Category: Contemporary Romance

Breaking the Alpha by Katja Desjarlais

Posted August 19, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Contemporary Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Tule Publishing / 0 Comments

He’s a perfect disaster. She’s a perfect escape.

River Baker has traded his failed marriage, a social media disaster, and his modeling career in LA for his hometown of Epson. Awaiting him is the notorious Baker reputation, a job at his brother’s tattoo shop, Serpent’s Tongue Ink, and there’s no escaping the judgment over why he couldn’t keep his ‘perfect life’ together. But when he meets a businesswoman who sees past his handsome façade to the scars he hides, River finds the true escape he seeks.

Angelina Watson owns Wholly Yours and strives to live a quiet life of balance. A free spirit who never felt like she belonged, Angelina has created her own peaceful world of candles, essential oils, and trinkets as unique as she is. The broken, conflicted River sets her passion and her bed on fire, but she wants to be his partner, not his crutch.

Torn between perfection, expectation, and love, River has a choice to make before Angelina makes it for him and walks away for good.

Titles in the Serpent’s Tongue Ink series include: Bad Boy in Her Bed ~ Breaking the Alpha ~

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

The Island Inn by Laura Abbott

Posted August 17, 2025 by Marsha in Cliffhanger Ending (for now), Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, Kindle Unlimited, Mystery, Series, Small Town Romance, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Three generations of women. Two weeks at the beach. One decision that changes everything.

When Becca Dalton inherits part of a coastal Florida resort from the husband who abandoned her twenty-four years ago, she intends to sell her share quickly and return to her carefully constructed life as a corporate attorney. The last thing she needs is to get tangled up with the family her ex left behind.

But Amberjack Shores—with its charming beachfront cottages, historic inn, and struggling fishing business—awakens something in Becca she thought long buried. As she reluctantly works to revitalize the business, she finds herself drawn to both the stunning coastal property and the complicated family that calls it home.

Meanwhile, Becca’s artistic daughter Katie finds herself swept into an unexpected romance with local photographer Jake, whose laid-back approach to life challenges everything she thought she wanted. Between crashing weddings, surfing lessons, and moonlit beach walks, Katie begins questioning the rigid path she’s always followed.

As mother and daughter imagine new possibilities at Amberjack Shores, the long-buried secrets surrounding Chris Dalton’s disappearance begin to surface. With her heart newly open to love and belonging, Becca must confront the mysteries of her ex-husband’s past—a past that threatens to unravel the fragile new connections she’s only just begun to trust.

Titles in The Amberjack Shores series include: The Island Inn ~ Island Secrets ~Island Storms ~ The Island Guest ~ Island Dreams ~ The Island Wedding ~

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

Sea, Salt and Him by Harper Reynolds

Posted August 16, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Contemporary Romance, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Standalone / 0 Comments

He left for ambition. She stayed for legacy. Now they’re stuck together with one café, one storm, and a heat that never cooled.

Talulah
I came back to Starlight Cay to save my grandmother’s café—not to fall back into bed with the man who shattered my heart. But Raleigh Draycott isn’t just scouting restaurant space. He’s in my kitchen. In my business. And when the storm hits, he’s in my house too. Now the man who left is everywhere, stirring up old memories, new sparks, and the kind of touch-it-and-it-burns chemistry I swore I’d buried.

Raleigh
Talulah Everhart was never supposed to be part of the pitch. I came here to build the next flagship for my culinary brand: clean lines, investor-friendly, legacy-free. But one glimpse of her café—and her—and I knew we’d been wrong. Now I’m risking everything I’ve built for the one thing I never got right. Her.

Standalone

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

Last Stop on the Winter Wonderland Express by Rebecca Raisin

Posted August 13, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

A honeymoon for one on the most romantic train journey in the world… what could possibly go wrong?

When Aubrey’s fiancé dumps her – literally at the altar – just days before Christmas, her first thought is for the honeymoon. A luxury snow train, winding through Europe’s most beautiful Christmas markets, stopping in places like Paris and Stockholm, before ending in Lapland, to stay in igloos under the Northern Lights.

It was meant to be the most romantic ten days of her life. And now she has to go it alone. But arriving on the train – where, not wanting to be known as someone who was jilted, she might have accidentally implied her new husband died in a horrible accident – she finds she’s not the only singleton on board.

