From best-selling author Xavier Neal comes a slow-burn romance that’s full of the unexpected…
They say all the best things in life are free.
I say all the best things in life are easy.
That is until easy gets me put on house arrest where I’m stuck with an estranged aunt, a needy cat, and drinking lemonade instead of tequila.
Easy suddenly becomes hard.
I basically have to sweat to get paid.
I finally realize that great cheesecake doesn’t magically materialize.
And I have to deal with a law-appointed babysitter constantly showing up to c-block my chance of proving to the drop-dead gorgeous neighbor – who I want screaming my name every night – that I’m more than just the crime I committed.
All the best things in life may be easy, but I’m slowly learning that all the greatest require real work.
Real effort.
And most importantly, real sacrifice.
About the Author:
Xavier Neal is a best-selling romance author who enjoys hopping from sub genre to sub genre like a game of Hopscotch she can’t resist.
In between writing, she loves to read (everything from romance to self improvement books), watch movies (old and new), eat too much Tex-Mex (her Chuy’s t-shirt collection is out of control), and watch AHL hockey games LIVE (preferably against the glass whenever possible).
She currently resides happily in Texas with her bearded husband “Lumberjack” and their two fur babies.
I’m Jake Masterson, single dad, and the General Manager of Seattle’s NHL team. I walked away from a career as a player so I could raise my daughter. For the last twenty-plus years, Queenie has been my main priority, but now she’s getting married.
And there’s a small complication.
A beautiful, sexy complication named Hanna.
She’s my son-in-law’s older sister. Or at least that’s how they were raised. The truth is a little more scandalous than that.
I’ve been drawn to her from the moment I laid eyes on her. And I spent months trying to keep a lid on that attraction.
Until we finally give in.
It starts with one searing kiss, but quickly ends with us between the sheets—and in the shower, and the hot tub, you get the picture—and turns into months of sneaking around. Here’s the problem: we live on opposite ends of the country. It can’t be anything but casual. And as I’ve already said…it’s complicated.
But when Hanna finds out she’s pregnant…suddenly things get real serious.
“You’re trouble tonight, aren’t you?” Her fingertips dance along my traps as she brushes past me. “And yes, to answer your question, I did, in fact, bring the red bikini.” She disappears down the hall to the spare bedroom, where she’s sleeping tonight. Because I invited her to stay at my place this weekend rather than at King’s. It’s not that she isn’t welcome there. It’s more that she wants them to have their privacy. It also means I get more time with Hanna, so it’s a win all the way around. And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking a lot about time alone with her this weekend. I change into my swim trunks, pour myself a scotch, heavy on the rocks, and her a glass of wine before I make my way outside. I set the drinks on the outdoor dining table, remove the hot tub cover and check the temperature, making sure it’s not too hot. Once I carry the drinks over and set them in the cup holders, I sink into the hot, bubbly water, stretch my arms out, let my head fall back and my eyes close. All the time I’ve been spending with Hanna is starting to get to me. Reminding me that I’m in my forties, and very much still a bachelor. There are a lot of reasons why getting involved with Hanna on a romantic level would not be a good idea. Queenie and King’s relationship being at the forefront. But she’s fun. And sexy. And we get each other. A minute later, the sound of the sliding door opening and closing and the slap of flip-flops against the deck have me cracking a lid. “You better not be sleeping already!” she calls out. “Not sleeping, just waiting on you.” I watch as she pulls the tie on her robe and the terry fabric slips over her shoulders, revealing that red bikini I’m such a fan of. Hanna is all curves. Amazing curves. The kind I’ve fantasized about putting my hands on plenty of times over the past several months. And with us spending a lot more time together, it’s been hard not to give in to the constant draw. I rise from the water and hold out a hand as she climbs the steps. Her fingers slip into my palm, sending a jolt down my spine and a stirring inside my swim trunks. “Could you try to be a little less beautiful all the time?”I tease as I help her into the tub. “Could you try to have more of a dad bod?” She drags her fingers down my abs, brows waggling, a smile on her gorgeous face. “You are definitely good for my ego, Jake.” She