If you read Falling for Your Enemy, you might have seen a sample chapter from Royally Rearranged in the back! I’ve made some tweaks (and probably will tweak this version too) but here is the first chapter of Royally Rearranged!

You can preorder now and the book will be out and in Kindle Unlimited on September 30th!

Note: This version will likely change on publication AND it has not gone to the proofer. 🙂

 

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ROYALLY REARRANGED

CHAPTER ONE

Serafina

Is duty still considered duty when it’s something you want to do? 

This is the question I’m pondering as I watch Prince Callum thoroughly trounce his opponent in tennis. Specifically, I’m watching Callum’s firm, athletic bum as he trounces his opponent in tennis. His thighs too. Hard not to ogle those when they look good enough to eat. Almost like two meaty Christmas hams. 

Duty looks delicious. 

In case you’re the judgy sort, thinking I’m just objectifying the poor man, he’s my fiancé. Well. Almost my fiancé. And I have waited my whole life for this man without so much as a kiss goodnight from him, so you’ll forgive me if my mind is a little focused on his physical attributes. 

He’s also my best friend, so this isn’t a shallow crush.

“You’ve got a little drool there.” 

From beside me, the incredibly irritating and decidedly devilish Duke of Weldon swipes a fingertip across my lower lip. I swat him away, feeling my cheeks heat. Callum may be my best friend and almost fiancé, but I hate getting caught ogling him.  

“Keep your hands to yourself,” I hiss to Rafe. “I don’t want to even know where they’ve been.” 

 “Let me know if you change your mind about that.” 

His grin is pure wickedness. It makes me shudder. Not in a good way.

“Why don’t you crawl back under whatever rock or woman you crawled out from under?” 

His dark chuckle matches his dark eyes and even darker hair. Honestly, Prince of Darkness would be a more fitting title for the duke. I’ve never seen him look anything but smug. He doesn’t walk; he saunters. Every smile, every chuckle, every comment is useful, intended toward some purpose–that purpose usually involving a woman. 

And duty? He’s allergic to the very idea.

He’s the very antithesis of me, the opposite of Callum who is the hero to Rafe’s bad boy. It makes total sense that they’re rivals, always have been. Which means Rafe is my rival too. 

I’m not sure what his game is today. He’s been flirting with me, which is a first. Normally he seems to either ignore me or treat me with cool detachment while flirting the pants off any woman who has, well, pants. Or a dress. Basically, anyone with a pulse.  

Today though, he’s like one of those gnats humming irritatingly near my ear. I’d like to squash him. 

I didn’t really think about it, but it makes sense that Rafe would attend Elsinore’s Centennial Ball next week–everyone will be there, even dukes who have been rumored to be all but exiled. Rafe tends to pop up like a spectre, haunting royal events and (apparently) charity tennis matches across Europe. But why he’s here now, a week early, and why he’s sitting beside me to watch Callum, I have no clue. 

“I promise my hands are clean, and I haven’t been under any rocks or women. Just so we’re clear, Princess.”

Kat leans her head around me to bat her lashes at Rafe. “Does that mean you’re actually single for once?” 

He winks, and I roll my eyes. “Very much.” 

“Let me know if you want to change that.” 

“We’ll see, Kitty Kat.” 

“Both of you, hush!” I lean closer to Kat, whispering, “Don’t encourage him. Never feed the strays.”

“But he’s so pretty,” she whines, smoothing a hand over her short, dark bob. “And you know how I feel about bad boys.”

“The same way you feel about all men?” 

Despite our different personalities, Kat is my best–and other than Callum, only–friend. She acts as my sole source of personal information about men as she tends to enjoy them. A lot. It’s not my style, but after watching her parents divorce bitterly after twenty-seven years of marriage, three kids, and emigrating from Korea, I think Kat’s way of guarding herself against the pain. 

 She’s excellent at guarding–I would know. She’s acted as my unofficial bodyguard almost since the moment we met. Five-foot-two inches of Kat fury is surprisingly effective at keeping people at bay. Kat all but adopted me my first year in uni when she was the resident assistant. 

I adopted her right back, and hope when she finishes law school, she’ll join me in Elsinore as part of our legal team. 

“Yes, but the bad ones are so good,” Kat says. 

We can agree to disagree. Talk, dark and roguish isn’t my type. I return my focus to Callum down below, who is exactly and only my type: golden hair, a crooked smile complete with dimple, and eyes the blue of the Mediterranean. My childhood best friend. My soon-to-be fiance. I can hardly wait but am going to be a ball of tightly wound nerves until things are official. 

Interrupting my romantic thoughts, my stomach growls loudly, and Rafe chuckles again. “I’m going to grab a bite. Can I bring you something?” 

Tempted, I glance at Rafe, but some pretty socialite-type further down the row seems to have caught his eye with a flirty wave. It’s no wonder he’s known as the Royal Rogue. 

“So much for being single,” I mutter to Kat. 

I wave Rafe off, glad when his presence isn’t overshadowing the moment. Why is he even here if he’s going to miss the end of the match? 

I am starving, to be honest. I’ve been much too nervous to eat much for the last few days. First, I had to pass my last set of final exams at uni–check! Now, I’m here in Elsinore to publicly announce my engagement to Prince Callum–almost check!

We need to iron out the actual details of the engagement, but have almost a week before the Centennial Ball to do so. It will be strange to actually discuss this out loud. 

Ever since our parents made this arrangement when Callum and I were just children, it’s been very hush-hush. The kind of thing where I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. 

Callum and I have never even discussed it, though in my second-to-last letter to him after imbibing in a little wine, I came the closest I’ve ever come to mentioning it out loud. It’s an unspoken rule about something unspoken. I can’t quite remember what I wrote, but I remember enough to know it wasn’t very subtle. 

When Callum never wrote back, I sent a quick apology letter, and when he didn’t respond to that either, I’ve done my best not to panic and obsess. 

Did he even get the letter? Was it too forward or did he smile while reading at how ridiculous I was? 

Is he looking forward to this as much as I am? Will it be strange to flip the switch from lifelong friendship to something more? Did he already pick out the ring or will we do that together? Is he planning to officially ask for my hand in private or with a grand gesture? 

Kat has listened to me obsess over these questions–and more–all year as the date grew closer and closer. Finishing my course work provided a necessary distraction, but the questions and worries have been pinging around in my brain like a bunch of rubber balls. 

It’s been worse this year since Callum’s letters have trickled to a stop. I’ve missed my best and oldest friend but knew it was just a matter of time. Now that I’m finally done with uni, I can’t wait to start the rest of my life with this man. We’ll have all the time in the world to catch up. 

Kat fans herself with her hand. Her hair brushes over her cheeks, looking effortlessly chic as always. My light brown hair is rather wild, falling in unruly waves down my back. Without Kat’s help, I would probably pin it up in a ponytail every day. I jokingly tell her often that if the lawyer thing doesn’t work out, she could be a hairstylist. 

Leaning close, Kat says, “Your betrothed looks particularly delectable in short shorts. I’ve never been so thankful for the invention of tennis. Specifically, tennis shorts.”

You and me both. 

I grin. “Yes. My betrothed does look delicious, doesn’t he?”

I’d certainly like to take a bite out of Prince Callum. A love bite, obviously. I’m not a zombie or vampire, for heaven’s sake. I’m a princess.

Though at the moment, my thoughts do not in any way match the prim and proper image I’ve cultivated and maintained my whole life. No one would ever suspect the fact that Serafina the Ice Princess (the nickname given to me by the press) is all hot and bothered watching her secret, soon-to-be-official fiance.  

Callum could inspire the most innocent thoughts to take a turn to the wild side. He’s that attractive. More than that, Callum is a genuinely great guy. Kind and funny–the sort of man you could be yourself around. Or, at least, I always could. 

He didn’t ever mind my awkward years and he always laughed at my lame jokes. Our friendship has always been so easy, so safe. He and Kat might be the only ones who have truly seen behind my Ice Princess facade, who know that I’m not a closed-off, snobbish royal. 

But in his tennis shorts, his personality is not what’s on full display. I’ll ogle his personality later. 

Kat’s bad influence is probably the reason half these thoughts are floating through my head. For years, I’ve listened to her go on about the men she’s dated and the wild, free life she’s embraced. I’m grateful for my lot in life–at least, most days–but I do sometimes live vicariously through her. 

I have yet to taste so much as Prince Callum’s lips on mine. Something I plan to remedy posthaste. The few kisses I’ve had over the years have been disappointing and made me feel like I was cheating. It’s hard to date around when I knew one day, I would be Callum’s. I’ve always felt like his. 

And though he seems to have dated half of Europe this year, I’m choosing to believe he probably feels the same. They were simply … placeholders. Dates to events he had to attend. That’s all.

Callum wins the point after a particularly long volley and people politely clap in that reserved way they do for tennis matches. Except for the woman behind me who has been giggling obnoxiously this whole time. She lets out a loud, whoop and then whistles, a piercing sound that I’m sure has dogs howling three countries away. 

She’s got an American accent, and I’m not sure how she ended up in the royal box. Maybe she won a contest? When I give her a subtle glance all I can make out is bright blonde curls and some kind of horrendous red and white ensemble. Tacky. 

I try to block out the grating sound of her laugh and focus on this moment, the one I’ve been waiting for. Not literally this exact moment. I’m sure Callum isn’t planning to get down on one knee in the red clay before his next serve, or even after he wins the final point. He doesn’t even know I’m here. I thought I’d surprise him, arriving a few days earlier than planned for the ball. I’ve missed him so much this year. 

Callum dives to save a ball right on the line, sending it over the net with just enough spin that his opponent can’t return it. Only one more point and it’s game, set, match.

