Contemporary Books

Attorneys Landon Holt and Carly Pachett want the exact same thing: the only open partnership spot at their prestigious criminal defense firm. When Landon and Carly are forced to collaborate on the defense of one of the firm’s A-list celebrity clients in a high-profile murder case, there’s no question the assignment is a test to see which one of them will get the promotion.

Fierce determination to stand out fuels the already heated rivalry between them, but all those late nights working on legal strategy also fan the flames of attraction. When it comes to the verdict, will they compromise their careers for love?

Police Officer Grace Booker’s life is good—but not quite everything she'd hoped. When a good deed goes wrong, she’s left with Dirty Harry, a raucous African parrot who really hates her. When Harry becomes louder and more neurotic, Grace takes him to the new local vet, Dr. Dani Wingate.

Recently laid off from her dream job as a zoo veterinarian, Dr. Dani Wingate accepts a temporary position in tiny Pine Cone until she can get back to her life in the city. The only thing she wants more than a lesbian who can do uncomplicated relationships is a one-way ticket out of town.

Dirty Harry brings them together, but their unexpected attraction keeps the sparks flying.

Personal trainer Rebecca McCall is furious when her coworker is sidelined and she’s forced to teach the “Be Your Best Bride” class. As if being a size two for your wedding photos is all exercise is good for. Could the whole thing get more vain and sexist? The class is full of preening, giggling Bridezillas, but one woman stands out. The one who confesses she’s only there because her fiancée signed her up. Who does that to someone they care about? And why can’t Rebecca take her eyes off her?

Spencer Thompson is a second-guesser. After making the worst mistake of her life, she’s happy to abdicate responsibility and let other people make her decisions for her. She’s always felt a little bit too soft, a little bit too curvy in all the wrong places. Her fiancée apparently agrees because she signed Spencer up for a class at the gym. Terrified by the online profile of the instructor, the epitome of Zero Body Fat, Spencer is relieved to find someone new, and realistic looking, leading the class. Except the instructor seems to hate her and Spencer has no idea why. 

When a perfectly innocent post workout smoothie leads to an earth shattering kiss, Rebecca wonders if she’s been wrong all along, and Spencer is challenged to make another decision that could change her life forever.

Coming out is easier when you’ve got someone by your side. At least that’s how the hyper-private Quinn Kincaid sees it. When her publicist suggests a good old-fashioned sham of a Hollywood relationship, Quinn reluctantly agrees. And that’s how the star of Jordan’s Appeal, TV’s highest rated legal drama, ends up with a fake girlfriend—the very real, very sexy, and very gay soap star, Lacey Matthews.

The two clash immediately, and often hilariously, as they figure out how to fake a budding romance. And of course, things are never as simple as they seem. A freak accident, some reluctant caregiving, and a chance to work together on Jordan’s Appeal force Quinn and Lacey closer together—for better or worse. 

In Casting Lacey, Elle Spencer gives us a funny new take on a classic storyline, complete with nosy mothers, fawning assistants, and two beautiful actresses who might learn about true love. If they don’t kill each other first.

¿Qué haces cuando tu vida tan cuidadosamente planeada da un giro equivocada el infierno?

Cuando Quinn Maguire, una cirujana de trauma, joven y atractiva, incomprensiblemente acepta la posición de médica en la sala de urgencias, su jefa nueva, Honor Blake, sospecha que Quinn está ocultando un secreto oscuro. Cuando las dos declaran una tregua inestable en un esfuerzo a trabajar juntas, ambas luchan contra una atracción mutual e inesperada. Sin embargo, Honor tiene más que una razón a resistir sus sentimientos crecientes para la novata atractiva… sin mencionar que su corazón pertenece a la mujer cuyo anillo matrimonial lleva puesto. En medio del caos y drama de una sala de urgencias ocupada, Quinn y Honor necesitan enfrentar no solo la naturaleza frágil de la vida, pero también los misterios del corazón y las fuerzas irresistibles del destino.

A Spanish translation of Fated Love.

Former U.S. Army pilot Lauren Henley and police training instructor Kim “Monty” Montgomery share a love of country, a sense of duty, and grief for a woman who left them too soon. That the woman they lost was a friend to one and a lover to the other should at least give Kim and Lauren something on which to build a friendship. But from the moment they met, they’ve been at odds.

