Archive for the ‘Contemporary Romance’ Category

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The best laid plans sometimes crumble,
but fate has the perfect detour.
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The Marriage Agreement

The Agreement Series Book 2

by A. Akinosho

Genre: Age Gap, Second Chance Contemporary Romance

The best laid plans sometimes crumble,
but fate has the perfect detour.

 

Ayodele

In desperate need of a solution, I’m about to lose
everything—my education, my future—if I’m deported before finishing school.
Osei, bless his heart, is willing to marry me, but his wandering eye would only
bring more trouble than we need.

Enter Luke, my best friend’s brother, with a shocking
proposal: a marriage agreement. A simple arrangement that could save us both.

He needs to escape the forced marriage his father’s pushing
on him, and I need to stay in the country to finish school.

It’s a deal that works for both of us.

But neither of us expected that living together, pretending
to be husband and wife, would blur the lines between what’s real and what’s
just part of our agreement.

I didn’t plan on falling in love with Luke, but sometimes
the heart doesn’t care about the plan.

 

Luke

There was always a girl—a girl I couldn’t get out of my
head. When I finally find her, she’s with the one person I could never
betray—my brother.

I’ve kept my distance, believing that Ayodele was
off-limits, only to learn she’s only my brother’s best friend. But crossing
that line still felt forbidden. So, I’ve watched her quietly, wanting what I
thought I could never have.

Now, she desperately needs help, and I see a way to help
her—and myself. A fake marriage would solve both our problems. She stays to
finish school, and I escape the loveless match my father is forcing me into.

It’s the perfect solution.

Or so I thought. What was supposed to be just an agreement
is becoming something else entirely. The connection I’ve tried to deny is
impossible to ignore, and keeping my distance is no longer an option.

Maybe this was never supposed to be a plan, because, neither
of us is sticking to the plan.

No problem, right?

Amazon
* Bookbub
* Goodreads

The Handshake Agreement

The Agreement Series Book 1

He promised her the world,
Then, abandoned her at the altar.

Anne
I’m a realist, cynical about falling in love. Until I met Declan – the rich and
powerful player. With his quiet determination, he dismantled my cynicism and
made me believe.
Before I know it, I’m flashing a radiant smile, dressed, and eagerly awaiting
him at the altar.
Only, I got the text – “I’m not coming” – shattering my world.
Regret is a waste of time; I stand by my original convictions.
Years later, he’s back demanding a second chance, how dare he?

Declan
I shook on the agreement without hesitation because I had zero plans to marry
for love. Ever.
Years later, Anne crashed into my life. I find myself craving what I thought I
didn’t need or want.
Unexpectedly, the agreement I made resurfaced, presenting me with a dilemma:

Marry as agreed or
Lose Anne forever.

Deal accepted, regardless of hurting Anne.
When I find Anne again, she’s engaged, far as I’m concerned, she’s still mine.
I’ll cheat, steal, and fight before I let Anne marry another.
All is fair in love and war. And this is war…hope he’s ready to fight?

The Handshake agreement is a contemporary an age gap, second chance romance
with a Possessive MMC

Amazon
* Bookbub
* Goodreads

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A. Akinosho lives in her own little nest in Illinois. An
avid reader and enjoy reading thrillers, suspense and romance novels (partial
to romance genre). When, She’s not reading or keeping up with life. She enjoys
writing and creating twist to stories. She loves writing about diverse
characters, friendship and overcoming challenges through, what is perceived as
a weakness.

Website * Facebook * X * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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The Loathe Boat

by Cindy Dorminy

 

Publication date: January 20th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

The Loathe Boat is about to set sail! All aboard!

Chrissy Parks already has one failed marriage under her belt, and despite being on good terms with her ex, she has no desire to put another ring on her left hand anytime soon. Life is good with Deacon, her amazing boyfriend, so there’s no need to rock the boat.

Deacon Youngblood has other plans. He pops the question just days before they plan to set sail on a role-playing-themed cruise. When Chrissy flips out and turns down his proposal, he begins to think that she may not be over her ex.

The situation escalates into a breakup, but neither will relinquish their cruise ticket. Chrissy climbs aboard the Sovereign of the Sea with the goal of clearing her head and enjoying all the cruise has to offer. Deacon follows with the hope of winning her back.

Chrissy has a nagging feeling that Deacon is hiding something from her. And he’s not the only one vying for her attention. Chrissy must search her heart and decide who she wants. Or maybe she should abandon ship.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

First line: Nothing says love like walking through a parking garage in a bright yellow duck suit. ~ Chrissy

I open the box to reveal the custom-made engagement ring I’ve been hiding in my drawer for a month. Her mouth gapes open, but no words come out – no “OMG, yes” or even “Of course I will” or a squeal of excitement…..

Her breaths come out in rapid pants. “I..I… uh, I…” Her chair falls backward as she runs toward the bathroom.

Relinquishing my ticket to her would be the right thing to do, but there is no way on Earth I’m going to let her share my stateroom with her ex-husband. I’d rather be stuck on the Titanic with her than let her have any sexy times with that twenty-first century Eddie Haskell ~ Deacon

A sword? Wait! A viking helmet too? Most of the people in line around me seem more like they are on their way to a Ren Faire. All that’s missing is a very large turkey leg. ~ Chrissy

Rom-Com readers will have a memorable trip on The Loathe Boat ~ Goodreads

Great for getting in the ‘vacation mood’ without necessarily hearing Jimmy Buffet. ~ Goodreads

For a closed-door romance, they had magnetic chemistry! ~ Goodreads

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About Author Cindy Dorminy:

Cindy Dorminy writes about love when it’s least expected. Quirky dialogue and sassy, southern heroines are a must in her romances. When she’s not in her she-shed working on her next novel, she enjoys walking her dog, gardening, and weightlifting. She shares her house with her musician husband, an awesome daughter, and a miniature dachshund who would eat all the food if he could figure out how to open the refrigerator. She resides in Nashville, TN, where live music can be heard everywhere, even at the grocery store.

