Therefore, I do what any sensible guy does when heโs trying to get a girlโs attention, I ask her out.
Except Iโm too late.
Thanks to the job offer on the New York Lions Social media team, Scoutโs focus is on work, so while pining for her I focus on making her my friend instead. Friends first, date later.
Or at least I thought.
The more time we spend together though, the harder it becomes for both of us to deny our feelings.
And when a new company policy makes it almost impossible for us to give in, we find ourselves falling for one another.
Now all we need to do is keep our relationship a secret until after the playoffs, and avoid Coach breathing down our necks.
The Strike Zone is a dangerous place to stay, but weโre going out swinging.
Lulu started writing by accident, and somehow found herself stuck in a fictional world of ice hockey, baseball and billionaires. A world she has no plans to leave. She’s the creator of The New York Players Series, The Tuesday Club Series, and The New York Lions – the worst team in the M.L.B.
More recently she’s ventured across the Atlantic to where her latest novel is set – the beautiful cities of Oxford and Cambridge, and the annual rowing showdown on the River Thames.
She’s a big fan of strong heroines, because those fierce alphas need someone to keep them in check. You’ll find her navigating her way through Romance Land one HEA at a time, and trying to figure out the latest social media platform she needs to post to.
Hailey Donovan was never impulsive. Well, until that weekend at her cousinโs wedding when she met the most attractive man sheโd ever seen. They danced, they flirted, and at the end of the night, she threw caution to the wind and agreed to spend the weekend with him. It was never supposed to be more than thatโit made no sense to keep in touch when they lived a thousand miles apart. A positive pregnancy test and a mild panic attack later, she kind of wishes theyโd stayed in touch. As if that wasnโt enough, turns out her baby-daddy-to-be is her cousinโs new brother-in-law. Things are about to get extremely complicated.
Everything in Max Callowayโs life is coming up roses. Sort of. He was currently living above his brotherโs garage, but the expansion of his cybersecurity business and investing in the family bar was going to help change that. And if that wasnโt enough, heโd had the most exciting weekend of his life with a beautiful woman. Itโs just too bad he hadnโt been able to convince her to stay in touch. But his luck must really be turning because Haileyโs coming back to Sweetbriar Ridge for a visit, and heโs determined to get her to give them a chance.
Then she tells him heโs going to be a father.
They may be doing things a little out of order, but Max doesnโt let that stand in his way. Heโs determined to prove to her that what they have is real. But first Hailey needs to learn to trust that whatโs happening between them is more than just a craving.
We’re pretty much thrown right into it with Hailey finding out that she’s pregnant, deciding what she’s going to do. And like a good book boyfriend, Max steps up. He throws himself all in to supporting her, letting her lead & make decisions that work for her.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a book of any length if everything just falls into place. Hailey may be all over the place, but she’s got some insecurities from a past relationship and, I mean, there are the hormones so … But all their issues are realistic and their journey to a HEA worked well.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Samantha Chase book and I think I have been missing out. Craving You is sweet, quick, & low angst and both Max & Hailey are relatable & likeable. Definitely be adding some books to my TBR pile.
*****
Author Info:
Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of contemporary romance thatโs hotter than sweet, sweeter than hot. She released her debut novel in 2011 and currently has more than eighty titles under her belt โ including THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE which was a Hallmark Christmas movie in 2017 and THE WEDDING SEASON which was a Hallmark wedding movie in 2023! Sheโs a Disney enthusiast who still happily listens to 80โs rock. When sheโs not working on a new story, she spends her time reading romances, playing way too many games of Solitaire when she should be writing, wearing a tiara while playing with her sassy pug Mayleneโฆoh, and spending time with her husband of 32 years and their two sons in Wake Forest, North Carolina.
Length: 70,000 words Prior Reading: not required Genre: contemporary, sports Tropes: Light-angst, hockey, enemies-to-lovers Trigger/Content Warnings: n/a
Blurb:
Two rivals, one secret, and a shot at foreverโฆ
Jake
Favorite things and peeps: hockey, family, friends. Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Mason Trinsky.
I have my reasons, but since youโre curious, Trinsky is a showboat and a loudmouth. Sure, heโs a great athlete. Good for him. I accept that we have mutual friends, and I grudgingly accept that heโll be a coach at Elmwood Junior Camp this summerโhowever, I plan to keep my distance.
Of course, some wise guy pairs us up for a camping expedition, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong.
Guess who Iโm stuck with?
Trinsky
Favorite things and peeps: hockey, surfing, and my kid brother Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Jake Milligan
Look, I might be in the minority, but if you ask me, Jake is a nitpicking diva who wants everything his way. I hope my NHL team crushes his, and this summer, I want my campers to out-prank his. Childish? Nah, itโs all in good fun.
