She wasn’t supposed to see him again after one reckless night. She definitely wasn’t supposed to be carrying his baby…
Cora
I’ve spent her whole life on the outside looking in—until I land in Saddle Creek, working for the one family that finally feels like home. There’s just one problem. Oliver Blankenship.
Grumpy. Guarded. And watching me like he’s already decided I’m trouble. He clearly doesn’t trust me. Thinks I’m after his money. The more I fall for his family… the harder it is to keep the truth from him. Because the secret I’m hiding? It’s going to tie me to him forever.
Oliver
I’ve been burned before—and I refuse to make that mistake again.
Cora is reckless. Tempting. Hiding something. I should keep his distance. Instead, I let her into my life, my family… my bed. The more I see the way she cares for the people I love, the more I want her to stay. But trust doesn’t come easy. And learning the truth means risking it all.
One unexpected pregnancy.
One man who refuses to trust.
One woman with everything to lose.
Because in a town like Saddle Creek, secrets don’t stay hidden …and falling in love might cost them more than their hearts.
Readers who love grumpy x sunshine, surprise pregnancy, and small town romance with heart will fall hard for Oliver and Cora’s story.
Gideon has vowed to take down the Capitol Ship, the Sword of Vonomidea, and its fleet before touching the City Stone of Umbra Mortem and freeing Erebus. After decades of slavery and his people pushing through starvation and constant siege, they have given him and L’Sana their faith and hope. It is a risk, a gamble but anything less would do nothing to bring the Multi-Versal War from the brink of loss. They had decades of their lives stolen from them, their souls and bodies entombed as a chess piece on the board of Primordials and their murderous creation, the System. For them to have a shot Gideon has to send a message.
To take on a Capitol Ship is the equivalent of taking on a God of War. Gideon Sho has become powerful beyond imagining but even he may fall before this enemy.
She raises an eyebrow, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of her lips.
“Were you? Because it looked like you were occupied. That girl seemed very interested in getting your attention.”
So she was watching me.
“You can call me Eva, by the way. My friends call me Eva,” she says, then takes a sip of water.
“Are we friends, Eva?” I smile.
“You know we are. I would say two people who talk just about every day are friends.”
“Then how come we never hang out aside from the sidelines at the game and the world’s most boring English Lit lecture?”
“Gah! Seriously, Professor Jenkins could suck the life out of The Great Gatsby; he deserves an award.”
“I only passed because you kept me awake.”
“You only passed because I created the study guide for you.”
“It was impressive. I liked the color-coded annotations.”
She points a finger at me. “And you still asked me what symbolism was ten minutes before the exam.”
“I was making conversation.”
“You were panicking.”
“Athletes don’t panic. We strategically worry.”
Her laugh fills the space between us, warm and familiar, and it hits me the same way it does whenever I’m around her. Like home.
“I guess we never really hung out,” She says, smiling softly. “We just always found each other.”
“At games.”
“In class.”
“Walking across campus.”
“Random coffee lines.”
“Exactly.”
She shrugs one shoulder. “I guess I figured football guys had football people.”
“And I figured producer girls had… I don’t know, theater people or something.”
She smiles knowingly. “So we’re both idiots.”
“I think that’s the first thing we’ve agreed on all night.”
Her eyes hold mine for a beat longer than they should, and the rest of the party fades into background noise.
Neither of us looks away.
“Well, I’m glad I came tonight. If not, I’d forever wonder if Evangeline Carrington and I are as good of friends as I thought.” I take a swig of my beer. “You know, some people say men and women can’t be friends. Personally, I think that’s bullshit.”
She blinks and then scrunches her brow. “Oh. right.” She looks down at the label on her water bottle, peeling at the corner with her thumb. “Because they say one person is always hiding a crush.” Her eyes lift back to mine. “But…that’s not us.”
The inflection at the end of that line comes up like she’s asking a question.
My pulse kicks hard against my ribs.
This is it.
One honest sentence changes everything.
This is where I could take my shot with Evangeline. I can’t say, well, actually, Eva, I’ve been harboring a sick crush on you for a long time, and seeing you naked under me would be putting every fantasy of mine to shame. So I play it safe.
“I have plenty of girls in my life who are just friends, and I definitely don’t want to hook up with them.”
