Archive for the ‘Contemporary Romance’ Category

Skating And Fake Dating By Ellie Hall ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: September 4, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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6

 

Skating and Fake Dating

by Ellie Hall

 

(Love in Maple Falls, #4))
Publication date: September 3rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

I’m pretending to be his stable girlfriend while he plays my successful boyfriend. But now faking feels a lot like falling.

Bailey
I’m a walking contradiction—professional on the job, a hot mess at home, and working my “I’ve got this” smile until my cheeks ache while hiding my hobbies: making maple butter and finding a husband. With my perfect sister’s recent engagement, I’m desperate to avoid Mom’s pitying looks and matchmaking attempts.

Carson
I used to be hockey’s laid-back southern charmer until a crushing rejection from my high school sweetheart transformed me into a workaholic. When I’m unexpectedly traded to a new team, rumors circulate about whether the gentleman wingman lost his edge. I’ll do whatever it takes to prove them wrong.

Bailey
When our worlds collide after a dessert disaster, we come up with a mutually beneficial solution to our respective woes: a fake relationship. The rules are simple: I get a “successful” boyfriend for family events. He gets a “stable” girlfriend for team image. No feelings, no complications, and a definite expiration date.

Carson
But between posing as a couple at the fall festival, midnight maple butter-making sessions, trying to keep our stories straight, and undeniable chemistry, what started as a convenient lie is beginning to feel inconveniently real. As the clock runs down on our arrangement, we’ll have to decide: walk away when the final buzzer sounds, or take a shot at the love neither of us saw coming.

***

Skating and Fake Dating is a heartwarming hockey romcom featuring Bailey and ‘Bama who are perfect for each other in all the most imperfect ways, plus, small-town charm, family shenanigans, and a guaranteed happily ever after sweeter than homemade maple butter blondies.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen
Offside and Off Limits by Kate O’Keeffe
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“In one simple move—” Waving his hand across the links of the cuffs, my pulse skips and then plummets.

Nothing happens.

A consummate professional, he declares, “That was to show that no ordinary person has the ability to free these people from their bonds. No, it takes a special flick of the—” He motions again, and I expect the handcuffs to drop from our wrists, but they remain fixed, locked.

His smile wavers. My expression morphs into a scowl. Bailey grins as if this is all part of the act and she’s expecting the handcuffs to vanish like the coin from the box.

I know better … or at least, my stomach thinks it does.

The magician tries one more time, but we remain locked together.

“Ah, yes. I must’ve, um, we’ll just take a moment in my stall to—” Turning his back on the crowd, he ushers us inside and then closes the black curtain at our backs.

“Get these off, now,” I say, forgoing my manners and the word sir.

Bailey adds, “Please.”

Sweat dots his forehead. “I don’t know what went wrong. Yes, of course. Let me just find the key. It’s here—” He rifles through a little drawer in a wooden chest.

I glance at Bailey and her shoulders droop slightly. She mouths, I’m sorry.

No, it’s this clown show of a magician who should be sorry.

“Ah ha!” He says, pinching a small key between his fingers.

“Hurry up. We have a wedding to go to.” I belatedly realize I included myself when in reality I’m dropping Bailey off and then going, well, I’m not sure where. She must, though, having arranged my moving plans.

The magician slides the key into the lock, but again, nothing happens. Wrenching it from his fingers, I say, “Let me try.”

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About Author Ellie Hall:

Ellie Hall is a USA Today bestselling author. If only that meant she could wear a tiara and get away with it. 😉 She loves puppies, books, and the ocean. Writing sweet romance with lots of firsts and fizzy feels gives her joy. Oh, and chocolate chip cookies are her fave. Ellie believes in dreaming big, working hard, and lazy Sunday afternoons spent with her family and dog in gratitude for God’s grace.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook / Newsletter

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Rekindled Flame By Ella Braeme ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: September 3, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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4

 

Rekindled Flame

by Ella Braeme

 

(Burning Hearts, #1)
Publication date: September 3rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He swore to protect his town—but guarding his heart is the real challenge.

Volunteer firefighter Shawn Miller thought he had his life figured out in small-town Elken Grove. His print shop pays the bills while his real passion—fighting fires—keeps him connected to the community he loves.

Then his new Captain walks through the station doors: Rebecca “Becks” Schwartz, the woman who walked out of his life nine years ago. Now she’s his superior officer, and someone in the department is determined to drive her away—or worse.

As danger closes in, Shawn must balance protecting Becks with respecting her authority. But when sparks fly hotter than ever between them, he realizes some flames aren’t meant to be extinguished—they’re meant to be stoked.

Get REKINDLED FLAME today and feel the heat of this slow-burn second chance romance!

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“There’s something else you should know before you leave.”

Something in the chief’s tone made Shawn sink back into his chair. “Sir?”