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Some Like It Hott

by Serena Bell

 

(Hott Springs Eternal, #3)
Publication date: January 14th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

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She’s nothing he wants. And everything he needs.

Preston: I’m Mr. Serious, the guy they call “all work and no play.” So of course my grandfather’s sadistic will has put me in charge of fun at the family’s wedding resort. I have just a few weeks to come up with an all-ages activities program for the resort’s guests—or lose my family’s land forever. Meanwhile, the clock’s ticking at my finance firm, where I’m up for a huge promotion—if I can prove I’m a team player.

Worse, I have to work with the reigning queen of fun, Natalie Archer. If there’s a party, Natalie’s there, and she’s the one dancing on the tables. She doesn’t think much of my suits, ties, cufflinks, and spreadsheets, and I don’t think much of her fun-first–safety-last attitude. But for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about her gorgeous curves, wild curly hair, or sparkling smile. I’m a man who values self-control—and I’m running low.

Natalie launches Operation Fun to help me loosen up and win the promotion I’ve been chasing. Now we’re spending days and nights together—and learning that some activities are a lot of fun for both of us. But as our deadline approaches and our collaboration heats up, Natalie and I find ourselves asking a big question: Opposites may attract, but can they live happily ever after?

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, fish-out-of-water, billionaire, opposites attract, workplace relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

By the time I start my new job a week after my coffee-shop encounter with Lloyd and Susie, I’m starting to feel more optimistic about things. My new boss, Hanna, hooked me up with a swanky room in the Hott Springs Eternal lodge; I’ve deleted all Lloyd’s emails, texts, and photos; and I’ve pawned all the jewelry he gave me.

I’m not sleeping great, and I’m still a little weepy…but you can’t have it all.

I poke my head into Hanna’s office and say, “Hey!”

“Oh, hi, Natalie. Come in.”

I can tell right away that something’s off. She doesn’t sound as brimming with enthusiasm as she did when she called to let me know I had the job or when we talked about my lodging. But I tell myself it’s nothing to do with me—probably a bridezilla situation from earlier in the morning—and step inside.

“Good to see you.” She waves me into a chair across from her. “I have some paperwork for you to fill out, but first I wanted to have a word with you.”

She rearranges a stack of papers, and I realize she’s nervous. Which means the “something off” I observed when I first walked in? Probably does have to do with me.

Shit. “Everything okay?”

I don’t know what I’ll do if this job falls through. Things are over with Lloyd, and it’s a huge understatement to say my parents aren’t my first choice of roommates. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that the idea of asking them for any kind of favor makes me feel like throwing up. Which is why I have to save the money to go back to school.

And even if my housing situation weren’t at stake, I want this job. Yeah, it’s not on the long-term Get Serious path, but it’s totally up my alley. I love people and I love, well, fun—and this is a job where I get to make sure people have fun. Nothing else I’ve applied for sounds like something I want to do.

“I have so many great ideas for how to make Hott Springs Eternal a true destination!” I blurt out, sounding like a bad cover letter—as if that’s going to keep her from delivering whatever bad news is on the tip of her tongue.

She winces, and…I do, too. She looks away, and shit. Shit shit shit.

“It’s complicated,” she says, still not making eye contact. “Nothing to panic about, but there’s a—twist.”

“A twist,” I repeat. That doesn’t sound good.

“I’m really sorry about this bait and switch, but my hands are totally tied. I know I hired you to be the sole person in this position, but, well…God, how do I explain this?”

She’s not making any sense, and apparently my face betrays my confusion and worry because she says, “Wait, let me start from the beginning.”

But just then, her eyes leave my face and fix on something behind me. “Oh, hey,” she says.

I turn to see a man standing in the office door, towing a rolling suitcase behind him. He’s tall and broad-chested, wearing a gorgeous gray linen suit whose expensive tailoring flaunts the strength in his shoulders and biceps. His brown-and-burgundy power tie is cinched up tight against his strong, tanned throat. A half day of dark stubble coats his iron jaw, his cheekbones were carved from stone, and he’s scowling like he just found out his bespoke-suit maker has gone out of business.

My mouth goes dry, and my thighs get hot.

I may have read a little too much “You liked Fifty Shades? Try this!” romance at a formative age.

My eyes go to his hands.

No ring.

Yes, I checked. The universe has spontaneously served me up a Hot Man in a Suit. I challenge any single, straight woman with a pulse not to try to figure out if this guy’s married.

Although it’s pointless.

Because things never work out between men like him and women like me. They’re all business, and I’m a party. They take themselves and everything else seriously, and I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

But it doesn’t stop me from having to wipe imaginary drool from both corners of my mouth.

It might be the stern look and the crease between his dark eyebrows. The set of his jaw or the harsh twist of his lush mouth.

Whatever it is, I have to force my eyes away from him and back to my boss’s face.

Which is pained.

Whatever the bad news is, it involves this man. And that makes sense because no matter what happens next, I already know he’s bad news for me.

“Preston,” Hanna says, “this is Natalie Archer. I’ve, er, hired her to be Hott Springs Eternal’s activities coordinator.”

His scowl deepens, making my heart beat faster, out of both fear and lust.

“That’s unfortunate,” he says.