She exhales quietly. I’m not sure if it’s relief or disappointment.
She lifts an eyebrow. Then her gaze drops to the floor for a second, and then she looks at me. “Actually, friend, I’m glad you came in here. I want to ask you something.”
“Go for it.”
She sets her bottle down and braces her hands against the edge of the counter. She looks at me dead in the eye. “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t go out with your brother?”
The bass from the other room fades to static. Yes, my brain screams. Because I’ve been kicking myself for three months for not asking you first. Because I want you. Because he doesn’t know you the way I’ve been trying to. But the words glue themselves to the roof of my mouth.
Ace is my twin. My built-in best friend. We don’t fight over girls and never have. But Ace hasn’t done anything wrong either. He has no idea that I have a thing for her. I’ve kept it entirely to myself, waiting for the perfect time, like a pussy. And now my brother has stepped into the space I wanted. He’s asked her out; otherwise, why would she ask me?
So if I tell her yes, if I make my claim now, I’ll be throwing a wrench into my brother’s plan for a girl I have no right to.
I can’t do that to him. I love him too much.
So I force my face to stay blank and let out a hollow laugh that feels like I’m swallowing glass. “Ace? Nah. He’s a good guy. An idiot sometimes, but his heart is gold.”
Eva searches my face, her eyes scanning mine like she’s looking for a crack or a sign telling her to say no to him. But I hold her gaze, praying she can’t see the lie in my eyes.
Not that I’m fully lying. My brother is great. But I want her for myself.
She takes a deep breath and holds it, then releases it. “Right,” she says, nodding. “Okay. Good to know.”
It might be wishful thinking on my part, but I swear I see a flicker of hurt or disappointment in her eyes. Or maybe she was just being friendly all this time because she liked my brother and was trying to get closer to him.
“Yeah,” I choke out, forcing a smile. “If he asks you out and you say yes, he’s a lucky guy.”
Before she can respond, Ace walks in, his face lighting up the second he sees us.
“Oh, hey. There you are,” he says, walking toward Eva and placing a hand on her shoulder. “The guys are setting out a new round of beer pong outside. You coming?”
“Sure,” she says softly. Her smile is aimed at Ace, but she gives me one last unreadable look. “I’ll be out there in a second. Let me grab my friends.” Then she turns and walks away.
“I’ll be here,” Ace calls after her, grinning. He grabs my arm, eyes wide and excited, and leans into me. “Did she say anything about me?”
I force myself to smile. “Why? What’d you do?”
“I asked her out.”
And there’s the confirmation that I did the right thing by not saying anything to her.
“I swear, brother, I think she might be my soulmate. There’s just something about her, you know?”
I did know. And I know I feel like I can barely breathe.
“Soulmate, huh?” I let out a rough laugh, slapping his shoulder hard. “You turning into a sap like Archie, Ace?” I tease, comparing him to our older brother who’s head over heels for his wife, Emma.
“F*ck yes,” he says, punching my arm before turning to walk out the door to the backyard. “She could be my Emma,” he says over his shoulder.
I stand there for a minute and watch him walk away. My stomach is in knots. But I can’t sit here and sulk all night. So I walk out of the kitchen and blend back into the crowd. The noise washes over me, but inside my head … nothing.
Three months of hesitation. Three months of waiting for the right time.
And just like that, I’ve missed my chance.
BLURB:
I knew falling for Evangeline Carrington would ruin everything.
I just didn’t know how fast.
She was my twin brother’s girlfriend in college.
But I’d wanted her first.
Gorgeous, sharp-tongued, impossible to ignore, Evangeline is the kind of woman you never really forget. And when I run into her at a teammate’s wedding years later, one dance turns into too many drinks … and one reckless night neither of us can take back.
I try putting distance between us again, but that becomes impossible once Evangeline starts covering my team as a field producer. She’s determined to prove she earned her place, and keeping us a secret is the only way to protect the career she’s fought for.
And I want to keep us a secret because my brother wants her back.
But secrets like ours were never built to survive.
Not with cameras following her every move, looking for a scandal.
Not with my brother suddenly showing up at my games and making a play for my girl.
And definitely not when every stolen touch between us feels less like a mistake … and more like something neither of us is willing to give up.
