When you’re a famous wedding planner, planning your own wedding, everyone expects it to be the event of the year.
Just one problem… I don’t actually have a groom.
I did—but then he decided to walk away before I even walked down the aisle.
Now if I want to save my reputation, and my business, I need to find someone willing to play the part of my fake southern fiancé and pull off my small town wedding without a hitch.
In the heart of Alabama, lies a charming little town on the river, where everyone knows your name… and your business.
Follow the intertwined lives of its beloved residents as they navigate first love, second chances, and all the unexpected surprises that their small-town holds.
Welcome to Magnolia Grove, where every neighbor has a story worth unraveling, the roots run deep, and love blossoms around every corner.
Join the Magnolia Grove Reader Group to find out more!
Author Brittany Holland is a southern Illinois girl, born and raised. Her passion for reading and an active imagination inspired her to pursue her dream of writing.A lover of fairytales and hopeless romantic, Brittany pens steamy happily ever afters with a modern twist.
In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two children, dabbling in photography, perfecting her latte making skills at home and binge-watching Netflix.
A Small Town, Second Chance, Firefighter, standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author, Samantha Chase.
She’s being suspected of setting her workplace on fire.
He needs to prove it wasn’t her.
Now he’s on a mission to convince the one that got away that they belong together.
Ashlynn Donovan’s life just hit rock bottom. She lost her job, there are no prospects on the horizon, and she just unknowingly flashed the hot new firefighter in town. This isn’t the first time she’s embarrassed herself in front of him, but she was prepared to react the same way she did years ago – by running away. But Reid’s persistent and isn’t ready to let her get away a second time.
Reid Baylor always hoped to return to Sweetbriar Ridge—the only place he’s felt a connection to after a lifetime spent moving from place to place. When he learns of an opening in the fire department, he jumps at the chance to return to the small town he wants to call home again. And just when he thinks life can’t get any better, he runs into the one girl he’s never been able to forget. But reminding Ashlynn of their embarrassing first meeting might not have been the best move, especially when he wants to prove that he’s the man for her.
When Ashlynn is suspected of arson for the fire at her former workplace, Reid’s dream of becoming a fire inspector is on the line—and so is any chance he had with Ashlynn. Will his chance at getting both his dream job and the girl of his dreams go up in flames?
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo!
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance that’s hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than eighty titles under her belt – including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017 and THE WEDDING SEASON which was a Hallmark wedding movie in 2023! She’s a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80’s rock. When she’s not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Solitaire when she should be writing, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Maylene…oh, and spending time with her husband of 32 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Chicago Rebels hockey player Dex O’Malley has been a naughty boy … again.
Only his latest stunt isn’t quite like when he was caught with his pants down at a nightclub or was cited for drag-racing on Lake Shore Drive or even that time he said a few critical things about his teammates on a hockey podcast. Oops. This time, Dex is in real trouble, the kind that could get him kicked off the team and out of the league. And that cannot happen. Hockey is the only thing he’s ever been good at. The only thing he cares about. He’ll do whatever it takes to rehab his rep, even if it means cleaning up dog poop and suffering the steely-eyed disapproval of his new no-nonsense “boss” at the animal shelter, Ashley Adams.
Ashley has enough on her plate between her low-paying job, her high-maintenance family, and a love life she’s trying to resurrect after her divorce. She’s already mom to an amazing nine-year-old; the last thing she needs is mothering a celebrity volunteer with more money than sense. But the troublemaking f-boy needs Ashley to sign off on his good deeds so he can get back to what he does best: lighting up lamps both on and off the ice. And while a guy like that could never interest her mind, it seems her body is not on the same page. Sure, Dex O’Malley is too young, too hot, too flighty for Ashley to take seriously, but maybe a brief ride on the wild side might fit the bill …
Only that’s not enough for Dex. What happens when this notorious player decides the older, single mom is the hottest woman he’s ever met and that he wants to light her lamp … forever?
Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with big-hearted guys and strong heroines – and heroes – who can match their men quip for quip.
I never claimed to be a good man, but I’ve always done what was expected of me.
Find a nice girl. Get married. Have children.
That was my duty as a good Christian man.
And everything was going as planned when I met Briar.
Beautiful. Charismatic. Sexy.
But marriage is hard, and after seven years, I feel like I’m failing.
Then, a figure from my past enters the picture.
