Publication Day – Page 59

Happy Publication Day – 19 October 2022

The Girl I Used To Be By Debbie Howell

Anna and Will have been passing in and out of each other’s lives since they were just teenagers.

Now 20 years later, Anna is married – she has a lovely house, a grown-up stepdaughter and a husband with a good job.

What she doesn’t have is joy. When she runs into Will it sparks something in her, a longing for the Anna she used to be.

Together they embark on a journey to find what brings them joy, to discard what doesn’t and to become the people they always wanted to be.

But in finding themselves, can they also find each other?

Happy Publication Day – 14 October 2022

Christmas In The Little Irish Village By Michelle Vernal

Welcome to the little Irish village where Christmas celebrations are in full swing! Twinkling lights, cosy fires and big mugs of hot chocolate are in abundance as Shannon Kelly returns home to the Shamrock Inn. Will this be the year she finds the man of her dreams or is she destined to be forever unlucky in love?

Thirty-four-year-old Shannon is heartbroken following an unexpected break up. Seasonal joy is the last thing on her mind, as she wonders if she’ll ever find the kind of long-lasting love she’s always dreamed of. Even the comforting distractions of her big Irish family can’t cheer her up. Then things get even worse when Shannon slips over on the ice and finds herself red-faced in the arms of a gorgeous American man…

Despite the embarrassing encounter, Shannon can’t help wondering who the handsome stranger is. She soon finds out when James Cabot takes a room at the Shamrock Inn. Their second meeting is equally disastrous when she gives James the tour – without realising her skirt is tucked into her knickers! Shannon isn’t sure how she’s going to survive living under the same roof when she has such a talent for making a complete eejit of herself, and resolves to avoid their new guest at all costs.

But when Shannon discovers James is in Ireland because he’s claiming to be the long-lost grandson of her elderly neighbour, Maeve Doolin, she is immediately suspicious. Shannon has known kind Maeve since she was a little girl and feels protective of her, so she’s determined to find out the truth. Even if it means spending more time with James…

The two of them end up getting closer than she’d bargained for when they take a tour of Emerald Bay and end up snowed in together. But just as James begins to make Shannon’s heart melt with his cheeky grin and awful carol singing, a shocking secret threatens to shatter the growing romance between them.

Can Shannon trust James? And will she get the happily-ever-after she’s been hoping for this Christmas?

Queens of Hearts By Whitney Dineen

Queen Charlotte of Malquar has a talent. She’s already helped two of her children find mates, and now she’s convinced her daughter’s new secretary would be a perfect partner for her remaining single son.

Agnes Dupuis has a plan. She’s going to work for the royal family for a couple of years before opening her own upscale employment agency. When she starts her job with Princess Aubrey, she knows everything is on track. After a short time, she gets transferred to the crown prince’s staff, and she couldn’t be more ecstatic.

At thirty-five, Prince Andrew knows it’s past time for him to find a bride. Unfortunately, it’s a nearly impossible task. While he would like to marry for love, it doesn’t look like that will be an option. His future wife will be queen one day and she must have all the necessary skill sets to thrive in that role.

Sparks fly when Agnes and Drew start to work together. Drew fights his attraction for his new secretary as hard as he can. Meanwhile, Agnes doesn’t know what she’s doing wrong. She can’t seem to do anything to make the prince happy.

Will Queen Charlotte be responsible for another match? Or are Agnes and Drew destined to forever butt heads.

Happy Publication Day – 13 October 2022

Someone For Everyone By Tracy Corbett

A surprise inheritance and a failing care home might hold the unlikely makings for true love…

Kate’s husband has not only left her, he’s also left her tons of debt and she now risks losing her career as a lawyer if she can’t find a way to pay it back.

Overnight, Calvin’s life changed when he signed for a major football team, and then again when injury forced him into early retirement. His life is once more about to be shaken up after he inherits his great-uncle’s estate.

