A Sexy New Romance Series

November 16, 2016November 16, 2016 / Linda / Leave a comment

wedding

Looking for a sexy, romantic comedy to read? USA TODAY bestselling author Lauren Layne, the “queen of witty dialogue and sexy scenes”, has written a new series, The Wedding Belles, about three ambitious wedding planners in New York City. Picture Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner and you’ll come up with a sweet, charming, and entertaining story.

Despite taking place in glamorous New York City, readers from all parts of the country can relate to the characters in their common struggles to succeed in their work life and personal life. The author captures everyday feelings and situations with exquisite writing filled with passion and humor. Add to this, beautiful setting descriptions and very likeable secondary characters and you’ll come away with a very enjoyable, fun, and sexy read.

The first book in the series is To Have and To Hold. Discovering her fiancé is an international con man just moments before they exchange vows devastates celebrity wedding planner Brooke Baldwin. Now a pariah in Los Angeles, she seeks a fresh start in New York City and thinks she’s found it with her first bridal client, a sweet—if slightly spoiled—hotel heiress. Then she meets the uptight businessman who’s holding the purse strings.

Seth Tyler wishes he could write a blank check and be done with his sister Maya’s fancy-pants wedding. Unfortunately, micromanaging the event is his only chance at proving Maya’s fiancé is a liar. Standing directly in his way is the stunning blonde wedding planner whose practiced smiles and sassy comebacks both irritate and arouse him. He needs Brooke’s help. But can he persuade a wedding planner on a comeback mission to unplan a wedding? And more importantly, how will he convince her that the wedding she should be planning…is theirs?

Second in the series is For Better or Worse. When small-town girl Heather Fowler finally gets promoted from assistant to actual wedding planner, she’s determined to make it as one of Manhattan’s elite Wedding Belles. Unfortunately, her first client demands an opulent black-tie affair at the Plaza…in five months’ time. Heather’s days quickly become a flurry of cake tastings, dress-fittings, RSVP cards, and bridal tantrums. But what she’s really losing sleep over is the live music blaring from her playboy neighbor’s apartment all night.

Five years ago, Josh Tanner was an up-and-comer on Wall Street, complete with the penthouse and the migraines. But a grim cancer diagnosis made him realize there is more to life than the corner office. If only he could convince his pretty, workaholic neighbor to let loose, too. As Heather lets down her guard, Josh is surprised when he starts falling for the sweet, vulnerable woman hiding beneath those power suits. Soon, it’s Heather’s turn to convince Josh to take the biggest risk of all: love.

Book three is To Love and To Cherish. Alexis Morgan has spent the past eight years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premiere wedding planning company, The Wedding Belles. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn towards her much neglected personal life, and Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Not a part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Belles, and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. But Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan’s all business, all the time—except when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss that leaves the usually cool and together Alexis reeling.

Author Lauren Layne –

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011, where she ditched the corporate world to pursue a full-time writing career.

Hobbies include cocktail hour, a designer purse addiction, and dry rosé.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

Jane Austen Spinoffs

September 19, 2016September 9, 2016 / Kaitlin / Leave a comment

If one way to measure the popularity of an author is to note the number of spinoffs that his or her work has created, then Jane Austen is high on the popularity list!

Longbourn by Jo Baker
This is the story of Sarah, the Bennet’s housemaid in Pride and Prejudice, as she serves in their household while the events of the classic unfold. However, the downstairs is just as eventful as the upstairs, especially when a new footman arrives.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith
This is a retelling of Pride and Prejudice during a zombie apocalypse. Elizabeth Bennett is fighting off the zombie infestation after a plague has settled on the village. However, she also finds herself fighting Mr. Darcy after his arrival.

Jane Austen and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor by Stephanie Barron
This is the first book in a mystery series about Jane Austen as a detective. In this book, Jane’s friend Isobel is newly wed to a man who is many years her senior. Then, during the night, her new husband dies. Soon after his death, Isobel’s maid accuses Isobel of murdering her husband and committing adultery with her late husband’s nephew.

An Assembly Such as This by Pamela Aidan
This is the story of Pride and Prejudice, told from the point of view of Fitzwilliam Darcy. This is the book to read if you wish to know more about the mysterious man and his view of the events in the classic novel.

The Mysterious Death of Miss Jane Austen by Lindsay Ashford
Anne Sharp was Jane Austen’s governess. Ever since Jane’s death twenty-six years earlier, Anne has held onto a lock of Jane’s hair. However, Anne is following up on a suspicion that she has carried with her all this time. Jane may have been murdered, and the lock of hair may prove it.

