Toxic: very harmful or unpleasant in an invasive or sinister way.
One word. Two consonants. Five letters. Two people.
Quinn James Carter met Solei Shayne Rodriguez his senior year of high school.
At first, he tried to stay away from her. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and if there were two people in this world who were meant to be together, it was Shayne and him.
Sadly, life doesn’t work out like you plan.
A single, brash, knee-jerk reaction has them both deciding that their relationship is never going to work. A cop and a notorious criminal’s sister can’t have a happily ever after, can they?
Consequently, they go their separate ways.
They live their lives.
And time after time, they come right back to each other, giving the term ‘toxic relationship’ a new meaning.
Anger, jealousy, hurt, and pain run hand in hand with their persistent need to stay in each other’s lives, no matter if it’s in a healthy way or not.
But eventually, time catches up to them.
Fate decides their path for them, and one of them has to wind up nearly dead for them to admit that they can make it work if they want to. They only have to try.
THIRST TRAP, the third book in the Carter Brother series by Lani Lynn Vale, is Quinn Carter’s and Shayne Rodriguez’s story, and it takes ‘second chance romance’ to a whole new level. Between Quinn and Shayne getting in their own way, family, life, and the universe, these two cannot catch a break. They are the quintessential star-crossed lovers. Their journey to together is not an easy one, but thank goodness for family and perseverance, two hallmarks of Lani’s writing.
I found I CAN’T EVEN to be a crazily suspenseful yet fun read, but THIRST TRAP is more serious, but none the less compelling a story. I couldn’t help but pull for Quinn and Shane, all while wondering what fresh heck was waiting around the next corner to trip them up, and there were some doozies. This made their HEA all the sweeter, and, as usual, cemented this book as another LLV favorite.
I can’t wait to see what Lani has in store for the Auden, the next Carter brother to get a book, and Maven, his love interest in CLAP BACK, headed our way soon. Knowing Lani, it’s sure to be one heck of a story, so make sure to get yourself all caught up and ready to roll.
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
Hold Me Until Morning by A.L. Jackson is now live!
I should have known I’d be playing with fire when I found the sexy as hell woman moving in next door…
It was pouring rain, so I figured the neighborly thing to do would be to lend a hand.
I nearly dropped to my knees when I realized who she was.
Hailey Wagner.
It’s been six years since I’ve seen her, and she’s always been the one person on earth who is off limits.
My past sins I’ve kept like an ugly secret made sure of that.
Too bad this single mom with the soulful eyes still makes my pulse speed the way it did back then, and I soon find our chemistry is just as strong.
When I find her ex threatening her, I insist on staying with Hailey and her little girl until I’m sure they’re safe.
I thought I could handle being under her roof. Only the tension between us strains, and with one forbidden kiss, all restraint is lost. We collide in a lightning bolt of greed, the two of us locked behind her door night after night.
Falling so hard I know there will be no coming back from it.
But being with Hailey exposes the past I’ve been trying to hide, and I’ll do anything to protect her from it. Because if I don’t? We’re both going to pay the consequences…
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What a perfect ending to the Time River series! Author A.L. Jackson wowed me once again, delivering a book that pulled out all of the stops, giving me all of the feels, and keeping me guessing right up to the very end.
Amy has proven time and again that she is the mistress of romantic suspense, and HOLD ME UNTIL MORNING is another shining example. I thought that I’d read my most favorite book in the series, but then I met Hailey and Cody, and all bets were off. These two had my heart at every turn, and Amy delivered a story that I could not put down. Suspense, passion, irresistible small town and family connections, and a plot that had me completely immersed. My heart ached for the things that both Cody and Hailey had experienced, and in the next moment was soaring because their blossoming love was just everything.
As always, our favorite characters from the earlier books are in fine form, and the most precocious and adorable children I’ve read lately kept me smiling. And can I just say that everyone needs a Lolly in their lives.
