Professionally: college professor, counselor, boring.
Personally: whiskey drinking, rock and roll lovin, gluttonous reader with a foul mouth and a dirty mind.
You’ve heard the story about the wedding planner who falls for the groom? Well, this is the one where she falls for his father. And that groom? He’s my ex.
TEMPT, an all-new scorching hot age gap, forbidden, small town romance, featuring a plus-sized heroine and her ex’s irresistible dad from USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is now available!
I didn’t realize who the gruff, gorgeous older man was the night he rescued me from a creep in a Manhattan hotel bar. All I knew was that a hot, bearded stranger with a protective streak showed up right when I needed a reminder that real gentlemen still exist.
(Although he left his manners behind after asking me up to his room.)
It was the hottest night of my life, but I never thought I’d see the former Navy SEAL again.
Imagine my surprise at the rehearsal dinner one week later, when my sexy one-night stand is introduced as the father of the groom. Even more surprising? That temptation we felt in New York was no fluke.
In public, we pretend there’s nothing between us.
In private, we can’t keep our hands off each other.
The situation is beyond complicated. Zach never even knew he’d fathered a child until recently, and he wants to earn his son’s trust and respect. As for me, I’m looking for a man who wants to start a family, and Zach has made it clear he’s not that man. He’s fifteen years older, newly divorced, and he lives across the country.
But no matter how many times we draw the line, we keep crossing it.
USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she's not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like Ted, Lasso, Schitt’s Creek, and Fleabag. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.
Melanie is the author of the BELLAMY CREEK series, the CLOVERLEIGH FARMS series, the ONE & ONLY series, AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, and the FRENCHED series. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.
The last time I saw Tim Cheltenham, he was an eighteen-year-old soccer hottie with an irresistible English accent, a painfully gorgeous face, and an enormous . . . ego.
He’s A Player, a spicy fake engagement standalone sports romance from Stacy Travis, is out now!
To the world, he’s a sexy soccer superstar. To me, he’s the arrogant jerk who broke my teenage heart–and my new fake fiancé.
The last time I saw Tim Cheltenham, he was an eighteen-year-old soccer hottie with an irresistible English accent, a painfully gorgeous face, and an enormous . . . ego.
Fifteen years later, with a medical degree under my belt and a new dream job with The Strikers soccer team—his team—I’m not about to let Tim’s bad attitude and grumpy scowl ruin it for me.
But when my chauvinistic boss implies that he doesn’t trust single women to stay on the job long-term, I panic and tell him I’m engaged. And to my surprise, it’s Tim who comes to my rescue, offering to play my fake fiancé if I’ll do him a favor–cover up the truth about his injury.
The lie could derail both our careers, and I’ve got no desire to spend more time than necessary in Tim’s surly presence. And falling for him again? Ha! That’s never going to happen.
So with my job on the line, I say yes. Now, the more time I spend with Tim, the more I sense a softer side beneath those chiseled muscles and broody exterior. But the more I understand him, the harder it is to pretend that we're just for show.
And when a rival player threatens to expose our secret, I’m terrified I’ll lose everything.
They say you have to fake it to make it. But what happens when love is the goal?
Soccer player Tim came to the US as an exchange student in
high school, only to leave abruptly. He's now back playing for a US
team, and runs into Jordan, the teenage girl that who lived with his
host family.
She's now a physician for the team, and he's still
smitten. When she's asked questions by her sleazy coworker, she fakes a
fiance. Tim takes that as an opportunity to get close to her and have a
built in date for his appearances.
While the "fake fiance" trope
is normally predictable and fun, this one for me was a bit flat as I
didn't get the chemistry from these two. I enjoyed Jordan's character,
but something was off here. I normally dive right in and power read
Stacy Travis, so this is absolutely a "me" thing.
Keep reading for a look inside He’s A Player!
“Hello.” The voice is accented. Gruff. Deep.
Even amid the din, I recognize the voice as huskier than Charlie’s. My stomach drops to my feet, and I fight back a surge of adrenaline mixed with nausea.
I turn, and I’m met by broad shoulders under a tight black Henley with the Strikers logo on the front. Even in heels, I have to look up to see Tim Cheltenham’s face.
It’s gorgeous. Undeniably gorgeous—angular jaw, olive-colored eyes under criminally long lashes, lips that inspire fantasies among virgins. And everyone else.
Except right now, those beautiful eyes are squinting in confusion, and his luscious lips are pressed into a line. The only thing harder than this man’s muscles is the intensity of his stare, and his muscles could tear holes in his shirt.
