Brothers of the Vine
Forever Evermore
Women of W.A.R.
2023 is here (let’s ignore that it’s been 2 weeks already please)! With the New Year comes a new Romance Reading Challenge!
Here are 16 reading challenges for you to strive to complete this year and remember, they all must be romance! If you need some inspo, below are suggestions for all 16 challenges. Enjoy!
Challenge: Read a book by an ANZ Author
Here are some suggestions!
On the Down Low by Renae Black
It’s hard to hide love in the outback…
Hallie Harris has gone as far away as possible to escape the city and the humiliating revelations of her last relationship. Love is the last thing on her mind when she arrives at Karilga, a remote cattle station in outback Queensland, to take on the post of teacher to eight lively children. That is, until she locks eyes on aerial mustering pilot Ryan Walker. But how could a highly skilled pilot who lives and breathes the land ever fall for this hot-mess city girl?
Quiet and reserved, Ryan’s used to chasing down wayward cattle and flying his helicopter in the dangerous dead man’s zone. But when it comes to the beautiful girl from the city, he’s out of his element. When country larrikin and Ryan’s best mate, Jackson, pursues the new teacher first, Ryan buries his head…and his feelings…in the red dirt. What’s the point when Jackson always gets the girl?
But the spark between Hallie and Ryan can’t be ignored. In the small tightknit community of Karilga Station, can they keep their feelings on the down low? Or will everything the outback has to throw at them destroy any chance of building a home together?
Find it here
Snowy Mountains Promise by Alissa Callen
A town scandal. A kelpie chaperone. A winter ball. The bush telegraph has never had so much to talk about…
A delightfully charming rural story about love and healing from bestselling Australian author Alissa Callen.
Hettie Burbrook is the first to admit she’s happiest when flying solo through the outback skies. After her hobby of photographing farmers lands her a book deal, it provides the ideal cover story to visit small-town Bundilla. But every photograph brings her closer to uncovering the answers behind why she is really in the mountains…
Deer farmer Taite Lancaster is as strong as the tempered steel he welds into lifelike animal sculptures. Unlike his father, he will never allow feelings to break him. But when the old schoolfriend of his twin sister lands on the airstrip of their high-country station, he knows he’s in trouble. Hettie is the one woman he can’t forget.
While they’re both determined to keep to themselves, between dog races, a ute muster and a winter ball, Hettie and Taite are forced to face how much they need each other. And when a long-buried scandal erupts into the present, relationships and lives are threatened.
Can a man who locks away his emotions reveal his vulnerability before the mountain snow melts? And can a woman intent on righting a decades-old tragedy listen to her heart before history repeats itself?
Find it here
Awakened by the Wild Billionaire by Bella Mason
She’s shy. He’s wild! Opposites attract in Bella Mason’s sexy debut romance!
A chance meeting…leads to an extraordinary encounter.
Colliding with a masked stranger at a glamorous Melbourne ball sends shy Emma Brown’s pulse skyrocketing. And that’s before he introduces himself as Alexander Hastings, the ultra-rich CEO with a wild side that puts him way out of her league!
Only Alex’s focus is all on Emma. And just this once, she steps out of her family’s shadow and into the billionaire’s penthouse. Their unrivalled connection awakens in Emma a longing for the one thing she’s never allowed herself to want, and the one thing Alex can’t offer her… Forever!
Find it here
Challenge: Read an LGBTQ+ book
Here are some suggestions!
A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron
A closeted crown prince.
An out-and-proud cowboy.
When they discover they were separated at birth, their worlds will collide.
Edward Dinnissen leads a charmed life. He’s the Crown Prince of Canada, gets the royal treatment at his exclusive private school, and resides in a ritzy mansion. He thrives off being the perfect prince as he prepares for the Investiture Ceremony on his eighteenth birthday, the final step in his role as heir-and Canada’s future king. But this closeted Crown Prince has just one tiny problem: he’s unsure how to tell his parents, his beloved country, and his adoring fans that he’s gay.
Billy Boone should be happy with the simple life. His family’s ranch is his favorite place in the world, he loves his small town, and his boyfriend is the cutest guy at Little Timber High. So why does it feel like something’s still missing? Maybe it has to do with the fact that this out-and-proud cowboy feels destined for more . . .
When Edward and Billy meet by chance in New York City, they discover that they are long-lost twins, and their lives are forever changed. Together, will these twin princes-“twinces”-be able to take on high school, coming out, and coronations? Or will this royal reunion quickly become a royal wreck?
Find it here
One Night in Hartswood by Emma Denny
A love story worth fighting for…
Oxfordshire 1360
When Penn and Raff meet in Hartswood Forest the only truth they know of each other is a brief moonlit kiss they had shared previously. But Penn is escaping an arranged marriage to a woman he has never seen. Raff is tracking the elusive missing groom of his sister to restore his family’s honour. Neither are looking for a travelling companion. Yet both men find themselves drawn to each other in ways neither imagined.