“The new captain is a woman,” Washington said carefully, clearly bracing for resistance. “Rebecca Schwartz from the Charlotte Fire Department. Goes by Becks, according to her application. She’ll be arriving Thursday next week for an informal meet-and-greet at Mr. Jones & Husband, then coming by on Saturday to meet the volunteers during training before officially starting on Monday.”

Shawn nodded, unfazed by the gender revelation. “A female captain? That’s fine by—“

But the words died in his throat as the full name registered. The folder slipped from his suddenly numb fingers, papers spilling across the floor. Rebecca Schwartz. The name echoed in his head like the aftershock of an explosion.

“Rebecca Schwartz?” he repeated, his voice sounding distant to his own ears.

Washington’s eyebrows rose slightly at Shawn’s reaction. “You know her?”

Know her? Shawn almost laughed at the absurdity of the question. He’d known her as Becca back then—sweet-faced but determined Becca with her infectious laugh and fierce ambition. He’d known the curve of her smile and the scent of her skin. Known her dreams and fears. Known the sound of her voice first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.

Until he hadn’t.

“We trained together,” he said finally, the understatement of the decade. “At the North Carolina Fire Academy. When I knew her, she went by Becca, not Becks.”

Washington frowned, clearly surprised by this information. “I didn’t connect the dots when reviewing your files.” He leaned forward, suddenly concerned. “Is this going to be a problem?”

Shawn bent to gather the scattered papers, grateful for the chance to hide his expression. Memories he’d buried years ago resurfaced in vivid detail—Becca’s fierce determination during training exercises, her infectious laugh during rare moments of downtime, the devastating fury in her eyes the last time they’d spoken.

“I never want to see your face again, Miller. Keep six feet away from me for the rest of our lives.”

He straightened, clutching the reassembled folder, his knuckles white against the manila paper. “No, sir. No problem at all.”

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About Author Ella Braeme:

Ella Braeme writes steamy small-town romance where protective heroes and the women who capture their hearts find love in the mountains and marshlands of Georgia. Whether her characters are running toward danger or running from their past, they always find their way to happily-ever-after. When she’s not dreaming up new ways for couples to fall headlong into danger (and love), she’s in her garden, supervised by a dog who firmly believes digging holes helps the flowers grow. Her quick, satisfying reads deliver the perfect escape, whether you’re sneaking in a chapter during lunch or staying up way too late to reach that happily-ever-after.

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Facebook

 

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Songs, Sails & Silly Dating Schemes By Cindy Kehagiaras ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: September 2, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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7

 

Songs, Sails & Silly Dating Schemes

by Cindy Kehagiaras

 

(A Love In Destiny Romance)
Publication date: September 2nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Shay Lazar was a childhood TV star and a 1990s “It Girl,” but left the spotlight to raise her two kids and be the supportive partner to “America’s Sweetheart,” Jack Cole…for almost thirty years. Now she wants back into the Hollywood Machine at fifty-two but the producer for show she wants to do called her Jack’s “Doormat”. Now she’s reassessing her life by hiding at her aunt’s house in Destiny, Florida, after a very publicized and possibly a career-ending incident.

Drew Slater wants to be left alone. The former ‘One-Hit-Wonder’ will never play his song again. He’s pretending his life is settled, but when a star falls out of the sky and onto his boat, he knows a hurricane is coming, and her name is Shay Lazar.

Songs, Sails & Silly Dating Schemes is a steamy over-40 romance set in the magical town of Destiny with Yacht Rock vibes and a Fake Dating Trope gone right with a stunning Hollywood Ending. SS&SDS is the fourth book in the Destiny Romance Series.

Goodreads / Amazon

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Enjoy this peek inside:

He drove straight out onto the runway of the small airport, then came to a stop next to another police cruiser with its lights off, a big black Lincoln Navigator sat at the base of an impressive private jet. The stairs were down and the light inside glowed behind the sheen of the early morning mist. A peach illumination in the distance reminded me how much I hated sunrises these days.

I used to love them. Seeing a sunrise meant I’d spent an entire night with friends and lovers talking and partying all the way to the next day. It meant I was living, really living. Not waisting too much time asleep but being awake and free to create music and memories. That was long ago. Three lifetimes ago. Now it meant I couldn’t sleep. That the memories kept me awake. That I was still living and forced to be a functioning human. I was surviving enough for my daughter and her insistence that I stay in her life, when she wasn’t mad at me. And the music, always the music, but other people’s music. Not mine, never mine. “Alright.” Kurt met me at the top of the stairs. “Now, this is strictly confidential. I’ve had explicit instructions to deny any goings on here for the safety of the passenger,” he stated gravely.

“What in the hell are you talking about?”

He used to work for Bernie and Sandy when they lived at BernSand full time. But they let his crew go when they left on their cruise and Kurt wasn’t too happy about it. I wasn’t sure why he was involved with this mystery person or who was paying him.

