until her fiancé, Cesare, broke her heart and left her at the altar. When she discovers Cesare is to marry another woman, shecrashes the wedding, determined to call it off.Enter Alfonso Marchese, the handsome billionaire brother of Cesare’s new bride. Alfonso will do anything to protect his family, and the last thing he wants is to see Cesare’s ex ruin his sister’s wedding. Convinced Tori is nothing but a selfish gold- digger, he kidnaps her and whisks her away to a remote island paradise ...Alfonso vows to hold Tori captive until she forgets all about Cesare. But as sun-drenched days lead to steamy tropical nights, the handsome billionaire is drawn to her beauty and fiery will. What begins as a seductive challenge soon blazes into a passionate affair.Soon, Tori finds herself having to deal with all of the formidable Marchese family … not just the tantalising Alfonso, who’s as confusing as he is intoxicating.And as they sink deeper into each other, Tori realises that a broken heart could be the least of her worries ...

    Between their bedroom antics and their busy lives, Crystal, Geneva, Chevy, and Noah are all faced with situations that are way too hot to handle . . .Crystal’s finding it hard to concentrate at work, and no wonder—she’s got a stud in Antigua who’s beginning to mean more to her than just steamy sex. While things are red-hot with Geneva and her sexy young man, Deeka, her new diet pills stir up more trouble than her collection of slinky lingerie ever did.Chevy’s out-of-control spending has finally caught up with her; when her paycheck is almost entirely garnished, she is forced to resort to sex with an ex to keep a roof over her head.Noah and his partner can’t come to an agreement about adopting children, but one thing’s for sure: A blast from his little-known past with a woman is about to rock his world.

    These five contemporary romances explore the not-so-simple joys of small-town living, where the heroes are hotter than temperatures in July and the heroines know just when not to mind their manners. Grab a glass of sweet tea and sit a spell: Sweet Gone South: Chocolatier Lanie Heaven has good friends, a booming business, and the adoration of the citizens of Merritt, Alabama - and a big secret. Then widower Judge Luke Avery moves upstairs and threatens to turn her life into a sticky mess. Scrimmage Gone South: Lawyer Tolly Lee is pearls, debutante balls, and polished silver on the breakfast table. High school football coach Nathan Scott holds her responsible for his aborted NFL career. Can these two ex-lovers find a way to co-exist in the same small town - without becoming fodder for every gossip in town? Slugger Gone South: When New York Yankee Marc MacNeal comes to Merritt, Alabama, for a charity golf tournament, he's shocked to be reunited with his ex-fiancée Bailey Watkins. It could be the perfect chance to get some long-awaited closure - or the start of a whole new ball game. Simple Gone South: The last time Brantley Kincaid had an argument with someone, a loved one ended up in Merritt Cemetery. He's high strung enough about moving back home to the memories without running into his childhood playmate, Lucy Mead, who's all grown up. Secrets Gone South: Will Garrett grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and never expected debutante Arabelle Avery to end up in his arms during an emotional moment. Now she's returned to Merritt, his son on her hip. Will he ever be good enough to raise his son and win Arabelle's heart? Sensuality Level: Sensual

    He toils to keep their construction company afloat while the exes in his life enjoy their honeymoon. Jon meets Morgan when a flock of turkeys and a curvy mountain road aligns with one-in-a-million timing. Despite their attraction, her engagement, and the ire of her family, the pair embarks on a platonic friendship. As their relationship strengthens, they share secrets, but Morgan holds her most important secret tight to her chest, where it beats like a ticking time bomb. It’s not a matter of if, but when. Adult language and content. Beware of spoilers in the reviews.

    Packing up her broken heart—along with her dog—she impulsively joins her older brother's best friend in a two-thousand-mile trip cross-country.Will Tremere always had a soft spot for Tess when they were growing up—and now she's become a beautiful, intriguing woman. He also knows that Tess is hurting, and he's determined to help her get back on her feet, no strings attached.But by the time the pair rolls into Las Vegas, all bets are off. Because neither Tess nor Will ever counted on finding their perfect match on the road...

    Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value. Alice Nicholson is in love . . . with Fraser Graham, a dashing Scotsman whom Evie secretly desires. As crisply neat and stylish as Evie is cheerfully cluttered, Alice is a professional organizer determined to pull her sister out of her comfort zone—and who presents her with an irresistible offer. As a favor to friends of Fraser's family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews' family treasures—and dusty secrets?But crossing paths with moody heir Robert McAndrew has Evie assessing what she wants the most . . . and at an upcoming candlelight gala, a traditional dance will set her heart reeling.

    Katie has never met her grandmother, Marly’s mother, Winnie. But Marly and Winnie have been estranged for years, and confronting the past for each of them is painful. The homecoming is bittersweet, but revisiting the conflict between them is crucial if Marly and her mother are ever to find the bond they shared before Marly left Dreyerville. To complicate matters, living next door to Winnie is handsome sheriff and widower Reed Bennett, and his son, Ham, who is close to Katie’s age. Ham and Katie become fast friends, while the parents find their attraction to one another going deeper than mere friendship. But Marly’s time in Dreyerville is limited and risking her heart isn’t something she’s willing to do. As the days slip past, and though she tries to avoid it, Marly and Reed become more deeply involved. Can she risk loving the handsome sheriff and giving up the future she worked so hard to forge for herself and her daughter? Can she make a life in Dreyerville after what happened all those years ago? Will Marly finally realize that her true destiny and ultimate happiness lies in coming to terms with her past?