Yikes.

Nice to meet you, too, Preston.

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About Author Serena Bell:

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

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Daring Destiny

by Kaylene Winter

 

(Charming Irish, #2)
Publication date: January 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Daring Destiny is a sweltering saga of billionaire intrigue, opposites-attract, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers with an unexpected life-changing twist.

Before I founded my AI tech company, I spent my high school years silently pining over Astrid Gustafsson, the unattainable ice-blonde beauty. Fast forward a decade and I’m shocked when she asks to collaborate on a secret project. The opportunity is too enticing to pass up.

Our newfound friendship quickly ignites into a wildfire of desire, and my passion for Astrid intensifies, leaving me eager to risk everything for our future. The challenge is, relentless demands of my high-stakes empire threaten to smother the flames of our burgeoning romance.

When fate dramatically intervenes, will a life-changing twist dare us to embrace our destiny?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“So…” she says quietly. “Can we talk?”

“Yeah.” I brace myself for what’s coming next.

The end. This is probably the last time I’ll ever see Astrid. My heart is breaking into a million pieces and I’m not sure how to stop her from…

Without thinking, I reach out and take her hand, comforted by how natural it feels. She doesn’t pull away, just flicks her eyes up to me and blinks rapidly. As if she’s trying to stop from crying. My heart thunders in my chest. She moves in closer.

Thu-thump.

Suddenly, her lips are on mine.

In the beginning, it’s a soft kiss. Tentative, as if she’s testing the waters. Then, it quickly deepens and I find myself pulling her flush against my chest. Instinctively, my arms wrap around her as I lose myself in the moment. She tastes like peaches and heaven.

When our lips finally part, our foreheads remain pressed together as we try to catch our breath.

“I didn’t mean to…” She clutches at my waist.

“Neither did I,” I mutter, though it’s a lie. If I could kiss Astrid forever, I would.

I planned to.

We stand there for a moment, holding each other. Neither of us willing to let go. The air between us is charged. Electric.

She gazes up at me, her eyes soft but guarded. “Thank you.”

“For what?” I’m genuinely confused.

“For being here tonight. I truly didn’t think you’d come” She takes in a huge breath and lets it out, like she’s nervous.

Considering the situation, I’m unsure how to respond. “Why wouldn’t I be here? It was important to you. To us.”

She smiles wistfully and tilts her head. “Brennan.”

“I… Uh…” I don’t know how to respond.

Astrid shoots me a look as if to say, shut the fuck up.

So, I don’t bother finishing the sentence. It’s pointless to bullshit her. I’m not capable of giving her what she needs and we both know it.

I’m utter crap at relationships. I don’t know how to nurture them. Prioritize them. Communicate properly. I never have. Probably never will.

Astrid should have been different. She’s everything I ever dreamed about. My ultimate fantasy. And I had her. Until I fucked up.

Ruined us.

Astrid sucks in a breath. “So…turns out I’m pregnant.”

Wait, what?

Reality crashes down, unforgiving. Like a hundred million buckets of ice water.

If I can’t manage a romantic relationship with someone as perfect as Astrid…

How in the fuck can I be a good father?

Reality crashes down, unforgiving. Like a hundred million buckets of ice water.

If I can’t manage a romantic relationship with someone as perfect as Astrid…

How in the fuck can I be a good father?

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About Author Kaylene Winter:

When she was only 15, Kaylene Winter wrote her first rocker romance novel starring a fictionalized version of herself, her friends and their gorgeous rocker boyfriends. After living her own rockstar life as a band manager, music promoter and mover and shaker in Seattle during the early 1990’s, Kaylene became a digital media legal strategist helping bring movies, television and music online. Throughout her busy career, Kaylene lost herself in romance novels across all genres inspiring her to realize her life-long dream to be a published author. She lives in Seattle with her amazing husband and dog. She loves to travel, throw lavish dinner parties and support charitable causes supporting arts and animals.

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Where the Road Ends

by Kathryn Beck

 

 

Publication date: January 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Women’s Fiction

 

Bartender Mara Sawyer has sixty days to turn her life around. If she can’t, Mara will lose the chance to regain custody of her daughter. Never having envisioned her life as a living, breathing, public service announcement for the Wyoming judicial system, Mara embraces the judge’s harsh rebuke. Finding a steady job will be easy, finishing school will be easy. Eluding the distraction of the new swaggering Texan, Luke Whitten, will be anything but easy.

With all her cards on the table, Luke and Mara build a strong friendship and along the way, she gives herself permission to fall in love again. When Mara’s ex offers up full custody in exchange for betraying Luke, Mara must choose — her daughter’s happiness, or her own.

Goodreads / Amazon / Wild Rose Press

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Enjoy this peek inside:

New guy held up his finger for the fourth time in an hour.

She swept his plate and silverware into the dirty dishes bucket and pulled the handle to deliver him another beer. “Are you sure you don’t want a shot of something?” She waved at the collection of liquor bottles behind her. “Your something unpleasant is going to get expensive at some point.”

He ran his finger along the grain of the wood, up the condensation of the glass. His hands were large and calloused. Workingman’s hands.

Refusing to bite, or speak apparently, he looked up and smiled.

Twisting around, she grabbed up one of their generic, bar-grade bottles. “You look like a tequila man.”

“A tequila man, huh?” He raised one eyebrow, motioned with his finger for her to pour. “Sure, you want to call that tequila?”

She glanced at the bottle, thought again, and grabbed up a bottle of Sagebrush, her mid-grade agave tequila, and held it up for inspection. “Better?”

“I’m impressed.” He nodded as she was poised to pour.