Kurt turned his bulky body sideways and placed his hands on his hips. My view of a heap on the floor in the middle isle of the plane was still slightly obscured by his massiveness. I pushed past him to get a better look. I’d seen women passed out on the floor before, maybe too many times to have any strong emotions about it. I only wanted to know who it was that was so important that the police needed my sorry ass in the middle of the night.

“I’m not sure how many of these she took,” The airplane captain in his white uniform held out a prescription bottle to me on the far side to the body. I didn’t take it. I needed to see who the woman was.

I knelt at her bare feet. She wore ivory silk pants and matching blouse, almost like pajamas making her look ethereal in the way she lay on her side like a Botticelli painting. Her dark hair lay across her face. I heard a gasp from Stewie when I brushed the hair way from her face. The bandage across her forehead and large yellow and purple bruise on her swollen cheek almost made her unidentifiable, except for the dark beauty mark next to her right eye, long luscious lashes, and full pink lips.

I looked back at Kurt. “This is Shay Lazar.”

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About Author Cindy Kehagiaras:

“The Perpetual,” my over 40-second chance romance, has won the coveted “Stiletto Award” by Contemporary Romance Writers in the Mid-length Contemporary Romance category.

BIO: My writing journey began after my 50th birthday, and the pandemic lockdown allowed me to write. Some of my stories have haunted my dreams for decades. When the characters shouted day and night, I knew I had to write about them. These days I love to read and write stories about second chances with GenX characters in over 40, later in life, and mature steamy romances.

My previous lives have been in advertising, fashion, and small business owner. I’ve made it my life’s ambition to push through the challenges of dyslexia to consume novels, poetry, and articles and tell my stories.

A proud native Californian, I live in Hermosa Beach, CA, with my husband of 17 years, two beautiful kids, and two spunky-rescue kitties.

Please find me on all social media platforms.

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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The Unlikely Spare By Jax Calder ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 30, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways, suspense
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7

 

The Unlikely Spare

by Jax Calder

 

(Unlikely Dilemmas, #3)
Publication date: August 22nd 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, LGBTQ+, Romance, Suspense

What happens when a prince falls for the undercover agent pretending to be his bodyguard?

Nicholas
I’m the spare, the younger brother of the Prince of Wales. Ever since I was propelled up the order of succession, my job description has been: Exist. Don’t embarrass the Crown. Repeat.

After a security scandal, I’m assigned a new bodyguard. A hulking, brooding Irishman who glowers at me like I’ve personally offended his ancestors. He’s the first to be completely immune to my charm, which is rather inconvenient when you’ve always wielded wit like a defensive weapon.

And why I feel the need to continue trying to impress Officer O’Connell is anyone’s guess.

My upcoming royal tour of Australia and New Zealand should be a nice chance to escape the British winter and bask in some Southern Hemisphere sunshine. But it turns out that representing the monarchy in former colonial countries means confronting some uncomfortable truths about how all those Crown Jewels ended up in my family’s vaults.

And the whole visit would really be far more enjoyable if someone wasn’t trying to kill me.

Eoin
I’ve clawed my way from the slums of Ireland to the top level of Scotland Yard’s undercover agents. But a deep security breach within the force has me investigating my own colleagues while playing bodyguard to a privileged prince on a tour Down Under.

Something about Prince Nicholas gets under my skin like shrapnel I can’t dig out.

Still, I’m a professional. I can handle one posh git with a smart mouth.

But as we navigate koala cuddling sessions, didgeridoo lessons, and deadly spiders in hotel rooms, I see beneath Nicholas’s princely façade. I’m supposed to uncover which of my fellow bodyguards is a threat to Prince Nicholas, not become obsessed with the most complex, fascinating pain in my arse I’ve ever met.

The line between duty and desire blurs with each passing day and the danger to Nicholas intensifies.

How can I maintain my cover, protect Nicholas, and resist the urge to press him against the nearest wall and kiss that smirk off his face?

The Unlikely Spare is a royal romantic comedy/suspense featuring a party prince learning his place in the world and an undercover bodyguard with a chip on his shoulder. As threats escalate and attraction intensifies, both men must decide what they’re willing to risk—and what they’re willing to fight for.

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

A violent rustling erupts from a nearby thicket, and something bursts upward in an explosion of noise and movement, heading directly toward Nicholas’s face.

My training kicks in. Movement equals threat, threat equals action.

I launch forward, tackling Nicholas sideways. We hit the ground hard, my body curving protectively over his. One of my arms cradles the back of his head, preventing it from cracking against the frozen earth while my torso shields his. My free hand reaches instinctively for my weapon.

Only then do I register wings beating frantically above us.

Fuck.

Nicholas lies perfectly still beneath me, those winter-ocean eyes wide with shock. My face hovers inches from his, close enough to count individual eyelashes. His breath comes in short puffs, visible in the cold air between us.

