Once upon a time Donavon Jewel was the boy next door. Then he became the bane of my high school existence… okay, technically that was his girlfriend. Not that it’s a problem anymore, now that we’re both adults and Donavon doesn’t even live in Saddle Creek anymore (he’s a football superstar in Austin). Except… Now my mom is marrying his dad. Wait, what?
Donavon
I fell in love with the girl next door since I was eleven. Not that Kathryn has given me the time of day since we hit puberty and she caught me ogling her really big … eyes. But I’m a grown man now and I’m certainly not going to grovel where I’m not wanted. Except, she’s about to be my step sister. And our families have tricked us into spending the weekend together to “sort this out once and for all.” Can I spend a weekend with her without telling her how I really feel? Not if she doesn’t stop looking at me like that, I can’t.
Things I should never, under any circumstances ever do: ask my secret crush, aka. the most notorious (reformed) playboy in pro hockey, to take my virginity.
Too bad, I did.
After a string of terrible dates, I did the unthinkable. I propositioned Flip Madden.
Of course, he said no. It isn’t that he’s almost a decade older than me and I’m still in university.
But because I’m his coach’s oldest daughter.
Not to mention my dad would bludgeon him with his hockey stick if he found out.
Which he won’t because it will never happen.
And now things are awkward because there’s no going back.
Except Flip is more protective than ever before and his eyes follow me in every room we’re in together. He brings flowers to my recitals and reads all the books I recommend.
Things I should never, under any circumstances ever do: hope Flip Madden might actually want me too.
NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her adorable, emotional cat, who thinks the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from emotional contemporary romance to romantic comedies that will have you laughing until you cry.
Tally is in her final year of college and is preparing to embark on her future as a dancer. She is tired of being approached by men who want to be her in first, in large part due to her father’s occupation as a coach, so she decides to ask Flip, the man she has been crushing on for years, to be that man. Even though he doesn’t agree it brings about a change in their relationship that was in the making for years.
His past sent Flip on a journey where his escapades with woman became well known and even though he is no longer that man the people that don’t know him can’t forget. He doesn’t believe he is the man that Tally needs however when she makes her feelings clear he wants to be the man she needs and will do everything to protect her from the scrutiny that comes with his career.
Tally is going through a difficult time as she tries to balance school, their relationship and some family drama and Flip wants to be there and do anything he can to make it easier however he also has a secret that he hasn’t yet shared. CJ Bloom and Lee Samuels were perfect choices to narrate this story as they bring out heat, romance, humor and heart of this story.
Kace Elliott is the hockey player with a genius IQ and a secret side hustle in applied physics. He’s falling for his research partner, but she doesn’t know who he is outside of the lab. Now, the closer they get, the harder it becomes for him to keep his two worlds from colliding.
On the ice, I’m Kace Elliott—starting goalie for the Pittsburgh Titans, fighting to prove myself in the playoffs. Off it, I’m William—a scientific researcher, quietly holding on to the academic world I’ll return to when hockey is over. Both versions are real, they just aren’t meant to overlap.
Until Dr. Laurel Kent.
Laurel is brilliant, principled, and deeply rooted in a world where transparency matters. She knows me online as William, her intellectual equal, the man who shares her passion for data, late-night collaboration, and easy, unexpected chemistry. William is very much her type whereas athletes are not.
I need her to like the bigger part of me—the hockey player. When she meets me in person, as Kace, I make the choice to let her see the type of man she’s sworn off from ever dating. She gets the Titans goalie and all the craziness that comes with the playoffs. But here’s where it gets complicated: I make the dangerous decision not to tell her Kace and William are the same person.
By some stroke of luck, Laurel agrees to give Kace a shot, and our time together is more than I ever hoped for. The closer together we grow, the less she talks about William, and I convince myself I’ll tell her the truth when the timing is better, once I’m able to prove I’m more than the label she’s written off. But timing has a way of unraveling even the best intentions.
As the pressure of the playoffs intensifies, the boundary I’ve relied on becomes impossible to maintain. When Laurel discovers how closely intertwined my worlds really are, I’m faced with the cost of asking someone to love only part of me.
And winning on the ice means nothing if I lose the woman who made me want to stop dividing my life in two.
BLURB: Neutral Zone is a friends-to-lovers romance featuring an unconventional hockey hero and his live-life-to-the-fullest best friend who have to get honest with each other when life gets real.
