Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Falling For You by Natasha Madison


 Theo Williams loved and lost once and isn’t interested in doing it again. He has his family and friends, and plenty of women passing through his new hometown who are happy with a no-strings-attached night of passion. Working as a partner at his cousin’s construction company, he’s perfectly content with his life—until he meets Collins Henderson, the one-night stand who will change his world forever.

Collins grew up on the wrong side of her small hometown. Thanks to her parents’ shady schemes, every local knows a Henderson cannot be trusted. She works hard as a paramedic, putting in every extra hour she can to save for a better life. But every time she starts to get ahead, her parents show up to pull her back down. Having one night of passion with a man she doesn’t know is not something she’d normally do, but there was just something about him … And two months later, she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant.

When she runs into the mysterious stranger again, she has to tell him, not because she needs or wants anything from him, just so he knows. But now he’s showing up at her house, cooking her meals, stocking her refrigerator, and doing everything he can for her. Collins has always taken care of herself. She wasn’t looking for a relationship, but she can’t deny the chemistry between them.

She knows it’s only a matter of time before he learns who she is and changes his mind. She can’t let herself fall for this guy, but every day he’s getting harder to resist …

Pick up your copy here...




When Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author Natasha Madison's nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four-inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It's a good thing her characters do what she says because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...

A fantastic read and gorgeous sprayed edges. I recommend this one.

Friday, August 21, 2026

We Wish You a Messy Christmas by Melody Carlson


 This Christmas, the perfect gift might just be learning to let go and love the chaos.


It's Christmastime, and Olivia Bradshaw is dating her childhood neighbor, veterinarian Malcolm McEntire. Life should be merry, but Olivia is worried about her mother Jane's reaction to this budding romance. Their families couldn't be more different. Perfectionist Jane cannot tolerate the unorganized, messy, fun-loving McEntires, and the thought of being permanently linked as in-laws will surely send her over the edge.

Desperate to save both Christmas and her romance, Olivia and her dad concoct an intervention to turn Jane's holidays into a big mess. But they barely launch their plan before fate intervenes with a serendipitous mess of its own.

Pick up your copy here...

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books (with sales around 6.5 million) for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her novels range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including Romantic Time's Career Achievement Award, the Rita and the Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Another 5 star must read Christmas novella from Carlson. I devoured this book in one sitting and loved every page.

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

The Fall Affair by Vi Keeland


 

Some people go to Tuscany to find themselves.
I went to escape—New York, my ex’s new relationship, and a career that derailed the moment I was passed over for partner.
My plan was simple: settle my eccentric Italian grandmother’s estate, sell whatever wasn’t nailed down, and return to the life I’d worked too hard to lose.
Instead, I walked into a mess—a crumbling antique shop, two hundred acres of leased vineyard land, and one infuriating clause in the will:
Live and work in the shop for three months, or inherit nothing.
Then there’s the neighbor I clash with instantly. Matteo Lucchese is the infuriatingly handsome winemaker who leases my family’s land and refuses to be impressed by my credentials—or my attitude. He’s rugged and stubborn, stuck living in a time that has long passed us by, and the word
rush isn’t part of his vocabulary. Basically, we’re exact opposites.
But as the days stretch into weeks, Tuscany chips away at the armor I didn’t realize I was wearing, and Matteo shows me the appeal of slowing down, of staying rooted, of wanting something other than climbing the corporate ladder.
I came to Tuscany to escape.
But now that the countdown to going home was on, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to leave.

And the life I was falling for came with a looming expiration date.

Pick up your copy here....


Vi Keeland is a #1 New York Times, #1 Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author. With millions of books sold, her titles are currently translated in twenty-seven languages and have appeared on bestseller lists in the US, Germany, Brazil, Bulgaria, Israel and Hungary. Three of her short stories have been turned into films, and two of her books have been optioned for movies. She resides in New York with her husband and their three children where she is living out her own happily ever after with the boy she met at age six.

Stop by and meet Vi in her private reader group, Vi's Violets, on Facebook!



Oh, my goodness, does anyone want to take me to Tuscany. After reading this book I to need to escape to Tuscany right away.
I have yet to read a Keeland book that I didn't devour in one sitting.
I Highly recommend this one. I am not going to give anything away. I loved listening to and reading along with this one. I loved the audio book so much great duet narration.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

Friday, August 7, 2026

Make Me Hate You Kandi Steiner Teaser


 Make Me Hate You by Kandi Steiner Teaser


How can you hate someone who still owns your heart?

