Title: Naughty & Nice A Man of the Month Sycamore Mountain Series Novella Author: LM Fox
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Small Town Release Date: September 15, 2022
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Trevor
I came to Sycamore Mountain to start over. Focus on my career, not little miss sunshine. The brotherhood of firefighters is the only relationship I want. Trust me. This tart is the last thing I need.
I’ve been down that road. Beautiful girl who can have any man she wants.
Well Addie Briggs can focus on someone else. No sultry siren is worth going through that heartache again, no matter how naughty I think she could be.
Addison
Of all the men to fall for, I have to pick a grumpy hero.
He’s the hottest thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on, throw on his fireman turnout gear and I’d do almost anything he asked.
But this guy is jaded and scarred. He fights me at every turn. Yet, I can tell there’s a softness under his tough exterior. I’m going all in. Because I’m not ready to give up on Mr. Nice guy.
“What the fuck, Ashley?” “Trevor. What are you doing here?” “Last I checked, I live here,” I shouted as the burley naked jock before me hastily reached for his pants. He looked like a linebacker. The thought had barely left me before I noticed his shirt. The big W insignia confirmed he was most likely on the Washington football team. While visiting the training camp in Richmond had long been on my bucket list, I now wanted to kick that fucking pail down the road. “I thought you’d be at work.” “Obviously. How long has this been going on?” All thoughts of grabbing my assignment for my IT class were gone. “I was going to tell─” “Trev, we’ve got a call,” Jamie yelled through the door. I turned to notice he’d paused briefly to verify what he was seeing. “When I get here in the morning, I want your stuff gone,” I’d spat.
That painful memory is charred into my brain. The betrayal made worse when Jamie later confirmed her lover was NFL player Martin North. He was 250 pounds of raw muscle. Nosey neighbors confided later he’d been visiting my home for months. I wondered why she wouldn’t have broken it off with me instead of sneaking around with a baller worth millions. Until Jamie’s continued investigation revealed, the player was just that. A married celebrity who was having an affair with my girl.
Since then, he’s left his wife and children, and he and Ashley have been on the local tabloid circuit. I couldn’t turn on the television or open a local magazine without seeing the two of them. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Ashley’s face was plastered on every billboard in town. If she wasn’t modeling jewelry for anyone traveling the interstate to see, she was painted on restaurant murals and large airport advertisements. She was fucking everywhere.
I’m aware I was partially to blame. I dove in headfirst. But there was never a moment I didn’t think both of us were all in. She’d wax poetic about our future, travel, and eventually having kids. But I guess it’s hard to compete with a larger-than-life superstar with a bank account to match.
I hadn’t had many serious relationships prior to Ashley. My plate had been full, beginning my career with the fire department and looking out for my mother. My dad had fought a hard battle with melanoma. They discovered it too late to offer much hope of recovery. Cancer instantly decimated our flawless life. We’d gone from a tight family focused on Sunday dinners and the arrival of Noah’s kids to heartbroken in the blink of an eye.
My mother was tough as nails, but I knew it was a façade. Noah’s wife, Becca, would try to bring the boys over to distract her grief-ridden thoughts, but I imagined the lonely, depressing time between visits was suffocating. Unable to bear the thought of her hurting alone, I decided to move back home, convincing my mother I wanted to save money with plans to pursue my graduate degree. Hell, there’s no faster way to kill your sex life than living with your parents. But I slept better at night, knowing it was the right thing to do. I’ll always treasure that time with my mom.
Caring for her as we mourned my father, we grew even closer. We’d always had a tight relationship, but you don’t truly appreciate your parents until life throws you a curveball. I’d been blessed with a happy, loving cohesive family and knew I’d never settle for anything less if I chose to marry. Moving to Sycamore Mountain would be hard on both of us. In hindsight, it’s clear I was merely mesmerized by Ashley’s physical splendor. Visits with my nephews hadn’t brought out her maternal side. However, like me, I figured she was at a different stage of life. She was focused on her modeling career. I’m not making this mistake twice. Getting caught up with some superficial bitch who’d leave the moment someone with a better reputation or bank account came along.
Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t realize what good time I’d been making. My eyes land on the bright green highway sign. ‘Welcome to Sycamore Mountain.’ Exiting the interstate, I quickly determine this is a one-horse town. As I approach the light at the end of the off-ramp, there’s a lone gas station, and I spot a fast-food restaurant across from a bait and tackle shop. Luckily, according to the GPS, the realtor’s office is only about ten minutes away. Miles of desolate farmland interspersed with clusters of evergreen trees engulf the windows of my vehicle. Occasional picturesque hay bails are dotted amongst the tall grass, but otherwise, the scenic area is enchanting. Unspoiled by the strip malls and housing developments of Hanover. There’s not a billboard in sight. This thought briefly brings a relieved smile to my face until it dawns on me that I probably stand a better chance of meeting a bear in this town than a beautiful woman. I might’ve had a better chance of getting laid living with Mom than here.
As I continue down the road, I stand corrected. There’s at least one female under sixty here. I spot a woman out for a walk with her baby along the grassy edge of the highway. Looking about, it seems an odd place to meander. While wearing yoga pants and a hoodie, I’m surprised at my fixation on her. I’m not usually into MILF’s. I’m in no way ready to settle down with a girl with a kid. But she’s got a fucking phenomenal ass. It’d be a crime not to look. As I grow closer, my eyes are drawn to the face of the child looking back at me. That’s either the ugliest kid on the planet or… Is that a chicken?
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.
Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Talon Pack, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over one hundred novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.
Like many of the people in Screaming Woods, I’m cursed. My plight goes beyond my hooved feet, horns and my tail. My problem–my curse– is a different kind of hard. The perpetually stiff kind of hard, if you know what I mean. Only true love can give me “release.” I know it’s too much to hope the pretty, curvy human is my fated mate. One touch and I could lose all control, and I can’t risk hurting her.
Harriet
Ever since my best friend fell in love with a monster, I’ve wanted one of my own. I’ve gone out with a few, but no one gets my heart racing like the brooding, mysterious satyr. Jace refuses to give me a chance though. I know he wants me, I can see the heat simmering in his gaze. We just need some alone time. Yeah, kidnapping him might be an extreme, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do…
USA Today Bestselling Author Kat Baxter writes fast-paced, sweet & STEAMY romantic comedies. Readers have dubbed her books “laugh-out-loud funny,” “hot enough to melt your kindle,” and “The Queen of Adorkable.” She lives in Texas with her family and a menagerie of animals. Kat is the pseudonym for a bestselling historical romance author.
Marrying Beckett Coleman is the best idea I’ve had in years. I can grant my sick dad’s wish to walk one of his daughters down the aisle, and Beckett has my help solving a custody situation with his daughter. Our plan is to spend a year together, then part ways. Easy, especially since I’m not his type, and he’s not mine either.
He’s too quiet and too serious. And while he’s distractingly gorgeous, he’s also my brother’s teammate. Beckett is fake husband material, not the real deal. I just have to remember that.
Until I move in with him. Get to know him. Share a bed with him. Turns out, the line between fake and real isn’t just blurry, it’s almost impossible to uphold when he looks at me the way he does.
This marriage is a whole lot more complicated than we bargained for. We’re threatening to destroy everything we’ve built, something neither of us can risk.
Marrying Beckett might’ve been the best idea in years. But falling in love with him would be the worst.
Karla Sorensen is an Amazon top 20 bestselling author who refuses to read or write anything without a happily ever after. When she’s not devouring historical romance or avoiding the laundry, you can find her watching football (British AND American), HGTV or listening to Enneagram podcasts so she can psychoanalyze everyone in her life, in no particular order of importance. With a degree in Advertising and Public Relations from Grand Valley State University, she made her living in senior healthcare prior to writing full-time. Karla lives in Michigan with her husband, two boys and a big, shaggy rescue dog named Bear.
When all you thought you ever wanted isn’t at all what you need.
When Mieka Young breaks her arm in a freak accident, her dance company takes it as an opportunity to not renew her contract, calling her “too old” to dance for them. Now, literally broken and jobless, she retreats to her sister’s ranch in Colorado for a little rest and relaxation, along with some much-needed clarity.
However, the ranch is not all horses, goats, and newborn foals. There, Mieka must face a part of her past that still holds a tender space in her heart. She must figure out where Nate fits in her world, if at all. Ranch life isn’t for her, no matter how hard he tries to convince her otherwise.
