Matt I put my truck in park and hop out, walking toward the door with trepidation. I hope the food tastes better than this place looks. A metal bell chimes overhead as I open the door. I’m surprised to find the inside is quite different than what greets you in the service area of this place. The area is bright with white linoleum floors and shiny gunmetal countertops. There’s a soda fountain and coffee stations to the left and the cashier’s check out to the right. A portly appearing older gentleman appears to be reading the newspaper, sitting on a stool behind the counter. “Hi. Are you Elliot? I’m working with my brother this summer and he sent me to pick up lunch for his crew.” “Ah, Harry your brother?” he asks around a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth. “Yes, sir.” “Well, any brother of Harry’s is a friend of mine. I’m Jo.” “Matt. Nice to meet you. Oh. Salty Jo is you?” He grins, and I instantly have the feeling this man is a fixture in Candy Cane Key. “I don’t recall this place from when I grew up here.” “What’re you? Thirty?” “Close. Twenty-eight.” The bell chimes again, and I notice customers meandering around the place. No one seems the slightest bit concerned about the condition of the place. I’m sure they have to pass inspections with the health department, but I still can’t help being a tad concerned about eating lunch from a place like this. “Well, we’ve been here as long as you’ve been on the planet, son. Although it probably looked a bit better back then. Time and multiple tropical storms have taken their toll on the place. After a while, it gets to feel silly sinking any more money into it. But your brother has come to our aid more than once for the important stuff.” This makes me smile. My brother really is a good dude. “Speaking of your brother, I guess we need to keep his boys fed.” Jo removes the toothpick that remains in place throughout our conversation and points toward his right. “Elliot’s over there. In the deli area.” A mischievous smirk curls the corner of his mouth. What’s that about? “Thanks.” “Nice to meet you, Matt. Hope to see you ‘round.” I turn in the direction of the deli and feel my stomach grumble as I’m hit with the aroma of fried chicken. Now I live in a mountain town in North Carolina where home cooking is a staple. So for the scent of these gas station offerings before me to cause me to salivate says something. Bending forward, I take in the options within the glass case. There are perfectly prepared pieces of chicken, both on and off the bone, macaroni and cheese, green beans, collard greens, baked apples, and an assortment of pies. Hell, they even have banana pudding here. As my eyes travel to the back of the display area, I find I’m drooling for an entirely different reason. A set of shapely calves, thick thighs, and the hottest backside I’ve ever seen is bent over before me. This girl is leaning into the oven while her tiny cut-off shorts ride up her legs, causing my dick to twitch. Hell, is she on the menu? As if on cue, she stands to her full height. She’s probably about five foot five, with generous curves in all the right places. Those perky tits have to be at least a C cup, if not more. They are perfectly proportioned to her rounded hips and trim waste. Her thick auburn hair is pulled up in a messy bun, covered with a hair net. Yet, I can’t help picturing it tumbling down her back toward that fantastic ass. Shit. I don’t remember anyone in Candy Cane Key looking like this when I lived here. Well, maybe one girl, but she was just that. A girl. While this one is all woman. I barely finish my thought before said stunner turns to face me. While I stand here with my mouth hanging open at the beauty wielding silver tongs before me, I’m met with the biggest green eyes I’ve ever seen. She simply gives me the once over as if this happens all the time. This curvy girl has my mouth watering when it suddenly hits me. Wait. Do these guys come here for the hot chicken or the hot chick?
AUTHOR BIO
Born and raised in Virginia, LM Fox currently lives in a suburb of Richmond with her husband, three kids, and a chocolate lab.
Her pastimes are traveling to new and favorite places, trying new foods, a swoony book with either a good cup of tea or coffee, margaritas on special occasions, and watching her kids participate in a variety of sports.
She has spent the majority of her adult life working in emergency medicine and her books are written in this setting. Her main characters are typically in the medical field, EMS, fire, and/or law enforcement. She enjoys writing angsty, contemporary romance starring headstrong, independent heroines you can’t help but love and the hot alpha men who fall hard for them.
Title: Brooklyn Cupid A Hidden Identity Roommate Romance Author: Lexi Ray
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance Tropes: Hidden Identity/Roommates to Lovers Release Date: July 25, 2023
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HE IS ABOUT TO SHOOT HIS DREAM GIRL…
Bounty hunting can be dangerous, but Jace Reed is used to danger and always follows the rules. Including the most important one—never get emotionally involved.
