Nothing sweeter than newer contemporary romances
Here are some new contemporaries and romantic suspense, compiled for you and HEA by some of our favorite authors (info provided by publishers and/or their websites):
Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake (Forever). Determined to put her past behind her, Aubrey hits the road with a new last name and shows up at Max Jameson's family ranch looking for a job. The secretive ranch hand has Max curious in more ways than one, but he has bigger problems—the ranch is failing fast and he has no idea how to fix things. As they work together to save the ranch, Max and Aubrey are falling in love—until her past threatens their future.
Texas Hold 'Em by Christie Craig (Forever). When Leah Reece suspects Rafael, her dangerous half-brother, of breaking into her apartment, she can't deny she could use a little help. PI Austin Brook will do anything to nail Rafael, the man who framed him for murder—even lie about his identity to charm Leah. But Leah is more than just his only lead…she becomes his every desire. Now the only way Austin can protect Leah is to reveal all his secrets and risk losing her for good.
Fireworks by Elaine Coffman (Ellora's Cave Blush). Susan's friends drag her to a Montana guest ranch to celebrate her fortieth birthday and take her mind off her woes—her boyfriend has left her for a younger woman and her job is about to dissolve. The birthday fireworks they set off light up more than the night. The resulting brush fire has rancher Wyatt Whittaker burning with temper, but when the flames of anger cool, the city girl and the cowboy consider some fireworks of their own.
Spiraling by Rachel Cross (Crimson Romance). Amelia Astor was a champion, on track to give the US Olympic medal glory before she gave it all up to become the lead in Enchanted Ice. But in an industry that values the young, her age, salary, and injuries are a liability. So when she's offered a job teaching Hollywood heartthrob Shane Marx to skate for a role in a hockey film, she leaps at the opportunity. When America's ice princess meets Hollywood's hottest leading man, what could go wrong?
Falling Again by Peggy Bird (Crimson Romance). Investigative reporter Fiona McCarthy is following a hot story. Nick St. Claire is an internationally known photojournalist. Just back from a rough overseas assignment, he runs into Fiona. Fiona goes to dinner with him. Then Nick arrives in Portland on assignment and makes it obvious he wants more than a fling. But when her story and his assignment dangerously intersect at a mysterious cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest, their relationship is tested.
Battling the Best Man by Elley Arden (Crimson Romance). On the cusp of a brilliant Chicago medical career, Dr. Kory Flemming can't say no to maid of honor duties in her best friend's wedding. Will Mitchell has been destined for success since the day he was born. An innocent dance at the wedding reception leads and an illicit tryst threaten both of their professional goals. Can they put aside their rocky past and ignore their present in order to secure the future for the people they adore?
The following new releases were compiled for HEA by Kristan Higgins, author of The Best Man. Her website is kristanhiggins.com.
Home to Seaview Key by Sherryl Woods (Harlequin MIRA). Falling for a handsome stranger on the very morning they meet is hardly what recently divorced Abby Miller planned for her return to Seaview Key. Hoping to mend an old friendship and to give back to the community she loves, Abby's definitely not looking for love. For ex-soldier Seth Landry, Seaview Key seems like the perfect place to heal a broken heart…eventually. And when he rescues a beautiful woman on the beach, his nightmares about the past are eclipsed by daydreams about the future.
The Forbidden Queen by Anne O'Brien (Harlequin MIRA). 1415. The jewel in the French crown, Katherine de Valois, is waiting under lock and key for King Henry V. While he's been slaughtering her kinsmen in Agincourt, Katherine has been praying for marriage to save her from her misery. But the brutal king wants her crown, not her innocent love. For Katherine, England is a lion's den of greed, avarice and mistrust. And when she is widowed at twenty-one, she becomes a prize ripe for the taking—her young son the future monarch, her hand in marriage worth a kingdom. This is a deadly political game, one the dowager queen must learn fast.
