Faith Calhoun was almost forty when she walked in on her husband screwing someone else.
Talk about a terrible way to end what had admittedly not been an iconic decade of her life.
After serving him divorce papers—on her birthday—she heads straight to her favorite bar, where the ultra-hot bartender plies her with drinks to take the edge off.
They end up tumbling into bed together.
That part’s not bad—in fact, it’s really, really good—except in the morning, he rejects her too, and somehow, that rejection is even worse than the first one. Especially when he insists he needs to remain in her life to ensure she’s protected.
From what? Her gossipy neighbors?
Oh, and let’s not forget all the strange occurrences that are getting harder and harder to explain away.
First, there’s a wolf in her house. A real, live, massive wolf. Then the house is attacked and nearly destroyed by some unknown—and unseen—enemy, and, get this, the wolf saves her. Then the bartender tells her he’s a wolf too. It’s like something out of her favorite shifter romance novel—except she’s living it!
And then there’s the icing on the cake: Mikail, the bartender-slash-wolf, tells her she’s a faery princess.
Maybe this week isn’t so bad after all.
If you overlook the reason he kept her identity a secret: the enemies she didn’t know she had want to kill her, and now that she’s been outed.
“That’s only the tip of the iceberg. I need to do something else.”
“Like what?”
Why did Mikail ’s voice suddenly sound sharp?
He swept her empty glass off the counter, replacing it with a fresh mojito.
She stared at the hazy liquid and did not sip. “I should probably slow down.” Then again, it was her birthday, she had nowhere to go but home to an empty bed, and Uber was just one press of a button in an app away and—she lifted the glass and gulped.
“Good thing you have such high tolerance,” Mikail noted.
It was true; she had always been able to drink anyone under the table, including her husband, who had been so impressed by that feat that he’d asked her out. Their first date had been to a sports bar on dollar-shot night.
“God, I don’t want to think about him.”
“Then don’t,” Mikail suggested.
“I never brought him here,” she noted. That had been Luke’s choice, not hers. She glanced around at the slightly cheesy tropical decor. Luke liked sports bars and martini bars, and this place did not remotely fit into either of those categories.
“There were so many signs,” she murmured, and apparently, she was going to think about him after all.
“Faith, love, you don’t have to rehash—”
“My ability to win at drinking games was what attracted him to me,” Faith cut him off. “How is that a solid basis for a long-lasting relationship? And considering what I know about his family and his upbringing, dating me in the first place was nothing more than an act of rebellion.”
“If that were the case, why did he ask you to marry him?”
She shrugged. “Who knows? I was good in bed? I was fun at parties? I looked good on his arm at charity events? Although I doubt it was that last one, since attractive socialites are a dime a dozen in his circles.”
“Maybe he really did love you,” Mikail suggested, although did he really just wince as he said it?
“He cheated on me. That isn’t love. That’s rejection.”
“That’s—”
“I said I don’t want to talk about it.” Okay, that was harsh. She was the one who brought it up, after all. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. You’re in a bad place right now. Letting out your frustrations in this way is far better than the alternative.”
“What alternative?”
Mikail’s gaze shifted to the side for a moment before he became fascinated by scrubbing the bar top. “There are lots of alternatives,” he finally mumbled.
“You’ve been in my shoes,” she said so abruptly he startled before glancing down at her feet, which were encased in a super cute pair of lime-green sandals she’d splurged on as a birthday present to herself.
“They’re a bit small for me, although plenty sexy enough.”
She laughed while resisting the urge to fan herself with the cardboard coaster, the only thing within reach that would remotely provide a cooling bit of wind.
And there went that chilled breeze again, swirling across the back of her neck and dropping the temperature enough that she wasn’t fidgeting in her seat.
Weird, although she shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. This was Louisiana, after all. Cool breezes were not commonplace.
He thinks my shoes are sexy.
Faith’s taste ran to not-conservative footwear, which her husband more often than not found distasteful. He’d never told her the shoes made her sexy, not even on their wedding day, when she’d worn white heels with tiny blue bows on the back and ankles straps covered with tiny pearls.
“I mean…” She flapped her hand, like that would somehow help her form the right words. “You’ve had your heart broken.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been rejected. Like I have.”
He wouldn’t look her in the eye, which told her all she needed to know: the sympathy he doled out was real.
Her relationship was in the toilet. Even if Luke got down on his hands and knees and offered to perform cunnilingus every day for the rest of her life, she wouldn’t take him back. She was done. Closing that chapter. Moving on.
And it was her birthday. Forty. A big deal. The start of a new decade.
Fresh, new beginnings.
She should celebrate. Do something spontaneous.
Or do someone.
*****
Author Info:
TJ Bell is the naughtier alter-ego of romance author Tami Lund (although you should totally read Tami Lund’s book too, because they are really, really good). She writes paranormal, all the time. Her heroines are tough, even if they are broken, and her heroes tend to have a heart of gold under all that alpha. Hell, sometimes they aren’t even alpha at all; after all, who doesn’t love a solid beta hero?
When she isn’t writing snarky, steamy books, TJ Bell likes to take long walks on the beach with a tall glass of wine… oh wait, wrong bio. But still true.