A riot of butterflies takes flight in my stomach–or maybe that’s the hunger pains? I can’t tell the difference at this point. As soon as Callum wins, I can make my way down to surprise and congratulate him. Maybe boldly, with a kiss? The thought makes me giddy. Soon, all the waiting, all the loneliness, all the missing him will be worth it. 

Before he serves, Callum wipes the sweat from his brow with a small towel. 

“That towel would go for a million euros,” Kat says. “Think you could snag it for me? It would help make a dent in paying off my student loans.”

I elbow her. “Absolutely not.” 

Not because that would be wrong, but because if anyone’s keeping that hand towel, it’s me. I’m also secretly working out how to pay off Kat’s student loans without her knowing. She’s ridiculously stubborn when it comes to letting me help her with anything, so I have to be sneaky. 

Callum bounces the ball a few times before his serve and then pauses to glance at the crowd. My heart swells as his gaze finds mine. A wide grin takes over his handsome face, making the dimple appear in his right cheek. 

For years, I’ve been fascinated with that dimple. One more thing I’ve been waiting for—to trace it with my finger, to kiss it. Maybe lick it? 

Giggles and whispers behind me have Kat turning around to glare at the American. Kat mutters something under her breath that could make a sailor blush. 

“Is she talking about us?” I whisper. 

Kat rolls her eyes. “No. About your betrothed.”

Jealousy flares hot in me, not for the first time. I haven’t been able to avoid seeing the tabloid photos of Callum with other women, especially this past year. I’ve thought of them as necessary evils, the way Mum and Dad arranged for the pot-bellied Duke of Valdonia to be my date when Callum couldn’t come to the New Year’s Eve gala. Elsinore had their own celebration, so I understood. Mostly. If Callum had called or written to me himself rather than politely declining by way of his press secretary, I might not have been hurt at all. 

It didn’t help that the Valdonian Duke whose limp hands kept trying to rove over my body, isn’t quite on par with the women Callum has been seen with. Like the leggy Swiss supermodel or that second-rate actress with the ridiculously massive fake breasts. I swear, you could hang coats on those things! 

The jealousy I’ve felt from afar is nothing compared to the molten liquid fire igniting every inch of me right now as the woman whispers “Callum” on a sigh. It’s ridiculous, really. This loud American isn’t my competition. I’ve already won, and it’s simply time to collect my much-coveted prize: the prince who has owned my heart since childhood. 

Speaking of winning, Callum’s opponent hits a ball wide, and I find myself getting to my feet along with the rest of the stadium, clapping. I’m eager to get down to the court and greet Callum properly. I can’t stop the spread of a smile over my cheeks. 

The American giggler bumps into us on the stairs and this time, I barely restrain Kat. 

“Don’t make a scene,” I hiss between gritted teeth. 

“But you know I love making scenes. I’m quite accomplished at it.”

“And usually I don’t mind. You know how I do love your scenes–they’re glorious. But not here. Not. Today.”

Kat sighs, and we continue down the stairs. “Not all problems are best solved by ignoring them.” 

As though to prove how wrong she is, I ignore her comment. My tolerance for ignoring is unusually high. It has to be. 

I’ve learned to ignore digs from the paparazzi about my weight (no matter whether I’m up or down on the scale), my (lack of) dating life, and Prince Callum’s overactive one this year. I’ve perfected smiling primly while deflecting questions about marriage, my coronation in a year’s time, and the growing criticism for the monarchy. 

Smile and nod. Ignore, ignore, ignore. It’s served me well thus far. 

But all the years of decorum lessons disappear in a cloud of dust as I reach the court, waving and grinning like a fool. “Callum!” 

His eyes meet mine, and my confident steps falter. Callum looks … surprised. Which can’t be right. Wasn’t he just smiling up at me? 

His expression quickly shifts, replaced by a grin that’s decidedly casual. No dimple in sight. 

“Mayday mayday,” Kat mutters, letting me know that whatever this strangeness is, unfortunately, I’m not imagining it. 

My stomach drops, feeling like an ocean trench, dark and fathomless. I force myself to keep walking toward Callum. 

“Fi,” he says, striding forward to meet me. 

The sound of his nickname on my lips dispels some of the strangeness, and I close the distance between us. His smile settles into the handsome, warm look I’m familiar with, dimple on full display. 

Things are fine. We are fine. It’s just been a long time. Soon, you’ll settle back into your friendship—and more. No need to panic. 

Then he holds out a hand for me to shake. We stand there for a moment, frozen. His hand, outstretched formally. My arms, open wide for a hug. 

It’s awkward, and the panic I just tried to shove down is suddenly climbing up my throat again. Along with—oh, don’t you dare!—hot tears of rejection, which sting the backs of my eyes. 

Keep it together, Serafina. It doesn’t mean anything. We’re in public, and displays of affection are best kept behind closed doors.  

It’s because of my stupid letter, I bet. I wish I could remember exactly what I said, and how hard I hinted at our arrangement. It was too bold, too honest. Callum is the kind of man who wants to wear the proverbial pants, something that at times has worried me. Did I overstep by hinting at what we’ve avoided discussing all these years?

“Sorry,” Callum says. “I’m quite sweaty.”

“Of course.” We shake hands, and it feels … wrong. Stiff. Formal. Unfamiliar. “Great match!” I say. “Quite a show.”

“Yes. Quite a show,” Kat says, letting her eyes rove over Callum’s torso. I swear she’s about to squeeze his biceps when a shrill voice interrupts the moment. 

A shrill American voice. I can’t seem to escape this dreadful woman seated behind me. 

“Callie!”

Callie??

Callum’s warm smile widens as his eyes shift somewhere behind me. And then, In a flash of blonde curls and—dear Lord, is that gingham?—the obnoxious woman from behind me launches herself into his arms. 

The arms that were, apparently, too sweaty for me. 

I watch as Callum swings her around, the tablecloth she appears to be wearing fanning out behind her. She’s tiny and gorgeous and perfect, like a miniature doll. I manage to find my royal smile, the one that’s practiced enough to fool almost anyone. 

“You should have let me have a go at her,” Kat whispers to me. 

“Shut up. It’s nothing. Probably just—”  

Whatever words were on my tongue disappear as the fluffy blonde tablecloth-wearer presses her lips to Callum’s mouth. 

I hear a loud cracking as a big piece of the iceberg that is now my heart breaks off and floats away. Gone. Dead. Irrecoverable. 

Callum carefully sets the woman down before glancing at me with what appears to be guilt. Maybe a little regret. Not quite enough emotion compared to the utter devastation inside me, but it’s something. 

The woman wraps an arm around Callum’s waist like a tentacle. She places her other hand possessively on his chest, stroking him. 

I’m going to be sick. 

She is stroking Prince Callum’s chest. My Prince Callum. 

Except he doesn’t really appear to be mine, does he? 

I’ve never touched him so casually, so proprietarily. I think back to when we were children, so rough and tumble together, hardly knowing where one of us ended and the other began. Back then, everything between us was easy as we climbed trees in the royal garden, snuck into the servants’ quarters in his palace, and explored that closed-off turret rumored to be haunted. 

The memories leave me feeling hollow, and I can’t drag my eyes away from the sight of this woman’s polished nails, staking a claim on what–who–I always assumed was mine.

She turns her big brown eyes to me and blinks, another giggle escaping. “Oh! I’m sorry! How rude of me. I’m Brit. Callie’s girlfriend.”

Whatever was left of my heart shatters until it’s all just tiny pieces of ice, bobbing and floating in an arctic sea. 

“Girlfriend.” It’s as though I’ve never said the word before. It feels funny on my lips. 

I have never been anyone’s girlfriend. Because I was waiting for this man. The one looking at me with apologetic eyes. But not so apologetic, because he doesn’t shove Brit away and wrap me up in his arms instead. 

If anything, he pulls her closer. I stare at his hand on her waist. It looks far too large, too powerful for this small, shrill woman. I saw plenty of photographs this year of Callum with his hands on other women. It stung, but I assumed it meant nothing. Now, with a painful sinking sensation, I realize those women might have been more. 

That’s the moment when the paparazzi swarm out of nowhere like the insects they are. Photographers shouldn’t be on the court at all, but that doesn’t seem to be stopping them. Callum’s security team steps forward, blocking them as best they can. The photogs are snapping pictures and shouting questions and practically shoving me and Kat out of the way to capture shots of Prince Callum of Elsinore and his new American girlfriend. 

“Prince Callum—are you officially off the market?”

“How and when did you two meet?”

“Are you in love?”

Yes, Prince Callum, do tell. 

Kat takes a firm grip on my arm and leads me through the throngs of reporters as security guards scurry over. 

“You’re going to be fine,” she assures me, and I think I nod, though I don’t believe it. Not for a second. 

We pass Rafe as we’re almost to the private exit where a car waits to take us to the palace. 

“Trouble in paradise?” 

I glare, and his smirk disappears, morphing into something more like concern. 

“Everything okay?” 

The concern in his eyes seems genuine, but there’s a lipstick smudge on his cheek the same color as Brit’s tablecloth dress. 

I snort and pass right by without pausing. Rafe seems to be the only one who watches our quick exit, and we disappear into the black car as though we were never there at all.

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PREORDER ROYALLY REARRANGED NOW! 

Today, I’m featuring some great books that are part of a series!

You’ll find some contemporary romances, some YA romances, and some romcoms all mixed together.

It’s a great way to get to know some new authors and start some new series!

Are you ready for it?? Time to scroll and click! 

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SANDOVER BEACH MEMORIES by Emma St. Clair (THIS ONE IS FREE!)