My Sweetest Escape by Chelsea M. Cameron (Harlequin HQN). Jos Archer was the girl with the perfect life—until the night it all came crashing down around her. Now, nine months later, she still hasn't begun to pick up the pieces. Even transferring to a new college and living under the watchful eye of her older sister, Renee, isn't enough to help her feel normal again. And then she meets Dusty Sharp. For reasons Jos can't begin to fathom, the newly reformed campus bad boy seems determined to draw her out of her shell. But even as Dusty coaxes Jos to open up about the past, he's hiding secrets of his own. Secrets about the night her old life fell apart.
Blindfolded Innocence by Alessandra Torre (Harlequin HQN). Brad De Luca is used to getting whatever and whomever he wants. The premier divorce attorney in town, he's a playboy who's bedded half the city—including his own clients. And when the newest intern at his firm poses a challenge, his seductive prowess goes into overdrive. Pre-law student Julia Campbell is fresh off a failed engagement and happy with her new independence. The last thing she needs is a man who could destroy her job prospects, not to mention her innocence. But before she knows it, the incorrigible charmer has her under his spell. His deviant tastes plunge her deep into a forbidden world of sexual exploration…but her heart may not survive the fall.
The Swiss Affair by Emylia Hall (Harlequin MIRA). For Hadley Dunn, life has been predictable and uneventful. But that is before she spends her second year of college abroad in Lausanne, a glamorous Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva. Lausanne is imbued with the boundless sense of freedom Hadley has been seeking, and it is here she meets Kristina, a beautiful but mysterious Danish girl. The two bond quickly, but as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes. Driven by guilt and haunted by suspicion, Hadley resolves to find the truth about what really happened that night, and so begins a search that will consume her, the city she loves, and the lives of two very different men.
Say I Do by Lucy Kevin (Harlequin HQN). Set in the enchanting Rose Chalet Bridal venue overlooking San Francisco Bay, six people find love when and where they least expect it. The Wedding Gift: Chef Julie Delgado and restaurant critic Andrew Kyle have a professional history that is spicy, to say the least. But when these two foodies decide to set their differences aside, they find that love is the spice in life. The Wedding Dance: Phoebe Davis's passion comes through in the bouquets she creates for the Rose Chalet's clients, yet architect Patrick Knight has other designs in mind when he meets the beautiful florist. The Wedding Song: Whitney Banning and Rose Chalet DJ, Tyce Smith, might not strike the right chord when they first meet, but Tyce's love song to Whitney shows they can make beautiful music together.
Highlander Mine by Juliette Miller (Harlequin HQN). Deep in the lush Highlands, a powerful laird with everything to lose must risk it all for the lass who storms into his keep—and his heart. Raised on the debauched margins of society, Amelia Taylor depends upon her quick wit and fiery spirit to survive. When danger closes in on her already precarious home, she flees into the Highlands and finds refuge in the iron-strong circle of Clan Mackenzie. There, she draws the attentions of their formidable leader. But to remain safe from pursuit, she must conceal her identity, even if it means deceiving Laird Knox Mackenzie. A fiercely guarded and staunchly moral warrior, Knox never expected a ravishing stranger like Amelia to reawaken his desires. Yet as their heated confrontations unlock untold passion, temptation proves impossible to resist.
YA
Heartbeat by Elizabeth Scott (Harlequin TEEN). A YA love story in time for Valentine's day. Everything can change in one heartbeat. A first-person examination of a girl, Emma, mourning her mother's sudden death and the new perspective grief can provide, including noticing a boy who she would have originally passed by. With the help of this new boy Caleb, Emma begins to see beyond her own pain and open her heart to the possibility that while you can't control life and death, there are still things worth taking a chance on—like love.
GAY CONTEMPORARY
The following new releases were compiled for HEA by Sylvie Fox, author of The Good Enough Husband. Her website is www.sylviefox.com.
