Title: Catalyst Series: Meadow Lake #1 Author: Emma Nichole
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Small Town/Single Father Elementary School Teacher Release Date: May 24, 2024
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Mason Shaw.
He’s exactly what I want and need in a man. He’s also off-limits as the father of one of my students.
I didn’t expect to be wildly attracted to him the moment he walked into my classroom.
Nor was I even looking for this type of… connection.
I’m only supposed to share my mind and knowledge as his son’s teacher. Not my body as his lover.
I’m a professional. Surely I can resist his perfect, blue eyes, work-calloused hands, and that deep timbre in his voice.
Having a temporary tryst with a single father is one thing.
Falling in love with him is another thing entirely.
Especially when I know for certain I can’t give him what he wants, or needs, in life.
I want to be his. I want to explore this.
I just don’t know if he’ll want me when he finds out how broken I truly am.
Catalyst is a single father/elementary school teacher small town romance. It’s book 1 of the Meadow Lake Series but can be read as a complete standalone.
After years of living vicariously through so many characters and stories created by others, Emma Nichole has taken the plunge herself.
A southern girl born, raised, and still residing in Tennessee, she holds the quirks of this area of the world close to her heart, and showcases it in her writing.
She’s a wife, a mother of two, an avid college football fan (Go Vols), a best friend, a sister, a lover of all music, movies, and above all else… a lover of books.
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense Tropes: Alpha Hero/Heroine in Distress/Close Proximity/Enemies to Lovers/Opposites Attract
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The moment I witness a murder, my quiet, careful existence goes up in smoke. I’m thrust into the world of Santiago Hernández, Central America’s most ruthless cartel leader.
In exchange for my life, I’m placed under his watchful eye. Day in and day out, he waits for me to betray my promise of silence.
The longer I stay in his world, the deeper I fall for the glimpses of the man beneath that handsome yet cunning exterior. The man whose possessive touch ignites a long-lost part of me.
But I should know better than to open my heart to a cold-blooded criminal with a laundry list of deadly sins and secrets. Especially when he has no idea who I really am.
Because when the lies unfold, he’ll discover I have a list of sins and secrets of my own.
Genre/Tropes: Fantasy Romance, Enemies-to-Lovers Romance, Forced Proximity , Slow Burn, Touch her and die, Grumpy/sunshine (Hades/Persephone and Beauty and the Beast)
Release Date: May 9, 2024
Tagline: My father sold me to the Shadow King.
Blurb:
My father sold me to the Shadow King.
I would kill for a normal life, but my father took a reckless gamble, and I must pay the price. His betrayal forces me to live in Faerie with king Damian and grow my magic, even though it’s forbidden.
Now, I must learn to protect myself from the nightmares, dreams, and fantasies that govern this mysterious realm.
If I don’t, my kingdom will fall.
***
Nothing will get in the way of my duty, not even a witty beauty like Penelope Darcy.
I’m in ruins, and the Shadow Court, too. The rules of the curse are simple. They draw our enemies away and keep us safe.
For her, I’d break all the rules, but I’ve got to tear her kingdom apart to survive.
This novel is a full-length fantasy romance with a happy ending, and though it’s part of an interconnected series, it also stands alone.
Beauty and the Beast and Hades and Persephone collide in this enemies-to-lovers, forced-proximity fantasy romance. The mysterious Shadow King is hot as sin, and the secrets of his world will bring any mortals to their knees. Slow-burn. 18+. Full list of triggers inside.
A mesmerising dark fantasy romance, that’s a creative mix of beauty & beast, Hades & Persephone and Acotar. – Kez Marie
This was one of the best reads I have read all year from the beginning we started turning the pages we were engrossed in this story and could not put it down. – Angels with Attitude Book Review
About the Author
Anya J Cosgrove writes heart-pounding paranormal and fantasy romance novels. She lives in Québec with her husband, her beautiful son, and two mischievous cats. When she’s not slaying monsters and dreaming up dark, mysterious heroes in front of her keyboard, she’s working as a veterinarian and planning her next Disney trip.
If I want to prove to my dad that I can take his place as CEO of our family’s liquor company, I need to show him I won’t let work consume my life the way it did his.
He wants me to be a family woman? I can fake it till I make it.
A fake fiancé is the perfect solution, and the man I’ve found is the ideal candidate.
He’s smart and successful, and he’ll look great on paper as well as on my arm …
Until I realize he’s also my stiff competition.
