Lacey Black

Walker There’s nothing better than a packed house on a Saturday night, and co-owning the hottest restaurant and bar in town with my best friends, isn’t so bad either. We put everything into Burgers and Brew. My job is to keep the alcohol moving and the patrons coming back for more. I won’t let anyone break my focus. That was until I saw her. As much as I try, I can’t fight it. Mallory makes me crave a future I never wanted for my own. Now, I want it all. Mallory When I started my new job at a local specialty burger restaurant, I wasn’t expecting to find a tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome distraction in the form of Walker Meyer. He’s one of the owners, which means hands off. Only problem, it’s a lot easier said than done. Especially when he’s so good with my daughter. I try to keep him at a distance, but he’s insistent, slowly breaking down every one of my walls. He’s fighting to convince me I can trust him with not only my heart, but my daughter’s too. I pray he’s right.

Leo Everyone has a past they’re trying to outrun, myself included. My time in the military left me with scars, both physically and emotionally, which is why I keep to myself. Since returning home to Stewart Grove, I work a lot so I have little time to think. To remember. I’m just content to make it through the day. Then I meet Kallie Carpenter. I am drawn to the sexy bartender in a way I’ve never experienced, and despite knowing I should stay away, I can’t. Kallie calls to the very depths of my soul, every broken piece of it. I hope I don’t destroy us both. Kallie Taking care of my injured dad and his horse ranch, as well as working at the local bar doesn’t leave me much time for a social life. Between home and Burgers and Brew, I keep myself plenty busy, despite my dad’s insistence I give dating another try. It’s not that I wouldn’t mind it, I just barely have any time to myself, let alone making room for another. Then I find Leo Martinez sitting at the end of the bar. He’s guarded and a little rough around the edges, but I can’t stay away. There’s a darkness in his eyes that speaks of pain, yet I only see the amazing man he tries to hide from the world. I pray he lets me in.

Garreth From the first moment I saw Reagan Turner at the bar and restaurant I help manage, I was drawn like never before. She was dating someone at the time, which meant she was off-limits, until the jerk broke up with her. I can’t get her out of my head, can’t stop wanting to kiss those perfectly lush lips. Fighting this attraction has been my kryptonite. So, I give in to temptation. Now, all bets are off. One touch, one kiss, one night will never be enough. Of course, I wasn’t factoring in us working together, which means I have to keep my desire—and my hands—to myself. Should be easy enough. Reagan There’s something about the charismatic, flirty bar manager that pulls me in. When my boyfriend breaks up with me via text message, I suddenly see Garreth Taylor in a whole new light. He’s gorgeous, fun, caring, and everything a single woman could ever want. And for some reason, he seems to have his sights set on me, even if he doesn’t say it outright. So, I make the first move. The result is both explosive and dynamic, and before I know it, one night turns to two. He has a hang-up, however, about being professional while at work, and draws a line in the sand. Looks like I’ll have to show him how fun it can be to cross it.

Jameson Last man standing. I’ve watched all three of my friends fall in love with no desire to ever follow in their footsteps. Collectively, we own the hottest restaurant, bar, and brewery in town. They are a few of the places I find peace, a refuge against this cruel world. When I’m on the stage playing music, everything just seems to fade away. Until I saw her. She was sitting in the crowd, a bright, beautiful ray of light, fighting against the darkness surrounding me. I do everything I can to keep her in the friend-zone, but she’s making it difficult. I don’t just want her; I need her. Madelyn The first moment I saw him on the stage I knew he was different. Rough, tattooed, and with the voice of an angel, he was playing guitar and singing a song about love and hurt. I was captivated, completely drawn to the emotions I saw in those warm whiskey eyes. From that moment on, I felt compelled to be his friend. He didn’t make it easy. The boundaries between friendship and relationship start to blur, and even though he fights me every step of the way, I can’t help the way I feel. I promised him I’d always be his friend. Now I want more.