    Mere hours before her wedding, the fiancee of real estate mogul JP Stratton is found strangled in her penthouse. New Orleans homicide detective Charlotte "Charlie" Le Blanc views the crime scene, finding a black silk stocking draped casually beside the body--a chilling calling card from the killer. The dramatic clue leads Charlie to a world of privilege and wealth, and before long she singles out a suspect whose identity creates a furor in the city: Cole Stratton, JP's estranged son. But what she doesn't know is that Cole has been set up, and while she sets out to prove his guilt a real killer is on the loose--a man who now has Charlie in his sights, a man with yet another black silk stocking.

    She’s never been shy about her feelings for him, and she’s always felt like he was the man she would spend the rest of her life with. But when things got rough, Jordan did the one thing she never expected. The man she thought had her back through anything, simply walked away from her like she meant nothing. Jordan knows his decision to break things off with Imauni hurt her deeply, but he had his reasons—reasons that she struggles to understand. Still, it’s a decision that he’s determined to stand by. But, even after choosing to walk away, Jordan refuses to let go of her completely. Knowing all of Imauni’s weaknesses, he uses them to his advantage. But when the tables turn, he finds himself regretting his past decisions. What happens when Jordan is forced to face the consequences of his actions? Will he come to his senses and fight for the woman he truly loves? Or will he fold, and convince himself that it’s not even worth the risk?

    Suddenly, life in southern Ohio just got a little more scandalous.

    Three hard-bodied, gorgeous, incredibly successful men, determined to avoid that terrifying four-letter word, L-O-V-E. Three full-length novels with more than 335 four & five star reviews. You’ll laugh and cry, and your temperature will definitely go up, up… and up! Say hello to the amazing Wilde Sisters.

    God, however, had other plans. Her: “My marriage, career, and reputation just crashed around me and eliminated the little trust I had left in myself to make good decisions. I packed my bags, shook the dust off my feet, and started driving, begging God to tell me where to go. He brought me to a tiny, charming Northern Michigan town, where I’m recreating my life from scratch – without men.” Him: “My whole world turned upside down when I lost the love of my life and had to start over as a single father. I am now both mother and father to my little girl and have built my life around taking care of her; and protecting my heart from ever being hurt like that again. Love is not a part of my life anymore.” God: “We’ll see about that.” Can two people who have sworn off love stop fighting their attraction long enough to see that God is doing something? Can they trust Him enough to risk giving happiness another try?

    For all of Jack Santos' life, he was told that his father was killed in the Vietnam War. Then a twist of fate changes everything he thought he knew, and he discovers that his father isn't dead after all. Now Jack is hungry for everything he can find out about this father, Levi Harper. And the only link he has to the past is through Levi's journals. It is through these journals that Jack discovers who his father really is: his loves, dreams, hopes...and secrets. Can Jack discover the truth about his own life? And can he find the love that will always bring him back to Paradise Bay?

    far away from your husband? Helen is almost forty and her boobs are starting to go south. She's also happily married to Mark. But why, then, can't she stop staring at ex-fianc�e Rob's big blue eyes from the minute she finds him on Facebook? And why does she agree to go to a mutual friend's wedding in Rome-accompanied by her very loud and touristy mom and even louder gin & tonic drinking friend, Lori-when she knows he will be there? It can only mean one thing: Trouble. Things don't get less complicated when Helen finds out that Mark is going on a business trip with his perfect ex-girlfriend (with perfect perky boobs) at the same time somewhere in Germany. Or when he suddenly shows up in Rome unannounced. A fun, warmhearted, and compelling story, The One That Got Away is a novel about a lot of what if's, how we often take love for granted, and how life doesn't always have to be picture perfect. "If you love a fast-paced story, with snappy dialogue and lots of humor and heart, this is the book for you."

    Every memory she had of his appearance was there, stamped with a brutal decade of maturity, but there. Except for the look in his eyes. Nothing had ever been bleak and hard about him before. He stared at her with an intensity that could have burned her shadow on the floor.Words were hopeless, but all that they had. “Welcome back,” she said. Then, brokenly, “Jake.”He took a deep breath, as if a shiver had run through him. He closed the doors without ever taking his eyes off her. Then he was at her in two long steps, grasping her by the shoulders, lifting her to her toes. “I trained myself not to think about you,” he said, his voice a raw whisper. “Because if I had, I would have lost my mind.”“I never deserted you. I wanted to be a part of your life, but you wouldn’t let me. Will you please try, now?”“Do you still have it?” he asked.Anger. Defeat. The hoarse sound she made contained both. “Yes.”He released her. “Good. That’s all that matters.” Sam turned away, tears coming helplessly. After all these years, there was still only one thing he wanted from her, and it was the one thing she hated, a symbol of pride and obsession she would never understand, a blood red stone that had controlled the lives of too many people already, including theirs.The Pandora ruby.Deborah Smith is the NYT bestselling author of A Place To Call Home and the Kindle No. 1 bestselling author of The Crossroads Café. Learn more about her books at BellBridgeBooks.com.