Dean Sheridan is cocky and charming. When this twenty-five-year-old needs a place to stay, I should turn him away—especially after I notice the spark between him and my wife. But I don’t.
When I pressure him about his relationship with Briar, he does the last thing I expect.
He dares me.
He thinks he can take what’s mine.
And if it’s a challenge he wants, it’s a challenge he’ll get.
What started as a game becomes so much more.
Between them. Between us.
This isn’t how normal couples behave.
The games we’re playing are dangerous.
And the roles we’re playing are far more.
But God help me, I can’t seem to stop.
What we’re doing is wrong, but it feels so right, and before long, I don’t recognize the good husband I used to be.
I have a new favorite Sara Cate book!! Damn, woman – you can write a phenomenal story.
“You might be married to him, but you belong to me.”
I want to start off with stating for those who hate cheating in their books, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not let that fear stop you from reading this one. Sara Cate handles this area so well; I can’t explain it because I will give everything away, but just give this book a chance.
I had not anticipated for this spicy and sexy book to bring out so many emotions in me. The love that absolutely shines throughout this book, just made it all the more hotter.
Sara wrote this story beautifully. She showcased each character wonderfully and shined a light on their own struggles and triumphs while blending everything together and intertwining their stories. The pacing is perfect and these characters are exceptional in so many ways.
We don’t sacrifice who we love just to make our lives a little easier.
I could not get enough of this story. Sara crafted a beautiful, deep, hot and emotional story that I will not be forgetting any time soon. This will definitely one of those books I will be re-reading many times over.
Meet Sara Cate:
Let’s skip the boring About the Author bit where I tell you how I’m a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Arizona with her kids, husband, and dog and enjoys baking in my free time. Boring.
Instead, I’d like you to know I strive to be a taboo and forbidden romance author who dares to tell stories with heart-wrenching plot and toe-curling heat.
My passion in life is to normalize a reading experience that pushes boundaries and empowers women to own their sexuality. Things that trigger my soapbox rants are discrediting the romance industry or belittling its readers by calling it “trash.” You’ve been warned. I could quite literally go on for days.
I like to take risks and write from the heart. And I want nothing more than to be an author readers trust to deliver books that are steamy AF but with a strong storyline and well-rounded characters.
What is The Sara Cate Experience?
The Sara Cate Experience means being pulled into a story and escaping reality a little bit for romances that are as emotional as they are arousing. The feelings are strong and the steam is scorching. There is never one without the other because when sex and love come together, it’s fireworks.
Then Hate Me by Alta Hensley & Zoe Blake, writing as Blake Hensley, is now live!
He dared to steal my bride, so it’s only fair I respond by kidnapping his innocent sister.
Only a monster with no morals would kidnap a woman from her brother’s wedding…
Which was precisely what I’ve become, a monster bent on revenge.
After all, as the billionaire Marksen DuBois, renowned for being a jilted groom, my reputation and business were in tatters.
There was nothing more dangerous than a man possessing power, boundless resources, and a vendetta.
I would torment him with increasingly degrading photos of his precious sister as I held her captive and under my complete control.
She’d have no option but to yield to my every command if she wished to shield herself and her family from further disgrace.
She was just a captured pawn to be dominated, exploited, and discarded.
Yet the more ensnared we become in my twisted game of revenge, the more my suspicions grow.
As she fiercely counters my every move, I begin to question whether I’m the true pawn… ensnared by my queen.
New York’s elite play a dangerous game of shadows, hiding scandalous truths and illicit desires behind their opulent masks. Step into this intoxicating world of dark romance, masterfully crafted by USAT Bestselling authors, Zoe Blake and Alta Hensley, now co-writing as the enigmatic Blake Hensley.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Then Hate Me is the second book in this series. And while it is said that it can be read as a standalone, I would disagree with that to a point. I would definitely consider this to an interconnected standalone.
Then Hate Me is Marksen and Olivia’s story. However, you need to understand the dynamics between all the parties involved and you get all that in book one, The More I Hate. I was not lost per se, but it took me a bit to get fully vested in this story and feel like I understood how everyone was intertwined.
I found the plot intriguing and the pacing of the book was spot on. It was entertaining to see both Marksen and Olivia fight within themselves on feelings they were not suppose to be feeling towards one another. It may their passion even hotter.
