The second stunted by her sister's shadow. The youngest propelled by desperation. Gwen is the oldest of four children in the Aaldenberg family, and the one who seems to have it all. She's also most desperate to escape. Betta, having nursed their dying grandpa for the past three years, is anxious for Gwen to go, so she can finally have reins to the family business. And Esmerelda, viciously determined to follow in Gwen's footsteps, vies for popularity as a freshman in high school, only to learn she must sell her soul, reputation, and most prized possession for acceptance. When Gwen's fiancé moves to town, Gwen does her best to resign herself to a local life, while Betta struggles for meaning without the store. In order to carve out a place for herself, Betta must decide to what lengths she'll go in order to become her own person, and Gwen must decide what's more important: her sister or her future. Can this family pull through their disappointment, jealousy, and regret? Or will they cling so tightly to their desires that it ruins them?

    It’s home to farmers and shopkeepers, dreamers and schemers. And it’s the perfect place to fall in love.Rosemary Brunner’s life might look small to some, but she has things arranged just the way she likes them. She’s turned her family farm into a sanctuary for troubled horses. She has dinner once a week with her elderly neighbors. And if she needs a little company and gossip, her best friend Nikki can swing by with dinner from the Blue Plate Diner and plenty to say. For a country girl with a heaping helping of social anxiety, she has things figured out just fine.Then Stephen walks into her life, and her careful little world falls apart.Stephen Beckett can’t understand why his father retired to sleepy Catoctin Creek. The days are too quiet, the nights are too dark, and everything moves too slowly for his high-octane lifestyle. The sooner Stephen can get his life back in order and head back home to Manhattan, the better.Then Stephen meets Rosemary, and a bolt of lightning seems to set the dark country night aglow.With opposite intentions, their chances at a happy ending don’t look great. But Stephen and Rosemary might not be able to help falling for each other…if Stephen’s ambitions and Rosemary’s traditions aren’t too much for this budding romance to bear.

    Her sweet little body against his. Under his. Her screaming his name until she admits she’s never had better.Now he’s found her again, working in a bookstore of all places, and she’s just as gorgeous as he remembers. Only Katie thinks he can be redeemed. That there’s a good man underneath his darkness.He’s not so sure.But then Katie becomes his. Katie and her daughter.And he’ll risk everything, including fighting the devil himself, to protect them.

    Before she can expand her business empire, she needs her ex-husband's signature dissolving their silent partnership. A trip to Maine to find her ex, get his autograph, and chill out seems ideal. But instead of relaxing, Joy winds up inserting herself in the middle of a mystery—and wrapped in the overprotective arms of Comfort's chief of police—her ex-husband. After retiring from LAPD, Paul Donovan took charge of tiny Comfort's police department. Back in his hometown he may be bored senseless, but he's nowhere near ready for chaos in the form of his ex-wife shaking up his life. Joy arrives in perfect time to meddle in his investigation of a string of accidental deaths. Forced together again, Joy and Paul confront some unexpected challenges. Their son is in harm’s way in the Middle East and their daughter is being stalked back in California. It's emotional deja vu as they dig through their thorny past, reawaken old sexual attraction, and finally face the fact they never stopped loving each other.

    Scratch that: she didn’t even like the guy.Maddox ‘Reno’ Renner, the resident King of Claremont High. Dark, brooding, arrogant… you get it. He’s the kind of gorgeous no girl is immune to, including Riley. She shouldn’t feel anything for him—falling for a guy like Reno would be stupid and reckless—but when he sets his sights on her, Riley’s forced to admit just how far she’s already fallen.With expert precision, Reno manages to break down every one of her defenses, but just when Riley starts to think it might be safe to lower her guard, tragedy strikes in a way neither one of them could have predicted, tearing them apart.When Reno needs her most, Riley will have to fight to reach the boy who’s always held her heart, but this might be one fight she can’t win.Because Reno’s heart has always been untouchable.**Note: "Untouchable" is an edgy, emotional, standalone in a series on interconnected books. Each book can be read alone, but it is advisable to read them in order. Due to offensive language and mature themes, this series is intended for readers 17+.

    Two short weeks, and Meg would have survived her senior year relatively unscathed. But when her best and only friend—her brother—dies in a questionable road accident, being the loner in her year doesn’t fit as well as it used to.One act of kindness from the man her small town isolated amidst rumors and lies, and her hope for a day where pain won’t overwhelm her doesn’t seem so far-fetched. Brett Carver is trouble with a capital T, but he’s also the only person who can get Meg to let go and smile. Some good things are never meant to last.Arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, the man who finally found a way to bring light back to her dark days is ripped away when she needs him most. Determined not to lose the only good thing to have come out of her year from hell, Meg sets out to prove Brett isn’t guilty. But first, she must accept the ugly truth …… that the people who can prove his innocence are the same people who will do all it takes to keep them apart.