When Lauren gets a job at the same police department as Kim, they are forced to at least fake professional respect. Eventually, respect and begrudging attraction turns to affection, then something deeper.

Lauren Daly is fed up with her dead-end job, frustrating roommates, and unhealthy love life. She escapes to The Dollhouse, New Jersey’s hottest lesbian bar, where disappearing in a crowd of gorgeous women is exactly what she needs at the end of the day. But when the owner, Berit Matthews, approaches her for a casual hookup, Lauren pushes her away, knowing better than to put her heart on the line for a playgirl.

Berit loves her bar, her life, and the casual connections she has with the women around her. She can’t help her simmering attraction for Lauren, though, and Lauren’s rejection challenges her to prove she's capable of friendship, kindness, and even matchmaking. Berit’s efforts draw them closer than either expected, but when The Dollhouse is threatened, they’re forced to fight for their sanctuary and their newfound love.

Veterinarian Trip Beaumont likes being a big fish in a small pond. There’s hardly an animal she can’t heal or a woman she can’t charm within fifty miles of Pine Cone, Georgia—except for the irritating and elusive new cop who keeps leaving parking tickets on her truck. 

Officer Jamie Grant has never liked rule breakers, but she’s especially incensed when she discovers Trip owns the truck that is constantly parked illegally. She’s searched carefully for a quiet, eclectic community to settle down with her drug-sniffing—albeit gastric-challenged—canine partner, Petunia. Instead, she finds herself on a collision course with the woman who stole her college girlfriend and broke her heart after an ill-conceived threesome.

Olivia Dawson is in a personal and creative rut when her interior design team nets a contract that could change everything. Olivia grabs the chance to reignite her passion, to step outside her comfort zone, and to achieve national exposure if she delivers everything the client expects.

Savannah Quinn fled a broken heart and started fresh in a new city, at a new job, without any of her past in the rearview. Her new position as corporate liaison to Olivia and her team is exactly the distraction she’s looking for. She doesn’t have to settle into her empty apartment if she’s never there, right? And she can’t be betrayed if she never asks for forever.

Long days in strange cities bring Olivia and Savannah closer, but keeping their growing attraction separate from their professional relationship feels impossible. When Savannah has to choose between Olivia and her career, she makes a choice that could change both their lives.

Gia Malone wants one thing and one thing only: to be the best surfer in the world. Her biggest obstacle is the annoyingly perky Elle Britton. Not only is Elle number one in the rankings, she’s also a fan favorite. But there’s a lot about Elle that Gia never noticed, like her surprising sense of humor and picture-perfect mouth. 

Elle Britton is tired. After tournaments, fan meet-ups, and nonstop media requests, all she wants in the world is a little peace and quiet. But with Gia Malone closing in on her ranking, she has to surf her best. When the media picks up the story of their neck and neck status, Elle finds herself forced further into the spotlight, this time alongside Gia, the knockout with the killer shred and sexy smile. 

It’s not long before there’s no denying the chemistry on and off the beach. But only one can win…

Advance praise from Publishers Weekly: "The stakes are high and emotions run hot....Brayden sets up a flirtatious tit-for-tat that’s honest, relatable, and passionate. The women’s fears are real, but the loving support from the supporting cast helps them find their way to a happy future."

Artist Clay Cahill retreats to her hometown of Pine Cone, Georgia, when she’s betrayed by a woman she thought cared and the pressure of the New York City art world becomes too much. Setting paints aside, she takes a job at her grandfather’s garage seeking the restorative comfort of small town life where women are sweet and life flows as slow as molasses.

Manhattan art gallery owner River Hemsworth is preparing for a show when she’s informed her aunt has bequeathed her a local gallery in Pine Cone, a place where the idea of fashion is anything with a Carhartt label. En route to review inventory and unload the property quickly, River wrecks her car and Clay comes to her rescue.

If River can convince Clay to start painting again, she may be able to pull off the show that will make her career and quench the desires she never expected to feel again.

At seventeen, Lane Hudson had her heart broken by the first woman she ever loved. Fifteen years later, Alison Bickford is back and they’re working the same music festival in rural Georgia. Her feelings are complicated and regrets weigh her down. When the line between past and present, memory and reality starts to blur, Lane knows the spark hasn’t died. 

