Juliet Montgomery absolutely loves her small town of Blossom Glen, Indiana, and everyone loves her. Except for the fact that she’s a couples counselor who suffered a very public breakup that no one can forget. And now her boss asks her to take a step back…which is exactly when the town’s good-lookin’ and unusually gruff mayor offers her an unexpected job.
Jack Monroe absolutely loves being the mayor of his small town. Except when he actually has to talk to people. Can’t he just fix the community problems in peace? Like right now, he’s mediating the silliest dispute two neighbors could possibly have. When the town sweetheart steps up and solves everyone’s problems in five minutes flat, Jack realizes what this town really needs…is a therapist.
Juliet is able to soothe anyone—other than the surly mayor, it seems. But there’s a reason they say opposites attract, because all of their verbal sparring leads to some serious attraction. Only, just like with fireworks, the view might appear beautiful—but she’s already had one public explosion that’s nearly ruined everything…how can she risk her heart again?
I really had a wonderful time with Juliet and Jack. They were a fun enemies to lovers romance with a very significant slow burn that worked well since they each had their own reasons for avoiding relationships.
He’s the no nonsense mayor and she’s the town sweetheart, and they are all kinds of tangled up together thanks to her sister and his best friend so avoiding one another is pretty difficult, but somehow they managed. Me thinks they managed a little too much?
Anyway the moment Jack and Juliet are on the page together you can feel the sparks. She is sassy and sweet and has her own issues to battle, same as Jack. But the attraction cannot be denied, no matter how hard they try. The way they complement each other but can’t see it yet was such a good twist and it was really made the romance ring true.
Like I said, I had a good time reading this story. I liked The Sweetheart Deal but The Sweetheart Fix was like a fun rom-com movie it was so engaging. There were plenty of fun side characters, most especially Jack’s pint-sized grandmother and all of Juliet’s whacky family.
Jane Zielinski has her hands full this December. The last thing she needs is to be upstaged by her former childhood BFF, Bella Bradley, who blows into town with handfuls of cash and a sexy business partner, Nate Wright. But a little competition never hurt anyone, and Jane’s ready to do whatever it takes– including flirting with Nate–to get Bella to pack up and leave. Fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne will love Grinch Girl, a spicy and humorous Christmas Romance from Michelle Dayton.“The love story itself is stirring and emotional, and Emily and Bobby’s second chance feels well-earned.”—Publishers Weekly review for Escape GirlBlurbSometimes, the real story isn’t the beautiful city girl returning to her small town to save Christmas—it’s the townie chick who never left.Jane Zielinski has her hands full this December, working three jobs and directing a homemade reality dating web series, Single Bells, as a stunt to keep her small town competitive with the ritzy resort towns luring tourists. Then the gorgeous Bella Bradley, Jane’s childhood BFF who had no qualms about skipping town when times got tough, returns with handfuls of cash and her smoking-hot business partner Nate Wright on her arm.Jane can’t believe she’s being upstaged again, especially when Bella uses the Single Bells activities to rekindle a romance with her high school boyfriend—the man Jane had envisioned her future with. So if a little competition could convince Bella to leave town—again—Jane is ready to take the mittens off. And she’s not above sabotage, cheating, or flirting with Nate to win. Let the reindeer games begin…
The stranger had a British accent, dark hair, funky glasses, and wore both an expensive cashmere sweater and a bored expression. He couldn’t have looked less local if he’d tattooed “I’m from away” on his forehead. “Do you know the Wi-Fi password, by any chance?”Of course I did; I’d installed it. “Nope.”OK, that was unnecessary. Don’t piss off the tourists, Jane. Jim’s pub couldn’t handle a one-star Yelp review from some asshole.He threw up his hands. “No sign posted with the Wi-Fi info. Nobody pouring drinks.” He let out an exasperated huff. “No wonder this place is a dying shithole, right? The bar, the whole town.”Strong words, stranger. Maybe I agreed, but I was allowed to think so because I lived here. He, however, could take his opinion and shove it straight up his ass.The need for caffeine was real. I stood, put my palms on the bar, and boosted myself over it. The stranger put his phone on the bar with an angry slap. “Are you kidding? Are you the bartender? You’ve just been sitting there ignoring me the whole time I’ve been here?”I almost wanted to say yes. Because that haughty, entitled tone in his prettily accented voice made his face a prime candidate for a fist.“I don’t work here,” I said flatly, although I did pick up shifts in the summers sometimes. “I just know the owner.”The stranger cocked his head and considered me. Changed tactics. “Do you know him well enough to grab me a beer?” He smiled, and it changed his whole damn face. He went from haughty and bored to…zing! There was a teasing tone in his wry voice now, complimented by curved lips and a flash of white teeth. A knowing, flirtatious glint in his dark eyes.Hmm. This was a person used to getting everything he wanted.Too bad for him that I hated people like that.Maybe I didn’t want a soda after all. Maybe I wanted something else. I slowly took a pint glass from the shelf and pulled a draft of Spotted Cow, all while making extreme eye contact with the stranger’s amused gaze.But instead of sliding the beer over the bar, I walked around it, grabbed my laptop, and strolled slowly to the back office, enjoying an enormous gulp of the beer on my walk. I ignored his “what the hell” and called over my shoulder, “Enjoy your stay in our shithole town.”
