Title: Hide Away by the Sea Series: Oak Island #1 Author: L.P. Dover
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance Tropes: First Love/Second Chance/Small Town Release Date: June 27, 2023
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From New York Times bestselling author L.P. Dover comes a compelling tale of intrigue, hidden family secrets, and long overdue second chances.
Everleigh Abbott – born and bred in Oak Island, N.C. – always had a dream of going off to college and making a difference in the world.
Presented with the opportunity to attend the university with the top surgical program in the country, she couldn’t pass it up. Even though it meant leaving her family and Jensen McLean – the man she loved – behind. The couple knew the distance would come between them, yet Jensen had no choice but to stay in Oak Island and take over his family’s business.
Twelve years later, Everleigh’s a well-respected neurosurgeon in Boston and living the life she’s always wanted. However, when her grandmother passes, Everleigh learns she’s been left everything, including the beach house. What she soon realizes is that there are secrets hidden within the house, secrets that could change everything. It all leads to a tragic past that brings Everleigh face to face with her only regret.
Jensen McLean has devoted his life to making his family business the best on the North Carolina coast. When he finds out Everleigh is back in town, he refuses to waste the chance to see her again. More than anything he longs to show her what she’s missed and help her realize Oak Island is her true home. Little do either of them know, the mysteries hidden at the beach house will reveal truths that connect them in ways they never thought possible.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Everything’s sweeter in the South has always been her mantra and she lives by it, whether it’s with her writing or in her everyday life. Maybe that’s why she’s seriously addicted to chocolate.
Dover has written countless novels in several different genres, including a children’s book with her daughter. Her favorite to write is romantic suspense, but she’s also found a passion in romantic comedy. She loves to make people laugh which is why you’ll never see her without a smile on her face.
Title: Bad Boss Series: Red Room #1 Author: Lana Sky
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Office Romance/Rivals to Lovers Release Date: June 27, 2023
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CUTTHROAT. ICE COLD. BILLIONAIRE.
A pioneer of women’s lingerie and the owner of a prestigious fashion house, Graeme Bellamy has dominated the hearts – and nether regions – of high society women half the world over. The one person capable of keeping his ego – and schedule – in check is Evelyn King, his dutiful assistant.
A methodical, obsessive Hellcat, Evie has spent her life taking crap from no one – especially not her moody, ruthless boss. But when an old rival returns and threatens Graeme’s power, Evie’s skills are pushed to the limit. Caught in a tug of war between two powerful men, she is forced to launch the performance of a lifetime.
One where it’s not just her salary on the line… but her heart.
Lana Sky is a quirky writer from the US who dabbles in dark, paranormal and contemporary romance. Her stories aren’t always typical, but contain a little something for everyone.
Title: Cold Snap Series: Cold Justice – Most Wanted #3 Author: Toni Anderson
Genre: Romantic Suspense Tropes: Small Town/Alpha Hero/Woman in Peril Release Date: June 27, 2023
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Evidence that a notorious criminal is hiding out in a small, seaside town in rural Maine leads to an FBI agent going undercover in this new Romantic Thriller from New York Times bestselling author Toni Anderson.
Grady Steel returns to the insular community of Deception Cove, Maine, where he spent his troubled youth unfairly labeled the town’s bad boy. Now a member of the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team, Grady is on a risky undercover mission, hunting one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives.
Recovering from a broken marriage, Brynn Webster comes home to the sleepy small town—where nothing ever happens—to help her parents run their seaside cafe during her mother’s illness. After diving into the frigid waters of the winter harbor to rescue a dead man, Brynn begins to realize that the ocean isn’t the only place swirling with dangerous undercurrents.
Grady befriends the pretty manager of the local cafe in an effort to unearth the town’s closely guarded secrets. Deceiving Brynn isn’t easy, though, especially when he starts to fall for her. Then, when decades-old crimes lead to modern-day murder, Grady’s mission becomes a race against time as he strives to catch a ruthless killer—before Brynn becomes the next victim.
Toni Anderson writes gritty, sexy, FBI Romantic Thrillers, and is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author. Her books have won the Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery and Suspense, Readers’ Choice, Aspen Gold, Book Buyers’ Best, Golden Quill, National Excellence in Story Telling (NEST) Contest, and National Excellence in Romance Fiction awards. She’s been a finalist in both the Vivian Contest and the RITA. Her books have been translated into five different languages.
