Five sons, their perfect matches, and our family grows bigger every year. But this is our story—of how we met, fell, and grew our empire. This is the story of how we discovered the magic.
Lena
Stanley Riggins stole my heart back in high school. Our love blossomed amidst the chaos of life, surviving every challenge that came our way.
We married young, determined to face the world together. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat, because what we built wasn’t just a life, it’s a home—for us and our five wonderful sons.
Now that they have incredible wives of their own, they’ve given us a lively bunch of grandchildren, and our lives are filled with more love and laughter than ever before.
Stanley
From the moment our eyes locked, I knew Lena was the girl for me.
I finally felt the magic the Riggins men always talked about. Through all the ups and downs, our bond only grew stronger. We started a business and then a family. I couldn’t be prouder of our boys and the lives they’ve built with the women who love them as much as we do.
Having Lena by my side as we watch our love continue through the next generation is the greatest reward of all. It’s a true testament to the enduring bond we forged in those high school hallways. Year after year, and breath by breath, she’s still the one.
Even though they were only teenagers Stanley knew from the moment he saw Lena that they were destined to be together. He will support her through one of the most difficult times in her life and give her the life and family they both want.
The tragic passing of her father has turned Lena’s life upside down and she has never felt more alone. What began as a friendship evolved into an enduring love that will last a lifetime.
Having experienced their children’s stories it was wonderful to see what brought Stanley and Lena together and the beautiful life they share.
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has been crowned the Queen of Swoon by her readers. With nearly fifty romance books under her belt, she’s known for penning happily ever afters with heart. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand or hanging out with her family where she resides in her home state of Ohio.
Why you will love this book… 🔥Hurt/Comfort 🔥Redemption 🔥Self Discovery 🔥Different Worlds 🔥Secret Billionaire 🔥Emotional Scars 🔥Road Trip 🔥Broken FMC/MMC
I met him when my ship was sinking, and I clung to him through the storm. Little did I know he needed me as much as I needed him.
The first time I saw Roman Dante King, he stuck out like an odd puzzle piece that got mixed up in the wrong box. It wasn’t his blue eyes in the dim light of the bar, the tattoos that covered his arms and hands, or even his arrogant personality. It was something else—something I couldn’t see—that told me he didn’t belong in our small beach town on the Oregon coast.
Elora Mazie Barlow reminded me of a hummingbird zipping from one flower to another, never stopping, never allowing anyone more than a glimpse before she was gone. Never letting anyone in… until me. Then she gave me her smiles that were more valuable than anything I ever owned and wrapped me in her peace without asking for anything in return.
Her tragic story sounded achingly familiar to my own.
Our connection is knotted up in loss. The journey we’re on together will eventually come to an end. But will we be able to untangle the mess of strings that have tied us together?
We all have them. Mine started with a breakup and ended in bitterness. I was my own worst enemy, choosing booze and women to numb my pain and soothe my ego. My nickname became Jude, Patron Saint of Lost Causes. And I lived up to it daily.
Hockey was my only solace and I continued to excel on the ice. Things didn’t change when I was called to the pros. It just provided me with more money and more opportunity to make bad choices. Until one day a scandal bought me a one-way ticket to the Hawks in a team trade. Chicago. Middle America. I was happy about the trade, but not about the conditions once I arrived. According to the team, I needed to clean up my image.
That’s where she comes in. Emerson Evans. An acquaintance from the past. She’s there to make sure I stay on the straight and narrow, storming into my life and changing things without my permission. We have nothing in common. She’s the girl next door with artistic flare and a sharp tongue. I’m a hockey god on skates with a stubborn streak.
The more she catches my eye, the more I realize how wrong we are for each other. I’ll just hurt her. That’s what I do. But I was never one to follow the rules. And I’m starting to understand …
Sometimes the wrong choices get us to the right place.
Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers; Forced Proximity; Second Chance; Best Friends’ Younger Sister; Older Brother’s Best Friend; Age Gap; Hockey Romance
Release Date: July 23, 2024
Cover Design: Thunderstruck Cover Design
Lorelai Anderson got under my skin years ago and I’d never been able to get her out.