About Michelle Dayton
There are only three things Michelle Dayton loves more than sexy and suspenseful novels: her family, the city of Chicago, and Mr. Darcy. Michelle dreams of a year of world travel – as long as the trip would include weeks and weeks of beach time. As a bourbon lover and unabashed wine snob, Michelle thinks heaven is discussing a good book over an adult beverage.
In THE BOOK BOYFRIEND by Kate Stacy, Mila Cross never expected to find love, but when bad boy Crossland Parker comes into her life and sweeps her off her feet, suddenly she’s falling hard for the man from the wrong side of the tracks. But when a secret from his past is exposed, will its revelation destroy everything? Fans of small-town, opposites attract romances will enjoy this must-read wrong-side-of-the-tracks romance from the Meet Cute Book Club Series.
Escape with the Meet Cute Book Club, where meet cutes don’t happen only between the pages of romance novels, and one by one, all the members find their own happily ever afters.
Title: The Asshole Heir Series: Winter Harbor Heroes, Book 2 Authors: Whitley Cox & Ember Leigh Release: August 16, 2022 Genre: Small Town, Second Chance, Secret Baby, Estranged Family Secret Romance
Mending fences with my brothers as I uncover family secrets is easy compared to winning back the woman carrying my baby…
Carson
Six months ago she ghosted me. She stopped taking my calls and didn’t even answer her damn door. Now, with my world upside down and my arm in a cast, where do I find her, but Winter Harbor, seven months pregnant with my baby. Despite her keeping this secret from me, I want her. I’ve always wanted her. And even though I was dead-set on never having kids, given my own garbage dad, seeing Amaya pregnant and knowing that the baby is mine changes everything. I’m ready to right my father’s wrongs and be there for my kid. I want the family life, and I want it with Amaya. But she’s not convinced. And for good reason. Now I just have to prove to her that taking a chance on love–and building a family with a man who’s ruined more romances than started them–is a risk worth taking.
Eric Falling in love with a pop starlet has its drawbacks Lack of privacy, for one Gossip, for another But falling in love with Kiki Ramirez was the best thing I’ve ever done And the stupidest One story planted by her agent and now I look like a fool Played by the starlet Looking like a simp for the world to see But none of its true and I can’t defend my woman how I want The urge to fight for her, to defend her is too strong Even against the Hollywood machine working hard to keep us apart
Kiki Falling in love with a civilian wasn’t part of the plan I didn’t believe in love Not for me and not for my life But a small town mayor was the man who’d torn down my walls Snuck past my defenses And now with our future hanging in the balance its up to me to find a way to make it all work A crazy agent A ravenous paparazzi And a pregnant belly I’m powerless to hide I want Eric and the life I see for us But how can I invite this madness into his quiet, small town life?
I know why I lost her. I was too serious, I was too practical. I was too busy thinking I knew what she wanted without asking her.
Over time, this wore on her. All she wanted was to be heard. She wanted someone to support her big exciting ideas, I was supposed to do that, but I shut them down. No wonder she handed me my ring back and left town. No wonder she married someone else, leaving me with memories of sunsets at the beach and the future I had planned for us.
