Charles falls under the charm of one of the school's suppliers, and Peter realizes that Ariane's curves could be just what he needs to shake the ghost of his first love. Caution: it's hot and a little spicy.

    Valentine is serving up the exact opposite at the Short Stack Café.She’s a disaster waiting to happen—a gorgeous, irresistible disaster.Ryder can’t risk his newfound stability on a whirlwind like Valentine. He definitely can’t risk his heart. But one taste of her has him willing to pick up the tab, no matter the price.(Previously titled Over Easy.)

    If it all feels a little hollow, so what? She’s got nothing to complain about. Her life is running like clockwork. That is until she slides down the side of a mountain and crashes into the cocky gym rat who's exactly the kind of guy she avoids. He’s all muscle, no finesse, and if she can’t stop thinking about him, it’s just because he irritates her. Nothing more. Michael Dean’s finally opened the gym of his dreams. He doesn’t have time for a relationship and he’s absolutely not looking for love - not until the beautiful rock climber practically falls into his lap. Meeting Amanda has reordered his priorities, even if she’s stubbornly racing toward a future with the wrong guy. She may not know that he’s her happily ever after, but he’s determined to make her fall again – right into his arms.

    You’ve got to hold onto it with everything you’ve got."As part owner in a PI firm that specializes in matters of the heart, the rules are simple. I catch cheaters and vet potential suitors. I don't fall in love, especially with the man I'm hired to investigate. Only, that's become a problem. As one case moves beyond professional, I find myself fighting an attraction I cannot resist. This hunky, tatted muscle man is hiding a wicked sense of humor and generous spirit behind his six pack. The more I learn about him, the more I want him for myself.But I can't break the rules, even if I've uncovered love in the most unexpected of places.Uncovering Love is the first in a series, but can also be read as a standalone.

    It’s a fault that lands her in more danger than she bargains for while camping in the back-country of the Rocky Mountain National Park. Ranger Joel Morgan is used to having the upper hand in all his cases—until he runs into the headstrong blond while investigating disturbing incidents of poaching in the park. Brittany’s imprudent lie of omission awakens ghosts in his past, making the sizzling attraction between them unwelcome. As he searches for evidence he can trust her, the monster mutilating wildlife turns his sights on Brittany, and Joel discovers he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her—even give his own life.

    Maddy Bainbridge left her Jersey Shore home town right after high school, determined to put as many miles as possible between herself and her many meddling relatives.Now she's back in Paradise Point -- an unemployed single mother whose only option is to accept her mother Rose's offer of a job and a place to live.But it doesn't take Maddy long to discover that the things about your mother that made you crazy at 17 make you even crazier at 32. Rose's critical comments bring out Maddy's inner teenager and by the beginning of December, the end is in sight. Maddy would stay there at the Candlelight Inn, her mother's popular B&B, through Christmas for her daughter Hannah's sake, but once the New Year rolled around… And then fate, in the form of an online auction battle over a Russian samovar that looks like Aladdin's lamp, brings home-town hero Aidan O'Malley into her life and suddenly Maddy begins to believe anything is possible.A child's dreams, an old woman's memories, the joys and heartaches that come with being part of a family, the thrill of new love and the deep comfort of love that stood the test of time -- it all comes together that one special holiday season when even the most battered hearts open just wide enough to let a miracle or two slip through.USA Today bestselling author Barbara Bretton has been hailed as a "monumental talent" (Affaire de Coeur) and now she delves deeply into the mysteries of family and shows us that even the most independent woman is still a daughter at heart.Home: it's where your story starts.(Previously published by Berkley Books)

