Serena Bell

This tent is too small for the both of us. And I like it that way. Gabe I was minding my business. Literally. I promised my dad I’d take care of the Wilder family adventure business in our little Oregon town of Rush Creek, which also means looking out for my mom, my sister, and my rowdy co-workers, AKA my brothers. Now the business is in trouble. Overnight, Rush Creek has become a spa-and-wedding destination, and the new tourists aren’t interested in getting dirty—or at least not in the woods. Then Lucy comes to town, all blond hair and silky blouses and spike heels. It’s her job to give Wilder Adventures a makeover. Camping to glamping, rafting to paddle board yoga, fishing trips to girls’ night sunset cruises. If she gets her way, Wilder Adventures will become Wilder Romantic Adventures. Lucy hates small towns, getting messy, and anything involving the woods or the water—which pretty much makes her Not My Type. That doesn’t explain why when I see her, I can’t look away. Why when I touch her, I can’t stop. And why, even though I know no one can talk a city girl into small town life, I’m still trying. She’s driving me wild. All I can do is make her wilder.

That one night stand? It was just the beginning… My new neighbor, Elle, is everything I avoid. Chatty, sunshine-y, and determined that since our kids are brand-new BFFs, we should be too. That would be bad news even if I hadn’t had a one-night stand with her a few months back that turned me inside out. You see, since my wife died, I keep to myself. I hook up, but it’s always one-and-done. So you can imagine my shock when I discover that the girl next door is the one woman I was hoping never to see again. Now I’m seeing her again… and again, and again. And all the promises I made to myself? They’re starting to look more like lies.

I’ve gotten a do over... And I’m determined not to screw it up. I’m a tough guy. I’m a whiz with power tools, earned my hard hat and work boots the legit way, and can throw a football spiral that makes pro quarterbacks weep. But when Maddie, the mother of my son, shows up on my doorstep in tears, I have zero defenses. I can’t say no to my kid. Or his mom. Never have been able to. That’s how I make two big impulsive decisions: giving Maddie a bed to sleep in… and climbing in with her. Now I’ve got my kid and his mom living under my too-small roof, and I can’t put the attraction genie back in the bottle. I always knew I wasn’t the guy anyone wanted as a dad or a husband, and nothing’s changed in that department. But I can’t deny that this time, something’s different. I just hope that thing is me.

Single dad seeks nanny. Benefits are … mind-blowing. My best friend, Liv, is leaving town. No surprise there: She’s never stayed in one place more than a few years, and it’s past time for her to move on. Only her car broke down, and she’s got no job and no place to stay while she gets back on her feet. Meanwhile, I’m a single dad, and my nanny just quit. Problem solved, right? Liv can be my temporary nanny. And it’s just two weeks, so no chance for things to get complicated—even if suddenly I’m noticing just how beautiful Liv is. But being under the same roof with Liv is making me look at everything differently. For the first time, I don’t want to be the guy who sleeps around, and “just friends” doesn’t feel like enough. I’m starting to want more—and she’s not saying no. If things keep going like this, someone’s going to get hurt. And I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be me.

Who knew pretending could be so hot? It started as a joke. After all, I’d never pretend to date a woman just to get my mom and sister off my back. I would, however, pretend to date her to get her ex-husband off hers. Now the two of us, the wilderness warrior and the wedding planner, are stuck sharing a very small tent. I had no idea how fast things would heat up in here, or how hard it would be to keep my hands—among other things—to myself. I also didn’t guess how quickly the news of our “relationship” would spread to my big, nosy family. We can’t “break up” yet, because she’s planning my brother’s wedding and I’m his best man. Through venue visits, DIY disasters, and Vegas trips, we’re thrown together, and the chemistry’s off-the-charts. But the kicker is, I feel like she gets me. Maybe that’s what scares me the most. I’m still reeling from the loss of my wife, and she’s still hurting from her ex’s betrayal. There’s no way this can ever be real. But what if I’m starting to hope it is?

His best friend’s sister is rocking his boat. In the best way possible. Brody: What’s a bad boy doing hosting a book club on his boat? Excellent question. All I can tell you is, it’s not going well. I forgot the bug wipes, the TP, and the hand sanitizer, we’re out of wine, and… well, I may have made some people angry, if the Yelp reviews are any indication. The only way to dig myself out of this hole is to redeem myself by offering the best girls’ nights out in town. Enter my best friend’s sister. I’ve gone out of my way to avoid Rachel, since despite her good-girl rep, I can’t seem to get her out of my head. Now she’s in my boat… and if I don’t watch myself, soon she’ll be in my bed. Things are going surprisingly well between us… but I know myself, and I’m not this guy. I’m the guy you want for fantasy fulfillment, not the guy you want for forever. But what if I need this time to be different?