Until it starts to feelโฆcomplicated. I shouldnโt care if heโs happy, should I? I donโt want to be Jakeโs friend. I donโt want to have feelings for him at all.
The only thing that matters is hockey. It’s all about the puck. Not love.
Or is it?
Puck Love is an MM bisexual, small-town romance featuring hockeyโs hottest rivals, a hiking trip gone wrong, and a shot at foreverโฆ
Y’all, every new Elmwood book is my new favorite. These couples just keep getting better & better and again I have to say that these two may be my favoritist. They just stole my heart. Jake with his quiet seriousness, holding so much of the world on his shoulders. And loud, boisterous Trinsky, who hides a deeper, softer side. Opposites fighting it out on the ice and, mostly thanks to Trinsky’s big mouth, in the media as well. But time spent together gives them the opportunity to see a little further below the surface.
I loved how these two end up spending time together against their will but find themselves slowly getting to know each other. It is so sweet, so touching, as they discover more about each other. Their dedication and love for others, glimpses of the caring men they are. Creating an unexpected connection … and an inescapable attraction.
Puck Love is low angst, adorable, wholesome, sexy, and such a satisfying end to the series. Returning readers will have the opportunity to catch up with characters from past books, but this can be read as a stand alone … why would you want to tho!
*****
Author Info:
Lane Hayesย lives in sunny Southern California with her amazing husband, who thankfully doesnโt mind cooking, and their fabulous fox red Labrador, George, whoโs pure mischief. Both provide oodles of inspiration for the low-angst, humorous books Lane loves to write. Sheโs been telling stories about sexy, funny, sometimes geeky and quirky men who find love for a dozen years now and loving every minute. In her previous life, she sat at a desk and dealt with numbers, so yesโฆromance is much more satisfying!
Lane loves tea, travel, and chocolateโฆin any order. Add a book and sheโs set!
A fact that her older brotherโone of my best friends and the county sheriffโrefuses to let me forget. But I donโt need the warning. Iโm home for the summer to recover from an accidentโone that broke my body and messed with my head. Iโve got three months to get back on the ice and prove Iโm capable of leading my team again, or I can kiss everything Iโve ever worked for goodbye.
But when Jill and I are forced to team up on a community reading program, the sexy librarian is hard to hide from. She looks at me like she knows me. Like she sees right through the act Iโm trying to pull off. When I finally trust her with the truth, she offers to help me in secret, because it turns out sheโs got just as much riding on this as I do.
Getting to know Jill againโall grown up and more gorgeous than everโhas me skating on thin ice before I know it. Pretty soon getting caught by her brother is the least of my worries. With my dream on the line, I need to keep my head in the game, but Jill is more than just a distraction. And this is more than just a summer fling I can slash and burn.
I adored Jill and Grady together. They provide support and understanding to each other, stepping in when the other stumbles or loses confidence, as they handle their individual anxieties and traumas. It gives them a connection they didn’t expect.
As with Down & Dirty, book 2 in the series has great characters and I liked the direction their relationship takes. This one isn’t as angsty but their HEA still takes a bit of work and I’m here for it. I also enjoyed the way that she normalizes mental health in their story.
I am so glad I found Lowe. Her Holden Cove series has been so enjoyable and I feel like she’s just going to keep giving us great reads.
*****
Author Info:
Maddy Lowe is a small town, contemporary romance author who lives in the woods of New Hampshire with her goofy hound, Oliver. When not dreaming up ways to make love bloom in her tiny fictional town of Holden Cove, you can find her floating in a kayak or mixing up margaritas.
Pavlov has become one of those writers that I trust is going to give me a book I love. I was a little hesitant with Lulu – I’m not always a fan of the prickly, black catty kind of heroines – but I adored her. She’s feisty, sassy, and complicated. Her interactions with Rafe are entertaining and they fit together so well as their fake relationship develops into something more real. And speaking of Rafe, he makes a pretty darn good fake boyfriend. And an even better real one. He’s good for Lulu, supporting her and centering her with she needs it. I loved it.
*****
Author Info:
Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!
Tropes: Pro Hockey Romance, Fake Engagement, Athlete & Pop Star, Childhood Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Unrequited Love (or so they think), Opposites Attract, Slow Burn
Blurb:
THIS JUST IN: HOCKEY BAD BOY AND POP STAR EXTRAORDINAIRE ENGAGED!
That was the headline we’d wanted. If only Iโd known the cost to get it.
Aleksander Suter has been my best friend since high schoolโand the only man whoโs ever been able to truly get under my skin. With his reputation for trouble and a smirk that could melt ice, heโs also the NHLโs favorite bad boy.
When my publicistโs plan to fix my image collides with his need to clean up his own, we find ourselves in a fake engagement that feels too real from the start.