Best known for her “COLD JUSTICE®” novels, perhaps it’s not surprising to discover Toni lives in one of the most extreme climates on earth—Manitoba, Canada. Formerly a Marine Biologist (Ph.D.), she still misses the ocean. Her greatest achievements include raising two kids, mastering the Tokyo subway, climbing Ben Lomond, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef, and surviving eighteen (and counting) Winnipeg winters.
Toni loves to travel for research and was lucky enough to visit the Strategic Information and Operations Center inside FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. She also got to shove another car off the road during pursuit training at the Writer’s Police Academy in Wisconsin. She hopes not to get arrested for her Google searches.
Title: The Billionaire and the Burglar Series: Grumpy Billionaire Romantic Comedy #1 Author: Talia Hunter
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: Grumpy Sunshine/Fake Dating/One Bed Release Date: June 26, 2023
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I’d do anything for family…even trick my way into working for the grumpiest billionaire alive.
Balthazar Anders expects absolute control and obedience from his employees. Too bad he’s hired the wrong fake girlfriend. I’m actually an undercover thief on a mission to steal from him.
And this rebel doesn’t follow orders.
When my sinfully gorgeous new boss whisks me away to a ten-star luxury resort, I’m supposed to protect him from threats while we act like we’re in love. We share the honeymoon suite’s only bed… and I discover he’s never owned a pair of pajamas. Gulp!
Resisting Balthazar’s growly commands gets harder by the second. Especially when the threat I’m here to protect him from becomes all too real. But if I don’t steal the thing I’ve really come for, my beloved family will be the ones to suffer.
Can I pull off my heist before he steals my heart?
The Billionaire and The Burglar is a swoony, steamy, grumpy/sunshine romance. It can be read as a standalone and has an HEA to leave you smiling.
Talia Hunter likes to include her three favorite things in her novels: toe-curling romance, snort-laughs, and heart-warming friendships. She recently moved to Australia’s beautiful Gold Coast, where she’s constantly amazed and not at all freaked out by the weird and wonderful critters. When she’s not writing, you can usually find her with a glass of wine, a good book, and a jumbo-sized can of bug spray.
Title: Climb with Me Series: Fellside Mountain Rescue #4 Author: Dani Elias
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Single Mum/Dark Secrets Release Date: June 23, 2023
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Welcome back to Fellside for another sizzling and captivating romance.
Mountain Rescuer Chris is a hopeless romantic. When he meets single mum Suzie, he falls head over heels. And he knows he would do anything for her and her son Max.
Suzie is on the run from a dark past. In Fellside, she and Max find a normal life for the first time. Surrounded by new friends, she wants to finally let go of her fear and surrender to passion and love. But what if her past catches up with her?
Join Chris and Suzie as they get swept up in desire, love, and domestic bliss. But will everything fall apart when Suzie’s fears come true?
Climb with Me is a heartwarming tale of raw emotions, passion, and love that left reviewers “at a loss for words.”
Climb with Me can be read as part of the series or as a stand-alone novella. It is a book for mature audiences and readers should pay attention to the trigger warnings.
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.
Title: Home Sweet Home Series: Burgers and Brew Crüe #6 Author: Lacey Black
Genre: Contemporary Romance Release Date: January 10, 2023
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Leo
Everyone has a past they’re trying to outrun, myself included. My time in the military left me with scars, both physically and emotionally, which is why I keep to myself. Since returning home to Stewart Grove, I work a lot so I have little time to think. To remember. I’m just content to make it through the day.
Then I meet Kallie Carpenter.
I am drawn to the sexy bartender in a way I’ve never experienced, and despite knowing I should stay away, I can’t. Kallie calls to the very depths of my soul, every broken piece of it.
I hope I don’t destroy us both.
Kallie
Taking care of my injured dad and his horse ranch, as well as working at the local bar doesn’t leave me much time for a social life. Between home and Burgers and Brew, I keep myself plenty busy, despite my dad’s insistence I give dating another try. It’s not that I wouldn’t mind it, I just barely have any time to myself, let alone making room for another.
Then I find Leo Martinez sitting at the end of the bar.
He’s guarded and a little rough around the edges, but I can’t stay away. There’s a darkness in his eyes that speaks of pain, yet I only see the amazing man he tries to hide from the world.
We’re back in Stewart Grove at Burgers & Brew and this time it’s Leo and Kallie’s story. Leo is Garreth’s friend and Kallie works behind the bar at B&B.
Both have baggage and issues. Kallie’s from a past relationship and the toll that come from being the carer of her dad and looking after their ranch when not at work at the bar.
Leo was in the military. He suffers badly with PTSD and has physical and mental scars from his last deployment.