Kate needs a job and Calvin needs someone to manage the care home he now owns – if it doesn’t turn a profit in the next three months, it will be shut down and the residents forced out. Can the two work together to save Rose Court, and each other?

One Last Gift By Emily Stone

Will you be brave enough to follow your heart?

For as long as Cassie can remember, it had been the three of them: Cassie, her big brother Tom, and Tom’s annoying best friend Sam.

Now, Tom is sorted, Sam is flying high, and Cassie thinks she’s figured it all out. Then tragedy happens and three become two.

For Cassie picking herself up seems unimaginable. Until she finds an envelope addressed to her, asking her to follow the trail to one last gift…

And suddenly what seems like an ending leads Cassie to something unexpected, beautiful and new…

Happy Publication Day – 11 October 2022

Loving Brooke By Elsa Winckler

Can two friends fake love or will their fake relationship end their real friendship?

Irritated by their families continued efforts to get them together, good friends widow Brooke Johnson and Gavin Wilson decide to fake a relationship for the next two weeks. But then Gavin kisses her, making her aware of the desires she’d suppressed for so long.

Suddenly, Brooke struggles to focus on finishing paintings for an upcoming exhibition and her simple life becomes way more complicated than before.

When a creepy gallery manager makes her life unpleasant, Gavin wants to take control of the situation and red lights flicker. Brooke had made a vow to handle her own problems rather than relying on someone. Her husband’s death had left her in the dark about finances. She couldn’t let Gavin take over but will their new romance stand up to her hands off attitude? Or will Brooke learn that it’s okay to lean on the ones you love sometimes?

Happy Publication Day – 10 November 2022

A Christmas Wish By Lindsey Kelk

Newly single lawyer Gwen Baker is hoping that a family Christmas – countryside, a mountain of food and festive films –
will salve the sting of her career hanging by a thread and her heart being trampled on. Because everyone else has their life sorted: even Dev, her boy-next-door crush, is now a tall, dark and handsome stranger with a fiancée. She can’t help wishing her future was clearer.

Then Gwen wakes up to discover it’s Christmas day all over again. Like Groundhog Day but with turkey. And family arguments. On repeat.

As she figures out how to escape her own particular Christmas hell, Dev is the one bright spot. He might be all grown-up but underneath he’s just as kind and funny as she remembers.

Maybe, just maybe, her heart can be mended after all.

But how do you fall in love with someone who can’t remember you from one day to the next?

Happy Publication Day – 7 October 2022

Santa, Please Bring Me a Boyfriend by Sophie Ranald

As snowflakes fall like icing sugar, I smile at him and feel an unmistakeable spark. And I realise I don’t just fancy the (taut, muscular) arse off this man – a man who probably doesn’t even know I exist – but I actually like him…

This Christmas, Rowan has a long list for Santa:

To get her sex life out of the Sahara

To stop being the lonely singleton in her friendship group (aka the prime target for blind dates that go horribly wrong)

To find out where her confidence went (note to self: check under sofa)

To have someone to curl up with this Christmas, other than a tin of Quality Street

But having had more than her fair share of heartbreak thanks to her ex – with more off-agains and on-agains than Rachel and Ross – she’s starting to think that real love is just wishful thinking…

But Rowan’s friends aren’t so quick to give up, arranging an advent calendar to help get her spark back. And while the gifts make Rowan feel festive – glittery bubble bath, anyone? – what she really wants to unwrap is the guy who delivers them, Alex. With his soft Scottish accent, infectious grin and blue eyes as twinkly as fairylights, Rowan wouldn’t mind finding him in her stocking this Christmas…

Rowan has no clue how to put her heartache behind her and get his attention. Is she brave enough to open the door in mid-December wearing nothing but her new sexy lingerie and shiny lip gloss? Are twenty-five days enough to get her mojo back or will she have to send a strongly-worded letter to Santa after all…?