Nate Harris falls in love every Friday night and falls out of it every Saturday morning. However, one hot night last summer everything changed when he and Mieka finally succumbed to their chemistry. Then she vanished, returning to work dancing on cruise ships, and living her best life. Only, now, Mieka is back at the ranch and Nate’s determined to show her the love, purpose and beautiful future she’s searching for.
“I absolutely loved Nate and Mieka’s story! They were great together! The banter between them was very entertaining! Nate loved ranch life, but Mieka thinks that she needs the hustle and bustle of big city life. Will he be able to convince her to stay with him? Second Chance with the Rancher is a great story with amazing characters, wonderful chemistry, lots of emotions and many amazing animals! Fumble the escape artist goat was hilarious! This story is a fantastic addition to the Young Sisters series! ~ cynthia618147 (Bookbub Review)
“Nate and Mieka’s story was everything! It made me laugh (freaking Fumble! ), cry more than once, and just had me turning the pages yet not wanting it to end. Another great read in this series and I am looking forward to more.~ bluedakota06 (Bookbub Review)
“The chemistry between Mieka and Nate is intense. I fell hard for Nate, there is so much more to him than what he shows the world, and I loved the witty banter and connection that he shared with Mieka.
“It was good to see some familiar faces throughout the story; it added an added to my enjoyment of the story. Second Chance With The Rancher was an entertaining well written romantic love story that ticked the boxes for me.” – Erin Lewis (Goodreads Review)
“Without spoiling the story it has humour love and drama. Loved the stubborn cat references lol .A great love story that gives a lovely HEA ending. 911Jayne (Amazon Review)
Excerpt:
Nate had given her a lot to think about on their drive, and no matter how much Mieka tried not to, her eyes kept drifting to his finger. Yeah, that finger as it gripped the steering wheel. Then, when she’d realize she was staring at his hands—particularly that finger—she’d move her gaze elsewhere, and of course, her eyes drifted down to the front of his jeans where a big peg apparently lived.
Damnit, she was in a dry spell. Like a major dry spell. Her stubborn cat was starting to pace and meow and demand attention. Not to mention those horny hornets in her belly that buzzed every time Nate smiled at her, or she imagined those big hands of his holding onto her hips as he plowed into her from behind over a hay bale.
Even though she’d been sleeping with that bartender back on the ship, it’d been over a month since they’d done anything, mostly because their shifts didn’t align. And when they did do things, he’d been mediocre at best. The man had no tongue skills, and zero stamina. Most of the time, Mieka had to get herself off after he came.
Yeah, Nate was right. A gentleman should always let the woman come first so she’s not riding a soft dick, limping her way to her own finish line.
Staring out the window, determined not to look at his finger or crotch anymore, she wasn’t even aware of the fact that she was chewing her nails until Nate’s voice broke her out of her trance. “I didn’t know you had ADHD,” he said. “When did you get diagnosed with that?”
She spun around to face him, but then dropped her eyes to her hands and the horrible chewed, red and tender fingertips. “When I was five.”
“And dance helps?”
“It keeps my mind focused and my body busy. I’m also medicated, which helps, too.” She shrugged. “It’s just a part of my life and who I am.” Her gaze slid to his. “But it’s also responsible for my fidgetiness, mood swings, impulsiveness and how my self-esteem can quickly take a massive nose-dive in a literal second.” Heaving a big sigh, she balled her sore hands into tight fists. Well, she did it with one hand and attempted to with the other. “I just do the best I can. Every day is a struggle. Just some days are more of a struggle than others.”
“If I’m doing anything to exacerbate that struggle, please let me know.” The sincerity in his blue eyes and his voice was touching.
“You’re not,” she said. “You’re keeping me distracted from wallowing… for the most part. So, thank you.”
They were already back at the ranch, so he turned off the road and rumbled the big truck and horse trailer down the laneway. A quick glance at the clock on the dash said it was just after five-thirty, so of course the petting farm would be closed to the public by now, which explained the empty yard and parking lot.
Nate exhaled. “I know it brings in money, and it was my idea, but fuck, it gets claustrophobic when we have the petting farm open. People, big and small, are everywhere.” He pulled the truck up in front of the barn, put it in park, and turned off the engine before hopping out.