Now, Iโm releasing my new album, putting on a show for the paparazzi I usually try to dodge, and falling too fast for a man who never falls for anyone. Every stolen glance, every heated touch blurs the lines between us until Iโm wondering where the lies end and the truth begins.
And when a hurricane traps us together in his high-rise condo, all my carefully built walls collapse, and resisting the pull between us becomes a losing game.
Suddenly, the stakes are higher than just headlines, and the risks feel more personal than ever.
But as our past resurfaces and old feelings reignite, I realize the biggest risk isnโt losing my careerโitโs losing my heart to the one person I thought would never be mine.
Save Your Breath is book four in the Kings of the Ice series: a series of interconnected standalonesfollowing a team of professional hockey players and the women who bring them to their knees.They do not need to be read in order, but you will gain glimpses of future characters/couples in each book.
Kandi Steiner is a USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author living in Tennessee. Best known for writing โemotional rollercoasterโ stories, she loves bringing flawed characters to life and writing about real, raw romance โ in all its forms. No two Kandi Steiner books are the same, and if youโre a lover of angsty, emotional, and inspirational reads, sheโs your gal.
An alumna of the University of Central Florida, Kandi graduated with a double major in Creative Writing and Advertising/PR with a minor in Womenโs Studies. Her love for writing started at the ripe age of 10, and in 6th grade, she wrote and edited her own newspaper and distributed to her classmates. Eventually, the principal caught on and the newspaper was quickly halted, though Kandi tried fighting for her โfreedom of press.โ
She took particular interest in writing romance after college, as she has always been a hopeless romantic and found herself bursting at the seams with love stories she was eager to tell.
When Kandi isnโt writing, you can find her reading books of all kinds, planning her next adventure, or pole dancing (yes, you read that right). She enjoys live music, traveling, hiking, yoga, spending quality time with her family (fur babies included) and soaking up the sweetness of life.
Kandi Steiner may be coming to a city near you! Check out her “events” tab to see all the signings she’s attending in the near future: www.kandisteiner.com/events
From #1ย New York Timesย bestselling author Susan Mallery comes an unforgettable beach read about love, secrets, betrayal and the family weโre born intoโand the one we choose for ourselves, perfect for fans of Emily Giffin and Mary Kay Andrews.
What would you do if you caught your brother cheating on your best friend?
While Beth is proud of her Malibu beach shop, Surf Sandwiches, she’s even prouder of her charismatic brother Rick, who rose from foster care through surgical residency. She makes subs, he saves lives. Life takes a turn for the happy after she finds out Rick is dating her new best friend, Jana. Then Janaโs handsome brother adds even more sparkle to Bethโs days…and nights.
But when she catches Rick with another womanโlike, with-withโher visions of an idyllic family future disappear in one awful instant. Either she betrays her brother, or she keeps his secret and risks losing the man she loves and her best friend.
Love and loyalty collide with secrets and betrayal in this witty and emotional tale about the lengths weโll go to for family, from Susan Mallery,ย New York Timesย bestselling author ofย The Boardwalk Bookshop.
Beth Nield had no choice but to admit that her sixty-seven-year-old aunt had a much more interesting love life than she did. Actual living proof of that sad fact sat at their shared breakfast table, eating a high-fiber cereal while watching the morning news.
Hunter was a still handsome seventy something whoโd worked for the USPS his whole life, retiring with a very nice federal pension. But his โrealโ money had come from playing the stock market. She had no idea where the two had met, but this was the third morning this month sheโd found Hunter eating a hearty breakfast after a night of, well, nothing she wanted to think about.
Despite the fact that Bethโs divorce had been final just over a year ago, she hadnโt been on a date. As for spending the night with a man, well, she couldnโt begin to imagine that ever happening. Sheโd been telling herself she didnโt need that sort of distraction and that relationships were more trouble than they were worth, but thinking about how happy her aunt was these days, she was starting to wonder if maybe she was wrong. Perhaps there was something to falling in love. Not that sheโd ever had much luck in the romance departmentโher divorce was proof of that. Her brother hadnโt been successful in love, either. Maybe there was a genetic flaw.
Not anything she was going to think about this morning, she told herself firmly as she put her breakfast dishes in the dishwasher and called out a goodbye to Hunter.
While the Los Angeles metro area was known to be a nightmare traffic-wise, Beth had what could only be described as a glorious commute. She lived a mere twenty minutes from where she worked, and the majority of that drive was along Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu. Yes, there were plenty of annoying stoplights, and on the weekends, visitors clogged the roads, but it was difficult to mind when just to the west was the Pacific Ocean.
Although Malibu was known the world over, the LA-adjacent community was in fact much smaller than most everyone imagined. The actual population was less than twelve thousand people, with the majority of the businesses and houses clinging to the coast. There were canyons and hills that stretched east, but the area everyone thought of when they heard the name was within a couple of miles of the water.