She didn’t come home to find love, but it had been waiting there for her all along…

READ NOW!!!

 

SANDOVER BEACH WEEK by Emma St. Clair 

When she said goodbye, she broke both their hearts. Is it too late to mend them?

READ NOW!!!

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FINDING CUPID by Bridget Baker

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is for chumps.

READ NOW!!!

 

FINDING SPRING by Bridget Baker 

Life give her lemons, so Trudy chucked them back.

READ NOW!!!

 

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HER FOOTBALL STAR EX by Judy Corry 

She swore off the man who broke her heart. He’s determined to win her back.

READ NOW!!!

 

FRIEND ZONE TO END ZONE by Judy Corry 

Dating Coach Rule Number 1: Don’t fall for your client, especially if he’s your best friend.

READ NOW!!!

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HER BEST MATCH by Tamie Dearen 

Leaving behind her Texas hometown, widowed Anne gets a city job working for billionaire bachelor Steven. Can she set him up with the woman of his dreams — or will “the one” be closer than they realize?

READ NOW!!!

BEST DATING RULES by Tamie Dearen 

Everyone thinks he’s a player, but nothing could be farther from the truth. How can he convince Emily she’s not only the first woman he’s kissed, but the one he wants to be his last?

 

READ NOW!!!

 

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HOW TO NOT FALL FOR THE WRONG GUY by Meg Easton 

When their jobs collide and their personalities clash, they never expect to fall in love.

READ NOW!

 

HOW TO NOT FALL FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND by Meg Easton

Fifteen dates with fifteen different people. One friendly competition between best friends (who are definitely not dating
each other).

READ NOW!!!

 

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THE LOVE NOTES by Jennifer Griffith

A high school reunion. A stack of anonymous love notes from a decade ago. A chance at love.

READ NOW!!!

SEARCH ANGEL by Jennifer Griffith 

A wounded athlete. A missing father. An old grudge.

READ NOW!!!

 

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BEST FRIENDS IN THE SHOW ME STATE by Jessie Gussman 

When violent weather sparks an unexpected attraction, will they risk their friendship for a chance at a lifetime love?

READ NOW!!!

SOLD! IN THE SHOW ME STATE by Jessie Gussman

The town outcast buys a date with Cowboy Crossing’s own A-List movie star.

READ NOW!!!

 

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TO SWOON OR NOT TO SWOON OVER THE BILLIONAIRE by Ellie Hall

She’s a former Disney princess now teaching etiquette. He’s a football player in need of refinement.  During their lessons will they become more than friends?

READ NOW!!!

 

TO LOVE OR NOT TO LOVE THE BILLIONAIRE by Ellie Hall 

She’s the no-nonsense headmistress at a charm school. He’s a football player with a not-so-charming ego. It’s hate at first sight, but they have to find a way to play nice.

READ NOW!!!

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ALOHA HIDEAWAY INN by Elana Johnson 

She’s got big plans for her tropical bed and breakfast, but the new high-rise resort in the bay is throwing a wrench into everything. So Stacey Stapleton does what any savvy businesswoman would do—she goes to spy on the resort stealing her business and ruining the beautiful Getaway Bay skyline.

READ NOW!!!

 

GETAWAY BAY by Elana Johnson 

She’s owned a successful chauffeuring business for years, but one long-standing client has her questioning her ability to keep driving around Getaway Bay. So Esther Pinnett does what she needs to in order to get this client out of her head—she gives him a birthday gift.

READ NOW!!!

 

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THE TROUBLE WITH BILLIONAIRES by Michelle Pennington

She’s sworn to never fall for another rich man. He’s determined to change her mind.

READ NOW!!!

 

THE TRUTH ABOUT BILLIONAIRES by Michelle Pennington 

He’s all business and she’s got a lot to prove. Love was not on the agenda.

READ NOW!!!

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ENEMIES AND LACE by Bonnie R. Paulson 

Feud is a four-letter word. And so is love. A tough Montana rancher… A desperate doctor from the city…They’re fighting their own differences and a feud that threatens to rip apart the town.

READ NOW!!!

SECOND CHANCES AND LACE by Bonnie R. Paulson 

Will the hero die for a second chance? A cowboy on the run… The secret son… The second chance romance that can destroy more than one family…

READ NOW!!!

 

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Want more great reads and recommendations? Join the Sweet and Clean Reader group where you’ll get daily recommendations on great books to read, connect with authors, and meet other readers!

JOIN THE GROUP!

Want a list of the best clean Christmas romance books in one place? Here you go!

Christmas brings with it the music. The family. The food. For many, the faith.

It also brings with it Hallmark movies galore!

But I’ve started finding that there are fantastic Christmas romance books that really help set the mood!!

Romance? Check.

No hanky panky? Check.

Heartwarming and inspirational stories? CHECK CHECK CHECK!

If you’re looking for clean Christmas romances, this list is for you!

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THE BEST CLEAN CHRISTMAS ROMANCE BOOKS

Sandover Beach Christmas by Emma St. Clair

A cranky cop who’s sworn off relationships, an event planner who invented a fake boyfriend, and the over-the-top family that thinks it’s love.

When Ripley fabricates a boyfriend to put off her family’s overzealous matchmaking efforts, she never thought it would go so far. But when she gets pulled over for speeding, the police officer gets caught up in her fake boyfriend scheme.

Cash has good reasons for swearing off the holidays and relationships. But his plans to spend Christmas alone are thwarted when he’s mistaken for an event planner he secretly admired from afar. The time spent with Ripley and her family starts to thaw his frozen heart.

Sticking a control freak with a total Scrooge should be a recipe for a Christmas disaster. But somehow, their warring personalities light up the right kind of sparks.

What will happen when Christmas ends, and it’s time to stop pretending?

READ NOW!

 

Rescued for Christmas by Tamie Dearen

Sometimes, the only way to find the road home is to get lost!

Bestselling author Amy Pinkerton is trying to escape her sudden fame and find a writing retreat for the holidays. But everything goes wrong when she gets lost on the back roads of Montana in a snowstorm. Just her luck, her rental car hits a patch of ice and skids off the road. She’s praying she can survive the night inside her car, when a man appears at her window. A man who looks exactly like her book hero!

Country music star Max McCoy hasn’t sung since his wife died. He stays on his ranch and takes care of his nine-year-old daughter. He’s isolated and he likes it that way. Until a magazine article names him “one of the country’s most eligible bachelors” and reveals the location of his ranch. Now crazed females keep showing up at his door, hoping to snag a husband.

When Max finds one of those intrusive fans stranded on his private road in the middle of a snowstorm, he has no choice but to offer her shelter. He’s shocked when Amy doesn’t seem recognize him. Could it be true, or is it all an act? Soon, Amy wins his daughter’s heart, but Max’s heart is completely dead. Or is it?

Will Max open himself to love again? Does he really know Amy well enough to trust her?
Amy’s agent has already bought her a ring. Will she settle for a safe relationship or take a chance on a man she’s only known for a week?

READ NOW! 

 

Sawdust and Mistletoe by Michelle Pennington

Can mistletoe kisses make her believe again?

By December first, Ava Grisham is already sick of Christmas. Unfortunately, she has to survive decorating for her boss’s wealthy clients so she can afford to quit after New Year’s. Everything is on track for her to start her own design company until she hires a new handyman and all her meticulous plans fall apart. Not only is her future business in danger, but so is her heart. Hunter is talented, strong, and charming, but falling for such a free-and-easy man will only lead to heartbreak.

Hunter Newman loves his single life with no responsibilities, but he’s always there for his family. When his brother loses his job, he drives across the country to help however he can. Then he meets Ava and realizes his brother isn’t the only one who needs help. Ava captivates him with her determination and warm heart, but she’s lost the joy of Christmas. He’s determined to put the sparkle back in her eyes, even if it means risking his heart.

Somewhere between the twinkle lights and candy canes, they’ll discover the magic of the season. But can they find a way to be together?

READ NOW!

 

A Christmas Like This by Carina Taylor

I know exactly what I’d like to put in Trey’s stocking: the biggest lump of coal I can carry.

Unfortunately, I won’t get the chance, because our boss has delivered an ultimatum: plan the company Christmas party with Trey and learn to get along, or else.

After only one day of trying to plan the Christmas party, I’m ready to pick the “or else.” Is it possible to learn to get along with the most aggravating, overprotective, handsome guy I’ve ever known?

We’re about to find out if we can get our names off the naughty list or not.

READ NOW!

No Room in the Inn by Gracie Ruth Anderson

My Granny leaves me two things when she passes away: her dilapidated old inn and a letter encouraging me to have a Hallmark-worthy Christmas here in Woodfield.

But I’ve seen enough Hallmark movies to know this isn’t one. Because the inns in Hallmark movies? They don’t have squatters. The heroines of Hallmark movies? They never burn their gingerbread cookies. And even though all Hallmark films are about the joy of family, I’d rather stick my head in a snowbank than reconcile with my parents. Nope; Granny’s last requests are going to have to go unfulfilled.

And the town Santa Claus, who’s way younger and way more attractive than any Santa should be? He’s going to have to stop his flirting. Otherwise, I’ll never want to leave this place.

READ NOW!

 

Her Christmas Rodeo Cowboy by Jenna Hendricks 

After Lottie’s husband died riding a bull on national television, she swore she’d never be with a rodeo star again.

Now, seven years later, her promise is going to come back and bite her in the figgy pudding. If only her daughter, Quinn, didn’t love a certain cowboy so much.

Cove promised his best friend he would look after his wife and daughter after he died, but he didn’t think that Sam meant for Cove to fall in love with Lottie.

When 8-year-old Quinn asks Santa for a Daddy, no one is ready for what comes next.