pats me on the chest and sinks into the water on the opposite side of the tub from me. Which is probably a good thing since I feel like we’re playing with fire tonight. The kind I wouldn’t mind pouring a gallon of gasoline on just to watch it burn brighter. “That was a great engagement party. I think the kids had fun, don’t you?”She stretches her legs out. Her toes skim the outside of my thigh and I barely resist the urge to run my hand up her calf. I don’t know what’s in the air tonight, but things seem…different. Heightened. “Yeah. It was good,” I agree. She pokes me with her toe. “Then why are you frowning? You’ve been off all night. What’s going on?” With all the planning and talks we’ve been having, Hanna and I have gotten to know each other better. And she can read me pretty easily. “I don’t know. On one hand, I’m happy for King and Queenie and I know he’s going to be a great husband to my daughter, but I spent all these years raising her, and being there for her. They’ve been living together for months, but for some reason, it’s all kind of hitting me. It’s real now.” I take a sip of my scotch. “It’s different from when she went away to college, and even when she moved out of the pool house and in with King. There’s this hole I didn’t expect.” “It sounds like empty nester’s syndrome.” She moves to the spot beside to me, where the glass of wine I poured her sits. “Is that what this is? I’m all morose and shit.” She chuckles and props her elbow on the edge of the tub. “You need to look at it with a fresh perspective, that’s all. You’re not losing your daughter. It’s different with girls. Sure, she’s found her partner in life, but she’s always going to be your baby girl. And the two of you are so close.” “I don’t know what to do with all of this freedom,” I admit. “My entire life up to this point has been revolved around raising Queenie and my career.” “Which means you did your job. And that’s a good thing. Think about it, Jake. This is the great part about having a kid young. Sure, you lost out on the freedom of your twenties, but in some ways, this is even better. You’re in your forties. You have a great job, you’re in incredible shape.” She twists and pulls her knee up so it rests against my thigh, her arm extending along the back of the tub, fingertips skimming my . “You have all of your hair.” “I’m definitely grateful for the last one,” I joke. “You have great hair.” She runs her fingers through it. “It’s sexy.” She bites her lip and then shakes her head. “Anyway, what I’m saying is, you’re in the prime of your life. Most people in their forties are raising teens, or maybe their kids are getting ready to go to college. You’ve done all that. Now you can just live. You can date. Have fun. Do whatever you want.” “Fun would be good.”My gaze drops to her lips. “And I’d like to do whatever I want.” “Me, too.” Her bottom lip slides through her teeth. “Like right now I could kiss you.” “You definitely could.” I skim her thigh under the water with my fingertips. She nods. “There’s nothing stopping us.” “So why aren’t your lips on mine yet?” I ask. Hanna shifts again, her wet palms come to rest on either side of my jaw, and she presses her soft lips to mine. I slip my hand under her hair and wrap it around the back of her neck. For a moment, I question whether this is a good idea. But when our lips part and our tongues meet, I forget all the reasons why it might not be. I groan as I sink into the kiss and our tongues tangle. She tastes fruity, like the wine she’s been drinking. She straddles me and settles in my lap, her breasts pressing against my chest. She breaks the kiss for a moment and our eyes meet. “I’ve been thinking about this for months.” “I’ve wanted to know what your lips taste like since the first day I met you,”
About Helena Hunting
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Oh boy! Skye Warren can write the heck out of a dark romance. If you’ve spent any time in her North Security series, then you’re familiar with those possessive, broken North men. With her newest 1001 Dark Nights story, Finale, you earn the story of Isabella and Francisco. Much like the North men, Francisco is everything you love in a Warren hero: possessive, obsessive, and dark. In this story, Francisco negotiates an arranged marriage with Isabella as a means to save her family’s business. He makes it clear from the beginning that he will own her, and she will be obedient to him in the bedroom while she maintains her independence in the business world. Without another solution, Isabella agrees to the arrangement, and she falls into the rabbit hole of Francisco’s world. Is it possible for these two to find love, or are they destined to live only in their arrangement?
