Lucy is the only woman I love. The only heart I cherish. But she can never be mine.
Life is danger, and life is pain. I learned that lesson at twelve years of age when my father and sister perished in flames. Lucy and I were the only survivors, she an abandoned little girl with pain in her eyes, tears on her cheeks, and steel in her heart.
I couldn’t lose her, so I lied about who we were, without knowing the terrible price we’d pay. Lucy and I became Barones, children of one of the wealthiest and most sinister families in Malus. I love Lucy more than anyone in the world, but I led her unwittingly into danger.
Our new family treads a dark and violent path, strewn with bullets and blood. Our true identity is a deadly secret. To protect my beautiful Lucy, I must walk the same path as our parents. To save her from a violent fate, I must arrange her marriage to someone else.
But seeing Lucy with another man’s ring on her finger unlocks feral instincts inside me. My desire for her is going to tear our lives apart, because I’m about to do something dangerous, reckless, and utterly forbidden.
I’m going to make Lucy mine.
Author’s Note: Forbidden Vow is a forbidden MF romance with dark themes, a jealous, overprotective and obsessed hero, and a sweet and clever virgin heroine. This is the second book in the Ruthless Arrangements series and can be read as a standalone. The story is dirty and delicious, so please read at your discretion.
Lilith Vincent is a steamy romance author who believes in living on the wild side! Whether it’s reverse harem or M/F romance, mafia men and bad boys with tattoos are her weakness, and the heroines who bring them to their knees.
Chloe Cunningham knows a thing or two about sacrifice. She’s devoted hours of her life to building a successful business.
But that devotion pales in comparison to the sacrifices made by one man.
Hawk Kennedy.
Hawk made one choice, and it destroyed his life. Though he doesn’t regret his decision, it has made rebuilding his life difficult.
Chloe thinks what Hawk did is admirable. Despite his claims that she’s far too good for him, Chloe insists he’s wrong. She sees the sweet, loving guy beneath the rough exterior, and she won’t stay away.
It works, and Hawk finally caves.
Unfortunately, Chloe’s refusal to stay away soon leaves Hawk in a precarious position. He’s faced with another choice that could obliterate his chance at salvaging his future. But Hawk stands by his principles and acts. Only this time, it’s Chloe who makes the greatest sacrifice of all.
A.K. Evans is a contemporary romance author of over seventy published novels. While she enjoys writing a good romantic suspense novel, Andrea’s favorite books to write have been her extreme sports romances. That might have something to do with the fact that she, along with her husband and two sons, can’t get enough of extreme sports.
Before becoming a writer, Andrea did a brief stint in the insurance and financial services industry and managed her husband’s performance automotive business. That love of extreme sports? She used to drive race cars!
When Andrea isn’t writing, she can be found homeschooling her two sons, doing yoga, snowboarding, reading, or traveling with her family. She and her husband are currently taking road trips throughout the country to visit all 50 states with their boys.
Jess Harper finally has the fresh start she was looking for until she needs a fake date to survive her ex’s wedding weekend. Caleb Ward is the reliable, closed-off man who agrees to help, expecting nothing more than a favor. But when their pretend relationship starts to feel real, they’ll have to decide if they’re brave enough to risk everything for something neither of them believed they deserved. Readers who enjoy steamy fake dating romances will devour Fake It Until It’s Real by Tina Gallagher & Cissy Mecca, a small-town, forced proximity romance.
She’s afraid she’s too much. He’s convinced he’ll never be enough.
Maplemoor is Jess Harper’s fresh start. A quiet place to rebuild after a future that never happened. Now she has a book club that feels like family, a coffee shop that knows her order, and a life that finally feels steady again.
What she doesn’t have is a date to her best friend’s wedding—the one where her ex and his brand-new fiancée will also be there.
Enter Caleb Ward. Dependable. Steady. The kind of man who shows up before you even have to ask—for everyone except himself. He’s got a life in Maplemoor that works for him, but when it comes to love, he keeps his walls firmly in place—and exactly where he wants them.
Agreeing to be Jess’s date to the wedding is just a favor. Nothing more.
Until it isn’t.
One weekend together. One very convincing performance.
Turns out the line between pretending and real is thinner than either of them thought. The hard part is knowing which side they’re on.
Copyright 2026, Author Tina Gallagher & Author Cissy Mecca
When he kissed me, it felt deliberate.
Not rushed. Not distracted. Just…there.
Present.
His hands settled at my waist like he had nowhere else he needed to be, no next step he was trying to get to.
