Category: Contemporary Romance

Strawberry Lane by Jodi Thomas

Posted April 6, 2023 by Marsha in Connection to another series, Contemporary Romance, Kensington Books, NetGalley, Series, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Starri Knight is a big believer in fate. How else to explain the compelling connection she feels to the stranger she pulls out of a wrecked car on the very same road where her parents died twenty years earlier? Alongside Auntie Ona-May, the only mother she’s ever known, Starri saves Rusty O’Sullivan’s life—just as Ona-May once did when Starri was an orphaned babe. But convincing Rusty he has something to live for is going to take all of Starri’s faith in miracles . . .

Like a wish he hadn’t even known to make, Starri landed in Rusty’s life, filling him with a longing for a family. . . . Then Jackson Landry, a new lawyer, turns up to present a surprise that will change the direction of his life: An inheritance from the father Rusty never knew—and the promise of the family he’d never had. It’s a lot for the hard-bitten loner to
accept as love rushes into his life . . .

A sense of duty has Rusty heading to Honey Creek to deal with his father’s estate—and find his lost siblings. But having a family is one thing; learning to love them is another. Good thing new friends are by his side to help him along the way.

Titles in the Someday Valley series include — Strawberry Lane —♦—

NetGalley ARC

Once Upon A Royal Christmas by Teri Wilson

Posted April 2, 2023 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Hallmark Publishing, NetGalley, Series / 0 Comments

She pretends to be a princess at children’s parties.

But can she melt a real prince’s frosty heart?

“I’m Prince Nikolas of San Glacera. Oh, you’ve never heard of us? Well, you’re not the only one. Our country relies on winter tourism, but we’re attracting fewer and fewer visitors. I admit it’s a problem. I just don’t think the solution is an American who likes to play dress-up.

You see, while I was away on a trip, my younger sister convinced the palace to hold a contest. The winner gets to star in our annual Ice Village festivities and accompany our royal family to holiday events.

And who did they choose? Gracie Clark, who runs a children’s party business and performs as—I kid you not—‘Princess Snowflake.’

Of course, I do respect the fact that she volunteers at children’s hospitals. I suppose to some, she might have a certain charm… But the whole cheap spectacle is beneath our dignity.

I’m not going to shirk my duty to my kingdom. I’ll go to every event with her. At least, once Christmas is over, she’ll be gone…”

Companion books — Once Upon a Royal Summer —♥— Once Upon a Royal Christmas —♥—

NetGalley ARC

Christmas at the Ranch by Anita Hughes

Posted April 1, 2023 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, NetGalley, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments

It’s days before Christmas, and Samantha Morgan is in her Brooklyn apartment when her editor, Charlie, shows up. Her publisher Arthur Wentworth is throwing a Christmas party and wants Samantha to be the guest of honor. Samantha tries to come up with an excuse to miss it. She writes a series of books featuring a female James Bond-type heroine named Sloane Parker, and Charlie is the only person who knows that Samantha is the opposite of Sloane, though the marketing team has built up an entire social media presence for her claiming that she is just as adventurous. In reality, Samantha rarely leaves her neighborhood and does her research online. She is afraid of almost everything and is only happy when she’s sitting in her apartment and writing.

Samantha reluctantly agrees to go. But instead of taking her to Arthur’s house in Connecticut, the driver goes to the airport. On the phone, Charlie admits that the party is at Arthur’s new ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. For a person who hates even walking around the block when it snows, this is her worst nightmare.

But when a handsome stranger sits next to her on the plane, things begin to look up. She feels comfortable enough to spill all her secrets to him, including all of her fears and the truth about her fake Instagram account. However, when she shows up at the house, it turns out that this man, Drew, is Arthur’s son. Now Samantha is worried that Drew will tell his father about her lies.

Over the course of Christmas week, Samantha grows closer to Drew. But when his fiancée, Beatrix (who recently gave him an ultimatum about settling down), shows up, things get more complicated. As Samantha’s fears of bison and giant icicles subside, and her feelings for Drew grow deeper, new fears develop…

Will she leave this Christmas adventure brokenhearted? Or will true love prevail?

