Author: Marsha

Dreams and Dark Chocolate by Jeanine Lauren

Posted July 29, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Connection to another series, Contemporary Romance, Series / 2 Comments

A pinch of hope, a dash of romance, and a whole lot of chocolate.

When chocolatier Emma Harris teams up with charming tour guide Drew McDonald to save her struggling shop, sparks fly as they whip up a Valentine’s event that could change both their lives.

But with business challenges and personal doubts lingering, will this partnership be just business—or the start of something far sweeter?

Dreams and Dark Chocolate is a novella in the series Sunshine Bay Shops. Those titles include: Making Sweet Music ~ Christmas Trees and Mistletoe ~ The Bookworm and the Cat’s Meow ~ Whisking Love and Building Dreams ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors or only kissing.

Back to Us by Christi Barth

Posted July 28, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, Kindle Unlimited, Series / 0 Comments

When her ex-boyfriend refuses to sell her his land unless she dates him for a month, an uncompromising winemaker learns that some bargains are worth making for a second chance at love.

Ward Cantrell’s never missed an opportunity to take the long shot. That recklessness cost him his college scholarship, his chance to play pro ball, and, worst of all, the girl next door. The town–and the girl–never forgave him. But now he’s taking one last long shot—opening a boutique distillery on the family farm he inherited.

Piper Morrissey’s high school boyfriend overshadowed her with his golden-boy glory. When his reputation tarnished, she dumped him. And made herself over so that she could shine. Maintaining her spotless image–and that of her family’s winery–is paramount. So it’s a problem when Ward agrees to sell the acres to start her precious port line..if she agrees to date him for one month.

Ward hopes a month is all it’ll take to convince his former sweetheart that he’s changed. Piper sees that the one thing that hasn’t changed is how much he loves her. But the chance arises to thumb his nose at the town that rejected him when a developer offers to buy his land for triple the price Piper offers. Suddenly, he can’t afford not to reject Piper’s offer. Will that make her reject his love–for good?

Titles in the Shore Secrets series include: Up to Me ~ All for You ~ Back to Us ~

Well, it’s been a minute, hasn’t it?

Posted July 28, 2025 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 0 Comments

Wow! It feels so good to be back here again. How I’ve missed this place, and the reading community I’ve come to love. I love a good book, but it’s so much better when I can talk about those books with others who also simply love a good romance, in any genre!

There are two good reasons why Happily Ever After Romance and Keeper Bookshelf went missing. I’ll give a brief explanation because, in truth, my absence was not by choice.

Second Chance at Sunshine Inn by Amy Clipston

Posted July 8, 2025 by Marsha in Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, NetGalley / 0 Comments

When Everleigh Hartnett, a cheerful traveling NICU nurse who can’t sit still, inherits half of her godmother’s beloved seaside bed-and-breakfast, she dreams of selling the place to fund the nonprofit she and her godmother always envisioned. But there’s one tiny problem: her new co-owner. Rugged, grumpy, and fiercely loyal to the inn, Cade Witherspoon isn’t about to let his peaceful life–and his new start–be sold off so easily.

Everleigh and Cade are opposites in every way. She’s sunshine and laughter, while he’s all rough edges and quiet brooding. Their clash of wills over the inn soon has them wondering what on earth Everleigh’s godmother was thinking when she left them both in charge.

As Everleigh gets to know Cade’s softer side–and Cade finds himself drawn to Everleigh’s optimism and kindness–their disagreement over the inn becomes something sweeter. But with the arrival of Cade’s long-lost brother and the looming threat of a developer sniffing around the property, they’ll have to make some hard choices–together.

Can Everleigh and Cade let go of their expectations and build something lasting together? Or will the Sunshine Inn be the place they both leave behind?

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors or fade to black, or only kissing.

A Montana Fake Marriage by April Murdock

Posted July 1, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Connection to another series, Contemporary Romance, Modern Western Romance, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Some lies are worth telling. Some hearts are worth risking. Love is always worth fighting for.