“So, a man who knows his tequilas. A man not in his element with this weather.” She glanced at his ambiguous touristy ball cap. “You’re from Texas.”

He extended a killer smile that swept all the sharpness away in an instant. “And how would you know that?”

“Simple.” She looked at his hands, at his chest. “We get a lot of oil guys in here. But oil guys in Wyoming are different.”

She nodded at a customer a couple of bar stools down, held her finger up to new guy.

He shot down his tequila and winced, looped his finger as she got back to him. “You realize you’d be laughed out of the Lone Star State with your tequila selection.”

“Maybe, but that means I’m right about the Texas part though.”

He rocked his head from side to side. “Perhaps.”

“Ball cap is a dead giveaway.” She floated her head sideways to indicate the packed bar. “Wyoming boys wear them backward, trying to look cool, or what they think is cool. Texas boys are already confident, wear their caps like grown men should.” She was flirting, but he was a safe sort. The kind just passing through on their way somewhere else. Not like he’d be interested in her anyways. Since the courtroom visit—her sweet and salty explosion of junk food continued, ending last night with an entire key lime pie. Instinctively, she glanced down the counter to Angela. But here new guy sat, had sat. She knew better than to read anything into that.

After three shots, he slowed down, nursing his beer, staring so intently at the coaster, there had to be something unpleasant and deep going on. There was no way one night on her barstool would touch his problems. No matter how many shots he did.

But in an instant, his buzzed ass stared at her with blue eyes, glacier blue, burning straight to her insides. She liked to think she could hold her own looking someone in the eye, but she was the first to look away. She didn’t need anyone trying to analyze her lengthy list of problems.

“Do you have family here?” she asked, trying again. She’d never worked so hard for a conversation. Two nights off diminished her let-me-into-your-world vibes.

“Huh?”

“Mom, brother, sister? What you Texas boys may call kinfolk?”

She didn’t miss the flinch when she said brother. She also didn’t miss his eyes lighting up and the bite at his lip when mentioning a sister. Within ten short seconds he pulled out a photo of not only his sister, but two adorable nephews, in full cowboy attire.

He put his credit card on the bar and returned the pictures to their sleeves. After he signed the receipt, he hitched his hip and jammed his wallet into the back pocket of well-worn, faded-to-soft jeans.

He tipped his cap, looking over the crowd for a minute, and turned his hat around backward, making her laugh. “Does that make me blend better?”

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About Author Kathryn Beck:

Kathryn is a transplanted Canadian who now calls Texas home. She loves writing strong, morally gray women tackling complex relationships and their messy lives. Kathryn enjoys road trips, spa weekend getaways, and spending time with family and friends.

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A Guide to Fake Dating Your Enemy

by Nikki Bright

 

Publication date: January 9th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Samuel Warner is rich, charming, the CEO of his family’s business, and the guy I’ve hated since grade school. Now, thanks to one of my more questionable ideas, he’s also my new pretend boyfriend.

Our families have been at each other’s throats for three generations, fighting over the future of our small town. The Warners are all for bulldozing and modernizing every corner of Fox Creek, while my family is determined to preserve our quirky little town and its quaint ways. But even without the family feud, Samuel’s charm and charisma (and his maddening smirk) would still get on my nerves.

Samuel is insufferably smooth, his favorite hobby is teasing me even though he’s able to charm the most cantankerous granny in the county, and he’s spine-tinglingly handsome. Worse yet, he knows it!

But when my brother falls head over heels for a Warner girl, I’m desperate to find a way to unite our families. So, I propose a totally sane, not-at-all-ridiculous plan: Samuel and I will pretend to be in a serious relationship, faking our way to family peace and town harmony with a Romeo-and-Juliet-style performance (minus the tragedy at the end).

First problem with this fantastic idea? Samuel agrees way too quickly, which screams that he’s got a hidden agenda. And yet, he’s so perfect in the role of doting boyfriend, I can’t figure out what his angle is.

Second problem? This relationship might be fake, but my heart didn’t get the memo. Every “date” and impromptu public display of affection Samuel insists on performing stirs up feelings I’m not prepared for. Soon enough, I’m wondering if I can really end this without a total family feud—or losing my heart.

A Guide to Fake Dating Your Enemy is a laugh-out-loud small-town romantic comedy full of swoon-worthy moments, sizzling kisses, and a romance that’s anything but fake. It’s a closed door romance with mild swearing/language.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Samuel moved, breaking his stare. He leaned back in the love seat, his face thoughtful for a moment before that teasing smile of his appeared. “Well, Miss Mann,” he drawled, “I believe you’ve presented a creative solution to our admittedly inconvenient war. No need to consider alternatives.” His gaze locked on mine again, his eyes full of mischief. “I’m in. Let’s fake date.”

My jaw dropped. That was it? No arguments, no questions, no conditions? He just agreed?
That was way too easy. I’d prepared for at least fifteen minutes of criticism followed by an hour of strenuous arguing and deal striking.

A seed of suspicion wormed its way into my mind. What ulterior motives could he be hiding?
“Really?” I asked. “Just like that? You’re agreeing to this? What’s the catch?”
“Would you prefer if I refused your offer?” Samuel smirked, as if he had the upper hand in this. (Which, I suppose he did.) “There’s no catch. We both want our families to get along and improve relations in Fox Creek, right? If this is what it takes, then I’m game.”

“Right,” I slowly drew the word out. Although the idea had been mine, facing Samuel and his handsome, crooked grin, I couldn’t help but feel I might have made a mistake.

He caught on to my growing reservations. “We’re both adults here, Miss Mann. Surely we can handle a fake relationship for the greater good.”

