Iโll pretend sheโs mine, such a pretty little lie.
Iโm exactly the type of guy Elena should stay away from.
Sweet, innocent women like her donโt look for relationships in motorcycle clubs. Especially one as classy and out of my league as Elena.
I canโt resist swiping right on her dating profile for fun. I never imagined weโd be a match. I know Iโd only be a quick thrill for her, but Iโm getting tired of the women at the clubhouse anyway.
Then my club brother Viper goes and ups the stakes: he bets me one thousand dollars that I wonโt be able to have a relationship with Elena.
With my wicked smile and flirty charm, she wonโt be able to resist me. And like my other hookups, I canโt let it get personal.
Until I let my guard down and she becomes my ride or die.
Which means Iโve got to make sure as hell that Elena never finds out about our betโฆ
Check out this brand new teaser for ๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ป๐ฌ ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐น ๐ป๐ถ๐ต๐ฎ๐ผ๐ฌ (New England Bay Sharks #4) by Hannah Gray, releasing June 5th!
Life as a professional hockey player keeps me plenty busy, and yet it often feels like Iโm on autopilot as the world passes me by. I suppose I canโt complain. I have the honor of calling myself a New England Bay Shark, so I have more than enough money to buy some form of happiness.
Sleeping around with beautiful women may come with the territory, but Iโve never taken the time to actually get to know any of them. In fact, thereโs only one Iโve relentlessly thought about, but sheโs off-limits. Everyone knows you canโt go after your best friendโs little sister. Especially if heโs already forbidden it.
Iโve had a crush on Saylor Sawyer since I met her years ago, and even though Iโve spent many showers and nights alone creating my own fantasies, starring her, I know I canโt
act on those โฆ filthy thoughts.
No matter how hot they are.
When a teammate hurts her badly, Saylorโs on the warpath, looking for sweet revenge. I just happen to be the lucky bastard sitting at the other end of the bar.
One hookup gets entangled with a lie, and things get complicated fast. But the lie wasnโt mine, and Iโm going to make damn sure she knows it too.
See, the night she used me to get back at her ex awakened a beast inside of me. A beast that only wants Saylor Sawyer.
Teller Bailey is the last single son in a Montana bourbon empire. Heโs also arrogant, infuriating, and unfairly handsome with his beard and flannel.
Everyone in town loves him. Everyone in town detests me.
Iโm โMad Maddyโ Townsend, the only surviving daughter of Bourbon Canyonโs most reviled family. Iโm also mouthy, broke, and spectacularly alone.
Iโve wanted nothing more than to get away from this small town and their opinions of me since birth, yet Iโm stuck here with nothing but a trashed dive bar and a shoestring budget to get it back in businessโor my mom will be evicted from her nursing home.
But there isnโt a contractor in the county whoโll return my calls, at least without including a few four-letter words in their messages. My only hope for competent help is the annual bachelor auction featuring the townโs most eligible Bailey. The prize? One project completed for the highest bidder.
I must be every bit as crazy as this town thinks to bid on Teller. The man I canโt stand will be mine until Iโm ready to serve my first drink. All I have to do is not fall for his charming smile, his unyielding support, or the way his name opens all the doors slammed in my face. Iโve never been treated so well, but I know how this goes. When this job is finished, heโll ride off into the bourbon sunsetโwithout me, just like everyone else in my life.
Readers who love Elsie Silver, Devney Perry, Laura Pavlov, and Lyla Sage will love Bourbon Sunset.
The Only Thing That’s Real is book three in the Only in Goose Hollow series by USA Today Bestselling author Lisa Shelby! In this interconnected standalone, take a trip back to Goose Hollow and go on tour with the Hollow Knocks!
Ryan Staley has got to go.
We hired the beautiful, fierce journalist to chronicle my bandโs farewell tour.
But that was before my life blew up.
Before every stage I performed on became shrouded in the shame of my secret.
A secret I havenโt even shared with my bandmates, my chosen family.
Now is not the time for deep-diving questions about my life, but Ryan is around every corner I turn and refuses to be intimidated or ignored.
She wants to know what Iโll do when my touring career comes to a screeching halt, and I move back to the small town I couldnโt run away from fast enough.
A town I can no longer avoid.
But Ryan has claimed every spare thought in my head. Her lips, hypnotizing to the point of distraction. The perfect rasp of her voice, sending chills down my spine, asking questions I canโt answer, and making me risk spilling all my secrets.