Unaware of their true identities they venture north together through Hartswood Forest. And, as their bond deepens, their fates become irrevocably entwined. But, with one escaping a life of duty and one tracking a fugitive, continued concealment threatens everything they know and trust in each other. So when secrets are finally revealed, and the consequences of their relationship become clear, both must decide what they will risk for the man they love.
Find it here
Written In The Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur
After a disastrous blind date, Darcy Lowell is desperate to stop her well-meaning brother from playing matchmaker ever again. Love—and the inevitable heartbreak—is the last thing she wants. So she fibs and says her latest set up was a success. Darcy doesn’t expect her lie to bite her in the ass.
Elle Jones, one of the astrologers behind the popular Twitter account Oh My Stars, dreams of finding her soul mate. But she knows it is most assuredly not Darcy… a no-nonsense stick-in-the-mud, who is way too analytical, punctual, and skeptical for someone as free-spirited as Elle. When Darcy’s brother—and Elle’s new business partner—expresses how happy he is that they hit it off, Elle is baffled. Was Darcy on the same date Because… awkward.
Darcy begs Elle to play along and she agrees to pretend they’re dating. But with a few conditions: Darcy must help Elle navigate her own overbearing family during the holidays and their arrangement expires on New Year’s Eve. The last thing they expect is to develop real feelings during a faux relationship. But maybe opposites can attract when true love is written in the stars.
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book set in the past
Here are some suggestions
Never To Surrender by Mary-Anne O’Connor
1941. A young German-Australian soldier meets a passionate Cretan girl and together they are caught up in guerrilla warfare during the brutal Nazi invasion of Crete. A heartfelt, sweeping saga of World War II, from the peaceful farmlands of NSW to the Mediterranean’s glittering, dangerous shores, for readers of Fiona McIntosh, Nicole Alexander and Natasha Lester.
1939: Australian-born Carl Smith loves his country and despises fascism, but he never meant to go to war. He is training to be a doctor and wants to protect lives, not take them. But if enlisting is the only way he can save his German-born father, Dr Louis Schmidt, from an internment camp, he will.
1941: Athena Papandrakis has grown up on the island of Crete, swimming in jewelled waters and exploring ancient ruins. Now her home is under threat and she is ready to fight to defend it from the hated Nazi invaders, just as her ancestors sought to protect their island home in the past.
When Carl arrives in Crete with Allied Forces soldiers evacuated from the Greek mainland, he and Athena are intoxicated by each other. Carl is not the man her traditional parents would have chosen for their daughter, however, and hiding the secret of his German heritage from Athena could further threaten their love.
Decisions must be made when they find themselves in an intense final stand against the Nazis as the Allied Forces retreat and the Cretan peasants are forced into guerrilla warfare. For Carl and Athena, it becomes a desperate quest for survival … and love, loyalty and trust will fight a battle to the last.
Find it here
The Duke Not Taken by Julia London
Impossible. Infuriating. Intoxicating.
Ever since her sister became queen two years ago, Amelia Ivanosen, Princess of Wesloria, has been flirting and skirting scandal — just barely. Before she does anything too outlandish, she is sent to England and Lila Alexander, illustrious matchmaker to the ton, is recruited. Respectably ensconced at the country estate of a family friend, Amelia is introduced to many eligible bachelors, but…there is no spark. There never seems to be unless the man is completely wrong for her.
Next door lives Joshua Parker, Duke of Marley, who is grumpy and reclusive — for good reason. His first wife died in childbirth. When Marley is dragged by a friend to his neighbour’s soiree, he and Amelia instantly dislike each other. Their banter is snarky and heated. He’s a stuck-up smarty-pants; she’s a self-involved, annoying princess.
Sparks fly when they’re together — fireworks actually — but they loathe each other. Really. So why can’t they stop thinking about each other?
Find it here
We’ll Meet Again by Cheryl Adnams
For readers of Victoria Purman, Kate Quinn and Alli Sinclair comes a poignant story of love, loss, ambition and family set against the dramatic backdrop of the second world war.
November 1941
Australian sisters Elizabeth and Maggie Cardwell have accompanied their father on his diplomatic assignment to Hawaii where bright blue skies, a radiant sun and the swaggering confidence of flirtatious American sailors make war feel like a distant threat. When the sisters meet the handsome Baker brothers on the sparkling white shores of Waikiki beach, Maggie falls hard and fast for Cody while Elizabeth discovers an easy friendship with his older brother, Tom, under the shared responsibility of chaperoning their wild younger siblings.
But mere days after the Cardwells board a ship back to Australia, Pearl Harbor is attacked and memories of sun-kissed afternoons and beach romance are fast eclipsed by fear and uncertainty.
With the war now very real to them all, the sisters embark on two very different paths that will take them to opposite ends of Australia, threaten their safety, and test their bonds of friendship and family. As the war continues to tear lives and loves apart, neither sister expects to cross paths with the Baker brothers again. But perhaps the pull of fate is even more powerful than the chaos of war …
Find it here
Her Worthy Rake by Charlotte Anne
Is falling for this rake a mistake?