Julian
She’s supposed to be a trophy wife. The missing ingredient I needed to toast my success.
I was hoping the ten million reasons I offered in exchange would be enough to get her to agree. But it turns out, she’s got her own reasons for using me.
From the boardroom to the bedroom, this woman has turned my world upside down.
She might be good at faking it, but her beauty and brains have me falling for real.
I’m just getting started, and I’m already drunk on her.
Nikki Ash resides in South Florida where she is an English teacher and mom by day and a writer by night. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand. From the Boxcar Children to Wuthering Heights to the latest Single Parent Romance, she has lived and breathed every type of book.
While reading and writing are her passions, her two children are her entire world. You can probably find them at a Disney park before you would find them at home on the weekends!
Title: The Keeper Series: Fall River #1 Author: G.K. Brady
Genres: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Small Town/Opposites Attract/Forced Proximity/Grumpy-Sunshine/Black Sheep Release Date: May 23, 2024
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A mountain blizzard. An injured dog. A romance that caught them both by surprise.
Hailey Bailey craves safety. Raised by an alcoholic father chasing a dream of surfing superstardom, the down-to-earth health inspector just wants a comfortable salary and benefits. But when she attempts to save a lost dog in a blizzard and causes a pickup truck to crash, she’s awed by the handsome driver who protects her from the storm.
Noah Hunnicutt can’t catch a break. Struggling to keep his tavern afloat and impress his judgmental father, the twenty-eight-year-old family pariah is also fending off an obsessed hookup and his money-grabbing, two-timing ex-girlfriend. To top it off, he never expected he’d be rescuing the very woman who made him wreck his truck. But with the gregarious beauty now stranded in town, he can’t say no when she offers to help him out by waiting tables.
Enchanted by the tiny hamlet’s cast of quirky characters, Hailey begins to envision a life there … with the hunky bar owner on her arm. But a series of menacing notes has her rethinking that future. Meanwhile, Noah discovers his troubles aren’t only with vengeful exes when the lovely lady’s smarmy boss arrives to shut his business down. As Noah grapples with doubts about Hailey’s honesty, she contends with an increasingly hostile work environment that has her questioning her moral compass.
Can they overcome the outside forces working against them and cultivate a lasting love? Or will they be left to wonder what could have been?
She removed her puffy coat, folded it beside his, and shimmied into the nest he’d created. She lay on her side, making herself as narrow as possible, facing the back of the seat as he’d instructed her. Sliding behind her, he tugged the covers over his shoulders, and a woodsy man small enveloped her. She froze in place at the feel of his big body behind hers, luxuriating in his heat while trying to keep some distance between them. Doing so proved impossible on the narrow bench seat. He folded one arm under his head and draped the other over his hip, taking obvious care not to touch her more than he had to. “You warm enough?” His chest rumbled with the words. “Y-Yes,” she stammered. “What about you?” Was his back exposed? The blankets weren’t big enough to cover them both completely, and his frame was too long to stretch out. “I’ll live. We can switch it up if we need to.” His warm breath stroked her cheek. He tucked his knees behind hers and shifted his weight in the too-tight space, his limbs stretching, flexing, and finally softening. He was all hard angles and planes, and an unwanted thrill coursed through her entire body. She’d never lain beside a man who felt so … manly.
