Title: Does He Know? Series: Everlasting Ink #1 Author: Kaylee Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Age Gap/Brother’s Best Friend Cover Design: Lori Jackson Design Special Edition Cover Design: Emily Wittig Designs
Release Date: November 14, 2023
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NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you a new standalone series surrounding five best friends who co-own a tattoo studio.
Emerson
It’s not like I planned to fall for my older brother’s best friend.
It just happened. With a perfect body covered in tattoos, and a dirty mouth, Roman is the kind of guy women notice—and believe me, I noticed. Even when I tried not to.
When he finally gives in to temptation, there’s no going back. At least for me. Too bad Roman doesn’t see it that way.
He thinks he needs to protect me and my relationship with my brother, but I don’t need him to fight my battles. I just need him.
Roman
My name whispered from Emerson’s perfect pink lips is all it takes for me to betray my best friend.
Before that night, I kept the green-eyed beauty at arm’s length. Watched her from afar and told myself that the chemistry between us was one-sided.
I pretended that I didn’t want her more than my next breath. Which is what’s on the line if her brother ever finds out we’ve been sneaking around behind his back.
But I can’t stay away. Especially after knowing what it’s like to have her and lose her.
Now, I’m given a second chance, and I have every intention of making her mine—consequences be damned.
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: The Gossip and the Grump Series: Three BFFS and a Wedding #2 Author: Pippa Grant
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: One Night Stand/Enemies to Lovers Release Date: October 5, 2023
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See that guy over there? The insanely tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, scowling, “I don’t drink coffee” suit? Surprise! He’s the new owner of my family’s mountain café. The café that has been my life purpose since I was born in the kitchen there almost thirty years ago. The café that he’s planning to completely gut and renovate for revenge against one of my family members. He’s also the funny, charming, irresistible guy I spilled all of my secrets to last week. During the hottest one-night stand of my life. As my dog would say, woof me. Secrets and gossip keep getting me in trouble, and I swore I was done with both, but now my family’s café is on the line. It’s time to use every last trick I know to uncover every secret this man is hiding. I don’t care how much I liked him our first night together, or how much I keep seeing glimpses of that man beneath his gruff exterior. One of us has to go. It won’t be me.
The Gossip & The Grump is a one night stand to enemies to lovers romcom featuring a woman desperately trying to unlearn everything she knows about everyone, a grumpy misfit hiding a secret heart of gold, an unfortunate incident with powdered cheese, and the world’s biggest lap puppy. It stands alone, but you wouldn’t go wrong to read The Worst Wedding Date first.
Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did. Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine written as Jamie Farrell. When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes trying to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.
I’m justice. I’m deliverance. I’m punishment. Ultimately, I’m a dealer of death.
It’s exactly what they need from me. To push back the enemy. To keep them all safe. I’m always one step ahead. Until her.
She wasn’t meant to be here. She’s tempting a cruel twist of fate. Now he’s got her in his crosshairs. He’ll feed off her vulnerability. He’ll make her a victim of his obsession.
If I can’t pull her out, she’ll drown in the dark. She’ll become as twisted as the rest of us.
