Some people fall in love.

Scott Harris and Tori Johnson collide.

It starts as a game. A pool table. A stolen drink. A pair of red lace panties slipped into his back pocket with a dare to chase her down.

No promises, no futures, no staying long enough to get hurt.

But it never stays that simple.

Across ten years, war zones and waiting rooms, broken bodies and unfinished goodbyes, they keep choosing each other at the worst possible times. They circle through bars and bedrooms, deployments and disappearances—never quite together, never quite free.

War changes Scott. Ambition carries Tori forward. Timing ruins everything.

Years pass. Lives fracture. Choices harden.

When circumstances finally pull them back into the same orbit, they are no longer the people who first struck the match. Desire is still there. So are the scars. And this time, walking away might cost more than staying ever did.

Some fires don’t burn out.

They smolder.

Pick your copy here...

Chasing Fire: (Fire and Fury Book One) - Kindle edition by Kingston, Avery. Romance Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Avery Kingston writes sexy, emotional romance featuring wounded characters at a high heat level.

Avery is a wife to a man who’s demons play well with hers. Mom to a slew of crazy kids. Dog lover. Crazy cat lady. Artist. Free spirit. Lover of unusual beauty. Fitness junkie. Collector of boots and fonts. Angsty drama addict and avid wearer of yoga pants.

Avery is a military wife and a sucker for a good wounded hero story. She set out to write stories where the leading characters were smart, sexy, confident and strong. Avery began writing the type of romance novels she would want to read. Stories about real couples, wounded either physically or emotionally, with an open door into their steamy bedroom.

Avery loves to hear from her readers! Please contact her at averyjkingston@gmail.com

Avery loves to be social. Follow her on:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/averyjkingston

Twitter, Instagram & TikTok: @averyjkingston

The Beginner's Quilt by Wanda Brunstetter

 A Lifelong Love for Quilting Starts in 1967, Arthur, Illinois

Despite the best efforts of Emma Bontrager’s mother, Emma hasn’t learned much of anything that will prepare her to be an Amish wife. Therefore, she’s sent to Arthur, Illinois, to be taught by her paternal grandmother. Though she would rather be fishing, hiking, or playing baseball, Emma finally listens to her grandmother and even finds she enjoys working on a Tree of Life quilt. Having met a nice young man, she now feels more prepared for marriage. But rumors swirl around his character, and it looks like she’ll be returning to Indiana with a broken heart. Even so, her time in Illinois has ignited a new passion for quilting that will last for years.

- A stand-alone prequel to The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club and Half-Stitched, the musical.

Pick up your copy here...

The Beginner's Quilt: Brunstetter, Wanda E: 9798891511590: Amazon.com: Books

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.

Wanda's fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda's desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

All of Wanda's novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Wanda's primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern "Englishers." Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too. For more information, visit: www.WandaBrunstetter.com

My Thoughts...

I read most of Brunstetters books and the two that goes with this one were read some time ago. This reads as a standalone. It's your typical Amish fiction read with Brunstetters voice on each page.

I'm glad I read it; I love the cover model on the gorgeous cover.

Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Shamrock Kisses by Serena Pier

 Am I going to get lucky? Maybe if the hunky nerd I met yesterday takes me up on my invite to attend High Five's St. Paddy's Day party ...

Rachel Wagner, who's sworn off dating apps, is the last single one in her friend group. Focused on running her thriving cleaning business in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, the thirty-one-year-old is caught off guard when she stumbles upon a bearded nerd while cleaning her biggest client's lake house.

Patrick Nowak, a reclusive cat-loving hacker, prefers code to conversation and planned to spend the St. Patrick's Day weekend out of Chicago enjoying a digital detox at his friend's lake house. But when Rachel, a confident brunette who seems way out of his league, invites him to a local bar's St. Paddy's party, his anxiety just might prevent him from taking her up on the offer.

In a game of attraction and vulnerability, neither of them is prepared for just how much their lives can change in a day.

(This is Book #3 in an interconnected series. It is encouraged, but not essential, to read Santa's Coming and Cupid's Shot before reading Shamrock Kisses.)