Smoke and Fire by Julie Cannon (Bold Strokes Books). Brady Stewart lives for the fire. Nightmares of the fire haunt Nicole McMillan. Whether fighting fires in the Kuwaiti desert, in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico or the heartland of Oklahoma, both women hide behind a smoke screen of who they really are. When they meet and face the challenge of their lives, their passion ignites because where there's smoke, there's fire.
The Beginning of Us by Sarah Brooks (Riptide). Eliza, where are you? I'm listening, watching, waiting for you. I need you. How dare you run away? Where's the courage, the fearlessness I fell in love with? I don't know what else to do but write. It's dark in my dorm room, and the wind rattles the panes of my window, and I'm supposed to be driving to my parents' right now for winter break, but I can't feel my arms or my legs, and my chest aches because I don't know where you've gone. Or why. I know I shouldn't have fallen in love with my professor. But you inspired me when you stood in front of the class, telling us to find our authentic selves. And I did—with you. How could I know that you would be so afraid of this, of us? That you'd be so terrified of . . . yourself? Wherever you are, Eliza, hear me—and come back to me. Love (yes, I'll write that word, Professor), Your Tara
The Archer's Arrow by A.J. Marcus (Dreamspinner). Former Olympic archer Robin Lockwood quit competing and now runs an archery booth at the Ren Faire. John Aquitaine found acting in college and started a comedy show with his good friend, Pete. They are the "Perfect Princes." The gypsy lifestyle lets him keep people at arm's length until an arrow nearly hits him and he meets the handsome Robin Lockwood. The flame between them sparks quickly, but the relationship is slowed when John's dark past catches up with him. John's Uncle Fred, the source of his horrible memories, appears at one of the Perfect Princes' performances, and it upsets John so much he needs Robin to rescue him. Their love is tested again as Uncle Fred plans to finish what he started when John was a child.
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Primal Obsession by Susan Vaughan (Susan Vaughan). Guiding a canoe party through the Maine wilderness is more than just a job for former Major-Leaguer Sam Kincaid. After hitting rock-bottom, he needs to prove he can pull himself out of the bottle and succeed at something. He can't let himself be distracted by an ambitious, obsessed female, even if she's sexy, witty and smart. Investigative journalist Annie Wylde embarks on the canoe trip to keep a promise to her murdered friend. She intends to use the outing to study her notes on the notorious killer called the Hunter. She banters with Sam but rebuffs his advances, considering him just another egotistical jock. But when Annie realizes the killer has followed her into the woods, she learns there's more to Sam than testosterone and dimples. And Sam faces the challenge of his life to keep Annie safe and defeat the Hunter.
Lie Catchers by Rolynn Anderson (The Wild Rose Press). Two unsolved murders will tear apart an Alaska fishing town unless a writer and a government agent reveal their secret obsessions. Treasury agent Parker Browne is working undercover in Petersburg, Alaska to investigate a money scam and a murder. His prime suspect, Liv Hanson, is a freelance writer struggling to save her family's business. Free spirited, full of life, and with a talent for catching liars, she fascinates Parker. Trying to prove she's a legitimate writer who cares about Petersburg's issues, Liv pens a series of newspaper articles about an old, unsolved murder. When her cold case ties in with Parker's investigation, bullets start to fly. Parker understands money trails, and Liv knows the town residents. But he gave up on love two years ago, and she trusts no one, especially with her carefully guarded secret. If they mesh their skills to find the killers, will they survive the fallout?
The following new releases were compiled for HEA by Susan Vaughan, author of Never Surrender, Once Burned and Twice a Target. Her website is www.susanvaughan.com.