For a few heartbeats, we simply stare at each other.

“That,” Nicholas says finally, voice strained, “was a partridge. Not an assassin.”

I’m suddenly acutely aware of every point where our bodies connect. My chest against his, my leg between his thighs, my hand still cradling his head.

His hair is soft, dark silk under my calloused palms. The scent of his cologne fills my nostrils, something crisp and woodsy. His pupils have dilated, black nearly swallowing that impossible blue.

His lips part, just a fraction, and fuck if I don’t track the movement like it matters.

Heat spreads from every point where we’re pressed together. A flush crawls up his neck. I know I should look away, but I can’t.

Why the hell can’t I drag my eyes away from this man’s face?

The dogs are circling us, the yellow retriever licking enthusiastically at Nicholas’s ear.

“I’d really appreciate it,” Nicholas continues in an icy tone, “if you could remove your elbow from my spleen.”

Fuck. I roll away from him, my knee sinking into the frozen mud with a squelch as I get to my feet.

Nicholas remains splayed on the ground, leaves tangled in his dark hair, a smudge of dirt across his cheek.

“We must stop this little trend of finding ourselves in compromising positions,” he says as he pushes himself up on his elbows. “At this rate, I’ll need to start charging you rent for all the time you spend in my personal space.”

He reaches up a hand imperiously.

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About Author Jax Calder:

Jax’s stories are all about light-hearted conversations and deeply-felt connections. She loves exploring exactly why two characters are the only ones who’ll make the other truly happy, and the journey they take to reach their happily-ever-after.

Jax lives in New Zealand and is a rabid sports fan, a hiking enthusiast and has a slightly unhealthy addiction to nature documentaries. As an extrovert who spends way too much time in her own head, she loves to connect with readers. Join her Facebook group Jax’s Crew (www.facebook.com/groups/jaxcaldercrew) for bonus stories plus exclusive excerpts from her upcoming books.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Instagram / TikTok / Newsletter

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Checking Mr. Wrong By Anne Kemp ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 27, 2025 in comedy, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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13

 

Checking Mr. Wrong

by Anne Kemp

 

(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 27th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

She’s a grump with a grudge. He’s a sweetheart with a slapshot. Sparks were expected, but the fireworks? Pure magic.

Mabel
Returning to Maple Falls wasn’t part of my five-year plan—or my backup plan. Or any plan, really. But here I am, back in my quirky hometown, dodging my mother’s judgment and trying not to cringe every time someone mentions the viral moment. (Yes, that one. No, I don’t want to talk about it.)

When my editor sends me to cover the NHL’s shiny new team, the Ice Breakers, I’m all in—until I meet Asher Tremblay. He’s their too-charming defenseman with a knack for wrecking my focus and my sanity. Equal parts infuriating and irresistible, but falling for him? Not on my agenda. Nope.

Asher
I’ve worked my whole life to make it in the NHL. A new team means a fresh start, and I won’t let anything distract me—least of all a snarky reporter who seems determined to hate me on sight.

But the more I see Mabel, the more I want to know what’s behind her walls. She’s fire and chaos, and I’ve spent my whole life playing it safe. Maybe she’s exactly what I need. I came to Maple Falls to chase my dream, but now all I want is her.

***

Checking Mr. Wrong is part of the Love in Maple Falls sweet hockey romcom multi-author series. It’s a grumpy sunshine story with forced proximity in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen
Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O’Keeffe
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall
Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