TJ Bell lives in the (sometimes) beautiful state of Michigan, USA, where the weather is glorious approximately 30% of the time, with her even-more-snarky husband, snarky-in-training (and progressing impressively) teenage daughter, and her dog, Kaya, who wants to know if it’s dinnertime yet.
Bonnie Brinks and her all-woman band, The Mermaids, are the pride of Moonlight Harbor. They’re the house band at The Drunken Sailor, and that’s just the right amount of fame for Bonnie. A lifetime ago, she went to Nashville to make it big, but she returned home with a broken heart and broken dreams. Now she’s got a comfortable life and a brilliant daughter, Avril, who plays for The Mermaids alongside Bonnie and Bonnie’s mother, Loretta.
Avril has big dreams of her own. Her life in Moonlight Harbor is good–she loves singing and playing guitar with The Mermaids, and she has the sweetest, most loyal boyfriend a girl could ask for–but it all feels so…small. She can’t help wondering if there’s something more out there for her. And she doesn’t understand why her mom won’t support her going to Nashville to find out.
Meanwhile, Bonnie threw in the towel on her love life long ago, but Loretta sure hasn’t. She’s determined to be swept off her feet, and she wants the same for her daughter. When the hunky new owner of The Drunken Sailor turns the tables on the band and Avril announces she’s leaving Moonlight Harbor, Bonnie’s comfortable life seems to be drifting away. Will these three generations of Mermaids find their happy endings on the Washington coast? Or will the change in the winds leave them all shipwrecked?
“Blooming with heartfelt charm and swoon-worthy moments…” Woman’s World Magazine
It was a pleasant ride to the beach. Once he was off I-5 he was on highways that took him through stands of evergreens and logging towns with small houses, many of them forty years old, many of which were being refurbished.
Then he hit Moonlight Harbor with its crazy stone pillars at the entrance, still standing from when the town was first developed in the sixties. The place was a mixture of funky old and upbeat new, the buildings from both eras catering to visitors with restaurants, moped rentals, shops and a fun plex that offered bumper cars and go-carts for entertainment. A family of deer grazed on the grass in the meridian between the two one-way streets running through the town.
Another ten minutes and he was pulling into the driveway of Lee’s beach digs, a three-bedroom rambler with rock for lawn encased in a white picket fence. Lee and his wife were ready for him with a proper Thanksgiving leftover meal of turkey sandwiches, dressing and gravy, and cranberry sauce. Seeing the way they looked at each other about gave him heartburn.
His ex had looked at him like that about a million years ago. Stupid, fool him. He was a walking morality tale, an example of what happened when a man wound up married to his job instead of his woman. If only she’d given him a fair chance to right that ship.
“How’s your sandwich?” Glinda asked.
“Great,” he said. “Thanks. And thanks for inviting me down.”
“Sometimes a man’s gotta get some new scenery,” said Lee.
After they ate Glinda made them clean up the kitchen and left to check on things at the pub for Lee and hang out with some girlfriends.
“She’s a great woman,” J.J. said.
“That she is,” agreed Lee. “They’re still out there, dude.”
J.J. gave a cynical chuckle. “Yeah, I’m holding my breath.”
“While you’re holding your breath let’s play some cribbage. Tomorrow I’ll take you out to eat.”
They settled down with whiskey and cards and it was a pleasant evening. It sure beat sitting around the condo wondering if he ought to check out an internet dating site.
Saturday found him out on the beach in boots and a thick jacket with his buddy, working a clam gun to capture the elusive razor clam. A weak sun was out and the sand was damp and muddy and the air was crisp. A perfect day. They weren’t the only ones who thought so. The beach was thick with people, all in search of the same delight.
“You should move down here,” Lee said, as he tossed a clam in their bucket. He wasn’t much taller than J.J. and was built like a tank. In their college days he’d mowed down his opponents on the football field just like one. He’d gotten his education thanks to a college scholarship. J.J. had waited tables and worked in restaurant kitchens. Glinda had already informed him he would be in charge of making the clam chowder for lunch.
“Yeah? So I can grow moss like you? It’s always wet.”
“Not in the summer.”
“Yeah, well let me know when you figure out how to make it summer all year long,” J.J. said.
“Oh, come on. You know you loved it when we went over to Westhaven and went fishing.”
“Just thinking about that halibut we caught makes my mouth water,” J.J. said.
“Fishing, clamming, kayaking on the canals, golfing – it’s the life.”
J.J. brushed the sand off his hands and studied his friend. “Why do I feel like I’m sitting in on a time share pitch?”
Lee shrugged and chuckled. “Just sayin’ it’s a good life down here.”
“For you. You got a great wife and your daughters live nearby.”
Lee sobered. “It sucks that things went sideways with Eloise.”
“It’s been three years. I’m over it.”
“Yeah? You sure?”
“Sure I’m sure. My life’s good. I like my freedom. Got no woman nagging me, no obligations.”
“That bad, huh?”
J.J. gave a rueful smile and shook his head. “Okay, so it’s not perfect.”
“Maybe you need a change.”
“Okay, what’s the hidden agenda?”