Thereโs a long list of reasons why I shouldnโt crush on the sexy firefighter.
Logan Murray is not only my brotherโs teammate, heโs more than ten years older than me and seems to curse my very existence. I shouldnโt care but I do.
Oh, and did I mention Iโm now the nanny to his twin daughters? I need this job and I canโt risk messing it up.
But the more time I spend with the single dad makes me think that his growly exterior might just be hiding something more.
Iโve always been taught not to play with fire. But for him, it might be worth the burn.
Sparks and Surrender: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Collection, a steamy, captivating romance collection, part of the 1001 Dark Nights Trope Collection from New York Times & USA Today bestselling authors Laura Wright and Alexandra Ivy, Elisabeth Naughton, Jill Shalvis & Rachel Van Dyken is available now!
When sparks fly, passion ignites. Sparks and Surrender is packed with fiery romances where enemies become lovers. From bitter rivals to the people they least expected, these characters discover that the line between hate and love is dangerously thin.
Includes: Kayden/Simon by Laura Wright and Alexandra Ivy Unchained by Elisabeth Naughton Twist of Fate by Jill Shalvis and The Anti-Fan and The Idol by Rachel Van Dyken
Add Sparks and Surrender: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Collection to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/41a8LMn
Keep reading for a look inside Sparks and Surrender: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Collection!
Kayden/Simon
โYou might not be so dismissive when you discover the truth.โ โMaybe not,โ she slowly agreed. โButโฆโ He frowned as she struggled to find the words to express the need aching deep inside her. โBut what?โ โIโve spent twenty-two years being locked away and told it was for my own good,โ she confessed. โI donโt wonโt to waste another second just because it might hurt me later.โ His lips parted. He was going to continue to argue. She could feel it. Framing his face in her hands, she tugged his head down to press her lips to his in a kiss of flagrant yearning. Kayden went rigid and Biancaโs heart began to sink. So much for her stumbling attempt at seduction. Then, just as she was about to pull back in embarrassment, Kaydenโs arms lashed around her body and he hauled her off her feet so he could deepen the kiss with a stark urgency. A combustion of heat blasted through her as his tongue skillfully parted her lips and dipped inside. She groaned. This was what she used to lay in her bed and fantasize about.
Kayden/Simon
Tryst paced the kitchen floor. Shit, shit, shit. She was going full rogue here. The mission was to bring the male in. Done. Period. And it wouldโve been so easy. Drugged, in the car, snoring awayโnext stop, Wildlands. Instead, sheโd stripped him, tied him to the bed and gone over every inch of him. Each scar, the waves of muscle on his belly, the tattoos on his scalpโฆ After an hour, sheโd thought better of it, caged her curiosity, not to mention her lust, and started to untie him. But then heโd said something. In his drugged sleep. Something that had made her both delay her plans and stay out of communication with Parish and Raphael. Neither one knew she had the male in her custody. Sheโd meant to contact them after securing him, hadnโt wanted them to know sheโd fucked up and allowed him to get away. But those words had arrowed straight to her soul. Gutted her. Made her pineโnot pity. Because if it was trueโฆeverything inside herโeverything that snarled and stalked and loved the feel of the bayou sun on her bellyโdemanded that she help himโฆ Fix himโฆ
Unchained
โHow did you find me?โ he said. โWhat do you want with me?โ Circe blinked, his voice pulling her back to the moment. Sheโd not been sexually attracted to anyone in so long, sheโd forgotten what that rush of excitement felt like. Then again, sheโd not had the chance to be attracted to anyone. Zeus kept her locked up tight and had for way too long. Focus. Sexy as hell you can use to your advantage. She lifted a foot-long length of heavy chain. โLook familiar?โ His face paled as he looked at the chain Zeus had used to bind him to that rock. The rock where heโd been tortured daily by a giant eagle that had torn into his side and consumed his liver day after day. โWhere did you get that?โ โFind me and Iโll tell you.โ His confused gaze lifted to her face. โFind you?โ โYouโre a Titan. You have powers others donโt. Find me and I can help you make Zeus pay for everything heโs done.โ
Twist of Fate
She rolled her eyes. โI like how you assume youโre the only one being tortured.โ โHey, Iโve been nothing but aโ โโ โI swear to God if you say delightโฆโ He shrugged. She sighed, looking a little overheated and frustrated and ticked off, which made two of them. Except he was also turned on. He couldnโt help it. Daisy talked with her hands, her eyes flashing. She looked sexy as hell. โLook,โ she said. โRoccoโs in love. Heโs marrying the man of his dreams, so itโs not about you or me. Or us. Or the utter lack of an usโ โ” โFunny, because it feels a whole bunch like itโs about us,โ he said. Heโd meant to shut her up, of course, but what he hadnโt intended was to forget himself, the wedding, his brother, and everything but the soft little sound that escaped her throat just before she fisted her hands in his shirt. Going to shove me away or pull me in, babe? She kissed him back. More than that, she pressed all those sweet, sexy curves up against him. With a groan, he wrapped his arms around her, feeling every contour of her sweet bod against his. Her mouth had started out icy cold from the chill in the air, but it was hot now. They were both hot.