I’m sorry to see the end of Time River, because it has truly given me some of my most favorite of Amy’s couples, and their stories will remain with me. If you’re already a fan, these books are must-reads, and if you’re just meeting A.L. Jackson, they’re a great place to start. Either way, make sure to dive in and enjoy. ❤️
Meet A.L. Jackson
A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.
If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.
Logan Kemp buried the love of his life when he was nineteen and, unable to face the loss of his future mate, he left Shadow Pines. Six years later, he’s been summoned back to deal with his ailing father and take his rightful place as Pack Alpha. Only, the pack he left behind has changed and everything he thought he knew is turned upside down with one fateful encounter.
She’s done with the lies.
Wren Culvert was sixteen when her sister drowned. It was ruled an accident but she always believed Lark’s boyfriend was involved and that his Alpha father covered for him. She wants to rip him apart when she sees him again but instead, a bond sparks between them and all her righteous fury is suddenly wrapped up in the confusing need to be mated with this man she hates.
Only the truth can set them free.
Can Logan and Wren manage to put the past behind them or will the need for revenge ultimately destroy them… and their pack?
Wren sniffed at the air again, breathing in a lungful of that powerful, masculine scent, and then she turned down a street that wasn’t normally on her running route and followed it. The burning she’d been feeling in her legs earlier in her run faded to a distant memory. The plans she’d been making were forgotten. There was only the need to follow the scent, find her mate, and complete the bond.
She cut through an alleyway as the scent grew stronger, focusing only on the magnetic pull that tugged inside her chest now, towards someone and something she had never expected for herself. She didn’t even realize she was running full speed until she rounded a corner and collided with something that felt like a brick wall but was warm and moving.
She stumbled again but this time there were big hands there to grab her by the shoulders. The scent of her mate surrounded her and she closed her eyes to soak it in, to relish the feeling of heat that washed through her from the simple contact of his rough fingers on her skin. When they stopped shuffling from the collision, her back was against the cool brick wall and she opened her eyes to look up at the mate that fate had chosen for her.
The feeling of hope that had begun to fill her popped like a party balloon stabbed with a knife as soon as she recognized the face looming over her.
It wasn’t a stranger. It wasn’t someone new to town or just passing through. It was someone she knew and had hoped to never, ever see again.
“Logan?” She felt his name rip from her lips in a broken curse and he blinked his beautiful hazel eyes at her as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
He was even more handsome now than he’d been at nineteen. His dark brown hair was longer and fell over his forehead with sunkissed highlights that she remembered from long ago summers. He’d grown into his features, no longer the lanky teen but a thick, muscular man. His jaw was dusted in dark stubble that emphasized a full mouth that she should never have noticed just like she shouldn’t have remembered the way his dark lashes were enviably long and thick, framing his gold-flecked eyes perfectly. He was all rough, square angles offset by the softness of his full mouth and those mesmerizing eyes that she would know anywhere.
“Lark?”
It was the sound of her sister’s name that broke the spell and sent pain shooting through Wren and shattering everything inside of her. Because of course he was looking at her like that because he thought she was Lark. He had loved Lark. He had loved her and lost her, just like Wren had.
But she shook that thought away because no, that wasn’t right. That was the bond, the mating heat, trying to make her soften for this man who she hated. He hadn’t lost Lark. He had killed her or he knew who had and yet he was gripping her shoulders so tightly she knew there would be bruises tomorrow, all because he thought she was his dead teenage girlfriend.
Wren shoved him as hard as she could and he stumbled back, likely more out of surprise than her actual ability to overpower him, “Don’t touch me.”
He blinked again, slowly, as if he was fighting through the fog of the mating heat that was trying to control them as well. He looked her up and down, slowly, from top to bottom, and Wren fought a shiver of awareness. He met her gaze again and this time she saw the same look of horror that must have been on her own face when he shook his head.
“Wait… Wren?” He looked as lost as she felt. “No. It can’t be.”