Isaac I’m about as straight-laced and by the book as they come. They call me Numbers, the man in the office of Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my friends. Routine and spreadsheets, that’s how I spend my day. I’m a creature of habit, from the designer clothes to the same girlfriend, I crave the pattern I’ve become dependent on. Until said girlfriend breaks up with me for the umpteenth time, and I find refuge in a woman who is my exact opposite. I’m intrigued and completely out of my element, yet that doesn’t stop me from spending time with her. Even if I consider her off-limits, something about her calls to me. The problem is I just might lose a friend because of it. BJ Most of the time, I would never look twice at Isaac Thompson. He’s all suits, ties, and expensive dress shoes, and I’m…well, not. My time is spent at the tattoo studio I work at, day and night, designing badass ink for clients who want the best. I have no room in my life for a relationship, nor do I care for the messes they always create. Until Isaac finds me stranded on the road, and I end up inviting him inside. Now, I can’t stop thinking about him. He’s so different from any man I’ve ever known, which is why we decide to keep it casual and fun. Let’s just hope I can keep feelings out of the arrangement, so I don’t get burned.

Jasper The kitchen: it’s my domain, where I create the best burgers in the Midwest. I’m the man behind the grill at Burgers and Brew, the restaurant and bar I co-own with my best friends. Every night, we’re packed, the demand has never been this high. It’s the only way I want it, thriving and pushing myself to be the very best. Then she started her new business across the street from mine. The one woman who always got under my skin, who pushed me to be better. Lyndee was my biggest rival in school and my biggest regret. Now, she’s in town, and as much as I try, I just can’t stay away. I want her. Lyndee A new start: that’s what Stewart Grove means for me and my brother. He’s the one who pushed me to take the chance on opening my own bakery. I am ready for the long hours, the grueling schedule, and the hard work it will take to be successful. I wasn’t at all prepared to come face-to-face with the man across the street. An almost kiss in college with the world’s most infuriating man has haunted me for the last decade. Now Jasper’s here, and I don’t think I can resist him. Things are about to heat up in and out of the kitchen. I just pray I don’t get burned.

Kellen I love my job. Bartending is more than just serving drinks to customers at the hottest bar and restaurant in Stewart Grove. It’s the people I work with and those I meet along the way. I know how to have a good time. Just one flirty little grin and the ladies are like putty in my hands. But they know the score: I’m a one and done guy, not looking to ever fall into the trap of love. Then, a sweet, gorgeous coworker needs help, and I find myself offering up more than I should. With Cameron Wright temporarily living with me, pretending to be my girlfriend, the lines begin to blur fast. She’s in my space and I suddenly have free rein to hold and kiss her. Helping her might very well be my downfall. Cameron I keep to myself. Despite working as a server at the popular gourmet burger joint, I make sure my eyes are always ahead, focused on the prize: make enough tips to pay off my debts. When you carry around this much guilt every day, the weight slowly starts to drag you down, but I’m determined. My past will not define me. Until one day, that past returns and is ready to rekindle our old relationship. Cocky playboy Kellen McGregor steps up, not only offering a place to stay, but also a way to put space between me and my ex. Problem is, in no time, I find I like being with him. I just need to remember he’s not the forever kind of guy.

Life never goes as planned. Jaime Summer learned that lesson the hard way when her fiancé wreaked havoc on her carefully constructed life plan. Now, Jaime’s back in her hometown, working at her sister’s flower shop and living with her family once again, swearing off dating and men for the rest of her life. That is, until Ryan Elson walks through the door. Ryan has been in Jupiter Bay for a year now, and has worked hard to make this new town his home. His construction business is growing and while his personal relationships with the fairer sex are lacking, he’s more content than he’s ever been.He doesn’t need a woman, but a chance meeting with Jaime has Ryan ready to pull out all the stops to have her. Exhilarating. Intoxicating. Consuming. Ravenous. Passionate.What happens when those kisses lead towards something more? Something that looks a lot like forever. Note: This book is intended for those 18 and over due to graphic language, descriptive sex, and the world’s most inappropriate grandparents.