My eyes go rogue, taking a slow tour of his frame, starting with his ripped, low-slung jeans and those sculpted soccer player thighs, hugged tight by the denim fabric, which is probably having its own orgasm from the contact.
Lucky-duck jeans.
His shirt is tight enough that I can clearly see his six-pack abs, right below carved pecs that have me swallowing hard, so I don’t open my mouth and take a bite out of his bicep. It would be embarrassing but so worth it.
“Tim.” That’s all I can muster.
Bringing my glass to my lips, I feel a tremor in my hand, which I hope he doesn’t notice. Fifteen years since I’ve seen him in person. Same damn reaction.
I take a long sip. Then another.
Thank you, bartender. I’m drunk now.
Just looking at him brings back age-old hurt coupled with memories I’ve pushed down hard and tried to forget. Tried and failed.
Tim had burrowed in deep, affected me in ways I couldn’t fight and couldn’t fathom. I stopped thinking about him eventually out of pure self-preservation, but I never forgot about him.
Besides, it’s pretty hard to forget when his name and face are plastered all over the sports news, which I started looking at when I applied for jobs as a medical director. And for years before that, right about the time I met Tim. Coincidentally.
“What are you doing here?” His eyes flicker under the dark blond hair that falls across his forehead before he pushes it back with a large hand. His gaze bears down on me, and he jiggles the sudsy remains of a beer in a pint glass.
You’ve earned this. Own it. Just breathe in and out, in and out.
I choke halfway through my inhale. I sputter my exhale. I don’t own a damn thing.
“I work here. Or at least I will in a month.” I feel a tic in my cheek.
He stares at me like my words make no sense. Like I make no sense. “Doctor Jordan Page.”
“Yes?”
He shakes his head. “You went by Danny. Back then.”
“Nickname. Jor-dan. Dan-ny. No one calls me that anymore, except my mom on occasion, and even she mostly doesn’t because I’ve asked her not to. Of course, I think that makes her want to do it more. Or maybe old habits die hard.” I’m oversharing. Or under-explaining? Or rambling because he makes me nervous—that hasn’t changed at all.
But he still seems flummoxed. “Doctor Jordan Page. Fuck me for thinking it was a bloke,” he mutters, raking a hand through his hair. My eyes track the motion, fixated on how much better he looks in person than in recent photos. Pure masculine virility radiates from him.
And yet…
“Because you assume all doctors are men?” My sexism radar flares to life, my bottom lip jutting out with my retort.
“No, I—”
“Good. You shouldn’t.”
“You’re the team doctor?”
“Director of Sports Medicine. Yes. I’m—”
“Part of Charlie’s new brigade. Coming to fix what isn’t broken. Right. I know all about it. Don’t think much of the plan.” His accent makes him sound so much more polite than his sharky smirk suggests.
My confidence shrivels like a sunburned grape. I feel my attempted smile pull down into a glower.
Is that what all the players think?
I tell myself I don’t care what he thinks, that I’m a professional. But I do care. And I have worked hard to get this job. I should own it. I’m tethered to my resolve by a fraying thread.
As I try to kickstart the syrup in my brain to find a witty retort, I’m jostled from behind by someone big—big enough to send me off-balance in my stupid two-inch shoes.
I lurch forward toward Tim, who puts his hands on my shoulders to steady me, but not before his entire beer spills down the front of my blouse.
His eyes go to the spill, which makes my shirt virtually sheer. And now it’s sticking to my bra, which has demi-cups made of thin baby blue lace—a stupid gift from my mother, who hoped I’d wear it on a date. Instead, I wear it on laundry day when all my plain cotton bras are in the wash.
After a mortifying second or six, Tim wrenches his eyes upward and releases his grip on me. I close my eyes to blot out the image of him. Of everyone.
Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of my future, the culmination of everything I’ve worked to achieve. It was supposed to be proof to my mother and anyone else that I don’t need a boyfriend to be happy. I was supposed to drink and celebrate and meet the players who’d be grateful to have me on their team.
But apparently not. They’re not all grateful, starting with this one.
I must have stepped on a puppy in a past life.
Because karma’s acting like a little bitch.
About Stacy Travis
It’s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we can’t make it to the beach. I’ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if I’m doing it right, I’m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy.
I can’t sit still, so when I’m not hiking, biking or running, I’m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.