Can a rodeo star help the widow of a bull rider love again?

READ NOW!

 

 

 

December Magic by Tracey Mayhew 

A single girl not looking for love. A single father too busy for love. Could their chance meeting be the start of something magical?

With Christmas fast approaching, Kayla Jones is preparing for another cold, and lonely, December.

But a lost little girl and her father soon change all that and, with them by her side, Kayla finds herself rediscovering the magic of the season…

READ NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garland’s Christmas Romance by Danielle Thorne 

A Peter Pan-inspired fairy tale romance!

A charming small town.  A secret obligation. And the girl of his dreams can never know the truth.

Garland Tate has a name that reminds her every day she lives in the Christmas-obsessed town of Thorpes. The holidays mean family time, and since her mother’s terminal illness, that’s something she wants to avoid.

The adopted heir of a wealthy Victorian-age family, Pete Darling anonymously distributes the family money to remaining relatives in need. He’s delighted to find the holiday spirit alive and well in magical Thorpes, but he never expects the sassy, independent woman at the Lava Java will distract him from his duties and give him a reason to reveal his secrets.

As snow falls and hearts melt, it may take a little extra magic meddling to help Garland and Pete believe that a Christmas romance can last forever.

READ NOW!

 

A Horse Wrangler for Christmas by Cheryl Wright 

After the sudden death of her father, and the shock foreclosure of the family ranch looming, Meredith Caldwell has little choice except to become a mail-order bride.

Daniel Peterson needs a cook and housekeeper, but proprieties govern his decision to send for a mail-order bride instead. How will he react when he learns the truth about his bride?

Can this unlikely couple turn their marriage of convenience into a perfect match? Sparks fly, but will they relent and work toward their happy ever after ending?

READ NOW!

 

 

The Gift of a Child by Dona K. Weaver 

Recently widowed Rae Cavanaugh just survived the worst birthday of her life. She and her two young children must now face a holiday season filled with so many reminders of what they’ve lost. But when a coworker who’s raising his young nephew moves next door, Rae discovers that the support of a good friend, and the gift of a child, can bring back some of the joy of the season.

READ NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Stand- in Christmas Date by Rachel John 

She’s totally smitten. Too bad he thinks she’s someone else.

Alyssa Owens is used to getting talked into crazy things by her lookalike cousin, but pretending to be her so she doesn’t have to break a date is ridiculous. Reluctantly, she agrees to the scheme—spend twenty minutes with the guy, wear sunglasses to maintain the ruse, make sure he believes she’s interested so her cousin can have him back when she returns to town after New Year’s, then make an excuse to leave. At least, that was the plan.

It doesn’t take Wes Fielding long to figure out that this isn’t the same girl he met at a speed dating event. After all, as a cop, he’s trained to study faces. But if this isn’t her, who is it, and why does she have to be so funny and easy to talk to? To unravel the mystery, he decides to play along, but the more he gets to know her, the harder it is not to wish for a happy ending rather than the humiliating one they now face.

READ NOW!

 

 

Boots and Mistletoe by Edith Mackenzie 

Cowboy boots, mistletoe, and a holiday do-over…

Last Christmas, nothing was going Quinn’s way. Then she met him. Their connection was intense, but the timing was all wrong—so they went their separate ways. But this year, everything in her life is better. Well, almost everything. Somewhere along the line, she lost her holiday spirit. Could it be that she left it with the handsome cowboy she never quite got over?

Jackson wasn’t looking for romance when he met Quinn. But there was something about her that grabbed his heart and wouldn’t let go. Now that they’re together again, he can’t help but wonder if she’d ever be willing to give up the bright lights of the city for country life with a simple rancher like him…

As stockings are hung and trees are trimmed, can Quinn and Jackson find a way to claim their second chance at happily ever after? Or will the magic of the season fail them yet again?

 

READ NOW!

 

Holding Onto Love in Romance by Liwen Y. Ho

She’s a small town inn owner learning how to trust. He’s a big time singer struggling to protect the woman he loves. Together, they must fight to keep their romance alive.

Being engaged to America’s hottest pop star brings Izzy Sutton’s insecurities to the surface, making her question if she can handle life in the public eye. Complications multiply when her ex shows up on her doorstep two weeks before the wedding, with nowhere to live.

Through hard work and determination, Chase Lockhart climbed the Top 40 charts and won the hand of the only woman he’s ever loved. Helping Izzy overcome her cold feet, however, proves to be more challenging than expected, especially when he’s away on tour days before their wedding.

With their Christmas Eve wedding fast approaching, Izzy and Chase face the biggest decision of their relationship. Will they allow their circumstances to divide them or will they find enough reasons to keep holding onto love?

Holding Onto Love in Romance is the sequel to Chasing Romance, but can be read as a standalone story.

READ NOW!

 

When Love Leads You Home by Carla Rossi 

Welcome to Cardinal Point, Texas.

Where the broken find comfort, the prodigals find peace, and the wanderers find home.

All Jacey Steele’s life, she’s focused on one thing: gymnastics. After missing the Olympic team because of injury, and being shut out by her ‘winning is everything’ father, she’s built a career as a top notch, award-winning coach. When a serious student injury propels her to the outside of the gymnastics world, she finds herself broke and alone – until a bequest from a mysterious and unknown aunt takes her on an unexpected journey. Who was Aunt Winnie, and what does the equally mysterious and unknown Mr. Boudreaux have to do with it?
Army veteran, Cole Boudreaux, has returned home a hero to Cardinal Point, Texas, but a few things went wrong with his homecoming. His fiancée cut him loose, and he lost his position as a police officer because a wartime injury left him nearly deaf. Then, the woman who was like a mother to him dies suddenly. Cole knows God has a plan, and if he could settle Winnie’s estate and grow his budding security business, he just might figure out what it is. Winnie’s niece is not making it easy. She’s rolled into town with a ton of baggage and secrets she’s not willing to share. Why is Jacey so distant, and why is she so determined to not let him in?

READ NOW!

A Movie Star for Christmas by Jess Mastorakos 

Holly Rhodes is in Snow Hill, PA to star in the movie of her dreams. She’s always treasured the magic of the holidays, so she’s not surprised to fall in love with this charming town—or the handsome owner of the inn. Even if he is a bit of a Scrooge.

Nick Patterson is determined not to fall for another starlet passing through town. He’s been there, done that, and has the emotional scars to prove it. Besides, he doesn’t need any distractions while he works around the clock to bring the town’s forty-fifth annual Gingerbread Ball to life.

Can the slow burn between Holly and Nick ignite into a lasting love, or will it fizzle out with the yule logs at the end of the season?

READ NOW!

 

 

A Match of Sorts by Lucette Nell 

As Christmas approaches, widowed Reverend Caleb Brennan needs a wife, or his vengeful father-in-law will take his young daughters. When his mail-order bride jilts him, Caleb grows desperate.

 

During a storm, he finds an unconscious boy outside his home with signs of foul play. Despite his previous misfortune, obligation compels Caleb to lug the stranger inside. But as he provides first aid, he discovers more than he expected.

 

Bounty hunter Grace Blackwell refuses to owe a debt to any man, especially one as charming as Reverend Brennan. To repay him for saving her life, Grace agrees to pose as his mail-order bride. If their ploy is discovered, Caleb could lose his daughters. But in their pretense, the reverend and the bounty hunter might just both lose their hearts.

READ NOW!

 

 

First & Last Christmas Date by Jennifer Griffith 

Juliet was always Taggart’s friend. Their first disastrous Christmas date ended that. Ten years later, a second date could make them more than friends—unless the crazy date curse returns.

Juliet’s life is in a holding pattern of dating wrong guy after wrong guy. When childhood friend Taggart messages to ask for second date—after a ten-year wait—she gets a holiday shakeup.

Their first Christmas date a decade ago was an unmitigated disaster, ending with Pepto-Bismol and the police. They both probably needed the full ten years to recover.

Now that he’s back in touch, Juliet must decide whether she will say yes. If this is just a one-time thing, she risks carrying a torch for him for another decade.

Juliet is desperate for a second chance with Taggart, the one who got away.

But when things start going horribly wrong again, will this madcap night be their last Christmas date?

READ NOW!

 

Love and Christmas Wishes by Rose Pearson 

Three sweet Regency romance novellas set during the Christmas holidays…

Two sisters, Katie and Jane, and their impoverished cousin and companion, Sarah, struggle with life’s constraints and difficulties to find love and happiness, despite their mother’s wishes. Won’t you join them? They need your support!

READ NOW!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Thrill of Hope by Marie Higgins 

Holly Kidman is determined to be the best movie-producer California has ever seen…until her mother’s broken leg ruins Holly’s plans and she must return home for the holidays. During her stay in her home town of Timberland, Montana, fate throws her with a man she’d rather not be around. And yet, once she can get past old grudges, she realizes the charming man and his large ranch inspire her more than she thought possible. Dare she hope for her dream-come-true?

Rafe Montgomery is pleasantly surprised when Holly suddenly returns to town. Still haunted by the one, less than eloquent, kiss they’d shared years ago, he’s disappointed by the haughty attitude she’s come back with. His hope is to change the stubborn and unforgiving woman he’s slowly having feelings for and to show her what Christmas is all about.

READ NOW!

 

 

 

Christmas Wishes by Tammy L. Grace 

Random circumstances brought them together. Love made them family. With Jo O’Malley’s busy career as a lawyer in Chicago, she rarely gets home to Idaho, but this year is different.

Her little sister is getting married on Christmas Eve and she has two whole weeks to spend in the snow-covered mountains, with the three foster sisters she loves and Maddie, the woman who made them a family fifteen years ago.