Happy Publication Day – 6 October 2022

Twenty-One Nights in Paris by Leonie Mack

An heiress to a fortune, Ren’s home-from-home is the Ritz, while the handsome and brooding Sacha has grown up in Paris’s less salubrious suburbs. So when an accident brings them together, romance seems an unlikely outcome.

When Ren’s society engagement reaches a very public end, Irena’s over-protective grandmother wants her home in London. Ren needs an excuse to stay in Paris, and so after some persuasion, Sacha agrees to pose as her new boyfriend. But only for the twenty-one days Ren’s grandmother has allowed her to nurse her broken heart before heading home to face the music.

Over the course of three weeks, Ren realises the world outside her exclusive bubble is more beautiful than she could have imagined. While Sacha reluctantly begins to see the goodness of the woman behind the wealth. When their time is up, will Ren want to return to her gilded cage, and will Sacha be able to let go of the woman he’s been ‘pretending’ to fall in love with…

Happy Publication Day – 4 October 2022

Reasons Why Not To Date Your Nemesis By Melanie Munton

Reason #1: Ben Crawford is Olivia Knight’s long-time arch rival. They’ve been sworn enemies ever since she wore overalls to school one day, and he asked her in homeroom where she parked her cow. Now that he’s back, it doesn’t appear much has changed. He’s still arrogant. He’s still trouble. And this time, he’s got a badge and handcuffs. Which will make murdering him and disposing of his body much more challenging for her.

Reason #2: Sheriff Ben has done a lot of growing up during his time away from Shell Grove. He went and got himself some muscles and tattoos, and has the nerve to wear that sheriff’s uniform absurdly well. For some reason, that’s all she can seem to focus on whenever they cross paths. All the nice changes he’s made, instead of how vehemently she’s vowed to hate his guts for all eternity.

Reason #3: The complicated connection that has forever entwined their lives doesn’t have a pleasant backstory. As adults, they should be able to forget what happened when they were teenagers and move on. But in a small town where everyone has long memories, there are reminders everywhere of the nasty events that destroyed both of their families years ago. And she’s not sure their growing feelings for each other are enough to forgive the sins of the past and carve out a future…together.

Ben has a secret. A big one. The longer he’s in Shell Grove and surrounded by people who know his sordid history, the more likely that secret is going to come out. But if it does, Olivia will never speak to him again. Which will not do. Because he’s finally realized that Olivia is the reason why he came back to town in the first place. And if he doesn’t want to lose her forever, he needs to correct the mistakes he made a long time ago and prove he’s not the NEMESIS she’s always thought him to be.

Dare Me By Samantha Chase

One year ago, Arianna Donovan and Will Jameson met on a dare and spent a perfect 24 together before going their separate ways. She thought they would stay in touch, but he disappeared without a word.

Arianna thought she’d moved on. But when Will shows up at a family dinner with her older—and very protective—brother, she’s angry and confused. How could he possibly forget to mention that he was friends with her brother? No one knows about their past and Arianna wants to keep things that way. No matter how tempting Will is.

When he walked away a year ago, Will thought it was for the best. Staying away from Arianna was the smart thing to do, especially with how protective her older brother—his friend and fellow soldier—can be. Time and distance will work wonders when you’re trying to stay away from someone. Now that he’s seen her again, he forgets all about doing the smart thing. He’ll just have to first convince her to let go of her anger and give him another chance.

Will isn’t above playing the nostalgia card, and when he challenges Arianna to a sexy game of truth or dare, she can’t resist. Neither one is ready to tell the world what they’re doing, but how long can they possibly keep things a secret when there are Donovans ready to meddle around every corner?

Snowflakes Over Primrose Woods By Jill Steeples

Winter has arrived in Primrose Woods bringing with it new loves, new adventures and warm hugs on cold days.

Abbey Carter, her boyfriend Sam and their trusty canine companion Lady, relish living in the picturesque village of Wishwell at the edge of their beloved Primrose Woods. The woods and the country park are full of activity as the festive season approaches.