The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen by Syrie James
Samantha McDonough finds a letter that laments a missing manuscript at an estate in Devonshire. The author of both the letter and the manuscript is thought to be none other than Jane Austen. All that that Samantha needs to do is figure out a way of working with Anthony Whitaker, the handsome owner of the estate.

Emma: A Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith
As the title describes, this is the modern version of the classic novel about a young woman who interferes in the lives of those around her. Fresh from college, Emma is kept busy by running her own business, caring for her father, and playing matchmaker.

Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid
This is a modern retelling of Northanger Abbey. Cat Morland, who loves to read novels, constantly fantasizes about experiencing adventures. So, when she travels to Edinburgh to attend a festival, she begins to wonder about the mysterious Northanger Abbey and its seemingly perfect residents, one of whom is very handsome.

Flowers Are Blooming

August 15, 2016July 13, 2016 / Linda / Leave a comment

flowers 2

Everywhere you look, there are beautiful flowers blooming. Nature’s artwork is a feast for the eyes. Another feast for the eyes, is a good book to read. To continue with the flower theme, here’s a list of fiction books with ‘flower’ in the title. Pick a title, find a beautiful place to sit, and enjoy your reading!

The Language of Flowers – Vanessa Diffenbaugh.
Discovering the symbolic meanings of flowers while languishing in the foster-care system, 18-year-old Victoria is hired by a florist, a situation that leads to a romantic prospect and the confrontation of a painful secret from her past.

All The Flowers Are Dying – Lawrence Block.
Matthew Scudder, with his eye keenly on retirement, unofficially investigates the suspicious online suitor of an acquaintance, and finds his own life in grave danger.

Send No Flowers – Sandra Brown.
Since the death of her husband, Alicia Russell has struggled to take care of her two young sons alone. Now fiercely independent, she is determined to never again depend on another person. But when a sudden storm threatens to ruin a family camping trip, Alicia finds it hard to say no to a stranger offering a night’s refuge–especially when the man playing hero offers much more than shelter from the storm.

A Hundred Flowers – Gail Tsukiyama.
A tale set during the Chinese Cultural Revolution follows the struggles of Kai Ying to safeguard her family when her teacher husband is arrested and sent to a “reeducation” labor camp for criticizing the Communist Party.

The Blood of Flowers – Anita Amirrezani.
After her father dies without leaving her with a dowry, a seventeenth-century Persian teen becomes a servant to her wealthy rug designer uncle in the court of Shah Abbas the Great, where her weaving talents prove both a blessing and curse.

Flowers on Main – Sherryl Woods.
When she abandons Chicago and returns home to open a flower shop, writer Bree O’Brien finds her new life anything but peaceful when her estranged mother arrives and her former lover, Jake Collins, tries to run her out of town.

The War of Flowers – Tad Williams.
When his music career becomes stagnant, thirty-year-old Theo Vilmos seeks solace in a secluded cabin in the woods where he discovers an old book written by his great-uncle that transports him into the terrifying world of Faerie – a strange and dangerous place that holds the key to his destiny.

Queen of the Flowers – Kerry Greenwood.
Chosen Queen of the Flowers for St. Kilda’s first Flower Parade festival, Phryne Fisher finds the glamour of her crown wearing off when one of her attendants vanishes. She launches her own investigation, which is complicated by the disappearance of her adopted daughter Ruth and a not-so-pleasant reunion with an old lover.

All The Flowers in Shanghai – Duncan Jepson.
A young Chinese woman plots revenge after being forced into a cruel arranged marriage in 1930s Shanghai as the entire country begins to become gripped in a growing call for revolution.

The Art of Arranging Flowers – Lynne Branard.
After 20 years as an intuitive florist who has helped her friends, neighbors, and customers with their romances, celebrations, and sympathy gestures, Ruby Jewell looks to the power of that community to heal her floundering spirit after her sister’s death.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan – Lisa See.
A story of friendship set in nineteenth-century China follows an elderly woman and her companion as they communicate their hopes, dreams, joys, and tragedies through a unique secret language.

Looking For Some Hot Romance to Read?

August 3, 2016June 28, 2016 / Linda / 1 Comment

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We’re into the hot and steamy summer. Here’s a new author with a hot romance series to help you feel the burn.

Chanel Cleeton is the author of the new series Wild Aces. It’s about a group of F-16 fighter pilots who fly fast, love hard, and live dangerously. The stories are sexy, funny, emotional, and heart wrenching. These are the very realistic portrayals of relationships between military and non-military couples – touching on the struggles and triumphs of loving a military person.

The first book in the series is Fly With Me. While partying in Las Vegas, clothing boutique owner Jordan Callahan takes a gamble on U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Noah Miller, but when the dangers of his job become all too real, she must decide whether or not she is ready to risk everything for love.