But everything goes haywire when the Brooklyn “it girl” interrupts his most important assignment.
Beautiful Lucy Moor may or may not hold the only clue to the target that Jace has been tracking for months. So becoming her roommate to get the intel from her should be easy… right?
SHE IS ABOUT TO CHANGE HIS LIFE…
Nothing is easy when Jace’s simple organized life collides with hers.
His most important rule? Broken as soon as he moves in.
His self-control? Gone with the first taste of her lips.
His sanity? Shattered when he discovers her secret.
Turns out, his new roommate is not as innocent and sweet as she seems at first. And her secret is, oh, so spicy!
Jace never knew love. But now that he falls fast and hard, he is determined to claim it and keep it for himself.
If only he hadn’t brought the danger of his job right to her doorstep…
Title: The San Marco Heist An Enemies to Lovers Heist Series: Reynolds Recoveries #1 Author: Janet Oppedisano
Genre: Romantic Suspense Tropes: Enemies to Lovers/Forced Proximity Release Date: July 14, 2023
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With my brother’s life on the line, I’ll do anything to get him back—even team up with an annoyingly sexy private eye for the heist of a lifetime.
When I plan the recovery (don’t evercall it theft) of stolen items for their rightful owners, nothing matters more than the safety of my team. I trust no one outside our tight-knit circle. Because a couple years ago I lost my fiancé in a heist gone wrong. My heist. My fault.
But while undercover to take back a near-priceless manuscript, I encounter Malcolm Sharpe, an old friend of my brother’s whose diamond-blue eyes and toe-curling smile almost cause me to blow the heist. We pull it off, beating another team to the prize, but I can’t help feeling like I’ve dodged a bullet.
The other team, though, will stop at nothing to get revenge. That includes kidnapping both Malcolm and my brother—and sending only Malcolm back with a message. They demand my crew steal a medieval relic in exchange for my brother’s life.
And then there’s my brother’s plea to trust Malcolm. Trust a freelance PI whose loyalty ends with a paycheck? Not a chance. But if I’m to get my brother back alive, I need all the help I can get. Even from a man who’s hiding a secret that could turn my entire world upside down.
The San Marco Heist is the exhilarating first installment in the Reynolds Recoveries romantic suspense series, featuring charismatic heroes, smart heroines, and a thrilling heist in each novel.
Janet Oppedisano hails from Canada’s East Coast and has lived in five provinces, from the Maritimes to the Prairies. Growing up with a Mountie for a father and marrying a Navy diver, it’s no surprise she writes romance with a hint of danger and mystery in it. Not to mention strong heroes and equally strong heroines.
When not writing, you can find her… thinking about writing. And indulging in her favourite pastimes, like baking, travelling, hiking, playing with her new puppy, and watching her hockey goalie son on the ice.
Oh, and it’s pronounced oh-ped-ih-SAH-no. Exactly the way it’s spelled. Honest!
Title: The Billionaire and the Burglar Series: Grumpy Billionaire Romantic Comedy #1 Author: Talia Hunter
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: Grumpy Sunshine/Fake Dating/One Bed Release Date: June 26, 2023
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I’d do anything for family…even trick my way into working for the grumpiest billionaire alive.
Balthazar Anders expects absolute control and obedience from his employees. Too bad he’s hired the wrong fake girlfriend. I’m actually an undercover thief on a mission to steal from him.
And this rebel doesn’t follow orders.
When my sinfully gorgeous new boss whisks me away to a ten-star luxury resort, I’m supposed to protect him from threats while we act like we’re in love. We share the honeymoon suite’s only bed… and I discover he’s never owned a pair of pajamas. Gulp!
Resisting Balthazar’s growly commands gets harder by the second. Especially when the threat I’m here to protect him from becomes all too real. But if I don’t steal the thing I’ve really come for, my beloved family will be the ones to suffer.
Can I pull off my heist before he steals my heart?
The Billionaire and The Burglar is a swoony, steamy, grumpy/sunshine romance. It can be read as a standalone and has an HEA to leave you smiling.