NetGalley ARC

Extra Witchy by Ann Aguirre

Posted April 1, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, NetGalley, Paranormal Romance, Series, Sourcebooks Casablanca / 0 Comments

After two failed marriages, Leanne Vanderpol is here for a good time, not for a long time. She only loves the witches in her coven, and she cares more about her career than happily ever after. A difficult past makes her skittish, and she doesn’t trust relationships to stick. But when she decides to run for city council instead of wasting her talents cleaning up messes for the mayor’s office, she fears her past could be used against her.

Unless she can find the right husband to shore up her political career…

Trevor Montgomery might have peaked in high school. He was popular then, and in college as well, but he partied away his future, met the wrong person, and everything fell apart. Now he’s jobless, dateless, and hopeless, at least according to his toxic family. Then a chance meeting with the redhead of his dreams offers an unexpected ray of light just when he needs it most.

Can a woman who doesn’t believe in forever find true love with a man who’s stopped believing in anything at all?

Titles in the Fix-It Witches series include — Witch Please —♥— Boss Witch —♥— Extra Witchy —♥—

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

NetGalley ARC

The Next Best Day by Sharon Sala

Posted March 17, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, NetGalley, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca / 0 Comments

A fresh start in a new place is always full of surprises…

After two back-to-back life-changing events, first-grade teacher Katie McGrath leaves Albuquerque for a fresh start in Borden’s Gap, Tennessee.

She is finally back in the classroom where she belongs, but it will take a little while for her to heal and truly feel like herself.

She’ll need to dig deep to find the courage to try again—in life and in love—but with some help from her neighbor Sam Youngblood and his adorable twin daughters, her future is looking brighter than she dared imagine.

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

Possible Trigger Warning: mention of drug abuse and school violence, not the main story, but if these might be a trigger for you, just be aware

NetGalley ARC

The Beachside Bed and Breakfast by Hope Ramsay

Posted March 10, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), NetGalley, Series, Small Town Romance, Women's Fiction / 0 Comments

Ashley Howland Scott has no time for romance as she grieves the loss of her husband, cares for her young son, and runs Magnolia Harbor’s only bed and breakfast. Ashley never imagined she’d notice—let alone have feelings for—another man after her husband was killed in Afghanistan five years earlier. But slowly, softly, Rev. Micah St. Pierre has become a friend . . . and now maybe something more. Despite her reluctance, Ashley has to admit that Micah is kind, thoughtful, and handsome to boot. All the more reason to steer clear of him. She can’t risk her heart again.

After becoming the center of Magnolia Harbor’s rumor mill once, Micah St. Pierre has no interest in letting the members of the local quilting club play matchmaker for him. Besides, the only woman he’s interested in is the one he can never have. Micah is not allowed to date a member of his congregation, so there’s no point in sharing his feelings with Ashley, no matter how much he yearns to. But the more time they spend with each other, the more Micah wonders whether Ashley is his match made in heaven.

Titles in the Moonlight Bay series include — The Cottage on Rose Lane —♥— Summer on Moonlight Bay —♥— Return to Magnolia Harbor —♥— A Wedding on Lilac Lane —♥— The Beachside Bed and Breakfast —♥—

NetGalley ARC

No Rescue Required by Maggie Kelley

Posted February 7, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Entangled Publishing, Holiday Romance, NetGalley, Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com), Series, Sexual Content, Standalone / 0 Comments

Sports agent Ryan Callahan’s trip is a complete disaster. Not only did he fail to sign a promising young ballplayer, but now he’s stranded in a Kentucky town no bigger than a bourbon ball. His plane’s been canceled, there’s not a cab to be found, and getting back to New York City is gonna take a miracle. Like a quirky, strawberry-blonde florist with a big van and a craving for late-night, deep-fried hot dogs…

With her best friend’s wedding and her business on the line, Sabrina Hayes needs to be in New York like yesterday. But with her flight canceled and her bank account almost as empty as her gas tank, an extra passenger might just be the long-overdue lucky charm Sabrina needs…especially now that she knows he’s definitely not a serial killer disguised as a scrumptious Thor look-alike.

