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
BLURB
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
BLURB
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
BLURB
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.
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Sports Romance, Romantic Comedy, Diverse Romance
Join us for the cover reveal of Rebound by Evelyn Sola. Fans who love Marriage of Convenience Romances will sink their teeth into this sexy, diverse romance.
Keep scrolling for more details about this sexy cover.
Blurb
Catching feelings in a marriage of convenience is REALLY inconvenient.
Layla Jackson isn’t looking for marriage or her own happily ever after. At least not at this point in her life and especially not with notorious playboy and single dad, Seth Wakowski.
He may be a baller on the court, but off- he’s immature and the total opposite of the kind of guy she would ever want to be involved with.
Seth’s baby girl? Now that’s a totally different story. Layla and Jasmine adore each other.
But when people in Seth’s life tell him it’s time he settle down and clean up his act, there’s only one person he can think of for the job.
If only he can show her there’s more to him than meets the eye.
Despite her judgmental attitude toward Seth, she can’t deny the electrical charge each time their eyes lock. Or the desire that runs through her each time they touch.
Can Seth win Layla over and prove that their marriage won’t be just another rebound? He knows he’s playing for keeps, but will he be able to convince her of that?
A Boston native, wife, mother, and wine enthusiast. If she’s not writing, thinking about writing, you will find Evelyn with a book in her hands. While a new publisher, she’s been writing for years, and she will continue to write for many years to come.
Evelyn is obsessed with assertive and confident men who will stop at nothing to get their woman. Her stories are filled with love, passion, and humor.
She currently lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and two daughters.
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.
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)
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.
Waiting to Love You, an all-new multicultural, small town, military romance from USA Today bestselling author AJ Alexander is now available!
After spending my entire childhood moving wherever the military told us to, I put down roots in Tyson’s Creek. My plan was simple—start a business and live a peaceful fulfilling life with my friends. That is until Seth Williams walked into my yoga studio and turned my world upside down.
I swore that I’d never fall in love with a military man, but the more time I spent with him the more I started to fall.One night I let my guard down, allowing the walls around my heart to crumble to the ground. After spending one amazing night together he was shipped off to defend our country.
Then one day, a little over a year later, Seth shows back up—throwing my entire life into chaos again. This time, I can’t make the same mistake. I have to keep Seth away from my heart to protect the life I’ve built here—not for myself…
But for our daughter.
NOTE: This story was previously published as Anchor in 2022. It has since been recovered and titled, reedited, and significant additions have been made to the story.
Keep reading for a look inside Waiting to Love You!
I turn my attention toward the voice and freeze, my eyes connecting with the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. Her red hair lays over her shoulder in an intricate braid, with a few stray tendrils of hair framing her face. As she comes closer, I notice there are streaks of blonde in her hair brought out by the halo of sunlight behind her head. My eyes continue to wander down her body, taking in the fitted green top covering her curvy frame and the way her apple bottom fills out a pair of black yoga pants. Images of sinking my teeth into that ass as I take her from behind fill my mind, creating a rising problem in my pants.
Her face lights with happiness as she throws her arms around Brady’s neck and squeezes tightly. He chuckles softly, lifting her in the air before placing her feet back on the floor. She doesn’t even get a second to breathe before Riggs wraps her in his arms and spins her around, causing her to let out peals of laughter. Jealousy shoots through my veins as I jump to my feet, my entire being vibrating with the need to rip her from Riggs’s arms. I’ve never had this reaction to a woman before, let alone one I just met, but my body is moving before I stop myself. I have no idea who she is, but I plan on remedying that as soon as possible and learning everything about her.
Unable to contain my desire to meet this woman, I step between her and Riggs, causing her to take a step back.
“Hello,” she replies as she raises her eyebrow in question.
“Hi,” I reply awkwardly, suddenly at a loss for words. Flecks of gold sparkle in her emerald-green eyes as she looks me up and down, probably making many assumptions about me and my manners.
I hold out my hand, shoving it in her direction. “Hello. I’m Seth.”
