I wanted a baby — no strings, no messy emotions. Just a donor I could trust — my best friend. He didn’t hesitate or ask why. He said yes… with one condition: no clinics, no cold procedures. Just him — his bed, his way. I should have said no. But I wanted this. And I didn’t realise how much I wanted him. I told myself I could handle it — keep my heart locked tight. But the moment he touched me, all those lies fell apart. Now I’m falling — for a man who never promised me anything but his body. And my deepest desire risks becoming my darkest downfall. But now there’s no turning back.
Axel
She asked me to give her a baby. No love. No future. Just a piece of me. I’m not a good man. I’m not the kind you build a life with. But this… this was my one chance to touch heaven and pretend it wouldn’t burn me alive. So I took her. Over and over. Knowing she’ll never be mine. But now I’m addicted. Possessive. I don’t want just her body — I want her soul. Her future. Her everything. And when she walks away — like we both know she will — it’ll break me. Because I’d give her the world… But I’ll never be worthy of it.
I’m the Enforcer—the last face you see when there’s no one left to hear you scream. I finally know who killed my mother, and I’m ready to burn the world to the ground. But as I move to strike, she’s already there. Sofiya Mancinelli. Assassin. Enemy. Two steps ahead. And when she puts a gun to my head, all I can think is – she was sent to kill me, but how the hell do I survive long enough to make her mine?
Assassin, seductress, enemy
I’m the Assassin. My job is simple: stop Rafaele Salvatore from taking revenge. But I’ve always had a thing for scorching-hot psychos—and the brutal, dirty-talking Enforcer is the most compelling I’ve ever met. Instead of ending him, I agree to a thirty-day truce. He doesn’t know I plan to make him fall for me. Hard. Even if it means he forgets everything he’s bled for.
This is a dark, seductive Mafia romance that blends vengeance, passion, and psychological tension. Rafaelle and Sofiya, heirs of rival families, are bound by blood, betrayal, and a shared thirst for justice. When Sofiya stops Rafaelle from killing her brother and becomes his captive, their twisted dynamic evolves into a compelling partnership as they hunt down the man responsible for both their families’ suffering.
Cox paints Rafaelle as a charmingly unhinged antihero—magnetic, dangerous, and impossible to look away from. Sofiya, however, feels underdeveloped. Though introduced as a trained assassin, her inner conflict and skills are often told rather than shown, leaving readers wanting more from her transformation and agency.
The chemistry between the leads burns bright in the early chapters, but the pacing dips in the middle before surging toward a high-stakes finale. A stronger fusion of romance and action could have delivered a more explosive payoff. Still, The Forces remains an addictive, emotionally charged read for fans of morally grey love stories set in the violent underworld.
Hopes And Dreams At The Chocolate Pot Cafe By Jessica Redland
🌼 Welcome to Whitsborough Bay, a place where hopes and dreams really do come true… ✨
Life at the Chocolate Pot Café has never been sweeter for Tara Porter. Nestled on Castle Street in Whitsborough Bay, her café is thriving, her friendships are close, her foster parents are back where they belong—and she’s finally let herself fall in love with artist Jed Ferguson.
For Jed, returning from Australia feels like coming home in every sense. His teenage daughters have settled, his gallery opening is a success, and with Tara by his side, the future looks full of promise.
But the past can’t stay at bay forever.
When Tara’s estranged foster sister reappears, old wounds resurface. And when Jed is reunited with twelve year old Aaron – a boy he once believed was his son – secrets unravel and loyalties are tested.
Now Tara and Jed must decide whether facing the past will shatter everything they’ve built—or hope it gives them the strength and courage to dream again.
After years of juggling teaching with volunteering, Polly is finally ready for a change. When she lands her dream job at Meadowfield Nature Reserve – with the promise of a promotion in three months’ time – she trades in the stress of the classroom for the beautiful autumn days of the Cotswolds countryside.
Pennycress Inn is the perfect base for her fresh start: charming, cosy and filled with friendly faces. But everything changes when Zac, her attractive but infuriating ex-colleague, arrives. He’s here to take up a post at the reserve too – and is also staying at the inn! Worse still, the promotion Polly was counting on is suddenly up for grabs – and Zac’s her biggest rival.
With three months to prove herself, Polly must navigate village life, unexpected emotions and a career-defining challenge. As tension simmers and fireworks fly, will Meadowfield become the place she truly finds where she belongs – or will she be forced to walk away from everything she’s dreamed of?