    I can’t be falling for him. No freaking way... ,. Alexandria I’ve been the acting chief at this station ever since they let Larry go. There’s no reason why they shouldn't make my position official. I’m a seasoned firefighter and I’m the best man for the job. Besides, I need the raise that comes with the promotion. It's the only way I'll ever be able to afford to leave my alcoholic husband and put my daughter in a private school. The last thing I need is someone coming along and screwing it all up. Chance When they asked me to leave my small town fire hall and head on out to the big city, I wasn’t keen on the idea. I can think of a million places I’d rather be. But, the ex-wife’s harassing phone calls and visits finally did me in. Before I knew it, I was starting a new life fighting fires in Karawa, New York. It's too bad one of the men on my team keeps challenging my every move. Only, it's not a man. It's the girl I've had a crush on my whole life, the girl I grew up next door to, the one I went all through school with. Sparks fly, tension explodes, and flames ignite. Will muscular Chance Friedman win the heart of the girl he’s always dreamed about? Or will curvaceous and sassy Alexandria O’Neil come out on top? ***Note: There is no cheating in this story*** Interview with the author What makes the Big City Heat series special? This series is special to me for several reasons. I set out to write a firefighter romance series about an alpha chief who ran a tight ship, and Chance was born. While I was mulling through the story in my head, the character of Alexandria came along. I suddenly had a strong female heroine to keep him on his toes. More than anything I wanted the series to reflect real life situations that people sometimes find themselves in, while still keeping it an enjoyable read. At the same time, it’s full of action, suspense, and romance – the kinds of things that keep me turning the pages. What order should I read the books in? Big City Heat is a serial. To get the most out of your reading experience it's best to read them in the following order: • Light My Fire • I’m On Fire • Ring of Fire There may be more titles coming in the series depending on where the characters take me. Maybe Chance and Alexandria have more of their story to tell, or maybe one of the other characters in the station house will warrant a spin-off in the series. Why should I buy this book? If you love firemen and you’re looking for a romance with twists and turns, this is it. There’s action, drama, love, and the list keeps going. Tags: firefighter, contemporary, beautiful, single mother, romance, fiction, series, BBW, curvy, angst, enemies to lovers, rich, billionaire, fireman, firemen, hero, disaster, rescue, alpha male, hero, literature, women’s fiction, love story, hea, angst, love, lust, edge, hea

    Can he save her again, this time from danger he doesn't even see coming? When investigative journalist Hayley Garner is kidnapped by terrorists, she's sure they're going to kill her. But in sweeps handsome Navy SEAL Chasen Ward to rescue her. After getting her to safety, he disappears into the night before she can even thank him. Weeks later, while covering a story on the local navy base, Hayley runs into Chasen again. Even though she didn't see his face that night he rescued her, she can't forget his beautiful blue eyes. The attraction is immediate and intense, and Hayley finds herself falling into a fiery romance with the hunky hero out of her dreams. Guys like this aren’t supposed to really exist, but Chasen does, and damn is he hot. But ever since she got back home, Hayley has had the feeling someone's been watching her. Is it post-traumatic stress or does she have a reason to be afraid? Good thing she has a Navy SEAL to protect her.

    When his family decides to hire on a new innkeeper for the inn above his bar and restaurant, he’s more than reluctant. Especially when he meets the new hire. But he’ll soon find that he has no choice but to work with this city girl and accept her new ideas and the burning attraction between them.Kenzie Owens left her old life and an abusive relationship behind her—or so she thought. She figures she’ll be safe in Whiskey, Pennsylvania but after one look at her new boss, Dare Collins, she might still be in danger, or at least her heart. And when her past catches up with her despite her attempts to avoid it, it’s more than her heart on the line. This time, it might mean her life.

    Yet, when Savannah’s niece is injured in a serious accident, the one man she can’t trust is the one she needs. Micah can barely contain his satisfaction when he sees Savannah’s message pleading for him to come to her side. Her disloyalty nearly cost his career and he’ll never forgive her for leaving him at the lowest point in his life. Despite her efforts to remain aloof, Savannah keeps seeing glimpses of the Micah she once loved behind his cool exterior. Micah fights an ongoing battle to not succumb to the sweetness of the woman he once cared for beyond anything else. But Savannah and Micah’s hearts remain sick with the pangs of betrayal. What, if anything, is the cure?

    But now, that legacy is at risk of disappearing forever.Kai, always the rebel, would rather risk his life as a rescue paramedic than deal with his impossibly stubborn father, “Mad Max” Rockwell. Only one thing could bring him home—a real threat to his family. Especially in the form of a beautiful woman.Nurse Nicole Davidson never pictured herself as a spy. All she wants is security for her disabled sister. Get some inside intel for a friend’s investment group while working for surly Max? She can do that. Until the outrageously sexy Kai Rockwell shows up and sets everything on fire—most especially her.Equally determined, equally passionate about protecting their families, Kai and Nicole don’t know if they should be enemies or lovers—or both. All they know is they can’t resist each other…no matter the price.