A few weeks from college graduation and financially cut off, Sammie faces an impossible choice. She’ll have to submit to her father’s manipulative demands or lose the inheritance her late mother left her.

Caleb is the steadfast cowboy who’s been her anchor through every storm. His solution to her problem? A fake marriage that will satisfy her father’s requirements and give Sammie the freedom she desperately needs.

What starts as a short-term arrangement quickly becomes complicated when the lines between fake vows and true feelings blur. Life in Big Sky, Montana, draws Sammie in, and she discovers a strength she never knew she had. The self-doubt she’d struggled with her whole life was slowly turning into confidence.

As they’re adjusting to their new life—temporary as it might be—Caleb is keeping a secret that threatens her trust in him. Sammie’s father’s accusations add fuel to a fire that seems to be blazing out of control.

With their fake marriage crumbling and her inheritance hanging in the balance, Sammie must decide what matters most. She’ll have to choose between the security of wealth and the risk of loving someone who might break her heart.

Titles in the Sagebrush Ranch Sweethearts series include: A Montana Fake Marriage ~ A Montana Perfect Family ~ A Montana Childhood Promise ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors or only kissing.

Destination Weddings and Other Disasters by M. C. Vaughan

Posted July 1, 2025 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, NetGalley, Series, Sexual Content / 0 Comments

There are millions of men in Los Angeles, and somehow Julia Stone’s mother just got engaged to the worst possible option. Not that there’s anything wrong with her future stepfather. It’s his son who’s the problem. Event planner Carson Miller is six-plus feet of lean muscle and irresistible charm, and ten years ago, he made Julia’s life hell.

Paired with Carson to organize the last-minute Belize wedding, Julia doesn’t intend to let him off the hook for past bad behavior. If only there weren’t surprising new feelings in the mix, like undeniable heat…

Carson claims he made mistakes; he’s a different person than he was back then. Julia’s response: Prove it. Now, in between wedding planning, zip-lining, and exploring waterfalls, they’re having fun falling hard and wondering if this paradise can last once the party’s over…

Titles in the Belize Dreams series include: Romancing Miss Stone ~ Destination Weddings and Other Disasters ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Ride Me Cowboy by Clare Connelly

Posted June 30, 2025 by Marsha in Kindle Unlimited, Modern Western Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Beth

I came to Coyote Creek Ranch for a fresh start, one I desperately need.
My husband is dead; he can’t hurt me anymore. For the first time in years, I’m not looking over my shoulder.
I’m finally safe, and I’m not going to let anyone jeopardise that.
Especially not rugged, sexy AF cowboy Cole Donovan.
He watches me like he knows there’s something I’m hiding, like he wants to kiss it all better, but letting this cowboy in could be a one-way ticket to disaster. Or it could be the most satisfying thing I’ve ever done…

Cole

I’ve spent my life fixing problems, and right now, the ranch’s financial mess is the biggest one of all.
My focus should be on that, not the new bookkeeper.
I don’t need any distractions—but Beth Tasker is one I can’t seem to shake. She’s closed off, skittish as anything, and it bugs the hell out of me. The more I try to keep my distance, the harder it gets to resist the pull between us.
There’s something about her that draws me in, something I can’t fight.
Or maybe it’s just that I don’t really want to.

Titles in the Coyote Creek Ranch series include: Ride Me Cowboy ~ Kiss Me Cowboy ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Falling Stars by Fern Michaels

Posted October 1, 2023 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Kensington Books, NetGalley, Previously Published, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Standalone / 0 Comments

Emily Ammerman has always felt at home amid the ski runs and slopes of Snowdrift Summit; the Colorado resort her family has operated for decades. Snow is her element, and she doesn’t hesitate when a new client asks her to train him to ski The Plunge, one of Colorado’s most treacherous runs.

