The Secret Poet


Georgia Beers - 2021
    She has a tight-knit family, two opinionated cats, and her job as office manager for her brother Perry’s medical practice. Perry’s an eligible bachelor, but his divorce left him gun-shy, so Morgan has fun tweaking his responses to potential dates online, using her affinity for words to make him sound impressive. When new pharmaceutical rep Zoe Blake walks into his office, though, he’s smitten, and he needs Morgan more than ever.Zoe is beautiful and a little mysterious and doesn’t seem terribly interested in Perry. Morgan decides she’ll need to get to know Zoe before she plays matchmaker. But soon, she’s talking books and movies and writing to her as Perry, and the more she knows, the more she wants to know, until she begins to wonder: is she wooing Zoe for her brother? Or for herself?

Wrong Number, Right Woman


Jae - 2020
    But then she gets a wrong-number text message from a stranger named Eliza, asking her of all people for dating advice! Eliza is Denny’s total opposite: witty, outgoing—and straight. Despite their differences, the accidental text sparks an unlikely friendship. Soon, Eliza—self-proclaimed queen of disastrous first dates—would rather banter back and forth with Denny than to keep trying her luck at online dating. When they meet in person, there’s an instant connection. But what Eliza is feeling can’t be attraction, right? It doesn’t mean a thing that she’s starting to wish the guys she dates would be more like Denny. Or does it? Can the wrong number lead to the right woman after all? Wrong Number, Right Woman is a light-hearted, slow-burn lesbian romance that embraces likable characters without all the drama.Length: 116,000 wordsTropes & themes: slow-burn romance, low angst, relatable characters, butch/femme, age gap, “toaster oven” romance, craft romance, Portland romance, shy character

Back to September


Melissa Brayden - 2019
    She’s never been one to take big risks and would much rather stay in on a Friday night with a warm cup of decaf and her favorite mystery novel, so why do her friends insist she needs more? Plus, Hannah has bigger problems to focus on. She’s in trouble. Well, her bookstore is, and if she doesn’t find a way to bring in some more cash, she’ll be closing the doors of A Likely Story for good. When world famous romance novelist Parker Bristow accepts her request to come in for a signing, Hannah might finally be able to drum up some much-needed attention and save the shop. What she didn’t anticipate was an unexpected evening and a woman she wouldn’t soon forget. A real romance is off the table. Parker is flashy, sought after, and Hannah is just, well, Hannah. But for Parker, it seems like Hannah might be a safe place to fall. The question is, what kind of falling are they doing?

The Adventurers


Bryce Oakley - 2020
    At her engagement party. So, she did what any normal, completely rational 28-year-old would do — she moved to a new city with her dog to start a new life. Without much of a plan, it turns out.Kendall O’Hara doesn’t enjoy chaos — at 42-years-old, she has a stable job and a cat she likes more than most people. Okay, all people. She likes routine (and yelling the correct Jeopardy answers right before the contestants do). She’s not boring. She’s just protecting a her still-healing heart decades later.When Joey and Kendall’s paths cross, a rocky start with an accidental laundry switch turns into an unlikely friendship. From there, the two friends make a pact to get out of their comfort zones, one piece of paper drawn from an “Adventure Jar” at a time. A growing mutual attraction leads them on an adventure that neither one might have expected…

Tracing Invisible Threads


C. Fonseca - 2021
    Globe-trotting photographer Eleanor Heysen is edgy, sexy, and just passing through.When a family mystery emerges while she’s back home in Melbourne, Eleanor crosses paths with intoxicating historian Alexa Bellamy. The self-assured picture-collections manager is irresistible.Steamy kisses between the stacks at the State Library are one thing, but what happens when the ever-curious Eleanor shakes Alexa’s family tree, and dark secrets tumble out?Alexa is in an emotional free-fall, overwhelmed by her broody, spirited, and likely fleeting admirer, and the fear and betrayal stirred up from the truth about Alexa’s ancestors.Is the invisible thread that brought the women together strong enough to pull them tighter? Or could it unravel and, just as Alexa fears, Eleanor will disappear?

Trial by Fire


Carsen Taite - 2021
    To top it off, her first case pits her against Lennox Roy, a gorgeous yet fierce prosecutor with a reputation for cajoling juries and breaking hearts.Lennox comes from a family full of bleeding hearts who believe in second, third, and fourth chances, but she’s seen firsthand the damage leniency can do. She has no patience for a softy like Wren Bishop, no matter how sexy and brilliant she might be. But when they face off over a mysterious arson case, their attraction ignites a passion that leads them to question their assumptions about the law, the truth, and each other.

Popcorn Love


K.L. Hughes - 2015
    Her love life, however, is lacking, as those closest to her keep pointing out.At the persistent urging of her closest friend, Elena reluctantly agrees to a string of blind dates if she can find a suitable babysitter for Lucas.Enter Allison Sawyer, a free-spirited senior at New York University.Elena is intrigued by Allison’s ability to push her out of her element, and the young woman’s instant and easy connection with a normally shy Lucas quickly earns Allison the job.After each blind date, Elena returns home to complain to Allison about her lacking suitors. As they bond, Elena begins to realize that the person possessing all the qualities she most desires might just be the woman who has been in front of her the entire time.The vast difference between the two women’s social statuses, however, may be an obstacle not easily overcome.Length: approx. 160,000 wordsThemes: humor · Lesbian · romantic comedy