She only has twelve days to win back Alison’s heart. That is if she can gather the courage to try.

Renowned composer and lyricist Giselle Bonnaire suffers from anxiety disorder and agoraphobia. She needs a driver and housekeeper or she won’t be able to work. Tierney Edwards, a restless, wandering soul, is on the move again, never staying in one place more than a few months. The two women are each other’s opposites, one nomad and one recluse, but when destiny places them together, their mutual attraction can’t be denied.

Giselle knows her heart will break when Tierney moves on again. But Tierney has never felt so at home, which scares her. Can these women, so bruised by life and experience, find a way to break free of the past—or will they have to say good-bye?

Kennedy Wells is desperate to get back her dream job writing for Mainstream, Waters Publishing’s celebrity magazine. She’s worked too hard over the years to have it snatched away because of one tiny indiscretion that ended with a giant lawsuit. After five months of writing mind-numbing articles about current events, her boss agrees to let her get back to reporting on the rich and famous after one last story. 

A born and bred city girl, Kennedy is sent to cover fishing in Alaska, which has her feeling just like a fish out of water. When Brynn Coleman, director of Alaska’s Wildlife Rescue and Sanctuary, comes to her rescue time after time, Kennedy can’t help but lower her guard and open herself up to Brynn’s standoffish charm. Falling for the sexy ranger is one thing, but is the possibility of love worth giving up a career she’s always dreamed of?

What would you do if being with the woman of your dreams meant sabotaging your career? 

That’s the exact situation high-profile executive Leigh Marshall finds herself in when she falls hard for her golf pro, who also happens to be an ex-con. Her board of directors hasn’t gotten the memo regarding workplace equality and who she sleeps with is still more important than her stellar qualifications.  

Peyton Broader has no interest in anything other than keeping her head down, reporting to her parole officer, and getting her life back. Oh yeah, and making up for nine years of celibacy. The last thing she needs is to lose her job or get sucked into other people's drama, no matter how hot and tempting the woman is. So why can’t she stay away from Leigh?

When Kelly Newton decided at the last minute to join her friends for a two week getaway, all she expected was time away  from the stress of her job, a hot tub, and hiking trails by the water. She didn’t count on her powerful attraction to Josie Harlow, the charismatic and totally unavailable owner of the lesbian resort in the upper peninsula of Michigan.

Josie Harlow knows from past experience that happily ever after is a fairytale. When she meets Kelly, her desire is instantaneous, but a beautiful distraction is the last thing she needs as she works to make the resort a success, withstand the pressure to sell her land and hunt down the hooligans damaging her property. When her grandmother is no longer able to care for herself, Josie has to figure out how to support her Elder and deal with her growing feelings for Kelly too. 

Can a romantic looking for a long term, committed relationship and a jaded cynic too busy for love conquer life’s struggles and find their way to what matters most?

When Sebastian, the Crown Prince of Belgium, overdoses on heroin shortly before he is set to launch Belgium’s campaign to host the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament, his family manages to hush up the scandal. While the royals are debating how to proceed, Sebastian’s twin sister, Viola, decides to impersonate him to keep Belgium’s bid hopes alive.

Missy Duke is a freelance reporter covering Belgium’s World Cup bid. A former women’s soccer player whose career was sidelined by injury, she is now trying to break into the male-dominated sportscasting world. While in Belgium, she meets the imposter Sebastian and soon realizes that he is actually Viola. Sensing a big story in the making, Duke feigns ignorance and plays along with the charade.

Real sparks develop between the two women, but will the double deception doom this fairy-tale romance?

Advance praise from Publishers Weekly: "[A]n ornate tapestry that explores gender presentation, familial love, and social responsibility for two women enduring public opinion in the spotlight."

Sydney Carter is shocked to discover her maternal grandmother, a woman she had never met, just recently passed away and left Syd her farmhouse in Iowa. She has questions about her grandparents that she hopes to find the answers to while preparing the farm to sell. 

Abigail Price, a neighbor of Syd’s grandmother, has lived on her grandmother’s farm in Iowa for most of her life, leaving only to promote her latest novel. In helping Syd find the answers she’s looking for, they develop a mutual attraction and deeper feelings for each other.

Syd has to return to her life in Chicago, but will Abby stay in Iowa, or will she give the big city, and love, a chance?