ONE BED, TWO HEARTS by The New Romance Café – Featured New Release

ONE BED, TWO HEARTS

An Only One Bed Romance Anthology

Romance Café Collection #45

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Sometimes love starts with a little forced proximity … and just one bed.

In One Bed, Two Hearts, discover a collection of contemporary romance where strangers, friends, and even enemies find themselves sharing a bed—and maybe, just maybe, sharing their hearts too. With sizzling chemistry, accidental sleepovers, and unexpected connections, each story brings you a delightful take on the beloved “only one bed” trope.

From cozy cabins to luxury hotels, these stories are filled with laughter, tender moments, and undeniable attraction that will leave you swooning for more.

Perfect for fans of forced proximity, slow-burn romance, and a dash of humor, One Bed, Two Hearts delivers love that blooms when people are closer than they ever expected.

Authors:

Jill Brashear Deaia Sanders Michelle Moncreiff
Linda G. Hill Emma Lynn Everly Chele MacCabe
Sharon Michalove Gabbi Powell Gabbi Grey
Cara Dion Freyja Frost Angela Breen
J.M. Adele Jewelz Baxter Ebony Snow
Juliet Martini Cynthia Terelst Harper Michaels
Maida Malby

Buy Link: Amazon

ABOUT TNRC

The New Romance Café is the place to get your daily dose of romance books.

Hang out with like-minded readers and authors at different stages of their writing journey, in a diverse and inclusive group.

Find out about new releases, take part in fun discussions, and recommend your favorite reads in the safe space of the Café.

The New Romance Cafe Links:

Group: facebook.com/thenewromancecafe
Website: thenewromancecafe.com
Romance Cafe Publishing: romancecafepublishing.com

LOVELOCK FREEWAY

Maida Malby

Bernadette Moore had a teenage crush on Jordan Prins half a lifetime ago. Little did she know he had a crush on her as well. Life events separated them for years, but now, circumstances bring them back together. Can a road trip, car trouble, and only one bed turn that youthful infatuation into something deeper?

CODENAME CHARMING by Lucy Parker – Featured New Release

Following Battle Royal, beloved author Lucy Parker pens another delicious romantic comedy about a fake relationship between a grumpy royal bodyguard and the charming, sunny assistant who melts his cold, hard exterior.

Codename Charming

LUCY PARKER

SYNOPSIS

Petunia De Vere enjoys being the personal assistant to lovable, bumbling Johnny Marchmont. But the job has its share of challenges, including the royal’s giant, intimidating bodyguard, Matthias. Pet and Matthias are polar opposites—she’s spontaneous and enthusiastic, he’s rigid and stoic—but she can sense there’s something softer underneath that tough exterior…

For Matthias Vaughn, protecting others is the name of the game. But keeping his royal charge out of trouble is more difficult than he imagined because everywhere Johnny goes, calamity ensues, and his petite, bubbly assistant is often caught in the fray. Matthias hates the idea of Pet getting hurt and he’s determined to keep everyone safe, even if it means clashing with his adorable new coworker.

When a clumsy moment leads to a questionable tabloid photo, the press begins to speculate that Pet is romantically involved with Johnny. To put an end to the rumors, the royal PR team asks Pet and Matthias to stage a fake relationship and the two reluctantly agree. But as they spend more time together outside of work, they begin to wonder what real emotions this pretend connection might uncover. Especially when a passionate kiss leaves both of their heads spinning …

Buy Links:

Amazon – amazon.com/dp/B0BM9VMCWC
B & N – barnesandnoble.com/w/codename-charming-lucy-parker
Kobo – kobo.com/codename-charming

REVIEW

Quiet, super trope-y, and sweet, Lucy Parker’s newest release is sure to delight her fans. In Codename Charming, she employed a lot of themes I enjoy in a Romance novel — Beauty and the Beast, Opposites Attract, Grumpy/Sunshine, Workplace Romance (between equals), and Fake Dating. Throw in height difference and a little bit of a “fated mates” vibe and it’s hitting all my soft spots.

Life isn’t always easy … Neither is love. But they’re sure as hell worth fighting for.”

Pet and Matthias are so wonderful together all the way from Battle Royal that their attachment is truly believable despite the pretend beginning of their relationship. I love that they are both present in practically all the scenes in the book. The reader can really see the natural progression of their love story.