I do wish that Olivia would have made Marksen gravel more in the end. She’s a strong heroine and throughout the story, definitely pushed back on him and I loved those parts. So I was hoping to see more of that in the end from her.
Overall, it’s a great second book in this series. I would definitely read the first book to get a much better understanding of the dynamics and to truly enjoy this one as a whole. I am definitely looking forward to book three – Harrison’s story.
Meet Blake Hensley
Introducing Blake Hensley, the sinfully decadent dream project of best friends and
USA TODAY bestselling authors, Zoe Blake and Alta Hensley.
Alta Hensley, renowned for her hot, dark, and dirty romances, showcases her distinctive blend of alpha heroes, captivating love stories, and scorching eroticism.
Meanwhile, Zoe Blake brings a touch of darkness and glamour to the series, featuring her signature style of possessive billionaires, taboo scenes, and unexpected twists.
Together, as Blake Hensley, they combine their storytelling prowess to deliver “Twice the Darkness,” promising sordid scandals, hidden secrets, and forbidden desires of New York’s jaded high society in their new series,
Gilded Decadence.
Meet Alta
Alta Hensley is a USA TODAY bestselling author of hot, dark and dirty romance. She is also an Amazon Top 10 bestselling author. Being a multi-published author in the romance genre, Alta is known for her dark, gritty alpha heroes, sometimes sweet love stories, hot eroticism, and engaging tales of the constant struggle between dominance and submission.
She lives in Astoria, Oregon with her husband, two daughters, and an Australian Shepherd. When she isn’t walking the coastline, and drinking beer in her favorite breweries, she is writing about villains who always get their love story and happily ever after.
Zoe Blake is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the romantic suspense saga The Cavalieri Billionaire Legacy inspired by her own heritage as well as her obsession with jewelry, travel, and the salacious gossip of history’s most infamous families.
She delights in writing Dark Romance books filled with overly possessive billionaires, taboo scenes, and unexpected twists. She usually spends her ill-gotten gains on martinis, vacations, and red lipstick.
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Touch Her and Die, Virgin FMC, Possessive MMC, Arranged Marriage, Opposites Attract, Enemies to Lovers
♦ ♦ ♦
𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙖
As the only daughter of a formidable capo, my existence unfolded within the confines of a gilded cage. At eighteen, I would become a pawn in the intricate game of power, destined to be wed to a high-ranking member of my father’s regime. My fate oscillated between my father’s grasp and that of my future husband. Fleeing was not an option; they would track me down relentlessly. In an act of both self-preservation and rebellion, I sought refuge in a local convent—the sole sanctuary untouched by the shadows of the mafia. Yet, before I could take my final vows, the devil himself knocked at my door — a devastatingly handsome blonde-haired, blue-eyed rogue. With an Irish accent that sent shivers down my spine, he declared me his future wife. No one had touched me; no one would. But despite my aversion to a forced marriage, an irresistible attraction brewed between us— for he was both poison and wine.
𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙢
When I abducted a nun, my expectations were simple—she’d be submissive, pliable, the ideal mafia wife. Little did I imagine that the fiery brunette would wield a mouth and body I craved, both in and out of the bedroom. She was a means to an end—a marriage forged out of convenience, a strategic alliance with an enemy family to solidify our standing in the underworld. Tradition dictated that I claim her, yet the last thing I’d do is coerce her. She won’t be forced. I promised she would beg me to take her, and anyone who dared to touch her would die. For she was mine and mine alone.
In the unforgiving realm of the underworld, brace yourself for an electrifying romance pulsating with danger and desire.
♦ ♦ ♦
Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Three Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She’s written rockers, bikers, billionaires, manwhores with hearts of gold, New Adult, and Young Adult. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, her rescue mutts, Belle and Nova, and her cats, Mama Kitty, Joe, and Jake. She has a slight obsession with The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
She holds a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education and spent fourteen years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes.
Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers.
I’ve never had a problem convincing a man to take me home for a night of fun.
Until I meet Alexander Krum.
He leaves me wanting more at the end of every encounter. Despite our insane attraction to one another, we couldn’t be more opposite.
He wants to take me on a date.
I want to head straight to his bedroom.
He believes in romance.
I know men in romance books don’t really exist.
He always wants to help.
I can take care of myself.
But then he comes to me with a proposition: A marriage arrangement to save his family’s villa. His substantial offer has me overlooking our differences and saying “I do.”