There is nothing quite like a dark romance. An author such as Skye Warren gets away with some incredibly steamy, $exy moments in her stories because it makes sense in the world she creates. As a novella, Finale is a small diamond on a larger bracelet of stories. I couldn’t put this story down because Francisco’s obsession with Isabella, his possessiveness, and his twisted mind are so delectable.
Along with that is Isabella’s innocence. She is the perfect heroine in the scope of a story such as Finale. She comes into the marriage unblemished, and Francisco begins transforming her instantly. Each of their moments together lights the page on fire, and her light to his dark makes for a read that is pure titillation.
A friend of mine wanted to read this book, and I erroneously told her to read the rest of the North series. But I was wrong. If you want a sample, a taste, of Skye Warren’s brand of romance, then Finale is perfection.
Kendall Ryan’s The Rival is a continuation of her Looking to Score series. In her newest book, the seeming “villain” of the first book of this series, The Rebel, Alex Braun gets his story. If you haven’t read The Rebel, then you’ll go into The Rival with only the understanding that Alex has suffered a breakup with his team’s owner and finds himself on some thin ice, pun intended, based on his former season’s antics post-breakup. What you miss is the almost acerbic nature of his character in The Rebel, which might make The Rival a bit confusing as this newest book shows a simple man looking for a simple life. With that in mind, he meets Aspen and finds more than he expects. However, Ryan shows her writing prowess in transforming Alex Braun into a likable character for those of us who read the first book of this series. As a reader invested in her series, Ryan could have disappointed in her characterization of Alex; however, in this story, she makes it clear that we don’t really know the real Alex Braun. Given that the first book is written through the points of view of Eden, the team owner, and her love interest, Holt, it makes sense that we can’t really trust that we know Alex. And it’s clear from the early chapters of The Rival that Alex Braun is a much better man than we expected. I personally loved this aspect of Ryan’s newest book; it’s the grit of his character that makes reading this newest book a bit more palatable.
The one thing I can say about Kendall Ryan is her reliability in storytelling. She writes characters whose lives feel so different from our own, specifically in occupation, yet the characters feel like us. They are relatable. It’s why I keep reading her stories because I love to see the journeys she crafts for them. However, this sometimes comes off as a bit anemic. In The Rival, there is a bit of repetition as she lays out Alex and Aspen’s challenges to be together. Add in some fairly innocuous $ex scenes, and The Rival feels a bit one-note. I love the continued development of the characters of the Looking to Score series, but I’m starting to want more from this series, especially given that she recently published stories in another hockey romance series, Hot Shots.
Overall, I read my way through The Rival, but I didn’t find a hat trick of a story. I keep waiting for there to be a stronger emotional connection to her characters, and it’s not quite there yet. Kendall Ryan’s The Rival is more of what her readers love: tropes that feel familiar and characters that seem relatable. They simply need more story.
I thought at first it would be between me and him.
Cade was cold and hard and didn’t want anything to do with the headmaster’s daughter. I was off-limits.
He didn’t need that kind of trouble.
I didn’t need that kind of trouble, either. And since I did my best to avoid any kind of trouble, that should have been the end of it.
But when I saw him, he also saw me.
All of me.
The lonely parts. The dark parts.
The secret parts.
He became my ally.
I lost the battle with myself and fell in love despite the risk.
But the war isn’t over for either of us.
Not as long as my father is alive.
Book two of three in the final trilogy in the Dirty Universe.
About the Author:
With millions of books sold worldwide, Laurelin Paige is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling Author. She is a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there’s kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn’t seem to complain, however.
When she isn’t reading or writing sexy stories, she’s probably singing, watching Killing Eve or Letterkenny, or dreaming of Michael Fassbender. She’s also a proud member of Mensa International though she doesn’t do anything with the organization except use it as material for her bio.