And that was new.
Because in my experience, kissing was usually a means to an end. Something you moved through on the way to something else.
But this?
This felt like the point.
When he pulled back, it wasn’t far.
His forehead rested lightly against mine, his breath warm against my lips.
For a second, neither of us moved.
My eyes stayed closed, like opening them would break whatever this was.
My heart was beating too fast—loud enough that I was sure he could hear it.
And maybe he could, because his thumb brushed slowly along my jaw, like he was paying attention to every tiny reaction.
Like he was cataloging it.
Like it mattered.
My eyes opened.
His gaze dropped to my mouth again, like he wasn’t quite done.
And then he kissed me again.
Softer this time.
Slower.
No urgency. No hesitation. Just intention.
My fingers curled lightly into the front of his shirt, not pulling him closer, just…holding on.
He didn’t rush.
Didn’t push.
He just stayed there with me, like this moment—this exact moment—was enough.
And that was what undid me.
Because I wasn’t used to that.
Wasn’t used to someone not trying to get somewhere else.
Wasn’t used to someone who seemed perfectly content to just be here.
With me.
When he finally pulled back, it was gradual, like he wasn’t entirely convinced he should.
His hands stayed at my waist.
Mine stayed where they were.
Neither of us stepped away.
There was something in his expression now that hadn’t been there before.
Not uncertainty.
Not surprise.
Just awareness.
Of me.
Of this.
Of whatever this had just shifted into.
And suddenly, it didn’t feel like pretending anymore.
About Tina Gallagher
Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea.
A “recovering” 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes… from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.
A ruthless bodyguard sworn to protect a woman whose family is his sworn enemy finds his loyalty tested when forced proximity turns hatred into a dangerous attraction. As enemies close in and the line between desire and duty blurs, protecting her could mean betraying everything he’s ever known. Readers who enjoy forbidden, forced proximity romances with touch-her-and-die vibes will love The Protection Agreement by A. Akinosho, a steamy enemies-to-lovers, billionaire, bodyguard romance.
When a threat puts her life in danger, there’s only one man capable of protecting her—a ruthless bodyguard with a fearsome reputation and loyalty carved into his bones. The problem? His family and hers are sworn enemies. And he learned to hate her last name long before he ever knew her.
This is duty. A contract. Nothing more.
Shared space. Constant protection. No attachment. No temptation.
Forced proximity turns restraint into tension. Hatred softens. Awareness sharpens. Desire becomes impossible to ignore. She’s a damsel in distress who refuses to be fragile. He’s a possessive protector bound by duty, fighting feelings he has no right to claim. Every glance is forbidden. Every moment together is a betrayal written in silence.
As enemies close in and pressure mounts, distance becomes impossible.
Because the longer he stands between her and danger, the harder it is to remember where duty ends—and desire begins.
He was sworn to keep her alive. He just wasn’t prepared for what it would cost him.
Lexi returns from her room and takes the seat next to me. I’ve concluded that we are fighting a losing battle. It’s just a matter of time before the attraction between us takes over and its fiery flame burns through us. We are quiet, our eyes are trained on the movie even as I’m provocatively attune to her presence, her allure is seeping into every nook and cranny of my being. It doesn’t take long before she leans into me. I don’t move out of her reach. She’s soft and warm in my arms and my whole being is responding to her closeness. I need to get her in bed. I move her head from my shoulder.
“Hmm,” she groans. “Kiss me, Bruce,” she whispers. I pause for a moment, convinced I didn’t hear her.
“What did you say?” I ask, betting she doesn’t realize what she asked of me.
“Kiss me, Bruce,” she says, her voice barely audible. “I want you to kiss me. I took my meds.“ A chuckle escapes her “Be aware that I may not remember in the morning, so make it good so I can dream of you.” She grins, though a bit out of it.
I want her to remember, and I shouldn’t grant her request, but I’ve been dying to kiss her, so who am I to deny her request especially when she wants to dream of me. I shift positions so she’s on her back and I kiss her lips gently and she opens her mouth to let me in. I kiss her with the fervor of a starved man that I am. Her tongue swirls sweetly with mine. She wraps her arms around my neck and pulls me closer and deeper to her. My tongue is seeking every inch of her mouth, my body is intensely aroused. A soft moan escapes her, it sends a charge through my body.
I can probably make love to her now and she wouldn’t stop me, but I also want her sober and consenting plus I want her to always remember us, every touch, every kiss and every thrust of me inside her. I slowly pull away. Breaking the sweet feel of our kiss.
