Lauren Connolly

She’s here to claim her mate. So, why is she looking at his best friend? Isla Brown saw the will of the Gods when they revealed her fated partner at the age of sixteen. But who needs to rush into a mating that young? Older now, Isla has returned to her childhood home on Lake Galen and is ready to build a life with her selkie mate. But she’s having trouble concentrating on that goal with a certain human constantly staring at her. And making her laugh. And tempting her to stray from her fated path. The night he almost killed her, he discovered her secret. Finn Hammond knows Isla is a selkie. He also knows that he doesn’t deserve her. Not after an almost fatal mistake he made years ago. But when they both find themselves at a lake side party, Finn can’t help mooning over her the way he has since they were in highschool together. And when she offers him the opportunity to dive deep into a single night of passion, he can’t find the will to walk away. But a new day brings honesty, and when secrets are revealed, both Isla and Finn must choose a different future. ***A Selkie's Secret is a free giveaway in Lauren Connolly's newsletter as of October 26, 2021***

When the universe screws you over, adopt a dog. Paige Herbert doesn’t know how she lost control of her life. Friday morning, she had her future planned. Sunday night, she’s jobless and staring at her half-naked fiancé and a woman wearing her green robe. Taking refuge in her childhood home, Paige decides this time around her life partner will have four legs instead of two. But her newly rescued pit bull is in bad need of obedience training…and the perfect guy for the job has Paige forgetting the past. Dash Lamont doesn’t want to go back to jail. Out on parole and working at an animal shelter, he’s focused on living life by the rules. And number one on the list: avoid temptation. And then, in walks Paige. The woman parks in the middle of Dash’s well-ordered life, demanding his attention with her offbeat conversation, sinful curves, and dream of a refurbished classic Chevy. Despite his decision to keep his distance, he somehow finds himself agreeing to her plea for help. As the two spend more time together, awkward attempts at flirting, late-night dancing to jazz music, and a chance taken at a Halloween party lure the hesitant pair down a sensual road. But when sins of the past work against the newly budding romance, Dash will need to decide whether to take his chance on love or stay in his safe lane, watching as Paige drives off without him. If you like Helen Hoang, Lauren Landish, Christina Lauren, and Talia Hibbert you’ll love this fun contemporary romance!

Maddie Sanderson would be proud to honor her older brother’s dying wish, that she scatters his ashes over eight destinations that the adventurous 29-year-old never got to visit before he died from cancer. But in his will, Josh assigned her an impossible partner to help complete the mission—Dominic Perry. Seriously, if Maddie weren’t already at his funeral, she would have killed him for this. Sure, Dom was Josh’s life-long best friend. He’s also the infuriating man who broke Maddie’s heart back when she was naïve enough to give it to him. But since Dom insists on following the rules and Josh didn’t leave much room for Maddie to argue the matter, they embark together on a farewell trip that spans thousands of miles, exploring new places and revisiting their complicated history along the way. After a snowstorm leads to a shared bed, Maddie starts to wonder if her brother might be matchmaking from the grave. But when grief also reopens old wounds between them, Maddie will need more than Josh’s ghostly guidance to trust Dom again.

When fire meets ice cream, will passion turn into a melted mess or dessert flambé? Quinn Byrne is rare even among fire elementals, with her powers hard-wired into her arousal. She can’t touch herself without setting the sheets ablaze. With an incendiary sex drive, Quinn’s dating life is dryer than the desert that surrounds her hometown of Phoenix, Arizona. She’d give anything to have a normal romantic relationship. But she knows one thing for sure: human men are out of the question. No exceptions. Not even if the guy is trying to woo her with delicious ice cream. August Nord is new to town, building a business that involves things staying cold. His whole life has been one, long icy stretch, until a fiery redhead saunters into his ice cream shop. Quinn is the hottest accountant he’s ever met, and a small business owner would be dense not to hire a professional to review their finances, right? As the two approach their attraction with wary steps, the sparks flying between them are all too real. Will the flames feed their burning desire or melt their chance of a happily ever after?

He’s found his mate. She’s just passing through. Can he convince her to stay? Delta Novac hates her house on Lake Galen. The old place in the small town of Folk Haven is a reminder of her father’s mental decline in the last few years of his life. She’s just come to town to clear the thing out and get it ready to sell. Delta never even planned to dip a toe in the water until a prone body floating has her diving in to save the swimmer. A selkie will know their mate when they are rescued. Calder MacNamara wasn’t in need of saving, but he certainly appreciates the effort. Especially when the hands on his bare skin warm him to his core. The moment he meets the woman’s piercing stare, his gut tells him she’s his life partner. But he soon finds that if Delta feels anything toward him, it’s annoyance. Accidentally insulting her dog doesn’t help his case. With Delta’s focus on the road out of town, Calder scrambles to discover what, if anything, could make her stay. He’s willing to use all means of pleasure at his disposal to convince his mate that Folk Haven is the perfect place to call home. Especially if you’re a mythical creature.