Ms. Sunshine meets Mr. Grumpy! From USA Today bestselling author R.L. Kenderson.
“Sometimes, not knowing where you’re going will lead you to where you need to be.”
CHARLI
My workplace eliminated my position the same month my relationship ended. With nothing keeping me in Richmond, Virginia, I get in my car and head northeast, unsure of where I’ll end up.
Until I walk into The Busy Bean Café.
With the Help Wanted sign and the quote on the wall meant for me, I know I’ve found my new home.
GABE
I gave up my executive job in Boston to come home to help run my family’s hardware store and to open my own handcrafted furniture business. I have specific plans for my life.
Those plans don’t include the coffee shop’s new flighty barista even if she is cute as hell.
But when I become Charli’s landlord, I find it harder than ever to stay away from her. And soon, I don’t want to.
The newest barista at the Busy Bean is about to steam the place up…
Former Marine Mason Rye can make a cappuccino with military precision, but he finds it much harder to serve up a smile. It’s not that he doesn’t like people. But he knows from experience that once you let someone in, it hurts like hell when you lose them. And Mason’s lost too many people already.
So it’s pretty damn inconvenient when his old Marine buddy shows up on Mason’s goat farm with his younger sister in tow. Heather’s work in Washington D.C. has turned dangerous, and she needs a safe place out of town.
Mason doesn’t need a new roommate, especially not a pretty, single one who insists on rearranging his spice rack and giving his chickens cute names. Although there’s no denying the haunted look in her blue eyes. Every time her fear shows its face, he wants to reach for her.
The problem is that she wants him, too. And when Mason breaks all his rules, they practically burn down his bed together. But her life is in D.C. And the threat against her is over.
Unfortunately, neither of their hearts is fireproof…
Warning: this stand-alone novel contains cute goats, bossy Marines, and small-town charm.
A moving second-chance romance where hope can turn history into a footnote.
Sasha Covey needs a rewrite. Or a really big eraser. Her past doesn’t belong in the life she’s trying to rebuild. Her future—and her recovery—depend on a fresh start. Moving to Colebury seems like the perfect test until Penley Brooks waltzes into the Busy Bean. The handsome veterinarian is just as charming as when she fell for him a decade ago. Memories come flooding back, and their connection is as potent as ever.
Trouble is, Sasha has good reason to keep her distance. Her recovery is still new, and the single dad has wounds of his own. After years of being an afterthought, Penley’s goals are finally within reach. As much as she aches to reconnect, Sasha won’t stand in the way of his dreams.
Somehow, that all melts away whenever she’s with Penley. Together, dreaming is a little easier.
But dreams don’t always survive in the real world. Not when the past comes knocking.
Footnote is a standalone small-town romance set in the True North world.
Or at least I thought I was, until my formula fell apart. Back home in Vermont, with my dream on hiatus, I’m working at the Busy Bean and taking online classes. As long as I keep my focus, I’ll be back in New York City next semester. Hopefully.
When Declan O’Shaughnessy storms into the café, all muscles and tattoos, wielding his sexy Irish brogue like a weapon, the only equation I can solve is one that lands me in his bed. Even more dangerous is my growing affection for his cherub-faced little boy.
But Declan has complications of his own. He’s cagey, but I’ll win him over.
Yeah, about that focus… mine is all on him. Can we have a harmless fling without getting hurt?
Finale, an all new irresistible North Security novella from New York Times bestselling author Skye Warren and 1,001 Dark Nights, is available now!
Francisco Castille, the exiled Duke of Linares, knows his duty. Even in modern times, the line must continue. So he’ll marry and produce an heir.
Yes, a wife will fit into his well-ordered life.
Instead he ends up with the brilliant pianist Isabella. Strong. Spirited. And highly disobedient. She rebels against every custom and every rule, threatening his careful balance.
Francisco never backs away from a challenge.
Isabella never bows down to anyone.
