Kristen Granata

A contemporary romance about hope, mental health, and the healing power of love. After surviving a suicide attempt, Phoenix Bridges has been given a second chance at life—one she isn’t sure what to do with. When she’s released from a psychiatric treatment center, she moves into her family’s old shore house in New Jersey to figure out how to start over. She expects the town to be desolate in the winter months. What she doesn’t anticipate is the gorgeous, brooding cop who lives next door. James Russo blames himself for being unable to save his mother years ago. Now he’s made it his life’s mission to help everyone he can. So when he catches a glimpse of his beautiful new neighbor crying through her bedroom window, he’s determined to be her refuge. Sparks fly as they grow close and share their tragic pasts. But when danger unexpectedly strikes, James is helpless to stop it as Phoenix gets caught in the crossfire. Will Phoenix fight for the life she never wanted, or will James lose the one he loves all over again? *TW: This book contains some sensitive subject matter. REVIEWS: ★★★★★ "Beautiful, emotional, and so steamy. James and Nix's story is haunting and unputdownable. FIVE STARS!!!" -Tia Louise, USA Today bestselling author ★★★★★ “A heartfelt love letter to those struggling with life, loss and even acceptance. Nix and James are the perfect example of how love can open your eyes to a new perspective and help guide you through darkness into hope. Emotional, thought provoking and overflowing with romance that will leave you looking out the window wishing your next door neighbor was a hot, broody cop.” -Cambria Hebert, Bestselling Author ★★★★★ “A plot that was a mix of emotional healing, suspense, gasp-worthy—and holy hotness, that made this powerful story absolutely epic!” -ARC Reader ★★★★★ “Wow. This book has left me speechless. Heartwarming, beautiful, emotional, and spicy. I truly did not know how much I needed this book until I was reading it.” -ARC Reader

When my best friend tells me she’s finally following her dreams and starting her own business, I couldn’t be happier. Since college, we’ve talked about creating a website where people of all types can feel free to be themselves and explore what turns them on. So when she asks me to run it with her, I’m all in. Until she asks me to sleep with her and her husband, and post it on the website. I’ve loved her my whole life, but she chose a different path to please her parents. A path that led her to her wonderful hockey pro husband. If I accept her offer, I’d be her dirty secret all over again, and I don’t know if my heart can withstand it. But when my apartment goes under construction, I’m stuck living with the two people I should be keeping my distance from. The forced proximity brings us closer in ways I never would’ve imagined, and now that we’ve started, I don’t know how we’ll be able to stop when it’s time for me to move back out. No one can know about the things the three of us are doing. There’s too much at stake. But even though we’re careful to hide our identities, nothing stays hidden on the internet for long...

Dear Santa: A Fake Relationship Holiday Novella Dear Santa, Find me a fake boyfriend I can take home for the holidays... There are certain things I never thought I’d do. Hiring an escort to pose as my boyfriend sits at the top of that list. But the idea of sitting alone at Mom’s table for the fifth year in a row after my fiancé cheated on me has me feeling desperate. It started as a drunken joke when I let my best friend convince me to fill out an application for a male escort. Now, I’m on my way to see my family with the man I paid for. He’s nothing like the polished professional I expected—complete with tattoos, a sinful muscular physique, and a blunt attitude. I almost call the whole thing off. Yet there’s something he’s hiding under his gruff exterior, and while I’m supposed to be getting to know my fake boyfriend, I’d rather learn about who this mysterious man truly is. What started as a simple business transaction isn’t so simple anymore. We can barely keep our hands off each other—even when no one’s watching. The lines we drew in our contract are blurring, and it doesn’t feel like we’re pretending. I can’t keep up with our lie for much longer. But how can I trust my heart with someone who fakes love for a living?