Goodreads / Amazon

~~~~~

Enjoy this peek inside:

Asher’s POV

“I’m Asher,” I say with a nod, hoping she’ll come to understand that I am not a foe. Not a friend either, yet, but definitely not a foe.

She eyes me, looking at me as if she half expects me to grab her purse and toss it out the window. “Mabel.”

“Nice to meet you, Mabel. You from here?”

She nods. “Born and raised in Maple Falls.”

She still watches me while I take a pause. The tiniest of jokes pops up like a cartoon bubble over my head. “Wait. You’re Mabel. From Maple Falls?”

“I know where this is headed, and you’re not funny,” she retorts dryly as she shoots another glare my way.

“Is your last name ‘Syrup’?” I ask innocently as Joe does me a solid and cracks up from the front seat. “That would be hilarious.”

Even when she glares, it’s kinda sexy. I keep her pinned in my line of sight as I’m hit with a subtle wave of recognition. “Do we know each other from—”

“Nope,” she interjects, looking at me pointedly and still chomping on her ice. The way she gnashes away on it is like she’s mad at the ice and rage-crunching, but who knows.

“You didn’t let me finish.”

“How rude of me. Please, finish your thoughts,” she says as her lips form a tight thin line.

“I will.” Little does my new friend know, but I like the challenge of a sassy woman. “I was going to say that I know you from somewhere.”

“I doubt it.”

But I can’t shake it. “I think we must have met before.”

She snaps her head my way and stares at me. This is the second I truly notice her eyes—the kind of green that belongs in legends and treasure chests, brighter and more striking than any emerald I’ve ever seen. “I doubt it.”

“Okay,” I say, keeping my focus on her. “Well, when I remember how I know you, I’ll tell you.”

“Sounds like a plan. DM me,” she says with sarcasm oozing off each letter, and plastering on a fake smile that would make a Ringling Brothers clown cringe. She tips her cup back and tosses more ice into her mouth, chomping down on it as she puts her back toward me and faces the window again. I’m still listening to the crunch of her ice when she suddenly stops.

“Oh, ow!” Mabel drops her cup in between her feet, what’s left of the ice spilling on the mat, as she holds her hand to her mouth. “Oh, no, no, no. No!”

“All good back there?” Joe asks from the front.

Mabel looks at me with fear in her eyes as she nods. “Uh-huh. All good,” she mumbles, sounding like she’s shoved a tissue in her mouth.

I give it a beat. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

I can see her moving her mouth around as she stares at the back of the seat in front of her. From my spot, I can tell that her eyes are a little wild; she looks like a three-legged snake just ran in front of the car.

“I think,” she whispers, running her tongue over her front teeth. “I think I’ve chipped my front tooth.”

“Let me see.” She shakes her head, so I do my best to make her feel comfortable. I mean, it’s what I do. My dad said I’m the most people-pleasing of all the Tremblays, so I need to keep my reputation. “If you let me look, I can tell you how bad it is. I play hockey, so having a tooth chipped or getting one knocked out is par for the course.” I point to my two front teeth. “These aren’t even mine. I lost them both in the first game I played in college. If you want, I can also pop my bridge out for you, it’s back here…”

She holds up a hand, genuine worry etched on her face. “No, thank you.”

“So, give me a smile.” I lean over to her. “I promise I won’t laugh. But I can tell you how fast you need to make a dental appointment when you get to Maple Falls.”

It feels like it takes more than ten minutes to coax her, but she finally rewards me with a teeny-tiny, kinda toothy grin. I say kinda toothy because yes, part of her front tooth is for sure missing and the woman needs more than a chiclet shoved in there to make it all better.

“Is it bad?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper, like she’s bracing for a hurricane of bad news.

“It’s…” I pause, searching for the right words. What do you tell someone you’ve just met who is obviously not thrilled about losing half a tooth? “It’s not bad, but it’s not great either.”

Her face crumples like I just confessed that I let her puppy run away. “Why,” she groans, pressing her lips closed and throwing herself against the back of the seat. Her head tips back dramatically, like she’s auditioning for a soap opera. “No, I do not need this right now.”

I bite back a grin, because this? This is comedy gold. I mean, it’s not funny for her, but watching someone overreact to a chipped tooth like it’s the end of the world? Hard not to find the humor.

“Nobody’s even going to notice,” I say, trying to sound sincere but probably failing. “You’ll be in Maple Falls, and everyone’s too busy looking at the trees and drinking cider to care about your teeth.”

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About Author Anne Kemp:

Anne Kemp is a bestselling author of romantic comedies. She loves reading (and she does it ridiculously fast, too!), gluten-free baking (because everyone needs a hobby that makes them crazy), and finding time to binge-watch her favorite shows. She grew up in Maryland but made Los Angeles her home until she encountered her own real-life meet-cute at a friend’s wedding where she ended up married to one of the groomsmen. For real.

Anne now lives on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand, and even though she was married at Mt. Doom, no…she doesn’t have a Hobbit. However, she and her husband do have a terrier named George Clooney and when she’s not writing, she’s usually with them taking a long walk on the river by their home.

You can find Anne on her website – come say hi! She’d love to hear from you: www.annekemp.com

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Offside And Off-Limits By Kate O’Keeffe ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 20, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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12

 

Offside and Off-Limits

by Kate O’Keeffe

 

(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 20th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

I survived chronic illness and a cheating ex. Surely I can resist one charming hockey player…right?