Forged in Ash by Trish McCallan (Montlake). Kait Winchester inherited a special gift from her Arapaho ancestors: she can heal with her touch. And there is no one she would like to get her hands on more than the super-sexy SEAL who seems determined to ignore their off-the-charts chemistry. When the wounded warrior finally seeks her help, she's ready to nurse him back to health…and into her bed. Navy SEAL Lieutenant Marcus "Cosky" Simcosky is no stranger to hot water, but recent events have boiled over into one hell of a mess. His team is under investigation for a hostage rescue gone wrong, a crazy female stalker is on his trail, and the last few bullets he took just may sideline him for the rest of his career. The kicker? The one woman who can help him get back on his feet—and has haunted his fantasies for years—is his teammate's sister. He's looked but never touched. When his stalker targets Kait, though, Cosky will have no choice but to do whatever is necessary to keep her safe.
Cider Brook by Carla Neggers (MIRA). Being rescued by a good-looking, bad-boy firefighter isn't how Samantha Bennett expected to start her stay in Knights Bridge, Massachusetts. Now she has everyone's attention—especially that of Justin Sloan, her rescuer, who wants to know why she was camped out in an abandoned old New England cider mill. Samantha is a treasure hunter who has returned to Knights Bridge to solve a 300-year-old mystery and salvage her good name. Justin remembers her well. He's the one who alerted her late mentor to her iffy past and got her fired. But just because he doesn't trust her doesn't mean he can resist her. Samantha is daring, determined, seized by wanderlust—everything that strong, stoic Justin never knew he wanted. Until now…
Going Twice by Sharon Sala (MIRA). As bodies pile up in the wake of a storm—stripped, tortured and grimly posed—authorities must admit the unthinkable. The serial killer dubbed the Stormchaser has returned following a tornado and taken it upon himself to bring the death toll up to where he believes it belongs. FBI investigator Wade Luckett is back on the case, assisted by an agent Wade knows professionally and personally: his ex-wife, Jo. Neither time nor the tragedy that tore them apart have blunted the ache Wade feels for brave, beautiful Jo. And though she tries to deny it, she feels the same. But the stirrings of renewed romance will have to wait until they catch a killer. The Stormchaser has no intention of getting caught. He's set his sights on a new victim. Jo can forget about the lifetime she dreams of spending with Wade. She'll be lucky to see another day.
Cruisin' for a SEAL by Sharon Hamilton (Sharon Hamilton). Marc Beale and several of his brothers from SEAL Team 3 board a cruise ship to bury a fallen buddy's aches at sea. A risky affair with a beautiful Italian begins to ease his survivor guilt. Sophia Negri, suffering jitters over her engagement, falls for the handsome SEAL and pretends she speaks no English, letting their bodies do the talking. When Marc learns Sophia speaks flawless English, he is angry. When terrorists take over the ship and hold the passengers for ransom, Marc and the other SEALs are the only ones who can stop the plot. Will Marc's actions be enough to save Sophia or will he have to sacrifice himself to save the woman he loves?
Chance Collision (Crossing Forces Book Two) by C.A. Szarek (Totally Bound). Detective Pete Crane catches a new shooting case and considers it business-as-usual. But when the lead witness is the Chief of Police's fiery assistant, he never anticipated she'd challenge him—personally and professionally. Nikki Harper has been attracted to Pete since they met two years ago. Witnessing a brutal shooting throws her into a stigma that's always been her greatest fear: a victim. Can Pete protect his witness and solve the case, while fighting the intense heat with Nikki?
Shadows of Damascus by Lilas Taha (Soul Mate Publishing). Bullet wounds and oppression aren't the only things that keep a man—or a woman—from being whole. Iraq war veteran, Adam, owes his life to Fadi, a persecuted member of the Syrian resistance. To protect his sister, Fadi collects on the debt, asking Adam to take Yasmeen to America as his wife. Yasmeen discovers her future depends on a traumatized man, who battles his own demons. Will Adam and Yasmeen have a chance?
The following new releases were compiled for HEA by Gail Barrett, author of Seduced by His Target. Her website is gailbarrett.com.