“Yes,” I agreed. I hadn’t come up with any other ideas to help Owen out, so this was my best plan.

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About Author Nikki Bright:

Hi, I’m Nikki Bright! In my experience life can be tough, so I write laugh out loud romantic comedies in the hope that they will bring some joy to your day.

My books are closed door (which is also called sweet romance by some readers) but with plenty of the romantic zing you love, and lots of chemistry between the main characters. (That means there’s no spice or steamy times.)

In my stories you’ll find lots of banter, happily ever afters, and loads of quirky side characters who all live in the small, fictitious Wisconsin town of Fox Creek—a city so cute and quaint you’ll wish you could move there!

I’m an indie author, which means I handle everything involving bringing my books to life on my own. Thankfully, I have an amazing assistant who helps me out and runs my social media accounts, answers email, and keeps the website up to date!

Currently I’m hiding in my writing cave hard at work on the next book and focusing on writing more stories about couples you’ll love and laugh with. But I still love connecting with readers through my author newsletter, so if you’d like to hear directly from me (or if you’d like to read extra epilogues for any of my books) please sign up to receive my newsletter!

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The Magical Tea Shop

by Aimee O’Brian

 

(Charmed Love, #1)
Published by: Tule Publishing
Publication date: January 7th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In the small town of Hazard, finding your soulmate might require magical intervention.

Ivy Wayland has a bet with her sister, who says you can’t have it all—success in business or love, but not both. Since opening her tea shop, Ivy knows where her priorities should be, but she has her heart set on her landlord. All her life, she’s heard the family lore about how their antique cookie press infuses homemade cookies with so much love that the recipient will fall head over heels for the giver. Ivy decides to take the chance.

Jaxon Langford is ready to move on. The only thing stopping him from selling up is concern about how some of his small business owners would fare with a greedier landlord. When one of his enthusiastic tenants brings him a tin of delicious-looking cookies, he’s charmed. He takes the cookies to his baseball team’s practice, only to watch them be devoured without getting so much as a bite.

Suddenly, Ivy has her pick of the town’s eligible bachelors—except Jaxon. How can she prove her sister wrong and win Jaxon’s heart?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

Ivette Wayland caught her breath. With the sun shining down on him, Jaxon Langford always caught her just a little unawares. He only lived upstairs, but every morning she found herself anticipating his first appearance of the day. She gazed through the plate glass window of her cozy tea shop as his little black Scottie dog scampered to keep up with his long strides. Jaxon halted just outside her door.

Would he enter?

She ached to run her fingers through that molasses-brown hair, still damp from the shower and sparkling like sugared ginger crinkles. It was ridiculous how much she yearned to touch him. He was her landlord, for goodness’ sake. Ivy reined in her longing. Jaxon paused on the sidewalk and quickly stepped over to hold open the door for the tiny, elderly Hazel Bestwick, president of the Hazard Historical Society.

Please come inside, Jaxon.

A couple of young boys on their way to school, backpacks swinging, asked him a question. Jaxon leaned down to answer. He fist-bumped the taller of the two boys and grinned. Jaxon’s smile shot straight to her core. As if sensing her watching, he glanced at the window, trying to see through sunlight bouncing off glass, his eyes the color of a well-steeped Irish breakfast tea.

She let out a little sigh. What she wouldn’t give to have him for…

“Focus,” said a voice behind her.

Ivy jumped and blinked twice to bring herself back to reality. “You have customers.

Remember your goals.”

Her older sister’s constant criticism put her on the defensive. Ivy swung abruptly to face her, causing her high blonde ponytail to smack her own cheek. She shoved it back. “Business is steady.”

My business is steady.” Holly drew herself up straighter in her pink bakery smock smoothing a hand over her flawless updo before sweeping an arm out to draw Ivy’s attention to the nearly empty tearoom. “Your business is slow. And he…” She flapped her hand toward the window “…is a distraction to success. You can’t have it all.”

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About Author Aimee O’Brian:

Having lived in both California and Texas, award-winning author Aimee O’Brian now resides in the beautiful wine country where she writes dark, sexy, funny romance. With her three children grown and experiencing their own adventures, she and her husband are free to explore the world. When she’s not reading, writing, or planting even more flowers in her garden, she can be found stomping through ancient ruins and getting lost in museums.

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Avenge Me

by Tamela Miles

 

Publication date: December 30th 2024
Genres: Adult, Horror, Paranormal

Hands Clean: Afterburner
A costly mistake, that set in motion a horrific chain of events, seemingly have Lili paying for eternity. One being, walking the world’s oldest streets and dirt pathways, has the power to save her – if there is any of her soul left to save.

Witch Bitch: Assassin
To the people in Mason’s world, Luna deserves every bit of sympathy as his grieving girlfriend. But does she, really? A long buried and probably best forgotten secret fuels the fire of a vengeance that keeps Mason alive and guarantees the demise of unfortunate others.

GPS
Zayne is having a bad week. He’s lost his girlfriend, his part time job, and he’s failing two classes. The only bright spot in his life is time spent in his car, talking with his technologically enhanced GPS. The navigation system seems to truly know and understand him. It also knows things, dark things, that may put him on the path towards an evil force that just won’t quit.

XO
Lauryn is not the girl she used to be. Her demanding life as a struggling, single mom takes its toll and leads to a night out with friends and poor choices – choices that open a door to an otherworldly force that’s straddling the fine line between not so good and ungodly.

Hotel Paper
Las Vegas is losing its charm, but Zach and Paris decide to stick around for one more unforgettable night of sin. He finds himself in her embrace in the darkest of ways and begins to question how well he knows Paris – and how well he knows himself.