Things get off to a rough start when the wedding is canceled, but Maddie asks them to enjoy their holidays together at the festive lodge as planned, in order to console their sister. It’s straight forward enough until Jo, through a chance encounter with a gorgeous golden retriever, runs into Luke, a boy she knew from her early childhood when she spent all her time at the local library.

Jo’s not sure how to handle the unexpected attraction and her new feelings for Luke, who is all grown up now, handsome, and as kind as ever. He’s set on staying close to his family in Granite Ridge and she has a plane ticket back to her life in Chicago after the new year. Are the sparks between them merely due to the nostalgia of the season, or will Luke open Jo’s heart to the prospect of passion for something beyond her career?

READ NOW!

The Christmas Window by Melissa McClone 

A matchmaking aunt wants her nephew to find love under the mistletoe…

All doggy daycare owner Callie Andrews wants for Christmas is to win first prize this year. The annual window display competition is a huge event in Silver Falls, and she’s determined to showcase her success when her family visits her small town. It’s time for her parents and three older brothers to realize the “baby” of the family is thriving on her own.

The last thing Brandt Winslow wants to do is rehash the past, but returning home to Silver Falls means confronting the reason he left. His vacation, however, takes an unexpected turn when his well-meaning aunt meddles in his love life, and he finds himself caught up in her misguided efforts at matchmaking.

Despite their reluctance at being paired up, Callie and Brandt discover the holidays are full of surprises…and romance. But is the magic of Christmas strong enough to keep the couple together through the new year?

READ NOW!

The Christmas Key to Her Heart by Jen Peters 

After fifteen years as a widow, is it Nora’s turn for love?

Nora Cooper has spent long years running her restaurant, raising her kids, and keeping a lock on her heart. Now she’s tired—especially with Christmas coming and trying to pull her son’s wedding together in four short weeks. She can’t help but wonder how empty her life will be with the kids moving on.

When retired CEO Forrest Holt visits McCormick’s Creek, Oregon, something about the small town charms him. He’s entranced with the way strangers are welcomed, with the way townspeople pull together, and especially with the way Nora Cooper lights up a forgotten feeling inside him. But he’s used to love ‘em and leave ‘em relationships, and she’s not that type.

As her son’s Christmas wedding draws ever nearer, Nora’s life becomes a flurry of activities after long days of work. Can she make time for Forrest, who is beginning to open her heart? And is he willing to risk himself and commit to more than a fling?

READ NOW!

Residence of Her Heart by Susan Lower 

She’s trying to hold on to the home and the ghost of a man who will never give her a future. He needs to close this house deal before the end of the year to stay in business. Who will get what they’re wishing for before Christmas?

After a devastating accident leaves Violet without a groom. The holiday season makes it harder for her to let go of old memories and the place they reside. Despite his attempts to sell the house, Violet finds herself falling for the persistent real estate agent. All Seth wants is to sell this house and keep from drowning in debt. So when the opportunity to make an extra commission comes across his desk, Seth can’t pass it up. But when he meets the woman living in the house, he recognizes her grief and decides on an alternative approach. Although he is determined never to trust another woman again, something about Violet has his apprehension dissolving. As Seth tries to help Violet find a new home, he realizes all the grieving woman needs is someone to care. Seth worries his faith won’t be strong enough to overcome both their struggles and soon finds a place in his heart for Violet.

They say home is where the heart is, but can Seth help Violet restore her faith and take a chance without his past getting in the way?

 

READ NOW!

Cowboys & Mistletoe by Jacqueline Winters 

A ranch manager in need of a miracle. The Army soldier seeking solace at the ranch from his past. The Christmas project that might give them more than expected.

Holly Maxwell is running out of time to turn things around on the ranch. Christmas—her deadline—is two weeks away. It’s the only reason she gambles and takes on the massive Christmas Eve project she doesn’t have the time nor manpower to accomplish.

When help arrives in the form of the man she used to crush on as a teen, Holly is determined not to let feelings get involved. After all, she’s not fourteen anymore, and he’s not staying.

Sergeant First Class Mason Montgomery is desperate to kick his insomnia to the curb so he can be cleared for duty. He returns to Starlight, to the ranch he used to work on as a teenager. What he doesn’t expect is to find Lawrence Maxwell’s granddaughter all grown up and managing the ranch.

The more time he spends with Holly, the more he starts to develop feelings he vowed he’d never allow himself to have about anyone, let alone the off-limits granddaughter of his former boss.

READ NOW!

Decker & Joy by Elle Rush 

He was looking for a missing elf, not a date with the kitten foster-mom who may have helped it disappear.

Somebody messed up and let a prototype escape from North Pole Unlimited’s top secret Toys-and-Research division. Now P.I. Decker Harkness has the contract to track it down. He’s not exactly sure what E.L.V.I.S does, but he’s hot on the trail.

Joy McCall has her hands full of foster animals and pet treats at Kitten Caboodle, but she’s not too busy to notice strange goings-on at the pet shelter where she works.

When their paths cross during a triple kitten-napping, Decker and Joy will have to work together to close their cases. Will everyone make it home to celebrate a merry Christmas together? Only Santa knows.

READ NOW!

 

 

A Small Town Christmas by April Murdock 

Enchanted Quill Press are delighted to present the small-town Christmas romance boxset.

This heart-warming collection is filled with bold heroes, spirited heroines and swoon-worthy kisses. All set in a beautiful small-town packed with memorable friends and family.

Christmas cookie-making, ice-skating over a frozen lake, peppermint hot chocolate and all your favorite holiday tropes make this anthology perfect for every Hallmark fan.

READ NOW!

 

 

 

 

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What are your favorite clean Christmas romances?? Did I miss any? Leave them in the comments!

Loved this list? Share on Pinterest!

I love romantic comedies!! Movies are great, but I especially love a good romcom book.

Now, there are TONS of steamy reads out there, which is fine if you are looking for that, but it can be harder to find the romantic comedy series that land on the clean side. More and more authors are starting to write clean romcoms (myself included!), which means you have lots of options!

Here are some of my FAVORITE recommendations for you with clean romcom books that have series!

(Plus shameless links to my own books.)

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THE BEST CLEAN ROMANTIC COMEDY SERIES

LOVE CLICHES SWEET ROMANTIC COMEDY SERIES by Emma St. Clair (aka: me)

BOOK 1- FALLING FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND’S TWIN 

There are a million and one reasons why I shouldn’t fall for my BFF’s twin…

Too bad love isn’t reasonable. Zane is my total opposite. He dates a steady string of women who are nothing like me. And there’s no way I would risk Zoey’s friendship over my teensy, tiny crush on her brother.But when Zane hires me to help fix a glitch with his startup’s software, I run into two problems:

1. Someone on the inside seems to be sabotaging it.

2. Working with Zane every day sends my feelings into overdrive.

My master plan is to sniff out the rat, help Zane save the company, and get out while my heart is still intact. No biggie. But somehow, I get roped into an investors’ spa trip. Which means spending a whole weekend with Zane and sharing a room with his date.

Kill. Me. Now. This might serve to destroy my crush once and for all.

If it doesn’t destroy me first …

READ NOW!

BOOK 2- FALLING FOR YOUR BOSS 

I am not that woman. The one who falls for her much older, extremely handsome, and totally unavailable boss.

That’s what I keep telling myself, anyway.

I’ve watched the other women in the office fawn over Gavin, who just so happens to be one of Texas’ richest and most desirable bachelors.

But I’m interested in business. Totally professional.

Which is why Gavin has helped me so much in my career … right? Not because he’s attracted to me.

But when his past slams into his present, the lines between business and personal suddenly become very hazy.

Now all my carefully crafted plans are totally destroyed, and I have to decide what I want most: my career or the man who has helped me build it …

READ NOW!

IT HAPPENED IN CHARLESTON SERIES by Sarah Adams

BOOK 1 – THE MATCH

Having worked for Southern Service Paws for a few years now, I like to think I’m prepared for just about any client meeting under the sun. I am dead wrong.

The day I meet with single dad, Jacob Broaden, about potentially matching his daughter with one of our service dogs, I learn a few valuable lessons.

1) Always set my alarm clock.
2) Single dads are way hotter than I previously thought.
3) It is possible to go from fantasizing about kissing someone to wishing they would be run over by a truck in a matter of two minutes.

Unfortunately, I don’t hold that opinion of him for very long. Not when he shows me a different side of himself—one that’s sweet as maple syrup and hot as apple pie fresh out of the oven.

Too bad this guy is so far out of my league that I shouldn’t even be allowed to enter the game. Jake doesn’t seem to get that memo though. And after a few days of working closely with him and his daughter, he starts looking at me with fire in his eyes, making me dream of something I probably shouldn’t…

A family.

READ NOW!

BOOK 2 – The Enemy

It’s been twelve years since I’ve seen him. Twelve years since he won our war of wits by outsmarting me with a tactic I didn’t even know was allowed. But tonight…I resurrect the battle.

Ryan Henderson is back in town for our best friends’ wedding, and I plan on showing him exactly how much I don’t care about him—or the almost kiss he ruthlessly dangled over me after graduation.

A lot has changed since our feuding days. I’m a successful bakery owner now, and I plan to rub every delicious detail of my life in his ugly face.

Just one problem: his face is gorgeous.

He wasn’t supposed to look like this or pursue me like a sexy guided missile. I must stay strong until the wedding is over and Ryan scurries back into whatever alternate universe he escaped from.

His interest in me is nothing but a continuation of the games we played in high school…right?

But the longer he stays, the more I wonder if I’m wrong and his tender smile and heated attentions are genuine. Maybe it’s not a game.

