I never should’ve let Wren Perry get close—not with everything her last name cost mine.
She’s the governor’s daughter. Untouchable. Off-limits.
A walking reminder of everything I should hate.
She was a distraction I had no business touching. The kiss we shared? A cheap shot meant to rattle her brother, not leave a mark. But her lips hit harder than I expected, and the memory stuck like a bruise I can’t shake.
I’ve been off my game ever since. Now she’s back in my life, tied to my team in a way I can’t avoid.
I don’t trust her. I shouldn’t want her. But every time she looks at me, I forget why I ever let her go.
Our season’s already hanging by a thread. Stats don’t match the game footage. Players are faking injuries. And Wren’s dropping clues like she wants to help me find the truth without ever saying a word.
They’re waiting for us to fall apart. They think I’ve lost my edge. But I’ve never backed down from a fight.
This time, I’m not just playing for my team.
I’m playing for our season. For the truth.
And for the girl I should’ve hated… but never could.
Rebel Without a Claus, an all-new grumpy/sunshine, second chance, small town romance novella from USA Today bestselling author Katana Collins, is coming October 15th!
Eve Winters lives for Christmas—the twinkling lights, the festive music, the over-the-top holiday magic. So when her parents need help running their Christmas-themed inn, she’s all in. The only problem? Luke Dawson—the town’s broody, flannel-wearing reindeer farmer who hates everything merry and bright. Unfortunately, he’s also the one providing the reindeer for the town’s biggest holiday festival, which means Eve is stuck working with Mr. Bah Humbug himself.
Luke has no patience for Christmas or the chaos that comes with it—especially when it involves Eve, the walking, talking embodiment of holiday cheer. He spent years trying to forget her, but now that she’s moved back to town—with her sharp tongue, city-girl attitude, and an unfortunate talent for getting stuck under mistletoe—forgetting her is impossible.
But between meddling townsfolk, mischievous reindeer, and a snowstorm that leaves them stranded together, Luke is starting to wonder if maybe Christmas—and Eve Winters—aren’t so bad after all.
She’s all sparkle and Christmas spirit. He’s one grinchy cowboy. But when the festive sparks turn into a full-blown holiday inferno, will this rebel without a claus surrender to the season’s greatest surprise—falling head over boots in love?
Packed with sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and laugh-out-loud holiday chaos, Rebel Without a Claus is the perfect Christmas rom-com for fans of grumpy sunshine, small-town meddling, and holiday magic.
He walked away once, and it nearly destroyed her. Now he wants a second chance…
Priest
There’s nothing more important than family.
It’s what I live for, what I’ve always lived for.
So, when I’m forced to step back from the one girl I’m dying to claim as my own, it wrecks me.
But when family asks you to keep a secret, you do it.
No questions asked.
I only hope that when the truth comes to light, the woman I can’t get out of my head gives me another chance. A chance to show her I could be her knight in beat-up leather if only she’d let me.
Jenny
Tragedy likes to strike in threes and this year’s already been a nightmare.
Two down… one to go.
So, when the brutally hot biker who stomped all over my heart crosses my path again, I’ve got no interest in hearing him out.
Except, he doesn’t give up so easily…
And he’s more than willing to play dirty to get what he wants.
When he dangles the thing I want most in front of me and promises he’s changed, I have to decide if I’m willing to gamble my heart on his second chance or walk away for good…
They say when one door closes another one opens, right? When the door closed on my marriage, I was fortunate to follow a new dream. One that led me to opening my own bakery in downtown Pine Village. It hasn’t been easy, especially in the offseason, but I make it work. I’m content. Happy.
Then Kameron Markley showed up on my doorstep, begging me to be his fake girlfriend.
It seems like such a simple plan, especially when we’re both getting something out of it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long before lines are blurred and crossed, and suddenly, the relationship doesn’t feel so fake after all.
Kameron
For the last decade, I’ve poured my heart and soul into my restaurant, turning a small-town space into a top steak house. The building beside mine has been sitting for as long as I can remember, and the owner is finally ready to sell. The only problem is, she thinks it needs to go to a family man. Suddenly, I’m desperate.
That’s when I come up with the wild idea to find a fake girlfriend.
Jillian Kirby fits the bill to a T, and with a little negotiation, we’re able to work out a deal where we both come out ahead. What I wasn’t expecting was it being so easy to be around her. Suddenly, the lie we’re telling does feel like it’s so right. I want it to be real.
For Kameron to expand his restaurant he needs to purchase the adjoining property and the only obstacle standing in the way is that the owner wants to sell to someone whose personal life is settled. He needs to be in a committed restaurant, and he knows that Jillian is the perfect woman to pretend to be his girlfriend and it will allow them both to get the professional success they have been working towards.
Jillian is devoted to ensuring the success of her bakery even though it has its challenges. She and Kameron share a friendship so when he needs help she doesn’t hesitate to agree especially since it will help her out as well. They have both agreed to the rules what could possibly go wrong.