I went on and built my life without her. My father and I opened the second division of Sunset Builders in Las Vegas, and to my surprise, I stayed busy, almost busy enough not to notice the loneliness. That was until one day I was called to do a quick bathroom and kitchen remodel for a woman who lived on Las Vegas Boulevard. I shouldn’t of gone, I should have sent one of my men because when I arrived, and the door opened, every memory I’d had of Jessica came flooding back.
If I’d learned anything in her absence it was that anything worth doing was worth being done well, and anything worth having was worth fighting for. I just hoped she’d give me a second chance.
Jessica
Ben had always been right to keep me grounded. I should’ve listened because the falls didn’t hurt as bad that way.
I wanted a bigger life, in a bigger brighter place. I never appreciated the beauty of living in a small town with a huge support system. Instead, I left town without so much as a goodbye, chasing a silly dream.
I married the man who promised me the sun, moon, and the stars, but delivered blinding blows. I spent years hiding in the dark so that no one would see my bruised face. Most days, I thought I’d die before I escaped the nightmare. I dreamed of running, it was my only way out. Then I got news my grandfather had passed. He left me money and a gorgeous condo in Vegas. I had a plan. I would upgrade the condo, sell it, and fade away into the sunset, all while my husband was gone on a business trip.
Little did I know that Ben would show up on my doorstep. He swore we could make our dreams real, but this time I was the grounded one. I could only see how we would never work. I’d made too many mistakes and love was terrifying.
“Hey, just me,” Julie yelled. “Did you forget? You were supposed to meet me tonight at The Dive Bar?”
Instantly I remembered and I closed my eyes, “Fuck! Sorry, Jules. I got a little sidetracked,” I said, forcing myself up off the couch and heading to the kitchen to meet my sister.
“It’s fine. I brought pizza and wings to you instead. I figured you got caught up in something, but it would have been nice for you to call me or something. Instead, I sat there waiting for you for an hour, looking like an idiot.”
It had totally slipped my mind that my sister and I had dinner plans. I walked over to the counter and flipped open the pizza box, grabbing a slice while my sister grabbed plates from the cupboard. Her eyes fell to the stack of dirty dishes that lined the counters, and then she turned and looked me over, watching as a piece of pepperoni fell onto my chest, which I grabbed and shoved in my mouth.
“Jesus, you look like shit! Here, have a plate.” She giggled and thrust the plate out to me. “You probably should clean this place up, you know. It’s a sty. Honestly, for a guy who is looking for a girlfriend, you’d think you’d keep your place clean.”
“Thanks! Always loved your compliments. Since when did you become my keeper anyway?”
Jules completely ignored me while I loaded my plate with pizza and wings. While she loaded hers, I grabbed two beers from the fridge, pulled the chair out, and sat down at the table. I twisted off the two caps and handed her a bottle.
“So what happened?” she asked, taking the beer from my hand.
“Apparently, I’m a shitty-looking guy who lives in a sty. What do you mean, what happened?”
“You stood me up, for starters, but in all seriousness, you look like you’ve been put through the mill. I know your day wasn’t that tough, since I’m the one who scheduled it, so what gives?”
The last thing I wanted to do was talk about Jess, but I knew it was inevitable with my sister. She would poke, prod, and pry until I had spilled everything! The fact that she hadn’t asked me more than she already had surprised me, especially since she knew I had gone to Jess’s earlier.
“Something happen between you and Jess?”
There it was, like always. I threw my slice of pizza down on the plate and brought the beer bottle up to my lips. “Guess you could say that.” I guzzled down half the bottle and looked at my sister.
“Care to elaborate or are you going to make love to that beer bottle all night?” she asked while picking a piece of pepperoni off her pizza and shoving it into her mouth.
S.L. Sterling was born and raised in southern Ontario. She now lives in Northern Ontario Canada and is married to her best friend and soul mate and their two dogs.
An avid reader all her life, S.L. Sterling dreamt of becoming an author. She decided to give writing a try after one of her favorite authors launched a course on how to write your novel. This course gave her the push she needed to put pen to paper and her debut novel “It Was Always You” was born.