Ha! Who am I kidding? This is Ryan we’re talking about. Of course it’s a game. A game called war. And this time, I will win.

READ NOW!

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LOVE ME ROMCOM SERIES by Laura Burton

BOOK 1 – LOVE ME IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Faking a relationship on reality TV is harder than you think.

Melissa Jones

I applied to be on my favourite TV show,  The Love Trials, as a joke.  I never expected to get chosen.
I mean, come on! I’m single, for one thing. It’s a couples game.
And yet, here I am. In a Scottish castle––no less––and about to make a fool of myself on national television.
The producers say they’re going to match me up with a total stranger. We need to fool the other couples––and the British public––that we are totally legit. Easy enough, right?

The prize money will help me quit working for my lousy boss and start up my own business.  My ticket to getting out of my tiny village and move to London! I just have to make sure I don’t mess this up. And at no point, can I actually fall for the guy. Oh no. True love is off the table. 

READ NOW!

 

BOOK 2 –  LOVE ME LIKE YOU MEAN IT

Some people drown their sorrows or overindulge in ice cream when they’ve had a bad day. Emma goes wedding dress shopping.

Emma King- I know it’s crazy. But trying on wedding dresses isn’t hurting anyone. I mean, the boutique owners know what I’m doing. Besides, it’s good publicity for them to have me in the middle of the outrageously expensive Bridal store, trying on gowns. And Heaven knows I need this.Today of all days. After being publicly humiliated during a board meeting I’d been preparing for my entire career. So, I’m innocently trying on a dress. MY dress. The one I’m going to mortgage my apartment to pay for when Mr. Right finally comes along. When Shelly Bones, my arch-nemesis from high school walks in. Our eyes meet, and for a second I don’t think she recognizes me. But her entourage of ladies twitter to each other. One of them points at me.

“Emma! You’re getting married? So am I!”

How hard is it to own up to the fact that you’re not actually getting married? Harder than coming up with an elaborate story that involves the Plaza hotel, a string quartet, caviar, and the sexiest bachelor in Manhattan apparently. What’s wrong with telling a few white lies? No harm done. It’s not like I’ll ever see Shelly again, right?Wrong.

This laugh-out-loud romantic comedy is a marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers romance.

 

READ NOW!

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HOW NOT TO FALL SERIES by Meg Easton

BOOK 1- HOW NOT TO FALL FOR THE GUY NEXT DOOR

Neither of them wants a rebound relationship, but it’s hard to stay away when you’re next-door neighbors.

So what if the guy Addison Sparks had a crush on when she was thirteen just so happens to be her next-door neighbor when she moves across the country for a fresh start? And so what if she embarrasses herself in front of him…Repeatedly. If Ian Kendrick hadn’t grown up to be so good-looking, kind to his grandma, skilled at carpentry, and completely dateable, then it wouldn’t be so difficult to stay away from him. Addison is just getting over a breakup, though, and Ian is, too. She doesn’t need the kind of awkwardness that would come from living next to someone who would surely be just a rebound if they ever dated. Nope. What she needs is to make a list to constantly remind herself how to not fall for the guy next door.

If you like your romances with plenty of humor and heart, you’ll love How to Not Fall for the Guy Next Door. Scroll up and one-click your copy today!

 READ NOW!

 

BOOK 2- HOW TO NOT FALL FOR THE WRONG GUY 

 

When their jobs collide and their personalities clash, they never expect to fall in love.
Bex Sterling knows what she wants, how she wants it, and definitely isn’t afraid to go get it. Her bold personality is how she expanded her YouTube audience to over two million subscribers. If she were to fall in love, it’d have to be with the right guy—someone who is easy-going, chill, and up for anything.
So, basically, everything that Roman Powell is not. Roman is every bit as strong-willed and driven as Bex is. With him at the helm of his company, he grew it enough to earn him a spot on the cover of Business Success magazine’s Top 10 Young (and Single) CEOs edition. But he isn’t stoked about the unwanted attention on his personal life.
Between Bex’s viewers begging her to interview the drool-worthy CEO and Roman’s staff being convinced that Bex has an audience that’s perfect for their new app, these two opposites agree to work closely for a four-part interview. Unfortunately, they’ve met before, and they know enough about each other that neither is thrilled about working together.

Despite her viewers’ very vocal support of the two of them dating, Bex is still convinced she’ll have no problem at all not falling for the wrong guy.

READ NOW!

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THE FAKE LOVE SERIES by Summer Dowell

BOOK 1- A TEMPORARY MARRIAGE

Sometimes dreams really do come true. Ryan Hudson asked me to marry him. Well…temporarily marry him.

Struggling graphic designer Kylee Morgan would do just about anything to help Ryan Hudson, her very attractive friend she’s been harboring feelings for. But, marry him? That might be taking things a little too far for this good girl.

Workaholic Ryan is finally on the cusp of success with his company when things come to a crashing halt. He needs cash fast and his grandparent’s trust fund is the perfect solution. However, there’s one small requirement to get the money, he has to be married.

READ NOW!

 

 

 

 

BOOK 2- A TEMPORARY BOYFRIEND 

“I need a boyfriend. For the weekend.”

Type A Madison Hudson has spent the last six years working toward the nutritionist position that’s almost in her grasp. She’s got the qualifications, the schooling, the perfect resume; all that’s left is to impress her future boss. Something a white lie about an imaginary boyfriend can achieve.

Computer nerd Eric Ward usually stays away from drama. But when his sister’s roommate needs a boyfriend for a night, he can’t find an excuse to say no. How hard can one evening be? Pity no one told him what a knockout his fake girlfriend would be.

How long before their little white lie turns into a whole lot more than these two planned for?

READ NOW!

 

 

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SHAPED BY LOVE SERIES by Michelle Pennington

BOOK 1- A MAN WORTH SHAVING FOR

Our goodnight kiss should have been goodbye.

We meant it to be.

But Monday morning there was Logan Jennings, in my office, deciding the fate of the company I love…and my job.

I never should have said the things I said or let myself feel the things I felt because connections like this don’t just go away. Even when you desperately need them to.

In two weeks, he’ll be gone, and nothing will ever be the same.

READ NOW!

 

 

 

 

BOOK 2- OH, KEEP YOUR SHIRT ON

Nothing about me is fake…except my boyfriend.

I needed a favor, but I knew what Damien would ask for in return—a date to his cousin’s wedding. But there was no way I’d agree. Facing his match-making mom and scheming ex-girlfriend didn’t exactly sound fun. Besides, the less time I spent around him the better. Already my neighbor and landlord, he was steadily charming his way into my life. Being his friend was tempting enough. What would happen if we pretended to be a couple for a night? No. I had to keep him at arm’s length. At least.

But Tessa had changed my life for the better when she gave me a job, and now she needed help.

Aaaaaand…that was how I ended up fake dating my boss’s fake boyfriend. Who for some reason can’t keep his shirt on.

    READ NOW!

 

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OLD PINE COVE SERIES by Sophie- Leigh Robbins 

BOOK 1- SNOWFLAKES AND SPARKS 

A new-in-town bookstore owner is in for a surprise when she meets her neighbor… the gorgeous guy she shared her first kiss with ten years ago!

Old Pine Cove is the one place on earth Suzie swore she’d never return to, but then her boss asks her to manage one of their bookstores there. Since it’s only temporary, she agrees. Besides, what could possibly go wrong? Gosh, how naïve of her. Alex Denverton opening the door with that smoldering look of his, that’s what could go wrong. It’s been ten years since she broke his car and his heart. How is she supposed to focus on work knowing he’s right next door? And why did she ever agree to organize the annual Winter Walk with him?

One thing is certain, though. If Suzie wants to have a magical Christmas, she can’t ask Santa to make it happen. It’s up to her to decide: go big or go home.

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BOOK 2- LOVE TO PROVE YOU WRONG 

Hating the guy who ruined her confidence would be a lot easier if he wasn’t so freaking sexy.

For Addy, small-town life is just perfect. She’s about to expand her inn with ten new rooms and a petting zoo, and she’s helping the mayor’s son organize his wedding. If only her pet duck would stop escaping all the time, her days would be an absolute breeze.
But then Justin Miller shows up at Addy’s check-in desk. The guy went from small-town stud to lead actor in a popular series, and he’s behaving exactly like the celebrity he is. Smug grins, dimples to die for, and hordes of women chasing him all over town.
Addy has no intention of letting him in her life again—not after what happened in high school. So what if he keeps trying to prove he’s changed? No amount of helicopter rides and intimate outings will change the truth:

Justin Miller is nothing but trouble.

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POP STARS ROMANTIC COMEDY SERIES by Rachael Eliker

BOOK 1- WHEN A STAR FALLS

If someone’s going to trip over her own two feet, it’s going to be Ruby. Fame and love can only get easier, right?

As a gifted songwriter with big ambitions, Ruby’s career was going nowhere. Life changed when Collin, a guy that made her go gaga, took her out to dinner. Posting a video of an impromptu performance he dared Ruby to do, a record label powerhouse took notice. As amazing as that was, the highlight was definitely kissing Collin goodnight. Ruby thought she was ready for fame but after a ruthless beautician waxed every stray hair off her body, she was put in sky-high stilettos that threatened to be her death, and an eccentric diva took her under her wing, Ruby wasn’t so sure. With Collin’s own career taking off and his cunning personal assistant seeing her chance to snake her way between Collin and Ruby, she realized stardom isn’t all glamorous. When it comes down to it, how can Ruby choose between making a name for herself or sacrificing it all for love?

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BOOK 2- HOW A STAR SHINES 

Being a megastar is hard enough without trying to convince an old crush she doesn’t need protecting. He seems to think otherwise.