What happened in Vegas? Definitely didn’t stay in Vegas. Gabe’s the oldest. Brody’s the bad boy. Clark’s the strong, silent warrior. Amanda’s the girl. And Easton—well, Easton’s the panty melter. I’m Kane. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a bad job. But usually, I’m not the one people are talking about. That’s about to change. Because the woman I had a smoking hot one-night stand with in Vegas? The one I should have stayed far, far away from, since women like her are my kryptonite? She’s the same woman my brother just hired to redesign his fancy new glamping RVs. I haven’t seen her since Vegas, but the instant I lay eyes on her, I can tell my quiet role as the boy-next-door brother is about to change. She’s pregnant. And it’s mine. A steamy, small-town, accidental pregnancy, one-night-to-forever standalone romantic comedy by the USA Today bestselling author of Sleepover.

She’s nothing he wants. And everything he needs. I’m Mr. Serious, the guy they call “all work and no play.” So of course my grandfather’s sadistic will has put me in charge of fun at the family’s wedding resort. I have just a few weeks to come up with an all-ages activities program for the resort’s guests—or lose my family’s land forever. Meanwhile, the clock’s ticking at my finance firm, where I’m up for a huge promotion—if I can prove I’m a team player.Worse, I have to work with the reigning queen of fun, Natalie Archer. If there’s a party, Natalie’s there, and she’s the one dancing on the tables. She doesn’t think much of my suits, ties, cufflinks, and spreadsheets, and I don’t think much of her fun-first–safety-last attitude. But for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about her gorgeous curves, wild curly hair, or sparkling smile. I’m a man who values self-control—and I’m running low. Natalie launches Operation Fun to help me loosen up and win the promotion I’ve been chasing. Now we’re spending days and nights together—and learning that some activities are a lot of fun for both of us. But as our deadline approaches and our collaboration heats up, Natalie and I find ourselves asking a big Opposites may attract, but can they live happily ever after? A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, fish-out-of-water, billionaire, opposites attract, workplace relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Beauty salon… and the Beast Quinn: Working at the family wedding resort wasn’t exactly on my Bingo card. But it’s the only way for my siblings and me to get our grandfather’s inheritance, so here I am, staffing the Hott Spot Spa and Salon front desk. It’s an absurd gig for a man who makes Oscar the Grouch look like a people-person. Still, I’m a hard worker. I’ve made a fortune off my scientific discoveries, and if I can engineer groundbreaking drugs, I can do anything, right? Not according to Sonya Rossi, the spa’s smoking hot and relentlessly perky manager. My grumpy approach is testing even sunshine-y Sonya’s patience. Meanwhile, I’m not sure whether I want to rain on her parade—or kiss the smile off her face. Then the universe throws another curveball, putting us under the same roof. The closer Sonya gets, the more I like it—and her. I want to get to know her better and let her see the side of me I never show people. Until now, I’ve only believed in what I can touch, sense, and prove. I definitely don’t believe in love… but Sonya's making me wish I could. A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, under-one-roof, forced proximity standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

The hard part isn’t acting like we’re falling for each other. It’s pretending we’re not. Shane: My grandfather’s will has me between a rock and a Hott place. If I don’t score a celebrity wedding, my sister will lose her wedding planning business—and our family’s land. As a playboy movie star, I know Hollywood’s ins and outs. But finding two celebrities in love is tougher than it looks. Enter Ivy Scofield—the beautiful star of one of TV’s most beloved failures. She’s hiding from her past in Rush Creek, running a community theater for troubled kids. She needs my family’s wedding barn to save her program. So we make a deal: I give her the barn—she gives me her hand in fake marriage. Lights, camera, action—and cut—right? Not so fast. Planning our fake wedding is way more personal than I was expecting. I’m learning Ivy’s quirks, preferences, and pet peeves—and that’s before I walk in on her enjoying my most infamous on-camera scene. Plus she’s slowly peeling back my layers—the ones I’ve built up to protect myself. If someone doesn’t do something soon, we might discover that the only thing fake about this wedding is the way we keep pushing each other away. A spicy, movie star, marriage of convenience, fake relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

