Even back when I was 'Fatty Maddie' to all my classmates, I had eyes for the quarterback of our football team. Not like I was the only one.Mauro Bianco may fight fires for a living, but he still sets my heart ablaze. One look at the rugged, muscular man he's turned into and I want to slide down his pole. One date. That's all I'm committed to. A few hours and I can tuck him back into that tattered old shoebox in my closet.As always, the universe has other plans. I never would've predicted that in a matter of days he'd turn from my dream guy into my business partner — and that's when things got interesting.

    The devoting parents.The beautiful girlfriend.Good grades.All of it a lie, except her. The woman he left behind thirteen years ago to try and achieve his real dream... to become a musician.Life doesn't always go according to the plan you set out for yourself.Sometimes, you drift. Become lost, lose hope and crash.For thirteen years he's been drifting wherever his guitar takes him, avoiding his past. Never thinking of his future.Not once did he think it would all catch up to him. Until it did.

    Now he's back in town for my big brother's wedding. And we're stuck in this chapel together. Still the same ol' Carter. Cool with a capital "C". Enough swagger to charm the panties off every cheerleader. Well, my panties aren't going anywhere. What he did to me was unforgivable. Or so I thought. He's still my enemy. But maybe we can be... frenemies?

    And I’m not talking about my ever-ailing phone or the temperamental Smart Board in my classroom. I’m talking about the internationally hailed “Tech Genius” formerly known as the boy I used to love. It was bad enough seeing that cocky smile staring back at me from my newsfeeds, the gossip sites, and—fine—the scorchingly hot men’s fitness magazine I bought in a moment of weakness. But now he’s back home, teasing me with the memories I’ve tried to leave behind, crowding into my space and taunting me with the kiss I can’t resist. I know it’s only a matter of time before I lose him again. He’s already told me he isn’t staying, warned me he’s changed. I know better than to let him get too close, so why can’t I push him away?HANKThey call me a visionary. An innovator. Hell, last week a headline touted me as the billion-dollar geek keeping Silicon Valley’s panties wet. Try living that down. Strip away the media BS, and I’m just a tech-minded guy with my eyes on the future and no time for a past I can't change. So what am I doing following the sweet sound of its laugh back to the woman who passed on our chance at forever?I tell myself all I want is to say hello. To see her smile. Just a few minutes to pretend we’re still the “us” I thought would never end. But once I've had a taste of the too tempting woman she's become, a few minutes isn’t enough. The man I am today is used to getting what he wants, and I want her.The problem? She wants the guy I used to be.Ten years later, all that’s changed is… everything.

     From that very moment when the stranger's hand takes her by the wrist, she is thrust into a world where she is flooded with feelings she cannot ignore. Torn between her head and her heart, she quickly realizes that fighting her attraction to Chase Newman is an impossible task. He's a man who always gets what he wants and with his sights set on Emily, she doesn't stand a chance. A one-night stand will never be enough though, when she wants so much more than that. When secrets and lies threaten to destroy the trust between them, Emily starts to question her own decisions. With doubt and suspicion plaguing her mind, is what they have worth fighting for? Or will the truth tear them apart?

    But when our parents got married, things got confused. As if being a teenager isn't confusing enough. All I knew was that the feelings I had for him weren't okay.I’ll never forget the anxiety I felt the night I ran into him at a party that had gotten out of control. I saw him standing around with the popular kids as soon as I walked in the door. And he saw me, too. He always saw me. It was talking to me that he avoided. I watched his buddy spin an empty wine bottle on the butcher block while my friend Brandi rummaged in her oversized purse for the two bottles of hard lemonade her older sister gave us. When the spinning bottle stopped, I realized everyone was staring at me. “Looks like you’ve gotta kiss Jen,” some jock said to Ethan. I felt the color drain from my face, taking the moisture in my mouth with it as a suffocating panic grew in my chest. I was going to be found out. Ethan laughed it off. “Yeah, that’s not happening. She’s my sister.” “Not really, though,” his buddy insisted. The eruption of laughter and jeering sounds made the dim kitchen feel like a jungle full of predators, and I was sure my cheeks were going to burst into flames. “Don’t be stupid,” Ethan said, tilting a can of beer over his mouth. When his friend spun the bottle again, Ethan glanced back at me one more time and wiped the back of his hand across his lips. I’ve been wondering what it would be like to kiss him ever since. **Author's note: This is a full-length, standalone romance novel with no cliffhanger and no cheating. It is intended for a mature audience and has an ending that will leave you smiling so hard it hurts.

    His company was closing a deal that would cement his spot at the top. The last thing he needed was a distraction from the past. Lena Razzi had spent years trying to forget Brice Henderson. When offered the opportunity of a lifetime, would she take the risk even if the price would be another broken heart? Do you love reading from this world? Continue with Always Mine from my sister, Ruth Cardello, Her series will mirror my time line. It isn’t necessary to read hers to enjoy mine, but it sure will enhance the fun!

    It was love at first sight.  A one night stand segues to a weekend of passion, leading to a lifetime of romance in Bittersweets - Terry and Alex.A Philadelphia lawyer, tired of making the same relationship mistakes, falls in love at last, and with the advice of her aging father, Harry, traverses the mysteries of romance and heartache.Bittersweets: Terry and Alex is the first stand alone in the saga, introducing you to Arvin and Tina, Brenda and Larry, Rick and Jason, Mrs. Dell, and the rest of the cast.

