The night we met in the dimly lit bar, she looked like a brunette bombshell, and I wanted to learn her deepest secrets. With sun-kissed skin and soulful bedroom eyes, she was pure temptation, and I was mesmerized. As one drink led to two, I craved more of her playful banter and taunting lips. Resisting her wasn't an option, and we quickly became a desperate mess of tangled limbs and hot kisses. She tasted like the sweetest sin, but I was no saint.

I never planned on returning to Alabama, but circumstances brought me here after years of being gone. Though Lawton Ridge is my hometown, I was hesitant to go back because of her - my sister’s best friend. The last time we were together, she was 18, and I was a broken soldier transitioning to civilian life. Gemma wrote to me while I was overseas and we developed a bond I hadn’t anticipated. I crushed her heart the day I left, something I’ve never forgotten. But now that her dad is my new boss, life just got way more complicated.

College parties, beer, and one-night stands - that was my life. Now, I hunt down criminals, ethically or not, but if no one's asking, then I'm not telling. Drinking and women are still included, although I can't seem to forget the girl who almost gave me her virginity. She would've until I realized she was too young, and I wasn't looking to get thrown into jail.

I’ve been warned on several occasions about southern men - with their sexy accents, charming manners, and the ability to easily get any woman in bed - which is something I’ll be avoiding. Being a professional photographer has many perks - traveling around the world, calling all the shots, and working with subject matter that isn’t bad to look at - but Colton Langston with his washboard abs and baby blue eyes, could care less about my current project. He’s trouble, I know it, and he’s determined to make me work for every single photo.

Travis King is the worst kind of a**hole. He taunts me for being a good girl and mocks my high standards. He's cruel, crass, and has enough confidence to last two lifetimes. And I hate him. He's always loved getting under my skin, and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed. I've succumbed to his manw**re ways, but that doesn't change a thing. Because the King is about to get played at his own game - and lose.

Never trust a man who answers the front door wearing nothing more than a pair of low-cut jeans and a panty-melting smirk. That should've been my first sign. I write about guys just like him for a living - sexy and charming, yet reluctant to get into a serious relationship. His body screams sex appeal, but his condescending personality makes him a classic f--kboy. And I want nothing to do with that.

What do you do when the entire nation is on lockdown? If you’re an heiress to a billion-dollar fashion company, then you quarantine in a glamorous cabin and finish your final semester of NYU online. The best way to focus on her upcoming valedictorian honor is away from her family, classmates, and the paparazzi. Cameron St. James is ready to get out of the big city and head upstate for seclusion, despite her parent’s pleas to stay home.

Deciding to give their spontaneous Vegas marriage a chance, Zoey moves from her big city life to a small-town Texas ranch. She has to figure out if the connection she shared with Riley Bishop is deeper than their one-night stand before announcing to her family she got hitched to a cowboy. One moment changes everything—for better or worse—and a secret could destroy them both.

I wasn’t supposed to catch feelings for my best friend’s older brother. It started with a letter and grew into us confessing our secrets. Then he left, taking my shattered heart with him. Twelve years later, he’s back. We have to keep our distance. If we fall for each other, everything will fall apart. But then I’m blackmailed into marrying another man, and the guy who broke my heart is the only one who can save me.

Lila James is my best friend’s little sister, and I’ve always looked out for her. She's five years younger than me, and when she left for college, she was just a kid. But now she’s home for the summer—and she’s definitely not a kid anymore.

As a divorced single father, I live by three rules: Make sure every day my daughter, Paisley, knows she’s number one in my life. No matter what, keep contact with my cheating ex-wife to a minimum, and turn Maxwell Wineries into a legacy that keeps Paisley set for life. When I hire Lexi to look after my daughter, I realize I need another rule: Don’t pursue Paisley’s nanny. But even if I had that rule it wouldn’t matter. Because I'm breaking it already.

My body, broken beyond repair. The boy I’d thought was my forever. The life I’d always dreamt of. Now, Holt’s back. And he’s no longer a boy, but a man with shadows in his eyes and demons haunting him. He says he’s here to make things right. To get back a little bit of all we’ve lost. And he doesn’t show any signs of leaving the small town that has been my refuge. As stolen moments turn to days, Holt’s around every corner.

First rule of being a nanny? Don’t fall for the single dad, even if he is smoking hot. But that’s exactly what happens when grumpy small-town sheriff Asher Whitlock reluctantly hires me to take care of his daughter for the summer. Neither of us is thrilled with the arrangement, but he’s desperate for help, and I need the money for grad school this fall.

