go from here.
Q: What is the dynamic between Wren and Ty?
Anna: Wren is a good foil for him because she will snap him out of his guilt. Their relationship is built on trust—he thinks she is amazing, and they always have each other’s backs. They go from best friends to lovers. There is already an established relationship, which is the core of their bond.
Q: How does their professional partnership affect their relationship?
Anna: Neither was willing to act on their attraction because they were partners and involved with other people. Now, they are willing to talk openly about their feelings. Being partners is the main conflict between them. I did research, and FBI agents can be married to each other. They will pop up in the fourth book, and they might each work in different sections of the FBI.
Q: What role does Alice, the witness, play in the story?
Anna: Ty feels anger, frustration, and blames himself for Alice getting hurt. He feels responsible for keeping her safe. There is a loyalty aspect—he questions his choices. Wren acts as a check and balance for him.
Q: How would you describe the McKenna family?
Anna: They are tight-knit, supportive, loving, and welcoming. I pitched it to my editor as “FBI” meets Blue Bloods because I am a big fan of CBS law enforcement dramas. Instead of a weekly dinner, I made it a monthly family dinner, set in Boston. Family is everything to them.
Q: What can readers expect in the next books?
Anna: The second book in this series will be out in December 2025. There will be two other Harlequin Heartwarming books that take place in Hawaii coming out this year as well. I am currently writing book 3 in the Circle of the Red Lily series, hopefully coming out in early June. It will feature a forensic specialist who never leaves her apartment.
Arctic Pursuit by Anna J. Stewart is a suspenseful story. The plot has FBI Agent Ty Savakis deciding to go ‘off the books’ to help a witness, Alice, he worked with years ago. She is targeted by those she will be testifying against and is now in a coma. He asks his FBI partner Wren McKenna for her help. Not hesitating at all, she goes to Alaska to help safeguard the witness and find those responsible for trying to kill Alice. They go undercover as a married couple and decide to share an apartment. Besides searching for the violent criminal, they now give into their desires of attraction.