**This is a short story collection that is closely related to Tamela’s last release, Kiss Me Deadly

Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

(from the short story, “Hands Clean: Afterburner”)

Perry, as he was better known, stood on a grassy hill, overlooking the expanse of the beach and the churning waves just past sunset. Warm fur rubbing against his ankles reminded him he wasn’t alone, and he looked down with a gentle smile. A black cat weaved her away around his legs, purring loudly and looking up at him expectantly.

“Calling you “Cat” sounds straight ridiculous, but you refuse to tell me your name.”

The cat meowed and he chuckled. “Fine. Just “Cat”, it is.” He lifted her into his arms and rubbed noses. “It’s not often I ask animals to do my dirty work, so I thank you and promise to feed you.” Perry locked eyes with the cat and spoke softly in her mind. “Do you remember the plan? Are you ready to strike? When you get to the bar, be sure to give me a visual.”

At her reassuring purr, he put her down and let her run to her destination. He kept his eyes trained on the huge wood door of the Blue Rose bar, which stood several yards from his position on the beach hill. Cat approached the bar’s entrance and sat on the walkway, patiently waiting, as she licked a paw. Soon enough, the heavy door swung open, and a laughing couple emerged from the bar. Cat darted inside the dimly lit front area and, within seconds, gave him the visual he needed.

Perry almost immediately spotted his target, seated at a table with a large man. She was unchanged, both in face and body, even after a millennium.

.

About Author Tamela Miles:

Tamela Miles is a school psychologist with Ed.S degree and a graduate of California State University San Bernardino and California State University Dominguez Hills. She is also a former flight attendant. She grew up in Altadena, California in that tumultuous time known as the 1980s. She now resides with her family in the Inland Empire, CA. She’s a horror/paranormal romance writer mainly because it feels so good having her characters do bad things and, later, pondering what makes them so bad and why they can never seem to change their wicked ways.

She enjoys emails from people who like her work. In fact, she loves emails. She can be contacted at tamelamiles@yahoo.com or her Facebook page, Tamela Miles Books. She also welcomes reader reviews and enjoys the feedback from people who love to read as much as she does.

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Sizzling attractions and romance on the sands of Montauk

Jingle Bell Love

A Montuak Romance Book 2

By P.C. Zick

Genre: Contemporary Romance

A man in mourning for his dead wife. A woman unable to trust
the opposite sex. Blind date fiascos until they discover one another.
Denny’s wife—the only woman he’s ever loved—died the year before and his
friends are intent on finding him a new love. Jill’s first experience with love
in college left her skeptical that she would ever be able to find love. Both
the widower and the bachelorette hope for a second chance at love.
When Denny and Jill find themselves lustfully drawn to one another, they’re
ashamed of their secret encounters. When friends suspect there might be
something between them, they disapprove. Unsure of how they feel about one
another, the attraction continues. To keep things on the downlow, they hatch a
pact to be friends with secret benefits and embark on a hot sexy romance. When
those benefits explode into something more than primal urges, one of them
breaks the pact, and the whole affair and friendship ends up unraveling as the
holiday season approaches. This steamy romance jingles all the bells for the
Christmas season.
Denny, a contractor with a desire to become an architect, designs a home with
Jill foremost in his mind. Their love ebbs and flows in this Hamptons romance.

 

Jingle Bell Love is the second novel in the Montauk Romance series,
which feature novels filled with steamy passion, and always, everlasting love.

 

Buy your copy of Jingle Bell Love to begin reading about the
sexy men and beautiful women who seek meaningful relationships beyond lust at
first sight.

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THE MUSIC BLARED FROM the speakers when Denny entered Last Call. The pulsing beat perked him up and removed any regrets he’d had earlier about showing up. It would be good to see his friends. He needed a break from work and from missing Sara. And it would be nice to go out with friends rather than with a woman who couldn’t carry on a conversation. The date with Barbie lingered, and not in a pleasant way.

“We wondered if you’d make it,” Colt said when Denny joined him and Haley at the bar. “And you beat everyone else. Good job.”

Haley gave him a hug. “How are you, Denny? How did the date go the other night?”

Denny and Colt both groaned as an answer.

“I don’t understand. My cousin recommended her so highly.”

“She just wasn’t my type, Haley. I’m doubtful there’s anyone out there who’s my type, so I’m done.”

“But don’t give up, old man,” Colt patted him on the back. “You just haven’t met the right one yet.”

“I’m taking a break, remember? Even Jeff agreed to back off.”

Colt slapped his forehead. “I forgot, but just in case, I brought you something.” Colt reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out several small square packages. Denny stared at them and wondered why Colt was carrying around condoms.

“Why do you need those?” Denny asked.

“I don’t, but you do.” Colt put them in the pocket of Denny’s blue shirt. “We get these by the caseloads to take with us to the villages. A delivery came today, and I thought of you. No need to thank me.”

Denny laughed. “If I have to wait for my friends to fix me up with a worthwhile woman, I won’t need these for a very long time. And now that I’ve sworn off dating, these are going to rot.”

“Better to be safe,” Colt said. “You never know when something might happen. I’d hate for you to miss an opportunity just because you weren’t prepared.”

Denny turned to look at the woman who now stood next to him. Jill, Kiley’s friend and money handler. They had met only a few times before, but Denny had liked her immediately.

“Jill, I didn’t know you were in town,” Denny said. “Good to see you.”

“Hi there. I just got here today.” Jill greeted them all with a big smile. He’d never noticed what a lovely grin she had. But she looked different.