Owen Tattershall might not have a title or immeasurable wealth like other gentlemen of his ilk, but he does have rather excellent taste in the waistcoat department-and taste counts for a lot amongst the ton. It also doesn’t hurt that his adopted mother is the dowager Marchioness of Faye and his kind-of-cousin is the Duke of Woodhal. Unfortunately, prestige didn’t save his family from the ravages of war, and now what’s left is held together by nothing more than heartbreak, hope and bravado. To keep his memories of the war at bay, Owen immerses himself in his work … until the day Sophy Calder comes colliding into his life.
Sophy has been fending for herself ever since her twin brother was press ganged to fight against Napoleon’s forces. But the war ended almost two years ago, and still he hasn’t returned. Knowing something dreadful has happened, Sophy is determined to find her missing brother, even if it means infiltrating the world that snatched him from her. But when she encounters Owen, she quickly finds her growing attraction for the only man who’s taken her seriously threatening her long-mastered control.
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book by a debut author
Here are a few suggestions!
If You Change Your Mind by Robby Weber
Sometimes love has its own script.
Harry wants nothing more than to write Hollywood screenplays. The first step? Winning the screenwriting competition that will guarantee admission into the college of his dreams. With his priorities set, he’s determined to spend his summer free of distractions — also known as boys — and finish his script. After last year, Harry is certain love only exists in the movies anyway.
But then the cause of his first heartbreak, Grant, returns with a secret that could change everything — not to mention, there’s a new boy in town, Logan, who is so charming and sweet, he’s making Harry question everything he knows about romance. As Harry tries to keep his emotions in check and stick to his perfect plan for the future, he’s about to learn that life doesn’t always follow a script.
Find it here
The Last First Date by Hayley Quinn
At 31-years-old, Helen Pines is far from where she thought she would be. Whilst her ex-boyfriend is now engaged, Helen’s ordering Deliveroo for one, dreaming of her last first date.
Determined to give online dating a go, she matches with drop-dead gorgeous Brody… One date later, Helen’s heart is still singing. Brody’s sexy, charismatic, and the perfect gentleman. But then she receives an error message on the app… all her contacts have been deleted.
With nothing but Brody’s name and job title to go on, Helen is determined to track him down.
But despite the initial chemistry, Helen knows surprisingly little about her mystery man… Was it really love-at-first like, or will she find a new love along the way?
From international dating expert Hayley Quinn, comes an utterly hilarious, laugh-out-loud romance that will have you grinning from the first page to the last! Fans of Our Stop and Mhairi McFarlane will fall in love with this book.
Find it here
Challenge: Read a rom-com
Here’s some suggestions!
Looking Out For Love by Sophia Money-Coutts
… But is she searching in the right places?
Pre-order the laugh-out-loud and heart-warming new novel from Sophia Money-Coutts
Stella Shakespeare isn’t having a good day, or month come to think of it. She’s been unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend,cut off from the bank of dad and at thirty-two years old, she doesn’t know what she’s doing with her life.
What Stella really wants is to find love. She wants all-consuming, can’t-think-about-anything-else, can’t-even-manage-to-eat kind of love. What she found beside her in bed that morning wasn’t love. But when a tall, handsome man in a well-fitting suit walks into a Notting Hill pub, she thinks she’s finally found The One.
Everything seems to be falling into place now Stella has met the man of her dreams and has an actual job working with a private investigator nicknamed ‘The Affair Hunter’. Although sadly, life is never that straightforward and Stella starts to question whether she’s been looking for love in the wrong places all along…
Find it here
Enemies with Benefits by Zara Cox
THE MORTIMERS: WEALTHY & WICKED #5
These enemies are calling a truce…with forbidden benefits!
Our families are bitter enemies, but I’ve wanted Wren Bingham since she first strutted into my boardroom. One decadent taste during a party and I’m addicted! So I tempt Wren with an indecent proposal. She works on a deal with The Mortimer Group, and I give her the release she craves. But the feelings she stirs make me wonder — am I falling for the enemy?
Find it here
Challenge: Read the first book in a mini-series
Legal Seduction by Lisa Childs
‘You are mine for the next two weeks.’ Resigning might be the sexiest thing she’s ever done…
Quitting her job puts executive assistant Bette Monroe in a very compromising position. With ten days left, powerhouse lawyer Simon Kramer is working her late into the night…and seducing her into oblivion! While he’s convinced she’s selling business secrets, the bombshell she’s keeping secret would shock him more. Does she bare all…or keep him guessing?
Find it here
Bad Business by JC HARROWAY
An island honeymoon for one…becomes a racy fling for two!
My friends and I have a ‘pleasure pact’ – live more fully and indulge in a red-hot fling. Newly single and up to the challenge, I’m more than ready for some no-strings thrills in tropical Fiji – and gorgeous paddle boarding instructor Ryan Dempsey is the perfect man to share them with. But our electrifying chemistry soon becomes a more passionate connection…can I convince Ryan to risk our affair for something deeper?
Find it here
No Limits by Lori Foster
Cannon Colter is quintessential hero material: chiseled jawline, shredded body – the works. He’s also the guy who rescued Yvette Sweeny from kidnappers, only to put an end to her romantic dreams. These days, she’s older, smarter, determined to face whatever life throws her way. Even the prospect of sharing a house and business with Cannon.