The Girl Next Door


Chelsea M. Cameron - 2020
    Cameron delivers the opposites-attract, sweet-and-sexy small-town romance you’ve been waiting for.Iris Turner hightailed it out of Salty Cove, Maine, without so much as a backward glance. Which is why finding herself back in her hometown—in her childhood bedroom, no less—has the normally upbeat Iris feeling a bit down and out. Her spirits get a much-needed lift, though, at the sight of the sexy girl next door.No one knows why Jude Wicks is back in Salty Cove, and that’s just how she likes it. Jude never imagined she’d be once again living in her parents’ house, never mind hauling lobster like a local. But the solitude is just what she needs—until Iris tempts her to open up.A no-strings summer fling seems like the perfect distraction for both women. Jude rides a motorcycle, kisses hard and gives Iris the perfect distraction from her tangled mess of a life. But come September, Iris is still determined to get out of this zero-stoplight town.That is, unless Jude can give her a reason to stay…Carina Adores is home to romantic love stories where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.

Temptation


Kris Bryant - 2020
    Her parents cut off all funding when she dropped out of medical school, and graduate school is expensive. A full-time nanny job at the Wellington estate is the answer to her problems, except working for beautiful, successful Brook Wellington wasn't in the job description.Brook has always had a head for business. Born into a global shipping empire, she sits at the helm running it with skill and savvy. But success comes at a cost. Her priority is her six-year-old son, but she can't be in two places at once. Hiring a nanny isn't the perfect solution, but it would certainly help, and Cassie came highly recommended. If only she wasn't so damn attractive.Can Cassie and Brook deny their growing attraction and keep things professional? Or will they sidestep propriety and give in to temptation?

The Sex Therapist Next Door


Meghan O'Brien - 2018
    When her best friend Ava is injured the night she is scheduled to assist with a hands-on sexual education workshop, Diana is forced to find a short term replacement. The last thing she wants is a new lover, even a paid one. After a year of living in the apartment next door, all Jude Monaco knows about her neighbor Diana is that she’s a gorgeous, older woman and the inspiration for more dirty fantasies than she cares to admit. So when Diana knocks on her door with a shockingly delicious favor to ask, Jude seizes the opportunity to learn more. Their professional relationship is supposed to be a clinical erotic arrangement between a sex therapist and her assistant, but at the intersection of sex and intimacy, anything is possible. Even love.

Bring Holly Home


A.E. Radley - 2018
    Brain trauma led to amnesia and Holly cannot remember anything about her life.Guilt causes Victoria to bring Holly home and into her life to aid her in recovery. But when guilt turns into something else, what will she do?62,100 words

Someone to Love


Jenny Frame - 2019
    She spends her days at her prestigious family law firm, ending her client’s marriages in divorce court and negotiating their hefty pay offs. Marriage is destined to fail, and family can’t be trusted. But when Trent’s cousin dies unexpectedly, Trent is the only relative left to care for his two small children. She needs a nanny fast. All Wendy Darling ever wanted was a family. When her fiancée left her and cleared out her bank account, she didn’t think her heart would ever mend. After years abroad as a nanny, she returns to Britain to finish her degree and finally get her life back on track. Wendy falls in love with the children, but her heart aches at the distance between Trent and the kids. Wendy’s determined to show Trent how fulfilling family life can be, and soon love begins to blossom. But will Trent have the courage to embrace her desire for Wendy and her unexpected family.Cover Artist: Sheri HalalGenres: Contemporary / Romance Tags: Financial gap/Class disparity, Age Gap

Breaking Down Her Walls


Erin Zak - 2018
    When a meeting with her birth parents goes horribly wrong, Julia escapes on a hastily planned road trip and winds up breaking down in a Colorado town so small the cows outnumber the people. Completely out of her element, she takes a temporary job as a ranch hand at Bennett Ranch. She only has to survive long enough to get her car fixed, and then she’s out of there for good. Her bad luck continues when she meets the ranch owner, Elena Bennett. Elena is unhappy, abrasive, and annoyingly breathtaking. But the longer Julia stays, the more the ranch starts to feel like home, and her feelings for Elena become impossible to ignore. She’s spent years building her defenses high and running from her past. Could a love worth staying for be the key to breaking down her walls?Genre: RomanceWords: 78,000

It's Not a Date


Heather Blackmore - 2018
    Entrepreneur and innovator Kadrienne Davenport gets results. A demanding executive and stickler for punctuality, Kade throws herself into work to avoid hurting anyone, convinced she only causes pain to those she loves. When Jennifer Spencer meets an incognito Kade at a conference, sparks fly. But when Kade unexpectedly becomes her boss, Jen’s problems multiply. The company she founded is going broke, her grandmother’s dementia is worsening, and her attraction to Kade―her difficult, brilliant, charismatic mentor―is growing. Kade’s desire to keep things professional between them is in Jen’s best interest. Yet what’s in Kade’s best interest…is Jen.

Something to Talk About


Meryl Wilsner - 2020
    The so-called scandal couldn't come at a worse time--threatening Emma's promotion and Jo's new movie.As the gossip spreads, it starts to affect all areas of their lives. Paparazzi are following them outside the office, coworkers are treating them differently, and a "source" is feeding information to the media. But their only comment is "no comment".With the launch of Jo's film project fast approaching, the two women begin to spend even more time together, getting along famously. Emma seems to have a sixth sense for knowing what Jo needs. And Jo, known for being aloof and outwardly cold, opens up to Emma in a way neither of them expects. They begin to realize the rumor might not be so off base after all...but is acting on the spark between them worth fanning the gossip flames?