Secrets have a way of revealing themselves. Sometimes they lead to heartache, but other times they surprise you and give you everything you need.
Edgar is the youngest in a generations-old crabbing family. He’s always known who and what he’d grow up to be. Until everything changes.
From the moment he picks up a welding torch, he knows his life will never be the same. Curiosity about what he can create leads him down the road to producing something truly magical. But how does he tell his family where his heart lies? And what happens when, because of his secret art, he meets an incredible woman who entices him in every way?
Simone, a sought-after art curator from New York City, has spent most of her adult life building connections and establishing an impressive reputation. Unexpectedly, she’s introduced to a new artist whose work stirs up intense emotions within her.
He wants to remain anonymous, but she needs to know more about this mystery man. She travels to his hometown of Kodiak, Alaska, to see what inspires his extraordinary art. While there, she meets a crab fisherman who captivates her, leaving her tied up in knots. The connection they share is intense and life-changing, much like the works of the secretive artist. Only, she can’t answer why. Nor can she figure out what, if anything, happens next with the small-town crabber. Because getting involved with a younger man who lives on the other side of the country seems impractical and foolish.
But could they make it work if all their secrets and fears were released?
When I wake up next to my best friend’s brother after a night of bottom shelf tequila and a sizzling one night stand, I do my best to pretend the whole thing never happened.
Until six weeks later, when two pink lines derail my every plan.
Not only is Graham Astor the brother to my three closest friends and the boy I secretly crushed on for years as a teenager, but he’s also a single dad and a grieving widower.
With a new career on my horizon, I don’t have time for complicated or messy—everything Graham and this news brings—and yet, when he expresses how much he wants this, I can’t deny how much I do too.
Even if that means I might wind up heartbroken later.
Navigating this new reality and everything that comes along with it quickly becomes a test of my willpower and self-control as he continues to say all the right things and shows up for me, even when I don’t ask him to. The more time we spend together, the harder it is to keep my feelings out of it.
Especially when I move in with him, and the memory of his hot breath on my neck and the weight of his body on mine haunts me, reminding me of the blazing chemistry we shared.
I tell myself I won’t fall in love with Graham—not again—I swear, I won’t.
But then he looks at me the way he does, or he talks to my belly, telling our growing baby how lucky he is to be their dad, or I watch how incredible he is with his daughter, and it’s impossible not to.
It’s impossible not to picture what our life could be like together, in love and as a family.
But then I think about how the truth of our beautiful little surprise, and all the history we share, will come out eventually.
What if the fantasy in my head is as close as I’ll ever get to being loved by him?
Cartel romance, marriage of convenience, slow burn, protective hero, unexpected love, independent heroine, he falls first, age-gap, organized crime, morally gray hero, widow heroine, trauma recovery, dangerous romance
As a newly declared lieutenant in the Roríguez cartel, I’m told I need a wife. The cartel allegiance with the Luciano family has mandated multiple matrimonial mergers. However, I’m not looking for a wife in the true sense of the word. Liliana Ruiz has been in my life for years. I’d never before looked at her as a woman to pursue. When I first met her, she was damaged and timid.
Time allowed Liliana to grow into not only a beautiful woman, but an independent soul. She doesn’t want to marry, yet the time will come when it isn’t her choice. Maybe I can convince her to a mutually agreeable solution: marriage in name only.
Everything changes when danger threatens the Roríguez cartel.
Spend the holidays with the familiar characters from the Luciano famiglia and Roríguez cartel in this 34,000-word Brutal Vows novella—complete story with HEA.
Aleatha Romig is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Together with her high-school sweetheart and husband of over thirty years, they’ve raised three children. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns or her new lighter side, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!
My taste for the dark side has nearly killed me once.
And now I am knocking on death’s door again, only this time the darkness stares back at me with the most gorgeous eyes.
All three of them. Mafia underlords. Criminals. Kings of pleasure and keepers of shattered souls.
And the worst part is, they know my name, the taste of me, the feel of my curves beneath their heated touches. There’s no escaping their decadent world of crime and sin.
Now that I know their darkest secret they will hunt me, punish me. They promise I’ll like it and my biggest fear is the truth behind their words.
Yet I still run.
I don’t know why I fight. The shadowed underworld always wins.