The interactions between them are entertaining and the development of their romance was heartwarming as they realized that they make perfect partners both when it comes to their careers and their lives.
USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Black is a Midwestern girl with a passion for reading, writing, and shopping. She carries her e-reader with her everywhere she goes so she never misses an opportunity to read a few pages. Always looking for a happily ever after, Lacey is passionate about contemporary romance novels and enjoys it further when you mix in a little suspense. She resides in a small town in Illinois with her husband, two children, and three rowdy chickens.
I need a husband. Jensen needs a business makeover. A marriage of convenience should solve both our problems.
Moving back to Coal Haven should have been simple—start my tutoring business, settle into the historic house my grandmother left me, and move on from my past. But there’s a catch: I can’t claim the house unless I’m married.
Jensen Hollis. My childhood rival. The guy I spent years trying to outdo. The one who married our mutual friend while I watched from the sidelines. Now he’s divorced, a single dad, and—somehow—my only option.
It’s a perfect arrangement. A temporary marriage. One year with no feelings involved. At least, that was the plan… until playing house starts to feel a little too real.
I’ve poured everything I have into Wildhaven Ranch—ever since Mom died, I’ve done my best to hold this family together. My sisters, my dad, my grandparents… this land is who we are. There’s no room for mistakes—and definitely no time for falling for the enemy.
Then he shows up.
Caison Galloway. New manager of the neighboring ranch. Smooth talker. Knows exactly how to push every one of my buttons. He’s here to win, and I can’t let him get close—no matter how much heat simmers between us when we’re alone.
But the more I fight him, the more I start to wonder: what if the storm I’ve been bracing for… is already here?
In New Orleans, I’m known as the fun and laid-back LeBlanc brother. The Rebel CEO.
I’m successful and determined, but I don’t play by the rules. Heck, I don’t even have rules except one. I never ever get involved with my assistants. After a very bad experience years ago, I know better than to mix business and pleasure.
I’ve had no problems sticking to my rule until I hired Daisy.
When I first meet her, I have no idea she’s my new temp assistant. I just set eyes on this gorgeous woman at my favorite coffee shop, and do what I do best: flirt with her like there’s no tomorrow. When I realize my mistake, I change the tune. I’m cold and distant but my plan is not working. Not one bit.
Whenever she steps into my office, all I think about is bending her over my desk. When she gives me sass, all I want is to cover her mouth with mine until she begs for more. Daisy is fun and unlike anyone I’ve met, and I gravitate toward her whether I want it or not.
When she suddenly gets a call from home that her family needs help, I immediately take over. All lines blur, but one thing I know for sure, I won’t let Daisy go. I just have to convince her that I’m the one.
When I find out I could lose my bookstore, I make a deal with the devil to save it, not realizing I would end up in bed with the last person I ever thought I’d be hot and sweaty with…
Fletcher St. James
Even at twenty-four, he’s a spoiled brat. He believes the whole world owes him something, and he really needs to be put in his place.
When his wealthy, power-hunger father propositions me with something I desperately need in exchange for teaching his son a little responsibility, it’s an offer I can’t refuse.
After all, there’s nothing I enjoy more than humbling an arrogant man and bringing him to his knees.
This should be a piece of cake.
But one thing I didn’t expect was how much Fletcher would enjoy it… Or how much that would turn me on. The tension quickly boils over, and before I know it, we’re giving in to our illicit desires, consequences be damned.
I crave the feeling of his body against mine, and the needy sounds he makes right before he begs.
But more than that, I can’t get enough of the little things, like the way the golden sun looks reflecting off his green eyes in the morning, or how beautiful his vulnerability is.
And when his touch becomes my safe space, bringing out a softer side of me I’ve kept locked away for too long, it’s impossible to remember why this is wrong.
When the secrets come out about the lascivious things we indulge in behind closed doors, will it be worth it, or will this deal end up costing me everything?
She adores her family, has great friends, and is devoted to her job. Though she hasn’t found the one yet, Iris is confident her guy is out there. She’s been fortunate in every other area of her life.
But that’s when things change.
Private investigator Landen Fox has seen his fair share of puzzling and heartbreaking cases. But he never expected the one bright spot he could always count on in his day would wind up in his office with a dark cloud hanging over her.
Landen can’t help but feel for the cheerful woman who seems to have lost it all in the blink of an eye. When the people most important to Iris turn on her, leaving her feeling more isolated than ever, Landen vows to figure out who’s out to sabotage her.
And in the process of uncovering Iris’s history, the pair form a connection neither of them saw coming.
Iris’s career is unfolding the way she wanted as she is about to receive her second promotion from her employer however it does take up a large portion of her life which doesn’t leave her much time for romance or friends. The only thing she always makes time for is working out at the gym and part of that is Landen, the man who has been her fitness buddy.