This book has Lucy’s signature wit and quirky characters, but perhaps it needs more of the first and less of the second. It could also use more humor and snappy banter and fewer subplots. While I like a slow burn, the pacing here could have been sped up a tad. I liked this story but it’s missing some of the verve that characterized Lucy’s earlier works.

ABOUT LUCY

Lucy Parker is an award-winning romance author who lives in New Zealand. A romance reader from a young age, she loves to write about people pursuing their dreams and falling hopelessly in love along the way—often with the last person they would expect! Her previous titles have been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, and Oprah Magazine, and were included in NPR’s Book Concierge for four consecutive years.

Follow Links:

Twitter – @_lucyparker
Facebook – @LucyParkerAuthor
Instagram – @LucyParkerAuthor

UNDENIABLE by Cara Dion – Featured New Release

UNDENIABLE

Cara Dion

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Pretending to be in love never felt so real.

Noah doesn’t believe in falling in love, and he definitely doesn’t do relationships. But unless he can convince his future boss that his playboy days are over, he’ll lose out on his dream job. When his little sister’s best friend suggests that they pretend to date, it seems like the perfect solution. Or it would be, if she wasn’t the only woman who’d ever made him question his own rules.

Callie doesn’t need anyone else to take care of her, especially not her best friend’s overbearing older brother – even if she has been in love with him since she was twelve years old. Determined to get her mother to stop meddling in her life, a fake relationship with Noah could be the answer to both their problems. But sharing a hotel room for a week wasn’t in the plan, and the more time they spend together, the more it feels like she’s only fooling herself.

Can they face the truth they’ve been denying for years, that love is the exception to every rule?

Undeniable, book 2 in the Love Song series, is a standalone, spicy, forced proximity, fake dating romance with only one bed and a guaranteed HEA.

Buy Link: amazon.com/dp/B0C4VB6Y58

ABOUT CARA

Cara has always had an overactive imagination. Her aunt tells the story of 4-year-old Cara demanding that she pretend to “be a doctor who’s really a wolf who’s pretending to be bad but is really good.” Now she knows, she was just a romance reader at heart!

She has been an English teacher, professional musician, and nonprofit administrator. When she’s not reading or writing romance, Cara loves cooking, Broadway musicals, and all things Disney.

She lives in a small town in New England with her family and two cats (who want all the attention).

Author Links:
Website: caradion.com
Instagram: @caradion.author
Facebook: @caradionauthor
Linktree: caradion

PALM SPRINGS KING by Claire Marti – Featured New Release

PALM SPRINGS KING

A California Suits Novel

Claire Marti

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A former rockstar. A perfectionistic yoga teacher. Opposites attract?

Rockstar Austin Michaels never took much seriously—other than his music. But tragedy thrust him out of the spotlight and into the boardroom. Now, he’s helping his brother run a luxury hotel chain and he couldn’t be farther out of his comfort zone. He’s doing his best––until his beautiful new spa manager arrives.

Yoga teacher Kenzie Banks earned her reputation as the best in the spa business by being a hyper-efficient perfectionist. Ready to plant roots after too many years on the road, she’s thrilled to land her dream job working for the Hotel Kings — they’re literally the family she always wished for. Except, her sexy boss Austin Michaels is driving her nuts with his impulsive decisions and smoldering glances.

The sparks between these two opposites burn so hot it’s a wonder they don’t spontaneously combust. But Kenzie knows what they say about fire…and she’s come too far and worked too hard to get burned. Can the pair find a way to work together, or will everything they’re building go up in flames?

*Palm Springs King is the sixth book in award-winning and USA Today bestselling author Claire Marti’s new spin-off contemporary romance series, California Suits. The series follows the adventures of five best friends who are opening a string of luxury boutique hotels from La Jolla to Monterey to Beverly Hills as each one finds true love…usually where he least expects it. Each book is a standalone.

One-click this opposites-attract, forced proximity standalone romance today!

Books2Read Amazon Barnes & Noble Kobo Apple Google Play

EXCERPT

She wiped her now slick palms on her jeans and struggled to regulate her breath because her pulse had kicked up the moment he’d said motorcycle. It wasn’t like she was a chicken; she wasn’t the only person who thought they were dangerous.

Her brilliant plan to flee to the desert and avoid him had just floated off into the wind. Now she’d be pressed against Austin, hurtling down the highway on a death machine.

But he was right, the practical thing to do––and she prided herself on being practical––was to put on her big girl panties and deal. How bad could it be?

“Fine. But you’ll drive the speed limit and no tricks.”