This is the literary equivalent of a cozy autumn evening—warm, comforting, and joyfully romantic. Returning to the much-loved world of Pennycress Inn, Hope delivers another uplifting tale filled with charm, wit, and heartfelt emotion. This time, the spotlight falls on Polly, who is determined to make a fresh start at the idyllic Meadowfield Nature Reserve. But her plans for a peaceful new chapter are thrown into disarray when Zac, her infuriatingly handsome former colleague, reappears, reigniting old rivalries—and new sparks.
What follows is a delightful blend of small-town community spirit, professional ambition, and simmering romantic tension. Hope captures the beauty of the Cotswolds with vivid, sensory detail, wrapping readers in a world of crisp leaves, bonfires, and heartfelt moments. Polly and Zac’s chemistry crackles, their banter sharp and endearing, building toward a feel-good finale that’s as satisfying as a mug of spiced cider.
Charming, funny, and brimming with heart, Fireworks at Pennycress Inn is a perfectly cozy escape for anyone who loves second chances, small-town warmth, and romance that glows brighter than autumn fireworks.
Paige: One night. One stranger. One mistake I can’t forget…
Max Hart is the last man on earth I’d ever want. We’re usually fighting it out on opposing sides of the courtroom, not diving headfirst into an illicit affair. I didn’t realize it was him when I let my inhibitions drop. Dating in the dark was meant to be anonymous, a thrill, and a way to escape my life for one night. But I didn’t expect to be drawn to the devil. Just one taste of Max Hart, and I’m in trouble. Because Max isn’t just my rival; he’s the one person who can destroy everything I’ve been hiding, yet I can’t seem to stay away.
Max: I will break all my rules…for her
I take pride in my bachelor status. I have four rules: no commitments, no relationships, no mentioning forever, and definitely no Paige Bradshaw. She’s brilliant, irritating, and always gets under my skin, but I love our fiery battles in the boardroom. Then one night, everything changes. The mystery woman who blew my mind? It was her. Now I can’t get Paige out of my head. I should know better. Resist temptation. Stay professional. But she has me wanting to burn all my rules to ashes and risk everything to learn more about the woman behind the mask.
This book delivers a passionate and witty enemies-to-lovers romance brimming with emotional depth and scorching chemistry. Paige Bradshaw, a brilliant and disciplined divorce lawyer, finds her ordered life turned upside down after a steamy encounter with a masked stranger—who turns out to be her professional rival, Max Hart. What begins as fierce competition quickly spirals into a dangerously intoxicating relationship that challenges both their careers and their hearts.
Nicolson crafts Paige as a relatable heroine—ambitious, meticulous, and juggling the complex realities of career, motherhood, and self-worth. Max, charming and self-assured yet quietly vulnerable, is equally compelling, and their push-pull dynamic crackles with irresistible tension. Their connection feels raw and believable, layered with humour, tenderness, and high-stakes attraction.
Packed with clever banter, steamy moments, and heartfelt emotion, Breaking His Rules goes beyond a simple rivals-to-lovers tale. It’s about vulnerability, trust, and the courage to break boundaries—for love, for family, and for oneself. A spicy, fast-paced romance that’s as heartwarming as it is addictive.
The Hating Game meets Ticket to Paradise—if the grumpy cruise ship billionaire you drunkenly married also happens to be your boss… and your new co-parent.
For one reckless, rum-soaked night, I decide to let my hair down. I wake up married.To my boss.
Logan Ashford is a cruise ship magnate with a spotless reputation, a lethal jawline, and an ego bigger than his floating palace. Cold. Controlled. Allergic to chaos.
I’m the ship’s daycare worker. Too sunny. Too opinionated. Too unimpressed by his cufflinks and control issues.And somehow now Admiral Grump’s wife.
The plan is simple: keep it quiet, annul it fast, and move on.Except his six-year-old son announces our marriage to the entire ship like a human TikTok gone viral.
Now the press is circling, the crew is whispering, and nothing says ”’family-friendly brand disaster’ like secretly marrying an employee. So Logan proposes a deal. Smile for the guests. Hold hands for the press. Pretend our late-night arguments aren’t charged with heat.
The marriage is fake.The arrangement is temporary.And falling for my grumpy, infuriatingly attractive husband is absolutely not part of the plan.…Right?
Kitty Collins was once a confident, carefree fashion history student living her best life in Paris. But then Tomas Laurent broke her heart and she retreated back to England.