This scorching hot battle of wills may leave both of them broken.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
About Skye Warren Skye Warren is the New York Times bestselling author of dangerous romance such as the Endgame trilogy. Her books have been featured in Jezebel, Buzzfeed, USA Today Happily Ever After, Glamour, and Elle Magazine. She makes her home in Texas with her loving family, sweet dogs, and evil cat.
Land an amazing job with Boston’s professional hockey franchise? Check.
Fall stupidly in love with hockey’s favorite bad boy? Ugh.
After wasting years of my life with the wrong person, I told myself all I wanted was a little no-strings fun. Enter Alex Braun—a wealthy, handsome, notorious playboy who’s equal parts charming and dangerous as hell to my wounded heart.
After enduring a very public breakup of his own, the sexy player doesn’t want to be anyone’s forever. Too bad he barreled his way into my heart, instead of just my bed.
But this professional athlete knows a thing or two about competing, and he won’t let go so easily.
A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than three dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 3 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world.
Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than 100 times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine.
Genre: Second Chance Contemporary Romance Release Date: June 1, 2021
BLURB
EVEN THE STRONGEST HEART CAN BREAK.
Gabe
I can’t be with you anymore.
She tore out my heart with those words six years ago, as I lay recovering in a hospital bed. But her leaving cut deeper than any wound I bore on my flesh.
Now she’s back, desperate to make amends. I swore I’d never forgive her, but one look and I’m back to a place where she loved me.
One kiss—her hands on my body, my name on her lips—makes me wonder . . . is there hope among the ruins of us?
Mia
I didn’t want to leave him.
But I had to.
Back then, staying seemed impossible. I was held captive by my own fear. It wouldn’t allow me to see that loving him was all I needed.
I’m not the same scared girl I was then. I’m ready to surrender to everything I feel.
But there’s something he doesn’t know—the real reason why I left.
And once he finds out, the second chance I’ve dreamed of might be nothing but a fantasy.
For Lilian, a love of writing began with a love of books. From Goosebumps to romance novels with sexy men on the cover, she loved them all. It’s no surprise that at the age of eight she started writing poetry and lyrics and hasn’t stopped writing since.
She was born in Azerbaijan, and currently resides in Long Island, N.Y. with her husband, two kids, and a dog named Gatorade. Even though she has a law degree, she isn’t currently practicing. When she isn’t reading or writing, Lilian is baking or cooking up a storm. And once the kids are in bed, there’s usually a glass of red in her hand. Can’t just survive on coffee alone!
From USA TODAY Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa comes a single-dad sports romance where the only thing more heartfelt than the small town is the love story.
I never wanted to go back to Baker’s Creek.
But when it rains, it pours. I lost my job, lost the guy, and lost the house. The perfect trifecta of ruin.
Ten years after I said I can make it on my own, I have no choice but to ask for help. But it’s my mother who needs me now…
So it’s back to where I don’t belong.
There’s no opportunity in my hometown. The only job that I can get is nannying. For a player from the Vancouver Orcas. “Mean” Mills Aldridge is going to be my new boss… and I’m supposed to pretend he isn’t sex on skates.
Between avoiding the town mean girls, helping my parents, and trying not to behave like a puck bunny, my job with that sweet boy is fast becoming just like the rest of my life–one big complication.
My only escape is my late-night chats with Mills.
The confessions we share make me feel like I belong. The stolen kisses make it hard to remember why I ever left.
Until the opportunity I’ve been waiting for arrives, and it’s time for me to say goodbye.
But can I leave that little boy and his father behind?
The Baker’s Creek Billionaire Brothers series is a romantic comedy saga that’s swoonful and sexy, with the right mix of ugly-cry moments and sweet seductions.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!
Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author.
She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breath away. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband and her youngest two children.
She has a sweet Bichon, Macey, who thinks she’s the ruler of the house. She’s only partially right.
When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At night, she likes to binge-watch shows with her equally geeky husband.
Professor Romance 