It all started with an unexpected phone call. Two years after my fiancé passed away in an accident, his father died suddenly, leaving Brad’s adult special-needs brother with no one to care for him. The next thing I knew, I was on a cross-country drive to New Hampshire where I’d be moving in to look after Scottie until I could get him into a group home. The last thing I ever expected? I wouldn’t be taking care of him alone.

I should have known I was in trouble when I backed my old, beat-up truck into the shiny Range Rover. The driver looked like a gorgeous fallen angel–one who’d been booted right out of paradise for being a giant prick. Good thing I’ll never have to see him again.

The night we met in the dimly lit bar, she looked like a brunette bombshell, and I wanted to learn her deepest secrets. With sun-kissed skin and soulful bedroom eyes, she was pure temptation, and I was mesmerized. As one drink led to two, I craved more of her playful banter and taunting lips. Resisting her wasn't an option, and we quickly became a desperate mess of tangled limbs and hot kisses. She tasted like the sweetest sin, but I was no saint.

It took one night with her to know she was my forever. It took one minute for me to climb out of bed and drive away from her. It’s taken me three years to confess that leaving her behind was the biggest mistake of my life. I won’t stop until she knows what she means to me. I’ll convince her to listen to her heart.

Harrison Phillip Fletcher III isn't supposed to be here. Not in Burlington, Vermont, not running Vino & Veritas, a quaint inclusive bookstore and wine bar, and definitely not still alive, at 42. Also not supposed to be here? An unexpected delivery of chickens. Finn Barnes knows chickens. The burly organic farmer knows all about rare breed poultry, but dealing with a hot older bookseller is an entirely different matter. City-slicker types like Harrison never end up staying in Vermont for the long-term. They should steer clear of each other. But the flare of attraction is mutual.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the dark to my sister’s light - the awkward loner to her social butterfly. Growing up, she had it all: our parent’s unyielding approval, perfect grades, a permanent spot at the popular table, and the attention of the hottest guy ever - Duke Kincaid. After 18 years of living in her shadow, I couldn’t wait to escape - to finally be my own person. Yet here I am - back in my hometown, once again in Valorie’s shadow. Only now, it’s eternal.

I’ve kissed a lot of frogs, just to be covered in warts. I’ve been lied to, cheated on, and used more times than I can count. I don’t have it in me to keep going. I need a break from it all. I need time for the wounds to heal, and the scars to fade. Wouldn’t you know it’s my luck to meet a gorgeous man after declaring my self-imposed break? He’s charming, sexy, and determined to change my mind.

When it comes to life's fun and games, always know: The rules. What's at stake. When to quit. Wise words from...well...my fortune cookie. But wise words, nonetheless.

Jesse Lee is the worst! He’s a multi-millionaire, triple-platinum-selling, Grammy-Award-winning man-slut - a worldly, self-indulgent heathen. I wouldn’t sleep with him if he were our last chance to ensure survival of the human race. The only reason I put up with him is because he’s my boss’s brother. Playing by Heart is an enemies-to-lovers romance where opposites not only attract, they ignite.

When Parker Blanton meets Ben Olsen during her freshman year of college, the connection is immediate - and platonic. Six years later, they're still best friends, sharing an apartment in Portland's trendy Northwest District as they happily settle into adult life. But when Parker's boyfriend dumps her out of the blue, she starts to wonder about Ben's no-strings-attached approach to dating. The trouble is, even with Ben as her wingman, Parker can't seem to get the hang of casual sex - until she tries it with him.

Sadie Slade was the love of my life. I left for college promising her I’d be back in four years. She stayed behind promising me she’d wait. We both broke our promises. When we bump into each other five years later, my feelings for her come rushing to the surface. I want her back. She wants me gone. How quickly my Sadie Girl has forgotten - I’ve never been the type of man who accepts defeat. No matter the cost.

Kelley Pierce is my person. He has been since the 9th grade. He gets me like no one else does. My quirks. My love of pros/cons lists. My need to have everything under control. He accepts me just as I am, because he is the perfect...friend. My best friend. But Kelley is also totally gorgeous. And confident. And tempting.

With a nickname like "Sin", it's no wonder they call me the bad boy of hockey. Opponents curse me. Fans scream my name - in the arena and in other, much more private places. Penalties or not, I'm not afraid to dish out a little pain. But pleasure? That's my weakness. And no one knows it better than my best friend, Cassie Desrosiers. I'd have to be blind not to notice her rocking body and teasing grin. So when she invites me along on a trip to Vegas, my curiosity isn't the only thing that's aroused.