I’ve fallen in love with my best friend. I know, I know. That’s a terrible idea, but it’s going to be fine because we have a plan. A best friends with benefits plan.
We’ll keep spending our days and nights together. We’ll keep cheering each other on and making each other laugh. We’ll keep staying up all night in my room, watching true crime documentaries the way besties do.
But now it’s going to get steamy. Very steamy.
In order to keep our friendship intact, boundaries have been set, and as long as we don’t cross the line, everything will be fine. Seriously. Trust me. It’s a great plan, and it’s all going to work out, and there’s zero chance that everything will go up in flames.
Although I do have a history of accidentally lighting things on fire…but really, that was just a couch. And a house. This is different. I swear.
Neutral Zone is the fourth and final book in Season Two of the Bainbridge U Hockey series, and it can be enjoyed as a standalone. If you’re a sucker for a hot mess hero with a heart of gold and a feisty heroine who isn’t afraid to fight for the man she loves, then get ready for Mickey and Viv!
From USA Today best selling author Scarlett Cole, writing as S. Cole, comes an electrifying MMF, grumpy x sunshine x lightning, motorcycle club romance.
Isla
I wanted to be loved by a biker with my whole heart, but all they ever took was my body.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped recognizing the woman I’d become.
Inheriting my Nanna’s rundown house is the fresh start I need.
A life away from the club. Away from men who only ever take.
So the last thing I need is Jackal and Shade moving into the only other house on the street…and offering me more than just help with renovations.
Shade
I’ve never thought I was worth loving.
I’m grumpy, withdrawn, and come with baggage.
Jackal saw through all that and loved me anyway. For me, he chose monogamy.
Men like me don’t get one great love, let alone two.
But I’m looking at Isla differently now…and wondering if there’s a way to love her without destroying what we’ve built.
Jackal
I fell in love with Shade the day I met him, even though he had no intention of loving me back.
He wanted monogamy, and he was worth the sacrifice.
But now he’s looking at Isla the same way I am.
And I can’t stop imagining a life where the three of us choose each other.
Until violence hits, and we don’t know which of us is the target.
We’ve been given the kind of love you only dare to hope for.
✨TEASER: THE BLOCKS WE MAKE by @authorbrookeobrien releasing April 3rd! Preorder or purchase on release day and get access to an exclusive bonus scene.
Why you will love this book… 🏒Hockey Romance 💙Coach’s Daughter 🏒Secret Identity × Online Friends to Lovers 💙Close Proximity 🏒Small Town 💙College 🏒Found family 💙Secrets, lies, and betrayal
Grab your free copy when you sign up to E. Hazard’s Substack:
~Blurb~
Greed can be sticky. Murder even stickier.
Autumn arrives in Willowby, and the Golden Harvest Market is buzzing with excitement. Local beekeepers are preparing for the annual Honey Showdown, and Tamsin Blake is ready to debut her honey-lavender scones using a gift from her kindly neighbor, reclusive apiarist Murray Wood. But when Murray fails to appear at his usual stall and is later found dead in his shed, apparently stung to death, panic spreads as fast as spilled honey.
The scene doesn’t add up. Murray’s protective suit is untouched, several hives are missing, and rumors swirl of someone stealing bees at night. Determined to protect her community and her café’s “Bee Sweet Week,” Tamsin begins to investigate and discovers Murray had more than a few enemies.
Suspects include a rival commercial beekeeper with expanding ambitions, an estranged nephew eager to sell the land, a furious neighbor tired of buzzing invaders, and a temperamental mead maker cut off from Murray’s prized honey supply. Everyone has a motive…and sticky fingers.
A Honeycomb to Die For is a charming and twisty cozy mystery with autumn vibes, delicious treats, and a sting in the tale. Perfect for fans of culinary mysteries, amateur sleuths, and small-town secrets.
In a sizzling return to New York Times bestselling author Susan Stoker’s Alpha Cove, a former Navy chef meets his match in a woman who holds her own in a man’s world…and he wants her to be a part of his.
Like his brothers, Zach Young has recently moved home to Maine after the untimely death of his father. In addition to helping his mom maintain Lobster Cove, the family’s beloved property, the Navy cook has big dreams of opening his own restaurant…but, for now, has reluctantly settled for a lobster shack. Not exactly what he had in mind, though a new lobsterwoman in town has made his daily trips to the docks worthwhile.