Pick up your copy here...                                                                                                                                     Amazon.com: Shamrock Kisses: A Spicy St. Patrick's Day Romance Novella: Instant Connection, Strangers to Lovers, Small Town, Holiday Romance, Younger Man, Nerdy Guy Gets the Girl (High Five Novella): 9798330606740: Pier, Serena: Books

Serena Pier is a recovering girl boss, mom, and wife. After being called a brat for as long as she can remember, she decided to lean into it—writing sassy, strong, complex female characters who fully embrace the sexy side of the word. Her books are influenced by her endless fascination with power dynamics and how they play out in relationships, workplaces, and everyday life. Most of her stories are set in and around Chicago, paying tribute to her Midwestern roots and love of all things dairy. When she isn’t in front of a screen, Serena can be found pontooning with her family, enjoying a glass of wine with friends, and driving as fast as she can on the track. Literary Agent - Amanda Wooden, SBR Media

Hero Ever After by Kait Nolan

 I never meant to be anyone’s heroine.

Not when I became the acting mayor of my hometown after the flood. Not when I kept my law practice afloat out of a booth in my grandmother’s diner. And definitely not when my secret romantasy novels went viral.

Nobody in Gibson Hollow knows I’m the author behind the pen name. And nobody was supposed to kiss me at that book convention—least of all my brother’s best friend, cosplaying the hero he doesn’t know I modeled after him.

Now Ramsey Shaw is back in town. Volunteering. Smiling at me like I’m not on the verge of shattering. Like he remembers the kiss. Like he sees the truth.

I’ve spent my whole life being strong. Quiet. In control. But for the first time, I don’t want to be any of those things.
I just want to be his.

In a town held together by hope and heart, it’s the people who show up that make it shine.

Pick up your copy here...

Hero Ever After: A second chance, brother's best friend, small town steamy romance (Gibson Hollow Book 1) - Kindle edition by Nolan, Kait. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Kait Nolan is a USA Today best-selling and RITA® Award-winning Mississippi author who calls everyone sugar, honey, or darlin', and can wield a 'Bless your heart' like a Snuggie or a saber, depending on requirements. She believes in love, laughter, and that tacos are the world's most perfect food. When she's not writing, reading, or wrangling family (both the two-legged and the four-), you can find her obsessively watching The Great British Bake Off.

Sign up for her newsletter! rebrand.ly/kaitsnewsletter

A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times by Grace Burrowes

 

I am listening to this right now.

A man dwelling in darkness...
Lord Julian Caldicott has come home from the war in ragged health and with a reputation in tatters. All he wants is to recuperate in private without bringing any further scandal on the family’s good name. His godmother inveigles him into serving as her escort to a rural house party, whereupon circumstances conspire to prevent Julian from resuming his reclusive existence.

Must shine the light of truth on a dangerous deception.
Julian becomes the subject of rumors, lies, and whispers, and soon he’s faced with a choice: Wage one more battle for honor’s sake, or be branded a traitor to all that he holds dear. He will enlist unlikely allies, face old demons, and vex every other guest on the premises, but he will not stop until he’s brought a criminal to justice–or died trying.

Pick up your copy here...

Amazon.com: A Gentleman Fallen on Hard Times: The Lord Julian Mysteries-Book One: 9781956975642: Burrowes, Grace: Books

I started writing as an antidote to empty nest and soon found it an antidote to life in general. I am the sixth out of seven children, and was raised in the rural surrounds of central Pennsylvania. Early in life I spent a lot of time reading romance novels and practicing the piano. My first career was as a technical writer and editor in the Washington, DC, area, a busy profession that nonetheless left enough time to read a lot of romance novels.

It also left enough time to grab a law degree through an evening program, produce Beloved Offspring (only one, but she is a lion), and eventually move to the lovely Maryland countryside.

While reading yet still more romance novels (there is a trend here) I opened a law practice, acquired a master's degree in Conflict Transformation (I had a teenage daughter by then) and started thinking about writing.... romance novels. This aim was realized when Beloved Offspring struck out into the Big World. ("Mom, why doesn't anybody tell you being a grown-up is hard?")