A wounded soldier. A secret baby. A second chance. Jake Taylor has made a few terrible decisions, but none worse than the one in Afghanistan that cost him his best friend and his leg. Or so he thinks, until he comes home from war to discover a seven-year-old son he never knew existed. Jake can’t regret the blissful nights he spent with Mira in his arms, or the boy with his eyes, but he can leave them alone so they don’t become yet another one of his mistakes. He’ll rehab his body, figure out how to find purpose again—and keep things simple with the woman he once craved desperately. Except the sizzling attraction that drew him to Mira is still fierce, and staying away from her is a lot harder than he ever expected… Mira Shipley has promised herself that if she ever sees Jake Taylor again, she’ll tell him he has a son. She isn’t expecting to run into him at the physical therapist’s office, where he’s learning to live with an above-the-knee amputation. She can’t blame him for being a grumpy jerk under the circumstances, but it would be a lot easier to ignore him if she didn’t desperately need child care for her son. And if Jake didn’t make her feel brand new and dazzlingly alive. She knows she needs to protect her son’s feelings—but no matter how hard she tries, she can’t forget the long, sweet nights she and Jake spent learning each other’s bodies and each other’s secrets…

He doesn’t remember her. She cherishes every moment of their time together. Is there any hope for a second chance?  Hunter Cross has lost a year. There’s a gap in his memory, and the woman who is living in his house has disappeared into it. He slept with her, fell for her, loved her—and he doesn’t remember any of it. He knows he should send her away—except for one little thing. At night, when she slips into his bed, his body remembers hers. Trina Levine is heartbroken, alone with her memories. Hunter won’t claim any of it—not the joyful days, not the steamy nights. It’s like Trina Levine dreamed it, and it hurts like nothing else could. Except when Hunter cries out in his sleep and Trina comforts him. At those moments, Hunter’s body knows hers, and for a few, brief, blissful moments, Trina’s sure everything will be okay again. Until morning comes.

This book is no longer in print. Individual stories may become available from their authors over time. Get a head start on the holiday spirit by reading for a great cause! Nineteen of today’s most entertaining rom-com authors have teamed up on #Books4Beats. This collection of festive shorts ranges from sweet to steamy and promises to entertain. 100% of proceeds will benefit the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women® movement, an initiative designed to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change to improve the lives of women globally. Authors Playing by Heart by Sylvie Stewart Better than Christmas by Brenda St John Brown and Serena Bell Hang Your Heart by Arell Rivers Hockey Hotties Heart-On by Piper Rayne Hell of a Heart-On by Marika Ray Hardware Hard-On by Tracey Pedersen Christmas Eve with KXBZ by Roxie Noir Heartly in Love by MK Meredith Love by Chance by Claire Marti Christmas Cabin by Elizabeth Lynx Mistletoe Wishes by Stina Lindenblatt Rock Hard Around the Christmas Tree by Tawdra Kandle Always Be My Babka by Melonie Johnson Hooking Her Heart by Sophia Henry Santa Claus is Coming by Hope Ellis Heart-On for Her Beaver by Dylann Crush Heart Healthy Hot Sticky Buns by Kameron Claire Ants in Santa’s Pants by Amy Award

My frenemy just asked me to help her win the man of her dreams. Easton: For as long as I can remember, I’ve been giving Hanna a hard time—and she’s been giving it right back. She’s the thorn in my side, the pebble in my shoe, and the woman most likely to off me in my sleep. And the feeling is a hundred percent mutual. So we’re both shocked to find ourselves on the same side of a helping Hanna win the heart of the celebrity forager-slash-chef hired by my family’s business to give summer workshops. It shouldn’t be a big deal. A wardrobe evaluation. A shopping trip. Maybe some how-to-get-the-guy advice. I’m an expert on matters of the heart—or, at least matters of the mattress—and for the first time, Hanna is more interested in hearing what I have to say than in mocking me for my Easton the panty-melter. But as Hanna starts to trust me and open up, I see her differently. She’s not so much blunt as refreshingly honest, not so much a plain Jane in baggy clothes as… deliciously curvy. And hidden under that spiky, steely exterior is a soft heart she doesn’t show anyone. Suddenly, the project includes ogling Hanna in dressing room mirrors. Offering her kissing lessons. And desperately trying not to give in to the sizzling heat between us. I have to let her know the plan has I’ll still help her get the guy she wants. I just need to somehow convince her that it’s me. A steamy, opposites-attract, enemies-to-lovers (or is it friends-to-lovers? So hard to tell with these two!), mountain man small-town rom com.