Kiki’s been in the music business long enough to know that she can do it on her own, without a man’s help. When her record label hires a bodyguard without asking if she wanted one, she swore to protect her independence by any means necessary, including employing her legendary pepper spray skills.

When Kiki realized her new security detail was none other than Josh Coleman, the guy she had a schoolgirl crush on when she was a shy, gangly teenager, she had to remind herself not to swoon.

She wants to hate having Josh around but she can’t. He can navigate cringeworthy paparazzi photos, handle vain male co-stars, and hold back rabid crowds like a champ. There’s just one problem: Josh is off limits or he’ll lose his job. Shining at the top of the pop charts has always been a dream come true but if it’s at the risk of losing Josh, Kiki’s not so sure fame is worth the cost.

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NEVER SAY NEVER SERIES by Remi Carrington 

BOOK 1- THREE THINGS I’D NEVER DO 

Never say never.

There are three things Eve said she would never do—move back in with her parents, let her mother set her up, and date a guy with a dog. When a bolt of lightning forces Eve to move back in with her parents, she’s already going back on her ‘never’ list. As if things aren’t bad enough, a tree falls, trapping her in the bathtub. When Adam, the handsome firefighter rescues her, bubbles and all, Eve is so humiliated, she hopes she never sees him again. But as fate would have it, Adam is her blind date – Thanks Mom. Surprisingly, he is perfect … except for one minor thing. He has dogs, and she is a die-hard cat lover.

She may never get over her aversion to sloppy kisses (from the dogs), but when Eve dog sits for the weekend, things go from bad to worse. Someone is bound to end in the doghouse forever.

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BOOK 2- ONE GUY I’D NEVER DATE

Never date your brother’s best friend

There is one guy Haley said she would never date—Zach Gallagher. He calls her Carrot and treats her like she’s ten. It’s irritating and makes it easy to keep her brother’s best friend on her never list.

When a Thanksgiving camping trip gone wrong forces Haley to accept Zach’s help, her long-time attraction is hard to keep hidden. Despite all the reasons she shouldn’t like him, she does.

And when the drop-dead gorgeous deputy shows a glimmer of interest, she has to figure out how to navigate the new normal. Teasing turns into flirting … until her brother figures it out. He hates the idea of his sister dating Zach.

Choosing between love and family is heart-wrenching, but breaking up a twenty-year friendship is even worse. What price is Haley willing to pay for a happily-ever-after?

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MY FAKE HUSBAND ROMANCE SERIES by Johanna Evelyn 

BOOK 1- I DO (SORTA)

A billionaire, a billboard, and a quest to find a wife.

My company’s board wants me to marry, but I’ve already tried that route. Women fall at my feet vying to become the next Mrs. Taylor, only they are always after one thing. The money. Instead of picking someone they want, I turn it into a game. My chosen bride will be placed on a budget with a strict set of rules. I have a year to turn a gold-digging diva into a domesticated housewife. What have I got to lose, besides true love?
Rich men are all the same and I want nothing to do with them. I left Texas to get away from my meddlesome mother and her dreams of me marrying old money. But the first thing I see in New York is a giant billboard sporting a billionaire looking for a wife, Bachelor style. I don’t find out my mother has filled out an application for me until I am chosen to come to Edward Taylor’s penthouse.That’s when I realize my mother will never stop unless I do something drastic. If I ramp up my pageant persona there’s no way he’ll choose me to become his wife—and in the process, I’ll get my mother off my back about getting married while teaching this full of himself billionaire the way to a woman’s heart isn’t by hiring a billboard!

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BOOK 2- BLISSFULLY WED (KINDA)

If the billboard doesn’t work out, marry Jackson…
That’s what my billboard said, all because I lost a bet I didn’t think I would lose. I mean, who finds true love advertising themselves on a billboard?
My billionaire best friend, that’s who. What started out as a game has quickly become my nightmare. I haven’t dated the same woman for more than a week since high school, and now I’m supposed to get to know and marry someone in a month?
It’s not going to happen.
The only reason I agree to stick it out is because of the unexpected consequences of my playboy persona. When the applicants start rolling in, they aren’t from who I expect. Women I’ve dated and burned in the past are flooding my inbox. They’re on a mission to destroy me. The only thing that can save my reputation is my past, but I’m not sure I’m ready to relive those demons.

My best friend’s intervention had better work, because player is the only label that has successfully protected my heart.

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SMITTEN WITH TRAVEL ROMANTIC COMEDY SERIES by Ellen Jacobson 

BOOK 1- SMITTEN WITH RAVIOLI

I’m not sure what I’m more scared of—cats that drool or falling for that annoying history professor in my Italian cooking course.

Sure, Preston Whitaker has amazing blue eyes, but he’s an arrogant know-it-all, just like my ex. I can’t stand the man. And now I’m stuck with him for the next four weeks in Italy.

If you gave me a choice between snuggling with a drooling cat or with Preston, I’d choose the cat in a heartbeat.

Or would I?

Did I mention how cute Preston is?

Maybe I should have a holiday romance with him. That would be okay, right? It could be a fun diversion. Then, once I leave Italy, I’ll never have to see that pretentious jerk again.

Just one teeny-tiny problem—I think I might be falling for him big time. Will I be able to say goodbye to him when the cooking course is over?

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BOOK 2- SMITTEN WITH CROISSANTS 

I went to Paris hoping to get a job at an art gallery. Instead, I got into a fight with a dog over a croissant and ended up in jail.

Fortunately, this really cute French guy came to my rescue. Unfortunately, his mom hates me and is doing her best to keep us apart. At one point, she even told the police that I kidnapped her poodle and demanded that they deport me.

So you can imagine how livid she was when she found out that her son and I have been secretly dating. Now that she’s threatened to disown him, I’m not sure if our relationship will survive.

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A LOVE LIKE THIS BY CARINA TAYLOR 

BOOK 1- NEIGHBORS LIKE THAT 

KYLIE

He started our war–I intend to finish it.

Buying a house in the suburbs was supposed to be low stress: my own little haven to decorate and landscape exactly how I want. Instead I find myself locking my garbage can to keep pests out–pests that are six-foot-one, green-eyed, and far too good looking.
My trespassing neighbor is rude and entitled. It isn’t long before war is declared and I find myself stooping to immature pranks.
When trouble lands at my door, my unlikely neighbor starts knocking on my heart. Was I ready to answer?

HAGEN

I will win no matter what it takes.

I moved to this neighborhood for a fresh start. The one thing I’m not looking for is a relationship, so when I mistakenly assume my neighbor is hitting on me, I lash out at her.
I didn’t mean to start the war, but now she taunts me from across the street. Our harmless pranks have become the highlight of my day. I should stay away–but I can’t. I want to spend more time with her.
When a stalker begins sending Kylie a series of notes, I’m only too willing to help protect her.
Maybe I’m looking for a relationship after all.

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BOOK 2- A CHRISTMAS LIKE THIS 

I know exactly what I’d like to put in Trey’s stocking: the biggest lump of coal I can carry. 

Unfortunately, I won’t get the chance, because our boss has delivered an ultimatum: plan the company Christmas party with Trey and learn to get along, or else.

After only one day of trying to plan the Christmas party, I’m ready to pick the “or else.” Is it possible to learn to get along with the most aggravating, overprotective, handsome guy I’ve ever known?

We’re about to find out if we can get our names off the naughty list or not.

 

READ NOW!

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Hope you enjoyed this list! Do you have any favorite clean romccoms that I missed?

If you love clean romantic comedies, you should join the Clean Romcom Readers Facebook group to connect with authors and get good recommendations.

Do you love (or love to hate) reality TV shows like the Bachelor? Whether you think someone can truly find a love connection on TV or not, you won’t want to miss this sweet reality TV romcom!

THE BILLIONAIRE LOVE MATCH: A SWEET REALITY TV ROMCOM

Does real love stand a chance on reality TV?

The odds are NEVER in your favor. At least, that’s what she thought. But when Casey makes the final casting call for a matchmaking show, she holds her breath and takes a chance.

Colt Woods needs to find ratings, not romance. When the show he expected to be all-fake turns all-too-real, Colt has to rethink everything. Especially when his movie-mogul mother tries to script the ending.

In front of cameras and surrounded by fourteen other jealous women, Colt and Casey do their best to let a real relationship unfold.

Can they trust something built on live television or will their relationship run out like fifteen minutes of fame?

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE BILLIONAIRE LOVE MATCH…

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️   It had me laughing and crying and anxious to find out what happened next! 

One of the best inspirational romances I’ve ever read! It had me laughing and crying. I was so into this book. I thought about the characters when I wasn’t reading it and couldn’t wait to get back to it to see what would happen next. Can’t wait to read more like it! -Amazon reviewer

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️   Sweet, funny, and no cheese!

This book was seriously so good and such a fun read. It’s like a favorite rom com that you watch over and over and the swoon worthy parts get you every time. The story between Casey and Colt was really sweet with plenty of humor. This is kind of a new genre for me. It was a “clean romance” with elements of faith that didn’t sound like a block of Velveeta. -Amazon reviewer

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ A clean, quirky billionaire romance

I had other things I could have done these last two evenings but I found I NEEDED to read this delightful book by Ms. St. Clair! I’ve never before read a book about a reality TV show. The behind-the-scenes looks into production were interesting but the real interest-grabbers were the interactions between Colt and Casey. I laughed, I cried and I despaired because it looked like they had lost any chance for a HEA. It was a happy and unique ending to a love story and the epilogue was heart-warming, as well… -Amazon reviewer

 

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WANT A SAMPLE? CHECK OUT THIS EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER ONE…

CHAPTER ONE

Casey ducked into the bathroom, leaning against the door. She could hear the pounding of the club’s music outside but was listening for something else—the sound of her ex shouting her name.