Talia Hunter likes to include her three favorite things in her novels: toe-curling romance, snort-laughs, and heart-warming friendships. She recently moved to Australia’s beautiful Gold Coast, where she’s constantly amazed and not at all freaked out by the weird and wonderful critters. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her with a glass of wine, a good book, and a jumbo-sized can of bug spray.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What’re you doing?“ “Getting ready for bed,” she answers matter-of-factly, still wriggling in her shirt. “What? You sleep in the buff? Never mind. Don’t answer that.” I don’t want to know. I’ll never get that vision out of my head. “I don’t sleep naked. But I don’t want to sleep in my bra.” Fuck. And now I’m thinking about her tits. “And my shirt smells like old beer.” “Were you mixing beer and fruity drinks?” No wonder she’s a mess. “No. Xane spilled it on me.” Fucker. “He offered to lick it off.” She laughs. “I suggest you stop talking, or you’ll have to put yourself to sleep with one arm stuck in your shirt because I’m going to be busy ripping that asshole’s tongue from his face.” A mixture of a giggle and hiccup escapes, and I quickly reach for the trashcan. “Are you going to be sick?” “Nope,” she says, still squirming inside her top. I place the trashcan down and head for the closet, where some of my T-shirts remain. Returning to Tuesday’s side, I sit her up so her back is to my chest and help to free her remaining arm. “Sunny, slide your bra straps down. I’m going to slide this shirt over your head, and we can get your bra off after you’re covered.” Hell. The mere notion of taking her bra off, covered or not, has gotten me to full mast. “Okay.” Her minty breath dances over my face. Once Tuesday is settled, I pull back the sheets and scoot her into bed. “You sure you don’t feel sick?” “Nope.” Hiccup. As her breaths get heavier, I grow wary about leaving her. What if she throws up during the night? She’s barely taking up any space in this queen-sized bed, so I slide in before I can contemplate what I’m doing.
AUTHOR BIO
Born and raised in Virginia, LM Fox currently lives in a suburb of Richmond with her husband, three kids, and a chocolate lab.
Her pastimes are traveling to new and favorite places, trying new foods, a swoony book with either a good cup of tea or coffee, margaritas on special occasions, and watching her kids participate in a variety of sports.
She has spent the majority of her adult life working in emergency medicine and her books are written in this setting. Her main characters are typically in the medical field, EMS, fire, and/or law enforcement. She enjoys writing angsty, contemporary romance starring headstrong, independent heroines you can’t help but love and the hot alpha men who fall hard for them.
Title: The Trade Series: Underdogs #2 Author: Kata Čuić
Genre: Contemporary Sports Romance Tropes: Second Chance/Fake Relationship Release Date: May 18, 2023
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What’s a woman to do when she’s faced with the impossible decision to give an old flame a second chance?
Shore up her defenses to ward off his charms, of course.
Once upon a time, Merrick Jovanovitch was my everything. I fell fast and hard and forever. Then, I pushed him away. The end.
He’s suddenly back in my life, the newest addition to my fresh-start city’s football team. When I’m blackmailed by a vicious wife of one of Merrick’s teammates to help the team land a reality TV series, I don’t have the option to run from my problems this time. The secret I’ve been keeping from Merrick for three long years needs to stay where it belongs—in the past. With pressure mounting on my unsteady shoulders, I need a release valve to keep juggling all these very fragile plates.
Enter jagoff42. Yeah. That’s…an online handle from a language-learning app.
I know it sounds bananas but hear me out. My internet pen pal is the only man for this job because he’s a third-party bystander with no skin in the game. I don’t have to worry about him getting hurt or spilling my deepest, darkest secrets to anyone. Because we’ve never actually met.
No, I don’t know his real name. No, I don’t know if he’s a creepy old dude. No, I don’t know if he lives in his mother’s basement. He’s only ever told me that he’s close. So, yeah. He’s probably creepy.
The only problem with all these brilliant plans? To land the new reality series for the team, Merrick and I have to rekindle our relationship. For the cameras. That’s fine. As long as I remember all of our kisses are for show, I can get through this.
Even though he lights my body up like a five-alarm fire. Even though more and more of our kisses are in private instead of in public. Even though I swore to myself that I’d never give my heart away again.
Merrick can’t be my happily ever after. I walked away the first time for a reason. Right?
Kata Čuić lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and three teens. No one told her life was gonna be this way. She holds a degree in Linguistics with a minor in Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Her plans of becoming a pediatric neurosurgeon were foiled by OChem 1. Fortunately, she’d been making up stories in her head since the days of her imaginary friend, Choosy. Putting pen to paper, er…fingers to the keyboard…came surprisingly naturally after her aforementioned teens decided it was time for them to cut their respective cords.