To the world, he’s a sexy soccer superstar. To me, he’s the arrogant jerk who broke my teenage heart–and my new fake fiancé.
He’s A Player, an all-new sexy second chance sports romance from Stacy Travis, is now available!
The last time I saw Tim Cheltenham, he was an eighteen-year-old soccer hottie with an irresistible English accent, a painfully gorgeous face, and an enormous . . . ego.
Fifteen years later, with a medical degree under my belt and a new dream job with The Strikers soccer team—his team—I’m not about to let Tim’s bad attitude and grumpy scowl ruin it for me.
But when my chauvinistic boss implies that he doesn’t trust single women to stay on the job long-term, I panic and tell him I’m engaged. And to my surprise, it’s Tim who comes to my rescue, offering to play my fake fiancé if I’ll do him a favor–cover up the truth about his injury.
The lie could derail both our careers, and I’ve got no desire to spend more time than necessary in Tim’s surly presence. And falling for him again? Ha! That’s never going to happen.
So with my job on the line, I say yes. Now, the more time I spend with Tim, the more I sense a softer side beneath those chiseled muscles and broody exterior. But the more I understand him, the harder it is to pretend that we're just for show.
And when a rival player threatens to expose our secret, I’m terrified I’ll lose everything.
They say you have to fake it to make it. But what happens when love is the goal?
It’s a rough world out there, and we all sometimes need a good, romantic beach read, even if we can’t make it to the beach. I’ve spent many lazy days walking the streets of Paris and other gorgeous European cities, and if I’m doing it right, I’m bringing you a dash of romance and a vacay fantasy.
I can’t sit still, so when I’m not hiking, biking or running, I’m playing a very average game of tennis. Background music for writing undoubtedly features some U2, Lizzo, Billy Joel, Pink, Taylor Swift, and Led Zeppelin. Not necessarily in that order. And if I could only eat one food group, it would be cheese. Or wine. Or bread. Are those food groups? Whatever.
Yes, the former third baseman for the
Chicago Bobbies and absolute heart throb of the Windy City. That Ryot
Bisley.
The first time I ran into him, he was
grumpy, a horrific host, and left me on his sofa with nothing but a nylon
baseball flag to use as a blanket.
The second time, he reluctantly
bought me dinner, stared at my chest the entire night, and still sported that
permanent frown.
The third time . . . well, that was a
game changer. His smile captured me, his teasing charmed me, and his touches
excited me.
So when he was called up to the
majors that didn’t stop us from knocking it out of the park and all the way
down the aisle.
Eleven years later…I’d love to say
we’re happy as ever but the man who sent me dirty text messages every day is
long gone and Mr. Frowny Face is back.
He’s so focused on trying to build a
life after baseball that he doesn’t see the life we’ve already created
together. . .so I make the hard decision and serve him divorce papers.
Problem is…my husband refuses to
accept those papers. Instead, he has a new game plan that makes untying the
knot of our marriage a little tricky. And just when I thought I wanted to
be traded . . . he's slowly, tantalizingly roping me back in.
Jason Clarke and Stella
Hunter narrate this sexy romance in duet and bring Ryot and Myla to life! You
won't want to miss this audiobook and all the heat and emotions they bring to
it. One-click your copy and get your newest eargasm today!
USA Today Bestselling
Author, wife, adoptive mother, and peanut butter lover. Author of romantic
comedies and contemporary romance, Meghan Quinn brings readers the perfect
combination of heart, humor, and heat in every book.
Never miss
another NEW RELEASE, text READ to 474747.
Just What I Needed, an all-new swoony and romantic novella in the Stage Dive series from New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott is out now!
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series…
When the Stage Dive crew decides to help, they do it in a big way.
Nanny and housekeeper Jude has been going through a dry patch. Getting ready to dip her toes back into the dating pool is a little nerve racking. And the offers of assistance from her boss, David Ferris, and his band are not helping. Right up until music producer Dean Jennings arrives to work on the band's latest album.
But Dean is more than a little wary of dating anyone with anything to do with the Stage Dive crew after losing Lena to lead singer Jimmy Ferris all those years ago. Can Jude a) Convince the crew to stay out of her business and b) Woo the man of her dreams?
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
While this one is focused on a new character, the other we've seen before. Jude is a nanny and Dean the producer that was briefly dating Lena. They're forced together in the guest house and by all the bandmates who are trying to set them up - which of course means you get appearances by all of the State Dive crew. A bit shorter than I would have wanted, but still had Kylie Scott's rock star craziness!