“You’re just a little freaked by what I showed you the other night.” “A little freaked?” I asked with disbelief. “Don’t you think that’s playing it down just a ton?” “No, what I think is that you overreacted. And you’re still overreacting.” “Trying to gaslight me is your strategy here?” “Not what I’m doing. It’s just the reality of the situation. It unsettled you and instead of dealing with it and accepting it, you’re running.” “I’m cutting my losses, that’s all.” “Bullshit.” “I made a mistake. I was in a bad headspace when I came to you. I appreciate everything you’ve done, all the time you’ve put into training me and—” “Stop!” he thundered, his voice echoing harshly off the walls of the empty gym. “Don’t use that stoic, business tone with me, like I’m just some trainer to you.” “I’m sorry, but this is the way it needs to be.” I reached out to open the door behind me, but he was there in a flash, slamming his hand to it, forcing me back against the wall. He slapped his hands down either side of my head, boxing me in. My pulse quickened as he leaned in close and I inadvertently breathed him in, that fresh, minty cologne infusing my senses. That was the least of it, honestly. As much as I wanted it to be simple and to believe it was just adrenaline from his sudden, aggressive move, it was a whole lot more than that. It couldn’t have been more complicated or conflicting. He had me trembling with the overwhelming nature of it as he growled at my ear, “I was very clear that there’d be no more running, Kar. I told you this was on.” “I know, but things have changed.” “You’re right on the precipice. That’s what this freakout is all about. If you back away now, you’ll regret it. You’ll be turning your back on who you really are, the person they’ve all kept you from becoming for way too long already.” “I see now that it was for the best.” “You’re afraid what you saw in me is in you. And it is. It’s fucking there all right. And I’m here to tell you that it’s the most freeing thing in the world. All that power… there’s nothing else like it.” “I don’t want it.” “You are it! Stop fucking denying it! Stop!” He smashed his fist into the wall behind me. “They caged you! Don’t you see that? They kept you from all of this! Adam’s still doing it now. He wants you to question it, it’s his voice in your head. People like us can’t be subjugated!” “Rick, I—” I went to push off the wall, but he slapped his hand to my chest, knocking me back against it. “I need to go, let this settle with you, and—” “I told you once that I won’t let you go. I meant it.” Oh my God. “I don’t think you really want me to,” he said, getting right up close again, pushing his hard body into mine. He grasped my chin with his bloodied left hand, forcing my eyes right to his. “You want to know what it’s like, don’t you?” he breathed, as his other hand fondled the waistband of my bootcut pants, that amethyst ring of his scraping against the fabric. “To be with me?” With one decisive jerk of his fingers, he pulled them open and slid his hand inside beneath my panties. I jolted at the sudden feel of his rough fingers dragging through my folds. “To have me unleash all over you, to coax the same from you.” He thrust two fingers deep, making me cry out. “To give into that animalistic need and fucking well revel in it.” “Rick,” I gasped as he started to slide in and out at a teasing, torturous pace. I honestly wasn’t sure if I wanted him to stop or continue, or even up the ante. The aggression, the fear, the stimulation, and the pleasure he was eliciting from me… it was all an overwhelming contradiction. “There’s not just the fight to experience. There’s also this. Nothing will ever compare.” His eyes flashed. “No one.” The pointedness of his comment wasn’t lost on me for a second. “He’s got nothing to do with this.” Rick twisted his fingers inside me, making me buck against the wall. “God!” “Sure he does.” He tightened his hold on my chin to a painful grip. “You’re here with me, but part of you is still there with him.” His thumb started strumming my clit, sending jolts of pleasure through me that had my whole body shuddering. He was overstimulating me, overwhelming me on purpose, making it harder and harder to maintain steady thought and focus. “What would he think if he knew I had my fingers deep inside your sweet cunt? If he knew you were soaking my hand, your body surrendering to me like this?” “Don’t.” “You want my goddamn darkness, Kara. Admit it.”
Franca writes emotional and gritty reads about alphas with a dark side and the kickass women who turn their worlds upside down.
A Marvel and DC fan, you’ll often find her binging on superhero shows and movies. Away from that heart-pumping action, she’ll relax with a good book, or work on conquering her next 1,000-piece puzzle.
She writes to alternative and hard-rock with her storyboard of inspiration by her side and some tasty snacks along for the ride. A cross between a pantser and a plotter, she’s happiest when she’s fully immersed in crafting her fictional worlds.
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Second Chance/Sports Romance Release Date: October 10, 2023
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Nate
All I wanted to do was be me, for one night. I didn’t want to be the number one quarterback in the league. I just wanted to be Nate. I couldn’t tell you exactly what made me stop at that dive bar on the outskirts of town, but it changed my life.
Our connection was instant and undeniable. Our night together was explosive, which led to another, and then another. No strings. Neither of us had time in our busy lives for more.
When tragedy strikes, we part ways, but those strings we swore were not there tethered me to her. An invisible line from my heart to hers. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed. I still want her.
Oaklyn
After a long day at work, the last thing I should have done was stop at a seedy establishment at the edge of town, but something had me pulling my car into the lot and going inside. The place was empty, except one man. An impossibly gorgeous guy with sexy eyes as dark as the night.
I threw caution to the wind and invited him home. Our night together was magic, and when it came time to part ways, we both decided not to. No strings. Just great sex.