Clara
Working as the social media manager for a pro hockey team is all fun and games—until you trip into the arms of their biggest flirt during a livestream. Now the fans are shipping us, my boss is thrilled with the engagement, and I’m stuck dodging feelings for Cade Lennox, aka the certified charmer. The problem? My contract says he’s off-limits. My heart, unfortunately, didn’t get the memo.

Cade
I came to this small town to turn over a new leaf. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. All bets are off the second Clara Johnson literally stumbles into my arms and straight into my heart. She’s focused, loyal, and the most beautiful challenge I’ve ever met. All I have to do is prove I’m worth the risk.

Offside and Off-Limits is part of the Love in Maple Falls sweet hockey romcom multi-author series. It’s a forbidden love story between one flirty hockey player and the team’s social media manager in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

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Clara falls into Cade’s arms on the ice

“Oh, man, this is awesome!” Joel declares, holding my phone in his hands. “You guys look sick! Even you, Clara.”

I let out a surprised laugh at Joel’s comment when Asher calls, “And now turn!” and as I do my legs fly from underneath me, and my breath wooshes out as I scrunch my eyes shut, bracing for the impact of cold, hard ice against my poor, under-protected butt.

But the ice-cold contact fails to happen, and when my eyes spring open I see Cade, his eyes wide with alarm as large, strong arms pull me against his firm body.

He grins down at me as my heart beats out of my chest.

I tell myself it’s because I almost fell, but being in Cade’s arms feels…well, it feels pretty dang amazing.

Not that I’m going to tell him that.

“Thanks,” I mumble, the heat rising in my cheeks as I gaze up at him, at total odds with the cold of the arena.

“My pleasure,” he replies, and the way he says those two words sends a flash of something hot through me that I’ve got to work hard at resisting.

But resist it I must, no matter how good this feels.

I haven’t been held by a man since Dwayne left me for my friend. And that was years ago.

I heave out a breath as I drag my gaze from his. I need to remember that this guy is a total player, and I don’t mean just on the ice. He probably catches falling women in his big, strong arms every day of the week—and I bet most of them don’t even bother to resist the heat this feeling elicits.

But I’m not one of those women, and I refuse to act on my physical attraction for this man. There are so many reasons, the non-fraternization clause in my employment contract being right at the top of that list.

Throwing away my new job because I’m attracted to one of the players? Not going to happen.

“You guys, I’m getting so many likes on this!” Joel calls out.

Wait. Likes?

I snap my attention to Joel, who’s still holding up my phone, pointing it straight at Cade and me. “Cade, would you mind putting me down? Like now.”

“I’ll do you one better,” he replies as he glides me smoothly back toward the bench, still holding me close in his arms. Holding me in one arm, he pulls open the door, and returns me to my feet—which I note are now trembling.

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About Author Kate O’Keeffe:

Kate O’Keeffe is a USA Today bestselling author known for her fun, feel-good romantic comedies brimming with humor, heart, and happily ever afters. A native of New Zealand, Kate has crafted numerous popular series, garnering a devoted international readership.

With a flair for witty banter and irresistible heroines navigating the ups and downs of modern dating, Kate’s novels showcase strong friendships, comedic entanglements, and the of course sometimes bumpy but always hopeful road to love.

When she’s not writing, Kate can often be found reading romcoms, binging her favourite shows, or spending time with her friends and family in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram / Bookbub

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ Fake-Off With Fate By Whitney Dineen

Posted: August 17, 2025 in comedy, Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
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6

 

Fake-Off with Fate

Whitney Dineen

 

(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

She’s a closet designer for the rich and famous and he’s a broken-hearted captain of a pro-hockey team. Neither of them is looking for love.

Ashlyn
An unexpected trip home to Maple Falls gets even more surprising when I inadvertently become acting mayor.
Add a huge crisis and a smoking hot hockey player, and I’m in over my head before I know it.

I’m only here for a short time, so I will not fall for Mr. Tall, dark, and adorable. I don’t care how helpful and kind he is. Long-distance never works, so the answer is no.

Jamie
I’m sick of the press hounding me about my last relationship, so when the opportunity arose to captain a new hockey team in smalltown Washington, I jumped at it.

Too bad I didn’t ask more questions before moving here, like, “Are there bears, and will they be living in my backyard?”

Then there’s Ashlyn. The last thing I expected was to meet a funny, sassy, and good-hearted woman like her. I swore off love after my last heartbreak, but my heart is acting like it missed the memo.

There’s no way I’m going to pursue her. Unless of course, fate has intervened, and we were meant to be…

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Fake-Off with Fate is a slow-burn, friends to love, fake-dating small town hockey romcom in the Love in Maple Falls series. Add a town conflict, missing mayor, and bear infestation and you will be laughing and cheering your way to a happy ending!

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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Enjoy this peek inside:

The mayor is ten minutes late for our dinner meeting. I figure I’ll give him another five and then I’ll go ahead and order my food to go.

I’m about to signal to the waitress when a very pretty woman wearing jeans and an orange sweater approaches my booth. She’s average height but not at all average looking. Her hair is a touch lighter than classic auburn but it’s not what I’d call red. “Hi there,” she says while sitting down across from me. “I’m Ashlyn.”