Keep reading for a look inside Just What I Needed!
I smile. I have a lot to smile about. He likes me. We’re doing this. How exciting.
He leans forward. “Can I kiss you, Jude?” he whispers.
I feel those words in every part of me. “Yeah.” I lick my lips. “You can.”
As pretty as he was at a distance, he’s even more handsome close up. All of the shadows and lines of his face. It blows my mind how Lena left him for another. What a fool. Though I am kind of deeply grateful that she did. His lips are divine. No other word will do. And the thought of him pressing them against mine is making my stomach do a weird flip-flop thing. His lips are neither thin nor plump, but somewhere in between and perfect. I stare at them as he comes closer until he’s pressing his mouth softly against mine.
A sweet kiss, as if he’s testing his welcome. The man needn’t have bothered. I balance on the balls of my feet and join our lips once more, kissing him more insistently. I mean, we might as well figure out here and now if we have no chemistry. If he has no expertise. Because I kissed this male model once who was a tongue-wrangling disaster. Just a whole lot of wet-faced yuck. Sad, but true. It’s not like I have kissed anyone in ages. Maybe I’ve forgotten how it all works. Perhaps I’ll be the disaster.
Dean’s hands grip my hips, and his tongue slips into my mouth and oh, yeah. Very nice. A lack of chemistry is obviously not going to be a problem between us. He kisses me deep and wet in a way that goes straight to my head. My fingers slide over the smooth warm skin of his shoulders before holding on tight. He is so solid and strong. One of his hands is now cupping the back of my head, holding me to him. As if I had any intention of leaving. Heck no. We kiss until my lips are numb and swollen and my mind is far away. Nothing else matters but this moment.
He leans his forehead against mine, and we both take a moment to catch our breath. As first kisses go, it was stellar. My empty stomach, however, shows no cool and rumbles loudly. Talk about keeping it real.
About Kylie Scott
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today, best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year in 2013, 2014 & 2018 by the Australian Romance Witer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long-time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia, with her two children and husband, she reads, writes, and never dithers around on the internet.
She’s about to teach him a lesson he won’t soon forget.
Folk Around and Find out, an opposites attract, single parent contemporary romance set in a small town from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is out now!
He needs to get her out of his system. Just once...
Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony. Sure, he can’t help noticing the dips and curves of her, how shrewd, smart, and funny she is, the fire in her hazel eyes. He's always noticed. She’d probably draw a crowd and entice the regulars. But after Charlotte's messy, public divorce made Hank’s club out to be the culprit—and made her the single mother of four kids—he doesn’t need or want any additional bad press courtesy of Charlotte Mitchell. Or the distraction. Unfortunately for him, the town’s prettiest charity case doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words nope, no, and never.
Charlotte Mitchell doesn’t much like Hank Weller. Once upon a time, she used to. Years ago, she liked him a whole heckofalot despite other folks in town labeling him as “eccentric” and “nonconformist,” which were polite southern alternatives to "filthy rich" and "self-centered douchebag." Her opinion of him changed dramatically after he volunteered to be her date to junior prom and then promptly stood her up. They haven't so much as acknowledged each other in over a decade. But a sudden family emergency means Charlotte needs access to Hank’s club ASAP. Unfortunately for her, the narcissistic fancy-pants doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words help, generosity, and compassion.
But he’s about to find himself schooled. Charlotte is going to teach Hank a lesson once and for all about basic human decency, whether he likes it or not.
Penny Reid's novels are always a hit for me. This one focused
on the strip club owner Hank (he's appeared in previous books since
he's friends with Beau), and recently divorced/single mother Charlotte.
She's
in a position where she needs to help her family, and starts her
interaction with Hank when she's trying to get a job at this club. He
refuses, she's determined, and ends up working as a bookkeeper at his
place. Since they have mutual friends, Hank ends up at a party where he
engages with Charlotte's son. He's normally not a "kid" person, but
finds that both Joshua and Sonya are intriguing, and they win him over.
Back
at the strip club, Hank and Charlotte have to interact, and she uses
her wit and charm to not only get the girls on her side, but have Hank
come around. It's absolutely a slow burn, but it's full of fun tropes:
single mother, workplace romance, grumpy hero, you name it. Most of all,
you get all the other Winston's in appearances, including Cletus who
always has the answers about others!
Keep reading for a look inside Folk Around and Find Out!
My day hadn’t been great even before she walked in.