A touching forced proximity summer romance about healing and taking chances. Charly Johnson created a bucket list when cancer left her mother with less than a year to live. They didn’t make it all the way through the list before she died, but she made Charly promise to finish it and live her life to the fullest. Spending the summer in a coastal mountain city in Maine is next on her list. The scenic town is perfect for finding adventure, and the quirky inn owner makes her feel right at home in the guest house. Except for the fact that her new living quarters belong to the owner’s grump of a grandson. Bryce Holden was an NFL player before sustaining a career-ending spinal injury. The people he thought would stand by his side left him when he was no longer a football star. Now, he prefers to live his life as a recluse, keeping outsiders at arm’s length where his heart is safe. The last thing Bryce needs is to fall for a beautiful woman who will leave him like everyone else. But when he sees Charly’s incomplete bucket list, and the bruised heart she wears on her sleeve, he resolves to help her on her journey. Even if it means losing her at the end of it.

A contemporary romance about courage, loss, and moving on... Callie Kingston’s life as an Orange County housewife isn’t as perfect as it seems. Her husband isn’t the same man she fell in love with nine years ago, and her home is no longer her safe haven. But she’s determined to keep up appearances, especially when it comes to concealing the bruises her husband’s temper leaves behind. Until Cole Luciano moves into her best friend’s house across the street. He’s abrasive and rude, but his steel-blue eyes tell a different story—one with dark secrets that has Callie curious. After suffering through an unspeakable tragedy, Cole settles into his sister’s pool house until he can get back on his feet. He’s convinced that he deserves to live with the guilt he harbors from his past, and wants nothing more than to be left alone. Yet he can’t seem to stay away from his beautiful neighbor. He sees right through Callie’s carefully orchestrated lies and is desperate to help her. Callie discovers more than an angry and bitter man underneath Cole’s hard exterior. But when Callie finally finds the courage to create a new life for herself, Cole isn’t sure if there’s enough of his heart left to give in order to be the man she deserves. Can two broken souls heal each other, or are some just too damaged to be put back together? *This book contains some graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

Heart Trick is a fake dating hockey romance novella from bestselling author Kristen Granata. This is book 1 in a series of interconnected standalone novellas. My new neighbor is a jerk. Sure, he’s the embodiment of tall, dark, and handsome, and he looks like he could crush a watermelon between his muscular thighs. But he has managed to become enemy number one within the first forty-eight hours of moving into the apartment next door. I may have retaliated and escalated the situation. I’m not above being petty, and I’m determined to make him break first. Until he sees my cheating ex-boyfriend giving me a hard time outside our building and steps in to help. If it weren’t for the pictures in the press the next morning, I would’ve assumed his act of kindness was just a fever dream. But my face is everywhere—labeled as hockey star Trenton Ward’s new girlfriend. Now, my grumpy neighbor’s agent wants to run with this story. Apparently, his image needs some sprucing. (I can’t imagine why with such a charming personality.) I agree under one I get to use him for inspiration in the new romance book I’m working on. I swear I meant it in the figurative sense when I signed the contract. But after a few fake dates and a toe-curling kiss, Trenton turns into my experimental guinea pig for all my spicy scenes. I may be fake dating one of the NHL’s best goalies, but out of all the things we do, faking it is not one of them. Only, falling in love wasn’t in the fine print.

One night. That’s all it was supposed to be. Imagine my surprise when Mr. Sexy in a Suit breezed through the door on the first day of school. Ladies and gentlemen, meet my new boss. Not only does he instantly recognize me, but he accuses me of stealing something valuable from him the morning I walk-of-shamed out of his apartment. When bullying me into a confession doesn’t work, he turns my life into a living nightmare – as if that will coax me into returning what I supposedly stole. But this is my school, and the only thing I’ll be returning is payback. Game. On. There’s only one problem. I wanted him before I hated him, and even now, a part of me still wants him. Somehow, through all of our fighting, through the anger and the pranks, I think I’m falling in love with the enemy.

I’d prepared myself for a life without love. Lost my parents and anyone else I got close to. Nothing good ever stays for long. I’m a statistic after all. Former foster kid. Former drug addict, alcoholic. Always thought I was destined to be alone. Always felt like I wasn’t worth a damn. Then Carla Evans walked into my life. One look at her in that uptight, buttoned-up outfit and I knew I had to have her. For a night, I’d indulge myself in the fantasy of a girl like her actually wanting a guy like me. Then she moved here with no job and that ridiculous bucket list. I knew she needed my help. I just didn’t expect to need hers. I spent a long time letting myself believe I didn’t deserve happiness. It took me a while (and a whole lot of therapy) to realize I’d had it all wrong. Now I know. And now I have to tell her.

