Publication Day – Page 38

Happy Publication Day – 15 May 2024

Secrets In The Little Irish Village By Michelle Vernal

Grace Kelly can’t escape the draws of Emerald Bay; the sweeping cliffs, the sparkling sea… and her gorgeous new flatmate. The problem is, she has to keep him a secret from her family. And she isn’t the only one in the village with something to hide this summer…

Grace really needs someone to help cover the rent for her London flat, but Christopher Dorrance? Everyone in the little Irish village of Emerald Bay knows about the feud between their families, though no one knows how it started. But, both being in a tight spot, they try and make it work, swearing to tell no one back home. Until a mutual friend and her son in the bay are left homeless after a storm. Grace and Christopher must head back to Ireland to help… together.

As they flesh out their idea to raise money for their friend with a village charity concert, Chris’s blue eyes light up. Even though they have to hide out for every planning session, and after all her father has said about the Dorrances, Grace can’t believe how kind he is. Soon sparks are flying as they laugh together, chasing dairy cows from a field to set up the stage. Could Chris be more than just a flatmate?

But their hopes that a good cause will soften the hostility between their dads are dashed. The two men still argue constantly. And with a happy future for their friend depending on the concert running smoothly, the truth behind the feud threatens to come out and destroy everything…

Could the events of the past destroy any chance of a future for Chris and Grace? Or, if Grace follows her heart, could she finally heal the rift between their families?

Happy Publication Day – 14 May 2024

Life, Loss and Puffins By Catherine Ryan Hyde

Freakishly smart. That’s the unwelcome box Ru Evans is put into for life. After all, she taught herself Euclidean geometry at age seven, has an eidetic memory, and is about to enter college at thirteen years old.

Boarding at a house near campus 150 miles from home, Ru meets seventeen-year-old Gabriel, an outsider himself who, like Ru, has trouble making friends—until they form a fast sibling-like bond. Finding a relatable someone in the world to talk to is a first for both of them.

But when Ru’s mother dies and the threat of living with her miserable aunt looms, Ru hatches an escape. It’s an impulsive road trip that takes Ru and Gabriel from California to Canada, where Ru can fulfill her ultimate dream: to see Atlantic puffins in the glorious wild.

Mile by mile, Ru discovers the joy of friendship, found family, dark night skies, and the aurora borealis, and she basks in going from being a smart person to just a person. Though she knows they’ll be in trouble when they’re caught, for the short time they are navigating twist by twist of an unknown road, the freedom is liberating, and she is living for what feels like the first time.

Royal Retelling By Holly Kerr

What if Prince Charming fell for the wicked step-sister?

The youngest son of the king of Laandia, Gunnar lives a charmed life, travelling the world without a thought of what’s going on in the kingdom. But when he’s called home for the royal wedding, Gunnar finds he has a big problem:

Prince Gunnar doesn’t have a date for the wedding.

And while this shouldn’t be a problem for the Playboy Prince, Gunnar has requirements: whoever he takes can’t take the attention away from the bride and groom, which would definitely happen with his jet-setting friends; and whoever he brings needs to know this is a one-time thing.

So when the town’s Sea Queen agrees to go with him, Gunnar is relieved—but her oh-so wicked stepsister, Stella, decrees it a very bad idea.

Once childhood friends, Stella now considers him more like a sworn enemy. Gunnar prefers to not think of her, because this Stella, who curses rather than curtsies, has a never-ending arsenal of insults that is a sure way to ruin his day.

But as the wedding approaches, and Gunnar spends more time with Stella, he starts to wonder that, in this fairy tale retelling, he’s picked the wrong sister.

Happy Publication Day – 13 May 2024

Old Girls Behaving Badly By Kate Galley

Something old, something new, something stolen…?

Gina Knight is looking forward to the prospect of retirement with her husband of forty-three years. Until, to her surprise, said husband decides he needs to ‘find himself’ – alone – and disappears to Santa Fe, leaving a Dear John letter in his wake.

Now Gina needs a new role in life, not to mention somewhere to live, so she applies for the position of Companion to elderly Dorothy Reed. At eighty-nine, ‘Dot’ needs someone to help her around the house – or at least, her family seems to think so. Her companion’s first role would be to accompany Dot for a week-long extravagant wedding party.

But when Georgina arrives at the large Norfolk estate where the wedding will take place, she quickly discovers Dot has an ulterior motive for hiring her. While the other guests are busy sipping champagne and playing croquet, Dot needs Georgina to help her solve a mystery – about a missing painting, which she believes is hidden somewhere in the house.