After all of the devastating betrayals by the one she loved, Twenty-two year old Avery Stevens has spent three years raising her daughter alone, with her family and best friend as a support system, never leaving her small hometown of Rivers Edge, Missouri. Though Rivers Edge holds the pain of her past, it also holds the one person she wants but can’t have – her brother’s best friend, Maddox Jackson. When she learns the attraction might not be one-sided, will Avery be able to trust Maddox with the one thing she’s held onto tightly for the past few years? Police officer Maddox Jackson is a ladies’ man with one foot out the door. Never planning to settle down, Maddox fights the attraction he feels for his best friend’s little sister, Avery. But can he continue to fight it when his body and his heart are leading him to the one woman he shouldn’t want? When secrets are finally exposed, can Avery and Maddox trust each other enough to overcome the past, handle the present, and preserve their future? Can Avery trust Maddox with her heart? Will Maddox be able to convince Avery to take the chance?

Malcolm They say opposites attract, but I never understood the phrase until Leni Abbott walked into my office—or more specifically—into my office bathroom, while I was naked. Even as the pink stained her cheeks and she stuttered to speak, I was completely intrigued. She’s unlike anyone I’ve met before and, wildly enough, seems immune to my charms. She also has a son. A young five-year-old boy, Trace, who blindsides me with his toothless grin and worms his way into my heart. Together, they make me feel things. Things I’ve never expected. This single mom might not know it, but she could be everything I never knew I wanted. Leni I’ve heard all the rumors about Malcolm Wright, the playboy mayor with a trail of broken hearts left in his wake. I try to resist him, really I do, but he’s always there with those devastatingly gorgeous eyes and a sexy smile full of wicked intent. When he hires my business to clean his impressive house, I know I should stay away, yet find my resolve slipping. Then he meets my son. I fully expect him to run for the hills, but that doesn’t happen. In fact, being near Trace only seems to draw Malcolm and I closer. Now there are two hearts on the line as I put my trust and faith into the one man in Mason Creek who may not be able to give his own heart in return.

Tucker I spend my days brewing beer for the popular Brew Crüe Beer Company and my nights devoted to being a dad. Raising a young child with special needs can be tough and stressful, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. He’s everything to me, and the reason I keep going. It’s him and me against the world, and I have no intention of changing that. Then, Kinsley McGregor walks back into my life. Letting her go all those years ago was the hardest thing I had ever done, and having her here proves how good we are. Unfortunately, her Nashville life is calling, and I will have to let her go again. This time, it’s not just my heart I risk, but my four-year-old son’s too. Kinsley My entire life explodes on television for the whole world to witness. After my husband’s public affair throughout the course of my very first headlining tour, I retreat to my safe Stewart Grove. I need a place to lick my wounds and figure out my next step, without being under the watchful eye of the paparazzi, and I find it in my hometown. I wasn’t planning to reconnect the man I left behind, along with his adorable son. Tucker Dunn was everything I ever wanted before I went to Nashville to chase my country music dreams. Leaving him in Stewart Grove wasn’t easy, but it was the path we chose together. Now, I stare down the same choices; only this time, the decision will be harder to make.

Cricket Success is what you make of it. That’s my motto and the premise of my speech; the one I’m heading back to Southern Illinois University to give at my college alumni reunion. As the morning co-host of Good Morning, San Francisco, I was asked to be one of the keynote speakers, and while I’m honored to do so, there’s only one problem. The other speaker is Danny Ohara, my former boyfriend. Throw in an issue with my credit card that leaves me stuck at the airport, no rental car in sight, until a familiar face appears like a guardian angel in sexy black glasses. Here’s my dilemma with my attraction to Rueben Rigsby, my airport savior and old friend from I’m not supposed to be attracted to him. At all. He’s my ex’s former roommate. Yet that doesn’t stop my big mouth from lying about the status of our relationship when we come face-to-face with said former roommate. As in, we have one. Together. Rueben I don’t know why I agreed to come back to SIU for the alumni reunion, but I’m damn sure glad I did. When I found the familiar face stranded at the airport, I readily agreed to give her a ride. It’s great to catch up with Cricket Hill, as we make our way back to the place we ultimately met. What I’m not prepared for is this overwhelming attraction I feel for her. I’m not supposed to notice how amazing her butt looks in a pair of black yoga pants. She’s a friend. Period. But Cricket has other plans. When she lies about our budding relationship to my former roommate and her ex, I have no choice but to go along with it to save face. I have to pretend to be her boyfriend. I mean, it’s one little white lie, right? Wrong.