On the night of her high school graduation, Vale McKinley and her boyfriend, Crawford, are in a terrible car accident that leaves Crawford in a coma. They were supposed to spend the summer planning for college, for a bright future full of possibility. Together. Instead, Vale spends long days in the hospital, hoping Crawford will awaken. Slate Allen, a college friend of Vale's brother, has been visiting his dying uncle at the same hospital. When he and Vale meet, she can't deny the flutter of an illicit attraction.

Claire Walters has worked for Jason Danvers as his assistant for three years, but he’s never appreciated her as a woman - until the day she jumps out of a cake at his friend’s bachelor party.... To support her ailing mother, Claire is forced to work a second job at a party-planning company. But when her handsome boss ends up with a front-row seat to the action, she’s mortified - and he’s intrigued. With Danvers International in the middle of an important merger, Jason asks Claire to accompany him on weekend business trips - and suddenly all her fantasies are coming true.

The start of Lee Burrows and I was a college girl’s biggest fantasy. Campus’ most popular guy, the starting quarterback, the same guy I’ve crushed on forever, notices me—the quiet introvert. Although, he never would’ve noticed me if he didn’t need my help passing our biology class. I didn’t think I had a chance with him until he started flirting with me and asking me questions like, “Who was the guy you were talking to?” and “Do you have a boyfriend?”

Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing? Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered. The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner.

The night we met in the dimly lit bar, she looked like a brunette bombshell, and I wanted to learn her deepest secrets. With sun-kissed skin and soulful bedroom eyes, she was pure temptation, and I was mesmerized. As one drink led to two, I craved more of her playful banter and taunting lips. Resisting her wasn't an option, and we quickly became a desperate mess of tangled limbs and hot kisses. She tasted like the sweetest sin, but I was no saint.

College parties, beer, and one-night stands - that was my life. Now, I hunt down criminals, ethically or not, but if no one's asking, then I'm not telling. Drinking and women are still included, although I can't seem to forget the girl who almost gave me her virginity. She would've until I realized she was too young, and I wasn't looking to get thrown into jail.

Deciding to give their spontaneous Vegas marriage a chance, Zoey moves from her big city life to a small-town Texas ranch. She has to figure out if the connection she shared with Riley Bishop is deeper than their one-night stand before announcing to her family she got hitched to a cowboy. One moment changes everything—for better or worse—and a secret could destroy them both.

I knew within moments of meeting Mason Holt that he would change my life forever. I just didn't realize how much. As my world spirals out of control, he continues to stay by my side, protecting and taking care of me. Being just friends is all he's been able to offer, that is until both of our lives are threatened. Now that our relationship is blossoming into something more, I can't be what he needs even if I wished I could.

What do you do when the entire nation is on lockdown? If you’re an heiress to a billion-dollar fashion company, then you quarantine in a glamorous cabin and finish your final semester of NYU online. The best way to focus on her upcoming valedictorian honor is away from her family, classmates, and the paparazzi. Cameron St. James is ready to get out of the big city and head upstate for seclusion, despite her parent’s pleas to stay home.

I wasn’t supposed to catch feelings for my best friend’s older brother. It started with a letter and grew into us confessing our secrets. Then he left, taking my shattered heart with him. Twelve years later, he’s back. We have to keep our distance. If we fall for each other, everything will fall apart. But then I’m blackmailed into marrying another man, and the guy who broke my heart is the only one who can save me.

Travis King is the worst kind of a**hole. He taunts me for being a good girl and mocks my high standards. He's cruel, crass, and has enough confidence to last two lifetimes. And I hate him. He's always loved getting under my skin, and one night against my better judgment, I let him in my bed. I've succumbed to his manw**re ways, but that doesn't change a thing. Because the King is about to get played at his own game - and lose.

Never trust a man who answers the front door wearing nothing more than a pair of low-cut jeans and a panty-melting smirk. That should've been my first sign. I write about guys just like him for a living - sexy and charming, yet reluctant to get into a serious relationship. His body screams sex appeal, but his condescending personality makes him a classic f--kboy. And I want nothing to do with that.

I never planned on returning to Alabama, but circumstances brought me here after years of being gone. Though Lawton Ridge is my hometown, I was hesitant to go back because of her - my sister’s best friend. The last time we were together, she was 18, and I was a broken soldier transitioning to civilian life. Gemma wrote to me while I was overseas and we developed a bond I hadn’t anticipated. I crushed her heart the day I left, something I’ve never forgotten. But now that her dad is my new boss, life just got way more complicated.

Never trust a man who gets paid to take off his clothes for a living, and then uses it as a pickup line to get girls in bed with him. That should’ve been enough for me to call in sick that day. I’ve worked with male cover models like him before, and they’re all the same - smooth-talking, sexy as sin, egotistical know-it-alls who think they’re God’s gift to women - all traits I know to steer clear of.