Beth made the familiar drive with her windows open and the scent of the salt air brightening her day. The ocean was more lively today with whitecaps visible out to the horizon and seagulls circling overhead. A light breeze danced with the palm trees. This early, the beaches would be relatively empty, but by noon, they would fill with locals and tourists, all eager to enjoy natureโs beautiful offering.
When she pulled into her reserved spot behind Surf Sandwiches, the sight of the cheerfully painted one-story building filled her with fierce, happy pride. She might have bought the business out of a sense of obligation and a need to help her brother, but over the years, sheโd grown to love the place. When she and Ian had divorced, heโd asked to buy her out of their house. Sheโd used the money to purchase the vacant storefront next door and had expanded her business, giving her a much larger eating area for customers and a remodeled kitchen and prep area, not to mention additional parking. The latter was a precious commodity in always congested Malibu.
Sheโd kept the surfboard rack and outdoor shower for her customers who came directly from the beach across the street, and had painted the outside the same bright, cheerful yellow she used on the logo. To make the remodel go more quickly, sheโd closed for three weeks, giving her just enough time to second-guess herself and wonder if all her regulars would forget about their favorite sandwiches. But at the grand reopening, thereโd been a line nearly around the block, and since the remodel, sales were up thirty-eight percent. Information that would make any small business ownerโs heart flutter with joy.
She unlocked the back door and walked to the newly enlarged employee space. Big lockers filled one wall, with comfy sofas opposite. During the refresh, sheโd added a couple of sets of tables and chairs and had upgraded the Wi-Fi. By giving up space in her office, sheโd squeezed in a third bathroomโthis one for employees only.
It was barely eight in the morning, three hours before the store opened, but Yolanda and Kai were already hard at work prepping for the upcoming day. Surf Sandwiches was open from eleven until seven. The biggest rush was from about eleven-thirty until one, with a second, surprisingly intense post-school surge, followed by a gentle wind-down until closing.
Yolanda, a pretty, petite brunette with more energy than the battery bunny and three kids under the age of ten, was her go-to morning person. Despite her tiny stature, she had a killer mom glare that could reduce anyone with attitude to submission in less than three seconds. Even more significant, she wielded the Hobart meat slicer with surgeon-like precision. Even Rick, Bethโs actual surgeon brother, agreed Yolanda had mad skills.
โMorning,โ Beth called as she stepped into the kitchen. โHowโs it going?โ
โGood.โ Yolanda smiled at her. โKaiโs a worker. I donโt mind when he comes in early.โ
Kai, a twenty-two-year-old whoโd walked away from family money to surf rather than go to college, beamed at the compliment. โYo, thatโs high praise. Makes me want to work harder.โ
Yolanda winked at Beth, as if silently saying that was the whole point of the words. Then her humor faded.
โWe need lettuce. When I went to get it out this morning, I saw itโs all rotten.โ
Beth groaned. โNot the lettuce. What happened?โ
Yolanda pointed to the small kitchen where the industrial refrigerator and restaurant-size stove sat. โYou can go look for yourself. I salvaged a few bunches, but weโre going to need a lot more for the day.โ
An unexpected but not unheard-of disaster, Beth thought as she went into the kitchen and saw containers of sad-looking lettuce sitting on the counter, the good bunches already off to the side. She calculated the damage, took a couple of pictures with her phone and then pulled the ongoing Costco list from a drawer.
While she ordered most of her supplies from various distributors, like most small restaurant businesses, she relied on a big box store for backup. She added tomatoes to the list, then returned to the front to confirm they had everything else they needed.
She and Yolanda quickly discussed what she would be buying.
โLet me get in touch with my produce guy. Iโll head to Costco as soon as they open.โ
โWeโll be fine,โ Yolanda told her. โWe know what to do.โ
Beth went into her office, where she quickly booted her computer and the pay system she used. She found two large office lunch orders waiting and immediately forwarded them to the kitchen, where they would be flagged and reviewed. Once Yolanda determined what had to be made, the orders would automatically go in queue thirty minutes before they were supposed to be ready. The improved software had been expensive, but worth it. These days a lot of customers wanted to order and pay online, then just drop by to grab their food and get on with their lives.
She sent a quick email to her produce guy, complete with pictures. Sheโd been working with him for years and knew a credit would be sitting in her account by the end of day.
She helped with the prep work until it was time to head out with her shopping list. Getting to the closest Costco required a longer and less interesting drive than her commute to work. She listened to the radio and thought about all she had to get done when she returned to the store. Kai would make the cilantro, pumpkin seed and jalapeรฑo pesto, which was usually her job. He was her newest employee, but he was a good hire. She was very fortunate with everyone who worked for her. Most had been with the store over a decade, and turnover was low. She paid well, offered great health care and did her best to be a fair and reasonable boss.
