• 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 Healing the Mountain Man's Heart
    Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Historical Romance Books

    Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart by Misty M. Beller

    In the wild mountains of the Montana Territory, the Coulter ranch is a place of family, loyalty…and a hidden fortune.

    Jericho Coulter, the eldest of six fiercely devoted brothers, is entrusted with safeguarding his family and the secret that binds them together: the Sapphire mine. To keep tragedy from striking again, he allows no outsiders on their land. When two women stumble upon their ranch, claiming Jericho himself sent for one of them as a mail-order bride, he aims to send them straight back where they came from. Dinah Wyatt, a talented and determined doctor, wasn’t about to let her twin sister travel to Montana alone and marry a stranger. Dinah’s skills are immediately put to the test when one of the younger Coulter brothers is gravely injured, forcing the family to trust his life to her. As Dinah and her sister become entwined in the Coulter family’s life, sparks fly between the enigmatic Jericho and the captivating doctor. In a world where trust is hard to come by and secrets hold the power to change lives, Jericho and Dinah must learn that sometimes, the most precious secrets are those buried within our own hearts. The author on the research for her novel’s setting and plot:

    “The timing of sapphire discoveries in the state is perfect for my series as well. Early prospectors searching for gold in the gravel of the Missouri River repeatedly discarded the annoying blue pebbles that continually clogged their sluices without much thought to what they may be. It wasn’t discovered that these “pebbles” were sapphires until 1895… and [when it was] declared that the stones were ‘sapphires of unusual quality,’ a small-scale sapphire rush began. This rush is exactly what the Coulter brothers in the Brothers of Sapphire Ranch series are trying to avoid. That’s why they keep the sapphire mine on their property secret during this first book in the series, Healing the Mountain Man’s Heart.

    Misty M. Beller

     

     

  • Book cover of The Devil's Lady
    Best Historical Romance Books

    The Devil’s Lady by Deborah Simmon

    Was she under a spell or truly the Devil’s Lady?

    Bid by King Edward to marry, Aisley de Laci hopes to avoid the altar by choosing Baron Montmorency. She is certain none will agree to the union, especially the baron, who is rumored to practice the dark arts from his isolated keep. Renowned in battle, Montmorency has secluded himself at Dunmurrow for reasons of his own. And he does not want a wife, no matter how wealthy and beautiful. But even he cannot defy the king, and what comes to him he takes—and holds. Aisley refuses to believe that Montmorency possesses any mysterious powers. Yet how else to explain her own growing feelings for a man so shrouded in shadow she has never seen his face? The  5 star review for the novel:

    “This book was one of my absolute favorites when I started reading romance when I was younger. I still have it today and refuse to get rid of it. I love how Aisley grows through this tale. She goes from a spoiled child to a matured woman. And Baron Montmorency? I looooove this man. He’s dark, foreboding, and hoards a secret. Their relationship is both passionate and tender, and at times, emotional. There is a Gothic touch to this book, but it’s an amazing historical romance read!”

    Author Tiffany Roberts — Goodreads