Cannon knew Yvette wanted him three years ago. But she was young – and some things are worth waiting for. Thrown together by her grandfather’s legacy, he realises how deep Yvette’s scars really go, and how much danger lurks in their quiet town. As pent-up desire explodes between them, protecting her becomes the only fight that matters. And he’ll break all the rules to do it….
Find it here
Worth The Risk by Zara Cox
THE MORTIMERS: WEALTHY & WICKED #1
‘I like to win at all costs…’ But wanting her could cost him everything.
With a multi-billion-pound deal on the line, billionaire playboy Gideon Mortimer can’t afford another tabloid scandal. Now he’s committed to a chastity contract, being on the same yacht as Leonie Branson — temptation personified — is pure, unadulterated torture. But relinquishing control of their thrilling sexual chemistry to tenacious Leonie feels tantalisingly worth the risk — to his reputation and his well-protected heart.
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book you saw online
Under the Influence by Karina May
Will dislike at first sight turn into the trip of a lifetime? A sparkling enemies-to-lovers rom com from a talented new voice.
From Peru with love, (wander)lust & loathing…
Blake Goldfield is ‘the guy who broke Tinder’ while raising funds for his overseas charity. High-flying banker, Louise Lane, isn’t buying his hot, eligible philanthropist act. In fact, it’s dislike at first sight when she encounters Blake working the bar at her office Christmas party.
Both are at a life crossroads: Blake has begrudgingly left his not-for-profit to deal with Goldies, his family’s embattled restaurant; Louise has just split from her perfect-on-paper fiancé.
Blake may be in control of the drinks, but Louise has the power to reject the loan necessary to keep Goldies open…
As Blake and Louise watch their lives unravel, their paths seem to be inextricably tangled. Torn between the weight of expectation and her heart’s desire, Louise searches for a fresh perspective in Peru. First stop: Machu Picchu. Final destination: Love?
A sparkling enemies-to-lovers rom com about the things we want, the things we think we want and the things that really count.
Find it here
Need You Tonight by Leisl Leighton
Not even fame will protect him from her violent past.
Reclusive music producer, Lexi Deningham, has worked hard to escape a violent past, building her reputation so world famous rock stars come to her at her isolated recording studio in the Victorian High Country. That includes the wildly talented Daemon Flagherty who has just arrived to discuss his band’s next album. After a messy divorce, all Daemon wants is to focus on his music, even if that means going to the end of the world to work with the best, albeit mysterious, music producer there is.
When Lexi gets a call from her twin sister’s secure mental health hospital telling her Cat has been attacked, Lexi has no choice but to bring her twin home. Lexi isn’t ready to deal with both Cat and Daemon at the same time but if she wants to work with Daemon – and she does, desperately – she has no choice.
Romance should be the last thing on their minds, but it seems that neither Lexi nor Daemon can ignore the passion between them. Until the threat from Lexi’s past comes crashing into the present, determined to make her pay and with no care for who might get in the way. Lexi is used to going it alone, but will she realise she needs help before it’s too late?
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book that has been adapted to screen
Here are some suggestions!
Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince—while other dictates of the ton are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable.
Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter. The fourth of eight siblings in her close-knit family, she has formed friendships with the most eligible young men in London. Everyone likes Daphne for her kindness and wit. But no one truly desires her. She is simply too deuced honest for that, too unwilling to play the romantic games that captivate gentlemen.
Amiability is not a characteristic shared by Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings. Recently returned to England from abroad, he intends to shun both marriage and society—just as his callous father shunned Simon throughout his painful childhood. Yet an encounter with his best friend’s sister offers another option. If Daphne agrees to a fake courtship, Simon can deter the mamas who parade their daughters before him. Daphne, meanwhile, will see her prospects and her reputation soar.
The plan works like a charm—at first. But amid the glittering, gossipy, cut-throat world of London’s elite, there is only one certainty: love ignores every rule…
This novel includes the 2nd epilogue, a peek at the story after the story.
Find it here
Virgin River by Robyn Carr
Welcome back to Virgin River with the book that started it all…
Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against a backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.
When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad, she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving-the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she’s made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.
But a tiny baby abandoned on a front porch changes her plans…and former marine Jack Sheridan cements them into place.
Find it here
Sweet Magnolias A Slice of Heaven by Sherryl Woods
Ever since she discovered her ex-husband’s affair, Dana Sue Sullivan decided to put down new roots and create the best restaurant in Serenity, South Carolina. After years of hard labour, her dream has become a reality. Sullivan’s provides more than just Southern comfort food – it’s become a haven for the whole town – and Dana Sue knows better than anyone that relying on friendship can get you through the toughest times.
But when her teenage daughter, Annie, develops an eating disorder that lands her in the hospital, Dana Sue’s perfect life comes crumbling down. On top of it all, her own health starts to deteriorate. Dana Sue knows she needs to change habits now to help them both get better – even if that means letting Ronnie Sullivan back into their lives.
And who knows, his return might end up being a recipe for a new beginning…
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book by a POC author
Here are some suggestions!