     Julie has lived next door to the Martins her entire life, but the days of backyard barbecues and lake vacations ended six years ago. That’s when the feud began. Now, returning to her hometown for the holidays, she has to face not only her parents’ exhausting bitterness, but the agonizing realization that the irresistible guy who just asked her out is in fact a Martin, and therefore off limits. Left to choose between family loyalty and a man who just might be perfect for her, Julie decides she can date Drew as long as they keep things under wraps. But secrets have a way of coming out and love for her family may require the sacrifice of what her heart wants most. Inspired by Romeo and Juliet (but without all the death), the sweet, romantic story of Julie and Drew’s relationship will make you laugh out loud on one page and make your heart ache on the next. It’s a story about loving family, loving yourself, and loving your soulmate—and choosing which one to put first. All That Stands Between Us is a clean and wholesome contemporary romance novel for both teenagers and adults. If you’re looking for an inspirational read about a new adult returning from college for the holidays, this romantic comedy is a great read and promises to be a favorite best seller. Annette K. Larsen is one of the most popular sweet romance authors of recent years. Writing for teen and tween girls, young adults, and women alike, her books can be shared from mother to daughter to grandmother. Any book of hers would be a great gift idea for the book-loving women in your life. Whether she’s writing a historical fantasy series about princesses, or a romantic suspense thriller full of action and adventure, all of her novels have a guaranteed happy ending and plenty of swoon-worthy kisses.

    That was before she met Niall Joseph, a gorgeous Irish art student who for one hot summer turned her world upside down.Almost a decade later, Beth is living in London and desperately trying to forget her past. But then Niall walks back into her life, reigniting a desire that threatens to engulf them both.Faced with a choice between her reliable, steady life and the unexpected joy that Niall offers, Beth finds herself torn. Can they remain just good friends, or is their connection too strong to be ignored?

    Emma Hewitt finds herself facing a number of uncertain challenges as she tries to find her footing in the big city of Portland, Oregon. The safety and simplicity of the small town she once knew is a distant memory as she embarks on her toughest year of teaching in her young career. Her greatest struggle lies in the perplexing father-son combination of Marcus and Brayden Lewis. Marcus Lewis knows where he stands in the corporate world, but as a father, he is struggling. Raising his son alone is proving to be a challenge beyond his capabilities. Marcus’s past has left him mistrusting and unwilling to ask for the help he desperately needs. Can Emma break through Marcus’s stone exterior to get Brayden the help he needs or will Marcus stay buried in the shadows of his past?Sweet, charming, and emotionally moving, The Teacher will draw you in, feed your soul, and leave you wanting more.

    He has a bad track record with romance. Abby fell in love with Jackson when she was 19, not realizing he was from the wealthy Hawthorne family. His father sent her away to protect the family money. She returns five years later, escaping a nasty fiancé – determined not to fall in love anytime soon. She needs protection and Jackson needs a mother for his daughter. Abby agrees to a one-year deal, touched by the idea of a motherless child. Jackson admits Abby is the only woman he’s ever loved, but he married the wrong woman after she left. His deceased wife’s family is trying to stake a claim to his daughter. He proposed a platonic marriage. He can handle the fact she’s more beautiful. Too late he discovers she smells just as sweet as he remembered. Abby is wonderful with his daughter. He’s a man who can run any business, why can’t he keep her arm’s length? What happens when both of them want a more permanent relationship, but both are afraid to admit it? Trigger Warning: Heroine discusses past miscarriage

    Little does she know that the grandmaster, everyone's hero, is as accomplished a lover as he is a warrior. Race for Redemption Politics, Sex and Violence: Race for Redemption is an erotic thrill ride - a tension filled love story of two fierce warriors accustomed to winning. The Frenchman's Woman Elena doesn't mean to strike the spark that leads to war among California's rival Chinese Tongs. Bai is incensed and the pent-up passion between them explodes. The Frenchman's Revenge A Chinese Tong leader his enemies call the Frenchman? A fiery red-haired beauty even the Frenchman can't control? Is there anyone as violently ruthless as the mob? Meet the Frenchman.BE WARNED: The language is rough, the sex explicit, and the violence is fierce.

    But inside she’s still mourning the loss of her sister two years ago. Losing Mia and a failed engagement have been enough to keep her heart on lockdown ever since. 

 Luke Arnold is tired of relationships that don’t go anywhere. Usually women are all over him, but it’s been years since he’s met someone he could really fall for. 

But when he sees Grace from across the room at the Redview Lodge, he can’t keep his eyes off her. They meet in the New Hampshire mountains over Thanksgiving, and they find in one another something that neither of them expected.

 NOTE: This STAND-ALONE romance contains very steamy love scenes. All of the books in the Great Escapes series can be read in any order.

