Category: Challenges

The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride by Jill Kemerer

Posted April 21, 2026 by Marsha in A TBR Read, Challenges, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Kindle Unlimited, Love Inspired (Harlequin), No Spice Romance, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Wedding planner Lexi Harrington needs a manager for her inherited Wyoming ranch. Clint Romine is the perfect man for the job, but the ruggedly handsome cowboy soon presents a new dilemma—distraction.

Lexi can’t fall for a small-town rancher when she’s planning to return to her big-city career after the holidays.

Home has always been elusive for former foster kid Clint. Working alongside Lexi at Rock Step Ranch feels too cozy—and too risky. Opening up to her means revealing a secret about his past that could jeopardize everything he holds dear.

This Christmas, can Clint learn to trust Lexi with the truth . . . and with his heart?

Titles in the Wyoming Cowboys series include:  The Rancher’s Mistletoe Bride ~ Reunited with the Bull Rider ~ Wyoming Christmas Quadruplets ~ His Wyoming Baby Blessing ~

This is a no-spice romance, perhaps with closed-door or fade-to-black scenes. Tension and kisses might be involved.

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Mountain Homecoming by Susanne Dietze

Posted January 10, 2026 by Marsha in Challenges, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Love Inspired (Harlequin), No Spice Romance, Owned, Reading Challenges, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

An unexpected partnership. A shocking secret. Can the truth heal old wounds?

After months away, architect Wyatt Teague returns home only to find himself named a guardian to his late friends’ orphaned twins…alongside his ex-fiancée, Natalie Dalton.

But caring for them together proves to be a challenge: Wyatt’s job is in the city, and Natalie can’t leave her family’s apple orchard.

As they vow to make this new partnership work, old feelings between them quickly resurface.

But when Natalie finds out the true reason behind Wyatt’s abandonment, can she trust him with the babies…and her heart?

Titles in the Home to Foxtail series include:  Mountain Homecoming ~ Her Pretend Holiday Beau ~

This is a no-spice romance, perhaps with closed-door or fade-to-black scenes. Tension and kisses might be involved 🙂

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The Greek’s Christmas Bride by Lynne Graham

Posted January 9, 2026 by Marsha in Challenges, Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Holiday Romance, Kindle Unlimited, Series, Sexual Content / 0 Comments

Coldly ruthless and deeply cynical, Apollo Metraxis has made a career of bachelorhood. But when the inheritance of his father’s estate is conditional on a marriage and a child, he is forced to do the unthinkable!

Unpolished Pixie Robinson is the world’s worst choice of a wife for Apollo. Yet her family’s mounting debts leave her defenseless and therefore uniquely suitable.

But when the wedding night exposes Pixie’s untouched vulnerability, striking a chord in the dark reaches of his heart, Apollo is forced to think again.

And that’s before he discovers that she’s carrying not one—but two Metraxis heirs!

Titles in the Christmas with a Tycoon duet include:  The Italian’s Christmas Child ~ The Greek’s Christmas Bride ~

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

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The Italian’s Christmas Child by Lynne Graham

Posted January 9, 2026 by Marsha in Challenges, Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Holiday Romance, Kindle Unlimited, Series, Sexual Content / 0 Comments

Italian tycoon Vito Zaffari is waiting out the festive season while a family scandal fades from the press. So he’s come to his friend’s snow-covered English country cottage, determined to shut out the world.

Until a beautiful bombshell dressed as Santa literally crashes into his Christmas! Innocent Holly Cleaver sneaks under Vito’s defenses—he wants her like no other before, and decides he must have her.

When Vito finds her gone the next day, he’s sure she’ll be easy to forget . . . until he discovers that their one night of passion has a shocking Christmas consequence!

Titles in the Christmas with a Tycoon duet include:  The Italian’s Christmas Child ~ The Greek’s Christmas Bride ~

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

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New Release Reading Challenge 2026

Posted January 5, 2026 by Marsha in Challenges / 0 Comments

I’ve joined the 2026 New Release Reading Challenge.  I first joined this Challenge when the ladies at (un)Conventional Bookworms started it years ago, and I’m happy to follow along now as The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog takes over.  It’s probably a bit odd for me to join a Reading Challenge for New Releases, considering that I often review ARCs, which means that I do have access to many newly released titles, both ARCs and my own purchases.  Actually, I’m going to join in for a couple of reasons.

First, I love discovering not only new-to-me websites or blogs but also new-to-me authors or even genres I haven’t tried yet.  Second, I’m making this year the one where I finally tackle that TBR Leaning Tower of Books I’ve accumulated… and if I read a newly purchased book shortly after buying it, I’m preventing it from being added to that ever-growing TBR.  Okay, it’s convoluted.  🙂  But it works as motivation for me.

Honestly?  I’m just looking to have a bit of fun discovering books that others have enjoyed.  This will serve as my “joining post”, and I will list my New Release books on this 2026New Release Reading Challenge Page (my own) in order to keep track for myself.  The hardest part of any Challenge for me is remembering to go link up… hopefully, I’ll do better at that this year.

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2026 Finishing the Series Challenge Join Post

Posted January 4, 2026 by Marsha in Challenges, Discussion Post / 0 Comments

My ultimate reading goal for 2026 is to whittle down my TBR Leaning Tower of Books to something more… reasonable.  (I know that you know what I’m talking about because if you’re a reader, you also have a TBR pile).  I’m also a series reader, often collecting titles until a series is mostly, if not totally, complete before indulging in a series-binge-read.  Then, life descends, and frequently those intentions go out the window when life gets in the way of the “fun stuff”, like leisurely reading.

I came across the Finishing the Series Challenge 2026 while randomly browsing Challenges that might fit my goal for this year.  It serves a dual purpose for me: getting books off my TBR and finally finishing the series taking up space on my Kindle.  A two-for-one deal that I couldn’t pass by.

As to my goal:  Primetime Series 17+.  Yes, it’s a lot, but then I have a lot of series that I really do need to get read.  I’ll be posting the series both as a post here at Happily Ever After Romance, as a listing on my Challenge page here, and on my Finishing the Series Challenge 2026 Goodreads Shelf.

I am admittedly not great at challenges. Oh, I can get the reading done, but it’s the link posting that gets me in trouble. I shall do my best to keep on track in 2026.  If anyone else is doing Challenges this year… I wish you the best of luck and happy reading experiences.

 

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Steel Resolve by B.J. Daniels

Posted January 3, 2026 by Marsha in A TBR Read, Challenges, Harlequin, Harlequin Intrigue, Modern Western Romance, Mystery, No Spice Romance, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Sometimes you can go home again. It’s just not always safe…

Mary Cardwell Savage never meant to send that letter to her ex, Chase Steele.

How could she know her words would bring the gorgeous cowboy back to Big Sky, Montana—with an unstable and dangerous stalker following close behind?

Now Chase wants to prove that their love deserves a second chance.

And this time, nothing will keep him from his heart’s desire…not even a killer.

Titles in the Cardwell Ranch: Montana Legacy series include:  Steel Resolve ~ Iron Will* ~ Ambush Before Sunrise* ~ Double Action Deputy* ~ Trouble in Big Timber* ~ Cold Case at Cardwell Ranch* ~

This is a no-spice romance with either closed doors or fade-to-black scenes. Tension and kisses might be involved 🙂

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