Seoulmates by Susan Lee
Her ex-boyfriend wants her back. Her former best friend is in town. When did Hannah’s life become a K-drama?
Hannah Cho had the next year all planned out — the perfect summer with her boyfriend, Nate, and then a fun senior year with their friends.
But then Nate does what everyone else in Hannah’s life seems to do — he leaves her, claiming they have nothing in common. He and all her friends are newly obsessed with K-pop and K-dramas, and Hannah is not. After years of trying to embrace the American part and shunning the Korean side of her Korean American identity to fit in, Hannah finds that’s exactly what now has her on the outs.
But someone who does know K-dramas — so well that he’s actually starring in one — is Jacob Kim, Hannah’s former best friend, whom she hasn’t seen in years. He’s desperate for a break from the fame, so a family trip back to San Diego might be just what he needs…that is, if he and Hannah can figure out what went wrong when they last parted and navigate the new feelings developing between them.
Find it here
The Outlaw’s Claim by Brenda Jackson
These friends with benefits are about to become parents…and all bets are off! A Westmoreland Legacy: The Outlaws story from bestselling author Brenda Jackson.
From friend to lovers to…having a baby?
Maverick Outlaw is a man who knows his own mind — and he knew from the beginning that a fling with long-time friend Sapphire Bordella would be more than just sizzling, mind-blowing sex. That is, until Phire says they should go back to being just friends — and then announces that she’s pregnant with Maverick’s child and her father expects her to marry someone else! Maverick may not be ready to give his heart, but nothing will stop him from claiming what’s his…
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book with a city in the title
Here are some suggestions!
Match Made in Paris by Rebecca Winters
Capturing The CEO’s Guarded Heart
New attorney Anelise is mortified when she’s splashed across the headlines as Nicolas Causcelle’s latest fling. She’s forging her career on her own merit — not by dating the boss! But when reclusive billionaire Nic suggests a fake arrangement, so the media loses interest, Anelise steps into the CEO’s world and sees a side to him no-one else has. Can she heal his guarded heart?
Falling For Her Secret Billionaire
When Dr Francoise Valmy meets gorgeous ex-army veteran Jean-Louis Causcelle in Nice she is able, literally, to give him a new lease of life. She’s as drawn to him as he is to her, but as Jean-Louis returns to Paris, some life changing news soon finds Francoise relocating there too. And when Jean-Louis appears on her doorstep, she can’t deny their attraction, until he reveals a secret which could change everything…
Find it here
The Coltons of Texas: Protector by Marie Ferrarella, Carla Cassidy
Colton Cowboy Hideout – Carla Cassidy
After years in hiding, Josie Colton has her life back. But to settle a family promise, she must find an old clue buried at the Colton Valley Ranch. She enlists the help of ranch foreman Tanner Grange — in exchange for working as his twin toddlers’ new nanny. On their search, the single dad soon begins to lasso Josie’s heart.
Tanner agrees to assist Josie and is alarmed how the Colton beauty fits so perfectly into his life. He’s got his lands full investigating the disappearance of his boss and caring for his little girls. When it’s clear someone will kill to stop Josie from uncovering the clue, Tanner vows to protect her…for life!
The Pregnant Colton Bride – Marie Ferrarella
Mirabella Freeman, secretary to security expert Zane Colton, thought being pregnant and alone were her biggest problems…That is, until police discover a bank account in her name, complete with mysterious payments supposedly by Zane’s missing stepfather! Now, not only is Mirabella a suspect in Eldridge Colton’s disappearance, but she’s bombarded by rumours about the identity of her child’s father. So when her gorgeous Colton cowboy boss proposes a marriage of convenience to save face — and her reputation — Mirabella is stunned, yet ready to say ‘I do!’. As the pregnant bride and her rancher husband fall in love, their hearts won’t be all that’s in danger…
Find it here
Challenge: Read a collection romance by various authors
Here are some suggestions!
Valentine’s Day Collection 2023 by Marie Ferrarella, RaeAnne Thayne, Amber Mckenzie, Therese Beharrie
Her Red-Carpet Romance – Marie Ferrarella
Hollywood heart-throb and widower Lukkas Spader knows his women are just photo ops for the paparazzi. He’s sworn off dating. In fact, he might have forgotten how! But the big-time movie producer needs an assistant, and Yohanna Andrzejewski desperately needs a job. So what if she’s beautiful? That doesn’t mean they’re going to fall in love…
Yohanna has given up on romance, but when she poses for the cameras with sexy, gorgeous Lukkas she realises that there’s something in the air. Lukkas and Yohanna may not be looking for love, but something — or someone — is making sure it finds them!
The Valentine Two-Step – RaeAnne Thayne
Single father Matt Harte learned the hard way not to trust women. His wife left him because she couldn’t deal with ranch life — so the last thing he wants to do is plan the annual Valentine’s Day dance. But his daughter, Lucy, has plans for her father: she’s determined to get him to fall for the beautiful new vet, Ellie Webster.