Fuck, I just kissed Jonah’s girl and I fucking like it.
She smiles. “Goodnight, Bruce.”
She turns to her side and sleeps like she didn’t just break through every resistance shield of mine. I sigh because looking at her, I want more. I feel it in the blood thumping in my veins. My ragged breath that I fucking need to control. My hands running through my hair in exasperation of what I’ve just done. I know there’s no going back now.
Leaning down, I lift her in my arms. She giggles like a little girl. I should leave her in her room, but I’ve a need for her closeness, I can’t explain or control. I move slowly with her asleep in my arms and place her gently in my bed. She curls to her side and sleeps off. I sit on the bed for a moment watching her, “she can’t leave” the voice that slams in my head. Just as Declan’s words a while ago “when you kiss the one, you never want another” I feel the weight of what I’ve done. Kissed the one but she belongs to another man and not just any man. A man that hates my guts, paid me to keep her safe and sternly warned me not to touch her. I now know why, he made that request because he knows once I did.
He and I would be at war. Yet I find myself willing to go to war for her. Damn it
I move closer and kiss her temple, my palm gently touching her face. A giggle escapes her and I wonder if she’s dreaming of me. I cover her and get off the bed. I go into the bathroom to shower and relieve the monster awakening between my legs. I get temporary relief. Wrapping my towel around my waist. I peep to check on her. She’s knocked out. I put sleeping pants on and get in bed with her, pulling her into my arms and she doesn’t resist.
About A. Akinosho
A. Akinosho lives in her own little nest in Illinois. An avid reader and enjoy reading thrillers, suspense, and romance novels (partial to the romance genre). When she’s not reading or keeping up with life, she enjoys writing and creating twists to stories. She loves writing about diverse characters, friendship, and overcoming challenges through what is perceived as a weakness.
NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you a new standalone series surrounding the Nashville Rampage football team. Risk the Play is a single mom, coach, best friend’s dad, forbidden, secret-relationship, age-gap romance.
Will
Football was always simple—follow the playbook, make the sacrifice, win the game.
I lived by that rule for decades, and it cost me everything. My marriage. My daughter.
By ten, she believed I loved the game more than her. Now she’s back in my life—with a family of her own—I fight every day to show her I’ve changed.
Then I fumble it all by falling for her best friend.
Amanda is strong, stubborn, and raising her daughter alone after her husband’s betrayal.
One kiss becomes something neither of us can ignore.
She wants to keep it secret. I don’t.
Because this time, I’m willing to risk the play. I won’t lose my second chance at love.
Amanda
I always knew I wanted to be a mother. I just never planned on doing it alone.
But when my ex got his assistant pregnant, I stopped, waiting for the life I thought I’d have—and choose motherhood for myself.
Now I’m a single mom doing my best to build a quiet, steady life with no drama and no risks.
Until my best friend’s father becomes the one risk I can’t resist.
Coach Warner is disciplined, respected… and completely off limits.
Watching him fight for his daughter only makes falling for him more dangerous.
We tell ourselves it’s just once.
But one reckless kiss turns into a night we can’t take back—and a secret we definitely can’t afford to keep.
Because if we’re discovered, I could lose my best friend…
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan has been crowned the Queen of Swoon by her readers. With nearly fifty romance books under her belt, she’s known for penning happily ever afters with heart. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand or hanging out with her family where she resides in her home state of Ohio.
Cover Photographer: R plus M Photo/Reggie Deanching
My life was boring, so I decided to shake it up a bit.
With my life at the ranch changing by the minute, and not for the better, it seemed I would never find any excitement to fill my days.
They say to be careful what you wish for, and I learned that the hard way.
Walking in on a stranger trying on my teal coat, only to find out we slept together, was a shocker.
I didn’t remember a single second of how we met or what happened after.
Neither did he.
But apparently, everyone in town knew our business.
And the secret we were carrying around.
But before I got a chance to tell my new man any of this, things took a strange turn.
Bullets flying, men attacking every hour of the day, and neither of us had any idea why.
And that was just the bad stuff.
There was an undeniable chemistry between us, and keeping our hands to ourselves turned out to be harder than I thought.
But the infuriating man was insistent on keeping me safe.