However, our time is cut short when he sustains an injury on the field and leaves, breaking my heart into a thousand pieces on his way out the door. What was supposed to be just for fun turned out to be anything but, and when he returns to town years later, I realize I’m in trouble. My heart still craves him.
I really enjoyed Watch and Learn….. more than I expected if I’m honest though I should have know it would be fab given how much I enjoy Lacey Black’s own books!!
I read this practically in one sitting – only put my kindle down as dinner needed to be made – Nate & Oaklyn’s story had me fully invested and captivated.
This pair were meant to be. He needed someone to see him for himself and she needed someone who understood her crazy work life. Fate definitely pulled these two together initially but it certainly wasn’t finished with them even after things went so wrong.
I have to say I honestly could have smacked Nate upside the head more than once – I completely understood his initial thinking and his emotions and reasoning behind it but his continued path of being a bloody eejit….. 🙄🤯🤬 – I was so glad when he finally got his head on straight!
The slight lack of communication – on both sides – wound me up a tad BUT the story wouldn’t have been the same without it. There was one wee point about their earlier ‘relationship’ that Oaklyn got a bit peeved about where I was shouting in my head “hold on a minute missy… YOU agreed to that as much as Nate did, you stated your reason very clearly!!” but again, once she saw what Nate was trying to show her, I could let that go.
Great chemistry, an interesting initial meeting, two broken heart, low angst but a hopeful chance at a HEA…. All in all a really great story from 2 fab authors. I’m gonna go check out their other work together.
This is definitely a story I’d pick up again. Solid 4* recommended read.
AUTHOR BIO
Rebel Shaw is the alter ego of the romance writing duo Lacey Black and Kaylee Ryan.
Title: Chasing Holiday Tail A Holiday Rom-Com Charity Anthology
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy Release Date: October 3, 2023
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Get a head start on the holiday spirit by reading for a great cause!
Fifteen of today’s most entertaining rom-com authors #chicks4charity have teamed up on #Books4Paws. This collection of festive shorts ranges from sweet to steamy and promises to entertain. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Valley Humane Society, a no-kill animal shelter that has been caring for rescues and pairing them with their fur-ever families since 1966.
Lucy has been avoiding dating and falling in love all her life. She grew up watching men leave and break the hearts of the people closest to her. So, she developed a mantra. Stay away from the opposite sex and never, ever, fall in love. Then she meets Remington. She tries to stick to her own rules and keep him at arm’s length, but Remington keeps breaking through all of her walls. No one has ever tempted her or made her wish for her own happily ever after. No one until Remington. When she finally lets down her guard and lets Remington get close, will it prove to be the start of her happily ever after or her biggest mistake? Will the BOOM between Remington and Lucy be strong enough to break down Lucy’s walls?
Until Remington is part of Aurora Rose Reynolds’s Happily Ever Alpha World. If you loved Until November, Until Rex, and Until Nash from the HEA World, then you will want to read Until Remington.
Shaw Hart is an Amazon Top 100 best-selling author of contemporary and New Adult romance. She loves writing instalove romances that always end in happily ever afters.
She lives in a constant state of motion, chasing after her two children and three dogs. Shaw enjoys the simple things in life, like spending time with her family and friends.
When she’s not doing that, she’s reading romance books, watching stand up comedies or crime TV shows. Her favorite book tropes are secret baby and boss/employee romances. She’s a big fan of James Acaster, Anthony Jeselnik, Nate Bargatze, and John Mulaney’s comedy. Her favorite TV shows are Psych, Burn Notice, Leverage, Barry, Bob’s Burgers, and New Girl.
She’s a Pinterest addict, dog lover, tea snob, and a wannabe yogi.
She also writes contemporary romance books under the pen name, Rebecca Wilder, and she’s one half of the paranormal romance duo, Skye Alder.
Cameron Hart is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes books with lots of heat, plenty of sweet, and just enough drama to keep things interesting.
Cameron graduated from the Iowa Writers Workshop in 2012 with a degree in creative writing. When she’s not working on her next book, Cameron can be found reading, crocheting, doing yoga, and chasing around her grumpy cat.
