• Book cover of The Floating Amsterdam Flower Shop
    Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    The Floating Amsterdam Flower Shop by Annabel French

    The Floating Amsterdam Flowershop book cover

    One fresh start. One unexpected encounter. Can love bridge the gap?

    When Rosie leaves behind her ordinary life in England to open a flower shop on Amsterdam’s water, she expects nothing less than a fairytale. Max, her handsome but brooding new neighbour, prefers to keep the world at arm’s length – and living on the houseboat next door, he’s not too thrilled about the new company. As Rosie’s business blossoms, so do her feelings for Max. But Rosie isn’t sure she’s ready for a relationship, and Max is still nursing a broken heart. When a rival in the flower market threatens her dreams, Rosie discovers that the most beautiful things can bloom when you learn to go with the flow – and allow someone to stand by your side. Will Rosie and Max allow themselves to be swept away by love, or is their relationship doomed to sink before it can swim?
    A review of the novel:

    “It was a joy to be transported to The Floating Amsterdam Flower Shop, and I adored every moment I spent with Rosie, Max and their blossoming community. I recommend this to anyone who wants to feel their heart lifted.”

    Kate Storey

     

     

  • Book cover of On the Market
    Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    On the Market by Rachael Herron

    The Bachelor meets The Property Brothers: Love, property, and construction. What could possibly go wrong?

    Liam Ballard is good at buying houses, fixing them up with his brothers, and flipping them for a profit. When Felicia from the network shows up to offer them a reality show (the brothers renovate a house while one of them dates the buyer), the pay is too good to turn down. With it, they’ll finally be able to open the after-school program for at-risk youth to honor the man who raised them. But when the very LA-like Felicia decides she’ll be the buyer of the property (and his date), Liam wonders for the first time what set of keys he’ll want to pass over to her, and will one of them unlock his heart? The author on the inspiration for this novel:

    “I’ve figured out over the years there are two kinds of people: those who like reality TV and those who mock reality TV but watch it in private… There’s a secret about reality TV that no one talks about, though. Those shows can be good for the heart. Just like romance novels… Six seasons of America’s Next Top Model got me through my mother’s death… When I didn’t know how to help a friend when she was very low, I attempted to hook her on Project Runway… We all need escape sometimes from a life that while often very, very good, can be very, very hard. That escape doesn’t have to be mindless. It can be mindful… And I realized that I’d love to write a reality show series. So here’s the first in the Ballard Brothers series. It’sThe Property Brothers meets the Bachelor, set on the California coast in the town of Darling Bay. I fell in love with Liam while writing him, and so did Felicia, the network executive who ends up accidentally starring in her own show (oops!).”

    Rachael Herron

     

     

  • Book cover of Treasure Coast Homecoming
    Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    Treasure Coast Homecoming by Leigh Duncan

    She has one final wish before she puts a For Sale sign in front of the only home she’s ever known, but can her family make her dream come true?

    Margaret Dane Clayton has spent her entire life at the Dane Crown Inn, the beautiful resort located in the quiet beachside town of Emerald Bay. But the inn once hailed as the “gem of Florida’s Treasure Coast” is showing its age, much like its fiercely independent owner. Margaret swears she’ll keep the doors of the inn open forever … until an accident forces her to accept the fact that she can no longer cater to guests on her own. After reaching the most difficult decision of her life, Margaret asks her daughter and nieces to grant her one final wish before she places the property on the market. But will these five women put their busy lives on hold to grant it? One by one, each of the cousins arrives in Emerald Bay with armloads of excuses and far too much baggage. But when the town’s grumpy—yet oh, so handsome—mayor threatens to close the inn for good, the women agree to give the resort the overhaul it desperately needs. Working with a bank account that’s far too small and facing one crisis after another, Margaret’s daughter and her nieces race to fulfill her final wish. Only one question remains: Can this fractured family set aside their differences long enough to restore the inn … and rebuild the closeness they once treasured? A five-star review of the novel:

    “This new series and its intriguing set of characters is going to be a nailbiter. There are so many things going on, and each character has his or her own challenges. The characters aren’t all likeable (most are), but I suspect we are going to love them all by the end of the series. It’s going to be so much fun seeing how Leigh “fixes” all of those difficulties and shows us the true character of each family member. The inn needs a lot of work, and I suspect we are going to see a lot of fun and work to it as the series unfolds. I can’t wait!”

    Pat Pollock—Goodreads

     

     

  • Book cover of Read Between the Pines
    Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    Read Between the Pines by Mary Walden

    She traded the skyscrapers of New York for the small-town charm of Maple Ridge, but running her aunt’s bookstore is just the beginning.

    Abby thought escaping her fast-paced city life would be easy, but between a grumpy, brooding handyman (who just might be the most ruggedly handsome man she’s ever met), a tight-knit community eager to play matchmaker, and exes that just won’t get the hint, nothing is as simple as it seems. The author’s description of what to expect::

    “For fans of small-town charm, grumpy x sunshine, cinnamon roll heroes, and inheriting a new life, this heartwarming romance full of cozy fall vibes is a must-read.”

    Mary Walden

     

     

  • Book cover of Treasures Lost Treasures Found
    Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    Treasures Lost, Treasures Found by Nora Roberts

    The romantic adventure story of two former lovers seeking a fortune only to discover that love is what truly favors the bold.

    Kate Hardesty’s late father spent his life exploring the waters around North Carolina’s Ocracoke Island, hunting for sunken treasure. Now, it has fallen to his daughter to decipher his detailed notes, charts, and maps to complete his quest—but Kate knows she needs the help of deep-sea diver Ky Silver. Once, she’d given him her heart, only to break his when she left the island. That was four years ago, and Ky’s the only one she can trust to help her locate the gold. Reunited, Kate and Ky’s search rekindles their passion and recovers something between them even more priceless than a lost treasure. A five-star review for the novel:

    “An absolutely successful romance novel that has no kitsch in it and is written as sentimentally as only Nora Roberts can write. Ideal for enjoyable reading hours and exciting entertainment.”

    V-Inkvotary–Goodreads