And the whole time, all I really wanted to say was Shut Up and Kiss Me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Goodreads Review – “It’s got serious heat, lots of action, and that layer of ridiculousness that Giulia Lagomarsino is known for.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Goodreads Review – “I was glued to my kindle from start to finish of this story. It was hilarious, full of action and drama.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Goodreads Review – “Rob and Krista wake up married in Vegas and that’s just the beginning of this clusterf**k. Once again you just have to strap in and enjoy the ride.”
Hard Rock Bottom of Your Heart ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazon Review – “Some of her best writing…Holy cow, this book! I was immediately immersed in Murky Falls! I could not put this book down. Im excited to read the rest of the series!”
Real Good Man ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazon Review from C. Luna – “Real Good Man by Giulia Lagomarsino is the kind of small-town romance that sneaks past your defenses with humor, heart, and a slow-burn love you didn’t see coming—but end up rooting for with your whole chest.”
How Forever Feels ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazon Review – “This author never fails to entertain. Her characters come to life. You live their emotions. Every. Book is it’s own adventure. Next book please!”
I’m a stay at home mom that loves to read. Some of my favorite titles are Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and Horatio Hornblower. I started writing when I was trying to come up with suggestions on ways I could help bring in some extra money. I came up with the idea that I could donate plasma because you could earn an extra $500/month. My husband responded with, “No. Find something else. Write a blog. Write a book.” I didn’t think I had anything to share on blog that a thousand other mothers hadn’t already thought of. I decided to take his challenge seriously and sat down to write my first book, Jack. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed writing. From there, the stories continued to flow and I haven’t been able to stop. I hope my readers enjoy my books as much as I enjoy writing them. Between reading, writing, and taking care of three small kids, my days are quite full.
Genre/Tropes: Small Town – Sexy Geologist/Injured Retired MLB Pitcher – Protector – Opposites Attract – Virgin – True Crime Podcaster – Secret Online Pinup Model – Crochet Queen
Release Date: April 20, 2026
Sharing a heated glance across a crowded bar, they both feel the spark of something monumental. And then life throws a curveball, separating them before they even have a chance to properly meet.
Bryce is a former major league pitcher who retired after a career-ending injury. Still young, he embraces his love of geology, and secures a job in Homer, Alaska. He falls in love with the state, and becomes infatuated with a woman he saw only briefly, who looks strikingly similar to an internet pin-up model he follows.
Craving independence and privacy after high school graduation, Lucinda moved to a small town outside Homer to start living her best life as a true crime podcaster. A virginal introvert with a big heart, she spends her free time crocheting blankets for babies in the NICU. But she’s not as innocent as she appears. She has a secret… She’s a sultry internet pin-up model.
Since exchanging glances that one fateful night, they’ve been pining for each other. Then fate steps in and brings them together in the most unexpected place… on a fishing charter in the middle of Kachemak Bay.
An unlikely pair with intense, unquestioning chemistry, they’re forced to work together, and confront the assumptions they hold about one another.
Operations Manager Carli Porter runs The Lochwell as if it were her own and is fiercely protective of the community she’s built within its walls. But when the building’s owner sends in his best friend to evaluate its future, Caril finds herself fighting to keep everything she loves from slipping away. Left with no other option, she’s forced to team up with Alexander Grassi, the very man who could decide the building’s fate. Pre-order this he-falls-first romance with small-town and rivals-to-lovers tropes from Cissy Mecca & Tina Gallagher.
Title: Fight It Until We Can’t
Author: Cissy Mecca & Tina Gallagher
Release Date: 05/12/2026
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Page Count: 280 pages
Tropes: Small-Town, Rivals-to-Lovers, Forced Proximity, He Falls First, Found Family, Competence Kink
Blurb
He’s a property analyst hired to find the cracks.
She’s the operations manager who will make sure he doesn’t.
Carli Porter runs The Lochwell like it’s hers. The coffee shop is her living room. Its book club members are her family. The residents are her friends. The pub is her Friday night. The only problem? The building belongs to someone else, and that someone just sent his best friend to decide its fate.
Alexander Grassi is smart and annoyingly hard to hate. He also has the kind of forearms that make it very difficult to stay mad at him. (She’s tried. It hasn’t worked.) He’s supposed to write a report, hand it over to his friend and leave. He wasn’t supposed to start showing up to trivia night. Or turning her coffee cup so the handle faces her. Or looking at her like she’s the best thing in a building full of things worth saving.
She says his report could ruin her life.
He says she’s not wrong.
She says that’s makes him the last person she should want around.
He says he’s staying anyway.
Because some legacies (and people) are worth fighting for.