The group of single passengers quickly nicknames themselves ‘The Unlucky in Love Travel Club’… But – as the train gathers pace – so do Aubrey’s feelings for absurdly handsome travel journalist, Jasper.

And she starts to wonder – as fireworks explode over the snow – whether her magical Christmas honeymoon-for-one might be just what she needs. And if she might not be as unlucky in love as she’d thought…

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

Rear View by K. C. Harper

Posted August 12, 2025 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Sexual Content / 0 Comments

Xavier Bosch has yet to find a rally-car course he can’t handle—or a woman he wants to share the road with. He’s worked hard to keep his criminal record a secret, but when the news breaks that his abusive father will soon be released from prison, his past threatens to catch up fast. Letting a woman into his world would only make her a target.

But when a nasty crash brings Ryah Nolan into his life, all bets are off.

Psychology student Ryah Nolan doesn’t trust easily. Not with a professor determined to make her life hell, an ex-boyfriend who isn’t quite an ex…and a terrifying stalker no one but her best friend takes seriously. Letting someone in is a risk. But despite his gruff exterior and need for speed, Xavier makes her feel safe.

The closer Xavier and Ryah become, the more they want to put their pasts in the rearview. As they race the clock and the dangers they’ve run from give chase, one thing is certain—they will win or lose together.

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

Deal with the Texas Soldier by Julie Benson

Posted August 11, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Contemporary Romance, Modern Western Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Tule Publishing / 0 Comments

Former soldier Tanner Jordan embraces the opportunities in his new town of Service, Texas. He’s invested in a business that requires his trouble-shooting skills, and when he finds out his new partner is a hometown girl with a huge heart, sassy mouth, and a brilliant brain, he’s struck gold. He relishes challenges in work and pleasure.

Reese Cartwright isn’t thrilled when her granddad sells his share in the family business to an outsider, even though he is a friend. But she’s not expecting her new partner to be sexy as sin, and eager to make changes. Reese issues a challenge—winner takes all—convinced she’ll win.

Tanner—a true Texan—is game, and their sizzling attraction soon ignites. Tanner wants it all—Reese and their business partnership, but can this stubborn beauty compromise so that they can both win?

Titles in The Men of Service series include: A Texas Soldier’s Love ~ Deal with the Texas Soldier ~

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

Yuletide & Yearnings by Harper Pugh

Posted August 11, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Christmas Romance, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

She was a summer mistake. Now she’s standing under his mistletoe.

Ellie Springer never planned to fall for her ethics professor. Especially not before she knew who he really was. Now, with her grad school future uncertain and grief weighing heavy on her heart, she’s returned home for the holidays to help save her family’s struggling bakery—and avoid thinking about Gabriel Kane.

Gabriel doesn’t do Christmas. He doesn’t do emotions. And he definitely doesn’t do second chances. But when he walks into The Sugarplum Bakery and finds Ellie behind the counter—in flour-dusted aprons and flower crowns—he realizes some ghosts don’t stay buried.

As peppermint mochas brew and regrets resurface, old feelings begin to thaw. But with town gossip swirling and boundaries blurring, Ellie and Gabriel must decide: can love survive the rules they’ve broken—or will holiday magic melt away with the snow?

Titles in the Evergreen Hollow Christmas Romance series include: Mistletoe & Motor Oil ~ Yuletide & Yearnings ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with age-gap, Grumpy/Shunshine tropes, with either closed doors or fade to black.

The Heir Affair by Heidi Rice

Posted August 10, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Series, Sexual Content / 0 Comments

Pregnant, stolen…

and claimed by the billionaire!

A soul-searing night with a handsome Greek? Check. A life-changing consequence? Check! Then Poppy Brown’s world is upended again upon discovering the baby she’s carrying is arrogant Xander Caras’s. And he’s engaged!

Finding Poppy waitressing with a bump, Xander immediately calls off his arranged nuptials. His child won’t endure the poverty he did. So aboard his superyacht, he demands Poppy as his bride. Only when she refuses does he realize he can’t win her over with commands. He must set sail and remind her of the devastating chemistry that originally bound them together…

Titles in the Claimed by a Greek duo include: The Heir Affair ~ Greek’s Kidnapped Princess ~

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

Once Upon a Summer Night by Kyra Jacobs

Posted August 9, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Contemporary Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Tule Publishing / 0 Comments

Home is a refuge—but is it always the right choice?