Neither is looking for a relationship, Kallie certainly doesn’t have the time to think about someone else on top of all she’s dealing with… Leo doesn’t think he has anything to offer someone else and worries about hurting another person.
Kallie’s vehicle breaks down and Leo is the one to come to her aide. Ultimately this leads to them spending some time together and getting to know each other better – I loved Leo’s interactions with Kallie’s dad and how things worked out with him at the ranch.
They build a friendship but have an undeniable attraction to each other and it was awesome that Kallie gave Leo a sense of calm and peace when he was with her and he gave her a feeling of belonging and made her feel she wasn’t so alone.
Leo then gets some bad news and a surprise visit from the wife of one of his friends from the military that knock him for six…. This happens at a time when Kallie really needs his help, but the news and visit has him heading down some dark alleys and he’s not there emotionally or physically to help her.
This was an emotional read. My heart hurt for both of them and I desperately wanted things to work out for them. Lacey Black really knows how to wrote a story that gives you ALL the feels… believe me, Home Sweet Home had it all; emotion, pain, longing, a great sense of family when it came to the gang and a shed load of heat and chemistry between Leo and Kallie.
The plot and tone of the story were quite different from the previous books in the series but in a good way and I truly loved this couple and was rooting for them the whole time.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
AUTHOR BIO
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.
Title: Sweetest Line Series: Lavender Falls #1 Author: Cary Hart
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: Small Town/Surprise Baby/One Night Stand Release Date: June 15, 2023
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If the past nine months have taught me anything: what happens in Mason Creek doesn’t always stay in Mason Creek…
I’m back home in Lavender Falls. Single. Pregnant. And craving ice cream around the clock thanks to a one-night stand with a sexy bartender I left back in Montana.
Two little pink lines turned my whole world upside down—and nothing in the pregnancy books prepared me for running into my unsuspecting “baby daddy” in the middle of town square.
Of course, he isn’t here for me. He couldn’t be. He never responded to my messages. No, Toby is in town filming a new television series about a single father. Talk about the universe having a funny sense of humor.
Now I just have to figure out if he’s ready to play the most important role of his real life: dad.
Cary Hart is a sassy, coffee-drinking, sometimes-sailor-swearing Spotify addict and lover of all things books!
She writes relatable romance—from swoon-worthy small-town second chances, to angsty love that’ll rip your heart out, to rom-coms that will have you laughing out loud, page after page. Her characters deal with everyday life—the good, the bad…and the crazy! But they always get a happy ending!
Born and raised in the Midwest, she knows a thing or two about small-town life. When not talking to the characters in her head, Cary has her hands full as a mom to two amazing teens and two spoiled cats! Thankfully, she has a supportive husband who loves her—and doing the laundry! In addition to working and writing full-time, she enjoys way too much Dateline, Friends reruns, and binge-watching the next big thing on Netflix!
Genre: Romantic Comedy Tropes: Best Friend’s Brother/Enemies to Lovers Release Date: April 13, 2023
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I didn’t know bridesmaid was code for babysitter for the bride’s brother, but if that’s what my best friend needs of me for her dream wedding to go off without a hitch, that’s what I’ll do. Even if Theo Monroe has been a pain in my rear since third grade. Even if he should be responsible enough to not wreak havoc at his sister’s destination wedding. Even if it means we have to share a hotel room in Hawaii, which might be the final duty that breaks me. Not only does Theo know exactly how to push my buttons, but he never wears clothes, he’s hiding a litter of kittens in his room, and he keeps showing up with fresh-baked cookies that seemingly come from nowhere. Also? I have no idea why he’s being such an utter ass to the groom. Or why he’s so proud of the world’s most awkward wedding gift. Or why I suddenly want to know what makes him tick. The story behind his tattoos. How he can afford to rent a convertible in Hawaii. And if maybe all of that utter frustration and irritation I’ve felt for him for years is suppressed attraction that a good girl like me isn’t supposed to feel for the biggest bad boy of Snaggletooth Creek. But I do know one thing. When I find out his biggest secret and the answer to all of my questions, it will change everything.
The Worst Wedding Date is a frolicking good time of a destination wedding enemies-to-lovers romcom, complete with a good girl bridesmaid, her best friend’s troublemaking but secretly big-hearted brother, and more than one hitch on the way to happily ever after. It stands alone, has no cheating, and comes complete with ooey gooey goodness.
I thought Theo was gonna be a huge pain but he actually surprised me…. when he eventually stopped thinking about how he was gonna get rid of Laney.