A year later, Kitty’s a married stay-at-home mum and those big hopes and dreams have been replaced by nappy changes, school runs and dinner parties for her husband’s Academia colleagues.
Now fifty and recently divorced, Kitty is empowered to embrace single life and finally makes plans with Sasha, her daughter, to return to the city that stole her heart to move forward with her life.
But when a chance encounter awakens feelings she’d forgotten she had Kitty begins to wonder whether the ghosts of Paris should be left in the past.
With the help of old friends and new friends, can Kitty discover the woman she’s supposed to be and fall in love with the City of Light once more?
This is a touching, uplifting tale about reinvention, resilience, and the courage to start over at any age. After her marriage ends, fifty-year-old Kitty feels adrift, unsure of what comes next. A spontaneous trip to India sparks something within her—renewed curiosity, confidence, and a sense of possibility. From there, she finds herself drawn back to Paris, a city tied to bittersweet memories and a love she once vowed to forget.
Morrey writes with warmth and emotional authenticity, allowing readers to journey with Kitty as she rediscovers who she is beyond the labels of wife and mother. The story is rich with vivid settings, from the sensory wonder of India to the romantic charm of Paris, making it as much a travel experience as a journey of self-renewal.
Filled with gentle humor, poignant reflections, and hope, this novel celebrates second chances and the beauty of midlife transformations. Perfect for readers who enjoy heartfelt, mature romances that remind us it’s never too late to chase joy—or to fall in love again.
The only thing that could pull Antonia Bernardi away from her high-powered career is her lifelong best friend. And with two children and a cruel prognosis, Miriam Vaughn needs her now more than ever.
Antonia drops everything—her job, her relationship—to be there for the Vaughns. Playing mom to Miriam’s teenage son and seven-year-old daughter is a tall order made heavier by grief. But the kids need her, and she needs them.
Then there’s the boy’s coach and mentor, former MLB star Weston Schmidt. He’s a pillar of support, a safe space for Antonia to rest. But there’s too much going on to even think about romance … or maybe that’s exactly why they should.
Adjusting to life without her best friend, Antonia leans into her new role as guardian, doing work she loves and repairing the old farmhouse Miriam cherished. Nothing can stop the world from spinning—but Antonia has every reason to keep on going.
Love Blooms At The Cornish Cottage By Kim Nash
💔 How do you mend a broken heart? 💔
Michelle finally thought she’d found love with her hot Greek doctor. But when Demetri reveals he’s returning home to care for his sick mother, Michelle’s dream future crumbles. Choosing not to follow him feels like losing more than just love – it feels like losing who she’d started to become.
Determined not to fall apart, Michelle decides to throw herself into rebuilding her life in Sandpiper Shore, but then unexpectedly, Demetri’s brother, Makkis, arrives on her doorstep. Offering him a room seems like the kind thing to do… but the constant reminder of her lost love is difficult for her heartbroken soul.
And the more time she spends with Makkis, the clearer it becomes: there are parts of Demetri she never knew… Just as Michelle starts to heal with a little help from her friends, she’s faced with a decision: fight for the love she knows she deserves, or finally learn how to let go…
Is a new beginning waiting for her this Christmas?
When Imogen leaves her fiancé at the altar and escapes to her grandmother’s cottage by the sea, the only thing she wants to do is disappear.
But in a village curious about their new arrival, Imogen finds hiding out harder than expected, especially with the charming local baker Dexter around to distract her.
As secrets unravel and the festive season draws near, Imogen wonders if she’s been running from the wrong things all along.
Will the runaway bride find her happy ever after under the mistletoe?
This is a heartwarming, feel-good festive romance filled with charm, community spirit, and self-discovery. When Imogen flees her wedding and seeks refuge with her gran in the idyllic coastal village of Mistingham, she’s hoping for space to heal—but instead finds herself swept into the warmth and bustle of small-town life.
Set against twinkling lights and seaside charm, this second installment in The Secret Bookshop series captures the magic of fresh starts and the comfort of community. McLaughlin’s writing sparkles with gentle humor and emotional honesty as Imogen learns to rediscover herself, her passions, and what love truly means. Returning readers will enjoy catching up with familiar faces, while newcomers can easily enjoy it as a standalone.
Imogen is a relatable heroine—flawed, brave, and easy to root for—and the supporting cast adds a lovely dose of festive cheer. With its cozy setting, uplifting message, and a sprinkle of holiday magic, The Secret Mistletoe Promise is the perfect escapist read to curl up with by the fire this Christmas.
My Sanctuary 