• Best Clean and Wholesome Romance

    Her Billionaire Boss by Laura Ann

    He’s a billionaire, she’s drowning in debt… Will money keep these two from finding their Happy Ever After?

    When they pool their money to buy a dilapidated castle with the hopes of turning it into a bed and breakfast, they accidentally build an empire instead. As the oldest brother, Eli shoulders most of the responsibility to take care of his siblings, but between problems in his past and the sudden fame of their billionaire status, he’s become known as a cold, grumpy boss…until a perky redhead bounces into his resort.

    Ivy Thompson is heavily in debt from her mother’s medical charges, so taking a job at a castle resort run by three brothers not only gave her a boost, but got her out of her small town with too many memories. She’s determined to work her way through her bills, but the process is slower than she’d like and her handsome, but icy, new boss is a constant distraction.

    Shame for her situation keeps Ivy from confiding her struggling financial situation with Eli, but when he finds out in the worst way possible, will he be able to see the truth of her feelings? Or will Ivy be thrown aside as just another gold digger?

    A 5 star review from Goodreads:

    “I loved this book! The easy camaraderie between the brothers in the prologue had me hooked on reading more about this family. I wasn’t disappointed in the book. The book is a stand alone clean romance.”

    Jillian – Goodreads 

  • Best Clean and Wholesome Romance

    Hopeful Cowboy by Elana Johnson

    He’s struggling to step into his new role as a single dad. She’s trying to keep her ranch operational and her heart intact. Can Nate and Ginger build forever out of heartache?

    Nathaniel Mulbury is released early from his six-year term in prison to care for his brother’s four-year-old son. Dealing with grief over his brother’s death and continued guilt for his role in the embezzlement scheme that landed him in jail, Nate has one more problem. He’s never been a father and has no idea how to take care of Connor. Make that two problems: He’s released, but only to the care of Hope Eternal Ranch, a work-parole ranch run by the beautiful and smart Ginger Talbot.

    He’s never been a cowboy, and he’s got no room in his life for a woman. Ginger has dealt with plenty of men like Nate, even if the sparks between them don’t just come from his background. She’s not falling for a handsome face and a nice pair of biceps again. After all, most prisoners have plenty of time to work out. But there’s something different about Nate that calls to her softer side, if only she’d let him in. If only she knew how to let anyone in… But Ginger is jaded for good reason, and she’s not going to risk losing Hope Eternal Ranch—or her heart—again.

    A review of the novel:

    “Although the story relies on tropes like miscommunication and secrets to move the conflict, and Nate and Ginger tend to stay surface characters, the story is engrossing to the point that lovers of contemporary cowboy romance will quickly find themselves progressing from this book to the next in the series with little-to-no break between!”

    InD’tale Magazine

  • Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Fantasy Romance

    Pathways by Camille Peters

    Eileen has never been interested in love. But the enchanted forest has different ideas… 

    Ever since her father’s abandonment, she’s vowed to never experience such pain again. When the continuously shifting pathways on the enchanted forest lead her to a mysterious stranger, Eileen finds her promise to fiercely guard her heart increasingly difficult to keep.

    One night when she becomes lost in a storm, the enchanted forest’s pathways lead her to the castle, home to the kingdom’s Dark Prince, where Eileen finds herself entangled in what many consider an opportunity but which Eileen believes to be a curse: competing for the Dark Prince’s hand through a series of tests that judge one’s royal worth. Eileen is neither royal nor interested in becoming a princess. But the mysterious stranger she met in the woods has his own reasons for helping her succeed, although the cost of his assistance may be too high: that of Eileen’s heart, the one thing she’s vowed never to give.

    The author on creating a fairy tale fantasy world in her novel:

    “I also wanted to give the setting a medieval, fairy tale feel while weaving elements of magic and fantasy throughout the setting. So far my favorite is both the magical moving Forest that plays a prominent role in my first novel, Pathways, and the enchanted gardens in my upcoming novel. Nature is very dear to my heart, so I wanted to make something that already feels magical to me become enchanted in some way. I love creating settings with a light element of magic so that they feel more real, like something we can discover and explore in real life rather than just through the pages of my books.”

    Camille Peters

  • Best Clean and Wholesome Romance

    Falling For You by Leeanna Morgan

    Both leave the cities to return to the sweet, small town of Sapphire Bay. Little do they know that striking up a friendship could lead to more… 

    After six years of focusing on her career, Natalie Armstrong craves the peace and tranquility that only Sapphire Bay can give her. But returning to her grandparents’ cottage isn’t as easy as she imagined. No one told her about her houseguest or the unexpected changes in the small town she calls home.

    Gabe Lanigan is a former NYPD detective. His new career as a bestselling crime writer has brought him everything he didn’t want—fame, fortune, and a deep distrust of strangers. When Natalie arrives in Sapphire Bay, their unlikely friendship sparks into something he never expected. But he needs to be careful. The real reason he left New York City is closing in fast and Natalie is standing in his way.

    The author’s favorite quality in a protagonist:

    “Unconditional love. The ability to love someone as they are, to support and care for them, regardless of what they have done, is a wonderful gift.”

    Leeanna Morgan

  • Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    Heart of Clay by Shanna Hatfield

    It’s never too late to give love a second chance. . . even for a hard-working cowboy.

    Callan Matthews awakens one day to the realization her husband has taken a nose dive off the pedestal where he’s resided since the moment they met. As Clay unwittingly tugs at the last few threads keeping her from completely unraveling, she has to choose between walking away or running back into his arms.