    Each piece should connect perfectly to the pieces around it. After a while a picture starts to come into focus, and then we, the puzzle creator, can finally make sense of the beauty displayed in front of us. It was different for me. Some of my pieces were bent or twisted, but I made them fit. It wasn’t until I finally let him in that I realized, I was missing one important piece… Love. I knew how to give it. What I didn’t know was how to accept it, until he showed me how…

    I f*cking hate him. But I can't get enough either. He sings like an angel and f*cks like a devil. If I could, I'd run away and never look back because to tell you the truth, I think this man might be the death of me. & & & Naomi Knox is a b*tch. I can't f*cking stand her. But I can't stop thinking about her either. She looks like an angel and plays like a devil. If I could, I'd f*ck her good and forget all about her, but to tell you the truth, I think this woman might be my last saving grace. *This set includes the following books in the Hard Rock Roots Series: 1. REAL UGLY 2. GET BENT 3. TOUGH LUCK 4. BAD DAY 5. BORN WRONG Short Stories Include: 1. DIRTY CANDY CHERRY POPS (Turner and Naomi's prequel) 2. HARD HOT BLOW UP (Ronnie and Lola's first meeting) 3. POP ROCK ROOT B*TCH (a Hayden Lee story) Also Available From C.M. Stunich (aka Violet Blaze) -Tasting Never (New Adult Contemporary Romance) -Losing Me, Finding You (New Adult Biker Romance) -Raw and Dirty (Sexy British Bad Boy MC Romance) by Violet Blaze -Stepbrother Inked (Sexy Tattoo Artist Romance) by Violet Blaze HARD ROCK ROOTS BOX SET EXCERPT: Turner releases my waist and leans his back against the wall of the bar, yanking his phone from his pocket with hands dancing in stars, paw prints, spiderwebs. He's just this dirty sexy mess of color … so wrong that he's right. He's got a filthy mouth and an arrogant attitude and he's so drunk he can barely stand right now … but I like him anyway. More than I did before tonight. Most. I'm totally in love with this guy. I suck in a deep breath. Stupid thought. Really stupid thought. I know that, but I can't help it. I came here tonight chasing an impossible dream and so far, it kind of looks like it's coming true. I mean, Turner Campbell came to me. Me. He came to me, and we're hanging out and he keeps looking at me like he can't get enough. I run my fingers through my blonde hair as he lifts his eyes and traces the movement. “You're way too hot for your own good, you know that?” Turner asks, sliding his phone back in his pocket and taking a step towards me. “Like a broken angel Barbie doll.” “I'm no f*cking Barbie doll,” I say, but his hands are sliding along my jaw and tangling in my hair, pulling my lips to his, burning a hole straight through to my heart. Our mouths slide together and his tongue teases mine with this slow burn that makes my whole body start to ache, that encourages me to raise up onto my toes and taste him, drag as much broken royal bloody rock star into my mouth that I can get. Turner tastes like a dirty lollipop dipped in whiskey and swirled in dirt, a little bit sweet and a whole lot sour. A little bit wrong. A little bit like mistakes. My arms come up and wrap his neck, pull him into me as tight as I can get, my breasts smashing into his hard chest as we slide our tongues together and he grinds his er*ction into me. Turner's music rides his kiss like a wave, crashing into my mouth and drowning me in old pain, hard lessons, fresh starts. I want to start over with this guy, chase him onto the stage and scream every thought and feeling and heartache I've ever had into the microphone. I'm in heaven right now. Or h*ll. Probably h*ll, but that's okay, too. For years I've wanted to be anywhere but here, anywhere but this ugly world with its ugly people and its ugly truths.

    They're so final Faren decides she has nothing to lose by seizing every remaining moment of what life has to offer.Until Faren collides with a motorcycle ridden by billionaire Jared “Mick” McKenna.Even the dark secret of her past and catharsis as a physical therapist can't save Faren from the sexual spiral that waits for her in the arms of a man who commits to no one. When circumstances force her to get a second job as an exotic dancer, Faren never imagines how close that choice will bring her to the brink of a new reality she is unequipped to handle.TT2Faren Mitchell keeps the secret of her second job from the one man who could see her through some of the darkest moments of her life. She doesn't want Jared “Mick” McKenna for the billions he's amassed, but for the one thing she's never given any man: her innocence.Mick's guilt over the injury he inflicted fuels the beginnings of something more; a sexual consumption of each other that neither were anticipating. When Faren's actions don't match her words, Mick suspicions are raised. His feelings turn to ones of protection after Faren is mugged and he can't reconcile his desire for her with the reality they now find themselves in.As Faren's bucket list grows, so does the danger that surrounds the choices she's made. Can she take what she needs from Mick and also secure her mother's life? Or will the truth she has weaved between the lies doom them both?TT3Faren collapses, narrowly escaping discovery upon hearing traumatic news delivered by Thorn. When Thorn becomes her uneasy accomplice in the deception of Mick, Faren decides she needs to come clean with the truth. Shelving her pride might be the last thing she wants to do, but as facts and actions continue to contradict one another, her hands become tied in the lies she creates to survive.Faren only needs one last lap dance to erase the final debt that hangs over her mother's head like a cloud of doom. But when Ronnie Bunce circles closer to Faren and threatens the last sanctuary she possesses, circumstances unravel to reveal lies that run deeper than she knew.Can Faren and Mick consummate their passion before her deceit is discovered? Or will the last dance be the ultimate loss?This is volume 1-3 in a 6-part novella serial. Genre: New Adult Dark Romance Disclaimer: This story contains sexual themes, situations, profanity and violence. Ages 17+.