When sheโd shut down for the three-week remodel, everyone had been paid their usual amount. Sheโd even arranged for a special evening at a local movie multiplex where sheโd rented the smallest theater and had hosted dinner and a movie for staff and their families. Everyone had had a good time, and a few had mentioned making it an annual eventโa reaction that made her happy. Tragically for her, that was the wildest her social life had been since the divorce. Except for work and her recent commitment to volunteering at a local food bank, she was kind of turning into a grumpy hermit, which wasnโt her nature at all. But she couldnโt seem to get motivated to, you know, get out and be in the world.
She missed having friends to hang out with. She missed being in a relationship, yet given how she was spending her days, she was very much stuck in a rut of doing nothing. Her aunt was warm and caring, but Agatha had her own life, what with her man friend and a new and oddly successful home business of crocheting custom bikinis.
Beth turned in to the industrial area where the Costco was located and drove toward the sprawling building at the end of the street. As she headed through an intersection, her gaze drifted to a large billboard on her right. Immediately her entire body went on alert as her brain struggled to comprehend what she was seeing. She instinctively turned toward the billboardโand accidently steered in that direction as well. Before she could slam on the brakes, sheโd driven off the road, up onto the sidewalk (mercifully empty of pedestrians), stopping less than a foot from a fire hydrant.
It took a couple of seconds for her to start breathing again. Adrenaline poured through her from both the near accident and the billboard itself. She managed to put the car in Park before turning off the engine and getting out to stand on the sidewalk and stare in disbelief.
The billboard was huge and showed a happy couple staring into each otherโs eyes. Not really noteworthy if she ignored both the fact that the man in question was her ex-husband Ian and the heartfelt message next to the photo.
Patti, you mean the world to me. Iโm so grateful to have found you. I love you. Will you marry me?
She pressed a hand to her chest, as if to keep her heart from jumping out and flopping around on the road. Her brain was still having trouble processing what she was seeing, and she honestly didnโt know what was more confusing to her. The billboard itself, the fact that it was two blocks from Costco, or that her very ordinary, believer-in-a-routine ex-husband had proposed in such an un-Ian-like way. Oh, and maybe the fact that he had obviously moved on and fallen in love with someone else while she hadnโt been out with friends, let alone a man.
Ignoring a sudden wave of sadness, she sagged back onto the driverโs seat and pulled her phone from her handbag. Within seconds she was on Instagram and scrolling through to find Ianโs account. As their divorce had been as low-key as their marriage, sheโd never blocked him, and apparently heโd never blocked her, either. Which meant she could see everything heโd posted for the past couple of weeks in color photographs and videos.
If the picture of the two of them holding champagne glasses and smiling at the camera was any indication, Patti had said yes. But instead of staring at the happy couple, Beth found herself searching the crowd of friends that was gathered around them. Friends sheโd thought had been her friends as well, back when she and Ian had been married. The three couples had been tight, hanging out together, even taking the odd vacation as a group. But when the marriage had fallen apart, sheโd discovered she was actually only the friend-in-law. The other two women hadnโt wanted to get together and had finally explained they were picking Ian. At the time, that had hurt about as much as the end of her marriage.
She flipped through more pictures and saw one of Ian and Patti with Ianโs large, extended family. The family sheโd thought of as her own, appreciating the sheer size and volume of get-togethers. Growing up it had just been her, her brother and her mom. Sheโd always dreamed of being part of a big family, and with Ian, that had happened. Only once she and Ian split up, her relationship with them had ended as well.
Beth dropped the phone on the passenger seat and stared at the billboard. Ian was getting married again, to Pattiโwhoever she was. They would have a life, possibly kids. All the things sheโd thought would happen when she and Ian had been together. Only they hadnโt.
She knew she didnโt want him backโtheir relationship was long over. But she did envy his future, or at least all the possibilities. Ian had kept living his life and looking for ways to be happy.
And here she was, in her car, alone and semi-friendless. Except for Jana, a relatively new friend she really liked, there was no one. Yes, sheโd done great things with her business, but what about her personal life? Why was she half-parked on a sidewalk, staring at a billboard while on her way to Costco? Didnโt she want more?
A sharp pain cut through herโtwo parts regret but one part intense longing for more than the nothing sheโd apparently chosen. She needed friends in her life and possibly a man. While the latter seemed like more than she could comfortably take on right now, the former was doable. She was a good person. She was likeable. The friend thing shouldnโt be so hard.
She needed more than just work, she told herself. She needed to get out of the house and start doing things. Anything. Beginning right this second. Or possibly after she made her Costco run. But today for sure.