Well, this is awkward. I wonder if she thinks I’m her blind date or something. “Jamie Hayes,” I say, expecting her to realize her mistake.

“I know. You’re the captain of the Ice Breakers, right?”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“I doubt it, because I don’t know you.” She takes a sip of the water glass the waitress left for the mayor.

“If you don’t know me, then why are you sitting with me?”

The question seems to startle her because she looks up and stares at me like a deer in the headlights of oncoming traffic. “I forgot you didn’t know that I was meeting you instead of my father.”

“You’re Mayor Thompkins’ daughter?” Holy heck, is the mayor trying to set me up with his daughter? I don’t care how pretty she is, that’s not cool.

“My dad got stuck in a meeting and he asked me to come in his place,” she explains.

“So, you’ve been tasked with trying to talk me into co-chairing Maple Fest?” If I had to guess, I’d say this was intentional manipulation on the mayor’s part. Little does he know I have no problem saying no to an attractive woman.

“I couldn’t care less if you co-chaired Maple Fest,” she says. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t do it. My dad is a lunatic about that event.”

Now I’m super confused. “So, you’re here to tell me all about Maple Falls?”

“Nope,” she says, before turning her menu over to look at it.

“Why are you here then?”

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About Author Whitney Dineen

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram

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Ghosted By Lori Matsourani ~ Peek Inside And Giveaway

Posted: August 15, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: ,
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Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Ghosted organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Lori Matsourani will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Also, the author has organized a Goodreads giveaway for the book HERE.

Ghosted

by Lori Matsourani

 

 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

When her fiancé’s infidelity prompts Bethany Hendren to map out a new path forward, her plans are disrupted by an unexpected encounter with Nick Dorsey, who convinces her to help search for the remains of a troubled eighteenth-century ghost. Nick is the handsome summer boyfriend who ghosted her years ago, and now he wants to rekindle their relationship.

Despite her reluctance to trust him, Bethany discovers he’s still the funny, caring person who captured her heart as a teen, but giving him a second chance is risky—it could lead to love and happiness or result in another devastating heartache.

Although Bethany wants a happily ever after with Nick, does she have the courage to trust him with her future?

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Enjoy this peek inside:

As they walked back to the inn, Bethany counted on the shadows from the street lamps to mask Nick’s probing gaze and boost her courage to ask him what happened all those years ago. His reason might help her find closure and make peace with the past. And then, maybe, they could part as friends.

But what if his explanation inflicted a fresh wound instead?

She hesitated, and Nick broke the silence. “There’s something captivating about this town at night. It gives me a sense of anticipation, like something exciting is just ahead.”

“It’s the same for me, too,” she replied, relieved her question remained unasked. “Like anything is possible, as though the darkness dismantles all the barriers we erect during the day.”

He turned his head. “Are there specific barriers you’re referring to?”

Fear. She was afraid to find out what happened that summer. And truth. Did she really want to know why he’d ghosted her?

As she contemplated a reply, his fingers brushed against hers. She stiffened, surprised by his touch and flustered by the warmth of his skin. Immediately, her mind went blank, his question and her reply obliterated by the rapid thudding inside her chest.

Be strong.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, moving her hand away from his to scratch her cheek, then fidget with her purse strap. “What did you say?”

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About Author Lori Matsourani:

Author Lori Matsourani is a romance addict. Give her stories with a touch of heartbreak and a spark of joy, and she’s happy. Throw in characters with a huge helping of heart and soul, and she’s up reading all night in romance heaven! While currently a Texas resident, Lori grew up near Baltimore and often draws on the historical flavor of Annapolis and Maryland’s Eastern Shore to inspire her story settings. She authored her first fiction story at twelve and has been hooked on writing ever since. Early on, her writing career focused on articles for magazines and newspapers before shifting to her first writing love—fiction. For Lori, connecting words to tell a story is like assembling a jigsaw puzzle, and she loves the challenge of creating every piece.

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Goodreads / BlueSky / Threads / Twitter/X / TikTok

Buy Links: Books2Read / Amazon / B&N / Apple / Wild Rose Press

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Sweetheart Wedding By Mindy Hardwick ~ Spotlight And Giveaway

Posted: August 9, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, giveaways
Tags: ,
10

 

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In the heart of a small town, love finds its home.

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Sweetheart Wedding

Cranberry Bay Book 5

by Mindy Hardwick

Genre: Contemporary Small Town Romance

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Determined to start her life over after a failed engagement,
Gracie has built her boutique inn into a successful Cranberry Bay business.

Meanwhile, youngest Shuster brother, Adam, loves helping his
friends and family while working as a park ranger.

Devastated after a tragic accident, Adam guards his heart
and is happy to have Gracie’s friendship. Both swear off love. But when Adam
and Gracie are tossed together to help plan a Cranberry Bay wedding, they find