Because, after all, who would suspect two old ladies of getting up to mischief?

Happy Publication Day – 10 May 2024

One Greek Summer Wedding By Mandy Baggot

Love is in the air…

When singer Cara is invited to a big, fat Greek wedding in Corfu, she sees it as a mixed blessing: some time to heal on the beautiful Greek island with her aunt will be a tonic, but it’s going to stir up memories – of before Seb ghosted her and disappeared off the face of the earth.

Akis Diakos, brother of the groom, should be looking forward to planning the bachelor party, but burdened by the weight of family expectation, his mind is elsewhere: he has a decision to make – one that could, apparently, ruin his little brother’s life forever.

When Cara learns that her aunt Margot brought her here under false pretences, she’s faced with a dilemma. She’s not sung in public since that fateful day at Eurovision when her life fell apart, and she’s not planning to now. But with Akis’s encouragement, it’s time for both of them to face up to their fears.

And who knows – maybe this beautiful duet will also lead to a beautiful romance?

Siren’s Heart -Love At First Sight By Hailey Frost

What if we are meant to be?

Millie

As one-half of the famous Siren’s pop duo, I’ve learned the hard way that love and fame don’t mix. It often brings pain, and hearts shatter all too easily. I’ve had enough.

But when we’re hired for the charity event of the year, my resolve quickly gets washed down the drain. Luca makes my heart skip a beat in a way it never did before. When I talk to him, the rest of the world doesn’t matter. Could he be the one worth risking another heartbreak for?

Luca

Joining a football match for charity was the last thing I wanted – I’m an actor, usually in the stands, not on the field – but one glance at Millie changes everything. Her beauty captivates me, her voice enchants me, and suddenly, winning her heart becomes my greatest ambition.

But fame has its price when it comes to love. Can we pay it?

Siren’s Heart is a sweet and spicy romance and the first book of the Sirens Duet, and can be read as standalone. A must-read for all who are looking to read a fun and low-angst romance.

Happy Publication Day – 9 May 2024

Under A Summer Skye By Sue Moorcroft

A chance encounter is about to change everything for Thea Wynter.

The moment she arrived on the Isle of Skye, life changed for Thea. Running from a succession of wrong turns, she comes to the island in search of blue sea, endless skies, and mountains that make the heart soar. Here, she feels at peace.

As head gardener at Rothach Hall, life is exactly how she wants it, with her days spent working in the glorious clifftop garden and her evenings in the cosy local village.

But an encounter with a stranger from the mainland brings with it an unexpected turn – and only time will tell if he is friend or foe.

It seems that even on Skye, life can catch up with you, and Thea is soon faced with the past she left behind – and with it, the family she’s never met…

A Summer Wedding At The Cornish Manor By Linn B. Halton

This summer, save the date for Renweneth Farm’s very first wedding!

As the seasons change, so do the lives of those who call the farm home. Bustling with activity in anticipation of a busy Spring, it’s all go with Jess and Riley’s wedding on the horizon and Renweneth Manor’s restoration in full swing.

But while the farm business flourishes, Jess and Ivy need to learn to navigate unforeseen challenges – financial worries, two disgruntled locals, and even a blast from Riley’s past… In the midst of it all can Ivy juggle a new and unexpected arrival with her booming business, and can Jess keep track of her perfect day?

Join Jess and the team at Renweneth Farm as they struggle to make the pieces of the intricate puzzle that bonds them together, fall neatly into place.

A story that celebrates love, life, and the way friends become family in this growing community.

A Second Chance By Charlotte Butterfield

Nell has always known her expiry date.

After a psychic predicted her death date twenty years ago, she has lived life accepting she would never see forty – embracing adventure and travelling the world, choosing fun over commitment and laying down roots.

So, when the fateful day comes, Nell feels ready. She sends five excruciatingly honest confessions to her sister, parents and past loves, knowing she won’t be around to face the consequences. Then, with her heart laid bare, all that’s left to do is check into a glamorous hotel and wait for the inevitable…

But when Nell unexpectedly wakes up the next morning broke, single and very much alive, she must figure out exactly how to seize this second chance at life. And then it also hits her:

What on earth happens now that everyone knows how she really feels?

Happy Publication Day – 7 May 2024

My Not So Perfect Summer By Phoebe MacLeod

Autumn’s summer is off to a smashing start… sort of.