His lips twitched and he held up both hands. “I promise. Come on, let’s get on the road. And I’ll only pop a few wheelies.”

She rolled her eyes and couldn’t resist smiling. “Yeah right. Not on my watch, Michaels.”

“I’m in the hotel garage,” He turned and glanced at her apologetically. “Benefit of the bike is that there’s almost always room to park. They’ll find your car, don’t worry.”

She fell into step next to him, easily matching his long stride. They descended to the first level of the garage and there sat a shiny cream and black Harley. She had no clue about models or makes but this looked sturdy at least. After opening up the saddlebags and pulling out two silver metallic helmets, he reached for her bag and stowed their stuff.

She placed the helmet on her head and fiddled with the strap. It was kind of like a snowboarding helmet, so she managed to get it on. But she hesitated, nibbling on the inside of her cheek.

Austin got on the bike and patted the ebony leather seat behind him. “Did you want to get back to Palm Springs today or?”

“I’m coming. Just hold on.” Thank god she’d worn her high tops and a pair of old jeans instead of shorts or a sundress. She was always preaching the benefits of trying something new so here was her chance to take her own advice.

She crossed to the motorcycle and swung one leg over, placing one hand lightly on his shoulder for balance. A now familiar jolt of energy shot up her arm and as she settled onto the seat behind him, heat flared in her belly. She was nestled up against all those lean muscles, her inner thighs framing his legs.

“Wrap your arms around me. You’re going to enjoy the ride, I promise. The Heritage Classic is the best.” His strong artist’s hands gripped the handlebars and with a roar, they were cruising out of the dimly lit garage into the sunny California morning.

Once he hit the road, he revved the engine and they were soaring past rows of closed restaurants and clubs, toward Highway 10. She slid closer and did as she was told, using all her yogic skills to direct her attention to the beautiful morning and divert it from the feel of being plastered against him. At least they couldn’t really have a conversation on the drive home and maybe in a hundred miles or so she’d have found her equilibrium.

Once he eased onto the freeway, she closed her eyes because she really didn’t want to see all the cars and 18-wheelers whizzing by. Instead, she rested her cheek against his back and held on to his hot, hard body and chose to trust him. And damn if the roar of the engine between her legs combined with being plastered to Austin like a barnacle didn’t turn her on. As if she needed more incentive to jump his bones.

No way would she ever admit she found riding his bike sexy. But ohmygod, between the humming of the bike and the feel of him, she could probably orgasm before they arrived back at the hotel. So much for her brilliant plan to avoid him at all costs.

ABOUT CLAIRE

Claire Marti is an award-winning and USA Today Bestselling author of swoon-worthy Contemporary Romance novels set in Southern California, including the Pacific Vista Ranch series and the California Suits series. She lives in San Diego with her husband, silly dog, and three clever cats.

Claire started writing stories as soon as she was old enough to pick up pencil and paper. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature and French, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress.

Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga.

Social Media Links:

Website: clairemarti.com
Facebook: ClaireMartiAuthor
Twitter: @clairepmarti
Instagram: clairepmarti
Goodreads: Claire_Marti
Bookbub: claire-marti
Amazon: Claire-Marti

A SWEET MESS by Jayci Lee – Release Day Review and Giveaway

A SWEET MESS

by

Jayci Lee

Korean-American author Jayci Lee delights with A Sweet Mess, a delicious and light-hearted romantic comedy that readers will devour and ask for more.

Aubrey Choi loves living in her small town nestled in the foothills of California, running her highly successful bakery away from the watch of her strict Korean parents. When a cake mix-up and a harsh review threaten all of her hard work and her livelihood, she never thought the jaded food critic would turn out to be her one-night stand. And she sure as hell never thought she’d see the gorgeous Korean hunk again. But when Landon Kim waltzes into her bakery trying to clean up the mess he had a huge hand in making, Aubrey is torn between throwing and hearing him out.

When she hears his plan to help save her business, Aubrey knows that spending three weeks in California wine country working with Landon is a sure recipe for disaster. Her head is telling her to take the chance to save her bakery while her heart—and her hormones—are at war on whether to give him a second chance. And it just so happens that Landon’s meddling friends want them to spend those three weeks as close as possible…by sharing a villa.

When things start heating up, both in and out of the kitchen, Aubrey will have to make a choice—to stick it out or risk her heart.

Buy this book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250621108

Asian-American main characters, lots of hunger-inducing food descriptions, and classic romance tropes. How can I turn that down? That’s essentially what I write too.