Eve Christmas in Snowflake Falls is the most wonderful time of the year. The lights, sounds, and smells are pure magic. Living here is like being wrapped up in a warm holiday hug. There’s nothing better. My cozy little world gets shaken like a snow globe when the house next door sells. Worse yet, the new neighbor’s tomcat sneaks over and makes himself at home on my Christmas quilt with my sweet feline. Furious, I storm next door to give the owner a piece of my mind, only to find John Mitchell—my first love—standing there. It would be so easy to fall back into a rhythm with him, one where only he and I exist. As the holidays pull us closer, I have to wonder, are we just wrapped up in the season…or could this time be different? John Returning to Snowflake Falls is exactly what I needed in my life—especially right before Christmas. I’d forgotten how much I missed the holidays in my hometown. What I didn’t expect was my new next-door neighbor to be the one who got away. The moment she stomps over to my house, bangs on my door, and demands cat-support in the likelihood of a feline pregnancy, I know I’m done for. Eve is every bit as feisty and beautiful as I remember. Being around her rekindles feelings I thought had faded, and the spark between us makes me think we could pick up right where we left off. First, I have to convince her this isn’t about holiday nostalgia. It’s about forever.

Alone. Everything changed for Meghan Summer that fateful February night. All she had, all she saw in her future, was stripped away in the blink of an eye. Even though she finds herself surrounded by her growing family, at the end of the day, there’s nothing but a gaping hole where her heart once beat. Or so she thinks… Her. Nick Adams shouldn’t want her. First off, she’s his employee and friend, but more importantly, she’s grieving the loss of her fiancé. Even now, more than two years later, which is why it’s important he be there for Meghan as her confidante, without checking out her stellar ass. However, his heart is pulling him toward her… Together. How do you move past the hurt and pain to forge a new normal? Can Nick and Meghan make a go of their connection? What happens when their newfound love is put to the ultimate test as another is brought in the mix: a ghost. *Though part of a series, this book can be read as a standalone. It is intended for those 18 and over due to graphic language, descriptive sex, and the world’s most inappropriate grandparents.

Tricks and Tropes is a Halloween anthology featuring nine new short stories from your favorite bestselling romance authors.

Ava My life is content. Living and working in my small hometown of Pine Village is right where I want to be, especially with family and a few close friends nearby. It’s taken me some time to dig my way out of the negative spotlight I found myself under a few years back, thanks to an old photo from college that resurfaced. That’s why I have rules: no social media, no drinking alcohol in public, and no dating the father of one of my students. Then, Gavin Pierson rescues me from the side of the road. He’s not making it easy to say no, especially when he flashes that sexy boyish grin of his. The only problem is dating him would be a complication I’m not prepared to deal with, but he’s proving to be relentless. Gavin Something calls to me when I’m near my daughter’s shy fifth-grade teacher. I wanted Ava Rutledge when we were teenagers in high school, and now that seems to be the case once again. However, she’s given herself strict guidelines, and despite the attraction I know she feels, convincing her to take a chance on us could be a challenge. It's a good thing I’m a patient man. The biggest hurdle we face is the fact she’s my daughter’s teacher, and that’s the one rule she’s not willing to budge on. I’m going to have to show her how much fun it can be when we break it.