Lizzie Baker is flat out at the Treetops café, serving all sorts of winter warmers, festive goodies and lashings of hot chocolate. And when her daughter and grandchildren arrive to stay, the run up to Christmas is set to be even more magical than she had expected.

Rhianna West has finally found the perfect man to fall in love with – if only Luke wasn’t moving away in the New Year.

As the snow falls on Primrose Woods, and the village of Wishwell sparkles with Christmas lights, could this be the year that every wish comes true for the three friends?

Holiday Romance By Catherine Walsh

She’s meant to be catching flights, not catching feelings…

Molly and Andrew are just trying to get home to Ireland for the holidays, when a freak snowstorm grounds their flight.

Nothing romantic has ever happened between them: they’re friends and that’s all. But once a year, for the last ten years, Molly has spent seven hours and fifteen minutes sitting next to Andrew on the last flight before Christmas from Chicago to Dublin, drinking terrible airplane wine and catching up on each other’s lives. In spite of all the ways the two friends are different, it’s the holiday tradition neither of them has ever wanted to give up.

Molly isn’t that bothered by Christmas, but—in yet another way they’re total opposites—Andrew is a full-on fanatic for the festive season and she knows how much getting back to Ireland means to him. So, instead of doing the sane thing and just celebrating the holidays together in America, she does the stupid thing. The irrational thing. She vows to get him home. And in time for his mam’s famous Christmas dinner.

The clock is ticking. But Molly always has a plan. And—as long as the highly-specific combination of taxis, planes, boats, and trains all run on time—it can’t possibly go wrong.

What she doesn’t know is that, as the snow falls over the city and over the heads of two friends who are sure they’re not meant to be together, the universe might just have a plan of its own…

Happy Publication Day – 3 October 2022

Happy Endings At Mermaids Point By Sarah Bennett

Music sensation Aurora Storm finally has her career back on track, but then she’s caught up in a media storm. Desperate to distract from the story, she enlists the one man she trusts to pretend to be her boyfriend.

Meanwhile, in the small seaside village of Mermaids Point, Nick Morgan never expected to see Aurora again. When she calls out of the blue needing his help, he agrees at once. It feels like she’s back in his life for a reason, and he’s determined to make the most of it.

Aurora joins Nick and the rest of his family for their festive celebrations and, as the snow falls, Aurora finds herself caught up in the romance of Christmas. But having tasted worldwide fame, can she ever be content with village life?

Two weeks is all Nick has to prove to Aurora that there’s a happy ending for them both in Mermaids Point.

Happy Publication Day – 27 September 2022

The Three Loves of Sebastian Cooper By Zoe Folbigg

As friends and family gather for the funeral of charming and charismatic Seb Cooper, three women sit in the congregation, mourning his loss.

First there is Clair, Seb’s wife and partner of twenty years, and mother of his two children. Furious at Seb for dying and leaving their children without a father, Clair isn’t sure of her place, and has been left baffled and bemused by the conflicting stories of Seb’s last days.

Then there’s Desiree, the woman Seb left Clair for. Heartbroken, self-conscious, and wondering if she made a mistake coming today.

And the third and noisiest mourner of all is Noemie – Seb’s lover and the last woman to see him alive.

Three women who loved Seb in their own different ways.

Three women whose lives have now changed forever.

But only one woman knows what really happened at the end…and only one truly had his heart…

Snowflakes and Secrets In Scottish Highlands By Donna Ashcroft

Step into the cosy Scottish village of Christmas where you’ll find plenty of secrets, romance and mulled wine! And join Merry McKenzie as she stays at her Aunt Ava’s cottage for the winter festivities to try and mend her broken heart…

Thirty-one-year-old Merry is escaping to the Scottish Highlands for Christmas. Heartbroken by the death of her father, the man who raised her single-handedly, she needs some time to heal. Hiding away at Chestnut Cottage with only her Aunt Ava’s menagerie of pets for company seems like the perfect way to spend a peaceful December. But when she arrives, Merry discovers some curious instructions from her aunt asking her to organise Secret Santa gifts for the residents of Christmas village.