“No hidden agenda,” Lee said and suddenly got busy checking to see if they’d reached their limit of clams.
Yep, there was a hidden agenda.
Glinda proved it when, after lunch she said, “Aren’t you tired of city living yet, J.J.?”
He set down his glass of beer and looked from one to the other. “Spill, you two. What’s up?”
They exchanged guilty looks. “Well,” Lee said, “Just thought you might be interested in a new business opportunity.”
“Oh, no. You got sucked into a pyramid scheme,” J.J. said in horror.
Lee made a face. “No.”
“The pub’s failing. You need a silent partner. No problem.” It would be the least he could do. He’d helped his buddy get into this mess.
J.J. had come down to Moonlight Harbor ten years earlier when his pal had told him about the little beach town pub he wanted to buy, had looked over the books with Lee and the owner, then given it a thumbs up, although he’d been concerned about Lee getting into the restaurant business.
“It’s a tough business,” he’d cautioned. “When you buy a restaurant, it owns you.” He knew that from personal experience.
“I can make a go of it,” Lee had said. “We want out of the city and Glinda’s up for it.”
“Okay, then,” J.J. had said.
He’d shared his expertise with his friend and Lee had done okay. But they hadn’t talked much in the last couple of years. Between getting divorced and getting his feet back under him J.J. had been a little distracted. Obviously, Lee’s investment had gone south.
“The pub’s doing great,” Lee said.
Well, so much for that conclusion. “Then what’s up?”
“What’s up is that it’s time to sell the business. The girls are grown and one’s had the nerve to move out of state. Glinda wants to start traveling.”
“You want your life back.”
Lee chuckled. “Something like that. I was thinking maybe you might want yours back, too.”
So this was where they were going. J.J. held up a hand. “Oh, no. No more restaurants. Too much work.”
“Yeah, and you’re so busy.”
“I’ll admit I’m kind of at loose ends, but I don’t think I want to work that hard.”
“I’ve already done all the hard work.”
“Yeah, right.” When you owned a business, it owned you. And restaurants …
“Never mind,” said Lee. “Let’s go play some pool. You can check out the house band.”
“You got a house band? What are they, a bunch of grungy kids in their twenties?”
Lee smiled at that. “Not quite. It’s a chick band.”
“A chick band. Interesting. So, three grungy chicks in their twenties.”
“Nope. Mother, daughter and granddaughter. They had another but she’s off to Nashville to try and become a star. They’re still good though, especially the lead singer. That woman sings like an angel, sometimes like a little devil. And she is something fine to look at. They’ve really been packing in the crowds on the weekend.”
“That’s good.”
“The place is doing well,” said Lee. “I know you shouldn’t do business with friends, but since you were in the restaurant business and since you’re the man with the business degree, I thought I’d give you first crack at it.” He suddenly looked wistful. “I kind of hate to let the place go. It’s like losing a part of me.”
J.J. nodded. “I know how you feel. I hated to let go of my places. Did it all for nothing,” he said bitterly.
His words brought on an awkward silence. He should have kept his shit to himself. He shook off the downer moment. “Let’s shoot some pool.”
“Good idea,” said Lee. “And, J.J., I get you not wanting to get sucked into this business again. I’d have liked you to be the one who takes over The Drunken Sailor, but no worries. The right owner will show up.”
Maybe the right owner had showed up, J.J. thought as they drank beer and waited their turn at one of the pool tables. The place was packed. Lots of out of towners, but Lee said he had a ton of regulars who came in during the week as well. Line dancing lessons were offered on Sunday afternoons followed by line dancing. A lot of the old guys came in mid-week to play darts and Lee had recently started a Ladies night, with half-off on drinks on Tuesdays and pool lessons taught by some of the better players, including a guy named Seth Waters, who had been regular before he got married. According to Lee, he still came in to play pool on Sundays while his wife and her girlfriends line danced.
“You’ve done a great job of making this the place to be,” J.J. said as they moved to take their turn at a table that had opened up.
“I like to think so,” said Lee. “Thank God I got lots of good free advice from a pro when I first started.
“What are friends for?” J. J. responded. He selected a cue stick and chalked it up.
“Go ahead and break,” Lee said.
J.J. took aim at the cue ball, sending it clacking into the others. He sunk one of the striped ones and then proceeded to clean the table.
“Save some for me,” Lee protested.
“Oh, yeah, I can’t let you lose. It would hurt your delicate feelings,” J.J. taunted.
“And then I’d hurt your delicate nose,” Lee shot back.
J.J. did miss the next ball. He stood back and let Lee take his turn.
It was the end of the game for him because he caught sight of a woman with long, red hair, a face that would launch a thousand ships, and legs that wouldn’t quit walking into the place. She wore a short black leather jacket, hanging open to reveal a lowcut green top cover a very nice rack. Those fine legs were encased in tight jeans. She wore black boots that made him think of pirates and was carrying a guitar case. Holy Moly! Was that a member of the band Lee had told him about?
Lee caught him staring. “That’s Bonnie Brinks, one of The Mermaids.”
“I wouldn’t mind hooking her on my line.”
“Fat chance. She’s a smiling ice maiden. Been single for years.”