I eventually got up the courage to start pitching manuscripts to agents and editors. The query letter that resulted in "the call" started out: "I am the buffoon in the bar at the writer's retreat who could not keep her heroines straight, could not look you in the eye, and could not stop blushing--and if that doesn't narrow down the possibilities, your job is even harder than I thought." (The dear lady bought the book anyway.)

You can contact me though email at graceburrowes@yahoo.com or through my website at graceburrowes.

Preorder Summer State Of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey Releases May 5, 2026 A must read!

 After the worst day in her professional life, burnt-out NICU nurse Daisy Stevens runs to Cape Carolina, North Carolina, looking for a new life—and possibly new romance. On her first day at her “simpler” job, high school baseball coach Mason Thaysden discovers an abandoned baby, sending ripples through the entire tight-knit town of Cape Carolina.

Mason is still struggling to reconcile the scars of the injury that kept him out of the big leagues, stuck in his hometown, and searching for a way out. This newcomer and the child they’ve saved together might be just the motivation he needs to stay put. Sparks fly as Mason acquaints Daisy with Cape Carolina, introducing her to his friends and family, including his batty Aunt Tilley, who is looking for relief from long-buried family secrets and her own fresh start.

Preorder here...

Summer State of Mind: Woodson Harvey, Kristy: 9781668074886: Amazon.com: Books

Kristy Woodson Harvey is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of a dozen novels including Beach House Rules and The Peachtree Bluff Series. A Happier Life is in development for film with MGM/Amazon, The Summer of Songbirds is in development for television with Hulu, and many of her other projects are in various stages of option or development for film and television. Her work has received numerous accolades, including Good Morning America’s Buzz Pick, Southern Living’s Most Anticipated Reads, Katie Couric’s Featured Books, and Joanna Garcia Swisher’s The Happy Place Reads. Kristy is the winner of the Lucy Bramlette Patterson Award for Excellence in Creative Writing and a finalist for the Southern Book Prize.

A Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude graduate with Honors of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s school of journalism, her writing has appeared in numerous publications, including Southern Living, Parade, Traditional Home, USA Today, and many more. She also holds a master’s in English from East Carolina University, with a concentration in multicultural and transnational literature.

Kristy is the cocreator and cohost of the hit weekly web show and podcast Friends & Fiction with fellow New York Times Bestselling authors Mary Kay Andrews, Kristin Harmel, and Patti Callahan Henry, which boasts more than three hundred thousand members. She is also the cofounder of the award-winning interiors site Design Chic, with her mom, Beth Woodson.

Twinkle of Doubt by Patricia Leavy

 Tess Lee is a wildly successful and world-famous novelist whose inspirational books explore our innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Jack Miller is a federal agent who has spent decades working in counterterrorism—a violent world that has left an inevitable residue on his psyche.

Two years into their marriage, as Tess and Jack both heal from past trauma, their epic love, fostered by their ability to truly see one another, has brought them profound happiness. When an anonymous threat is made against Tess’s life, however, everything changes. Will they learn to lean on each other, or will they fall apart into the darkness?

In Twinkle of Doubt, the second Celestial Bodies Romance, Tess, Jack, and their chosen family explore the nature of doubt and the struggle to feel worthy of love.

Pick up your copy..

Twinkle of Doubt: A Celestial Bodies Romance: Leavy, Patricia: 9798896361329: Amazon.com: Books

Patricia Leavy, PhD is a novelist, sociologist, and arts advocate (formerly Associate Professor of Sociology, Founding Director of Gender Studies and Chairperson of Sociology & Criminology at Stonehill College). She is widely considered the world's most visible proponent of arts-based research, which merges the arts and sciences. Patricia has published over 50 books, nonfiction and fiction, and her work has been translated into numerous languages. She has received over 100 book awards. She has also received career awards from the New England Sociological Association, the American Creativity Association, the American Educational Research Association, the International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, and the National Art Education Association. In 2016 Mogul, a global women’s empowerment network, named her an “Influencer.” In 2018, she was honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the State University of New York at New Paltz established the “Patricia Leavy Award for Art and Social Justice.” In 2024 the London Arts-Based Research Centre established "The Patricia Leavy Award for Arts-Based Research." In recent years, her passion has turned to penning romance novels. For more information, please visit her website.