Aurora Rose Reynolds and her husband, Sedaka Reynolds, created Boom Factory Publishing to use their experiences to expand and promote upcoming and existing indie authors.
With over nine years in the industry, and millions of books sold worldwide, we know what it takes to become a successful author and we will use this knowledge to take our authors to the next level.
“As a successful hybrid author in this ever evolving industry, I know that you’re only as successful as the team that is promoting you!”– Aurora Rose Reynolds
Title: That Conflicted Feeling Series: The Dashwood Billionaires #2 Author: Nicky Redford
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: Enemies to Lovers/Small Town Release Date: October 5, 2023
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I thought he was my knight in shining armor. In fact, he’s the big bad wolf in a designer suit…
The handsome stranger who tried to rescue me when I fell headfirst into a crate of potatoes (don’t ask) was perfect. He made me tingle in places I didn’t even know could tingle.
But now I’ve learned how unreliable those kinds of feelings are.
Turns out my would-be hero is Max Dashwood—the billionaire owner of a monstrous grocery chain that’s about to crush my small-town organic produce shop.
My only option is to crush him first if I want to save my livelihood, and every other mom-and-pop store on Main Street.
So I won’t stop until I send the jerk back to Manhattan once and for all. I will not fall for his sexy smile, charming wit, or twinkling blue eyes. He will definitely never make me fall in love with him.
And most importantly, I will definitely not kiss him.
Well, not again, anyway…
This laugh-out-loud, enemies to lovers, rom-com is part of the Dashwood Billionaires series of interconnected standalones. Packed with quirky characters, a local spring festival and adorable baby goats, it features a billionaire hell-bent on ripping out a small town’s heart, and the spunky produce seller who discovers the big bad wolf might have one of his own beating under that thousand-dollar shirt.
Nicky Redford writes bladder-threateningly funny rom-coms with all the steam and all the feels.
She loves heroes who think they know what they want (they’re wrong, obviously), the feisty, independent, heroines who don’t take their crap, and the sparky banter that inevitably ensues.
Her idol is Nora Ephron, and if anyone tries to say When Harry Met Sally is not the greatest film ever made they’ll be treated to a very detailed explanation as to why they are wrong.
Nicky aims to bring you page-turning, laugh-out-loud stories that brighten your day, put a smile on your face, and make you need to sit on an ice pack.
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: Enemies to Lovers/Single Mom/He Falls First Release Date: October 5, 2023
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There’s only one thing Malena Cortez dislikes more than cold coffee and that’s Thad King.
They’ve worked at the same law firm for almost seven years. She even once thought they were friends.
But there is nothing friendly about Thad. Except maybe his dog.
When they’re forced to work together on a case, Malena realizes there is more to the preppy rich guy than she’d always thought.
But she doesn’t have time to figure out why Thad suddenly doesn’t hate her anymore. Or why she can’t stop thinking about the time they almost kissed.
Besides, she’s still mourning her late husband while navigating the world as a single mom. She’s definitely not ready to date again. Or fall in love for the first time in her life.
But maybe there’s more to the guy who shows up when she needs him most. But is a maybe worth risking everything for?
Supporter of all things written, defender of the e-book revolution and master of the take out order – I’m not afraid to say I can’t cook, go a week without breaking something, read labels correctly or park cars in a straight line.
I love the written word in all forms and shapes and if I’m not glued to a book I’m attempting to write one. I’m a frequent blonde moment sufferer and still trying to figure out how to adult. I live in Melbourne, Australia, with my two little humans, the holder of my heart and two furry demons. I love to hear from readers so feel free to get in touch.
Title: The Gossip and the Grump Series: Three BFFS and a Wedding #2 Author: Pippa Grant
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: One Night Stand/Enemies to Lovers Release Date: October 5, 2023
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See that guy over there? The insanely tall, broad-shouldered, dark-haired, scowling, “I don’t drink coffee” suit? Surprise! He’s the new owner of my family’s mountain café. The café that has been my life purpose since I was born in the kitchen there almost thirty years ago. The café that he’s planning to completely gut and renovate for revenge against one of my family members. He’s also the funny, charming, irresistible guy I spilled all of my secrets to last week. During the hottest one-night stand of my life. As my dog would say, woof me. Secrets and gossip keep getting me in trouble, and I swore I was done with both, but now my family’s café is on the line. It’s time to use every last trick I know to uncover every secret this man is hiding. I don’t care how much I liked him our first night together, or how much I keep seeing glimpses of that man beneath his gruff exterior. One of us has to go. It won’t be me.