Book 3 is an opposites-attract standalone romance in The Collision Series. Every choice has a consequence. Charlotte Thompson knows it all too well. On the run from her past, she hopes to start over in her new home. To keep her secret safe, she must avoid getting close to anyone. The last thing she wants is to get involved with the town’s notorious bad boy. Tanner Brooks is forever doomed to live in the shadow of his older sibling. Regarded as troubled and brooding, he’s seen as nothing more than the other brother. That all changes when a striking new girl captures Tanner’s attention. Charlotte gives him something to feel other than heartache and rage. Determined to prove himself, he will do anything for her … even if it means putting his life on the line. Between Tanner’s unwavering pursuit and Charlotte’s wavering defenses, sparks fly. But when Charlotte’s past catches up to her, she is forced to face the consequences of her actions. What’s worse, Tanner is taken along for the ride. Charlotte needs to save Tanner from her mess and keep them both alive.

From the author who brought you the best-selling romantic comedy, "Hating the Boss." They say you never forget your first love. Clearly, they haven’t tried hard enough. I’ve spent five years forgetting about Christopher Hastings. His gentle touch? A distant memory. Those gorgeous hazel eyes? Long gone. The sparks that flew when we kissed? Wiped from my mind. Now my life is going exactly the way I want it to. I landed a teaching job at my old elementary school. I’m happy again. Everything’s perfect. Imagine my surprise when I find out my school’s gym teacher is none other than Christopher Hastings. Cue panic attack. But it doesn’t matter how good he fills out those basketball shorts—I’ve moved on. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. If only my heart would get the memo. They say you never forget your first love, and it looks like Christopher is determined to make sure I never forget mine.

Elena When my candy bowl gets stolen by a mischievous teenager on Halloween, I march across the street to confront the girl’s father. Since the bowl is a memento from my family, I expect him to apologize and make his daughter give it back. No harm, no foul. Not only does the gorgeous single dad—who I’ve enjoyed watching mow his lawn without a shirt more times than I’d like to admit—deny the whole thing and take his daughter’s side, but he is extremely rude to me. I should let it go and cut my losses. But something about his self-righteous attitude strikes a nerve. So, I steal something from him to get even. And end up starting a war. Grant I’m too old to be pulling pranks on my neighbor. But when I see the smile it brings to my daughter’s face, I’ll do anything to keep her from reverting back to slamming her bedroom door and yelling that I don’t understand her. Being a single parent is hard, and being a father to a hormonal teenage girl is something else entirely. It has always been just the two of us, but I’m starting to realize that I might not be enough to help her as she turns into a young woman. Which is why I call a truce with the beautiful blonde across the street and allow her to tutor my daughter instead. I’m not prepared for the bond they create, and I’m definitely not prepared for the way my body reacts whenever she’s around. Somehow, my enemy just turned into so much more...

The job was clear: Get in, get what I need, and get out. It should’ve been easy. It could’ve been effortless. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with the enemy’s daughter. Long raven hair and dark mischievous eyes drew me in. Her feisty attitude and caring heart kept me there. Her pain called out to mine and out souls entwined. Now I’m in so deep, I don’t know which way is up. If my father finds out, we’ll be next on his list. I’ll do anything in my power to protect her, but how can I keep her safe when I’m the one I need to keep her safe from? Eva doesn’t know it yet, but she’s playing the part of Juliet in this twisted tragedy. And our final act is inevitable.

Book 2 in The Collision Series is a continuation of Collision, the emotional New Adult romance. After the shocking ending of "Collision," Merritt Adams is now faced with the emotions she's buried for almost a decade. While her boyfriend goes off to fulfill his rock star dreams in California, Merritt is left to her own devices. She drowns her sorrows in alcohol, and spirals out of control. She’s headed down a familiar dark path – one that led her father to take his own life. TJ Cutler is an MMA fighter who knows how dangerous inner demons can be. He may be the only person who can reach Merritt, having survived his own nightmarish childhood. But Merritt needs to prove that she’s willing to take responsibility for the choices she’s made, and commit to following TJ’s rules. Merritt accepts TJ’s help, and starts making the right choices. But the road to recovery isn’t easy. She falters and breaks TJ’s trust, disappointing him and herself. The only way for Merritt to move forward is by confronting the ghost she’s been running from all along. Will Merritt give up and lose, or will she get up and fight?