Mieka did the same and met him behind the trailer.
“Feel free to go do what you need to do, Minx. I’ve gotta get this stuff out of the trailer and into the corresponding crates.” He grinned wide at her. “Good thing you were organized enough to color code everything ahead of time so I know which chair goes to which cabin.” He opened the trailer door to reveal boxes piled up to the ceiling. The bed of the truck was full of bedding, kitchen stuff, décor and everything else. The furniture was in the trailer and even then, not everything fit, so they paid for express shipping and the rest would arrive by tomorrow.
And just like he said, she had given each cabin a corresponding color code and put a big sticker of that color on the appropriate furniture. She wasn’t always this organized, but she was really passionate about this project, and appreciative of the trust Nate and Asher had put in her, so she was determined not to mess it up.
“I can help,” she said, watching Asher and Triss come down the front steps of the house.
“You’ve already done so much,” Nate replied. “It’s all good. Besides, we don’t want to hurt your arm.”
Asher sidled up beside his brother and whistled when he looked inside the trailer. “Don’t want to know what this cost us.”
“Then don’t ask,” Nate chuckled, hauling out a huge box that was part of a bed frame.
The two men went to work removing everything from the trailer and truck, while Mieka grabbed her leftover lunch and followed Triss inside.
“How was your day?” Triss asked, gauging Mieka carefully.
“It was good. We got everything we needed.”
Triss’s eyes fell to the fast-food bag. “Ah, you stopped at Gus’s. I take it you’re not hungry, then?”
Mieka puffed out her cheeks and shook her head. “I still haven’t even finished this. But it’s so freaking good.”
“I know. I’ve gone to Denver with Nate a few times and he always stops there. It’s good, but it’s definitely a treat. I’m like a snake after I eat there. That’s my meal for the week.”
“You’re okay that I’m going to skip dinner?”
Triss lifted a shoulder. “You’re an adult and free to do as you like. It’s why I haven’t put the meat on the barbecue yet.”
“The day here was good?” Mieka asked, pulling out the rest of her burger, taking a seat at the table and diving in. “We feel bad. We left when it was so busy.”
“Great day,” Triss said, taking up an abandoned spot at the counter to continue preparing a salad. “It was busy, but everyone had a good time. Fumble escaped again, so that was fun. Asher is so close to barbecuing that goat, I swear it.”
Mieka chuckled. “Apparently Ray’s auntie has a great recipe for jerked goat.”
A Canadian West Coast baby born and raised, Whitley is married to her high school sweetheart, and together they have two beautiful daughters and a fluffy dog. She spends her days making food that gets thrown on the floor, vacuuming Cheerios out from under the couch and making sure that the dog food doesn’t end up in the air conditioner. But when nap time comes, and it’s not quite wine o’clock, Whitley sits down, avoids the pile of laundry on the couch, and writes.
A lover of all things decadent; wine, cheese, chocolate and spicy erotic romance, Whitley brings the humorous side of sex, the ridiculous side of relationships and the suspense of everyday life into her stories. With single dads, firefighters, Navy SEALs, mommy wars, body issues, threesomes, bondage and role-playing, Whitley’s books have all the funny and fabulously filthy words you could hope for.
From USA Today bestselling author Ava Harrison comes a steamy standalone romance about a grumpy talent agent and the gorgeous business rival who can’t stand him.
He’s the hotshot agent who hates my guts. I’m the (almost) one-night stand turned business rival.
Imagine my surprise when Paxton Ramsey shows up across the boardroom table. Gone is the sexy smirk, replaced by open hostility with a side of taunting.
His overbearing, grumpy attitude makes my blood boil. But I can’t forget the taste of our kiss. The thrill of his touch.
Our clients expect us to work together. I can’t even stand being in the same zip code.
Surely, I can survive one week trapped on an island with my nemesis? Until one week turns into two. Then three. Then four.
When he flaunts his power to make my career dreams come true… It takes everything in me not to ruin his.
Paxton Ramsey thinks he’ll be the death of me. But I just might teach him how to live in the process.