The cats, the baking, how Thie tried to get Laney to ‘live in the moment’ and all the goings on at the venue made for a fun read that I got through fairly quickly (would have been quicker if I could have blocked out RL!!)
Loved this story – can always trust Pippa to give you a hot read with all the feels and a ton of humour.
AUTHOR BIO
Pippa Grant is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes romantic comedies that will make tears run down your leg. When she’s not reading, writing or sleeping, she’s being crowned employee of the month as a stay-at-home mom and housewife trying to prepare her adorable demon spawn to be productive members of society, all the while fantasizing about long walks on the beach with hot chocolate chip cookies.
Title: Kissing the Rival A Kissing Games Series Standalone Author: Kaylee Ryan
Genre: Contemporary Romance Tropes: Enemies to Lovers/Workplace Romance Release Date: June 15, 2023
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Charlotte
I’m not just kissing the rival… I’m falling for him.
Spencer Pennington has always been a shameless flirt, but when it came to being the best in our MBA program, all bets were off, and the competition was on.
Fast-forward a few years, and all it takes is a bar at a failed wedding and my silly kiss-rating system to lock lips with the enemy. Cocky as ever, Spencer claims he’s a ten and kisses me to prove it. I kiss him back to scratch an old itch, not expecting to like it.
Which is a huge problem, because Mr. Tall, Dark, and Tattooed from grad school is my new boss. And I want to kiss him again and again. Even if I only gave him a four.
Spencer
Charlotte Krause could be the perfect girl, if she didn’t hate me so much. I’m unsure if it was just me or guys in general, but she had this stuck-up, all-work-no-play vibe about her in college.
Imagine my surprise when I find her at the resort bar rating kisses like it’s her job. This carefree woman is nothing like the focused girl who turned me down at freshman orientation. And every time after that.
When I promise her I’m a ten, I see that competitive spark light in her ocean-blue eyes. There she is. She might have kissed me to prove me wrong, but I know I’m right about one thing.
She feels the spark too. There’s just one problem. It turns out her actual job is working for me.
After reading Kissing My Brother’s Bride I kinda expected Spencer to be a bit of a douche…. Charlotte had such a beef with the guy but was sooo vague about what had happened in their past.. even then we got the impression there was a spark between them though she claimed to hate him…. 😈
Fast forward to Kissing the Rival where I found I really liked them both.
This story was fun. A lot of well written banter, a look into how Spencer & Charlotte met, the rivalry (and what was probably flirting on Spence’s part) that had built between them and how they reconnected in the present.
This couple were perfect for each other. After their ‘kiss rating’ while at the wedding that wasn’t, Spencer was determined he was gonna prove a point to Charlotte. She was determined to stay mad at him…. until she couldn’t. There was a lot of heat and steam with these guys. Spencer was invested more than Charlotte could have imagined and watching her catch up was a great read.
There was some things going on in the background that obviously related to upcoming books and potential pairings… I cannot wait for more in this series!!!
A solid 4* story from Kaylee Ryan and a definite recommended read.
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.
Genre: Romantic Comedy Trope: Friends to Enemies to Lovers Cover Design: Najla Qamber Release Date: June 27, 2019
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Despite growing up in rival towns, Grady Rock and I were high school best friends. But now? Now, he’s my biggest enemy. My dirty-talking, master-baking, grudge-holding, hot-as-sin enemy. All I wanted was to help my mom run her bakery after a family emergency left her unable to do it herself. Never mind that I can’t bake. Or that I never wanted to move home again. Or that this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and I could use a friend right now. All Grady freaking Rock cares about now is that I’m his competition. It’s town against town. Bakery against bakery. Old friend against old friend. Until Grady finds out why I’m back home. And suddenly, Mr. Get Out of My Wayis more like the boy I knew in high school. But older. Wiser. And infinitely more irresistible. I resisted his charm in high school for the sake of my future. But if I give in to it now, am I sleeping with the enemy?
Dirty Talking Rival is a deliciously fun friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy featuring a smooth-talking baker, the one who got away, and a goat with more matchmaking tendencies than a nosy old grandpa. It stands alone with no cheating or cliffhangers.
Pippa Grant is a USA Today Bestselling author who writes romantic comedies that will make tears run down your leg. When she’s not reading, writing or sleeping, she’s being crowned employee of the month as a stay-at-home mom and housewife trying to prepare her adorable demon spawn to be productive members of society, all the while fantasizing about long walks on the beach with hot chocolate chip cookies.
Book Loving Pixies 