Because the deeper I fall for Evangeline, the more impossible the decision becomes—choosing my family … or the woman I think was always meant to be mine.
Why you need to #ONECLICK this book… 💚Fake Dating 🏒Grumpy/Sunshine 💚On the Rebound 🏒Inconvenient Attraction 💚Opposites Attract 🏒Hockey Romance 💚3rd person POV
A jilted bride. A wrecked goalie. An unexpected kiss that changes everything.
I came here to reset.
After a season that pushed me to my limits, I needed sun, quiet, and space—somewhere I could shut out the noise and get my head back under control.
Then Lexi Campbell sat beside me at the bar and asked for my help flirting with another guy.
I said yes because it was supposed to be fake. A distraction. Something with clear lines and no consequences. I’m good with pressure. I know how to stay focused, how to hold my ground when everything’s coming at me fast.
What I didn’t expect was how easy it felt to want her.
One kiss blows past every boundary I set. Suddenly, I’m not playing defense anymore—I’m all in, and I don’t know how to pull back. Lexi’s on a honeymoon she’s taking alone, guarding a broken heart she pretends doesn’t still hurt. I’m standing at my own crossroads, unsure where my future leads or if I’m ready to risk wanting something real again.
It was supposed to be a fling. But wanting her is the one thing I can’t seem to control.
For fans of fake dating, opposites attract, and swoony NHL players who actually like to dance, Slapshot Summer is a heartwarming romance with plenty of spice … and, of course, a guaranteed HEA.
**PLEASE NOTE: This story was originally published as Sunsets, Stick Saves, and a Honeymoon in the Love in Destiny Series. The content has not changed. If you’ve read that version, then you’ve read this one as well.**
💚Review💚 Lexi thought she had her future planned out until she not only finds herself unemployed but the night before their wedding her fiancé ends their engagement. Needing to get away she decides to go on the honeymoon they planned alone however it doesn’t get off to the best start when she meets Josh.
Josh is facing a crossroads when it comes to his hockey career and now he finds himself alone on the trip he and his brother planned. He was frustrated when he met Lexi, so he didn’t leave a good first impression however when he comes to her rescue she is lot more to grumpy man than she thought but where do they go from here?
Even though the reasons are different both Lexi and Josh are going through a difficult time in their life and meet each other at the perfect time. Between the tropical location, the humor, the passion and the emotions the romance of Lexi and Josh will draw you in.
In a future where Earth is ruled by the Cothellon—an ancient and powerful elven race—rebellion stirs beneath the surface. Trey, a human with a fragmented past, is haunted by the memories of experiments that transformed him into a Prime Mage. Struggling to unlock his full magical potential, he joins a daring resistance against the Cothellon, who fuel their power through dark rituals and the sacrifice of human lives.
Rylan, a grieving underkid, is determined to prevent more innocent bloodshed after losing his best friend in a brutal ceremony. Alongside his rebel team, the Shock Crew, he seeks to dismantle the Cothellon’s reign of terror. Arra, a rebellious elf defying tradition, finds herself torn between her people and the growing human resistance.
As the Conjunction—a celestial event that will move heaven and Earth itself—draws near, the rebels uncover a sinister plot to destroy Earth itself. With time running out, Trey, Rylan, and Arra must unite to stop the Cothellon’s ultimate weapon, or risk the annihilation of both their worlds.
For the past four plus years, her rural existence with her children has been laden by domestic overload, caregiving fatigue and emotional burnout… but she’s had to keep going regardless.
Newly retired hockey player Mitch Hannigan is done with the city and can’t wait to live in his mountain home. But soon after he moves in, an incident occurs which puts aside the quiet life he envisioned. With no other choice available, Mitch moves Courtney and her kids into his home.
Human behavior had been part of his team’s preparation for games for the past fifteen years. That made him something of an expert, even if he didn’t know that. He has emotional wealth and insight most men of his age might never attain.
After observing Courtney and her kids, Mitch recognizes that although her kids are well-cared for, their mom is drained and functioning in survival mode. When forced to live together, Courtney continually waits for Mitch to fail.
But when this protective hero continues to show up, it is her that falls first. As their intimacy grows through the ordinary days, and she watches Mitch use his gentle masculine energy to bond with her children, Courtney begins to trust and to heal from her tragic past.