Having been literally bullied out of her last port city a little farther down the coast, Marit Phillips isn’t in Rockville long before the familiar grumblings begin…hardened lobstermen thinking a petite woman can’t possibly do the job, no matter how experienced. Fortunately, her new boss judges her based on work ethic…and the handsome cook who visits their boat every day? He seems to see things in Marit that even she doesn’t.
But as much as Zach builds her up, there’s another man in town, his polar opposite, trying to tear her down. And he proves more determined than the couple thought possible…
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
New York Times, USA Today, #1 Amazon Bestseller, and #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, Susan Stoker has a heart as big as the state of Tennessee where she lives, but this all American girl has also spent the last eighteen years living in Missouri, California, Colorado, Indiana, and Texas. She’s married to a retired Army man (and current firefighter/EMT) who now gets to follow her around the country.
She debuted her first series in 2014 and quickly followed that up with the SEAL of Protection Series, which solidified her love of writing and creating stories readers can get lost in.
Everything that Marit has endured in her past has only made her stronger. This is part of the reason that she has been able to succeed in her career in lobsters despite all the pushback that she gets. She has come to Rockville for a better professional opportunity which is working out well when she meets Zach a frequent customer of the man she works for.
After the passing of his father Zach has returned home to be there for his family. Until he is able to open his restaurant he has created a lobster shack which has him visiting Marit on a regular basis. He is drawn to her independence and sassy personality and is willing to be patient until she knows she can trust him however when danger arrives there is nothing he won’t do to keep her safe.
The romance between Marit and Zach is intense and heartfelt as Zach has met his perfect match in Marit as they take us a journey filled with emotion, heat, suspense and love.
Psychologist Kai Ferguson has had his eye on Kori Williamson for a long time. His assistant is everything he’s ever wanted in a partner—smart, caring, witty, and a bit of a masochist. More than a little, actually, but that’s the problem. Kori won’t admit her own desires. She’s afraid of him and what he has to offer. Luckily for her, helping patients face their fears is one of his specialties.
Kori knows she wants Kai. Her boss is the most amazing man she’s ever met. She’s also smart enough to stay away from him. Having been down this road before, she knows it only leads to heartache. She’s just found a place where she can belong. Another failed relationship is the last thing she needs. It’s better to guard her heart and let Kai think she’s frightened of his dark, dominant nature.
When Kai is recruited for an operation with McKay-Taggart, everything is turned upside down. Kai’s brother, international superstar Jared Johns, is in town and Kai must juggle his family issues along with a desperate hunt for a serial killer. The investigation throws Kori and Kai together, and they quickly discover the chemistry between them is undeniable. But even if their newfound love can survive his secrets and her lies, it may not be enough to save them both from a killer’s twisted obsession.
🎧Review🎧 Kai’s reputation is well known both when it comes to the way he helps the other members and what his needs are when it comes to his lifestyle. He hasn’t acted on his feelings for Kori, his assistant, as he doesn’t believe they want the same things but once he realizes that isn’t true he is no longer willing to step aside.
Kori has created a new life for herself at Sanctum and wants to leave everything that happened in the past where it belongs. When Jared’s brother arrives and is being investigated for a series of crimes it not only creates conflict but forces Kai and Kori to finally acknowledge their feelings for each other.
Kai and Kori have both keep parts of lives secret and seeing them get to know each other and letting us get to know them is enlightening. Entertaining interactions, hot chemistry and intriguing secondary characters will draw you in. Ryan West’s performance is superb as always as he brings out the personalities of the characters as well as all the emotions they are feelings and the heat between them.
Almost Real Nicole Snow Publication date: March 3, 2026 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
A love for paws and claws unites a fiery vet tech and a bad boy billionaire in this intense and steamy fake engagement fiasco by Wall Street Journal bestselling author Nicole Snow.
Lena Joly has a fierce soul for healing every pet who limps into her struggling clinic. Taming human jerkwads is nothing new—until the day Brady Pruitt storms in with an adorable lost puppy.
There’s nothing cute about him. His wicked reputation overshadows devastating good looks and a jaw-dropping fortune. She’s relieved to send Seattle’s infamous bad boy billionaire packing and get back to fighting for her clinic. But Brady already decided the spitfire who ranks him lower than a banana peel can convince his family he’s finally respectable.