The gruff sound of my voice surprises me as I clear my throat loudly, causing all three of my friends to snicker softly. I’ve always been slightly socially awkward, but this time it’s different. It’s like I’ve forgotten how to speak. Words are stuck in my throat as I try to make sense of what is happening right now. I’ve never been a person who believes in love at first sight, but right now, I do.
“Hi, I’m Bristol,” she responds tentatively as she looks down at my outstretched hand before grasping it in hers.
As soon as our skin connects, an electric current sizzles up my arm. Her eyes widen in surprise as she pulls her lip between her teeth. The two of us remain standing there, frozen, staring at each other. My heart aches as my hand moves on its own, brushing along her cheek. Her eyes drift closed as she leans into my touch, a soft sigh escaping her lips as I tuck a stray piece of her hair behind her ear. We stare at each other, neither of us moving, trapped in each other’s gaze until Brady clears his throat and breaks the spell.
He gives her his trademark grin. “Excuse him, Bristol. This is my friend, Seth; we are in the same unit together.”
Bristol’s demeanor immediately changes, her eyes hardening in my direction before plastering on a fake smile. “Nice to meet you, Seth. Are you guys ready to get started?”
“Sure thing. Lead the way, darlin’,” I motion toward the glass door separating the waiting area from the main studio. She flashes me a tight smile before spinning on her heels and walking through the glass door.
“What the hell just happened?” Brady’s eyes are focused on her retreating form.
“I don’t know, but the temperature in the room dropped by a thousand degrees the minute Brady said you were his friend,” Riggs retorts, a confused look crossing his face.
“Do you and Bristol have something going on?” I growl, my fists tightening at my side.
“Calm down, Seth. Bristol and I are just friends, nothing more. What did you do to piss her off that quickly? You only said three words to her.”
Riggs and Brady are right. I highly doubt that I could have done anything, but there must be a reason for her sudden change in behavior. I just don’t understand why she would shut down so quickly after hearing Brady and I are friends. Does she have a thing for Brady he doesn’t know about? Is it because I’m in the military? No, that can’t be it, especially with how she reacted to Brady.
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Bristol moving around the studio, laying four beige-colored yoga mats on the floor as she gets ready to start our class. “I’m not sure, but she doesn’t seem like she wants to talk about it right now.”
I take a step forward to enter the studio but feel someone tugging on my arm. I turn to find Walker eyeing me skeptically.
“What?”
“You need to tread lightly with her, Seth,” Walker warns as he releases my arm, his eyebrows pulled down in concern as he examines my face. “Bristol is Leia’s best friend from college, but…” he begins, but shakes his head. “Never mind, just be careful, okay?”
Walker strolls past me and into the studio, Riggs right on his heels. Brady gives me a slap on the back. “Don’t think too much about it. Talk to her and ask what her deal is, then we can proceed from there.”
“My eyes instantly shift to Bristol again, a soft sigh escaping my lips, which causes Brady to laugh. “You’re hooked, aren’t you?”
I pause for a moment and consider what he just said. Am I hooked on a girl that I’ve never laid eyes on before today? I don’t know, but I do know one thing. If there’s one woman I would trade my little black book in for, it would be her.
I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts before shrugging my shoulders. “There’s just something about her that calls to me.”
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author AJ Alexander has been writing romance since 2018. She love writing small town romances with found families and all the nosey nellies that help her characters find their happily ever afters! She lives in Arizona, otherwise known as the surface of the sun, with her husband, two daughters, two cats, and a lovable golden retriever.
When she isn’t writing you can find AJ reading, binging the latest true crime documentary on Netflix, or binging the latest Korean Drama or Anime that’s released. AJ is a cynical hopeless romantic that believes in love at first sight, that bigger is always better, and everything should be put off for a nap.
For more information about AJ Alexander and her books, visit her website:
He’s dangerous, drop dead gorgeous, a grade-A asshole—and her new stepfather. Laz and Mia are the black sheep of their families and they discover a forbidden attraction to each other…but do they dare act on it?
Based on the hit novel BRUTAL INTENTIONS by Lilith Vincent with over 200 uncensored 18+, full color pages. Art by Debora Lancianese.
Book Loving Pixies 