“Did you do something with your hair?” he asked.

Jill laughed. “You’re very observant. I guess it’s been a few months since we’ve seen one another. I’m letting it go back to my natural color. Platinum was too much. I’m almost thirty after all.”

Again, that smile as the rest of them laughed.

“I like it.” Then he turned to his beer. He hadn’t meant to say that. But she looked so damn sexy in a denim skirt a few inches above her knees and a red stripe top that outlined her breasts and dipped just enough to see her cleavage. He needed to get a grip before he lost his mind completely and kissed her.

“How have you been?” Jill asked quietly when they were settled. “It’s been almost a year, right?”

He nodded. “Next month. I’m surviving. The worst part has been the concern of my friends.” When Jill gave him a puzzled look, he plunged ahead. “They’re all intent on fixing me up on dates. So far, they’ve all been disasters.”

“I can relate to that. To avoid Kiley and my mother pestering me to get out more, I started online dating this past year. After my last date, I’ve sworn off it.”

“That bad? Same thing here. My last date did it for me, too. I didn’t realize there were so many empty-headed women out there. No offense because that certainly doesn’t fit you.”

“None taken, if you don’t mind me saying that there are some pretty lame guys as well. I think I’ve had a date with all of them.”

For the first time in more than a year, Denny felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from his shoulders. It would be all right. And suddenly, the woman next to him with the dark blonde hair curling softly around her jaw aroused in him feelings he hadn’t had since long before Sara died. He tried not to look at her chest as she leaned toward him. She gave his arm a squeeze, which sent a shiver down his spine.

When she rose and headed for the back of the bar, he followed her.

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Love On the Wind

A Montuak Romance Book 2

An uptight builder. A quirky reality TV travel show host.
An explosive passion that surprises them both in this sexy Hamptons romance.
Six years of traveling for her reality TV series has left Kiley Nelson, a
dedicated career woman, longing for a place to call her own. Spending a weekend
at her girlfriend’s beach house is the perfect reprieve, especially when she
purchases property to finally settle down. But her peaceful escape is shaken
when she smashes into a car containing the sinfully sexy and infuriated
passenger, Jeff Hammond, who immediately melts her heart.
Jeff, staying at his friend’s Montauk home to relax after a trying week of
building a home for a spoiled diva, doesn’t count on sharing his weekend with
the flaky, yet incredibly sexy, Kiley. He agrees to build her house, despite
the tug on his heart as Kiley turns him on in every delicious way.
Passionate weekends and shared dreams begin to shape the house they start to
build together as Jeff begins to realize his dream of becoming an architect. As
their relationship deepens, so do the wounds from past hurts, rousing ghosts
from Jeff’s traumatic past when his fiancé cheated on him with his brother.
When a summer storm rolls in at the nearly complete house, they’re forced to
deal with the past before it shakes and cracks the very foundation they’ve
built.
Misunderstanding and stubborn personalities threaten to rip apart the fledgling
relationship until both Kiley and Jeff learn to trust one another and are given
a second chance at love.

 

Love on the Wind is the first novel in the Montauk Romance series,
which feature novels filled with steamy passion, and always, everlasting love.

 

Buy your copy of Love on the Wind to begin reading about the
sexy men and beautiful women who seek meaningful relationships beyond lust at
first sight.

**On Sale for Only .99cents!**

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KILEY DROVE OUT TO Long Island on Saturday morning in the rental car the studio provided whenever she needed it. She put down the top on the BMW, excited to be driving on one of those rare, cloudless days of endless blue sky. At eight o’clock, the temperature was a lovely seventy degrees and rising steadily. She was glad she’d thrown in her new bikini at the last minute, along with a gauzy see-through sundress for wearing over the bathing suit. She loved to dress like an old hippie with lots of lace and wispy material that seemed to float on the air. When she worked, she mostly dressed down because her show took her on adventures not usually chosen by the average tourist. She hiked through rain forests, floated down crocodile infested rivers, and climbed rugged mountains free of cleared paths. She loved it, but she also liked taking off the hiking boots and thick protective socks and running barefoot on the beach. She wouldn’t mind racing naked over the dunes, but she’d heard the beaches on the eastern end of the island could be rocky. Not to mention, crowded.

So now she followed Route 27, the Sunrise Highway, to the eastern end of Long Island to East Hampton, where the community of Montauk plunked itself down right on the Atlantic Ocean as a hamlet on the dunes. The Montauk Lighthouse, still in operation as the fifth largest working lighthouse in the United States, dominated the end of Montauk Point, sitting high on a dune guarding and protecting the hamlet. She felt herself relax as the miles flew by, hoping to make it to Taylor’s well before noon.

She almost missed the turn off for the house and made a sharp right turn a little too fast. Her tires spun in the sand of the beach road, and she lost control as the BMW turned sideways. She worked hard to turn the wheel, not paying attention to anything else on the road. When she’d corrected it and straightened out the wheels, she looked up too late to see a Jeep Cherokee in front of her driving much slower than she was. She tried to brake, but it was too late. She barreled right into the back of the vehicle, bringing them both to a halt.

“What the hell are you doing?” a dude dressed in shorts and a tank top yelled as he jumped out of the Jeep. “You’re driving too fast down this road.”

She got out of the driver’s seat, afraid to look at the damage. Instead, she looked up into angry brown eyes as the man approached her. If he wasn’t so angry, he’d be handsome. But now she needed to focus.

“I guess I lost control.”

“Obviously.” He nearly growled at her.

“It was an accident,” she meekly offered as she approached the front of her vehicle.

“Again, obviously. I’d hate to think what might have happened if you’d meant to hit us.”

