Book picks similar to
What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? by Catherine Stein
steampunk
novella-short-story
romance
historical
Hidden in the Heart
Beth Andrews - 2006
High-spirited Lydia expects a very dull visit, but her sojourn to the village of Diddlington is not as idyllic as she anticipates . . .A charred and bludgeoned corpse is found in the woods, and suspicion falls on Lydia’s aunt’s suitor, an intriguing Frenchman. Convinced of his innocence, Lydia enlists the help of her new friend, John Savidge, to catch the real killer. But before their dangerous adventure ends there will be more than one unexpected discovery.
Holly Bough Cottage (Holiday Cottage #2)
Cindy Gunderson - 2021
Facing the possibility of spending Christmas alone—or even worse, at her over-eager parent’s—she booked a two-week stay at the first affordable, well-rated winter retreat she could find: Holly Bough Cottage in the Colorado Rockies. With her interior design business slowing down over the holidays, Liv can practically smell the pine trees and warm apple cider, but most importantly? She won’t have to face anyone for at least fourteen days. Jonah wasn’t planning on being anywhere but home for Christmas, but when the owners of the Cottages posted on a community board that their handyman injured himself, he decided to pull them a solid. It didn’t hurt that they were offering a free stay and double the daily rate he usually made as a middle-school science teacher. When Liv discovers that the man who came to replace her thermostat is staying in the next cottage over, she finds herself looking for opportunities to sit on the porch while answering emails. Even if it is thirty below. Jonah, battling ghosts of his own, can’t help but walk the long way to the office in the hopes of catching a moment with her. With Liv's heart still raw from past wounds and Jonah hiding a past life that could ruin any budding relationship, their initial attraction doesn't seem to stand a chance. Will their unexpected meeting during the most magical of times be enough to open their hearts to loving and trusting again? If you adore cozy Christmas memories, down-to-earth characters, and sweet romance, you'll love Gunderson's heartwarming holiday tale.
Ticker
Lisa Mantchev - 2014
But soon it’s discovered that Warwick killed dozens of people as he strove to perfect another improved Ticker for Penny, and he’s put on trial for mass murder. On the last day of Warwick’s trial, the Farthings’ factory is bombed, Penny’s parents disappear, and Penny and her brother, Nic, receive a ransom note demanding all of their Augmentation research if they want to see their parents again. Is someone trying to destroy the Farthings...or is the motive more sinister?Desperate to reunite their family and rescue their research, Penny and her brother recruit fiery baker Violet Nesselrode, gentleman-about-town Sebastian Stirling, and Marcus Kingsley, a young army general who has his own reasons for wanting to lift the veil between this world and the next. Wagers are placed, friends are lost, romance stages an ambush, and time is running out for the girl with the clockwork heart.
Legacy of the Clockwork Key
Kristin Bailey - 2013
But this is no ordinary timepiece. The clock turns out to be a mechanical key—a key that only Meg can use—that unlocks a series of deadly secrets and intricate clues that Meg is compelled to follow.Together with the handsome stable hand she barely knows but hopes she can trust, Meg is swept into a hidden world of deception, betrayal, and revenge, uncovering evidence of an elite secret society and a dangerous invention that some will stop at nothing to protect.
That's Why the Lady is a Tramp
Merry Farmer - 2022
But the four of them are determined to strike back at their father by marrying the most unsuitable brides they can find...Second son Samuel Rathborne-Paxton cares for three things above all else—his brothers, financial speculation, and his mistress, the fiery Irish courtesan, Alice Woodmont. When he and his brothers hatch the plan to marry, he seeks Alice’s help. Their search for the right bride looks like it will come up short, until Sam hatches the idea of marrying Alice herself. She has been investing right along with him, after all, and Sam is convinced she’s been successful at it. Wealthy? Check. Socially unacceptable? Check. His best friend? Check. Alice has it all.
Little does Sam know...
Ever since leaving Ireland two years before, Alice has been determined to make a place for herself and her son, Ryan, in London, whatever it takes. What it has taken is visiting the beds of some of the most distinguished rakes in London. But Sam’s is her favorite bed, and for some time, his has been the only bed she indulges in. And when he asks her to marry him and spend the rest of her life in that bed, she jumps at the chance. The Rathborne-Paxton family is one of the most respected and upright families in England, after all, and by marrying Sam, her reputation will be restored. Which is handy, since her financial speculations have all failed, leaving her scrambling to pay the rent.
But, of course, nothing goes as planned...