When I found out she had a crush on me I turned into the biggest dick around. I did what I did to keep her away. I knew I wasn’t the man she needed, and her brother agreed.
Then I left town to play hockey which was both a blessing and a curse.
When I got signed to the Dominators and returned to Vancouver, I suppose I got what I deserved. Not only did Lorelai hate my guts, but she had a boyfriend. So, I kept my distance from her, until her friend started dating one of my teammates. I had no choice but to come around. It got worse when I got the invitation to her brother’s wedding. There was no way I could back out.
As my luck would have it Lorelai and I end up on the same flight to Hawaii and that’s when I find out she is very single. I also find out that her ex is going to be at this wedding and despite having a new girlfriend, the cheating jerk is harassing her to get back together with him. When she breaks down in tears, I do that only thing I can think of. I make a split-second decision to be her boyfriend for the wedding and get Hugo off her back. I figure it’s helping her out but for me it’s the perfect opportunity to convince her I’m not the same guy I used to be.
I want her to know I’m the man she deserves and I’m going to put everything on the line to get her to be mine.
S.L. Sterling was born and raised in southern Ontario. She now lives in Northern Ontario Canada and is married to her best friend and soul mate and their two dogs.
An avid reader all her life, S.L. Sterling dreamt of becoming an author. She decided to give writing a try after one of her favorite authors launched a course on how to write your novel. This course gave her the push she needed to put pen to paper and her debut novel “It Was Always You” was born.
When S.L. Sterling isn’t writing or plotting her next novel she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee, blanket and the newest romance novel from one of her favorite authors on her e-reader. Her favorite authors include Kendall Ryan, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Lauren Blakely, Alessandra Torre and Willow Winters.
In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, sunny destinations, spending quality time with family and friends and of course reading.
Greed. Power. Sin. It all comes with the gavel. Blurs the lines between church and state. But the Knightdale Charter of the Satan’s Knights MC is my life. And I’d do anything for this club. Like letting the best woman I ever had slip through my fingertips. A sinfully beautiful spitfire, she’s my better half in every way. My twin flame. My everything. My biggest regret. But there’s no making things right between us. Because I’m the reason she’s alone yet again. And if our past wasn’t enough to put out the fire in her soul, my crimes certainly will be.
USA Today bestselling author Janine Infante Bosco lives in New York City, she has always loved reading and writing. When she was thirteen, she began to write her own stories and her passion for writing took off as the years went on. At eighteen, she even wrote a full screenplay with dreams of one day becoming a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
Janine writes emotionally charged novels with an emphasis on family bonds, strong willed female characters, and alpha male men who will do anything for the women they love. She loves to interact with fans and fellow avid romance readers like herself.
She is proud of her success as an author and the friendships she’s made in the book community but her greatest accomplishment to date would be her two sons Joseph and Paul.
Even as a young child Jenni Bara would conjure up all kinds of tales with her endless imagination. She’s improved her skills since the days of scaring her younger cousins with ghost stories, but her love for books and stories has never changed.
In her everyday life, she is a paralegal for family law writing unhappily ever afters for people every day. So in turn she spends her free time with anything that keeps her laughing including life with her kids!
All joking aside she is blessed to have not only very amazing kids but super supportive parents as well as a loving extended family always happy to share their opinions!
Her favorite spots all have the best views of the sunsets and she loves to share the views through photos.
She just began her career as a romance author writing books full of life, love, and laughter.
Things only an idiot would do: 1. Develop an obsession for his best friend’s sister. 2. Agree to let her be his new roommate. 3. Kiss her.
Hello I’m Emerson Knight and I’m an idiot.
I try to stay away from Gianna Damiano I really do. But between crop tops and fiery glares I can’t get her off my mind. One fake date changes everything and I cannot deny I want my hands on every one of my new roommates delicious curves. One night keeps turning into one more. And suddenly I’m lying to my best friend.