The Anti-Fan and the Idol
He stares down at me. โYou were a bad idea from the start.โ โAnd you were bad from the very beginning.โ I lift my chin. He lowers his head. I go in first. I kiss him. His tongue invades my mouth the minute our lips touch. I tell myself itโs the adrenaline from working out too hard or maybe just the darkness, but I know itโs him. I cling to his shirt and pull it over his head. He doesnโt hesitate at all as he spins me around and presses me against the nearest wall. Why do bad ideas always feel so good? I moan when he starts trailing kisses down my neck. If we get caught, weโre completely screwed. But Iโm willing to risk everythingโincluding my dreamsโfor just one more taste of him, one more flick of his tongue. His chest heaves as he deepens the kiss. The lights flicker back on. We break apart so fast youโd think our parents just walked in and announced we had to get married. I wipe my mouth. He licks his lips. I want more.
Kayden plans to revenge the death of his parents but kidnapping the perpetratorโs daughter will not only include surprises but change his life when he realizes she is destined to be his mate.
Simon is a successful model who is more comfortable traveling the world than returning to his roots. Tryst is tasked with bringing him home, but she and Simon may find where they truly belong in each other.
Unchained by Elisabeth Naughton โ Prometheus has managed to escape the control that Zeus had over him and thought he could move forward however vivid dreams continue to hold him captive. Circe is also being controlled by Zeus and her latest mission will put her at odds between what she needs to do and her feelings for Prometheus.
Twist of Fate by Jill Shalvis โWhen he and Daisy were together Diego until their lives went in different directions. Years later Daisy is the wedding planner, and Diego is the brother of the groom so they can no longer avoid each other. Working together on the wedding the chemistry and connection between them is stronger than ever, but is this their second chance or are they destined to end in heartbreak once again?
The Anti-Fan and The Idol by Rachel Van Dyken – Ah-Ri has been trying to fulfill her dream of becoming a K-Pop star so being approached to be part of a co-ed group would be a dream come true if it wasnโt for the other members of the group. Ryan and Hanuel want to change the world of K-Pop by creating a co-ed group so the last thing that either Ryan or Ah-Ri needs is to be distracted by the other.
It is great to have these very different stories included in one collection.
First, I hit him with my car. Then I hit him with an offer he couldnโt refuse.
Annabelle
My father really outdid himself this time. If he wasnโt already the worst, his newest demand surely gave him that titleโif I wanted to take over the family company, I needed to get married.Within the next six months.
He thought he had me right where he wanted meโฆthat Iโd marry one of his lackeys. A man whoโd keep me in line with Dadโs vision for both me and Parker Industries.
Well, dear old Dad had another thing coming. I was no pushover, bowing to the whims of him or any man. I had a plan. And that planโs name was Ryder Perry.
Ryder
Red River, Texas was worse than I thought it was going to be when I moved here with my brothers to renovate the old ranch home we inherited from a distant relative. Mosquitos, flies, and the lung-clogging humidity were making me miserable, and that misery was only compounded when a spoiled rotten princess slammed into my truck and had the audacity to blame me.
The next time I saw her, she offered me two thingsโan apology for her behavior and a million dollarsโฆto marry her.I thought she was drunk. Or crazy. Or maybe a little bit of both. I wasnโt sure.
But one thing was for sureโmy time in Red River just got a lot more interesting.