Earlier this year, Autumn’s life looked great: she had a great relationship with her brilliant teenage daughter Chloe and from September she was all set to be Deputy Head at the London school where she works. And with a pay rise on the cards, she was excited for her and her long-term boyfriend Marc to buy their first home.

But Autumn’s barely opened the estate agent’s website when Marc vanishes with half their savings, leaving her no choice but to move into grandma’s rural home in Kent. And things go from bad to worse when Autumn is involved in an accident during the move, leaving the village’s dashing new baker Jake in plaster cast, and making her a local outcast before she’s even unpacked her bags.

Determined to put things right, Autumn offers to help Jake in the bakery over the summer holidays. But as things heat up in the kitchen, Autumn can’t help noticing that Jake is a lot more Paul Hollywood and a lot less Mr Kipling than she originally thought.

Maybe this summer isn’t such a write off after all?

The Goddesses Of Kitchen Avenue By Barbara O’Neal

A loving wife and a mother of three accomplished children, forty-six-year-old Trudy Marino has an uncomplicated life—until she’s blindsided by her husband’s affair. But in Trudy’s close-knit neighborhood, she’s not alone in navigating the sudden surprises in a woman’s life.

Her neighbor Roberta has just lost her husband of sixty-two years and struggles with bittersweet memories and grief. Roberta’s granddaughter Jade is a divorcée who has taken up a cathartic new hobby to get over her cheating ex. And there’s Shannelle, whose creative aspirations are fracturing her marriage.

Then Trudy meets Angel, a sensual young man with the vulnerable heart of a poet who awakens her to invigorating new sensations. With a bracing confidence and three dear friends coming together in confusion, anger, and hope, Trudy is encouraged to take control of her life, to reflect on the choices she didn’t make, and to fulfill the youthful dreams she abandoned. As a new world opens up, Trudy can only marvel at where to go from here.

Sisters In Paradise By Carolyn Brown

Sometimes the only way to find true happiness is to go back home.

Ophelia Simmons is back home at the Paradise—the former brothel where her mom raised her and six sisters—contemplating her next career move and dodging Great Aunt Bernie’s matchmaking attempts. She is about to meet her match in Jake Brennan, the ruggedly handsome owner of a local winery where Aunt Bernie convinces her to take a job for the summer. At first Ophelia and Jake’s personalities clash, but soon enough sparks start flying.

Meanwhile, older sister Tertia Simmons also returns home to look for a new job. Tertia never thought she’d work for, let alone fall for, Noah Sullivan—the boy who once taunted her when they were kids. But when he offers her the job of her dreams in his new café, Tertia finds herself torn between her head and her heart.

As the sisters navigate the ups and downs of love and career with the help of their outrageous great aunt and the rest of the close-knit family, they learn that love can be found in the most unexpected of places—including their own hometown.

Happy Publication Day – 1 May 2024

Their Last Resort By R.S. Grey

Paige Young and Cole Clark are polar opposites. A world traveler since birth, Paige loves to lead activities for guests at a luxury island resort in Turks and Caicos. From bingo nights to cliffside hikes, Paige is up for anything. Cole, meanwhile, prefers his number-crunching desk job. He’s the assistant director at the resort—stiff and meticulous. He’s so by the book that he keeps the book. In his desk drawer.

They’re perfectly aligned in one way, though—their ability to drive each other crazy. Every day brings a fresh battle of wits. They’re rivals, archnemeses…and they’re definitely never going to talk about that one time they kissed. Ha ha. Nope!

But when Paige finds out that Cole has been ordered to fire her on the same day a hurricane threatens their little slice of paradise, it’s clear the game is over.

At odds, in peril, and forced to shelter in place together, these two enemies might finally have to confront their true feelings. (You know, the ones hidden under all those withering looks.)

Summer Days At Clifftop Cottage By Eliza J Scott

Welcome to your happy place…

As summer comes to the tranquil shores of Micklewick Bay, Maggie Marsay is on cloud nine. She can barely keep up with orders for her handmade teddy bears, turning her crafting hobby into a thriving business. And after trying for a baby for some time, she has joyful news to share with her devoted husband Bear who she lives with in an idyllic clifftop cottage alongside their cheeky labrador.

But an unexpected visitor casts a shadow over Maggie’s sun-drenched bliss. Robyn, a ghost from the past Maggie hasn’t seen in twelve long years, arrives on their doorstep. What could have brought Robyn back into Maggie’s life after so long? Is she truly sorry for her past mistakes, or is she up to her old tricks?