I’m the man known for his fake out, but I’m only kidding myself because the way she’s stealing my heart feels very real.
⚾️Review⚾️ Emerson is the person who has always been there to ensure that everyone he cares about has what he needs with little consideration about himself. It is for this reason that his teammate and friend’s sister Gianna has become his roommate. The biggest challenge will be denying his feelings for her especially when he finds pretending that they are dating to protect her from her ex.
Due to her past Gianna has had to be strong and resilient and the ending of her relationship with her ex is no distance. Needing to distance herself she relocates to Boston where she receives unconditional acceptance and understanding from Emerson both when it comes to her ex and her dreams for the future.
Emerson sees beyond Gianna’s demeanor to the woman she is, reservations and all, which only makes her more intriguing while she sees beneath his happy go lucky exterior to a man who feels deeply and isn’t always appreciated for who he really is. The banter between them is fun and flirty however their story still has all the feels.
Kathryn Andrews is a #1 Inspirational Romance Bestselling Author who loves stories that end with a happily ever after. She started writing at age seven and never stopped. Kathryn is known for Chasing Clouds, the Starving for Southern series, and her much loved Hale Brothers series. Her stories are sweet, southern, and fall into the genres of chi-lit, contemporary romance, sports romance, and southern fiction.
Kathryn graduated from the University of South Florida with degrees in Biology and Chemistry, and currently lives in Tampa, Florida. She spends her days as a sales director for a medical device company and her nights lost in her love of fictional characters.
When Kathryn is not crafting beautiful worlds that incorporate some of her most favorite real life places, she can be found hanging out with her husband and two young sons, while drinking iced coffee and enjoying the sun.
Over two years ago, I met a woman on New Year’s Eve, and it was the best night of my life. That is until the next morning when it became the worst.
One voice message. One swerve over a double yellow line. One little girl, my niece, that’s now mine.
It hasn’t been easy, these things never are, but we’re trying. Now, I’m twenty-six, and determined to be the best wide receiver on our team, while she’s seven and spends her days reading books and dancing ballet.
Only, I haven’t just grieved the loss of my brother, but her too. My heart has ached for what could have been, and what I had to let go. I know what I did to her was wrong, unfortunately, I never had an opportunity to explain that at the time I thought I was right. But as the door opens and she steps in wearing green scrubs and a long white coat, shock ripples through me and hope that I might finally get the chance.
Sophie Black
I always wondered if this day would come, but I never expected to see him here, with her, in one of my patient rooms. He’s even better looking than I remember and giving off single dad vibes, too, as he cares for his adorable niece. A niece I didn’t know he had.
I was surprised when he asked if he could see me again, but I instantly declined. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Only now we keep running into each other, and I’m confused. Is fate throwing us a second chance, and if so, should I catch it?
He’s a grumpy billionaire in need of a fake girlfriend. She’s a spicy heroine just desperate enough to do it.
Nathan Hunt needs a girlfriend—specifically a fake one. Yes, the shy, grumpy twin of Henry Cavill who sits at the end of my bar needs to convince his absurdly rich family that he’s capable of a normal social life. And he’s willing to pay a professional to fill that role. Who happens to be me.
It helps that I’m just desperate enough to need the cash and not ask any questions. I’m the obvious choice: Joni Zola, former dancer and forever flirt. Never too serious. Always a good time.
On its surface, the plan is simple. First, tell everyone we’re roommates. Then move on to lovers. His family will leave him alone, and I’ll have a free place to stay and a full bank account. Easy, right?
But as our scheme progresses, the lines blur. Soon casual PDA turns into sharing a bed at night. On the outside, Nathan Hunt is just my next boyfriend of the hour. But what if secretly, I might want him forever?
If we can keep things professional, this just might work. I can forget that kiss if he can.
When it comes to her siblings Joni has never felt she was their equal and that is only reinforced when an injury derails her dreams of dancing. She now finds herself in financial straits so Nathan’s appearance in her life couldn’t have come at a better time as he offers a place to stay while she pretends to be in a relationship with him.