Merry’s determined to try and carry out her aunt’s festive task. But on her first night in the little cottage everything goes wrong – including upsetting the handsome local vet Theo Ellis-Lee when he arrives to assist with a crazed turkey and the mischievous rabbit who’s torn apart her aunt’s gift list. Merry is completely out of her comfort zone and it doesn’t help that Theo is both infuriatingly cheerful and insanely attractive.

Merry’s plans for a quiet break are quickly thwarted as Theo starts coming by every day to check on the unruly animals, and she can’t deny he sets her pulse racing. And, one by one, the friendly locals draw her out of her shell with cosy cups of tea, warm words and laughter-filled evenings in the pub. She finds herself embracing the challenge of finding the perfect gift for each of the kind-hearted people on her list. When Theo offers to help, sparks fly between them. But when the Secret Santa project forces Merry to face her heartache, she’s not sure she’s ready for a fresh start.

At a crossroads in her life, will Merry decide to go home and hide from her problems or will she open her heart and stay in Christmas village?

Lucky Streak By Tif Marcelo

I never thought I’d see her again. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? But five years later, my casino fling is my new next-door neighbor.

A lot’s happened since we got acquainted in that hotel room. I finished out my military career, took a job with my estranged father, moved to the beach…the only thing that hasn’t changed is that Beatrice has always been on my mind. I can’t let her get away again. Lucky for me, she feels the same way.

Not so lucky, though, is our families’ business rivalry—and our resorts’ competition for the same property.

As much as I want to ride off into the sunset with Beatrice on the back of my bike, we want to make this work. And that means smoothing things out between our families.

If we thought finding each other after our night in Vegas was a long shot, this feud is about to give impossible a whole new meaning.

Christmas Eve Cowboy By Diana Palmer, Delores Fossen and Kate Pearce

Snow is falling, and when it comes to love, so are these rugged, gorgeous cowboys, in a romantic holiday collection from three bestselling authors . . .

ONCE THERE WAS A LAWMAN * Diana Palmer
FBI agent Thomas Kincaid Jones has soured on love and Christmas, but Annalisa Davis could change all that. Except the lovely nurse isn’t looking to get involved with someone whose job requires a gun on his hip. And Tom has a case to solve that has nothing to do with love. Yet the spirit of the holidays just might spark a lifetime connection . . .

CHRISTMAS CREEK COWBOY * Delores Fossen
In Christmas Creek, Texas, folks go all out for the holidays, but Sheriff Calen Jameson is too busy commiserating about cheating exes with his best friend, Emmy Kendrick. Calen always thought their bond was too precious to risk, yet maybe it’s time to start making some changes . . . by firing up the heat with Emmy.

COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS * Kate Pearce
Lucy Smith thinks Santa has outdone himself when Caleb Erickson shows up at her B&B. In high school, Caleb was oblivious to her crush. But while they wait out a snowstorm, he’s discovering she may be the gift he never knew he wanted . . .

Somebody Like Santa By Janet Dailey

For Cooper Chapman, moving next door to his newlywed sister in Branding Iron, Texas, is the biggest gift he could ask for this Christmas. The divorced single dad knows his troubled teenaged son only needs the healing balm of big skies and family ties. But soon after settling into their new home, Trevor falls in with some wild friends at his new school, leaving Cooper leaning hard on youth counselor Jess Graver. With grace and wisdom, Jess soothes Cooper’s worries over his son, even as the elusive beauty stirs romantic feelings to life . . .

With the holiday growing closer, young Trevor finds an unexpected mentor in a local farmer, helping him build a horse-drawn sleigh for the Christmas parade. Now the only thing that could make Cooper’s New Year brighter would be making warm-hearted Jess his own. But when he stumbles upon a secret from her past, it will take more than mistletoe to bring them back together and keep her at his side for all the sweet seasons to come . . .