Having the story told from both Jordan’s and Noah’s point of view in vivid detail was an added bonus. The author nailed the dynamics between them – the reader feels their frustration, their happiness, their love, their wild ride of emotions. The characters are in their 30’s or older, so there is a bit of maturity about the story. The secondary characters prove to be just as interesting as the main couple and you’ll be eager to read about them in upcoming books.

Being in love is hard. Being in the military adds a whole other dimension to it. This is a beautifully written story that let’s you inside the emotional journey.

Book two is Into the Blue . Eric Jansen—call sign Thor—loves nothing more than pushing his F-16 to the limit. Returning home to South Carolina after a tragic loss, he hopes to fix the mistake he made long ago, when he chose the Air Force over his fiancée. Becca Madison isn’t quick to welcome Thor back. She can’t forget how he shattered her heart. But Thor won’t give up once he’s set his sights on what he wants—and he wants Becca. Thor shows Becca that he’s no longer the impulsive boy he used to be, and Becca finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But will Thor be able to walk away from his dream of flying the F-16 for their love or does his heart belong to the sky?

About The Author

chanel Originally a Florida girl, Chanel moved to London where she received a bachelor’s degree from Richmond, The American International University in London and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Chanel fell in love with London and planned to stay there forever, until fate intervened on a Caribbean cruise and a fighter pilot with smooth dance moves swept her off her feet. Now, a happily ever after later, Chanel is living her next adventure. She started out with publishing e-books and has now graduated to paperback novels.

Caution: This series may be too sexually explicit for some readers. (But you can do what I do, skip over the explicit parts. These books are too good to pass up!)

New Fiction Coming Soon! July/August 2016

July 7, 2016June 1, 2016 / Linda / Leave a comment

coming soon

Want a little heads up on when your favorite author is publishing a new book? Here are some of the new fiction hardcover books coming out in July and August. Clicking on the title will bring you to our catalog where you can place a hold if you’d like.

JULY

Andrews, V.C. – Whitefern – The long-awaited sequel to My Sweet Audrina, one of V.C. Andrews’s strangest, most beloved books—and now a Lifetime movie! Whitefern swallowed Audrina’s childhood—and now the sprawling Victorian mansion threatens her adult life too.

Atkins, Ace – The Innocents – A former high school cheerleader is found walking a back road completely engulfed in flames.

Fairstein, Linda – Killer Look – When murder rocks New York City’s Fashion Week, Alex Cooper along with Detectives Mike Chapman and Mercer Wallace, must reveal the grime beneath the glitz to expose the culprit—unless a wolf in model’s clothing gets to them first.

Green, Jane – Falling – Eight years ago, Emma Montague left behind the strict confines—and rather dull boyfriend—of her upper-crust English life and moved to New York City, where she immediately found success in finance. But her soulless, cutthroat, all-consuming job was another life she didn’t want.

Hambly, Barbara – Drinking Gourd – Following the murder of a chief ‘conductor’ of the Underground Railroad, Jubal Cain, the coordinator of the entire Railroad system in Mississippi, is accused of the crime. It’s up to Benjamin January to step in and find the true killer – before their covers are blown.

Johansen, Iris – Night and Day – Protecting Cara Delaney from the enemies who want her dead leads Eve to be their target. It will take everything she has to rescue Cara, and doing so will put that which is dearest to her at risk.

Lindsey, Johanna – Make Me Love You – A sparkling, passionate tale of an earl’s daughter who must convince a mysterious viscount to marry her and end his vendetta against her brother.

Lovesey, Peter – Another One Goes Tonight – Two police officers are about to head home after a long night shift when they receive one last call: a suspicious nude person has been spotted. En route to the call, the patrol car spins off the road, killing one of the exhausted cops instantly and leaving the other in critical condition.

Mccall Smith, Alexander – Chance Developments – While gathering material for a photography book about Edinburgh, Alexander McCall Smith found himself inspired to create stories about the people captured in a number of particularly striking photos.

Pearson, Ridley – White Bone – When ex–military contractor John Knox receives a text from partner Grace Chu warning that she fears her cover may have been blown while on assignment, he jumps into action.

Rose, M. J. – The Secret Language of Stones – As World War I rages and the Romanov dynasty reaches its sudden, brutal end, a young jewelry maker discovers love, passion, and her own healing powers in this rich and romantic ghost story.

Rosenfelt, David – Outfoxed – Lately, Defense lawyer Andy Carpenter has been involved in a county prison program where inmates help train dogs the Tara Foundation, the dog rescue organization he runs, to make them more adoptable, benefiting both the dogs and the prisoners.