Kata writes everything from angst-filled YA series to standalone rom-coms and has been known to dabble in a bit of paranormal on the free stories section of her website. She believes nice guys shouldn’t have to finish last (except in the bedroom where she prefers an alpha between the sheets but a gentleman in the streets), and that the surest way to a woman’s heart is through laughter and food.
Title: Cherry Picked Series: The Sunday Brothers #3 Author: May Archer
Genre: MM Romance Tropes: Brother’s Best Friend/Age Gap Release Date: May 2, 2023
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Never ask your brother’s best friend to… pick your cherry.
When I asked Jack Wyatt to help me lose my pesky v-card, I didn’t expect him to keel over in shocked disapproval and nearly tumble us down a mountain.
You might think a guy who’s been reading romance novels his whole life would’ve figured out a smoother way to broach the subject, but in my defense, I’ve been pining for Jack for seven long years, just waiting for him to notice me. Jack sees me as sweet, shy Hawk Sunday: his Pride and Prejudice-obsessed hiking buddy; his dependable employee; the honorary little brother he’s determined to protect, not…deflower. But to me, Jack is everything a romantic hero should be: tall, gorgeous, kind, and brilliant. Or at least I thought he was brilliant… until he started getting so many things so boneheadedly wrong.
Like refusing to do the deflowering himself, but also, erm… blocking any other potential plant-lovers from getting all up in my garden. And like continuing to see me as someone who needs protecting, rather than a man who needs possessing…
A man who’s determined to get his cherry well and truly picked this summer, whether Jack Wyatt likes it or not.
May is an M/M author who lives in Boston. She spends her days raising three incredibly sarcastic children, alternating eating Jax and Tostitos, planning beach vacations, avoiding the gym, reading M/M romance, and occasionally writing it.
Genre: New Adult Romance Tropes: Former High School Sweethearts Surprise Pregnancy/Single Dad Release Date: April 20, 2023
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From USA Today Bestselling contemporary romance author Evan Grace, comes a brand-new touching story about second chances and the jagged road to forgiveness.
The weight of the world sits heavy on my shoulders. The men in my life have left me broken and bruised. I know that I have to dig deep to find the strength to pick up the pieces and move on. However, there is just one problem, or one man standing in my way.
Hank Burns. My ex-husband.
It’s been five years since our divorce. I lost everything back then, and if I’m being honest, I’ve just been going through the motions. I just want to be alone, I want to salvage the pieces of me that are left and move on, but Hank is adamant that we give us another try. Can I really start over with the man who broke my heart into a million pieces?
When we were together, I thought that he and I could handle anything. It was us and our love against the word. Life, unfortunately, had other plans, and we experienced a tragic loss before we ever got to test our us vs. the world fairytale.
Life once again intervenes and brings us back together, but the demons from our pasts threaten to move in and ruin everything. Now it seems as though our second chance could be taken from us too.
Good thing we’re both prepared to fight for our happily ever after.
A Midwesterner and a readaholic most of her life. One day an idea came into her head and a writing career was born. She’s a sucker for happily ever afters and loves creating fictional worlds that others can get lost in. She loves putting her characters through the ringer, but loves when they get to that satisfying, swoony ending. When the voices in her head give it a rest, which isn’t often, she can always be found with her e-reader in her hand. Some of her favorites include, Aurora Rose Reynolds, (the queen) Kristen Ashley, Kaylee Ryan, Natasha Madison, and Harper Sloan. Evan finds a lot of her inspiration in music, movies, TV shows and life. She’s a wife to Jim and a mom to Ethan and (the real) Evan, a weightlifter, a home healthcare scheduler, and a full-time writer. How does she do it? She’ll never tell.
I certainly never expected to fall for Axel Finnegan, star of the Rush.
But the hockey player charmed his way into my life, made himself indispensable, and now I was all in for my filthy puckboy.
Except…my life had other plans.
My ex was back, my parents were a freaking nightmare, and Axel’s career was taking off, bringing with it a level of fans and puck bunnies that were increasingly uncomfortable for my small-town heart.
But then it wasn’t just my heart that was being threatened.
It was my home, my livelihood, my…
Life.
About the Author:
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys.
She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or email her at elisefaberauthor@gmail.com.
USA Today bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys.
She lives in Northern California. Connect with her in her Facebook group, the Fabinators or email her at elisefaberauthor@gmail.com.
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