Her eyes filled with tears, but she fought them back. No need to give this guy any more ammunition.

“Is everyone all right?” she asked when she realized angry dude was a passenger in the backseat, which meant more people were riding inside.

“Yes, they’re fine.” As he spoke, the front doors of the Jeep opened. Another good-looking man jumped out of the driver’s side, and a female out the other.

“What’s the damage?” the driver asked as he approached the rear of his car.

“Not much that I can see,” angry dude said. “I think that we might have lucked out.”

“I’m so sorry,” Kiley said. “I was trying to get control of my car in this sand, and I didn’t see you in front of me.”

“Don’t sweat it. I’m Colt by the way. This is Haley, and this is Jeff.” He pointed his thumb at the one who’d been so mean to her.

“I’m Kiley.” She held out her hand to Colt and then Haley. She decided not to press her luck with the one called Jeff. He was still glaring at her.

“I know you,” Haley said. “I’ve seen your show, Aroma Roads.

“Yup, that’s where you’ve probably seen me.” She turned to Colt. “Your name is Colt? That’s funny because I’m visiting a friend here this weekend who has a brother named Colt—pretty distinctive name.”

He laughed. “It’s an unusual name, unless you’re a horse. I’m surprised there’d be another Colt out on this road, so who’s your friend?”

“Taylor Bennett.”

He laughed again. “Well, that is a coincidence, because I have a sister with the same name. You must be the friend she said was coming out this weekend.”

“That’s great—I mean, it’s not the best way to meet my weekend roomies, now is it?”

“Just be more careful next time,” angry dude said. “You could have done real damage.”

“Yes, sir.” She gave a mock salute hoping to be funny, but his scowl deepened. Too bad he was so damn attractive. She could tell he worked out because his tight tank only accentuated his broad shoulders and firm pecs, revealing arms that were muscular and thick. She almost licked her lips, but the disgust written across his face stopped her cold.

.

 

P.C. Zick describes herself as a storyteller no matter what
she writes. And she writes in a variety of genres, including romance,
contemporary fiction, and creative nonfiction. She’s won various awards for her
essays, columns, editorials, articles, and novels.

Zick offers a variety of nonfiction books, which include a
book on vegetable gardening, a compilation of her essays and short stories from
her decades-long career as a writer, and a primer for writers on taking an idea
and turning it into a published book. She has also published and annotated the
journal of her great-grandfather based on his experiences as a Union soldier
during the Civil War.

Her novels contain elements of romance with strong female
characters, handsome heroes, and descriptive settings. And all of her works
express her philosophy of living lightly upon this earth with love, laughter,
and passion.

She and her husband live in Tallahassee, Florida, where they
enjoy gardening, kayaking, golfing, hiking, and traveling.

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Will it be a Christmas to remember, or will their
holiday get plowed away?

 

A Buckeye Falls Christmas

A Buckeye Falls Novel

by Libby Kay

Genre: Contemporary Holiday Romance

On the first day of Christmas, Buckeye Falls gave to me…

A snow storm…

Uninvited dinner guests…

A Christmas pageant…

And a friends’ reunion dinner to warm your heart.

It’s been ten years since five couples found love in this charming small Ohio
town. Families and careers have grown, but the love remains the same.

Max is hosting Christmas at the diner, a final sendoff before the beloved
hangout gets a facelift. But the risk of a snow storm and a few uninvited
guests threaten everyone’s plans. Will it be a Christmas to remember, or will
their holiday get plowed away?

Revisit your favorite couples in this holiday novella, which includes favorite
recipes from the series. Warning: this story will make you hungry and may cause
uncontrollable swoons.

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Ginny kissed Max’s cheek, tasting his tears on her lips. “Max, honey. This rarely happens. C’mon, Henry’s going to be the lead in the Christmas pageant. He’s a tough kid, just like his father.” She punctuated her statement with another kiss.

Max coughed and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “Oh yeah, I’m a real macho man.”

“Yeah, because you know they’re my type.” Ginny theatrically rolled her eyes.

“I shudder to think of what your type is,” Max said, gesturing at his current state. His eyes were red, he was covered in dirt and dog kibble, and he probably could stand another few hours of sleep.

Ginny leaned back, tapping her chin. “Well, let’s see. I like a man who can take care of me and my children. Someone who can cook, like really well. And it would be nice if he was a small business owner and took care of my father like his own. Oh, and if he’s also best friends with my best friends, that would be perfect.” Ginny huffed and pulled herself to her feet. “Looks like that’s a pretty tall order.”

Max snatched Ginny’s hand and pulled her onto his lap. “Okay, Mrs. Sanchez. Point made.” He kissed his wife, relishing in the fact they were still together after all these years. Life wasn’t always perfect, but it was from where he sat. “I need to get to the diner and start working on the menu for Christmas.”

Ginny kissed him one more time before pulling back. “And I’m needed in the office.”

“Love you, Gin.”

“Love you more.”

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Libby Kay lives in the city in the heart of the Midwest with
her husband. When she’s not writing, Libby loves reading romance novels of any
kind. Stories of people falling in love nourish her soul. Contemporary or
Regency, sweet or hot, as long as there is a happily ever after—she’s in love!

When not surrounded by books, Libby can be found baking in
her kitchen, binging true crime shows, or on the road with her husband,
traveling as far as their bank account will allow.

Libby cohosts the Romance Roundup podcast with Liz Donatelli
on the Reader Seeks Romance Channel where they recommend romance books and
interview authors, influencers, and publishers. Check it out for your weekly
dose of romance!

Website * Facebook * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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