Ellie knows that Matt doesn’t want her in his town, let alone on the too-small dance committee of two. It’s not as if she wants to spend all that one-on-one time with the rugged rancher, imagining what it would be like to be his partner — for real…
A Marriage Worth Saving – Therese Beharrie
Once Mila Thomas had love, marriage and the promise of the family she’d always longed for, until tragedy struck. Now, with the ink still drying on her divorce papers, it’s time to move on…
Leaving Mila was the hardest thing Jordan’s ever had to do. However, when fate brings them back together he’s reminded of what drew him to his beautiful wife in the first place, and he wonders if it’s ever too late to try again?
After One Forbidden Night… – Amber McKenzie
Successful E.R. physician Dr Chloe Darcy has her professional life all sewn up. Her love life is another matter! Being secretly in love with powerful, charismatic vascular surgeon Tate Reed is torture…as her best friend’s ex, he’s strictly off-limits!
Yet when their sizzling attraction becomes too hard to resist, giving in to their desire seems inevitable. And if this is all they can ever have then Chloe is determined to savour every moment. Until she learns of the consequences of their one forbidden night…
a collection romance by various authors- valentines day collection, autumn blockbuster, outback collection
Find it here
Italian Summers by Lynne Graham, Lucy Ellis, Michelle Smart
Roccanti’s Marriage Revenge – Lynne Graham
Vitale Roccanti’s plan was simple — sleep with the daughter to get to the father. What could go wrong? But staring at the black and white headline that announces the success of his plan doesn’t feel half as satisfying as Zara did beneath his touch.
Zara Blake is shattered by the public exposé of the night she risked everything — and lost. She betrayed her father, and his plans for her marriage, for one chance at passion. But that’s nothing compared to the headline that will come in nine months’ time!
Once A Moretti Wife – Michelle Smart
The only desire billionaire Stefano Moretti has for his estranged wife, Anna, is revenge — she humiliatingly left him weeks ago. So when Anna returns to his life, with no memory of their tempestuous marriage, he’s certain fate has dealt him a winning hand.
Stefano’s plan is twofold: a private seduction that will reawaken Anna to their red-hot attraction, followed by a public humiliation to match the one she landed on him. Until Stefano realises there’s something he wants even more than vengeance — Anna, back in his bed, for good!
A Dangerous Solace – Lucy Ellis
Italy’s most desirable playboy, Gianluca Benedetti, might not initially recognise Ava Lord as the beautiful bridesmaid who stole his breath and shared his bed all those years ago, but one glimpse of the curves beneath her buttoned-up clothes and it all comes rushing back!
When a steamy kiss between them ignites a media firestorm, Gianluca whisks Ava off to the Amalfi Coast to minimise the PR scandal. Exploring the reignited passion between them, Ava realises the danger of opening her heart. Because the closer Gianluca gets…the more cracks in her carefully constructed armour appear.
Find it here
Challenge: Read a book published in your birthday month
Now, we aren’t going to list all 12 months, but… here’s a book published in January and two books coming in February and March!
January | Regency: Playing With Scandal by Mary Brendan
Compromising The Duke’s Daughter
Lady Joan Morland has already risked her reputation once with dashing Drew Rockleigh. And when her coach is set upon, it’s Drew who rescues her, more roguish and tempting than ever!
Then Joan discovers Drew has lost his fortune and decides to repay her debt by helping him. But, after a sizzling kiss, she finds herself compromised once again! This time, scandal is surely inevitable…and the only thing to quell it is a walk down the aisle!
Rescued By The Forbidden Rake
When her half-sister goes missing, respectable Faye Shawcross is at her wits end! Convinced her impulsive younger sister has got herself mired in potential scandal, Faye is unsure where to turn to for help — certainly not her upstanding fiancé!
The last person she expects to come to her rescue is the very man she’s condemned a rogue, Ryan Kavanagh, the dis-honorable, and disconcertingly alluring viscount! The magnetic Irishman knows he raises Faye’s passions, however reluctantly. He can nip her impending family scandal in the bud, for a price — he wants Faye as his mistress…
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February | Enemies To Lovers by JENNIFER LEWIS, Brenda Jackson, Andrea Laurence
Tall, Dark…Westmoreland! – Brenda Jackson
She had longed for a taste of the wild and reckless. And Olivia Jeffries got her chance when she met a handsome stranger at a masquerade ball. The attraction was instant, the electricity…volatile. But days later she discovered her new lover was none other than Reginald Westmoreland, her father’s most-hated rival. She vowed to resist him further, but Reggie was relentless in his pursuit. He would stop at nothing — not even blackmail — to get Olivia back in his bed. Talk about sleeping with the enemy!
Undeniable Demands – Andrea Laurence
When Wade Mitchell finds himself face to face with Victoria Sullivan, he has to reconsider his usual tactics. Wade needs to buy something she owns, and he needs it now. Since he and Tori have enough heat to melt ice, it should be a done deal.
But melting Tori’s resolve is a harder task. She’s not giving in to the man who fired her seven years ago. Yet Wade has to keep trying, because if he doesn’t, he risks exposing a secret that could destroy his family. When all proper negotiation fails, seduction may be his only option.