Title: Paint with Me Series: Fellside Mountain Rescue #3 Author: Dani Elias
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Age Gap/Small Town Release Date: May 12, 2023
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Fellside Mountain Rescue’s volunteers help those that are lost in the mountains. But who will help them when they fall for their women? Meet the British hunks who risk their lives for others and risk it all when it comes to love.
Paint with Me – Book 3 in the Fellside Mountain Rescue Series
Nick is battling his past demons when he meets the woman he has been waiting for all his life. Now he needs to convince her that they are meant to be. Following a messy divorce, Charlotte is weary of men. She has convinced herself that she is past her sell-by date. Why a significantly younger man is pursuing her is beyond her. Should she listen to her heart or trust her gut feeling that something is wrong?
Nick I have many faults. I tend to rub people up the wrong way, and I know it. I have hurt people in the past, but I am trying to become a better man. Never more so than when I meet her. I am sent to rescue a woman who isn’t really lost. Instead of thanking me for saving her life, Charlotte tells me off for interrupting her creative flow. With her feisty attitude, she captures my heart. I need her in my life, but my reputation and our age difference are a deal-breaker for her. So what if she is a little older than me? I am determined to show her I have changed and how good we are together. I need help and have to ask the one person I don’t want to ask.
Author Dani Elias loves writing about British working-class hotties and the women who are their happily-ever-after. Her stories are short, sweet & steamy.
Have you ever wanted to prove someone wrong so badly that you could taste it?
It doesn’t matter if they’re right. The fact that they had the audacity to say it is what counts.
Hi. It’s me. I’m that person.
The man I’ve been casually seeing told me I’m not “wife material” and should “lower my expectations”. Didn’t he realize I lowered them the moment I met him for dinner?
Obviously not.
Am I petty? Maybe. Annoyed? Of course. Determined? Definitely.
I need someone to help me flaunt my new engagement—my fiancé couldn’t wait to pop the question because I’m that amazing—in his face.
The problem? I don’t have a boyfriend, let alone a husband-to-be.
Which brings us to you.
Are you handsome? Successful? A smooth talker extraordinaire?
Are you willing to do all the things that someone madly in love would do?
Putting your hand on the small of my back. Forehead kissing.Acting like I’m a treasure you can’t live without. I need you to be prepared to do all those things … and maybe more.
What do you get out of this? I’m willing to negotiate terms—especially if they include a job and a place to stay. It’s a long story.
One night. One event. Let’s put on one heck of a show.
From USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestselling author comes a “hot and hilarious!” fake-dating tale between two frenemies that turn into roommates, coworkers, and, ultimately, lovers. Fans of close proximity, one-bed trope, and blue-collar, small-town heroes will fall madly in love with this story.
USA Today Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.
She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.
Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza.
Genre: Steamy Instalove Romance Tropes: Forbidden Age Gap/Forced Proximity Romance Release Date: May 11, 2023
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Riley
Hell hath no fury like a woman who’s been cheated on… again and again. I’ve had it. I dated Alex for six months, and he cheated on me… with my roommate. Now, I’m over him. And to finally avenge his stupid behavior, I’m about to do some misbehaving of my own… with his hot dad. Of course this won’t be a sacrifice… Rhett is about the sexiest man who’s walked Earth. He’s also my boss—and the man I’ll gladly hand my V-card to.
Rhett
When an unexpected guest arrives at my doorstep during my trip abroad, I didn’t expect her to be Riley, wearing shorts that make me drool. I see Riley at work, where she’s always dressed appropriately. This is supposed to be my time. Every year, I take a week off to celebrate my birthday. And now, because of a misunderstanding, I have to share my space with this young, hot girl who forgot the basic rules of modesty. Lucky for her… so have I. She has a dirty birthday celebration planned for me… and I’ll pay her in kind. Once the weekend is over, we’ll see who gets the better gift.
Cassie Cassell writes short dirty romance about characters who can’t keep their hands off each other. She favors mini-stories with low angst, high steam, and fun times—the type to give you a delicious rush of adrenaline on your commute to work or late at night in bed.
She lives in Central Texas with her family.
When she’s not writing, she’s reading thrillers or books that definitely make you blush.
If petting random dogs was a sport, she’d be an Olympic Gold Medalist.
She loves to hear from readers. Connect with her online:
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.
Book Loving Pixies 