Demonstrating tenderness over passion, Mitch repurposes his life, and builds trust, sharing the load that held Courtney down. In doing this he set her free to heal and learn to love again.
This is an opposites attract, forced proximity, slow burn, second chance romance that will capture your heart and make you believe that anything is possible.
My secret workplace romance starts innocently enough at a birthday party.
But when a rowdy partier knocks me into a lake and a sexy stranger comes to my rescue – my night becomes one to remember.
A night so steamy I almost forget why I’ve sworn off men after a failed workplace romance.
Trouble is, the brand new doggy daycare in Darling Springs that I’ve contracted with is owned by none other than my sexy stranger. Thanks, fate.
Sawyer turns out to be a total grump in a tailored suit, no matter how sunshine-y I am. Even when he squeezes that hard body past me as I bring donuts to work. Or when he pretends he’s not roaming his dark eyes over me as I teach Fido to sit, stay and come.
But I’m focusing on my shiny new future—my dog-training business is suddenly the hottest thing in town, thanks to a new actress client. And when I’m roped into a charity dance number, I smell an opportunity, especially when I learn my hot landlord has an alter ego and a fandom.
Turns out Mr. Serious Boss is up for dance lessons.
Then the entire Dirty Dancing experience.
Giving into our chemistry once won’t hurt. Two might be pushing it. By the seventh, it’s undeniable–I’ve got a crush on him too.
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Her books have been featured in US Weekly and People. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
He saves her from a fate worse than hell, and in return, she ruins his life.
Not on purpose, though.
No, the men who think to rule her life don’t like that she has a champion on her side and realize the best way to get back at her is to go through him.
They find a really great way to do it, too.
They frame him for a crime he didn’t intentionally commit and sentence him to spend thirteen years in prison. As an added bonus, they take his child—the one thing that matters most to him— just to remind him that they hold all the power.
But Sage will never let them have any power over her.
That’s why, the day before he’s sentenced to prison, Sage offers the only protection she can think to give him. Her hand in marriage.
For seven years, Sage fights to get her husband-in-name-only free.
Just when she thinks she’s close, she gets the news. Her husband has died in a prison riot, leaving her free to marry another.
That’s when she decides to run.
And where does her running take her? Right into the arms of a man who was supposed to be dead.
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
Gentry is a protector who doesn’t hesitate to come to the assistance of Sage, a woman he doesn’t really know, which has now resulted in him being incarcerated and a marriage of convenience with her and losing his son. When Apollo offers to help him escape and create a new life he agrees if it means that she will get the fresh start she needs as well however the only problem is that everyone has believed he has passed away.
Sage found herself being forced by her mafia family into a marriage she doesn’t want to a man she wants nothing to do with. When Gentry comes to her rescue she wants to do what she can to help which includes a marriage of convenience and daily letters, so he doesn’t feel alone while she tries to get him set free. When she believes he has passed away the offer she receives for a job in Montana couldn’t have come at a better time however she is about to find out she is no longer a widow but a wife.
This story hits on so many levels from the romance between two people whose beginning was not ideal, to the chemistry that is always there to the secrets that are about to be unleashed and the emotional impact that keeps coming as these two characters fight for the happiness that has always been out of reach.
I knew falling for Evangeline Carrington would ruin everything.
I just didn’t know how fast.
She was my twin brother’s girlfriend in college.
But I’d wanted her first.
Gorgeous, sharp-tongued, impossible to ignore, Evangeline is the kind of woman you never really forget. And when I run into her at a teammate’s wedding years later, one dance turns into too many drinks … and one reckless night neither of us can take back.
I try putting distance between us again, but that becomes impossible once Evangeline starts covering my team as a field producer. She’s determined to prove she earned her place, and keeping us a secret is the only way to protect the career she’s fought for.
And I want to keep us a secret because my brother wants her back.
But secrets like ours were never built to survive.
Not with cameras following her every move, looking for a scandal.
Not with my brother suddenly showing up at my games and making a play for my girl.
And definitely not when every stolen touch between us feels less like a mistake … and more like something neither of us is willing to give up.
Because the deeper I fall for Evangeline, the more impossible the decision becomes—choosing my family … or the woman I think was always meant to be mine.
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