Landen has never wanted to make Iris feel uncomfortable, so he has never considered anything beyond their time together at the gym. When he realizes that she may want more he is all in especially when he realizes the stress she is under when it comes to her personal and professional life.
Both Iris and Landen are ready for love and relationship, but both were uncertain how the other felt. Once they give in to their feelings there was never any doubt they were meant to be together, and he is so supportive when Iris’s life becomes complicated and they need to find out why.
A.K. Evans is a contemporary romance author of over forty published novels. While she enjoys writing a good romantic suspense novel, Andrea’s favorite books to write have been her extreme sports romances. That might have something to do with the fact that she, along with her husband and two sons, can’t get enough of extreme sports.
Before becoming a writer, Andrea did a brief stint in the insurance and financial services industry and managed her husband’s performance automotive business. That love of extreme sports? She used to drive race cars!
When Andrea isn’t writing, she can be found homeschooling her two sons, doing yoga, snowboarding, reading, or traveling with her family. She and her husband are currently taking road trips throughout the country to visit all 50 states with their boys.
“I don’t trust myself with you right now, so I’m going to go before I do, fuck, all the erotic fantasies I’ve fucked my hand to lately that you’re not ready for.”
Forcing myself to turn, I ripped off the apron, tossing it onto the island, and took one reluctant stride away from the ultimate temptation—only to pause at the feel of a tiny hand gripping my forearm. I squeezed my lids shut, nostrils flaring with a deep inhale, before I looked over my shoulder at the little temptress who had no idea what demanding beast she was teasing to the surface.
“Don’t go,” she murmured, a slight plea in her tone. “I don’t want you to leave just yet.”
Blowing out a controlled breath through pursed lips, I gave in to her request despite my better judgment. Her small hand slid to my wrist when I turned to face her, this time keeping some distance between us for my sanity.
I wouldn’t hurt Baylee—hell, I wouldn’t hurt any woman—but I was afraid the need pumping through my veins would make me hear meaning in her words that maybe wasn’t there. That was the last thing I wanted, to think she wanted me to fuck her against the counter when she only wanted company, not her pussy stretched around my thick cock….
Fuck.
Face tipped to the ceiling, I forced those thoughts to the back of my mind to deal with later when I was alone in the shower.
“Little Bit.” Her pet name was more of a pained hiss than words. “If you don’t want this to go any further than me hanging out so you’re not alone, then—”
“What if I don’t?” she said, cutting me off. Pressing her small feet to the floor, she moved forward until she stood right in front of me, looking up with those innocent blue eyes. I swallowed a groan as my cock hardened to the point of actual pain. “What if I want it to be more than just hanging out?”
Finding a toddler on my doorstep? Not exactly how I planned for the day to go.
Zara Thompson has loved sexy, ex-Marine Garrett Carson since college—but he was in love with her best friend. For the past twelve years, Zara has kept her secret and her heart guarded.
Then a woman shows up on Garrett’s doorstep with a toddler and a shocking claim: the little girl is his daughter, and her mother—Zara’s former best friend—is dead, killed in a tragic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now, Garrett is juggling fatherhood, a looming book deadline, a frightened toddler who won’t go near him, and a live-in nanny who refuses to warm up to Zara—especially after she witnesses an unexpected and steamy kiss between Zara and Garrett.
A steamy kiss that sends their close friendship into a tailspin…
But as Zara focuses on expanding her small-town café and helping Garrett be a father, a mix of circumstances beyond her control and buried secrets conspire against her…threatening Zara’s chance at a happily ever after with the man her heart refuses to give up on.
Born in Brighton England, USA Today bestselling author Stina Lindenblatt has lived in a number of countries, including England, the U.S., Finland, and Canada. This would explain her mixed up accent. She has a kinesiology degree and a MSc in sports biological sciences. In addition to writing fiction, she loves photography, and currently lives in Calgary, Canada, with her husband, three kids, and their adorable rescue cat.
Until the fiery redheaded flight attendant with emerald eyes falls into my lap.
The spark between us is instant. And from the moment her body crashes into mine, I know I need more than just a few hours in the sky with her.
The next time our paths cross, she tells me she’s headed out of the country, and I don’t hesitate to make sure I’m on her flight.
Our time together is filled with a passion I didn’t know existed. And for a moment, I allow myself to imagine what it would be like if our temporary arrangement turned into forever.
Until a call in the middle of the night pulls me back to reality, reminding me that with the enemies I have, letting her get too close would make her my greatest weakness—one I can’t afford.
Four years later, fate intervenes. Because she’s back, serving drinks on my private flight, and she’s apparently been keeping secrets.
With one phone call, I learn she’s been raising my son while pretending I don’t exist.
Now, with my enemies closing in and our secret out, they’re both in danger, and I’m done playing this game her way.
She might not trust me, but I’ll stop at nothing to keep them safe—even if I have to drag her kicking and screaming into my world.
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Kari's Book Reviews and Revelations 