Question is, will I thrive in the darkness or will they kill me softly under their dark reign?
L.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Lakeside Cottage and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly newsletter, Love Notes.
As the CEO of a major department store, I know firsthand that Christmas joy can be bought and sold just like anything else.
That’s right. When it comes to the most wonderful time of the year, I’m a grinch in a penthouse.
But when a gorgeous, red-headed firefighter saves me from a heart attack with a kiss and a whispered plea, even I can’t begrudge her a simple favor – be her date at her younger brother’s holiday wedding.
Turns out, there’s nothing simple about it.
Suddenly, I’m ice skating on frozen ponds, baking cookies with her family, kissing under mistletoes, and finding a little fa-la-la in the season. I don’t even recognize myself.
Because she’s like the spirit of Christmas present, haunting my thoughts, sparking something in my cold heart, and making me crave things past-me would never have considered asking the big man in red for – a future.
Once upon a time, a scrooge like me vowed to transform. The only thing he didn’t get in the end was the girl. I’m determined that won’t happen to me.
It’s either give up my selfish ways or lose the love of a truly elf-ish woman.
+++
L.B. Dunbar is back with another Holiday Hottie certain to heat the season and be your reason to fall in love this November. The fourth book among these Chicago firefighters can be read as a complete standalone, but we’re sure you’ll want to check out the rest of the department once you finish this one.
🎁Review🎁 Angelica is an EMT who finds herself at Ashford’s department store when the CEO appears to be having a heart attack expects it to be just another call however the victim happens to be someone she knew from high school even if he doesn’t recognize her. It doesn’t end there when she decides to visit his hospital room and one casual comment leads to him agreeing to be her plus one for her brother’s wedding while she agrees to be his plus one for a business event.
What Jude has been through is an eye opener and he begins to wonder if there can be more to life than the family business. He has a reputation for being demanding and abrasive however Angelica makes that difficult as her cheery personality and willing to do anything for anyone makes him want to be a better man.
Angelica and Josh’s story is both humorous and heartwarming as she shows Jude there is so much more to life than the way he has been living it and the having it centered around the season only ensured it touched your heart even more.
Broken by betrayal, one woman holds the secret to his redemption…
An agent broken
MI6 agent Damon Knight prided himself on always being in control. His missions were executed with cold, calculating precision. His club, The Garden, was run with an equally ordered and detached decadence. But his perfect world was shattered by one bullet, fired from the gun of his former partner. That betrayal almost cost him his life and ruined his career. His handlers want him to retire, threatening to revoke his license to kill if he doesn’t drop his obsession with a shadowy organization called The Collective. To earn their trust, he has to prove himself on a unique assignment with an equally unusual partner.
A woman tempted
Penelope Cash has spent her whole life wanting more. More passion. More adventure. But duty has forced her to live a quiet life. Her only excitement is watching the agents of MI6 as they save England and the world. Despite her training, she’s only an analyst. The closest she is allowed to danger and intrigue is in her dreams, which are often filled with one Damon Knight. But everything changes when the woman assigned to pose as Damon’s submissive on his latest mission is incapacitated. Penny is suddenly faced with a decision. Stay in her safe little world or risk her life and her heart for Queen and country.
An enemy revealed
With the McKay-Taggart team at their side, Damon and Penny hunt an international terrorist across the great cities of Northern Europe. Playing the part of her Master, Damon begins to learn that under Penny’s mousy exterior is a passionate submissive, one who just might lay claim to his cold heart. But when Damon’s true enemy is brought out of the shadows, it might be Penny who pays the ultimate price.
🎧Review🎧 Even though Damon is still recovering, physically and emotionally, from being double-crossed by the person he should have been able to trust he is no longer able to remain inactive. MI6 has their concerns that he is ready so they plan to ease him in with a joint assignment with McKay Taggert but he requires a woman to establish his cover and believes that Penelope might be a perfect fit.
Penelope works for MI6 as well however not in the field. Even though she has noticed Damon she believes that she is nothing like the woman he would be attracted to however the opportunity to work undercover with him will allow her to push her boundaries and expose her to a lifestyle both personally and professionally that she has never experienced.
Damon and Penelope find the perfect balance in each other as we see Penelope evolve into the woman she is mean to be and she helps Damon heal from the past and allows us to see a side of him that few get to see. Catching up with the McKay Taggert team is always fun and Ryan West does an incredible job of portraying the action, heat and suspense of the story.