#2
Hailey leaned against a cluttered credenza Noah needed to clear. “Did you know they call you the ‘keeper’?” He shook his head. “Why?” He kept his eyes fixed on hers so they didn’t drift down to her neckline and all that skin. “Well, the most obvious reason is you’re their favorite bartender. But apparently you have a reputation for listening to everyone’s troubles and keeping them to yourself. Your female customers are especially appreciative of your ability to keep a secret. I wonder why?” She sent him a sly wink. “Oh,” came his witty response. While part of her statement gave him a warm flicker of pride, the other part made him squirm under her amused scrutiny. Or maybe the shots of whiskey sloshing in his empty stomach explained his sudden discomfort. “I can’t blame them. You do shake a mean martini, barkeep. And the way you toss those liquor bottles. Phew!” She faked a forehead swipe. For a breath-stealing moment, their eyes locked, and he couldn’t break it. What is really going through that beautiful head of yours? She cast her gaze down and pushed away from the credenza in an uncharacteristically jerky way, so different from her usual feline grace. A spray of greenery stuck to the hem of her skirt, and she plucked it off and held it in her open palm. “Oops, I hope I didn’t crush this. What is it?” He ate up the distance between them, leaving mere inches of space, and lifted the vegetation from her hand. “Mistletoe. I really need to organize that credenza.” Her pale blue eyes darkened as she scanned his face. “Mistletoe?” The word rolled out of her mouth in a breathless rush. Was it possible she was as hot and bothered as he was? “It’s left over from Christmas last year. We had it hanging everywhere,” he stammered. “Dixie thought we could save it and reuse it this year, but it’s looking a little ragged.” He held it over his head to see if it would crumble. “Barkeep, are you trying to get yourself kissed? If so, it’s the wrong time of year.” He yanked his gaze back to hers. “I thought any time of year was the right time,” his mouth said for him. A kiss wasn’t what he’d been going for … or was it? Hailey had been dancing in his line of sight and his mind’s eye, dousing him with hits of dopamine for most of the day, and the Jameson had dissolved his restraints into a mellow amber puddle. He wanted her. Despite knowing he shouldn’t, despite the sirens blaring in his head. It wasn’t only his libido talking, though. Something else was at work, an undercurrent that was as powerful as it was vague and elusive. For an electrified instant, he swam in the depths of those crystalline eyes, recording every fleck, every nuance of their shading, while a debate escalated in his head. He shouldn’t do this. It was a bad idea. The reason why was a little fuzzy, though, and the alarms faded to a dull noise. She probably thought he had lost it as he stood there, holding the damn mistletoe in the air while he stared down at her. But if she did, she didn’t show it. Instead, she tilted her chin up and glanced at the desiccated plant, murmuring, “So are you just going to hold it there all night?” Again, his mouth took over for his short-circuited brain. “Until I can invent a different reason why you should let me kiss you, then, yeah, I probably am.” Her eyes flared and lowered to his mouth before slowly leveling with his again. “Who says you have to invent anything?”
AUTHOR BIO
Since childhood, all sorts of stories and characters have lived in G.K. Brady’s imagination, elbowing one another for attention, so she’s finally giving them their voice on the written page.
An award-winning writer of contemporary romance, she loves telling tales of the less-than-perfect hero or heroine who transforms with each turn of a page. She also writes historical fiction under the pen name Griffin Brady.
G.K. is a wife and the proud mom of three grown sons. When she’s not writing, she might be reading, traveling, drinking wine, listening to music, or gardening—sometimes all at once! She currently resides in Colorado with her very patient husband.
Title: Stay Anyway Series: Kincaid Brothers #7 Author: Kaylee Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Small Town/Blue Collar/Single Mom Release Date: May 21, 2024
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Stella
Getting pregnant in college wasn’t part of the plan, but I’ll never regret giving birth to the best part of me. Even if my parents did disown me for it.
A fresh start in a small town seems like a good idea, until a handsome stranger shows me a little kindness and has me feeling things, I thought I’d never feel again… things I have no business feeling about a man I just met.
Every time I turn around, Maverick is there. One thing inevitably leads to another and my newfound friend comes with benefits. I’m doing my best to hold it all together, but the truth is, when I see him with my daughter, I know I’ve already fallen too far.
Maverick
From the moment Stella rolled into town, she’s had my attention. Since that moment, I’ve been determined to befriend the sexy single mom who’s down on her luck.
Stella has fallen on hard times, but something tells me she’ll never take a handout. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to help, so of course I put in a good word to get her a job. She’s smart enough to know I had a hand in it, but that’s what friends are for, right?
With each day that passes, Stella becomes more than just a friend. She’s my best friend—who I apparently can’t keep my hands off. She’s worried we’re complicating things, but screw that. Blurred lines or not, I ask her to stay anyway.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has been crowned the Queen of Swoon by her readers. With nearly fifty romance books under her belt, she’s known for penning happily ever afters with heart. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand or hanging out with her family where she resides in her home state of Ohio.
Title: Find Me Series: Poison Ivy #1 Author: E.A. Wilde
Genre: Dark Romance Tropes: Who Did This To You/Redemption Possessive/Morally Gray MMC/Forced Proximity Release Date: May 20, 2024
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How did it all spiral out of control so quickly?
Trapped in a life dictated by others, I yearned for freedom. But my pursuit of independence led me down a dangerous path I never could have anticipated.