“Maybe she’s tired of being single,” J.J. mused.
“Don’t hold your breath. But hey, she sure dresses up the place.”
“That was probably about all she did. Lee had a tin ear. He’d probably hired the woman for her looks.
Behind her came a younger woman, tall like Bonnie but with darker coloring. Also a looker. And next to her walked a woman who’d never gotten the memo that she was a senior citizen, also wearing tight jeans and heels high enough to trip Tina Turner. She sported spiky white hair and the tips of the spikes were colored green. The mother. His mother sure didn’t look like that. This woman probably had every old geezer in the place ready to take her out. With all three women being so striking maybe nobody cared what they sounded like.
“Had enough pool?” asked Lee.
“I think I’ll go over to the bar and get another drink,” J.J. said.
He snagged the last seat at the bar, one near the end next to a scruffy old dude in faded jeans and a peacoat, ordered another beer, and watched as the women tuned up. They couldn’t sound as good as they looked.
“The band’s good,” the old guy said. “They sing good, too,” he said and chortled over his crack.
“You know them?” J.J. asked.
“Of course. Everybody knows everybody here,” the old guy informed him.
“Looks like this is a popular place,” J.J. observed.
“Best burgers in town. Plus they have a senior menu.”
Lee came up behind J.J., hovering like a salesman in a used car lot. “Hey there, Pete. I see you’ve met my pal J.J. This is Pete,” Lee said to J.J. “He’s one of our regulars. He won our last darts tournament.”
“Beat out all the young pups,” Pete bragged. “You play darts?” he asked J.J.
“Don’t take the bait,” said Lee. “He’ll just sucker you into a friendly wager and take your shirt.”
“Aw, there you go, spoilin’ my fun,” Pete complained.
A full house and steady patrons. It would be kind of cool to own this pub. A lot of work and time consuming, but it wasn’t like he had much going on in his life anyway other than some day trading, hitting the gym and reading. In the last year he’d bought enough books to stock a small library. He needed something more to do. Lately, he felt like he was drifting with no purpose, no adventure on the horizon. What kind of adventures could he have here in Moonlight Harbor?
At nine on the dot the hot redhead stepped up to the mike and said, “Hey everyone, let’s get this party started.” She looked back at the granny on the drums, who began to bang her drumsticks together, counting off the beat, then the young girl hit the bass and the redhead began to bend those guitar strings all to hell. People rushed to the dance floor as she started to sing. “Get off your chair and get out here and shake your booty. You gotta start this party, so get out there and do your duty.”
J.J.’s heart went into overdrive. This place was a goldmine and Bonnie Brinks was the gold. What a voice! The woman was a super star. He wondered what she was doing buried in the sand of a small beach town.
“So whaddya think? The place is a good investment, right?”
“I’d say so,” said J.J. “Looks like the band is bringing in a lot of customers.”
“We had a lot of customers even before the band,” Lee said. “People want to eat at a casual place with lots of atmosphere when they’re at the beach.”
“You definitely got the atmosphere,” J.J. said. The goofy carved pirate statues were an obvious hit. He’d seen several people taking pictures with them. The pool tables had been in constant use since they’d walked in and the beer was flowing. Lee did have a going concern. The band and dance floor were a bonus. And what a bonus it was.
The women finally went on break, the older one stopping at a table to say hello to some people. The younger one went to plop down next to a super -sized young buck at a table near the band stand where a glass of pop was already waiting. A boyfriend, of course. The guitar queen headed for the bar, stopping for a quick word here and there, deflecting a fat lounge lizard, nodding and smiling at something another patron said.
She came up to the end of the bar next to J. J. and Lee. “Great job as always, Bonnie,” Lee said.
“Thanks,” she said. Then to the bartender, “Got my Diet Coke, Madison?”
“On its way,” the woman said and got busy getting her drink.
“You’ve got a great band,” J. J. said to Bonnie.
“Thanks, we try,” she said. Her smile was stop sign. Not Interested so don’t even try.
What did he look like? Some middle-aged, desperate horn toad? He was just being friendly. There was no need to give him the ice treatment.
He decided to turn the charm up a notch. “I always wanted to meet a mermaid.”
“Now you have,” she told him, still with the stop sign smile. The bartender set down her glass and Bonnie thanked her, the ice melting from her smile. But it was back again for J.J. “Try the garlic fries here,” she said to him. “They’re great.” Then she left before he could get in another word.
Mermaids were not so easy to catch.
“Don’t put her on the welcoming committee,” J.J. muttered.
“Told ya,” said Lee.
Slick and charming and no ring on his finger, which, considering his age which she figured to be somewhere around hers, probably had to mean he’d ditched a wife somewhere along the way, Bonnie decided as she walked to the band table. With those blue eyes and that red hair and matching, neatly trimmed beard, he looked like some kind of troubadour from the Elizabethan era. Add broad shoulders and a well sculpted chest and he was a regular pheromone factory.
And that stupid line about catching a mermaid. Oh, yes, he was a charmer.
Who did that remind her of? Rance Jackson, of course.
Let’s get to know him, urged her sex-starved hormones.