Lena could scream. A temporary “engagement” to fool his optics-obsessed parents? An obscene payday to keep tails wagging forever? And practice kissing?
Holy hell. The girl with barbed wire guarding her scarred love life can’t hide when the butterflies hit. And after their love for animals sweeps them away, after pillow talk becomes bad habit, after it feels too real, two stone hearts will be glorious confetti…
🐕Review🐕 There is a lot more to Brady than his reputation even if parents don’t agree. When he comes across a stray puppy which brings him to the clinic where Lena works. After meeting her he realizes that they can be the answers to each others’ problems by pretending to be in a relationship.
Lena is concerned about the fate of the clinic where she works and what it will mean for both her and the animals. She believes that Brady is privileged and his needs will always come first however his offer is an opportunity she can’t turn down however the turmoil that goes along with it was something she wasn’t expecting.
This is a story of redemption for both Brady and Lena. The interactions between them are entertaining, their romance is enchanting and every challenge they face only reinforces that as long as they are together they can overcome anything.
Author Bio:
Nicole Snow is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author. She found her love of writing by hashing out love scenes on lunch breaks and plotting her great escape from boardrooms. Her work roared onto the indie romance scene in 2014 with her Grizzlies MC series.
Since then Snow aims for the very best in growly, heart-of-gold alpha heroes, unbelievable suspense, and swoon storms aplenty. With over a million books sold, she lives for the joy of making two people fight with every bit of their soul for a Happily Ever After.
Current fan favorites include her Enguard Protectors series, accidental love novels, plus long beloved MC romance thrillers like the Grizzlies and Deadly Pistols.
𝑯𝒆𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝑺𝒍𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓: 𝒂 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒅, 𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒍𝒍-𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 (𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒐𝒚𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 2) by USA Today bestselling author Ginger Scott releases on March 19th. We are thrilled to share this teaser with you!
Brooks Callahan is a star on the diamond. But when it comes to parenting an infant, he’s in over his head. Good thing I know a thing or two about being a nanny.
When my marriage blew up, my life was on the verge of spiraling. As a single mom of toddler twins with zero job prospects, I wasn’t sure how I was going to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table without living with my dysfunctional parents. But when my sister’s boyfriend gives my number to one of his teammates, talking up my nannying skills, I’m suddenly thrown a life raft. All I need to do is keep things professional.
So what if my new employer looks great with his shirt off. And has blue eyes that literally reflect an ocean of possibilities. And stares at me with enough heat to melt a glacier.
Brooks Callahan might be the best Sweetwater Mavericks player I’ve ever seen step up to the plate. But for him, baseball isn’t just a passion—it’s his path to survival. Our late-night talks give me a glimpse into every struggle he’s overcome to get here, and just as he thought his dream was crashing to an end, I show up and buy him an extra inning.
When lines start to blur and quiet moments turn into temptations too hot to ignore, the careful balance of our situation starts to feel shaky. My heart was broken not long ago. And Brooks has kept his on ice for years.
Could this sweet baby girl with eyes bluer than her daddy’s be an angel of second chances? And is this love we’re feeling real, or just the figment of our sleep-deprived imaginations?
Hot-headed. Stubborn. Absolutely no impulse control.
That’s who I am, according to my brothers and business partners. We run one of the top companies in the country, and we’re growing fast. When I start interviewing for a key position, my brothers firmly advise me against hiring Kinley.
Of course, I hire her anyway, and not just because she’s insanely gorgeous.
She’s hard-working, ambitious, and a perfect match. Unfortunately, she comes with baggage. Her ex framed her in an infamous corporate scandal. She was cleared in the court, yet the media was unforgiving.
But Kinley isn’t the woman the headlines painted.
She’s not conniving. She’s smart.
She’s not cold. She’s careful.
And she’s not distant. She just won’t allow anyone to get too close.
But that’s all I want.
Despite my intention to stay away from her, I can’t stop fantasizing about kissing her senseless and worshipping her body. Then, when we fly to Napa together to scout a new business, all my good intentions go up in smoke. Spending hours on end with her during the day is too much of a temptation. Sharing the same cabin at night is torture.
I’m tired of pretending I don’t want her in my bed, and my life. More than that, I want to protect her from everyone who hurt her. I’ll fight like hell not only to make her mine, but to earn her trust. Because once I have Kinley, I intend to keep her forever.
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