The words sliced through her, as sharp as a blade, even though they were the same ones running through her head. Wren told herself the pain was only because of the bond. It was already there, burning through her veins, burrowing under her skin, forming despite her hatred for this man. It made her long for his touch even as her stomach twisted and she felt sick.
She’d always thought that if she came face to face with Logan Kemp again that she would shift and let her wolf rip him apart, shred him to pieces the way he deserved. But now her wolf was lunging for the surface and it was taking everything in her power to hold the animal at bay because she didn’t want to rip him apart at all.
Her animal side only wanted to sink her fangs into his skin, to claim him and to be bonded to him forever. All because fate had decided something she never would have chosen for herself.
Logan Kemp was her mate and she, apparently, was his.
Jess Bryant is an avid indoorswoman. A city girl trapped in a country girl’s life, her heart resides in Dallas but her soul and roots are in small town Oklahoma. She enjoys manicures, the color pink, and her completely impractical for country life stilettos. She believes that hair color is a legitimate form of therapy, as is reading and writing romance.
She started writing as a little girl but her life changed forever when she stole a book from her aunt’s Harlequin collection and she’s been creating love stories with happily ever afters ever since.
Jess holds a degree in Public Relations from the University of Oklahoma and is a lifetime supporter of her school and athletic teams. And why not? They have a ton of National Championships! She may be a girlie girl but she knows her sports stats and isn’t afraid to tell you that your school isn’t as cool as hers… or that your sports romance got it all wrong.
International, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Louise Bay writes contemporary romance novels that make you laugh – the kind she likes to read.
Ruined by the bonk-busters of the eighties, Louise was inspired by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, but wants to be Emily Henry when she grows up.
Louise loves the rain, RHOBH, London, days when she doesn’t have to wear make-up, hanging out with her kid, elephants and champagne (not necessarily in that order).
They’re not the forever type, but the chemistry is too intense to ignore. Their touch sets you on fire. Their kiss makes you crave more. They’ll draw you in with their sophisticated charm, break the rules… and your heart. Everything about them is wrong, yet you can’t stay away.
Because sometimes… bad is better.
Don’t miss these rugged rebels and the strong women who tame their wild hearts!
*100% of proceeds from this set will benefit Operation Underground Railroad to support victims of human trafficking.
Ellodie Cassandra Solaire made a single, solitary New Year’s resolution.
That resolution was set in stone, and she wouldn’t be breaking it, no matter what.
It was simple: Say yes to every person who asks her out on a date until she finds a boyfriend.
Easy, right?
Wrong.
She breaks that New Year’s resolution three months into the year after a guy gives her serial killer vibes.
Fast forward three months, and she’s unhappily saying yes to any man who asks.
Until one day, there she is, eating a chicken burrito waiting for traffic to clear, and he appears like a knight in shining armor.
One second, she’s counting down the seconds until the parade dissipates so she can go home, and the next, a car is flying through the air directly beside her, courtesy of a hot cop performing a PIT maneuver.
It’s during the middle of the arrest when Quaid Carter’s eyes find hers.
From that moment on, she’s lost to anyone else but him.
The only problem is that serial killer vibe she got off of her potential date a few months ago isn’t just a vibe. It’s a full-blown obsession. And the serial killer decides that she won’t be the one to get away.
Lani Lynn Vale is an American author of humorous romantic suspense novels. Born in the Great State of Texas, she has lived the majority of her adult life in East Texas where most of her novels are based. She’s married to her high school sweetheart whom her readers refer to as “LLV’s Bearded Half.” She published her first novel, Boomtown. in the summer of 2013 after the birth of her third child. She’s gone on to publish over 100 novels, with most of them going on to become USA Today Bestsellers.
And this book is another example of why I will never NOT read a book by Lani Lynn Vale. The sheer breadth of her imagination, the ability to continually write new stories that are creative and quirky and like nothing else I’ve read, that’s what keeps me coming back.