Somewhere between a roadside stand that serves food as fast as it serves weddings, a motel room haunted by a lovesick ghost, and a car race known as the Snowball 500, Sabrina and Ryan are about to discover that anything that can go wrong will go hilariously wrong. But even they are not prepared for what’s in store on the road ahead…

Titles in the Smart Cupid series (which can be read as a standalone) include— Breaking the Bachelor —♥— Unexpectedly His —♥— One Little Kiss —♥— No Rescue Required —♥—

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

NetGalley ARC

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

Posted January 21, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, NetGalley, Series, Sexual Content, St. Martin's Press / 0 Comments

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.

Titles in the Spark House series include — When Sparks Fly —♥— Starry-Eyed Love —♥— Make A Wish —♥—

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

Dinner on Primrose Hill by Jodi Thomas

Posted January 18, 2023 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Kensington Books, NetGalley, Series, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance / 0 Comments

Benjamin Monroe is pretty sure how his life will play out. He’ll continue teaching chemistry in his small college, and spend his free time biking through the valley. Eventually, he’ll retire to putter around in his garden and greenhouse.

His colleague, Virginia Clark, is not one for routines. She’s chatty, spontaneous, and bubbly, and before Benjamin realizes what happened, she’s talked him into collaborating on a research project—studying the mating habits of college students.

Ketch Kincaid, one of Benjamin’s star students, returned to college after serving in the army. He needs something to get his mind off his recent breakup and collecting research data might do it.

And there’s another distraction on the horizon—a woman who looks like she, too, knows about heartache. Soon enough, their project, “The Chemistry of Mating,” is gaining notoriety. Friends, neighbors . . . the whole town has become involved. But no matter what the data determines, one conclusion seems inescapable: love follows its own rules . . .

Titles in the Honey Creek series include — Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café —♥— Picnic in Someday Valley —♥— Dinner on Primrose Hill —♥— Sunday at the Sunflower Inn —♥—

Santa Cruise by Fern Michaels

Posted December 30, 2022 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, Kensington Books, NetGalley / 0 Comments

At Ridgewood High, Amy, Frankie, Rachael, and Nina formed a deep bond. Now, fifteen years after leaving school behind, they’re back for a reunion, laughing, reminiscing, and chatting about how much has changed—and how much hasn’t.

All four are strong, successful, and somehow, still looking for the right partner. But Frankie has an idea to help solve that: a singles cruise for the holidays.

In late December, the four friends gather in Miami, ready to board their state-of-the-art cruise ship. The entertainment options are endless, the food is to die for, and the passenger list includes hundreds of eligible men. The highlight of the week will be a magnificent New Year’s Eve celebration with multiple theme parties, dancing, and fireworks.

The ladies are happy to give Cupid a helping hand here and there, but holidays—like the path of love itself—don’t always go exactly as planned. And over the course of one festive, unforgettable week, all four will set sail on surprising new adventures . . .

Smooth Talking Texan by Katherine Garbera

Posted May 11, 2022 by Marsha in Author ARC, Connection to another series, Contemporary Romance, Modern Western Romance, Series, Sexual Content, Small Town Romance, Tule Publishing / 0 Comments

He’s her best friend, but she wants so much more…

Barrel racer Colby Tucker has never said no to her best friend and secret crush, Olivier Rossi. When the handsome and charming rodeo clown asks her to attend his brother’s wedding as his pretend fiancée, she reluctantly says yes. This might be her last chance to either nudge Olivier into falling in love with her or finally get him out of her system.

Olivier’s proposition to Colby was impulsive. But she’s the one person in his life he could count on and—unlike his family—Colby never judges. But from the moment they begin “practicing” their parts, Olivier knows he’s in trouble.

Suddenly Olivier wants more than a fake relationship. But is Colby only playing a part or are her feelings as real as his?

Titles in The Rossis of Whiskey River series include — Texas Christmas Dare – Smooth Talking Texan – Christmas with the Texas Billionaire –

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