What began as a lifeline quickly unravelled into a nightmare. The deal was meant to help get my life back on track. Instead, it pulled me into a whirlwind of chaos and self-destruction.
Amidst the haze of sex, drugs, and bad decisions, I find an unexpected protector: him. His touch ignites a fire within me and I can’t seem to get him out of my head.
As I teeter on the edge of self-destruction, he offers salvation—or damnation. With every choice, I risk losing myself further, but with him, I glimpse a flicker of hope.
In a world where every decision could mean my downfall, I must choose: Embrace the darkness or find my way back to the light, back to him.
E.A. Wilde is a business-owner-turned-writer, and is celebrating the release of her debut novel Find Me, the first book in The Poison Ivy Series.
She lives a nomadic lifestyle and, when she’s not busy moving across the country, you can find her writing or reading by the fire, drinking coffee, listening to music, and watching indie films.
She’s always been his. He’s always been hers. Best friends since they were kids, everyone always assumed they’d end up together. But Rocco and Jasmine forge their own life paths. Despite remaining close, she discovers she needs a break from the life she’s been living in Chicago. When she moves to New York, things change for him. And he panics, thinking he’s lost her forever.
Rocco
Since the day she moved in across the street when we were kids, Jasmine has held my attention with her sparkling green eyes and spunky spirit. She’s independent and headstrong, and I’ve always admired that about her. Hiding behind my bachelor status, no one is the wiser about the secret feelings I harbor for her.
Jasmine
Rocco has always been by my side. Whether it’s making me laugh, teaching me something new, or sharing confidences, he’s been steadfast. When he morphs into a man seemingly overnight, I find it tough to temper my attraction to him. But he doesn’t see me as anything more than a friend.
I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. I am married to my high school sweetheart and have two sons. Although I have both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Psychology, I stepped away from that field to be a stay-at-home mom. Now that my kids are growing up and I’m getting more time to myself, I’m giving this writing thing a chance.
There’s nothing more liberating than picking up your life and relocating. I needed a fresh start, desperately looking to get away from my past. Stewart Grove is such a cute small town and seems like the perfect place to settle. Add in the fact I got a job serving at the popular Burgers and Brew restaurant, and everything seems to be clicking into place.
Then single dad Jack Harper sat down at one of my tables and turned my world upside down.
I wasn’t expecting to meet a man so quickly after moving, let alone one ten years my senior, but there’s no denying the instant connection. The problem is, I carry a secret. One that could destroy this new life I’m creating.
I just pray it all doesn’t blow up in my face.
Jack
Weekends are spent with my kids. As a local electrician and business owner, I don’t exactly work your typical nine-to-five job. Add in co-parenting with my ex-wife, and there isn’t a lot of free time for myself. Dates have always been an afterthought, especially when the few I’ve been on didn’t go well. I’m content with just being Dad, making sure my kids always come first.
Then I met her.
Stevie Clement is completely unexpected in the best sort of way, and I find myself drawn to her like I’ve never experienced. I want all of her time, in my life and in my bed.
However, it may come down to an impossible decision: my kids or the woman I want to spend my life with.
USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens.
If love is an addiction, your first love is the first hit.
How many of you remember your first love?
Because falling in love for the first time…I remember that. And that’s the thing about your first love—we all have a love story.
But this isn’t a love story.
This is a life story.
The good.
The bad.
The heartache.
It’s all here.
Love is truly a battlefield…
Love is scary, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying. When you love someone wholeheartedly, you leave yourself open to being destroyed…and that’s what I did, what I still do even though I know better.
But it doesn’t make a difference.
The best kind of love doesn’t make sense. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.
This one-in-a-million story is mine, and if you take anything away from this book, it would be to never be afraid to love.
So, let me introduce myself. You may call me Z.
Buckle up, besties, because this will be a bumpy ride.
Monica James spent her youth devouring the works of Anne Rice, William Shakespeare, and Emily Dickinson.
When she is not writing, Monica is busy running her own business, but she always finds a balance between the two. She enjoys writing honest, heartfelt, and turbulent stories, hoping to leave an imprint on her readers. She draws her inspiration from life.
She is a bestselling author in the U.S.A., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Israel, and the U.K.
Monica James resides in Melbourne, Australia, with her wonderful family, and menagerie of animals. She is slightly obsessed with cats, chucks, and lip gloss, and secretly wishes she was a ninja on the weekends.
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