Not happening, she informed them. This was the kind of man who broke hearts – trouble in Levis. There would be no getting to know him.
Put a Mr. Yuck sticker on him and stay far away.
*****
Review:
Mermaid Beach definitely falls more into the women’s fiction category than romance. Yes, the characters get their HEA, and it is a very satisfying one, but the story is really about them finding their way. The three generations that make up our story are all immensely talented musicians, but life seems to have other plans for them.
Loretta met the love of her life and settled down to raise a family. Widowed at an early age, she hasn’t given up on finding someone new to share her life with. Bonnie tried to make a go of it in Nashville, but betrayal sent her home, vowing to never trust another man again. Avril is ready to give Nashville a try, regardless of what her mother says, but can she leave everything from the life she’s made in Moonlight Harbor behind.
Loretta’s zest for life and willingness to find the positive in everything makes her my favorite, I think. She’s so spunky and so brave about putting herself out there. And the love and encouragement she shows her daughter & granddaughter at every turn is the best. Bonnie might be a bit harder for some to take as she’s not an easy woman and has definitely let her past bring her down but with a little faith and support, she will find her way. Avril has had that support from both her mother and grandmother, so she heads off on her adventures with a pretty solid head on her shoulders. It gives her the courage to reach for her dreams and the ability to recognize the right thing to do.
Following the lives of our Mermaids has us going at a bit slower pace. Things are pretty complicated for all of them, with lots of bumps and surprises along the way, but it’s a good journey. One of self-discovery, facing the past AND the future, and figuring out what would truly bring them happiness. It’s not easy to take chances and to trust in others, but with friends and family behind them these three just might figure out what they really want.
(This is my first in the Moonlight Harbor series and while it easily stands alone, I know there are a lot of people that I would know more about if I’d read the other stories. It didn’t impact anything, just gave me a feeling that there’s more going on here that I’m not aware of.)
*****
Author Info:
USA Today and Publishers Weekly best-selling author Sheila Roberts has written over fifty books under various names, ranging from romance to self-improvement. Over three million books have been sold to date. Her humor and heart have won her a legion of fans and her novels have been turned into movies for both the Lifetime and Hallmark channels. When she’s not out dancing with her husband or hanging out with her girlfriends, she can be found writing about those things near and dear to women’s hearts: family, friends and chocolate.
Football star. Single dad. And once, a long time ago, mine.
I’ve spent the better part of a decade forgetting Ford Ellis. If he had just stayed away from Montana, I might have erased the memory of his striking blue eyes and rugged smile forever. Avoiding him was easy when the only place I saw his face was on ESPN—and a remote control could fix that problem.
Except my boss just hired Ford as the new head coach for the Treasure State Wildcats. Not only will I be stuck watching him on the sidelines this season, but avoiding him will be impossible now that we’re working together.
Maybe I haven’t forgotten Ford. Maybe I still dream about what we might have been. Maybe he hasn’t forgotten me either.
Except those maybes won’t change the fact that we were never meant to be. Maybe he was mine once. But as of today, the only thing I’ll be calling Ford Ellis is Coach.
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Devney Perry is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.
The Kingsmen’s top tight end. My brother’s friend and teammate. My new neighbor. The grumpy to my sunshine.
But underneath that grumpy exterior, there’s so much more.
Chase likes to pretend nothing affects him, but I’ve seen glimpses of his other side in the time we’ve spent together.
And the more we get to know each other, the more I’m falling for him.
Under normal circumstances, this would be great. Except my hyper-protective big brother thinks no man is good enough for me, and my ex-fiancé is trying to win me back.
One charming, seemingly good man already broke my heart. Am I stupid to give a self-confessed relationship-adverse football player a chance to break it a second time?
Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Audible, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo!
There is so much about these two that I loved. The sibling’s friend trope will get me just about every time and I love a grumpy/sunshine storyline when it’s done well (and Piper Rayne definitely does here).
Twyla is working on getting over her failed engagement and I appreciate that she actually took some time to work through it, instead of just jumping into a new relationship. The time they spend getting to know each other a little better before giving in to their long-standing attraction gives more depth to their story.
He may seem grumpy but Chase has a big heart and is a good guy. He’s private and doesn’t really have a lot of energy to give to playing nice but he’s committed to the people and things he feels are important. And soon Twyla becomes very important to him.
A protective brother, feelings of self-doubt, and some serious communication issues causes trouble between the two but they find a way to a HEA. (Chase’s big gesture may not have been for me but Twyla seemed to like it and Piper Rayne made it work.) The authors really know how to bring on the sizzle, create characters that you can get behind, and deliver just enough angst to keep things interesting. Piper Rayne is turning into a must read for me and I won’t hesitate when I see a new book coming my way.
(Saying that, y’all! Somehow I missed getting my hands on the last book (You Can’t Kiss the Nanny, Brady Banks) but I didn’t feel like it affected my enjoyment of this one. I think they can mostly stand on their own but I definitely recommend reading as many as you can 🙂 )
*****
Author Info:
Piper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling Author duo who write “heartwarming humor with a side of sizzle” about families, whether that be blood or found. They both have e-readers full of one-clickable books, they’re married to husbands who drive them to drink, and they’re both chauffeurs to their kids. Most of all, they love hot heroes and quirky heroines who make them laugh, and they hope you do, too!