Raven's Hollow by Jenna Ryan (Harlequin Intrigue). Every small town has hidden secrets. But Raven's Hollow is also hiding a murderer. Twenty years ago, Detective Eli Blume's stepsister was killed. Though the killer was never found, Eli was forever changed by the family tragedy. Now another woman Eli cares about has been targeted: Sadie Bellam, whose legacy is closely tied to the town's eerie legends…. Sadie knows her stalker is no ghost, but a flesh-and-blood villain. And while she appreciates Eli's protection, their mutual attraction poses its own danger. Once that attraction ruined the life she thought she wanted; now Eli may be the only person standing between her and becoming yet another victim haunting Raven's Hollow….
Blood on Copperhead Trail by Paula Graves (Harlequin Intrigue). Bitterwood's new department chief, Doyle Massey, had a lot to prove to investigator Laney Harvey. Her take-no-prisoners attitude and his devil-may-care personality were destined to clash. Yet when three girls go missing in the Smokies, including Laney's sister, their priorities have to change. With lives in the balance, the two suddenly find themselves on the same side against a ticking clock. Their biggest obstacles? The weather and one snow-covered mountain. Not to mention an attraction that's proving difficult to ignore. It isn't the time for creating any kind of lasting relationship. But with danger lurking around every jagged turn, taking such a chance might be a case of now or never.
Rocky Mountain Revenge by Cindi Myers (Harlequin Intrigue). Despite her new identity in the WitSec Program, Anne Gardener has been found by the one person who hurt her the most: FBI agent Jake Westmoreland. And when she testified against her own flesh and blood, her whole existence was turned upside down. Jake couldn't expect any more from her – except that he did. He wanted the impossible her help. Jake doesn't have much time to restore Anne's faith in him. She is the only one who can help him locate her mob-boss father and put him away for good. He knows that his betrayal has hurt her deeply. Loving her was never part of the plan; yet losing her is a risk he won't take. He'll do anything to keep her safe –even if it means walking into the lion's den.
Tennessee Takedown by Lena Diaz (Harlequin Intrigue). It can't be a coincidence that in the past 24 hours, three different thugs have tried to kill or abduct Ashley Parrish. Sexy SWAT team leader Dillon Gray saved her, but now he wonders why someone would want to murder the beautiful accountant and why he finds her so infuriatingly attractive. Then the FBI comes after Ashley for embezzlement, and Dillon knows he must protect her from a killer and prove she's being framed. Taking her on a hair-raising run through dangerous terrain barely fazes him. But wanting her from more than just one night scares the hell out of him.
Rancher Rescue by Barb Han (Harlequin Intrigue). Getting tangled up with another woman in crisis is the last thing rancher Caleb Snow needs. The handsome cowboy has been badly burned too many times. But this one feels different–Katherine Harper is injured and reeling after an ambush in which her nephew was kidnapped. Caleb wants nothing more than to protect the beautiful, headstrong woman and help her find the missing child. If only he could ignore the feelings she stirs in him. But as they search together, it's clear someone wants Katherine dead. Soon the two are running for their lives, dodging bullets, not knowing who to trust…or if they'll survive long enough to bring a little boy home.
Undercover Captor by Cynthia Eden (Harlequin Intrigue). The man standing watch over Dr. Tina Jamison was an imposing, scarred figure. Even more frightening was what would happen when her kidnappers discovered they'd taken the wrong woman. Only she didn't realize this same guard was an undercover agent, or that Drew Lancaster left no fellow Elite Operations agent behind. Running handcuffed together through Texas, Drew vowed to protect Tina against all dangers. For a man who'd fought so may battles, he couldn't afford to lose this one. She'd need to follow his orders to stay alive. But it didn't take a doctor to see that this wounded warrior she'd once feared needed some saving himself.
If you're an author who has an upcoming new romance, you can send information about the book (subgenre, title, author, publisher, release date, 75ish-word blurb) to happyeverafterusat@gmail.com. Please include "new release contemporary" (or whatever subgenre it is) in the subject line. HEA will do its darnedest to get your listing into a new releases post as close to your publication date as possible. All romances and subgenres are accepted, including self- and indie-pubbed.