Excerpted from Beach Vibes by Susan Mallery, Copyright ยฉ 2025 by Susan Mallery Inc. Published by Canary Street Press.ย
*****
Author Info:
SUSAN MALLERY is the #1ย New York Timesย bestselling author of novels about the relationships that shape women’s livesโfamily, friendship, romance.ย Library Journalย says, โMallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agreeโ40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. Sheโs passionate about animal welfare, which shows in the many quirky animal characters she has created.Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband and adorable poodle. Visit her at SusanMallery.com.
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing / Canary Street Press
Price$18.99
Blurb:
She’s got everything planned–including when she’ll have kids. Until something completely unplanned turns her world upside down.
World-famous Whitney “Sahara” Richardson is at the top of her game. With four Grammys, an Oscar nod, and a billion-dollar clothing line, her career is skyrocketing. Even her headline-grabbing dating life is looking up. And if everything goes as planned, marriage and children are just a few years away–and they will come in that order.
That is…until a mix-up at the fertility clinic where her eggs are stored puts the cart before the horse. Oops. Whitney suddenly has a daughter…whose biological father is reluctant to share her.
One in a Million is a fun celebrity rom-com with the poignancy of Abby Jimenez and a modern twist on “surprise baby” for fans of Jasmine Guillory.
Scratch that. He was more than annoyed. He was pissed and currently doing his best not to glare at the woman sitting in the chair next to him.
Dear God, heโd never resented anyone more in his life, and the fact that he was married to her made the nightmare they were living through one hundred times worse.
It would be fair to say their three-year marriage hovered on the brink of failure, and the outcome of this meeting might be what sent it plunging to its demise.
Myles clenched his jaw as he regarded Holly, taking in her unsmiling face and rigid posture. His wifeโs beauty turned heads everywhere they went but had failed to turn his since sheโd demanded the DNA test.
โWould you stop looking at me like that?โ Holly huffed, cutting a pair of ice-blue eyes at him. She sniffed and abruptly looked away, her chin notched a fraction higher as she presented him with her profile. โWhether you want to admit it or not, weโre doing the right thing.โ
Sheโd worn a light blue dress for the occasion. As if she hadnโt made her hopes for the outcome of the meeting clear enough. Blue was her lucky color. Her long manicured nails kept up a rhythmic tapping on the wooden arm of her chair.
โAnd what exactly is that?โ he asked, his tone like shards of glass.
Exasperated, she rolled her eyes and flicked a wavy lock of platinum-blond hair over her shoulder. โGod, I hate when youโre like this. You know exactly what Iโm talking about. I canโt believe you donโt want to know who she belongs to.โ She addressed the empty desk in front of them more than she did him.
โShe,โ he stressed through gritted teeth, โhas a name. Her name is Haylee, and she is our daughter.โ His voice was low and controlled while he seethed inside. It didnโt matter what the DNA results revealed. Haylee was their child. After all theyโdโsheโd gone through to have her, how could she say otherwise? That was the thing he couldnโt understand. His part had been easy. Hers had notโas sheโd frequently reminded him.
Holly huffed out a sound of deep frustration, her narrowed gaze taking a glancing stab at his face. โSheโs not ours, Myles, and for the life of me, I donโt understand why you refuse to accept it. Itโs as obvious as the nose on my face that she belongs to another couple.โ
โSheโs ours.โ He was the only father Haylee had ever known, and no test was going to change that.
โIโm sure her biological parents will have something to say about that.โ His wife had made up her mind and refused to be swayed.
Recognizing the pointlessness of arguing with her, Myles kept his mouth shut and averted his gaze. These days, it was impossible to look at her without feeling a profound sense of betrayalโฆand angerโso much anger. Feelings far removed from how heโd felt the day theyโd exchanged their wedding vows.
โMyles, they have as much a right to know as we do. Wouldnโt you want to know if you were in their place?โ Holly said, her voice cajoling, indicating a switch of tactics. Good cop, bad cop, meet Holly the Bully and Holly the Sweet-Talker, the same woman employing two tried-and-true methods to get her way.
Well, itโs not going to work this time.
The office door behind them opened, and Dr. Kelly Franklin walked in, saving him from more of his wifeโs attempts to convince him her motivation was altruism, not selfishness.
Small in stature at barely over five feet and clad in a white lab coat, Dr. Kelly had brown shoulder-length hair and carried herself with the confidence of the framed Harvard MD degree hanging on the wall.
โGood afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Redmond. Thank you so much for coming in on such short notice.โ
The doctorโs greeting was warm and respectful. More importantly, she didnโt sound as if she was about to plunge a knife into his heart. That said, it was clear she hadnโt come bearing tidings of joy either.
Myles made a move to stand, but she stayed the act of male courtesyโingrained in him by his fatherโby motioning for him to remain seated.
Quelling his instincts, he subsided back into his chair and watched as she quickly took hers behind the desk.