Evie has had feelings for Miller, her sister’s ex boyfriend, for a while but she also knows he is off limits for multiple reasons. The situation is about to become complicated when he is now playing for the team that she also works for. She now finds herself conflicted between the feelings she still has for him and protecting those she loves.
Miller knows the best decision for everyone involved would be to keep his distance from Evie and her son Tyler. He also had feelings for Evie but soon realizes that those feelings are not in the past however the secrets and the danger don’t make it easy.
Secrets, turmoil and heat as Miller and Selina take us on a emotional and romantic journey filled with surprises.
Macon Miles knows what it means to make sacrifices for his country. Married to his high school sweetheart, he once had a promising future in the military and everything seemed complete. All that changed when a routine patrol in Afghanistan turned into a nightmare. When the dust settled, Macon had lost his career, his wife, and his leg. Lost and alone, his only comfort comes from his newfound love of cooking. When his estranged brother, Adam, offers him a new home and a chance to work at a friend’s restaurant in Dallas, it’s an offer he can’t refuse.
A woman searching for the past…
Allyson Jones made her foster mother a deathbed promise. She would find out what really happened to Ronnie in Afghanistan. Ally doesn’t believe the Army’s reports about her foster brother’s death, and she knows only one man can tell her what really happened—Macon Miles. Following him to Dallas, she gets a job working alongside him at Top, Sean Taggart’s decadent new restaurant. She is sure Macon is hiding something about Ronnie’s death, and she’ll do whatever it takes to unravel the mystery.
When circumstances force Macon and Ally together, their chemistry is hotter than any dish at Top. But when Ally’s deception is exposed and the truth about Ronnie’s death is revealed, will they be able to reclaim the love they’ve lost?
🎧Review🎧 Macon’s last military mission resulted in the loss of his leg and ended his marriage as well. He is struggling to find a path forward until Adam, his brother, finds out what happens and brings him home with him. He is now working at Top, the restaurant owned by Sean Taggart, when Allyson starts working there as well.
Allyson has a reason for working at Top and it is to try to find the answers that she believes that Macon has about her brother’s death. When she gets to know Macon she realizes that he is a good man and that is the only truth she needs to know but secrets have a way of coming out in the worst possible way.
Both Allyson and Allyson bear the emotional scars of the past which doesn’t always allow them to make the best choices. The heat and feelings between them are undeniable as they both help each other heal from the past. Lance Greenfield does a wonderful job of narrating story and allows you to experience the emotions that they were feelings as well as the camaraderie with the rest of the characters.
She was never supposed to be mine. Walking away was the only acceptable decision.
It was just one night. Two lonely souls finding solace in the one place we shouldn’t have—my bed. I thought once would be enough, but leaving her is my biggest—maybe my only—regret.
Now, I’m back and seeing the results of that night is killing me.
I’ll make it up to her. I have to. Because I’ve never loved anyone else.
Because I’d rather die than break her heart a second time.
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Kat Mizera was born in Miami Beach with a healthy dose of Wanderlust. She’s lived from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, but home is wherever her family is. A devoted mom and wife to her wonderful and supportive husband (Kevin) and two amazing boys (Nick and Max), Kat loves to travel the globe with her adventurous, hockey loving family. Greece is at the top of that list. She hopes to one day retire there, spending her days writing books on the beach.
Kat is former freelance sports writer who now writes steamy hockey romance about her favorite fictional teams, the Las Vegas Sidewinders and the Lauderdale Knights. The library of novels she’s penned also include sexy contemporary stories about baseball stars, alpha sex club owners, bodyguards, rock stars, and royalty. Regardless of genre, her books about bad boys with hearts of gold will steal your breath, rock your world and melt your heart.
To find out about Kat Mizera’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here
USA TODAY bestselling author, Elise Faber, loves chocolate, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and hockey (the order depending on the day and how well her team—the Sharks!—are playing). She and her husband also play as much hockey as they can squeeze into their schedules, so much so that their typical date night is spent on the ice. Elise changes her hair color more often than some people change their socks, loves sparkly things, and is the mom to two exuberant boys. She lives in Northern California.
To find out about Elise Faber’s upcoming releases and giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here