Maggie welcomes Robyn into their home, trying her best to forgive and forget. But when Robyn starts to drive a wedge between her and Bear, Maggie’s close-knit group of friends and neighbours rally around. Can they help Maggie weather this storm and find her way back to happily ever after? Or is trouble here to stay?

Finding Love In Micklewick Bay By Eliza J Scott

Welcome to your happy place…

Stella Hutton has everything under control. Her high-flying career as a lawyer relies on her keeping a calm, rational head on her shoulders. She hasn’t got time for love, or space for a man in her glamorous new apartment, a converted warehouse overlooking the rugged cliffs of Micklewick Bay.

But when a handsome stranger walks into the Jolly Sailors pub, with a sparkle in his blue eyes and a head of dark curls, everything changes. Making a beeline for her, Alex Bainbridge introduces himself while a gorgeous labrador waits at his feet. Electricity instantly sparks between Stella and Alex, as her heart flips inside her chest and her usual strict rules about men fly out the window…

Stella thinks her crush will pass. But every time she bumps into Alex – on her daily jog along the promenade, at the supermarket, inside the Happy Hartes Bookshop – her feelings only grow stronger. Her close-knit group of friends have never seen her like this before. After thirty years of being happily single, has Stella finally met the one? Or will her cherished independence sabotage her chance at a forever love?

Happy Publication Day – 30 April 2024

Almost Pretend By Nicole Snow

Eleanor Lark is an upbeat illustrator plagued by headaches and unruly strawberry-blond hair. After a grueling cross-country flight, she blacks out cold. The brooding stranger who sat next to her grumping his way through the flight catches Elle as she falls. Neither expects the sweet chaos that happens next.

August Marshall is stonehearted, insanely rich, and a master of corporate cleanups with major baggage of his own. The last man alive who needs a media frenzy after his airport heroics steal headlines. But August has a plan—ask Elle to marry him so their trouble disappears.

Elle almost faints again. They just met! But it’s hard to say no when August tells her she might be the key to saving a children’s book series she adores. And it’s even harder to remember it’s only pretend as sparks fly, hearts fall, and two perfect strangers try to remember life before make-believe…

Annie In Paris By Carmen Reid

Fashion guru Annie is struggling to cope with her hectic life. With the demands of two older children, plus four-year-old twins, her marriage to Ed is in a romance-free rut and she’s clinging by a couture thread to her job as the nation’s favourite fashion fixer.

And where is Svetlana, her multi-millionaire friend, when Annie needs her? Busy with an expensive mid-life crisis, that’s where!

When Ed gets the chance to teach in Paris, Annie thinks time apart could be the answer. Wrong!

In Paris, Ed transforms into a debonair silver fox, attracting the attentions of stylish siren Sylvie.

Annie can’t lose her man or the job she loves, so bundling her bags, her babies and a reluctant Svetlana onto the Eurostar, she sets off to the rescue. But can the City of Love deliver the ooh la la that her marriage, and her fashion series, so desperately needs?

Happy Publication Day – 26 April 2024

The Love Algorithm By Camilla Isley

At 28, with a Ph.D under her belt and a meteoric rise to head of Research and Development at Mercer Robotics, Reese feels her decision to put her career first has worked out pretty well for her. Sure, she doesn’t have many personal relationships to speak of, but she does love her team and they like her too.

So when she’s called to the Big Boss’s office and told she will be looking after his son while he does a rotation in her lab, she’s not thrilled that her hard work and achievements have boiled down to being a glorified babysitter – especially to a billionaire playboy with zero experience of mechanical engineering.

But then tall, blond Thomas walks into her office, and Reese realizes this assignment is going to be even harder than she thought. Because the CEO’s son is not only extraordinarily gorgeous, chiseled, and charming… he’s also on course to become her new boss one day, and so extraordinarily out of bounds. As the pair get to know each other, can Reese hold her nerve and her beliefs, or will she fall victim to the billionaire charm?

Happy Publication Day – 25 April 2024

Love At First Knight By Megan Clawson

She’s no damsel in distress, and he’s certainly not wearing shining armour. But one knight can change everything…

Daisy Hastings has always thought she was born in the wrong era. So when she bags a summer job at the Tower of London helping to run their Knight school, it feels like a step in the right direction.

Theodore ‘Teddy’ Fairfax is a loose cannon. A disgraced distant relative of the royal family, he’s tall, dark and now (begrudgingly) helping with the Tower of London’s summer programme – and there’s nowhere he’d like to be less.

When Teddy’s oath to be an obstruction almost gets Daisy fired, she declares war. But as the two cross swords, they start to discover they both need a little rescuing…