But Zach Ryder is no regular client. On screen, he’s famous for starring as a daring CIA officer who always saves the day. In real life, he’s just as handsome and charming as his alter ego, though not everyone is impressed. Some are concerned about what kind of impact these slick showbiz types will have on their town.

As for Emily—she’s got a secret, and it’s one she can’t reveal to anyone, especially not to Zach: she’s his biggest fan. But she’s also a professional. She’ll train him till he’s ready to tackle any slope, but she won’t fall in love with him the way so many others have.

Still, not everything in life can be planned, and sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t help but fall . . .

NetGalley ARC

Potions and Peril by Mara Webb

Posted July 7, 2023 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Cozy Mystery, Paranormal Cozy Mystery, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Life can take a wicked turn in the blink of an eye!

On a single fateful day, Sage Rivers loses her job, her deadbeat boyfriend, and her apartment.

Talk about a run of bad luck.

Sage’s life is turned upside down, however, when a sassy little calico cat informs her that she’s a witch and has inherited a bookshop in Spellcaster Creek.

There’s just one tiny hitch—Sage learns that she is a book witch, and since her magic awakens, she sees a spirit every time she touches a book. It’s a bit much, and when a local businessman strolls in and offers a generous sum for the shop, Sage considers leaving her newfound magic life behind.

Sage’s plans hit a snag, however, when she soon stumbles over a dead body, becoming one of the prime suspects in the case.

With no other choice, Sage finds herself thrust into a spellbinding mystery, working with an arrogant and cocky local guardian named Hunter. She just has to dodge danger, unravel secrets, and win the trust of her new town before she becomes the next victim of the mystery murderer.

Can she conquer her fears and embrace a new life of magic before she becomes the latest victim?

Titles in the Wicked Witches of Spellcaster Creek series include — Potions and Peril —♦—

Bookshop Cinderella by Laura Lee Guhrke

Posted June 21, 2023 by Marsha in Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Historical Romance, NetGalley, Regency Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Victorian Romance / 0 Comments

Evie Harlow runs a quaint little bookshop in London, which is the biggest adventure an unmarried woman with no prospects could hope for. Until Maximillian Shaw, Duke of Westbourne, saunters into her shop with a proposition: to win a bet with his friends, he’ll turn her into the diamond of the season. The duke might be devilishly attractive, but Evie has no intention of accepting his ludicrous offer. When disaster strikes her shop, however, she’s left with little choice but to let herself be whisked into his high-society world.

Always happy to help a lady in distress, Max thinks he’s saving Evie from her dull spinster’s life. He’ll help her find a husband and congratulate himself on a job well done. But as shy Evie becomes the shining star he always knew she could be, she somehow steals his heart. And when her reputation is threatened, can Max convince her to choose a glittering, aristocratic life with him over the cozy comfort of her bookshop?

Titles in the Scandal at the Savoy series include — Bookshop Cinderella —♥—

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

NetGalley ARC

A Love Catastrophe by Helena Hunting

Posted June 13, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), NetGalley, Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com), Standalone / 0 Comments

The fur is about to fly between a cheerful cat sitter and a grumpy hockey nerd…

Kitty Hart has become internet famous as the Kitty Whisperer for her expertise on all things feline, and as a result, her cat-sitting business is booming. But lately, she has a terrible feeling that maybe her life isn’t quite going where it’s supposed to—especially after falling face-first into her newest client. Not exactly the best first impression.

Fortunately, Miles Thorn is just as bad at first impressions. Strike one: he doesn’t like cats, especially Prince Francis, the haughty and mischievous Sphynx his mom left in his care. Strike two: tackling Kitty to the floor in a misguided attempt to save the pet he continually calls “the gremlin.”

As awkwardness slides into attraction and things start to turn purr-sonal, will these two complete opposites ever be able to find their furry-tail ending?

Standalone (at this time)

NetGalley ARC

Possible Trigger Warning: Mention of dementia and grief