The Gossip & The Grump is a one night stand to enemies to lovers romcom featuring a woman desperately trying to unlearn everything she knows about everyone, a grumpy misfit hiding a secret heart of gold, an unfortunate incident with powdered cheese, and the world’s biggest lap puppy. It stands alone, but you wouldn’t go wrong to read The Worst Wedding Date first.
Sabrina Sullivan & Grey Cartwright are my new fave couple in this series!!!!
Following on from the wedding disaster in book one, Sabrina is out and about in Hawaii before she heads home when she meets a guy at a bar. They have a connection and a great night but she’s still on a bit of a downer and leaves him without exchanging details.
Back home, she knows that she’s gonna end up with a new boss at what used to be the family cafe …. she’s just not expecting who her new boss is!!!! Their initial interaction back in Snaggletooth Creek wasn’t grand, to say the least!!
To really get this story in this book fully I think you have to start with The Worst Wedding Date… it explains quite a bit of what goes on in The Gossip & The Grump!
Sabrina was the local gossip but following the wedding she’s stopped or is trying not to listen or talk about anything or anyone, but when she talks to Grey, especially about things in town, she does it in code and seeing him work out who’s who was funny! Her gossiping is never nasty and in all honesty she’s kinda hard on herself for a while when it’s not entirely warrented.
Grey, yeah, in Snaggletooth Creek and at work he comes across as a real grump but he’s been hurt and used and he’s not in the mind to trust many folk, so finding out the girl from Hawaii is now an employee doesn’t incline him to trust her either…. He’s actually a good guy, cares about those important to him and I liked him more than I expected I would.
I loved the connection these two had. There was fun, banter, heat and steam and when you add in great side characters… especially Zen (who made me laugh so often!) & Jitter (crazy lovable fur baby) …. the story was fab.
I was a tad annoyed at Emma tbh, especially when she finally spoke with the girls but I’m definitely looking forward to her book and finding out who her person is gonna be!
Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did. Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine written as Jamie Farrell. When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes trying to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Single Mom/Second Chance/Small Town Release Date: October 3, 2023
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From Carina Rose comes a sexy second-chance, single-mom romance.
Hannah
I suppose it was unfair of me to assume Cash Jameson would be my forever. The golden boy of Blossom Berry Falls went from high school baseball star to the major leagues. Then he broke my heart.
So many times I wanted to tell him about our son, but fate stepped in, and years went by. Being a single mom has been my biggest accomplishment. Though it hasn’t always been easy, the joys of being a mom have granted meaning to the pain of losing Cash.
Now, fifteen years later, we meet again thanks to our high school reunion’s alumni baseball game. Cash had no way of knowing that the young pitcher who struck him out was his son. But after he showed up at the door scouting the ace for the major leagues, I have no doubt he experienced the shock of his life.
Cash
Saying goodbye to Hannah was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Afraid of causing more pain, I never intended to set foot back in Blossom Berry Falls. Yet the draw of the alumni baseball game . . . and the chance to see Hannah again . . . were too powerful to resist.
After spotting Hannah in the stands, my heart sparked to life. I’d thought of her over the years but heard she’d moved on. Rather than harp on what could have been, I focused on the future—namely, the kid with the nasty curveball.
His control reminded me of myself at that age. Turned out there was a good reason for that . . . the young prodigy was the son I never knew I had. I’d missed so much of his life and refused to miss more.
Could the three of us to be a family? Or were the wounds of our past too deep to heal?
Carina Rose loves everything about romance. She loves writing about swoony heroes and feisty heroines. Her sweet romance books were in the top 100 on Apple Books and Barnes & Noble (Nook).
She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband who she knew was “the one” the day she met him. She also has two sons who own her heart. When she’s not writing, her pastimes include spending time with her family, traveling, reading, golfing, cooking, and baking. Carina also enjoys watching sports and is especially passionate about the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys.
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