All Ame asks for is the right spell, a full moon, and a cooperative cat. She does not ask for a naked werewolf. Ame Shelly has been searching through grimoires for years, hoping to find a way to save her cat companion. A feline she’s ninety-six percent sure is a man stuck in the wrong form. When Ame and her sister start their own magical library in the small town of Folk Haven, the witch finally discovers an incantation that could free her friend. At least, she thinks Bee the cat is her friend. He hasn’t run away from her since the night she discovered him injured in the woods. Plus, Bee doesn’t growl at her the way he does with everyone else … Bee wants revenge. Bee is not a cat, his name is not Bee, and he is not happy.

He doesn’t believe in fate. She’s fine with single life. The gods have other plans. Seamus MacNamara may be a mythical creature, but that doesn’t mean he has to believe all those legends about selkies finding their fated mates. Specifically, that his mate will rescue him. Complete nonsense. If he is going to ask a woman out, he’ll do it because he likes her personality, not because she saves his life. Problem is, the barista Seamus has tried his hardest to flirt with ends up giving him the Heimlich when a cookie goes down the wrong pipe. What would a siren want with a selkie, anyway? Neri Onassis may have thought Seamus was cute at first, but when he freaks out after her acting the badass hero, her tiny crush evaporates. Good thing, because she needs to put all her brain power toward figuring out her new life in Folk Haven, the mythic-filled town next to Lake Galen. After an awkward break up with both a man and her parents, Neri left her old life behind, determined to figure out what kind of person, and siren, she wants to be. An ungrateful selkie is only a distraction. But when the two continue to cross paths, a spark of attraction refuses to extinguish. Is it the Gods? Is it chemistry? Does it matter?

COLORADO BOOK AWARDS 2019 Finalist She's dreamed of him for years ... Fenella found Graham, the man she's destined to love. Literally. They're both reincarnations of a centuries-old match. Problem is, Fenella's gift of Sight only lets her see glimpses of the long-dead couple and never past a certain point. What happened to the original lovers? Did they meet an untimely end? And if so, are Fenella and Graham headed for the same fate? To get answers, Fenella must give herself over to powers she tries to ignore and reveal her witchy-heritage to the man she's falling for. But can it be considered true love if the feelings first belonged to someone else? REMEMBERING A WITCH is a 16,000 word paranormal romance novelette perfect for people who like pumpkins, pit bulls, and professors with sexy ginger hair! This story is inspired by the autumn equinox and is just the thing to welcome in the colder seasons.

Satine expects to spend a lonely life on the shores of Lake Galen. She does not expect a charming bear shifter with a monster crush. Satine lives in the small town of Folk Haven, a place full of mythical creatures. But even among shifters and sirens and dragons, she's still seen as odd. Because Satine is a monster. With no human face to wear out in the world, she has to live hidden in her house on a remote corner of Lake Galen, alone most days other than the friends she has online. Alone until a bear shifter delivery man takes interest in her… Can Mahon convince Satine to come out from the shadows? Can she break down her walls to accept the passion he offers? Or will Satine also hide from love?

Summer Pierce is determined to date only nice guys. But when her latest prospect reveals himself as an alpha jerk in decent clothing, Summer doubts her ability to distinguish good from bad. Especially when her hot, pierced, tattooed library patron with an aloof attitude ends up supporting her on her darkest day. Could trusting a “bad boy” be a huge mistake? Cole Allemand visits the library for the books, but he stays for the librarian. Summer is as bright and warm as her name, and luckily, she has a hero worship for authors. While Cole works days at a local animal shelter, at night he’s putting the finishing touches on his novel. All he needs is a book deal, and the woman he’s been crushing on for months will be within reach. Only, Cole finds he can’t wait for the publishing world to give him his go ahead, especially when he knows his past may push Summer away. As the two form a bond outside of the library, Cole works to strengthen the connection with all the tools at his disposal, including serialized fantasy stories, adorable cats, and an in-depth understanding of the Dewey Decimal system. When a mysterious stalker threatens the librarian’s safety, trust becomes the element that could turn their tale into a true romance or tear apart the fragile happy ending.

Everyone needs to relax. Even mythical creatures. Moira MacNamara cannot stand Levi Abadi, and it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s a literal monster. Who cares that the man can transform into a terrifying beast? The truly bothersome things are how he ambushes her in council meetings and wants to demolish her prime real estate on Lake Galen. Plus, there’s the whole history of his father stealing a precious selkie pelt from her family. Moira will go so far as to enter a dangerous magical competition just to win an argument against the infuriating monster. The busybody selkie needs to get out of his way. Levi is barely months from the grand opening of his luxury spa, and he does not need literal duels happening on the vacant property next door. The stubborn selkie owner of the land knows just as well as he does that the ground is steeped in toxic magic, and bad things will continue to happen if no one clears out the evil vibes. Problem is, when Moira comes up with a plan, Levi somehow gets roped in as her assistant. Fine. As long as this means there’s nothing bothering his future customers during their relaxation. On the pair’s quest to cleanse the lakeside property, the two mythic enemies find themselves on common ground. Ground they lay down on, roll around on, and maybe lose a few pieces of clothing on. But secrets of the past and new dangers to the town of Folk Haven threaten a fragile romance between the selkie and the sea monster... Dive into the magical waters of Lake Galen with book three in the Folk Haven series, a 70k word paranormal romance. Fans of Molly Harper, Gena Showalter, and Kresley Cole will want to add this book to their shelf!