There is only one problem…he’s been hiding a secret from the media for the last four years. Pretending to be a wife is one thing, but this? I’m the last person he should want in this role.
Yet I can’t bring myself to walk away. The incentive is too great, and when it’s over, I will have my dream.
And it will be over. I’m not destined for happily ever after’s—no matter how real this charade is starting to feel.
This is my first read by Kristen but definitely won’t be my last.
Puck Pact is a full standalone featuring Aarya and Alexander.
Araya is a strongly independent and fierce woman who relies on no-one. She trusts no-one and lives life to the fullest and her number one love is her art goals.
Alexander is the captain of his hockey team but keeps alot close to his chest. He has his own secrets and while he loves fiercely, he doesn’t let many people in.
I absolutely loved watching these two knock down one another’s walls. The natural progression of their story was perfect and the pacing of this book was phenomenal. I loved watching each of them grow in different ways and realize things about themselves.
Kristen wrote an emotional and spicy sports romance. Alexander is every woman’s fictional dream man and Aarya is every woman’s best friend. I absolutely loved these two.
This is a definite must read!
Meet Kristen Granata:
Kristen Granata is a teacher by day, and a bestselling author by night. Known for writing emotional contemporary and new adult romance, she loves creating realistic characters who struggle through the darkest parts of life and come out stronger on the other side. Kristen is a self-proclaimed “bitter cynic trapped in a hopeless romantic’s body.” Her inspirational stories make you laugh, make you think, make you ugly cry – and they will always live happily ever after.
Kristen openly shares her mental health struggles with depression and anxiety with her readers. Her message is a beacon of hope to anyone who is suffering: You are not alone. She delicately weaves this theme into her writing, and her stories demonstrate the ability of love to heal after tragedy.
Kristen was born & raised in New York. She now resides in New Jersey with her wife & two step-daughters. When she’s not teaching or writing, Kristen is reading, tripping over something, indulging in her messy love affair with popcorn, and forever singing along to The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
Trope: Second chance, age-gap, found family, college professor/student, HEA
Synopsis
PIERRE (“GAGS”)
My life is complicated.
Hell, I’m complicated.
I don’t know a life beyond how I’m perceived. After a devastating divorce, it looked like I never would.
Can a hockey fight change your life?
I may not understand my attraction to Sven Holmer, but I can tell you my obsession with kissing him started in the middle of a fight. When we met again, the conversation was easy, the banter effortless. Once stolen glances gave way to secret touches, I was more confused than ever. How the hell am I supposed to handle it when everything I’ve always believed about myself no longer fits?
Things are great… until they aren’t.
Our connection deepens with every minute we spend together, but like me, Sven is no stranger to betrayal and heartache. Between my stubbornness, his reservations, and the start of a new season, how can we survive months apart?
When tragedy strikes, all bets are off. I just hope it’s not too late.
Broken Ice, Mended Hearts features two thirty-something hockey players hardened by heartbreak. This compelling, angsty book includes a bisexual awakening, hurt/comfort, found family, first times, high heat, and a hard-earned HEA. Though it is part of the Bethesda Barracudas Hockey series, it can be read as a standalone.
Ryan Taylor met his husband and co-author, Joshua Harwood, in law school. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and share their home with a big, cuddly German shepherd. Ryan and Josh love to travel. In addition, Ryan also enjoys swimming, and Josh likes to putter in the garden whenever he can. They began writing to celebrate the romance they were so lucky to find with each other, and the sharing soon developed into a passion for telling stories about love between out and proud men.
Thea Jenson has her future meticulously planned out. Graduate from college. Get a job. Marry her high school sweetheart and have two beautiful children. When she decides to transfer schools, her brother suggests she move in with him and his unruly hockey roommates. Everything in her life is going according to her plan . . .
. . . until she bumps into Kyler in their kitchen and sparks fly.
Kyler Rose, the starting center for the Northport University hockey team, is done for the moment he lays his eyes on Thea. But he can’t allow her to become a distraction. He’s determined to make it to the NHL. That’s if he doesn’t get booted for failing grades first. And even though he’s on scholarship, it doesn’t pay his bills or provide for his family. Neither do the tips he earns from his bartending gig. When an offer to make some fast cash falls in his lap, he takes it, thinking no one will care if he gets hurt . . .