When the FBI sidelines Special Agent Stephanie Kramer over health concerns, she sees her hard-won dream career go down the drain. Suddenly adrift and without purpose, she jumps at the chance when a friend offers for her to stay in their trailer by a quiet, secluded creek near Libby, Montana. As much as she tries to enjoy the tranquil settings, itโs not long before local wildlifeโand the man chasing itโinvade her sanctuary. When it appears the job sheโs trying to leave behind is following her to Libby, the illusion of her solitary retreat is shattered.
After that last special ops assignment cost Jackson Hart his leg, heโs had a hell of a time getting back on his proverbial feet. Being hired as a member of the High Mountain Trackers team went a long way to reclaiming his sense of identity. Heโs back in the saddle and adapting to a pared-down, mostly solitary existence. So the sudden jolt to his gut, when he encounters the blond federal agent he remembers well, is a harsh reminder of what is missing from his life.
Still, as much as they try to avoid the other, they seem destined to cross paths. Whether it is the intimidation of a local predator, or the threat of a former nemesis, it becomes clear they stand stronger together.
They say it becomes second nature at some point, but the fact is about fifteen percent of the body I was born with is missing, which isnโt that easy to adjust to. Every time I catch a glimpse of myself coming out of the shower, Iโm still startled at my own reflection. This mental image I have of my former intact body persists, and Iโm shocked each time to find part of it gone. Even in my dreams, I still have my right leg.
๐ฉตReview๐ฉต
Jackson has always been there for everyone whether it is his family, his friends or his country until an injury changes his life.ย ย He struggled while trying to accept his new reality, but he has been able to make peace with what happened and is building a new life for himself.ย ย When he sees Stephanie he wants to be there for her however he is also battling the fact that he is not the same man who originally met her.
Recent events have forced Stephanie to realize that her life is centered around her career as an FBI agent and now that has been put on hold.ย ย All she wants is to be alone while she decides what comes next however Jackson isnโt about to let that happen especially when the danger escalates around her.
The suspense keeps you on edge and the surprises keep coming but it is the heartwarming romance between two people who never believed that love was in their future that will touch your heart.ย ย This story also allows us to spend some time with the other characters that we have come to know and love from this series.
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon โReaderโs Choiceโ Award for Best First Book, โSlim To Noneโ, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with โFrom Dustโ, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with โWhen Hope Endsโ, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
Being a bodyguard for my billionaire cousins comes with many perks. One of my favorites is rescuing gorgeous, sassy-mouthed damsels in distress…
There are a few problems with that: Harper Alexander isn’t a damsel or distressed. Oh, and I can’t forget to mention that she doesn’t want to be rescued.
Too bad she doesn’t have a choice.
Right now, I don’t give a flying you-know-what that she escaped the city with her brand-new fiancรฉ and plans to marry him next week…I will find her. I may have to throw her over my shoulder, kicking and screaming, but she’s coming with me. She has no idea how much danger she’s in.
Unfortunately for her, I’m the only one who can save her. But I have a feeling, she might be the one who saves me.
Her first match with the queen of Rome might have temporarily ended in a draw, but she has plenty of other battles brewing. Taking her seat at the Triskeles Triune brings immense new power to House Isador.
And for a vampire queen, with great power comes great hunger.
To sustain and feed her new power, she needs more Blood. Desperately. Before the Dauphine can attack her nest again.
She already turned Sharaโs dead mother into a walking zombie to send a nasty message. Now itโs her turn to send a message to the Dauphineโand anyone who messes with her family. In the brutal game of queens, Shara plays for love.What this queen takes, she loves, and what she loves, she keeps for all time.
Donโt mess with her loved ones. Because she will protect them. No matter the cost.
The Dauphine canโt escape this time.
House Isador rides to war, and the last Templar knight carries Shara Isador on the greatest crusade this world has ever known.
Head Over Heels In Love Mariah Ankenman
(Jackson Family Distillery, #4)
Publication date: May 8th 2025
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Catching a woman breaking into his car was not the way Ace Jackson wanted to start his day. Finding out sheโs the new hire at his familyโs distillery is even worse. Sure, she said she mistook his car for herโs, but thereโs something about Millie he doesnโt trust. Too bad all his siblings vetoed his vote. Whatโs the point of being the oldest if you donโt get to be in charge?
Millie Danes told the grumpy Adonis she wasnโt breaking into his car, but did he believe her? No! The guy has a stick up his butt bigger than the pine trees gracing the Rocky Mountains. Unfortunately, heโs her new boss or sheโd try and see if she could melt that icy exterior. But she has more on the line than a job, she needs funds to start her dream. Her very own aerial studio.