Jasmine Olsen hasn’t been home in seven years for a very good reason. Some memories cut too deep, and sometimes running is the only way to survive. But when her best friend’s wedding brings her back to the small town she desperately tried to escape, she finally comes face to face with… him.

Tyler Wagner. The boy who broke her heart. The man she never quite forgot. And, unfortunately, her best friend’s brother. Charismatic, confident, and unyielding, Tyler is everything Jasmine can’t afford to want. And now, as the wedding fast approaches, he’s everywhere—testing boundaries they never defined, stirring feelings they both pretended were long buried.

With every stolen glance, his golden eyes lure her into their depths. Unable to escape his pull, the memory of them tightens like a rip current, dragging her under. And when he flashes her that smile, she loses her breath along with the last of her restraint.

She wants to hate him. She
needs to hate him.
But if he kisses her again, she’ll drown.
And this time, she’ll take him down with her.

Pick up your copy here...



Kandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing “emotional rollercoaster” stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance — in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if you’re a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, she’s your gal.

An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her “freedom of press.”

She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.

When Kandi isn’t writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Currently Listening to West of Forever by Corinne Michaels


 I am currently listening to West of Forever by Corinne Michaels.

Release June 16,2026

Tristan Stone is off limits.

It doesn’t matter that the grumpy, single dad did nothing wrong. He’s a cowboy and his last name means I’m bound by blood to hate him. My family would never be okay with me having feelings for our enemy.

When he stops—in the pouring rain—because I have a flat tire, the last thing I expect is for him to help me.

I do my best to ignore the water sliding off his hat and how he fills out those jeans. My best, however, is not good enough. Each night I close my eyes and dream of a future we can never have. And after he defends me at the bar and we share a magical dance? It only gets worse.

I know I should forget about him, but when I find him alone one night, I offer up a no-strings attached relationship that we both promise to keep secret. Sidelong glances across property lines morph into clandestine meetings under the stars wrapped up in each other’s arms.

Never mind that our families will never approve or that he told me he can never love again, I crave him.

Soon our no feelings agreement is in tatters, and my heart belongs to that broken cowboy. Will he break it or will he defy them all and choose us instead? 

Pick up your copy here...




Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.

Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed—reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.

Monday, March 16, 2026

Faking Cinderella by Pippa Grant An Heiress In Disguise Rom Com


 A grumpy former bodyguard, an heiress in disguise, and an accidental roommate situation...

If I'd known a tall, broad mountain of a man would crash the one-bedroom cabin I'm borrowing, I might have handled things differently.

I still would've lied to him. He doesn't need to know all of my reasons for wanting to meet my surprise triplet half brothers while undercover as a housekeeper.

But if I'd known I was going to have a surprise roommate, I wouldn't have rigged a homemade security system in the cabin that left him...erm... Let's just call it easy to spot in a crowd.

And he wouldn't have tried to blackmail me when he figured out my real identity.

And I wouldn't have been so attracted to his audacity that I started looking deeper at the wounded man beneath the gruff exterior.

And then we wouldn't be here, with him making me scream his name for all of the good reasons every night.

But I can't keep faking Cinderella forever, and when it's time for me to come clean, he'll have to choose-loyalty to my half brothers or belief in me and the noble reason for the long game I've been playing.

Faking Cinderella is a swoony romcom featuring a mountain of a man with an even bigger wounded heart and an heiress determined to right a wrong. This opposites attract, secret identity romance stands alone and comes with a sweetly satisfying happily ever after. 

Pick up your copy here...


Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.

Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.

When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.

My Thoughts...                                                                                                  I have read all the books in the Small-Town Sisterhood series. But this one was the one that I felt the most feels. It was so much fun, and the banter was the best. I loved that some of past characters made appearances in this book. Grant has really out done herself with this series. Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own. 

Sunday, March 15, 2026

Shooting Star Above by Patricia Leavy


 Tess Lee is a world-famous novelist. Her inspirational books explore people’s innermost struggles and the human need to believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel—but despite her extraordinary success, she’s been unable to find personal happiness. Jack Miller is a federal agent working in counterterrorism. After spending decades immersed in a violent world, a residue remains. He’s dedicated everything to his job, leaving nothing for himself.


The night Tess and Jack meet, their connection is palpable. She examines the scars on his body and says, “I’ve never seen anyone whose outsides match my insides.” The two embark on an epic love story, but old traumas soon rise to the surface as Jack struggles with the death of a loved one and Tess is forced to confront her childhood abuse. Can unconditional love help heal their invisible wounds? Together, will they be able to move from darkness to light?