When Sam discovers Alice isn’t wealthy, and Alice discovers Sam and his brothers are determined to destroy the Rathborne-Paxton family name, there doesn’t seem to be any point in them continuing down the aisle. Except for that annoying little problem called love...That’s Why the Lady is a Tramp is a fun, sizzling-hot, unconventional love story that involves friends-to-lovers, rags-to-riches (and riches-to-rags), dressing like a man, an enormous hat, plenty of trips to the theater, and a happily ever after that will leave you in stitches.Please Be Advised: Heat Level – Super Steaming Hot!
A Kiss for Midwinter
Courtney Milan - 2012
But no matter how hard she smiles, she can't forget the youthful mistake that could have ruined her reputation. Even though the worst of her indiscretion was kept secret, one other person knows the truth of those dark days: the sarcastic Doctor Jonas Grantham. She wants nothing to do with him...or the butterflies that take flight in her stomach every time he looks her way.Jonas Grantham has a secret, too: He's been in love with Lydia for more than a year. This winter, he's determined to conquer her dislike and win her for his own. It all starts with a wager and a kiss...A Kiss for Midwinter is a novella (38,000 words) in the Brothers Sinister series. It follows The Duchess War. Each book stands on its own, but those who prefer to read in order might want to read that book first.
Rogue Skies
Bella AndrewsEmma Jane Holloway - 2019
The skies have gone rogue. Space can't be tamed. And magic is a law unto itself. Transport yourself to new worlds where dark magic clashes with witty witches, diabolic demons, feisty fae, and sexy shifters. Or travel through time and space with cosmic spies, space thieves, and telepathic pirates. Add in a dash of Victorian heroes and inhuman soldiers, and you have a one-of-a-kind science fiction and fantasy collection of intoxicating proportions. Fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Neil Gaiman, Anne McCaffrey, John Scalzi or Sarah J. Maas, Leigh Bardugo, Tamora Pierce, Lois Lowry, and Maria V. Snyder will find themselves transported to weird realms and epic otherworlds in this reality-optional boxset. Rogues and Rebels, Magic and Mayhem, Futures and Fantasy—there's no limit to the excitement that awaits when you turn the pages of this collection of spellbinding adventures from some of today's best-selling Science Fiction and Fantasy authors. 1-click ROGUE SKIES today! With stories by... Missy De Graff Bella Andrews Ashlee Nicole Bye Emma Jane Holloway Candace Sams Melinda Kucsera Jennifer Ellision Mirren Hogan USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Jenkins Brantwijn Serrah USA Today bestselling author Shereen Vedam C.L. Cannon S.A. McClure Karen M. Bryson & Candace Segar Rae Hendricks & Lianne Willowmoon Lee French Tamsin Baker Joynell Schultz Tracy Korn Shannon Pemrick Suzanne Hagelin Nadine Travers Cecilia Dominic Bill Hargenrader Jason J. Nugent
A Kiss upon a Star
Tamara Ferguson - 2017
Emily has run away after hearing her mother arguing with her aunt and after seeing her sitting alone in the bleachers when his hockey game has ended, Tim makes sure Emily is returned to her aunt's home safely.Fast forward eight years; Emily is now a rising star while Tim has decided to enlist in the Air Force intending to train service dogs. Tim is nursing a broken heart when he runs across Emily and comes to her aid, saving a stray puppy from drowning in the lake at the Dragonfly Pointe Beach. But little does Tim know that Emily's returned to Dragonfly Pointe to sing at the wedding of the girl Tim thought he was in love with.Even though Tim doesn't recognize Emily right away, their chance reunion sparks feelings between them, and later on at the wedding, Emily's kiss makes Tim understand he's never really understood the meaning of the word love.Although they try to keep in touch, little do they know that Emily's controlling mom is conspiring to keep them apart.Later in their twenties, Emily's a famous vocalist who feels disillusioned with life, and Tim's an injured Air Force veteran who makes a living training service dogs.But maybe their worlds aren't so different after all. Can Tim find a way to break through Emily's hardened heart?
The Heiress and the Hothead
Sabrina Jeffries - 2016
Return to the beloved Sinful Suitors series from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries in this delightfully sexy winter-themed novella!Stunned by the heat of an unexpected kiss on a cold winter’s eve, two strangers from vastly different worlds turn hotheaded principles into burning passion in Sabrina Jeffries’s charming yuletide story, The Heiress and the Hothead.Can also be found in the anthology, What Happened Under the Mistletoe.