โSorry to keep you waiting.โ
She was nervous but doing her best not to show it. As a former defense attorney, Myles had learned to pick up on the subtleties of body language. She hadnโt blinked once since sheโd greeted them, and the distinct tapping sound that began shortly after she sat down was her nervously tapping her shoe on the floor. Hollyโs hands were on her lap.
โWe were early,โ Myles said. Fifteen minutes, to be precise. Because this was important. The rest of his life hinged on what she was about to tell them. Despite vowing to himself that heโd remain calm, he felt tenser than ever.
For a beat, her brown eyes bounced between them. Then she blinked and said, โThe DNA test confirmed thatโโ
โShe isnโt ours, is she?โ Holly asked, cutting the doctor off midsentence.
Myles turned and narrowed his eyes at his wife. Why not put up a billboard? I donโt want her. Give her to someone else.
As far as he was concerned, Holly had checked out of motherhood and their marriage before she packed her bags and took off to San Diego to stay with her mother after telling him she needed space.
What kind of parent needed โspaceโ three weeks after the birth of her daughter?
His wife, that was who.
Look, he got it. They had hired a surrogate, so Holly didnโt get to bond with Haylee the way mothers usually did, but sheโd known that from the outset. Theyโd both gone into this with their eyes wide openโฆand then some. Furthermore, parents didnโt walk away just because their child didnโt turn out the way they wanted or expected. That wasnโt the way parenting worked.
At the end of the day, though, he had to face some hard truths. He was just as much to blame for what was happening. While he might be successful in other parts of his lifeโhe was a loving father, son, brother, and uncle and a loyal friend, and had been elected president of the California Bar Association two terms in a rowโhe sucked when it came to romantic relationships.
How did he know?
Because he already had one failed marriage under his belt, and it looked like he was coasting for divorce number two. In sports terms, heโd soon be 0-2.
Dr. Franklin tentatively cleared her throat before continuing. โUnfortunately, your case is a little more complicated.โ
โComplicated? What does that mean? Either sheโs ours or sheโs not.โ She turned and looked at him as if expecting him to echo her demand for clarity. โAlthough I think itโs obvious she canโt be.โ The latter she muttered as an aside meant to be heardโjust in case the good doctor didnโt know where she stood on the matter.
Mylesโs jaw locked. According to his wifeโwhoโd gone from being the top-producing female real estate agent in Southern California to self-ascribed geneticistโHaylee couldnโt be the product of two white, blue-eyed parents. If she has a drop of Nordic ancestry in her, Iโm the Queen of England, Holly had said in reference to her parentsโ Swedish heritage and Hayleeโs slightly darker complexion, dark brown curly hair, and brown eyes.
Never mind that he was a quarter Sicilian on his motherโs side, and his hair was dark and wavy. In her summation of their daughterโs parentage, it was clear Holly hadnโt factored his genes into the equation.
โWould you mind elaborating?โ he said, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Dr. Franklin inhaled and treated them to another unblinking stare. โIt means that youโre right. There was a problem, but not what I assumed. The error occurred during the egg selection portion of the fertilization stage, not the implantation stage.โ
For the first time since they walked into the office, Holly appeared genuinely confused. โAre you saying thatโโ She broke off, as if unable or unwilling to give voice to whatever conclusion sheโd drawn in her mind. Unusual for her.
The doctor met Hollyโs puzzled stare. โIโm sorry to have to tell you this, but you arenโt your daughterโs biological mother.โ Her gaze then shifted to him. โHowever, you are her biological father.โ
Hollyโs gasp cracked the air like a thunderclap. The deafening silence that followed was just as loud.
Myles was too stunned to speak, his heart pounding so loud in his ears that, for a few moments, it drowned out all possible thought or comprehension.
โNo, no. That canโt be right.โ Holly turned to him, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief.
If he could speak, he didnโt know what he would say, given the state of his mind. Completely blown.
The doctorโs composureโwhich had remained relatively calm thus farโbegan to show cracks. Based partly on the dates on her diploma, he guessed Dr. Franklin was in her early forties, but the depth of the lines now bracketing her mouth and fanning out from her eyes spoke of the toll this must be taking on her and made her look years older.
Swallowing visibly, she continued. โWe had the test run by two different labs. The results are the same.โ
Accompanying his wifeโs cry of dismay came the realization that his claim to his daughter was as solid as any fatherโs could be. Haylee was his. Relief began to seep into every part of his being. Seconds later, it washed over him in a flood. He could breathe again.
Dr. Franklin regarded them, self-reproach stamped all over her face. โIโm sorry. Iโm so very sorry. I donโt know how this happened. Itโs never happened to us before. But I promise to get to the bottom of it and do whatever it takes to make this right.โ
Coming into the meeting, Myles had prepared himself for only two possibilities. Either Haylee was biologically theirs, or she wasnโt. And in the latterโs case, heโd been fully prepared to fight to keep her even if his marriage would be one of the casualties of any battle heโd have to wage.