. . . except Thea does care.
But just as Kyler finds a way to navigate his feelings for Thea, an unexpected link to his family comes to light and he finds himself in the fight of his life to protect those he loves the most – his family.
About Heidi:
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com
From USA Today Bestselling Author Holly Renee, author of the Stars and Shadows series, comes a scorching new fantasy romance that ignites the pages with relentless danger, forbidden passion, and the intoxicating allure of enemies to lovers.
Fleeing my father’s cruelty, the wicked king who robbed me of a future, I face death in the streets, caught between a rebellion and a tyrant’s reign.
Captured by those sworn to kill me, the rebels remain blind to my true identity-the missing daughter of the despised king. Faced with an impossible choice, I stand before them: join the rebels or face their blades.
Yet, Dacre, the son of the ruthless rebellion commander, becomes torn between suspicion and a desire that mirrors my own. He allows no one to touch me, tries to protect me, yet threatens me at every turn.
As secrets are weaved beyond our hidden realm, a fierce battle unfolds within me. As I get closer to the rebels, and their cause, my loyalty to my kingdom clashes with my undeniable devotion to Dacre and the burning connection between us.
In a world where love and hate are two edges of the same blade, I find myself caught in a delicate dance between forbidden desire and my looming destiny.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
The Veiled Kingdom is a nice start to a new series, The Veiled Kingdom.
This is a fantasy romance that starts off a bit slow for us fantasy readers but still has the right touch to keep you intrigued and turning the pages. There was just something in this book that kept me glued to its pages and wanting to know what would happen.
I enjoyed the banter and relationship building between each of the characters. The story is told from both Nyra and Dacre’s POVs and that truly helps add another layer to this story. It’s very well written and the flow is perfect for what needs to happen and build up the plot intensity.
My biggest issue and the only reason I did not rate this book 5 stars was the lack of world building. A huge part of a fantasy romance is the world building and letting readers visualize this fantastic world and all the ins and outs of the people who inhabit it and their abilities. While there are some descriptions, there is alot missing that would give this book that perfect additional layer.
Overall, I really did enjoy this book and cannot wait to see what happens next with Nyra, Dacre and the impasse that they are currently at.
Meet Holly
USA Today Bestselling Author, Holly Renee brings readers a pinch of angst, an indulgence of heat, and the perfect amount of heart in every book.
Born and raised in East Tennessee, she is a married mom of two wild children. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, pretending to be a dragon for the hundredth time that day, being disgustingly in love with her husband, or chilling in the middle of the lake with her sunglasses and a float.
Holly is a lover of all things romance, Mexican food and yoga pants.
Five years ago, Astrid O’Malley experienced the ultimate in public humiliation. Being dumped at the altar by her childhood sweetheart was horrifying enough. That fact that he was a professional hockey goalie and her dad was his coach? It was all anyone in sports could talk about.
Eff hockey. Eff goalies.
These days, Astrid lives a life (mostly) free of hockey and free to pursue whoever she wants with exactly zero shame in her game. Like tonight’s hook-up. This guy’s nailed the lumberjack aesthetic perfectly. Especially when he has the stamina and creativity to back it up.
Because the rule is: it’s one night only. Which is gonna be a problem because she’s just discovered he lives in the apartment upstairs.
And he’s joined her dad’s team. As the goalie coach. To train her ex.
Now Astrid is in some kind of hockey hell–filled with her ex, her family, and the best sex of her life. And somehow she’s been roped back onto the team.
Puck my life.
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kindle Unlimited, and Kobo!
Walk of Shame was right down the middle ok for me.
The blurb intrigued me and the beginning of the story kept me hooked. However, at one point, things just sort of went flat for me. And the ending felt rushed and unrealistic. And the epilogue – that was quite the shocking revelation.
I enjoyed how Astrid and Cal navigated their relationship. I did want to see more of an emotional attachment between them and not just the physical one. But let me tell you, those spicy scenes were done well.
Overall, it was an ok read for me.
Meet Avery
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She lives outside of Washington DC with her family, Dwight the cat, and a pack of five dogs all named after food. If she’s not reading romance or binging reality TV, she’s most definitely plotting to take over the world so she can banish Crocs from existence. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.
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When you’re a famous wedding planner, planning your own wedding, everyone expects it to be the event of the year.
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