    I joined the Army and left behind everything. A life I hated. And the only woman I had ever loved. I thought I was doing the right thing, but my good intentions quickly turned into my biggest regret. One night. One kiss. One final farewell was all I was allowed before I was sent overseas never to return. I took my love for her to my grave. Year after year, I hide in the shadows and watch Lily mourn. She sits by a cold headstone and spills her secrets to a dead man. So many times I wanted to comfort her, tell her the truth, love her. But I couldn't. She'd never understand. The man she'd loved was gone, and it was my fault he never returned. But when a terrorist out for revenge threatens Lily's safety, I'm forced out of the darkness. My secret is exposed, and I'm going to claim the one woman I have no business loving. Freeing Jasper The moment Jasper heard Emily Jenkins' sultry voice he was transfixed. An instant and heated reaction that wound its way through his soul and warmed his skin. The inexplicable connection was broken as fast as it began. Emily has a son. Jasper doesn't "do" kids. When her life spirals out of control, will Jasper be able to let go of his tragic past and save Emily and her son? Or has the Special Forces Soldier found his weakness - a history he cannot let go of? Emily Jenkins lost her husband on the battlefield and was left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart while finding a way to raise her son alone. Jasper Walker is known for being the playboy of his team. Professionally, he is a tier one assassin - a trained killer. Personally, he blows through women giving them no more than a week in his bed as he privately struggles to move on from the woman that is forever lost to him. When their lives collide, Jasper finds out he's not the only one with secrets. There is more to the black-haired beauty Emily than a widowed single mother. Finally Free Blake Porter was one of the lucky ones. She’d met the man she was going to marry while she was in high school. She thought she was living a fairytale; the nerdy wannabe journalist dating the gorgeous star quarterback. One wrong move proved to irrevocably alter the course of their lives. Betrayed by the girl he loved, Levi McCoy left for the Army and never looked back. Blake’s deception pierced his soul and shattered his heart. He used the pain to his advantage and became cold and calculating - the perfect Black Ops soldier. Over a decade later, the 707 has been called in to rescue a reporter embedded in a deadly terrorist cell, and Levi’s shocked to learn it’s the one woman who’d once owned his heart. But Blake is no longer the naive teenager she’d once pretended to be. She’s something far more dangerous. With bombs exploding, blood being spilled, and the terrorists closing in, they both battle the memories of their beautiful beginnings and shared history. Levi and Blake face off in a showdown of wills. In one corner, Levi is determined not to fall for the woman he’s never stopped loving. In the other, Blake tries to hold on to her self-respect and not beg Levi to hear the truth. When the lies and deception are revealed will they survive with their hearts and lives intact? FREEDOM She’s the game changer he wishes he’d never met. Nolan Clark is the last man standing. While he is happy his teammates have found love, he’s even happier to be single.

    Her father is the founder of Markson Aviation, a top name in the private jet industry. When her parents go through a public divorce battle, she is shoved into the spotlight. Now in her late twenties, she lives a comfortable life, but likes to keep the media at a distance. Radek Cole is a retired Air Force officer who agrees to a last minute job. He flies the rich and famous around the country in their private aircraft. Kasi needs a pilot for her upcoming trip and Mr. Cole comes highly recommended. Little does she know that one encounter would change everything. Kasi has an immediate and intense attraction to her new pilot and is used to getting what she wants. Initially, he turns down her advances, but her skills of persuasion are no match for him. Unfortunately, the media won’t leave them alone. What Kasi doesn’t know is that she isn’t the only one who has a public past. Find out what happens when the heiress meets the pilot.

     Her vicious ex, Travis, demeaned her love of her favorite books, leaving Allie to seriously doubt the existence of happily ever afters beyond their fictional pages. One unfortunate night, Allie falls victim to his rage. Years later, with Travis behind bars, the scars he’s left behind still haunt her. Only through her anonymous—but quite popular—blog does Allie share her excitement of sexy heroes and stubborn heroines. When Doctor Nick Bryant arrives in Willow Creek looking like he might’ve jumped right from the pages of one of Allie’s lusty books, she can’t seem to stay away. And with Nick’s past, she probably should. With Nick harboring secrets of his own and Travis nearing parole eligibility, will Allie take a chance on her own happily ever after, or will her past prove that not all scars heal?

    At least that’s what Callie’s neighbor promises when Callie moves into The Holiday apartment building. Devastated by her fiancé’s confession that he’s in love with another woman, Callie can’t imagine anything could heal her broken heart. Tragic love has brought Theo to his knees before, so he knows just how to repair Callie’s shattered confidence. After five nights in his arms, she’ll leave her heartache behind, give voice to her deepest desires, and be ready to forge a real, lasting love with someone new…it just won’t be him. Theo can give Callie back her voice and teach her to ask for what she wants from her new lover, but what if she asks for more than he can give? Will he break his only rule—no falling in love—for her?