    She doesn’t plan on seeing Cole Campbell again. Doesn’t know he’s now a single father. Ten years shift the balance between the valedictorian and her high school crush, president of her Debate Club. Kate discovers Cole’s daughter Natalie in the stacks of the local library and she’s smitten. Prissy, Cole’s Great Dane, is equally engaging and needy. Always helpful, Cole shows up on Kate’s doorstep way too often. But she can’t give in to the SOS her heart is sending since the handsome contractor is taking her beloved Gull Harbor in an alarming direction. If there’s one thing Kate can’t stand, it’s change. Encouraged by her fun-loving girlfriends, Kate extends her visit and opens a flower stand. She pairs Natalie up with her recovering mother for summer support and companionship. With summer kisses on their minds and sand between their toes, Kate and Cole discover what might have been ten years ago, but she has lots of distractions. Her sister Mercedes is determined to sell Breezy Point, the family home. Kate’s life feels as choppy as the waves on Lake Michigan as her summer unfolds. Can a woman and man heal past mistakes in the summer moonlight? Can Kate’s man from yesterday be more than just a memory?

    When I saved her from the mafia, I traded my freedom for hers. I’ve never regretted it. Never looked back. I cut her out of my life to keep her safe. She never even knew what I traded for her.I did everything I could to protect her from the retribution of the Italian Mafia, but it wasn’t enough. They’re after her again, and all that’s standing between her and the darkest fate imaginable is me. Serena: It’s scary the things you can close your eyes to. Even after I was rescued from men who wanted to do the worst things to me, I went on with my life. I forgot all about the threats of the mafia, about what they forced me to do, and even the man who saved me from them.But now, my hero has returned, and just in a nick of time. Because the mafia is coming for me, and this time, I don’t know if we’re going to get out of this alive.This is a full-length romantic suspense novel that is Part 1 in an exciting new trilogy by Alexis Abbott. Explicit language. Safe from cheating.

    Fall in love with these rock stars.They never thought they’d get a second chance at first love. They were wrong.Ten years ago, pop idol Izzie Anderson betrayed Tristan. Childhood friend, boyfriend and lyricist, he was the best thing that ever happened to her. He gave her haven amid a wild lifestyle she didn’t have the tools to resist. Still, her lies destroyed him. Yet she lied to protect him. Now she needs Tristan to save her son.Tristan Knight shifted careers and mended his life in a secluded beach in Brazil. The only place Izzie’s stardom didn’t haunt him. Opening a new restaurant kept his mind from the headlines detailing her descent into the dark side of fame. Now she waltzes back into his life willing to make amends. Too bad for her, she left him heartless.Can two damaged souls get a second chance? Or are there wrongs that can never be righted?Fans of Kylie Scott, Jaine Diamond, and Piper Lawson will devour the steamy rock star romances in the Knight's Edge series. No cheating or cliffhangers.One-click this book today and follow Izzie and Tristan’s journey to healing and second chances. Warning: Their road to happily-ever-after is paved with angst and steamy love scenes.

    She knows it’s wrong and it has to stop, but she hasn’t been able to let go ever since they all met on the bus to summer camp back when they were 7 years old. The same week that her best friends finally announce their wedding date, Gigi loses her high-profile design job. With all of her dreams unravelling, she runs to the last place she remembers being happy.Taking the Head Counselor position at Camp Chinooka, Gigi hopes to reclaim the joy she felt as a camper, but the job isn’t all campfire songs and toasting marshmallows. Gigi’s girls are determined to make her look bad in front of the boys’ Head Counselor—the sexy but infuriating Perry—and every scrap of the campground is laced with memories.When Gigi finally realizes she can’t escape the present by returning to her past, she’s forced to reexamine her life and find the true meaning of love. But will she be able to mend fences and forgive herself before she loses her one real shot at happiness?The Campfire Series1. One S’more Summer—Releases May 30, 2017!2. S'more to Lose—Coming December 2017!

    Oozing confidence and sex appeal, he leaves women scattered in his wake. Clara is determined to resist him.But one gut-melting kiss and her resolve falters. And soon she's falling for him, despite her reservations. But she's not the only one keeping secrets. And secrets are hard to keep when you get close to someone...A gripping, sizzling stand-alone full of twists and turns that will keep you hooked til the last page.*NB this book explores complex themes around mental health. It is written by a mental health clinician and has been described as “beautifully nuanced” with “the observation of the human psyche…written flawlessly in this dark yet twisted romance.”

    In the twenty-five years she’s been alive, Dex Remington has been the only person who has always believed in her and been there for her. But four years earlier she came to Dex seeking comfort, and then disappeared like a thief in the night, leaving him a broken man. Dex Remington is one of the top PC game developers in the U.S. He’s handsome, smart, and numb. So damn numb that he’s not sure he’ll ever find a reason to feel again. A chance encounter sparks intense desires in Ellie and Dex. Desires that make her want to run—and make him want to feel. A combination of lust and fear leads these young lovers down a dangerous path. Is it possible to cross a burned bridge or are they destined to be apart forever?

    It’s taken years, but Emmy is finally starting to pick up the pieces of her broken life. Until the man who destroyed her heart returns, bringing with him the pain of the past. Running from Emmy was the only way Lucas Allen knew he could protect her from the demons he carried with him. After spending one perfect night together, Luke took off, certain he couldn’t possibly give Emmy everything she deserved. Eight long years later, he’s returned to Cloverleaf to try and make up for his mistakes. He can only hope it isn’t too late. Loving Luke has always been easy. It’s forgiving him that seems impossible. Now it’s up to Emmy to decide whether to give him a second chance or let him go for good.