Steel, Danielle – Magic – A tale set against a backdrop of the glamorous annual White Dinners in Paris traces the experiences of longtime participant Jean-Philippe Dumas, who reflects on friendship, love and magical possibilities on a life-changing night.

Wood, Barbara – Land of the Afternoon Sun – The story of a woman finding her own personality and strength in the West against a breathtaking desert landscape that changes constantly and shows its deadly side in poisonous snakes, flash floods and sand storms, with dramatic moments of forbidden romance, reversals, treachery, betrayal and, ultimately, triumphs.

AUGUST

Andrews, Donna – Die Like An Eagle – Meg and Michael coach their twin sons’ youth baseball team and tangle with Biff Brown, the petty, vindictive league head. On opening day, Biff’s lookalike brother is found dead at the ball field. Biff has an alibi–and Meg suspects he may actually have been the intended victim.

Bowen, Rhys – Crowned and Dangerous – With Darcy driving me out of London in a borrowed motor car, I soon discover that he isn’t planning to introduce me to the pleasures of sinning in secret—as I had hoped—but to make me his wife!

Brown, Dale – Puppet Master – Recruited into the FBI to help track down criminals behind a massive financial scam, a robotics genius is swept up by a dangerous conspiracy that compels him to unleash the most powerful cyber weapons the world has ever seen.

Burke, James Lee – The Jealous Kind – An atmospheric, powerful, coming-of-age story set in 1950s Texas, as the specter of the Korean War looms.

Carr, Caleb – Surrender, New York – Many dedicated years working for the NYPD didn’t mean much when criminal psychologist Trajan Jones was fired from the force. Now living in exile in upstate New York, Trajan is reduced to teaching an online course in criminal investigation.

Connolly, John – A Time of Torment – Dangerous and driven private investigator Charlie Parker returns in the latest gripping thriller, in which ungodly fears haunt a strange and isolated community.

Ferris, Monica – Knit Your Own Murder – Local knitters are participating in a fundraising auction to save a community center, creating a growing pile of stuffed animals and toys right in front of the auctioneers as the audience bids. Among those contributing the most knitted goods is temperamental businesswoman Marsha Hanover—who keels over halfway through the event.

Garlock, Dorothy – Sunday Kind of Love – The New York Times best-selling author of Twice in a Lifetime presents a latest heartland America romance that explores the challenges of finding love in unexpected places.

Gregory, Philippa – Three Sisters, Three Queens – Raised in the coldly ambitious nursery of their grandmother Lady Margaret Beaufort (The Red Queen) Margaret and Mary Tudor are destined to be queens. The lives of these three women intertwine, as each survives childbirth, war, and political treachery.

Griffin, W.E.B. – Broken Trust – Having investigated his share of gruesome murders, Philadelphia Homicide Sergeant Matt Payne is beginning to think nothing can shock him – until the case of a young socialite’s death lands on his desk.

Macomber, Debbie – Sweet Tomorrows – Jo Marie Rose and Mark Taylor return in the conclusion to this wonderful series set in Cedar Cove, as new guests check in to the Rose Harbor Inn—where happily ever afters await those who need them most.

Neggers, Carla – Liar’s Key – An FBI legend, a mysterious antiquities specialist and a brazen art thief draw top FBI agents Emma Sharpe and Colin Donovan into a complex web of blackmail, greed and murder.

Patterson, James – Bullseye – Tracking a pair of killers who are targeting an extremely popular United States president, detective Michael Bennett puts himself in the line of fire to prevent an assassination and the re-ignition of the Cold War.

Phillips, Susan Elizabeth – First Star I See Tonight – A star quarterback and a feisty detective play for keeps in this sporty, sexy, sassy novel.

Scottoline, Lisa – Damaged – Named the guardian ad litem of a middle-school boy with emotional issues on whose behalf she is suing the Philadelphia school district, Mary DiNunzio is confronted by elite lawyer Nick Machiavelli and risks her engagement in her obsessive investment in the case.

Steel, Danielle – Rushing Waters – An interior designer, her independent architect mother, a British investment banker, an ER doctor who survived Hurricane Sandy and two NYU students are thrust together when a major hurricane descends upon New York City and wreaks unimaginable devastation

Wiggs, Susan – Family Tree -Love. Success. A handsome husband, a beautiful home. These are the things Annie Rush can call her own. These are the foundations of her charmed life in Los Angeles. But in an instant, that life is shattered. And as Annie sifts through the ashes, she must face the shock and pain of a devastating loss.

Woods, Stuart – Smooth Operator – When President Kate Lee calls Stone Barrington to Washington on an urgent matter, it’s soon clear that a potentially disastrous situation requires the kind of help more delicate than even he can provide .