The one thing he never imagined was discovering he had a babyโฆwith a woman heโd never laid eyes on.
Excerpted from ONE IN A MILLION by Beverley Kendall. Copyright ยฉ 2025 by Beverley Kendall. Published by Canary Street Press, an imprint of HTP/HarperCollins.
*****
Author Info:
BEVERLEY KENDALL has published over ten contemporary and historical romance novels. She also manages the romance review blog, Smitten by Books (smittenbybooks.com). Bev writes full-time while raising her son as a single mother. Both dual citizens of the US and Canada, they currently call Atlanta home.
When they first meet, sparks flyโฆbut not the romantic kindโฆ
Ella Westhoff is a marketing genius. But romance? Not her strong suit. So, while sheโs prepared to return to her small hometown and help her grandmother successfully reopen her B&B, she will not fall for the grumpy landscaper on the jobโthe one who so thoroughly annoyed her at first sight. That was the plan, anywayโฆ
Cooper Daniels isnโt cut out for love, either. His bitter divorce certainly taught him that. One-night stands are all heโs willing to commit to these days. Which means that even though he enjoys bantering with the brilliant Ella, he knows he canโt be the kind of guy she deserves. No matter how much she makes him wish he could beโฆ
Somewhere between fresh starts and past hurts, business and pleasure, Ella and Cooper might be able to claim a happily ever after. But only if theyโre willing to cross some lines along the wayโฆ
Lines We Shouldnโt Cross, book 1 in the Innocence series, is a sweet and spicy, emotional contemporary romance. Download today and get ready to fall for Ella and Cooper.
**Releases March 20th!! Get it for On Sale for a limited time!**
This, thisโฆ guy! I stalk out of the dining room, fuming.
Of all the people for Pippa to rent the carriage house to, it had to be him. And now heโs living right next door, invading my sanctuary, the space Iโve always considered mine.
Why did he have to ruin my hope of living in the carriage house? There must be plenty of places available for rent in town. I sigh, trying to let my frustration go because bitching and moaning wonโt change a thing.
Iโd spent countless sleepovers there with my best friend, trading secrets, and dreams. Later, losing myself in romance novels, Iโd imagined my own epic love story. Yeah, well, that had been a big naรฏve fantasy. Most guys turn out to be jerksโlike my exโnot some swoon-worthy hero who sets my body ablaze while cherishing my soul. That kind of guy only exists between the pages.
Now, another real-life example of an arrogant jerk stands right there in the dining room, pouring wine as if he owns the place. His broad frame fills the space like a quintessential guyโs guy. His large hands tell a different story. Hands that could build barn walls or something, not pouring wine with unexpected gentleness. Strength and softness, wrapped in those sexy, veiny forearms. If heโd be anyone else, Iโd be hopelessly flustered.
Fine, the manโs hot enough to melt steel, but that’s where my appreciation ends. His charm could strip paint of wood, and it’s just about as healthy to be around. He might have fooled Pippa, but not me. And now weโre supposed to work together? Fricking perfect.
In the kitchen, I muster a smile. โNeed a hand?โ The lasagnaโs rich scent fills the room, promising comfort.
Pippa, beaming as though sheโs crafted a culinary masterpiece, hands me a tray bearing the nightโs first course. In the center, a mason jar filled with her homemade ranch dressing takes the spotlight amid the salad greens and a basket of still-warm bread.
โCould you bring this in?โ
Her warm smile tells me sheโs missed me and is happy Iโm home.
โOf course.โ I wonโt rain on her parade, so I nod and smile. One quick taste of the creamy dressing first, then the breadbasket joins the greens as I steady myself to face Mr. Arrogance Next Door.
โThanks, darling.โ Pippa smiles. โIโll be right there.โ
Yes, please, I pray silently. I donโt care to be alone for even one minute with that infuriating man. I let out an inaudible sigh, part frustration, part resignation.
โAlright,โ I say, forcing a cheery tone. With no excuse to dodge McCocky, I carry the tray out of the kitchen.
*****
Author Info:
I write the kind of romance novels that blend sweet and spicy into something deliciously real – stories that’ll warm your heart one minute and make you reach for a fan the next. My characters are flawed souls who stumble their way to love with enough emotional baggage to fill a cargo plane, but they’re worth every messy moment.
Life handed me my own romance novel when I fell for an American military man while living in Germany. Now I’m living my happily-ever-after in a cozy Kentucky town, where my European roots tangle perfectly with Southern charm. You’ll find me powered by excessive amounts of coffee, testing ice cream flavors (strictly for research purposes), and soaking up cuddles from my golden retrievers, Dakota and Tucker.
Romantic Reads and Such 