A “recovering” 8th-grade teacher and curriculum consultant with a PhD in Language & Literacy, Cecelia loves writing high-heat, emotionally charged romance. The Brands (The Mecca Romance Multiverse): Cissy Mecca: Contemporary Romance, Cecelia Mecca: Medieval and Scottish Historical Romance. C.L. Mecca: Fantasy and Paranormal Romance. Mecca Romance Signature Style: Heroines: Bold, strong women who fall hard but never lose their identity. Heroes: High-heat, protective, and intense. Vibe: Visceral, sensory-rich escapes… from family-owned vineyards to the war-torn Anglo-Scottish borders. Other Info: Representation: Katie Reed (Katie Reed Literary) Personal: Married, two teens, Disney enthusiast, traveler, and wine lovers Authority: PhD background makes her an excellent guest for craft-focused podcasts or literacy-based panels.
Tina Gallagher grew up and continues to live in Northeast Pennsylvania. As a tween, she and her best friend would create happily ever afters for their favorite soap opera couples. Eventually, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. Before living her dream as a full-time author, she worked a spectrum of jobs ranging from baking and cake decorating to marketing and project management. In between creating memorable characters, traveling, and taking pole dance lessons, Tina enjoys spending time with her two grown children and Golden Irish named Thea.
I left for my “honeymoon” solo but came home married to a rock star. Oh boy.
My entire world collapses a week before my wedding.
My ex is not the man I thought he was, and I have the shiner to prove it.
Heartbroken, I board my honeymoon flight alone and spend my days sitting on the beach, wondering how I never saw it coming.
Enter Mal.
I’m not sure how I didn’t recognize the biggest guitar player in the world.
I just know I feel safe in his arms, and he’s as different from my ex as can be—gentle, giving, spontaneous…
Planning to marry someone I thought I knew didn’t work, so why not marry a stranger?
But when his world gets rocked in the worst possible way, and he goes back on the promises he made to me on that beach, I have to choose between stability and the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me…for all the right reasons.
Lick It Up kicks off the Long Licks series. Grab this angsty, elopement with a rock star, age gap, spicy romance about two people finding themselves and love despite tragedy coming at them from every direction.
Gillian has a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering but prefers to spend her time on happily ever after. She writes the kind of stories she loves to read—the hotter the better!
When Gillian’s not pounding away on the keyboard, she can be found surfing the couch indulging in her latest reality tv fixation, baking something ridiculously tasty (and horrible for her waist line) or snuggling with her husband.
Home is currently in the wilds of Nevada with her amazing husband, ridiculously cute kiddo, and goofy dog.
From New York Times Bestselling Author R.L. Mathewson comes the next novel in the Neighbor from Hell series, filled with revenge, questionable choices, and a Bradford determined to make the one woman that he couldn’t live without fall in love with him.
Once upon a time, Kristen Haven was his best friend, his entire world, and the one woman Garrett Bradford couldn’t stop thinking about, but that all changed six years ago when a simple misunderstanding ruined everything, and now…
Now, he was really hoping that she was willing to overlook the fact that he’d made her life a living hell for the past six years.
It was never going to happen.
Not after he’d told her to go to hell, and definitely not after he sent clowns to frolic in her front yard. Now that he knew the truth, Kristen was determined to forget about him and move on with her life, but there was just one problem with that plan…
She needed him.
Which meant that she had no choice but to give in to his demands, remind herself that she needed him whenever the urge to beat the hell out of him with whatever was within reach hit, and pretend that she wasn’t falling in love with the one man that she could never forgive.
A romantic comedy about second chances, revenge, questionable life choices, and one man determined to win back the only woman he’s ever loved…whether she likes it or not.
New York Times Bestselling author, R.L. Mathewson was born in Massachusetts. She’s known for her humor, quick wit and ability to write relatable characters. She currently has several paranormal and contemporary romance series published including the Neighbor from Hell series.
Growing up, R.L. Mathewson was a painfully shy bookworm. After high school she attended college, worked as a bellhop, fast food cook, and a museum worker until she decided to take an EMT course. Working as an EMT helped her get over her shyness as well as left her with some fond memories and some rather disturbing ones that from time to time show up in one of her books.
Today, R.L. Mathewson is the single mother of two children that keep her on her toes. She has a bit of a romance novel addiction as well as a major hot chocolate addiction and on a perfect day, she combines the two.
If you’d like more information about this series or any other series by R.L. Mathewson, please visit www.Rlmathewson.com
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