I’m determined to enjoy myself during what was supposed to be my honeymoon, crashing alone at my brother’s best friend’s houseboat. But I’m not alone–he’s here, and he’s tan, toned, and tempting as hell. Readers who enjoy the Man of the Month Club collection will devour Flirt Like a Fool by Ellen Brooks, a steamy, small town, brother’s best friend, beach romance.
Flirt Like a Fool
Candy Cane Key
Man of the Month Club collection
by Ellen Brooks
Blurb:
I don’t need a change of pace; I need a change of life, but for now I’ll settle for a week of surf, sand, and fun in the sun, along with my new mantra—flirt like a fool.
I’m determined to enjoy myself during what was supposed to be my honeymoon even though, thanks to a cheating ex-fiancé, I won’t be a newlywed lounging at a five-star resort in the Caribbean, but rather crashing solo at my brother’s best friend’s houseboat in the Florida Keys while he’s away.
It might be a Christmas themed small town, but it’s still the beach, right? As long as there’s a fruity frozen cocktail with my name on it, I’ll be fine, really.
Until I arrive and discover my brother’s best friend isn’t away after all. He’s right here and is toned, tan, and tempting as hell. But, he’s off limits… even if his houseboat only has one bed.
With one towel wrapped turban-style around my wet hair and another around my body, I emerge from the bathroom, belting out the chorus and dart to grab my clothes from the dryer down the hall, not expecting to slam directly into AJ’s broad frame.
Startled, I slip, and my wet feet slide out from underneath me. I flail one arm out and try to grab the doorjamb but go down, landing unceremoniously on my ass with a loud, “Oomph.”
My other hand keeps a deathlike grip on the towel, which fortunately, has prevented it from falling off completely. As it is, the slit gapes wide, and my entire thigh and half of my ass are on display. I squeeze my legs closed and hope he’s tall enough that, from his angle, my position doesn’t reveal any more than that.
AJ springs forward and reaches down to help me to my feet. With one warm hand on each of my shoulders, he holds me steady. His eyes, wide with concern, meet mine. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” I insist, aware of how my breathless answer sounds completely unconvincing, and add a firm nod.
Our bodies are mere inches apart. Close enough the towel brushes him. I secure it tighter around my naked body. The fall jarred the one wrapped around my head, and it’s about to slide off, so I reach up and pull it down, shaking out my hair. The wet strands fall past my shoulders. I don’t even want to think about how I look right now, not that my thoughts are anywhere close to coherent at the moment. Not with this sexy man so close his body warmth is raising my temperature—fast.
Then I register his appearance. If someone told me an athletic apparel company was doing a photoshoot on Candy Cane Key and AJ was the model, I wouldn’t doubt it. His face is flushed, eyes bright with energy, and the light stubble across his cheeks and jaw beg for my touch.
A sheen of perspiration glows on his skin, and sweat darkens his light blue shirt. He opens his mouth as if he is going to speak but then snaps it closed without uttering a word. He shakes his head. Not a vigorous movement. In fact, it’s barely noticeable. Likely, I would have missed it if he wasn’t so close. And staring directly at me.
My tongue darts out to wet my lips, and his gaze falls to my mouth. His eyes narrow, and it might be my imagination, but he leans in, and I tilt my head up.
He’s going to kiss me. I feel it in my bones. But the boat rocks on a wave and interrupts the moment. As if coming to his senses, he releases my shoulders and steps back. Cool air rushed to fill the gap, and I shiver.
Copyright 2023 Ellen Brooks
*****
Author Info:
Ellen Brooks believes in love at first sight, eating cake for breakfast, and staying up way too late.
She’s a classically trained pastry chef who now spends her days whipping up sexy and satisfying modern day love stories.
When she’s not dreaming up her next characters, or plotting a happily ever after, you’ll find her absorbed in a book, relaxing into shavasana, or downing a caffè americano. Oh, and belting out the lyrics to Hamilton.
Ellen lives in the desert southwest where she still *occasionally bakes a batch of cookies for her real-life hero and two girls.
When a Wounded Warrior meets a small town princess, he’ll learn that happily-ever-after is definitely in his cards.
Jake Grimm came home after fifteen years to an official letter on his door. His family’s ancestral home is going to be a fairytale themed tourist attraction which isn’t going to work when the rest of his Special Forces team shows up to move in. Storming up to City Hall for some answers, a car backfires and he hits the ground, bringing down the hot, curvy woman standing next to him.
She looks up at him with stars in her eyes, like he isn’t battle damaged.
Her heart shaped mouth whispers dreams that she could take all his pain and sleepless nights away.
All of which is why Jake knows he must stay far away from Rosie Briarwood, the mayor’s daughter. He might be the last descendant of the founders of Grimm’s Valley, but he’s no prince. And he’s no longer a hero.
Once upon a time has never been so hot in this steamy small town where heroes fall hard for modern day damsels who know how to handle their swords.