    Easygoing cowboy Clay Matthews works hard and plays even harder. He’s the last person to wade into emotional turmoil, but he’s up to his neck in it trying to decipher his wife’s suddenly frosty feelings toward him.  When tragedy strikes and a life-altering secret is revealed, this tender, sometimes humorous sweet romance embraces the beauty of letting go of the past and daring to fall in love all over again.

    The author on writing Heart of Clay:

    “I began writing my first book, Heart of Clay, in February 2010. I’d been toying with the idea of the story for a while and I finally decided to sit down and see if I could write it!  The idea was one of a realistic couple struggling to hang on to their marriage instead of letting it go.”

    Shanna Hatfield

  • Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Best Historical Romance Books

    A Lady of Esteem by Kristi Ann Hunter

    Who to trust when her reputation is at stake…

    Miss Amelia Stalwood may live in London at her absent guardian’s townhouse, but she’s never actually met any nobility; instead of aristocrats, her closest friends are servants.

    Quite by happenstance, she’s introduced to the Hawthorne family and their close family friend, Anthony, the reformed Marquis of Raebourne. They welcome her into their world, but just as she’s beginning to gain some confidence and even suspect that she may have caught Anthony’s eye, she’s blindsided by an unexpected twist in her situation accompanied by nasty rumors. Will she lose her reputation when the world that has only just accepted her turns its back on her, or will she rest in the support of the friends who’ve become like family and the man who’s shared his faith and captured her heart?

    The author on faith during Regency England:

    “Despite the general debauchery across much of the culture, there were people who were devoutly Christian. This was the generation laying the groundwork for greats such as Charles Spurgeon and D.L. Moody to rise up and change the world. While the faith was certainly present, evangelism as we know it today was not a priority yet.”

    Kristi Ann Hunter

  • Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Best Historical Romance Books

    The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz

    Love, betrayal, and new beginnings…

    When colonial Williamsburg explodes like a powder keg on the eve of the American Revolution, Lady Elisabeth “Liberty” Lawson is abandoned by her fiancé and suspected of being a spy for the hated British.

    No one comes to her aid save the Patriot Noble Rynallt, a man with formidable enemies of his own. Liberty is left with a terrible choice. Will the Virginia belle turned lacemaker side with the radical revolutionaries, or stay true to her English roots? And at what cost?

    What the author wants readers to learn through The Lacemaker:

    “That history is truly God’s story, and during that tumultuous period when America fought for its independence, He was at work creating one of the greatest, God-honoring nations in the world through the flawed yet selfless heroism of our founding fathers, the American people, and courageous women like our heroine who supported the cause for liberty.”

    Laura Frantz

  • Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Christmas Cheer

    The Christmas Compromise by Susan Hatler

    Will Morgan’s sadness and fear pull them apart, or make her realize Dallas has always been her heart’s true safe harbor?

    Morgan Reed is excited to return to her hometown of Christmas Mountain, Montana and open her beauty salon, but when she arrives to her rented business space she’s shocked to find it already occupied by Dallas Parker—her brother’s best friend, the guy she had a childhood crush on, and the one her mom blames for their family’s greatest tragedy.

    With their landlord out of the country and unreachable, Morgan and Dallas must open their businesses together. As they work together, Morgan tries to keep her emotional distance but time and off-the-charts chemistry soon turn a childhood friendship into a blossoming romance. Unfortunately, just when their relationship develops into something deeper, an unexpected crisis reopens her family’s old wounds and the blame is on Dallas once again.

    The author’s view on writing:

    “I once read that a writer has something to say to the world.  I think it’s my characters that have something to say and I’m the conduit who gets that info to readers.  A writer is a major part of who I am, so that’s what I do and I love it.”

    Susan Hatler

  • Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Best Historical Romance Books

    The Secret Admirer of an Extraordinary Lady by Bridget Barton

    Who will be the one to claim Lydia’s heart when all the cards are on the table?

    Lydia Gibbs is much more interested in drawing beautiful dresses than settling for something less than a fairytale love. But when she unexpectedly starts receiving anonymous letters from a secret admirer, she begins to dream of a love she never knew she could have. The situation becomes further complicated when she starts to see a different side of her childhood friend, someone she used to despise as a young girl. Will she dare to fall for someone she has never even met, or will she realise that someone else entirely is worth her attention?

    Anthony Boyle has always found pleasure in teasing his best friend’s little sister. When one day he takes it too far and she walks off leaving him standing with everyone looking at him, he starts plotting his revenge. But the lesson he’s planning to teach her is one he will be taught himself when he starts realising that he has fallen in love with her. How will he be able to resolve the situation he created without losing the only woman he has ever loved?

    A review from Goodreads:

    I enjoyed The Secret Admirer of an Extraordinary Lady. I have read several of Bridget Barton’s books and I think this might be my favorite. It was well paced, had an intriguing story line, great characters and a lot of heart. I would recommend this novel and thoroughly enjoyed it!

    Rachel, Goodreads review

  • Best Clean and Wholesome Romance,  Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    Full Circle by Mona Ingram

    Single and pregnant, Bella is given a choice. Give up her child for adoption or leave town.

    The choice was never in doubt. Bella moves across the country, settling in Santa Monica. Determined to make a life for herself and her child, she and her new friend Sophia sell children’s clothing at the Venice Beach market. 

    When their creative designs are featured on television, their business takes off and they accept an offer from Rafael Vargas to expand their business. Bella fights her attraction to the handsome entrepreneur, but deep in her heart all she really wants is love.

    Mona Ingram on Full Circle‘s Rafael:

    The other hero who gets my heart started is Rafael, in Full Circle.
    Rafa is (of course) handsome, but he’s driven to succeed in business while being restrained in his personal life. I could go for him in a big way.

    Mona Ingram