I’d just returned from the funeral of my longtime bookkeeper. He’d died from old age in his sleep surrounded by his five kids, loving wife, and eighteen grandchildren while leaving me with a reconciliation mess and this month’s payroll to finish.
My newly trained bartender had sent a manifesto via text message, blaming his decision to quit on my unwillingness to build a dedicated meditation room and give him four paid half-hour breaks per shift to use it.
Three Diamond Whiskey bottles out of the six that had shipped from the distributor were broken in the crate. If you’re keeping score, that’s seven hundred dollars in Tennessee Whiskey and a crime against humanity.
On the plus side, the suit I’d worn to my parents’ funerals fit and I still looked damn good in it.
Of course, I didn’t know the newcomer was her at first. The door opened and closed, same sound as normal no matter who was coming or going. It was a Sunday mid-morning, still early yet for any of the dancers or bouncers and way too early for any customers.
But the moment she turned the corner and came into view, I gritted my teeth. Here we go. What could she want? She better not be selling Bibles.
“Charlotte.” Standing behind the bar, I crossed my arms and sounded unfriendly. She’d caught me restocking paper products and the three surviving bottles of Diamond Whiskey. I was only half finished with my current task, but nowhere near half finished with my task list for the day. I did not have time for pious Charlotte Mitchell.
As a rule, I had time for two types of folks: people I paid, and people who paid me. A small number of exceptions to this rule existed: a few friends from college and in town, like Beau Winston or Patty Lee, and any woman I’d set my mind on seducing, but even then, I made sure the scales remained balanced—give and take, tit for tat, even-steven. Point is, Charlotte was obviously not the former exception, and there was no way she’d ever be interested in becoming the latter.
“Hank.” She didn’t look at me, but she did paste on an obligatory-looking smile that pulled her full lips tight and came nowhere close to her green eyes. Tracking Charlotte Mitchell’s slow approach, I didn’t miss how she took her time and peered around.
I wanted to snark, “Lost? I believe the wallpaper and sanctimony store is closer to downtown.”
Instead, I ground out, “What do you want?”
Meet Penny Reid
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.
When the Stage Dive crew decides to help, they do it in a big way.
Just What I Needed, a brand-new nanny meets rock star producer romance from New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott is now available!
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series…
Nanny and housekeeper Jude has been going through a dry patch. Getting ready to dip her toes back into the dating pool is a little nerve racking. And the offers of assistance from her boss, David Ferris, and his band are not helping. Right up until music producer Dean Jennings arrives to work on the band's latest album.
But Dean is more than a little wary of dating anyone with anything to do with the Stage Dive crew after losing Lena to lead singer Jimmy Ferris all those years ago. Can Jude a) Convince the crew to stay out of her business and b) Woo the man of her dreams?
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today, best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year in 2013, 2014 & 2018 by the Australian Romance Witer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long-time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia, with her two children and husband, she reads, writes, and never dithers around on the internet.
End of Story, a steamy and quirky enemies to lovers romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott is coming February 14th , and we have the adorable cover!
When Susie Bowen inherits a charming fixer-upper, she’s excited to start living her best HGTV-life. But when she opens the door to find that her contractor is none other than her ex’s best friend Lars—the same man who witnessed her humiliating public break-up six months ago—she isn’t exactly eager to have him around. The sooner this renovation
Things go from awkward to unbelievable when Lars knocks down a wall and discovers a divorce certificate dated ten years in the future…with both their names on it. It couldn’t possibly be real, could it? As Susie and Lars work to unravel the document’s origins, the impossibility of a spark between them suddenly doesn’t seem so far-fetched. But would a relationship between them be doomed before it’s even begun?
Reserve your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FdiTLk
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/endofstoryks
Apple Books: Coming soon
Nook: https://bit.ly/3TTgOIw
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3VWHzxm
Amazon Paperback: https://amzn.to/3SyobE6
Nook Paperback: https://bit.ly/3Dq9z5m
Amazon Audio: https://amzn.to/3TOK2rV
Nook Audio: https://bit.ly/3so11FI
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3FcCfQE
About Kylie Scott
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today, best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year in 2013, 2014 & 2018 by the Australian Romance Witer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long-time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia, with her two children and husband, she reads, writes, and never dithers around on the internet.
Connect with Kylie
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2XujcZh
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/2GngiQq
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2OiXx3I
Twitter: http://bit.ly/391pjJM
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2EUrx11
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Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2S7cc32
Book+Main Bites: http://bit.ly/2ETz5RQ
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