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Rosie has been waiting for her prince, and kissing a few frogs along the way, knowing that fate would bring him to her. It sounds a little woo-woo but she actually sells it pretty well. The whole idea of being open to possibilities and recognizing the choices offered up to her somehow works here. Although it doesn’t help her in her initial meeting with Jake as she immediately recognizes him as her true love … and overshares this with him. I mean, any guy is going to head for the hills at that point. Especially one as guy shy about relationships as Jake (although of course Rosie doesn’t know, or really care, about that).
Jake’s parent’s relationship has soured him on romance. Seeing his mom step out on his dad repeatedly and the way it broke the man has him swearing off love. Until he meets Rosie. While she seems a little unstable he can’t deny that there is a certain … feeling when he’s with her. One of peace and comfort, of rightness. But he doesn’t believe in love, right?
There’s a bit of insta-love, and some it-can-only-happen-in-books, going on (so be ready for some suspension of disbelief) but I really enjoyed the first of the Grimm’s Valley stories. Because Rosie believes that Jake is her fated love we spend most of the book waiting for him to catch up 🙂 It’s fun but it doesn’t really lead to a lot of development in their relationship. We do get a good bit of world building and a chance for readers to get to know characters that will play a part in future stories. Which I’m totally on board with and look forward to finding out who ends up with who & how! An entertaining and fast paced read, Grimm Prince is a fun introduction to a world of reimagined fairy tales.
*****
Author Info:
NS Johnson is the steamy small town contemporary pen name of Ines Johnson. The world NS creates will feature characters from fairytale, myths and lore in the small town of Grimm’s Valley. Like Ines, NS is also a lover of fairytales, folklore, and mythology who spends her days reimagining the stories of old in a modern world. She writes books where damsels cause the distress, princesses wield swords, and moms save the world.
My father’s business partner will do anything for the empire they built together…Even marry me.
Declan Hardy, All-American heartthrob and retired NFL billionaire, is my complete opposite. He’s commanding where I’m cooperative. Spontaneous while I am deliberate. Loud when I stay quiet. The only thing we have in common is that both our names are on my father’s will.
He’ll inherit the fitness and hospitality empire and I’ll keep the one thing I hold dear. As long as I marry him—with conditions.
One year of a fake marriage. One year of living together. One year of pretending I belong in his luxury lifestyle.
But stipulations are never that simple. Especially when I can’t tell if his kisses are fake or if I’m pretending when I kiss him back.
And as more conditions arise, it’s clear there’s a fine line between commitment and betrayal… and neither of us knows where that line falls.
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“What’s with this gold owl necklace?” He asked quietly.
“It meant something to me once.” I bit my lip as I looked at his, how close he was now, how I could feel his breath mingling with mine. “Felt like a symbol of being saved.”
“Hmm. Do you want to be saved now?”
“From what?”
He didn’t give me a moment to consider more. He pushed me up against the front of the Bugatti and devoured my mouth. I tasted his hate for all we were going through, his anger, his intrigue. I met it with mine. Bite for bite. Touch for touch. My hands were in his dark hair—pulling, clawing, consuming.
His fingers dug into my thighs as he lifted me onto the hood of his car and lapped at my neck while he moved between my legs. I wrapped them around him immediately, my body latching on like a starved animal who’d found a feast.
And I couldn’t stop even knowing that this arranged marriage was a recipe for disaster.
He ripped his lips from mine only to drag them over my neck, to taste my sensitive skin there, to suck it like he owned it. “No. You don’t want to be saved from this. From me. You want it, Everly. All of it.”
I shook my head but held him close, ground my hips into his length. “I’m here because I have to be, not because I want to be.”
“You don’t want to be?” He lifted one dark eyebrow, and then his hand was skirting under my dress and into my panties. “Tell me then, is it the rain making you wet or me?”
*****
Review:
(Before I get into my review, read that excerpt again and if you think that’s the hero for you then this is definitely your next read.)
Overall, the heat is off the charts but the heart seemed to be a little lacking for me. I enjoyed Everly, she’s strong and independent … except when it came to Declan. Every interaction with him had her folding to his will, which is fine in a dom/sub type relationship, I guess, but I would have really liked for there to be a bit more balance. It did lead some seriously off-the-charts hot sex scenes but it didn’t do much for me to feel their “love” for each other.
Declan was a little bit on the other side of Alpha, maybe even a touch toxic at times. He’s controlling, dominant, overly jealous, but can also be sweet and thoughtful so I can kinda get it – he will definitely appeal to some. And he had some moments for me as well, but there were also times when I felt like his dealings with Everly were unhealthy. I just kept thinking that a therapist would have a field day with this one (which I guess maybe isn’t what you should be thinking when you are reading a romance).
The lack of communication between these two, and the push-pull of their interactions, got a bit old and some of the things Declan did … I really don’t know how he expected it would all work out in the end. But I can see the allure and the author definitely has me intrigued about the next book. I’m more than willing to take my chances and find out how Alpha that Hardy brother can be!
Between Commitment and Betrayal will be the perfect read for the right audience – the writing is enjoyable and the characters have their appeal. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I think this author knows who she’s writing for and delivers to them exactly what they will love.