I like the choice of having the Korean leads be beautiful people in successful occupations–an influential food critic in Landon and a talented baker in Aubrey. I like that this story is light, focusing on the travails of a romantic relationship instead of societal struggles that minorities face in the US. We have too many of those stories and not enough of this kind. The angst comes from the yearning, the risking of professional reputation versus personal desires.

While there’s instalust, the sex scenes are sweet and not explicit. The food scenes are sumptuous, so don’t read this hungry. Friendships are tight and mothers are honored. Overall, Ms. Lee’s storytelling is enjoyable. She handled one of my most disliked tropes quite well and the push-and-pull was just enough to cause tension but not too much to make me give up on the couple.

As the title suggests, this book is both sweet and a little bit of a mess. In the early copy I read, there were several times when the transitions between Aubrey’s and Landon’s points of view weren’t smooth and the time jumps weren’t clear. Also, the dual daddy issues were too much and the cover, while cute, didn’t reflect the ethnicity of the lead characters. These are minor issues and don’t stop me from recommending A Sweet Mess to Romance readers who are looking for books that reflect the diversity of the society we live in today.

JAYCI LEE writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance every free second she can scavenge and is semi-retired from her fifteen-year career as a defense litigator. She loves food, wine, and travelling, and incidentally so do her characters. Jayci lives in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys with boundless energy, and a fluffy rescue whose cuteness is a major distraction. She is the author of A Sweet Mess.

Website: https://jaycilee.com/
Twitter: @authorjaycilee
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjaycilee

Macmillan is giving one of my followers a digital copy of Jayci Lee’s A Sweet Mess. All you have to do to enter is Follow @carpediemchronicles on Instagram and Like my bookstagram of the book. Comment there or return here to let me know you’ve entered. I will draw the winner on Tuesday, July 21 at 12 noon Central time.

THE READER AND THE ROAD by Brianna Nicols – New Release

I’m so happy for my friend Brianna Nicols on the recent release of her latest novel The Reader and the Road, Book 2 of her Found Family series. As a reader myself, I think I’m going to be able to relate to Libby so much and enjoy the forced proximity of a road trip trope.

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As a voracious reader, Libby couldn’t be happier working in the Duchess of Winston’s workshop. She’s surrounded by books, one of her best friends, and Adam, the man she’s secretly loved from afar for years.

Their livelihoods are threatened, however, when a difficult customer demands a book so popular, there are no copies available in England. To save the bookshop’s reputation, Libby must set out for Scotland in the dead of winter with an impossible task: retrieve the book by New Year’s or else.

Due to a childhood filled with disease and poverty, Adam despises everything to do with winter. All thoughts of avoiding the season end, however, when he hears of Libby’s impossible mission. Without a second thought, Adam agrees to travel with her, though it will test his resolve to keep his secret—and his feelings for Libby—hidden.

As they deal with blizzards, delays, and other mishaps, the bond between Libby and Adam only grows stronger. Their weeks-long journey will reveal long-held secrets and buried passions. No amount of love will matter, however, unless they make their deadline.

Buy it here:

eBook: https://books2read.com/u/3JV6jB

paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1692359797/

REVIEW

Perfectly titled, The Reader and the Road is a sweet, slow-burn romance between bookseller Libby and her co-worker Adam who accompanied her to Scotland to retrieve a rare book wanted by a demanding client. I love that both of them had been yearning for the other and were finally able to express their feelings once in the close confines of a carriage during their two weeks road trip.

This book is light and entertaining and I really like that it features working people instead of members of the nobility. I’d have loved it if Ms. Nichols expounded more on the holiday traditions during the time in addition to the exchange of gifts. That would have given the story a richer sense of time and place.

ABOUT BRIANNA

Brianna Nicols has always been a reader. Books about magic, history, or anything revolving around romance are her favorites. The idea of writing her own stories didn’t occur to her until 2017 when some awesome ladies online said: “Why not give it a try?”

Since then, she’s been experimenting with all sorts of ideas. Though a very organized person by nature, when putting words on the page, Brianna has found that she has to write the story as it comes to her. Unfortunately, she gets bored when trying to outline more than a handful of details. So far, Brianna has written in two genres; historical and contemporary romance. Anything paranormal is a love of hers, though, so something of that nature isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Rest assured, however, that when you pick up a Brianna Nicols novel, romance will always be a prominent, if not an integral, part of the story no matter the genre.

Follow her on:

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