One of my favorite things about Lani’s books is that they are always fun, and I CAN’T EVEN is a perfect example of this. Sure, there’s danger and mayhem, killers on the loose and all sorts of emergency room shenanigans, but there’s also fun. And family (big families!) and strong women and the men that love them, and Lani does a great job of bringing all of these things together and giving a story that will have you saying, ‘What the heck just happened?!’ but leave you unable to put it down.
I CAN’T EVEN, as with all of Lani’s books, is pure joy with a side of drama, and one that you do not want to miss. Plus, the Carter brothers are all sorts of delish, so believe me when I tell you that you want to meet them. Grab this book, and the one before and all the ones after, and enjoy. You can thank me later. ❤️
A Cinderella story set in the dramatic world of reality TV dating shows.
MY ROYAL SHOWMANCE, an all-new swoon-filled romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake & Blue Box Press is now live!
Anika Fox knows exactly where she wants to be, and it’s not on the set of a reality TV dating show. She’s working her way up at the production company she works for and she’s close to achieving some of her dreams. The big boss just wants one thing from her. She’s got a potential problem with the director of The King Takes a Bride and she wants Anika to pose as a production assistant and report back.
As the king of a tiny European country, Luca St. Marten knows the world views him as one of the pampered royalty of the world. It couldn’t be further from the truth. His country is hurting and he’s right there on the front lines with his citizens. When he’s asked to do a dating show, his counselors point out that it could bring tourism back to Ralavia. It goes against his every desire, but he agrees.
When one of the contestants drops out at the last minute, Anika finds herself replacing the potential princess. She’s sure she’ll be asked to leave the first night, but Luca keeps picking her again and again. Suddenly she finds herself in the middle of a made-for-TV fantasy, and she’s unsure what’s real and what’s simply reality TV.
Dive into the second standalone novel in the Park Avenue Promise Series today→ https://amzn.to/4bKpRor
Keep reading for a look inside My Royal Showmance!
“Ani, you’re my best producer. Do this for me and I’ll green-light your movie. The silly one about… What was it about?” “It’s the story of one of New York’s first woman firefighters. Her life and struggles.” It is my dream project, and it certainly isn’t silly. It’s about empowerment and the fight against discrimination in the workplace. Jess’s surgically perfected nose wrinkles slightly. “Could she be fighting aliens?” I growl. It’s an alpha sound I’ve worked on over the years since no one takes a small blonde woman seriously in my business until they catch sight of our three rows of teeth. Not that I’m like that in my normal life. I’m a regular young woman. I try to be nice and kind to everyone around me, and if they cross me, I will bury them and no cop will look in my anime eyes and think me capable of murder. Sometimes the patriarchy works in my favor. Not that I want to give up bodily autonomy and equal pay just so I can murder someone a little more easily. But for now I’ll take what I can get. “Fine.” Jess has her hard negotiator expression on. “What’s the budget?” I can do it for ten million, but she’s sentencing me to six weeks of dealing with women who think they are going to end up being queen. It will be spray tans and claws, and I will hear the words “the right reasons” so many times. “Fifteen.” Her eyes narrow like she knows exactly what I’m doing. I sit and wait. Like she taught me. Don’t show a minute of your emotions, Ani. “Fifteen,” she agrees. “And you’ll be fast-tracked. If you get this done, I might even be persuaded to tell publicity they have a slightly larger budget.” She really wants this. I wish I could talk to my friends, but I know what’s at the end of this conversation. I won’t be able to explain why I’m taking a crappy assignment. Ivy has her own issues and won’t question it. She’ll be all “rah-rah, girl power,” but Harper likes a mystery, and, even more, she loves to point out when things are going wrong. Still, I’d like their advice, but I’m not going to get it. I’m on my own. “I’ll do it.” Jess smiles like she would have gone to twenty. She wouldn’t have, but I give her a frown because it’s always good to let the boss think they’re still in control. “One more thing, dear,” she says, sliding a stack of papers my way. Yep. There’s the very long and binding nondisclosure agreement. My mouth is going to have to stay closed. But my eyes will be wide open.