Her first hate and first love are back in town. Things are about to get heated… Cat Byrne seems sweet, but she’s hiding a volcanic temper. Her anger-fueled fire magic can melt tires off cars. Then her ex-best friend moves back to town, and the guy keeps popping up in inconvenient places, making sure she’s running at a constant simmer. Rafael Aguado hopes to calm the waters between him and Cat, but that’s hard to do when she’d rather see him boil alive. Maybe the water elemental could cool her off with time, but he has romantic competition. Rafael lost Cat to a handsome earth elemental years ago, and he refuses to let his rival win again. Even if it means kissing the hell out of the magical man to throw him off balance. Aspen Baumann’s last relationship taught him an important lesson: never settle for less. Determined to have both the people he wants in his bed, the earth elemental attempts to regrow the bond between the estranged pair–with him rooted directly in the middle. Hopefully, enough indecently steamy encounters can wash away past mistakes…

When a man cheats, don’t go postal. Date a postman. Robin Dunn is used to dealing with egotistical men. After years in the military and working in the male-dominated field of aviation mechanics, Robin thought she could tell the good guys from the bad. She even moved to the small town of Green Valley for a man she planned to build a life with. So why is that guy butt-naked on their couch with another woman, fondling her chest like he found himself a set of stress balls? Not one to run away, Robin decides to stake a claim on her new home and dole out some much-needed revenge. In a twist of luck, she convinces Arthur Kraut, her loser ex’s cousin, and the town’s grumpy mail carrier, to agree to her fake relationship scheme. Probably because she offers to help the guy with his lady troubles through copious amounts of PDA. After a lifetime of disappointments, Robin can’t help noticing how Arthur always delivers when she needs him. Too bad she’s done with needing men. Doesn’t matter that kissing Arthur has her thinking other, dirtier thoughts. All she wants is to get revenge on her ex, fix airplanes, and not fall for a man who has his heart set on someone else…‘Package Makes Perfect’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #6 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

She would do anything for the ones she loves. Even marry a stranger. Luna Lamont has a few short months to find a husband or else she loses out on a surprise inheritance. Content living life as an independent woman, she’s ready to give up the cash, even if that means her deadbeat father gets the windfall instead. But when Luna realizes the money could finally mean her twin brother’s freedom, she’s forced to consider the benefits of rushed matrimony. Only, what kind of man would marry a bitter self-defense coach who only wants to use him for a payout? Maybe a salesman with a secret crush is up for the job... Charlie Keller falls for Luna within five minutes of meeting her. Literally. His body inevitably malfunctions when she’s nearby. He first encounters the intimidatingly attractive woman on a boat a moment before he falls overboard. The next time they’re in a room together, he dumps a pot of coffee on himself. After an accidental boob punch, Charlie knows he’ll be lucky if Luna is willing to come within fifty feet of him if she doesn’t have to. But they're in the same wedding party, so Charlie hopes he can get through the ceremony without further embarrassment. Imagine his surprise when the woman who has every reason to keep her distance proposes a marriage of their own.

Can a hot paramedic resuscitate this mail woman’s flatlining spirit of adventure? Gwen Elsmere fell in love with Sebastian Kirkwood when she was sixteen, but a dead frog stole her chance to land the guy of her daydreams. Ten years later, when Gwen makes a desperate 9-1-1 call, Sebastian re-enters her life as the first paramedic on the scene. Unfortunately, she’s smeared in blood, and he’s engaged to another woman. The awkward rescue is far from the passionate reunion she’d secretly hoped for. Still, Gwen’s brief transformation from postal worker to neighborhood hero has her reevaluating her cautious nature. If she can save a woman’s life, why can’t she change her own? As Gwen challenges herself with adventures, big and small, she discovers an unlikely sidekick in her former crush. Sebastian reveals glimpses of the goofy teenager who first made her swoon, but there are shadows behind his eyes she wants to shine a light on. When Gwen discovers the sexy EMT is not as spoken for as everyone in Green Valley believes, she dares to hope for a second chance to risk her heart. But even as a chemist cat, drag queens, and glitter beards reward her new outgoing nature, secrets, pain, and fear threaten to snuff out her courageous spirit. Gwen will have to decide if Sebastian and she are better late than never or better never together. ‘Letter Late Than Never’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #3 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.