Pick up your copy here...


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.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

The Racher's Love Song by Makenna Lee

 

He’s been there. Done that.

So why does his heart hope this time will be different?

Ranch foreman Travis Taylor doesn't have time for opera singers on vacation. 
Especially bubbly beautiful ones like Lizzy Dalton. His heart was once by a country music diva—ignoring the warning signs this time around is a no-go. And the baby with special needs Lizzy is fostering only evokes the lingering trauma of losing Travis’s own baby brother. But Lizzy’s kisses, and the infant's sweet smile, make him dream of a family and happily-ever-after. Unless Travis's emotional armor—perfectly designed to protect him from heartbreak—sabotages it first.

From Harlequin Special Edition: Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.

The Women of Dalton Ranch

Pick up your copy here...


Makenna Lee is an award-winning romance author living in the Texas Hill Country with her real-life hero and their two children, one of whom has Down syndrome and inspired her first Harlequin book, A Sheriff’s Star. She writes heartwarming contemporary romance that celebrates real-life challenges and the power of love and acceptance. She has been known to make people laugh and cry in the same book. Makenna is often drinking coffee with a cat on her lap while writing, reading, or plotting a new story. You might also find her studying herbal medicine or listening to Celtic music. Her wish is to write books that touch your heart, making you feel, think, and dream. You can visit Makenna at www.makennalee.com.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Words from the Heart By Kathleen Fuller



Her fingertips brushed against something else in the box of doilies. She lifted a bundle of letters, neatly tied with a thin red ribbon . . .
Ivy Yoder hasn’t heard from John King in over a year. She knows it’s time to let go of the idea that they will one day marry, but she’s humiliated to be one of the oldest single women in her Amish community of Birch Creek. When quirky Cevilla Schlabach asks her to help clean out an attic, Ivy is grateful for the distraction.
Noah Schlabach isn’t from Birch Creek, or even Ohio. His job as an auctioneer takes him around the country and away from a typical Amish life, but he still remains devoted to his family. So when his aging aunt asks him to help clean out her attic, he agrees. Plus, who knows what curious items he might find up there?
 As Noah and Ivy work side by side, they come across a different kind of treasure: a packet of letters written during the Korean War. Soon they are swept up in the story of two young people falling in love—even as they remain determined not to fall in love themselves.
Words from the Heart is a moving story of lost love letters, fragile fears, and the beauty of taking another step forward.

Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Words-Heart-Amish-Letters-Novel/dp/0718082567/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517437448&sr=8-1&keywords=words+from+the+heart+kathleen+fuller


Best-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado.

My Thoughts...

This was my favorite of the three Amish Letters series books.
I had taken a break to sit down and rest for a few minutes and I picked this up and was going to read a chapter or two and before I know it I had read the very last page.
It's just that good. I loved Ivy and Noah and of course my favorite character was Noah's Aunt Cervilla she is just a hoot and so blunt and I could not wait to for her to step on the scene.
This series is not to be missed. They can all be read as stand alones but I say read the whole series.
I gave this book 4 stars. I recommend this book and series,
 The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Copper Country By Kristin Neva



A Copper Island Story of Family and Forgiveness

“Where do people get this idea that dying people are more noble?”

TEN YEARS AFTER ABANDONING his family, Aimee Mallon’s father returns with throat cancer. Aimee wants to forgive him, but he’s as narcissistic and unrepentant as ever. She’s comforted by Russ Saarinen, who’s everything her father wasn’t—present and gentle. But a long-term relationship with him is unrealistic unless he’s willing to let go of his bitterness toward corporations, give up his off-the-grid cabin, and find a real job.

Copper Country is set on what the old Finns called Kuparisaari. Copper Island juts into Lake Superior from the north end of the Keweenaw Peninsula, where remnants of an industry long passed dot the landscape. Yoopers, the people of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, are rugged individuals, geographically and culturally distinct from much of America.
Pick up your copy here...
https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Country-Island-Novel/dp/0998196223/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505167070&sr=8-1&keywords=copper+country





Kristin Neva grew up in an old farmhouse on Copper Island in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula where the hard-working, rugged residents persevere through harsh winter weather, sustained by friendship and family, surrounded by natural beauty. As an adult, she lived in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas for seventeen years before returning to the her hometown with her husband and two children.