As the only daughter of a formidable capo, my existence unfolded within the confines of a gilded cage. At eighteen, I would become a pawn in the intricate game of power, destined to be wed to a high-ranking member of my father’s regime. My fate oscillated between my father’s grasp and that of my future husband. Fleeing was not an option; they would track me down relentlessly. In an act of both self-preservation and rebellion, I sought refuge in a local convent—the sole sanctuary untouched by the shadows of the mafia. Yet, before I could take my final vows, the devil himself knocked at my door — a devastatingly handsome blonde-haired, blue-eyed rogue. With an Irish accent that sent shivers down my spine, he declared me his future wife. No one had touched me; no one would. But despite my aversion to a forced marriage, an irresistible attraction brewed between us— for he was both poison and wine.
𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙢
When I abducted a nun, my expectations were simple—she’d be submissive, pliable, the ideal mafia wife. Little did I imagine that the fiery brunette would wield a mouth and body I craved, both in and out of the bedroom. She was a means to an end—a marriage forged out of convenience, a strategic alliance with an enemy family to solidify our standing in the underworld. Tradition dictated that I claim her, yet the last thing I’d do is coerce her. She won’t be forced. I promised she would beg me to take her, and anyone who dared to touch her would die. For she was mine and mine alone.
In the unforgiving realm of the underworld, brace yourself for an electrifying romance pulsating with danger and desire.
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Katie Ashley is a New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Top Three Best-Selling author of both Indie and Traditionally published books. She’s written rockers, bikers, billionaires, manwhores with hearts of gold, New Adult, and Young Adult. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her daughter, Olivia, her rescue mutts, Belle and Nova, and her cats, Mama Kitty, Joe, and Jake. She has a slight obsession with The Golden Girls, Shakespeare, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.
She holds a BA in English, a BS in Secondary English Education, and a Masters in Adolescent English Education and spent fourteen years teaching both middle and high school English, as well as a few adjunct college English classes.
Although she is a life-long Georgia peach, she loves traveling the country and world meeting readers.
From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes an all-new Small Town, Friends to Lovers, Law Enforcement romance.
Summer Quinn’s life changed five years ago when she walked in on her boyfriend and her best friend in bed together. She silently left, ghosting both of them, and never looked back. She came to Bitterroot Valley, looking for a fresh start, and that’s exactly what she got.
After purchasing the local floral shop from her eccentric aunt and finding herself again in the absolute delight she brought to the community, Summer feels welcome and safe in her new home.
But things have started to happen. At first, she could blow it off as bad luck, or kids starting trouble. But then the bad luck turns into serious, life-threatening incidents that can’t be ignored.
Bitterroot Valley is Chase Wild’s town. His family settled the area almost a hundred and fifty years ago, and as a police officer, Chase takes pride in keeping his community safe. Sure, he’s had his eye on the gorgeous florist since she moved to town, but he’s kept his relationship with her strictly professional.
Now, someone’s trying to scare Summer. She claims she doesn’t know why, but Chase is determined to get to the bottom of it and drive the danger out of his town. As time passes, and the more he gets to know Summer, the harder it is to keep his hands off of the beautiful woman. With their connection growing, he’s falling in love with her and will do anything to keep her safe.
As Chase learns the truth of who is threatening Summer, will he be able to protect her, and will their love withstand the challenges ahead?
Chasing Wild is a standalone, contemporary romance novel, and book two in the picturesque Wilds of Montana series.
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Do I love a good second chance romance? Yes, I do, which makes CHASING WILD, the second book in the Wilds of Montana series by Kristen Proby, just right for me.