their resolve not to fall in love crumbling.

And when Adam loses his Oregon State Parks job and takes a
new job in Montana, both will have to decide whether to make the commitment to
love each other and leave Cranberry Bay behind for a new life.

**New Release!**

Amazon * B&N * Bookbub * Goodreads

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**Don’t miss the rest of the Cranberry Bay books!**

Find them on Amazon or B&N!

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Mindy Hardwick holds an MFA in Writing for Children and
Young Adults from Vermont College. Her published contemporary small-town
heartwarming romance includes her Cranberry Bay Series: Sweetheart Cottage,
Sweetheart Summer, Sweetheart Christmas and Sweetheart Santa. She has also
published a young adult romance, Weaving Magic and a young adult novella,
Erin’s Choice. Mindy’s middle grade books include: The World is a Sniff,
Stained Glass Summer, Some Stories Are Not Seen, and Seymour’s Secret. Mindy
facilitated a poetry workshop for teens at Denney Juvenile Justice Center and
wrote about the experience in her memoir, Kids in Orange: Voices from Juvenile
Detention. Mindy can often be found walking on the north Oregon Coast beaches.

Website * Facebook * X * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

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Peek Inside And Giveaway ~ The Road To Gretna By Suleena Bibra

Posted: August 1, 2025 in Contemporary Romance, Excerpt, giveaways
Tags: ,
0

 

The Road to Gretna

by Suleena Bibra

 

(Road to Romance, #1)
Publication date: June 3rd 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

What better way to escape reality than going on a reality show that combines The Amazing Race, Love Island, and Pride and Prejudice?

Naomi Richmond is hoping an ocean is far enough away from her overbearing father. She’s chosen London and built a life there with a job she only dislikes about a quarter of the time.

Nate Williams is perfectly happy where he is, and his dissatisfaction with his job is so low it can’t be quantified numerically. Unfortunately, his boss (and Naomi’s father) is asking him to do something that might make him start to hate Mondays: convince Naomi to come home.

Nate arrives in London at the same time Naomi receives an offer that intrigues her as much as Nate does: be on a reality dating show, where the contestants will pretend to be Regency aristocrats eloping to the famed Gretna Green. Nate is sure it’s his job to stop this, but instead, he ends up on the show with her. Now Naomi is trying to make a name for herself while Nate is trying to make sure she doesn’t do anything to embarrass her father, and they’re both trying to fight the attraction they feel for each other. On camera.

Tune in whenever you find this book and watch Nate and Naomi find themselves and each other, on The Road to Gretna!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“You’re ruined now!” a voice screeches.

I lift my head at the inane comment. “What?” My lips are still wet from the kiss, and I still have a painful erection. I don’t appreciate the interruption.

I see Diane, the chaperone, looking incensed in front of us, with a cameraperson and producer standing behind her.

“Right, we’re on a reality show,” I whisper to Naomi.

“Ruined! After all my hard work keeping you virtuous, now you’re ruined!” Diane carries on, adding some dramatic hand gestures and maybe some tears.

Naomi starts giggling next to me, first demurely behind her hand, but then louder as Diane keeps ranting. She sets me off and now we’re both laughing in the face of…whatever this is.

“Why is no one concerned about my virtue, though?” I ask Naomi, sending her into more fits of laughter.

“You’re a man.” Diane pauses the rant to educate me. “And you’ve ruined Naomi!”

I try to defend the lady next to me. And myself. “Ruined seems like a bit of an overreaction for a kiss.”

“A kiss.” Diane sounds as scandalized as if I told her I was getting a hummer on this bench instead of a hot, but still tame, kiss. “Ruined!”

These might be the only words Diane knows now, too shocked at the (fully clothed) debauchery that allegedly happened here.

“All right then. Maybe we should go back to the ball?” I have no idea what it supposed to happen now that I’ve “ruined” a woman, never having done it before. I look at Naomi, hoping she has any idea what we’re supposed to do, but she’s still laughing too hard at the situation to be any help.

I stand up, not worried about my penis, which started softening at the first screech of “ruin.” I extend my arm out to Naomi, who manages to stop laughing enough to take it.

The producer standing next to the camerawoman gives us a thumbs-up and Diane immediately stops crying. Terrifying.

“Great. We’ve got that. We can go back inside, but we’re going to put you two in a sitting room for a few hours. Part of the ruin consequences. We’ll bring you out when it’s time to get in a couple.” The producer indicates we should follow her. “I’m Aiko, by the way. I’ll be producing the both of you.”

“Hi. Nice to meet you,” I say to the East Asian-British woman in front of me. “I don’t usually ruin women in gardens.”

That sets Naomi off again, and I have to half drag her laughing body back inside the house.

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About Author Suleena Bibra:

Suleena Bibra has read romance in one form or another since she could pick her own books. She occasionally branches out to other genres, but really, what’s the point if there’s no kissing? She also loves to laugh, which probably has to do with her dad putting Monty Python on whenever her mom wasn’t looking.

Suleena studied art history in college and loves to travel every opportunity she gets. A bit indecisive, she has worked as a museum intern, lawyer, workers’ compensation adjuster, and private investigator. Author is best, though, so she can continue living out a bunch of other careers without changing out of her pajamas.

Suleena writes RomComs heavy on banter, shenanigans, and aggressive whimsy. She spends the rest of her time annoying her stubborn, but adorable, bulldog (who also doubles as her particularly lazy writing assistant) with her love.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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