Kristin’s first book, Heavy, co-authored with her husband, Todd, journeys through the first year after Todd’s ALS diagnosis as the Nevas struggle to find meaning, hold on to faith, and discover joy in the midst of pain.

It is this life experience that brings authenticity to Kristin’s fictional works as she explores themes of love, loss, and faith on Copper Island. Her quirky characters are endearing and wholesome. But they are also full of healthy grit, humor, flaws, and appetites. 

Learn more about Kristin and explore Copper Island at KristinNeva.com
My Thoughts...
"Copper Country" is a very good Romance novel. It is book two in the Copper Island series but can be read as a stand alone with being lost. Neva does a wonderful job developing the characters in her story. The book has a homey feel to it  because you will feel like you know the characters. When you connect with the characters it makes the story little more real so to speak. The story is believable and the author doesn't go over the top. With that said the story is captivating and will keep you reading until the very end.I gave this book 4 stars and recommend it to Romance lovers. The Mary Reader received this book from the author for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

A Mother for Leah By Rachel Miller





Will Leah Fisher find love because of a buggy accident? 
Could love soften her heart so that she is able to see her answered prayers in Naomi Yoder or will she drive a wedge between her father and the only woman he has shown interest in since Elisabeth Fisher's death?

Leah Fisher lost her mother ten years ago. She is rapidly approaching womanhood and the lack is becoming more difficult every day. 
Will she be able to recognize love when it's right in front of her? 
Could love be the key to Leah opening her heart, making room for the woman her father intends to marry... or will she stubbornly cling to the memory of her own mother?
Will Leah be able to let go of her own ideas and realize that God truly does know best for her or will she allow love to slip through her fingers, destroying Samuel Fisher and Naomi Yoder's happiness at the same time?

Pick up your copy here...




Rachel L Miller writes sweet Amish romance with a focus on faith, family and friendship.

She feels very strongly that God has led her to live a simpler lifestyle – thus her deep kinship with the plain people. She enjoys spending time with her family and doing fun, simple things like swimming, making sun tea, sitting outside watching the sunrise or listening to rain fall on the tin roof.

Rachel enjoys writing Amish fiction and hopes that the purity of her stories will allow God's message to shine through more clearly. She also writes Contemporary Inspirational Romance - and with all of her stories she focuses on presenting romance the way God intended it to be.

Readers can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram, Goodreads and her website: rlmauthor.com

My Thoughts...

This was my first book by Miller and I have to say, it was a true Amish romance and one that I would recommend to Amish fiction fans.
Miller does a good job of keeping the story clean and getting the points across without being nasty.  Miller uses this story as a good base for faith and love and god is thru out the pages with out being overly preachy.
It was slow  but it picked up and being an avid Amish fiction reader the occasional Amish word (Dutch) did not mess me up. There is a glossary in the front of the book for those new to Amish books  to help them with the words.
I gave this book 4 stars and I can't wait for the next book in the Windy Gap Wishes series.
The Mary Reader received this book from the Author for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island By Carrie Pagels




Journey now to Mackinac Island where...A Tangled Gilded Age Love Story Unfolds.

Although the Winds of Mackinac Inn has been in her mother’s family for generations, Maude Welling’s father refuses to let her run it without the guidance of a husband. So she seeks to prove her worth and independence by working incognito as a maid at the Grand Hotel.

Undercover journalist Ben Steffans, posing as a wealthy industrialist, pursues a story about impoverished men chasing heiresses at the famed hotel.  While undercover, he becomes attracted to an intriguing maid. By an act of heroism Ben endears himself to the closed-mouthed islanders—including Maude—and he digs deep for his story.

But when scandal threatens, will the growing love between Maude and Ben be scuttled when truths are revealed?

Pick up your copy here...




Carrie Fancett Pagels, Ph.D., is an ECPA-bestselling award-winning author of Christian historical romance. Twenty-five years as a psychologist didn't "cure" her overactive imagination! She resides with her family in the Historic Triangle of Virginia, which is perfect for her love of history. Carrie loves to read, bake, bead, and travel – but not all at the same time!

My Thoughts...

Deep well rounded characters they feel so real. Very well developed.
Reading this book made me want to run to Mackinac Island. I thought about it the whole time I was reading this book. This a quick read, you will read it in one sitting.
Maude and Ben stole my heart right off the bat. Pagels can sure write it's like she's been to Mackinac Island a time or two. Forgiveness and love shine thru out the pages of this book.
I gave this book 4 stars. I recommend this book to all historical lovers. It would make a great beach read.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are our own.