When S.L. Sterling isn’t writing or plotting her next novel she can be found curled up with a cup of coffee, blanket and the newest romance novel from one of her favorite authors on her e-reader. Her favorite authors include Kendall Ryan, Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward, Lauren Blakely, Alessandra Torre and Willow Winters.
In her spare time, she enjoys camping, hiking, sunny destinations, spending quality time with family and friends and of course reading.
Title: The Bastard Heir Series: Winter Harbor Novel #1 Authors: Whitley Cox & Ember Leigh Release: April 9, 2022 Genre: small town, second chance, estranged brothers, family mystery, grumpy/sunshine, fighting a developer
I’m the heir to a secret family fortune, facing down brothers I hate, and trying to get back the one that got away….
Callum
Eight years ago, she broke me.
Her secrets drove a wedge between me and my brother that can never be fixed.
Now, with my life in shambles, I’m forced by the ludicrous demands of my dead father to face the one woman I ever loved, and the brother I can not stand.
I need the money. But a year is a long sentence to serve in a house with people I hate, and in a town that hates me.
A year is a long time to dodge Harlow Jackson and the eyes and smile that made me fall harder than I’ve ever fallen before.
But it only takes days to show me that what happened eight years ago was a mistake. Now I need every last second of the year ahead to convince her to take a second chance on us.
This is the first book of the Winter Harbor series which features a quirky small town, secrets galore, and three estranged brothers who find the key to healing comes from the women who steal their hearts.
My life seemed perfect until he came back to town. With his sights set on me, he’s ready to settle down and face any challenge. Fans of Briar U by Elle Kennedy will devour Our Best Shot by A.M. Williams, a small-town, forced proximity, hockey romance.
On the outside, my life seems perfect. I have my friends, family, and quirky small town to keep me satisfied plus my secret writing career that’s done better than I ever dreamed. What’s not to love?
There’s just one thing missing. But I don’t know what it is.
At least until he comes back to town. The man I crushed on so hard in high school, I couldn’t talk in full sentences around him.
He’s back, he’s ready to settle down, and he’s set his sights on me, the wallflower.
Every time I turn around, there he is. He wants to know about me. And no matter how hard I try to ignore him…I can’t. He’s everything I wanted as a teenager.
And as an adult? I’m discovering that he’s the total package and is ready to sweep me off my feet.
Alex
Deciding to retire from my professional hockey career was easy. I miss my family, friends, and hometown. I crave a slower lifestyle so I can finally settle down.
What isn’t easy? Figuring out how to coach teenaged boys in how to play hockey and win over the woman I can’t stop thinking about.
I think about her constantly and am constantly finding ways to run into her ‘by accident’. I want to know everything about her, but she’s hesitant and I have my work cut out for me to convince her to step outside her comfort zone and date me.
But I’m up for the challenge. I’m ready to show her what being with me could be like and that she doesn’t need to be scared.
With outside forces working against us, can we get it together for our best shot at a happily ever after?
“You want to sit for a little while?” Alex asked, pointing to a bench just ahead of us and off the main path.
I nodded, hoping that the bench would be enough out of the way that people wouldn’t notice us sitting there and stop staring.
We settled in and I sipped my coffee, looking the park over.
Compared to the weekend before, the park looked totally transformed.
There were bright tents throughout the trees with local crafters and artisans, and loud chatter filled the air from people walking around.
“This festival looks no different from when I came as a kid,” Alex said, pulling my attention to him.
I glanced at him and watched as he looked over at what I’d just been looking at.
“Are you surprised? You know we like tradition here.”
Alex chuckled. “Not really. I guess since it’s been so long since I was here, that I expected something to have changed. But nothing has. The same tents, same vendors, same atmosphere.”
I made a noise low in my throat. “There are some new vendors. They’re just peppered throughout. Some ones you’re thinking of don’t come anymore.”
What I didn’t say was that some owners had died because of how old they were and their businesses closed. The town had to get some new life for the vendors, otherwise this festival would have dwindled.
“Still. This is the same. If I close my eyes, I bet I could recall where everyone is and the order of the games at the rink. I feel like no time has passed.”
I said nothing at first. Then I asked, “Are you happy to be here at least?”