Hannah Brooks left home eight summers ago to help her friend Beth hide a surprise pregnancy. Their unplanned adventure also helped her escape from beneath her fire chief father’s thumb. Now Beth has died and Hannah faces a brewing custody battle for Noah, the boy she helped raise from birth. It’s time to return to Bourbon Falls and make amends with the family she loves and needs.

Chase Redding finally gave up hope of ever seeing Hannah again and is focused on being part owner of Oak Barrel Farms and climbing the ranks in his firefighting career. But now that she’s back, he’ll do anything to convince her to stay in their hometown, even if it means sharing his beloved fire station.

But amid their budding romance at Brooks Farm, family tensions resurface, and the custody suit takes a turn for the worst. It’s going to take a little summertime magic to keep Hannah and Chase’s happily ever after from slipping away a second time.

Titles in the Bourbon Falls series include: Once Upon a Beast ~ Once Upon a Christmas Beauty ~ Once Upon a Summer Night ~

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

Title: Once Upon a Summer Night
Series: Bourbon Falls #3
Author: Kyra Jacobs
Published: April 4, 2024
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4.5 stars

Once Upon a Summer Night is the third title in the Bourbon Falls series, and brings us Hannah and Chase’s story as she returns home after several years with custody of her deceased best friend’s little boy, Noah. She’s facing a custody battle, needing to reconnect with family and friends who, she hopes, will stand with her and hopefully forgive the years she spent away from home, as she faces a difficult battle for a little boy’s happiness and their future.

If you’ve read the earlier stories in the series, then Hannah will be familiar since she’s been mentioned often. If not, then you’ll certainly enjoy a reconnection romance, a chance for happiness with found family, and the man who she loves as much as little Noah.

I enjoyed Once Upon a Summer Night by Kyra Jacobs very much. It’s a well-written romance, full of all the feels you could possibly ask for, and a couple that does work, does fit perfectly, even after years apart. Little Noah steals scenes constantly; he’s adorable. If you love a romance that touches your heart and leaves you feeling better than before you started it, then you’d love this story. I believe this is the final story in the series (trilogy), and if so, then I’ll miss the characters, but what an amazing journey their stories have been.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available from Amazon (affiliate link)

Five Alarm Love by Jillian David

Posted August 8, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Contemporary Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Tule Publishing / 0 Comments

Yukon Valley Fire Chief Tuli Sampson has spent years protecting his hometown, but the only thing he’s ever wanted to save is Louise Wright’s heart. His childhood best friend has always been his anchor, steady and unyielding like the Yukon River. Now, with his career thriving and his charm earning him fame as a tourist influencer, Tuli is ready to risk it all for the woman who’s been his forever girl.

Louise Wright, a shy and dedicated medic, has spent her life dreaming of more—more courage, more love, and maybe even Tuli. He’s always been her secret wish, the one man who could make her heart race faster than a snowstorm. But just as their undeniable chemistry sparks into something real, Lou receives devastating news that threatens to shatter their future.

Caught between her own happiness and Tuli’s, Louise chooses his. But in a town where matchmakers never quit and love runs deeper than the salmon-filled rivers, can these childhood friends turn years of longing into a lifetime together?

Titles in the Yukon Valley, Alaska Hospital series include: Dr. Alaska ~ Paging Dr. Breakup ~ Five Alarm Love ~

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

McKenna by Kathleen Ball

Posted August 7, 2025 by Marsha in Booksprout ARC, Closed Doors/ Fade to Black, Contemporary Romance, Kindle Unlimited, Modern Western Romance, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

He thought he was done with the darkness. But the past isn’t done with him.

Just released from prison, McKenna McKeegan wants nothing more than a quiet life and a second chance. But ghosts don’t go quietly—and someone from his past is determined to drag him back into the shadows.

Emma Sinclair has secrets of her own. Fierce and guarded, she’s sworn off trust—but when danger starts circling, it’s McKenna she turns to. Together, they uncover a web of lies tied to a criminal empire that never really let go.

As bullets fly and betrayals cut deep, McKenna and Emma must decide—will they risk everything for love, or let fear steal the future they’ve only just begun to hope for?

A riveting tale of redemption, danger, and the unstoppable power of love.

Titles in The McKeegans: A New Generation series include: Stewart ~ Reilly ~ Katie ~ McKenna ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors or fade to black, or only kissing… and some hints of violence.