I’ve never had a problem convincing a man to take me home for a night of fun. Until I meet Alexander Krum. He leaves me wanting more at the end of every encounter. Despite our insane attraction to one another, we couldn’t be more opposite. He wants to take me on a date. I want to head straight to his bedroom. He believes in romance. I know men in romance books don’t really exist. He always wants to help. I can take care of myself. But then he comes to me with a proposition: A marriage arrangement to save his family's villa. His substantial offer has me overlooking our differences and saying “I do.” There is only one problem...he's been hiding a secret from the media for the last four years. Pretending to be a wife is one thing, but this? I'm the last person he should want in this role. Yet I can't bring myself to walk away. The incentive is too great, and when it's over, I will have my dream. And it will be over. I'm not destined for happily ever after’s—no matter how real this charade is starting to feel.

Book 1 in The Collision Series is an emotional, slow burn, New Adult romance. After losing both of her parents, Merritt Adams was forced to grow up at a young age. Now a bitter and jaded adult, she’s convinced that the only person she can count on is herself. When she’s injured in a fiery crash, Merritt has to learn how to accept help from her friends. But she isn’t prepared for support from the popular musician she used to go to school with. Chase Brooks spent the last two years in California aspiring to become a rock star, but his dream is cut short when he receives word about his sick father. He returns home to be with his family, and ends up seeking solace in the one girl who knows what it’s like to lose everything. Merritt fights her attraction to Chase every step of the way, refusing to let him in. But beneath his cocky charm and good looks, she finds a caring man who’s hurting just as badly as she is. As they grow closer, the wall Merritt built around her heart begins to crumble. What Merritt doesn’t know is that Chase holds the truth about who saved her from her mangled car the night of the accident – and it could destroy the trust he’s worked so hard for. Two sad souls could be perfect for each other, but a secret might tear them apart.

I once fell in love with two people.I was lucky enough they fell in love with me too.Chance Kellerman was the broken boy whose father convinced him he was worthless, and needed to hide his shameful desires.We became friends first, then brothers when we played hockey for the same team.But it was Presley King who brought us even closer. With her we became more. She set us on fire, and we had everything we’d ever wanted.Then she left us.Four years later, Chance and I are playing on rival teams when Presley appears on the Jumbotron. Our lives look a lot different than they did in college, and the odds seem stacked against us, but I’m positive we’ve been thrown back together for a reason.Convincing them of the same won’t be easy, especially when Presley’s job finds out about our unconventional relationship. I’m prepared to fight for us, until one moment on the ice changes everything.I thought fate brought us together, but maybe we’re only destined to lose it all.

TJ Cutler’s life has been anything but easy. Looking at him now, no one would guess that the successful MMA fighter and business owner was once a homeless drug addict who witnessed his father brutally murder his mother when he was just a child. But TJ knows how harsh reality can be for some, and he dedicates his life to helping those who are struggling like he once did. Carla Evans thought that her life was perfect until everything fell apart. Determined to start over, she moves to a new town ready to check items off of her bucket list. She didn’t plan for a steamy one-night stand with a muscular, tattooed fighter. She also didn’t know that he’d end up being the boss at her new job a week later. She tries to keep things professional, but they're unable to resist their attraction to each other. Carla is the uptight, buttoned-up contrast to TJ’s fearless and outgoing nature. He shows her how to live outside the box she constructed for herself, and pushes her past her comfort zone. But Carla soon realizes that TJ is the one in need of help – and love. Can Carla break through the walls of TJ’s damaged past, or are his wounds too deep to be healed? *Against the Odds is a standalone spinoff from characters in The Collision Duet. This book contains some graphic scenes and sensitive subject matter.