A High Stakes Seduction – Jennifer Lewis
Meet Constance Allen: no-nonsense, by the books…innocent. The aboveboard accountant is on a mission to make sure the New Dawn casino’s finances are legit, and maybe even get a promotion…until the millionaire owner seduces the socks off her. Now the conflict of interest threatens her very livelihood, yet she just can’t help it!
Blindsided, John Fairweather never expects a little flirting with the auditor to get so serious, so fast. But when her investigation turns up a smoking gun, will all bets be off for their fledgling affair?
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March | A Most Intriguing Lady by Sarah Ferguson The Duchess of York
Lady Mary Montagu Douglas Scott has a secret. Overlooked and underestimated by all who meet her, the wallflower daughter of Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch has a sharp intelligence and keen powers of observation. Traits that make her perfect to uncover society crimes – those whose wealthy victims have their pride and reputation at stake.
Unnoticed amongst the ballrooms of grand houses, Mary uncovers stolen jewellery, missing money, and saves reputations. When Mary meets Colonel Walter Trefusis, an unlikely alliance is formed as the two work together. And soon Tre will see that between diamond thefts and scandal there is more to this wallflower than meets the eye.
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Challenge: Read a vacation themed book
Here’s a suggestion!
All’s Fair in Love and Tequila by Gabriella Margo
Salty air. Flowing margaritas. Beach sunsets … and one annoying holiday crasher.
Luisa Edmonds doesn’t have time for bad dates and guys who don’t take life seriously. And she certainly has no time for men like Ed Garcia, a womanising divorcé who parties too hard.
When Luisa is sent to a lavish, all-inclusive resort in Mexico on a marketing project, she’s ecstatic — until she finds out that Ed is the award-winning photographer who has been hand-picked to go with her.
But when she leaves the icy Melbourne winter behind, it’s not just her extremities that begin to thaw. Here, among the golden sands, tropical waters and salty air of Playa del Carmen, Luisa starts to get to know the real Ed — a sweet, animal-loving environmentalist who’s kept his crush on her a secret for years.
And in all honesty, he is damn sexy without a shirt on.
Unfortunately, their relationship would be bad news back in Australia, and Ed is a no-go for Luisa. But as his secrets are slowly uncovered, Luisa finds it harder and harder to ignore her feelings, and she is faced with an ultimatum. Will she jeopardise her future for a steamy, beach holiday fling?
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Challenge: Read a book with a cartoon cover
Here are some suggestions!
You Say it First by Susan Mallery
Sculptor Nick Mitchell grew up in a family of artists and learned from his volatile father that passion only leads to pain. As he waits on a new commission, he takes a day job as a humble carpenter at a theme wedding venue. The job has its perks — mainly the venue’s captivating owner, Pallas Saunders. Although he won’t let love consume him, for ecstasy with an expiration date, he’s all in.
Pallas adores Weddings in a Box. But if she can’t turn the floundering business around, she’ll have no choice but cave to her domineering mother and trade taffeta for trust funds working at the family’s bank. Then when a desperate bride begs Pallas for something completely out of the box, her irresistible new hire inspires her. Nick knows she doesn’t belong behind a desk, and she knows in her heart that he’s right — where she really belongs is in his arm
Find it here
Faking it by Ally Blake & Rachael Stewart
Will ‘faking it’ lead to making it?
Petra Gilpin has loved Sawyer – her brother’s best friend – since forever. To the point she made Sawyer promise at her eighteenth birthday if neither were hitched by the time she turned thirty, he would marry her. But after Petra’s brother died, Sawyer took it upon himself to take over the big brother mantle. Until guilt and feelings for Petra drove him away.
After a decade apart they bump into one another in a nightclub in their hometown of Melbourne. Sawyer is now a big deal – an ex-football star, turned billionaire co-owner of Big Think Corp, a future-proofing endeavour whose plan is to save the world.
Petra has worked hard to build an impeccable reputation for herself in the art world.
When photos come out of Sawyer’s mock-proposal to Petra, they decide to lean into the misconception to avoid scandal.
They may be able to ‘fake it’ for the camera, but there’s no faking the real feelings that begin to emerge. Or that this just may be the most meaningful and intimate relationship of their lives.
Includes the story Island Temptation by Rachael Stewart
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Challenge: Read a fantasy/paranormal book
Here are some suggestions!
Small Town, Big Magic by Hazel Beck
There’s no such thing as witches…right?
Emerson Wilde has built the life of her dreams. Youngest Chamber of Commerce president in St. Cyprian history, successful indie bookstore owner, and lucky enough to have her best friends as found family? Done.
But when Emerson is attacked by creatures that shouldn’t be real and kills them with what can only be called magic, Emerson finds that the past decade of her life has been…a lie. St. Cyprian isn’t your average Midwestern river town — it’s a haven for witches. When Emerson failed a power test years ago, she was stripped of her magical memories. Turns out, Emerson’s friends are all witches.
And so is she.
That’s not all, though. Evil is lurking in the charming streets of St. Cyprian. Emerson will need to learn to control what’s inside of her, remember her magic, and deal with old, complicated feelings for her childhood friend — cranky-yet-gorgeous local farmer Jacob North — to defeat an enemy that hides in the rivers and shadows of everything she loves.