Nathan is a surgeon who is successful professionally however his family are concerned about his personal life. He hopes that pretending to be in a relationship with Joni will give him the break he needs from their interference, but he never expected that someone who seems so wrong for him could feel so right.
Nathan and Joni may not be typical, but they understand each other in a way that few others in their lives do. In each other the find understanding, unconditional support and share their strengths with each other which makes them stronger individually and as a couple.
About Nicole French:
Nicole French is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She’s also a hopeless romantic, Springsteen fanatic, and total bookworm. When not writing, she is hanging out with her family, playing soccer with the rest of the thirty-plus crowd in Seattle, or going on dates with her husband. In her spare time, she likes to go running or practice the piano, but never seems to do either one of these things as much as she should.
Keep up with Nicole French and receive your FREE copy of one of her books when you subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.nicolefrenchromance.com/
For more information on Nicole and her books visit here
Two years ago I made her my final girl. Perhaps I’m a little obsessed. The shrine covering my bedroom wall would certainly agree. I’ve even played out a few scenarios that end with her taking my knife in much more creative ways than usual.
Today is the day I finally take her life.
I’m ramping up the carnage and tying up loose ends in bloody bows. There’s another serial killer in Umbra Valley and the Massacre Maniac won’t be outdone. However, our local femme fatale isn’t waiting around for me to kill my obsession. Appears she hates me as much as I hate her.
“Meet at midnight”, that’s what the letter says. Cute.
Don’t tango with the devil, sweetheart. You’re about to learn that he doesn’t play fair.
Why you need to #ONECLICK this book… 🏈Football Romance 🏈Vegas/Drunk Marriage 🏈Reverse Grumpy Sunshine 🏈One Bed 🏈Mistaken Identity 🏈Golden Retriever Hero 🏈Team owner’s niece 🏈Secret Relationship
What started out as a night of fun at a Vegas hotspot somehow turned into saying “I Do” by an Elvis impersonator.
If you think that’s bad, it gets worse. My new husband lied to me and told me he ran a not-for-profit. That couldn’t be further from the truth.
Imagine my surprise when I realized I married one of the best tight ends in the league.
Did I mention my uncle owns the team?
If you think things couldn’t get any more complicated, our plans to get an annulment are unexpectedly put on hold. So, now I’m trapped in this unforeseen marriage until we can find a way out. He assured me not to worry, proposing a temporary solution—move in with him and keep our relationship a secret.
Except, the more I get to know my husband, the more I want to stay married, especially when he calls me—”his wife”.
But life doesn’t always go as planned, especially when my uncle intercepts our news before we have a chance to tell him.
Now his spot on the team is at risk, my heart is on the line, and the fallout could cost us everything.
How to get revenge on your ex-husband: Step one: buy his family’s lumber company. Step two: demote him and force him to work for you. Step three: sit back and enjoy the sweet victory.
Not part of my genius plan?
Sleeping with the enemy.
Gus Hebert is no ordinary ex-husband. This grumpy lumberjack is hiding a big, squishy heart beneath those broad, flannel-clad shoulders. And he delights in pushing my buttons, challenging me, and flirting nonstop.
Our mutual dislike grows as we’re forced to work together. Until one night, after a little too much wine, the fighting turns into foreplay.
The situation only gets more complicated when I discover that I’m having my ex-husband’s baby.
I fell for his broken promises once before and vowed never to trust him again. But as things heat up at work and at home, and past mistakes threaten our future, we find that, together, we make a pretty good team.
Soon, I’m rediscovering long-forgotten dreams. And I can’t give into these growing feelings and fall for him again. Because now I have two hearts to protect.
Author’s Note: Pain in the Axe is a standalone small-town romance featuring a grumpy boss heroine and a grumpy lumberjack hero who just happen to be divorced exes. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers banter, nicknames, wood-chopping competitions, and growly, possessive heroes, you will not be disappointed.Don’t worry, Clive will appear as well—his main character-energy cannot be suppressed.