Nothing. She had lost him.

She sighed heavily and examined herself in the mirror, wondering how this happened. Lucas somehow found out she was at this event, despite the fact that Casey had been actively trying to avoid him for the last two months. They hadn’t dated for long before she saw his possessive side. Which went into overdrive when she called it quits. He moved quickly from annoying to aggravating and now to obsessive.

How did he even get in? This was an invite-only event for the finalists in the matchmaking reality show she had applied to be on. The month-long shooting schedule keeping her in seclusion was one of the big draws of the show. Not that she expected to make it.

The show ticked off several boxes: a paycheck, disappearing for a month to escape Lucas, and—Casey hoped—it might help her build her following to sell more books. She had been trying to make it for two years as a full-time author. People loved her cozy mystery novels and they each had at least fifty four- and five-star reviews, but they were only selling a few copies per day.

As much as she hated to admit it, any fame from the show could help her get some traction. Even though she wrote under a pen name, it would be easy to still use any of the attention she got from the show to point to her books. All she needed was to get the viewers to fall in love with her. If a guy did too, well, that was a bonus.

But that wasn’t likely. Casey doubted she could find love without the help of a reality show, much less WITH one, where everything was clearly fake. She was, as her best friend Amanda and her own parents constantly reminded her, a terrible judge of character. Maybe having matchmakers help her out would actually work. Someone else could do all the hard part of picking out the right guy for her. But falling in love within a four-week span of time? Not possible. Plus, she was a Christian. Dating shows had overnight dates and bikini dates and generally weren’t geared toward people of faith. More reasons she wouldn’t get chosen.

Speaking of, she probably needed to get back out to the announcement party. They were going to reveal the contestants in just a few minutes. Not contestants—Potential Love Matches.

What had she gotten herself into? She should probably walk out the front doors of the club right now. She didn’t need a TV show to make it as a writer. Just time and hard work.

As she was about to pull open the door, it slammed open. It didn’t hit her, but surprise knocked her back as a handsome guy flew in through the door. He had the perfect amount of stubble and hazel eyes. She couldn’t tell if his eyes were more brown or green, but they were big and framed with long dark lashes. Casey was a sucker for eyes.

He instinctively reached out an arm to steady her. The touch was momentary, but the light contact set off a chain reaction in her body, sending blood rushing in all directions. She yanked away and stepped back.

“Hey, buddy,” Casey said, crossing her arms. “I think you’re in the wrong bathroom.”

He regained his composure and brushed back his dark hair. Leaning back up against the wall next to the door, he crossed his arms, mirroring her. Only he looked amused, not annoyed. Everything about him looked somehow perfect. Too perfect. He had the kind of messy hair that she knew cost a pretty penny to get cut and styled. Even his T-shirt and jeans somehow looked expensively casual. Like he had paid big bucks to look like he didn’t have big bucks. She was used to giving people names as a barista and one came to her immediately for this guy and his perfectly polished appearance: Mr. Casual.

“You sure?” he said. With a crooked smile he gestured behind her. A row of urinals lined the wall.

Casey gasped and covered her mouth. How did she not notice when she walked in? But she knew how: Lucas. She had been in such a hurry to escape him that she hadn’t paid attention.

“Casey!”

She swung around to face the guy, who still had an amused expression on his face.

“How do you know my name?” she asked. But he hadn’t been the one who said it. She heard it again, faintly, but getting louder, now right outside the door.

“CASEY!”

Lucas.

Her eyes widened and she looked around in a panic. There were stalls, but none of them had doors. She could only think of one thing to do. It was a terrible plan. But it was all she had.

In two strides she crossed the room to grab Mr. Casual by his expensive looking T-shirt. The cool look was gone, replaced with total shock as she swung him around, putting her back up against the wall and pulling him close to her.

“Sorry about this,” Casey said.

Green, she realized. His eyes looked green with brown flecks.

And then she grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

For a tiny moment he resisted, but almost immediately began to kiss her back. The electric current she had felt when he touched her arm had nothing on this kiss. She felt it in places she didn’t know existed in her body. Places that didn’t seem to relate to kissing at all: the inside of her elbow, her lower back, the top of her foot. She didn’t need to keep pulling him toward her as he was now leaning even closer to her, his hands cupping her face.

She had started it, but he had taken control, his lips both tender and passionate, pulling her deeper, closer. Everything disappeared. She couldn’t feel the wall behind her back and the sound of the club faded. There was only this moment, this kiss. His fingers now touched her neck, her collarbone, back up to her cheeks.

The door slammed open again next to them and they pulled apart, both breathless. For a brief moment they locked eyes. He looked every bit as shocked and smitten as she felt. The kiss had made her completely forget the reason that she had pulled Mr. Casual close—to hide her face if Lucas came through the door. Which he now did, barreling past two burly guys who stood just outside.

And then Lucas pulled him backward by his shirt and punched him in the jaw.

Casey screamed and the two burly guys from outside burst in, grabbing Lucas. But not before he got in a second good punch.

“You slut!” Lucas shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. He looked like a wild animal and for a moment Casey felt actual fear. She had never seen this level of rage. Over time he was escalating, not slowing down.

The two big guys must have worked for the show because they were wearing earpieces. They held Lucas fast. No easy feat since he was over six feet and worked out seven days a week.

“Sorry,” one of the guys said to Mr. Casual, who was bent over, holding his face. “He pushed right by us. We’ll get him out of here.”

“Okay,” Mr. Casual groaned.

As the guys dragged a still-screaming Lucas out of the bathroom, Casey realized she had been frozen to the spot, her hands shaking. Now as Lucas’ curses and screams faded, she could only hear Mr. Casual’s groans.

She crossed the room, putting a hand on his back. He flinched and jerked away. Then realizing it was only Casey, tried to regain that practiced casual look. Only now his eye was swelling up and he had a thin cut in his jaw.

“I’m so so so sorry,” Casey said. “Can I do something? Here, let me get something for the blood.”

He stood then, and they were almost as close as they had been a few minutes before when they shared that incredible kiss. Her heart started racing, but his eyes were wary now. She backed up and wet a few paper towels from the sink.

The bathroom door swung open again and a short guy with spiky blond hair looked shocked to see them both standing there.

“GET OUT!” Casey and Mr. Causal yelled at the same time. The guy disappeared through the door.

She smiled faintly as she brought the paper towels to him. “Here,” she said, reaching up to wipe the blood from his chin.

He grabbed her wrist, sending sparks flying down her arm. Blood or no blood, she wanted a round two with his lips. It took control not to lean in again. Was he hesitating as well? But he took the paper towel and dropped her wrist. He walked away to the mirror. She reminded herself to breathe. This was crazy. She never acted like this.

Casey looked down at her shoes. She was wearing her favorite cowboy boots, a soft brown with turquoise stitching. Amanda tried to convince her to wear heels, but these were more her style. She didn’t want to pretend to be someone else for a guy or TV or anything else.

“I really am sorry,” she said.

“Yeah, you said that.”

She peeked up at the mirror. His hazel eyes locked on hers. Now they looked more brown than green. His right eye was puffy and looked terrible.

“Your face,” she whispered. She looked back down at her feet, feeling the start of tears. “This is all my fault.”

“What I’m trying to figure out,” he said, “is if you apologized first because you knew what was about to happen.”

Casey’s eyes flew open and she turned to him. He had his back to the sink now, leaning up against it with his narrow hips, arms crossed over his T-shirt. Blood spattered the front of it.

“No! I would never have done…that if I knew. I was just trying to hide from my ex and I panicked. I thought if he glanced in, he would just see a couple making out and miss that it was me.”

“That was your ex? That guy is a maniac. You should get a restraining order. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” He took a step toward her, but stopped. His eyes were filled with compassion and a concern that sent a flush up her cheeks.

“No, I’m fine. Really. He kept his crazy locked in the closet when we were dating. Apparently I have bad judgment when it comes to guys,” she said.

“That’s an understatement, Boots.”

“Boots?”

He nodded to her shoes. “Boots. I like them. And I don’t know your name, so …”

“Thanks,” she said, feeling a warmth spreading in her chest. He gave her a nickname. This thought made her ridiculously happy. “And again, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry for his sake. He did that all on his own. As for the few seconds just before he interrupted …”

Her head shot up and she saw that he was grinning. And looked just as good with a puffy eye and cut chin as he had before. She had a sudden urge to touch his face and realized she was staring at his lips again. His smiled widened and she looked up to see him watching her face. A blush immediately hit her cheeks.

His smile dropped, replaced almost instantly with a smoldering look. “I wouldn’t mind reliving that, Boots.” He took a step forward. “You?”

“I wouldn’t mind,” she said, her voice cracking.

Casey’s heart felt like a jackhammer. He took a slow step toward her and then another, not breaking eye contact. She wished he would hurry and yet loved the anticipation of watching him cross the room toward her.

The door swung open again and Casey jumped as the two bodyguards entered the room. The moment was broken. She could feel the attraction stretching out between them. The two bodyguards must have felt it too. They looked at her, then Mr. Casual.

What was she doing? She needed to get out of here. Casey didn’t kiss guys in the bathroom. Especially when she didn’t even know their names. She could count on two hands the number of guys she’d kissed, ever. She turned and almost ran for the door.

“I’m sorry,” she said over her shoulder as she brushed past the bodyguards. “I really am.”

“I’m not!” he called after her, even as the bathroom door swung shut behind her.

As Casey was enveloped in the sound of the club, a smile plastered onto her face. Even if nothing else came of trying out for the show, that kiss was worth it all.