Even before she had magic, Emerson would have done anything for St. Cyprian, but now she’ll have to risk not just her livelihood…but her life.
Find it here
The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston
Florence Day is a ghost-writer with one big problem. She’s supposed to be penning swoon-worthy novels for a famous romance author but, after a bad break-up, Florence no longer believes in love. And when her strict (but undeniably hot) new editor, Benji Andor, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye.
Although when tragedy strikes and Florence has to head home, the last thing she expects to see is a ghost at her front door. Not just any ghost, however, but the stern form of her still very hot – yet now unquestionably dead – new editor.
As sparks start to fly between them, Florence tells herself she can’t be falling for a ghost – even an infuriatingly sexy one. But can Benji help Florence to realise love isn’t dead, after all?
If you fell in love with Beach Read, The Love Hypothesis and The Hating Game, this laugh-out-loud romance packed with sizzling chemistry will give you all the feels!
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If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang
Alice Sun has always felt invisible at her elite Beijing international boarding school, where she’s the only scholarship student in a sea of uber-wealthy classmates. But she has a plan: be top in the class, attend a prestigious university, secure a killer job, and finally lift her family out of poverty.
Then her parents drop a bomb — they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship. But that’s the least of Alice’s problems, because she has started uncontrollably turning invisible. As in completely, physically invisible.
Alice realises there’s an upside to her strange new power — unparalleled access to the secrets of China’s most rich and influential teens. Soon, Alice has a new plan: offer her invisibility services to find out what her classmates want to know — for a price.
But between balancing schoolwork, a growing relationship with academic-rival-turned-business-partner Henry, and stealing secrets, things start to fall through the cracks. As the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if helping her family is worth losing her conscience — or even her life.
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Challenge: Read a book that starts with the first letter of your name
Now, again I will not be listing 28 different books however, here are some books starting with the letter C, S and T!
Escape To Temptation by Nina Milne, Therese Beharrie, Hana Sheik
Finding Forever On Their Island Paradise – Therese Beharrie
Saving their home…healing their hearts!
Morgan’s mission to save Penguin Island, her South African paradise, is personal. She just wasn’t prepared for how personal it would be when striking a deal with tycoon Elliott! Both have something to lose if they fail, so putting the island back on the map is their number one priority. But working together has Morgan’s head and heart racing because with every accidental touch, keeping things professional becomes more challenging…and walking away feels impossible!
Second Chance In Sri Lanka – Nina Milne
When Sparks fly again…miracles can happen!
Seeing her ex-husband Matt again was meant to bring Zoe closure, not butterflies! But with memories of their marriage, which ended in heartbreak, impossible to ignore her sister’s Sri Lankan island wedding is a welcome distraction. Until Zoe and Matt are gifted a break alone on the beautiful island! It’s an opportunity to prove they were never compatible and finally move on. Or, secluded in paradise, will they discover they were always meant to be?
Temptation In Istanbul – Hana Sheik
A single dad’s greatest temptation? The nanny on his doorstep!
Billionaire Faisal is anxiously awaiting custody of his little girl who’s been living miles away with her mother. First, he must win the approval of her nanny, Maryan, who has travelled with her to Istanbul. Showing Maryan the delights of his city, the instant attraction between them is hard to ignore. But Maryan leaves in two weeks so, Faisal must decide how much of his bruised heart he is prepared to risk…
Find it here
Summer At The Cape by RaeAnne Thayne
As the older sister to identical twins Violet and Lily, Cami Porter had always been the odd sister out. The breach became even stronger when her parents split up–while the twins stayed in Cape Sanctuary with their free-spirited activist mother, Rosemary, fourteen-year-old Cami moved to L.A. with her by-the-book attorney father, Ted. Nearly twenty years later, when Cami gets the tragic news that Lily has drowned saving a child, Cami returns to her childhood home–her mother and Violet need her.
Lily had spent her entire life looking for something to be passionate about, and in leasing a property from neighbor Franklin Rafferty and setting up Coastal Pines Glamping, she was about to see her dream realized. Following her death, the sadness and grief Rosemary, Violet and Cami feel is compounded by Jon Rafferty, son of the neighbor whose land Lily had leased. Jon, who hadn’t seen his father in years, is stunned to learn that his father is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, and he worries that the Porter women took advantage of him. But Jon can see that the Porter family is in mourning, and agrees they can keep the land through the summer, and then they’ll need to shut the glamping site down.
Then there’s Violet–the child Lily saved, Ariana Mendoza, is the daughter of Violet’s former high school sweetheart, Alex Mendoza. She could never forgive him way back when for cheating on her, but she is so grateful that his adorable little girl is okay. Alex still has feelings for Violet, but he is overcome with grief and gratitude at the same time for the loss of Lily, who died saving his child.
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The Perfect Crimes Of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastian
Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.
Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her—and who she may have left tied up a few hours before…
A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help
As they flee across the country—stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats—they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together.
Find it here
And there we go! Enjoy the romance reading challenge and good luck!