While I appreciate the whole ‘getting to know you’ aspect of a new romance, I’m a sucker for those folks that just weren’t able to get things right the first time around. And while Chase’s and Summer’s relationship was more ‘friends with the hope of something more,’ seeing them come together and their love grow without any third act break-up is a welcome change from most of the books that I’ve read lately.
Strong friendships and family relationships, and the small town closeness that make Kristen’s stories so special are the threads that weave the characters and their journey together and make for such an enjoyable read. There are plenty of cameos from the Seattle branch of the Montgomery family, making this feel like a visit with old friends.
Chase’s and Summer’s chapter are a wonderful addition to the Wilder family series, and having seen more of Ryan and Polly, I can’t wait to jump into their book, WILDEST DREAMS. In the meantime, make your way to Bitterroot Valley and get to know the Wilds. You’ll be glad that you did. ❤️
Meet Kristen
Kristen Proby is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over seventy published titles. She debuted in 2012, captivating fans with spicy contemporary romance about families and friends with plenty of swoony love. She also writes paranormal romance and suggests you keep the lights on while reading them.
When not under deadline, Kristen enjoys spending time with her husband and their fur babies, riding her bike, relaxing with embroidery, trying her hand at painting, and, of course, enjoying her beautiful home in the mountains of Montana.
Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young is now live!
He’s a down-to-earth highland farmer. She’s the rebellious daughter of Hollywood royalty. They might seem like they’re from different worlds, but that won’t stop them from engaging in a marriage of convenience…
It’s been five years since Jared McCulloch’s grandfather Collum passed away and he inherited his farm in the Scottish Highlands. After his grandad saved him from his past life, Jared is determined to honor Collum’s legacy. But not only has a series of bad luck put him in danger of losing the farm, his estranged father is disputing the will. In a desperate situation, Jared realizes he’ll do just about anything to save the land.
Even marrying Allegra Howard, a woman he’s avoided at all costs.
A woman who tempts him beyond reason.
There’s only one place that makes Allegra Howard feel safe; one place that feeds her artist’s soul. Allegra wants to settle down in Scotland and expand her business. But there’s a hitch: immigration intends to return her to US soil.
Panicked, Allegra finds the one person just as desperate as she is. The same person she’s lusted after for years. In exchange for marrying her, she’ll invest financially in Jared McCulloch’s farm.
However, living together only forces them to acknowledge their searing mutual attraction. And with it comes an undeniable emotional connection Jared’s not sure he’s ready for.
Yet, blurring the lines of their arrangement is the least of his concerns when someone begins terrorizing the farm.
Allegra and Jared came together to save what matters most and now that might just be each other. And unless they can figure out which of their pasts has returned to torment them, they could lose their chance at a real future together…
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I’ve been waiting for this book, and let me just say that author Samantha Young does not disappoint. SKIES OVER CALEDONIA was everything that I hoped that it would be, the story of an unlikely pair that end up being the most perfect match, and my little romance loving heart couldn’t be happier.
I was pretty sure, even knowing some of Allegra Howard’s backstory, that she just wasn’t that likable. And Jared McCulloch, a surly womanizer that rarely has a smile or many words to share, save for his family. But leave it to Sam to explode these preconceptions and bring to life two misunderstood people who have had to overcome so many things just to get where they are now.
The chemistry between Jared and Allegra is white hot, even from their first meeting, and it is almost palpable. Following their journey from strangers to lovers to partners gave me all of the feelings, and by the time I got to the bonus scene, I was a gooey mess. And, goodness, the suspense, which Sam has down to a fine art. There were plenty of nail-biting moments and a finale that could not have been more satisfying.
If you’ve been along for the ride for the previous books in the Highlands series, you will absolutely adore this book. If you haven’t started this series, you’re missing out, and I’m going to highly suggest that you get caught up. I can totally see why Allegra couldn’t wait to call the Highlands her home, and so will you. Happy reading! ❤️
Meet Samantha
Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries. She resides in Scotland.
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Saucy Southern Readers 