*****
Author Info:
Shain Rose is a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author. She has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in English Literature. Those degrees now help her write steamy romance with an edge. From contemporary to dark romance, you will always find a dominant hero and an emotional rollercoaster ride before you get to her happily ever afters.
She lives where the weather is always changing with a family she hopes will never change. When she isn’t writing, she’s spending time with her husband, two kids, and wild golden retriever. Yes, it takes a lot of books, coffee, and candy to keep her sane.
How could he have betrayed his own brother? His identical twin brother. The only true family he’d ever had.
Detective Rachel Lorensen has played so many roles in her undercover work with the Boston Police Department that she’s not entirely sure who she is anymore. Taking down the bad guys satisfies her and she loves the thrill of solving difficult cases, but something is missing in her life. Something she thought she had once. Something she wouldn’t mind having again.
Former news anchor Harris Wilder just completed sixteen months in jail for making some bad decisions. Though his brother has offered him a place to crash, he is eager to get his life back on track, but ties to his former journalistic glory have all been cut. He’s facing a complete reinvention of himself and doesn’t know where to start. He’d thought life on the outside would be easier than prison life. Now he isn’t so sure.
When one steamy kiss mistakenly gets Harris involved in Rachel’s latest undercover case, the safety of seventeen missing women is on the line.
Christine DePetrillo can often be found hugging trees, conversing with dragonflies, and walking barefoot through sun-warmed soil. She finds joy in listening to the wind, bathing in moonlight, and breathing in the fragrances of things that bloom. If she had her way, the sky would be the only roof over her head.
Her love of nature seeps into every story she tells. As does her obsession with bearded mountain men who build, often smell like sawdust, and know how to cherish the women they love. Today she writes tales meant to make you laugh, maybe make you sweat, and definitely make you believe in the power of love.
She lives in Vermont with her husband and many woodland creatures who defend her fiercely from all evils.
I might have made it as an NFL quarterback, but I was still me—still living in my hometown north of Nashville and tackling being a single dad. The media assumed I wore a halo beneath my helmet, but they didn’t know my tragic past. I was no angel.
Because the only woman I ever truly loved was the girl who stole my heart when it was committed to another, and I never recovered from the mess we created.
Seven years is a long time to wait for a second chance. I tried to move on and live without her. Now, Eden’s returned home to haunt me all over again, making me feel all the things I can’t deny when she’s near.
She might have her running shoes strapped on tight, but I’m desperate for her to stay this time. In order to do that, I need to find a way for us to put the past where it truly belongs, buried six feet deep with the person whose death still stands between us.
I didn’t become one of the best in the league by playing it safe. Eden’s always been mine, and it’s time she finally learns it, too.
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Stacey Lynn likes her coffee with a dash of sugar, her heroes with a side of bossy, and her wine a deep shade of red.
The author of over thirty romance novels, many of which have been best-selling titles on Amazon, AppleBooks, and Barnes & Noble, she loves being able to turn her vivid imagination into a career that brings entertainment and joy to her readers. Focused on sports romance and emotional, small-town romance, she also loves stretching herself in different genres.
Born in Texas and raised in the Midwest, she now makes her home in North Carolina and loves all things Southern. Together with her ultimate tall, dark, and handsome hero, she has four children. Her life is a chaotic mess that fights with her Type-A, list-making, neurotically organized preferences and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
When the new theater director wants to shake up the routine, Candy Cane Key’s mayor has some issues to take up with her. Readers who love Jessa Kane and Jamie Schlosser will enjoy Tidal Ides by Layne Daniels, a steamy, small town, enemies-to-lovers, beach romance.
Tidal Ides
Candy Cane Key
Man of the Month Club
by Layne Daniels
Blurb:
My job as mayor of the most Christmasy town South of the North Pole comes with enough perks to overlook the headaches of municipal leadership. Most of the time. The new owner of Candy Cane Key’s Community Playhouse is putting that theory to the test.
Austie Norman, with her holly berry red lips and evergreen eyes, fits in perfectly. If I ignore the way she’s messing with tradition and making changes. And if I ignore the way she blazes past tradition and brings fresh energy to town. Definitely if I ignore the way she makes my heart trip over itself every time we argue about her plans to produce an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Ides of March. We can’t do Shakespeare when we’re meant to be doing Seuss. This is Candy Cane Key and people have certain expectations when they come here.
I can ignore all of that to fall in love. I just need to find a way to make Austie ignore all the ways I drive her crazy so she falls in love with me, too.
The MAN OF THE MONTH CLUB is a steamy small-town collection featuring a new hottie (or two!) every month. In 2023, escape to Candy Cane Key, Florida, and celebrate ALL the holidays with your favorite group of romance authors and their delicious men. Can’t wait to see you there!
Layne is a USA Today Bestselling Author, a long time reader of steamy romance, and began writing her own stories in December of 2020. Her favorite books to read are about Daddy Doms, strong alpha men who fall in love with fierce women, and sex positive living. When she’s not writing, she’s wrangling her family of jocks into some semblance of chill, running a business, getting ALL the tattoos, and living her love-at-first-sight fairytale with Mr. Mine.
Romantic Reads and Such 