When a theft is discovered at work, Ace enlists Millieโs help as a spy in exchange for the money to build her dream. Their tentative truce becomes complicated when desires fan the flames of temptation. In the battle of love, who will fall first?
Her shouted name came from beyond the swinging door. Irritation rose, winning the war over guilt as she quickened her pace. โUgh, coming!โ
She pushed through the door into the back, muttering to herself. โGet your boxers out of a bunch you grumpy asshole. It was five damn seconds.โ
โWhat the hell do you think youโre doing?โ Ace demanded the second the door stopped swinging.
โWell, I was working, until you pulled me back here to yell at me like an angry schoolmarm.โ
Confusion drew his brow down. โWhat theโฆnever mind. How is pulling some dangerous stunt and almost breaking your fool neck working? Last time I checked this was a bar, not some ridiculous stunt show.โ
That was it. She knew the guy was her boss, but he was being a giant dick. No one talked to her that way.
โFirst of all, I wasnโt about to break anything. Before you rushed in and grabbed meโโ
โSaved you.โ
She arched one eyebrow in disbelief. โIs that what you thought you were doing? Saving the helpless damsel in distress? I got news for you buddy. I have been bottle-walking for years. I know how to fall from the bottles safely. Provided some jackass doesnโt grab me off them and tweak my back.โ
His angry demeanor disappeared in an instant. Ace took a step forward, eyes scanning her body as his voice softened. โAre you okay? Did I hurt you?โ
Shocked by the sudden switchโand his concernโshe shook her head. โNo. Iโm fine.โ
The sudden grab had surprised her and put her off kilter, but he hadnโt injured her back.
He glanced into her eyes, stealing her breath as she saw the unmasked worry filling them. Wow. Who knew Mr. Ice had feelings?
โReally, Ace,โ she said gently, placing a hand on his arm. โIโm okay.โ
He glanced down at her hand on his arm. The air in the room thickened. A rush of heat filled her. A bolt of electricity shot through her body, her fingers tingling against his warm skin. She quickly pulled her hand back, clenching it into a fist and placing it behind her.
What the hell was that?
Pushing the moment away, Millie cleared her throat. โI know how to fall safely off the bottles. I promise you I would have been fine.โ
Ace shook his head, blinking a few times before the angry scowl returned to his face. โWhy the hell were you on top of those bottles in the first place? We pay you to work, Millie. Not goof around.โ
And there went all her warm fuzzy feelings for this man. Jeeze, it was like Jekyll and Hyde with him.
โI was working.โ She lifted onto her toes, still not high enough to be eye to eye with the Grumpy Green Giant. Lifting a finger, she poked him in the chest. โIf you take a peek out that door you will see.โ
Ace glanced down at her finger, raising a brow when he looked back up at her.
Maybe poking her boss wasnโt the best idea, but he was being a jerk, and she didnโt like to be pushed around. Especially not when she was making him a ton of money.
โLook,โ she huffed, flopping back onto flat feet and pushing the door open a crack. โSee all those people rushing to get the new drink special? I did that. Itโs called creative marketing.โ
Ace leaned over her. His chest pressing against her back, the heat radiating off his body nearly suffocating her with its warm, intoxicating scent. Dammit! Why did he have to be so hot? Normally it didnโt matter how attractive a person was, if they were an ass, she wasnโt attracted to them. Her body didnโt get that memo with Ace. Didnโt matter. Wasnโt like she was going to do anything about it.
๐ปReview๐ป
Ace is a man who has required routine and control so from his first meeting with Millie he knew that she was trouble.ย ย A misunderstanding doesnโt get them off to the best start however when a problem arises he knows that she is the best way to try and solve it.ย ย The only problem with that plan is spending time with her forces him to see that there is so much more to life than the way heย has been living it.
Millie has dreams for the future and working at Aceโs family bar is just a stepping stone to get there.ย ย She and Ace couldnโt me more different, but he has also offered her an opportunity to achieve her dream.ย ย What was supposed to be a simple assignment turns into more when she realizes that there is so much more to Ace than first appears.
Ace and Millie were so delightful together as she knows exactly what to do or say to get a rise out of him and he gives as good as he gets.ย ย Although they had a few challenges along the way they ultimately bring out the best in each other.
Author Bio:
Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her.
Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someoneโs day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books visit her website http://www.mariahankenman.com