Alex met my gaze and nodded. “I am. It’s weird how I didn’t think about so much related to town while I was gone. I came home for holidays and brief visits, but everything else was just background. But now that I’m here, I can’t help remembering coming as a kid with my mom and sister. Hanging with my friends before our games. And all the other shit that the town does throughout the year.”
I thought about what he was saying. I didn’t have any experience not coming to the town events, considering I went to college close by and returned to town the minute I could. I’d kept coming to everything, even throughout college.
Where do I begin? I just really loved Rory and Alex, separately and together. She is one of those teachers that you love but not in a brown-nosing sort of way, just like a cool teacher you don’t feel ashamed of saying ‘Hi’ to in the halls or around town. Oh and she’s an undercover author, so I mean what’s not to like about her?
Alex is a former professional hockey player who has returned home to his small town to live a normal life, no matter how strange others think his choices are. I loved that he had to work to get Rory to go out with him. Even though he had no idea it was because of her past baggage, he didn’t ask what her problem was, he just worked harder to charm her.
And he did.
Together they were fun and flirty and sure, a little bit steamy too. I had a good time reading Our Best Shot, smiling nearly the whole time I was immersed in the story.
The Harpy was terrible and even after finding out why, I still didn’t care and I hope she gets what’s coming to her. I really loved Bea, Rory’s best friend. We all need friends like that and I hope everyone has at least one. I really hope she gets the story I think she’s going to get.
Our Best Shot was a really fun and romantic read. I love a good small town romance and this was a really good time.
Our Best Shot – A.M. Williams
About A.M. Williams
A.M. Williams is just a simple girl from the south that found herself living abroad. When she’s not annoying her cat or reading, she’s spending time with her husband and traveling as much as possible. She has a serious case of wanderlust and wants to go as many places as possible while she can. She loves Cheerwine, sweet tea, and North Carolina (eastern style) BBQ as well as those crystal clear waters on the North Carolina coast.
Title: Big Slick Series: A Good Run of Bad Luck #6 Author: Giulia Lagomarsino Release: February 7, 2022 Genre: Small Town Romance Cover Design by T.E. Black Designs Photography by Golden Czermak- Furious Fotog Model: Andrew James
I’ve been searching for Mrs. Plaid Man my whole life, but I always miss out. I’m the Big Slick, so close to winning, but another hand always wins. I’m too slow to react. That’s how I missed out on a relationship with Lindsey, and part of the reason I had to move to this small town. But now I think I’ve finally found her. But she doesn’t seem to remember me, no matter how many times I talk to her. And let me tell you, there’s only so many times a man can get his ass kicked by a woman.
I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
I am happy to announce that book 1 in the Love in Emerald Creek series has been re-edited and updated! It will available on Amazon & Kindle Unlimited until Spring, when I plan to take it wide.
DRE never returned to Emerald Creek after the man she thought she would marry broke her heart. But a late night phone call from halfway around the world brought her right back to her hometown. And face to face with the man she never thought she would have to see again. Summer in Emerald Creek was everything she remembered—endless festivals, picnics in the park and time with her best friend and her favorite little tykes—and Dre is finding it hard to resist the pull of the chemistry she and Erick still have.
ERICK made the biggest mistake of his life all those years ago but the result, his adorable little girl, was the best thing that ever happened to him. He’d done the right thing, or at least he tried to but his marriage hadn’t worked despite all that it cost him. But now, Dre was back in Emerald Creek and the universe had given him a second chance this summer, to put back together what he broke. To reclaim the only woman he’s ever truly loved.
Can one summer recall a lifetime of memories and rekindle a love that never really went away?
How to cook "with visual instructions" "using familiar ingredients from your local grocery stores" healthy, traditional and delicious Japanese dishes!!
Jane Zielinski has her hands full this December. The last thing she needs is to be upstaged by her former childhood BFF, Bella Bradley, who blows into town with handfuls of cash and a sexy business partner, Nate Wright. But a little competition never hurt anyone, and Jane’s ready to do whatever it takes– including flirting with Nate–to get Bella to pack up and leave. Fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne will love Grinch Girl, a spicy and humorous Christmas Romance from Michelle Dayton.
“The love story itself is stirring and emotional, and Emily and Bobby’s second chance feels well-earned.”—Publishers Weekly review for Escape Girl
Blurb
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Natasha's Book Nook 