My Christmas Billionaire (The Billionaire Kings Book 7)
Serenity Woods - 2019
But on the night that I finally plucked up courage to ask him back to my room, he turned me down. Okay, he didn't just turn me down; he crushed my very soul. That was a month ago, and now, at Christmastime, I’m traveling with my family to the Arctic Circle to celebrate Noah’s wedding. Because Stefan and I are the only two singletons left, I just know we’re going to end up sitting together on the plane and in restaurants. I can’t bear to be near him. It hurts too much. And then he tells me he has feelings for me. He says he can’t date me, but refuses to reveal why. He wants me; the heat in his eyes convinces me of that. But what can I possibly do about it in sub-zero temperatures? “That’s it,” Clio says. “We’re commencing Operation Polar Fling.” According to Clio, all men can be seduced. I guess we’re about to find out if she's right.
The Christmas Contract
Jan Romes - 2013
While he's generous with his money, he also makes the community work for it. He's the same with his family. No free handouts. What he gives has strings attached. Dax decides it's time for his fiercely independent, almost-thirty year old granddaughters to settle down. He wants them to find love and give him great-grandchildren before his lights go out. And he knows how to make it happen. Prompted by love, guilt and a desire to own their own business, the Dawson triplets -- Joy, Noelle and Christi -- enter into a Christmas contract that will change their lives forever. Finding true love is a unique adventure, so each girl has their own story. The outcome for all three, however, funnels into one giant happily-ever-after.
Trick or Tequila
Eve London - 2021
That doesn’t stop me from flirting back when he makes a play for me at my family’s pumpkin patch. But when he lays on the charm so thick that it leaves me gasping for air, I don’t know whether to lean into my feelings or ghost the divine devil.CruzFrom the moment I set eyes on the curvy girl in overalls, my heart belongs to her. Now I just have to convince her that despite our differences, we’re a perfect fit. A costume party at the small-town tequila bar will give us the opportunity to be whoever we want for a night. But will she still want me in the morning?This October, twenty-four of your favorite contemporary romance authors are bringing you a month filled with sexy-spooky Halloween steam. Get ready for over-the-top love stories sure to set your spine — and other parts *wink* — tingling. Brew some cider, grab your favorite blanket, and snuggle up with these hot shorts. The Halloween Steam series is sure keep you warm and cozy all autumn long.
Christina, A Bride for Christmas
Hildie McQueen - 2017
When everything goes wrong are you still meant for each other?After being dispatched to Blanchard Creek, Wyoming by her mother as a mail order bride, Christina Mills tumbles from one mishap to another. As if arriving in Wyoming with a fever, losing luggage and being accosted by the hotel owner isn’t already bad enough, her to be groom decides to back out of the marriage.Alexander Barrett Patterson is a man of honor. However, the scars from battle are more than skin deep. Rather than tying the beautiful woman to a cripple, he decides to give her up and suffer the consequences of a decision every ounce of his being protests. Now, if only half the town would stop trying to make him change his mind.A story of hurt, scars and the healing power of love.
Magic Under Glass
Jaclyn Dolamore - 2009
When wealthy sorcerer Hollin Parry hires her to do a special act - singing accompaniment to an exquisite piano-playing automaton, Nimira believes it is the start of a new life. In Parry's world, however, buried secrets stir. Unsettling below-stairs rumours abound about ghosts, a mad woman roaming the halls, and of Parry's involvement in a gang of ruthless sorcerers who torture fairies for sport. When Nimira discovers the spirit of a dashing young fairy gentleman is trapped inside the automaton's stiff limbs, waiting for someone to break the curse and set him free, the two fall in love. But it is a love set against a dreadful race against time to save the entire fairy realm, which is in mortal peril.
The Constantine Affliction
T. Aaron Payton - 2012
London is a city in transition. The Constantine Affliction - strange malady that kills some of its victims and physically transforms others into the opposite sex - has spread scandal and upheaval throughout society. Scientific marvels and disasters, such as clockwork courtesans, the alchemical fires of Whitechapel, electric carriages, and acidic monsters lurking in the Thames, have forever altered the face of the city.Pembroke "Pimm" Halliday is an aristocrat with an interest in criminology, who uses his keen powers of observation to assist the police or private individuals - at least when he's sober enough to do so. Ellie Skyler, who hides her gender behind the byline "E. Skye," is an intrepid journalist driven by both passion and necessity to uncover the truth, no matter where it hides.When Pimm and Skye stumble onto a dark plot that links the city’s most notorious criminal overlord with the Queen’s new consort, famed scientist Sir Bertram Oswald, they soon find the forces of both high and low society arrayed against them. Can they save the city from the arcane machinations of one of history's greatest monsters - and uncover the shocking origin of . . . THE CONSTANTINE AFFLICTION.