These are just a few of the books that we are looking forward to this month.
A good girl can be bad for one night…
Bernadette Hogan doesn’t make mistakes. Not when it comes to caring for her mother, and not at her job protecting Texas’s most eligible–and infuriating–bachelor. Maybe that’s why she’s overcome with guilt after one tiny indiscretion: a passionate fling with her boss that’s left her confused, intrigued…and pregnant.
but can a bad boy be good for a lifetime?
To self-made millionaire Jeremy Bridges, women are like fine wine: if held for too long, they sour. But one wild night with Bernadette changed all that. She makes him laugh, she makes him think, and soon she’s going to make him a father. For the first time, Jeremy wants to be a one-woman man. So how can he convince the fiercely independent Bernadette he’s ready to change from partying playboy to dependable dad–and become the loving husband she deserves?
When eighteen-year-old Lady Catriona Mackintosh discovers a wounded man in the forest near her Highland home, little does she know that he has sworn a sacred oath to kill her father and other members of the powerful Highland confederation known as Clan Chattan. Nor does she realize that she has met her soul mate. Independent, competent, intelligent, fiercely proud of her heritage, determined always to live near her own family, and known to her family as the “wee wildcat” because of her quick temper, Catriona is the daughter of a Highland chieftain and granddaughter of the even more powerful Chief (or Captain) of Clan Chattan. But her life changes forever when she persuades Sir Finlagh Cameron to return with her to her home to recover from his wounds.
Sir Finlagh “Fin” Cameron is on a mission for the heir to Scotland’s throne, who has sent him to the Highlands to persuade the Chief of Clan Chattan to arrange a secret meeting for him with two other great lords (the Lord of the Isles and the Lord of the North). Until Fin meets Catriona, however, he has no idea that her father was the Clan Chattan war leader who led them in the battle that wiped out many of Clan Cameron’s best warriors, including Fin’s own father. The sole survivor of that battle, Fin accepted a bequest of vengeance from his dying father, providing him with a dilemma to face as he begins to fall in love with Catriona. He is not the only one enticed by her charms, either. There are two other contenders, one of whom is his own master, the heir to Scotland’s throne. With royal mischief afoot, if Catriona and Fin are ever to find happiness, they must first avoid disaster that could changeScotland’s history, and find ways to be open and honest with each other.
Hoyt’s second Maiden Lane novel (after 2010′s Wicked Intentions), set in 1737 London, initially seems to follow the formula of the naïve virgin falling prey to the profligate rake. But Lady Hero Batten is quick-witted and forthright, and she refuses to be just another conquest for Griffin Remmington, her fiancé’s younger brother. When Griffin insists on accompanying Hero to the orphanage she funds in the dangerous St. Giles area of London, Hero finds him an affable and attractive companion. Their relationship changes as Hero learns that Griffin isn’t merely the irresponsible younger son he has pretended to be, and Griffin struggles to meet Hero’s high expectations. Fans of historical detail will love subplots involving the campaign to halt the production of gin and the overwhelming need for decent orphanages, and the mysterious happenings in St. Giles provide excitement and suspense.
ANDREW MACALISTER longs for a cure to free him from the excruciating pain caused by an old wound, but when he rescues a drowning woman, he has no idea how much his life is about to change. All Drew knows is that this mysterious woman is hiding secrets—and that he’s never felt such a consuming desire before. Yet he cannot deny her request for help, even if it means bringing the detested English army to his Highland clan’s home.
LEAH NOBLE MCQUARRIE still harbors a deep hatred of the Fae who tortured her eleven years ago, forcing her to escape back in time to the thirteenth century. A descendant of the Fae, Leah denies her heritage and her magical healing abilities. But the English army is holding her beloved adoptive grandfather captive, so Leah must seek help from the Fae—and the captivating man whose touch she craves.
Then Drew discovers Leah’s secrets, and he’s torn between old loyalties and trusting a woman who has the power to give him the future he’s sought—but could destroy his clan forever. . . .
The last thing event planner Tara Lincoln needs is the jet-set lifestyle of a football pro like Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand proved that Mick is an all-star-both on the field and in the bedroom.
Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn’t intend to put herself out there again, especially with a certified heartbreaker. But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind to catch this sultry vixen.
Shalvis kicks off a new contemporary series with this entertaining smalltown tale. Lilah Young has given up on finding Mr. Right in Sunshine, Idaho. Fortunately, when she rear-ends a truck, its owner turns out to be handsome out-of-towner Brady Miller. Lilah, a junk-food–loving animal enthusiast, is focused on her work at an animal kennel. Brady is a pilot-for-hire and photographer who’s just in town to help out his foster brothers. Brady and Lilah give in to their chemistry while telling each other their relationship is finite, but soon their passion deepens. There’s plenty of sizzle but not much action, and there’s never really any doubt that Lilah and Brady will overcome their hangups. Nonetheless, it’s an entertaining read and a good choice for readers who like cooing over cute animals as well as a cute romance.
