A woman is ready to get back into the dating game after having her heart broken by her cheating ex-husband in Molly Cannon's "Ain't Misbehaving."
Marla Jean is ready to kick up her boots after her ex-husband, Bradley, left her for the Bookmobile librarian, who also happens to be 20 years older than she is! But her liason with the town's notrious bad boy attracts the attention of her brother's best friend and longtime crush, Jake. Jake is looking out for her best friend's little sister, who he thinks is running wild, but does Jake have an ulterior motive? The two shared a hot kiss many years ago, is Jake suddenly considering renewing that attraction? What's a nice Texas girl to do?
This is a funny and warm romance with a cast of quirky characters and a couple you can cheer for.
"Ain't Misbehaving" is published by Warner Forever. It is $5.99 and 384 pages long.
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A young woman poses as a golddigging fiancee to lure her employer's children back home in "Can't Buy Me Love" by Molly O'Keefe.
Tara Jean has come up from a rough childhood to design products for an elderly rancher's leather business. Estranged from his son and his mistress' daughter, Lyle gets the idea that Tara Jean's purporting golddigging might tempt them back.
And indeed it does - soon Tara Jean is on a showdown with Lyle's stormy son, Luc, a hockey player who has already dug up dirt on Tara Jean. When Lyle passes away, Tara Jean finds Luc to be her new boss. But as the two work together, their antagonism turns to something else entirely. Is it possible that romance has come to the ranch?
Full of colorful characters and hot romance, this is the perfect book to enjoy with a glass of sweet tea to cool you down!
"Can't Buy Me Love" is published by Bantam. It is $7.99 and 354 pages long.
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A chef's new romance versus her long-time employer is chronicled in Stacey Ballis' "Off The Menu."
Alana has made a home and life for herself, working as the culinary assistant to celebrity chef Patrick Conlon, which has somehow translated to being his on beck and call Girl Friday. Patrick is a staple at her home, her parents' home, and in her life, and though the two fight, Alana doesn't mind. That is, until a joke account on a dating website brings her R.J.
R.J. is the perfect guy for her on paper, and the two exchange emails for a month, before deciding to meet. And then Alana finally finds something other than her dog to take her attention away from her all-consuming work. But as her love for R.J. grows, her relationship with Patrick grows strained. Can Alana have the guy and her career?
This is a great contemporary romance about a chef striving to find balance in her life and enjoying both her man and her career.
"Off The Menu" is pubished by Berkley. It is $15 and 385 pages, including recipes!
Contact Amy Phelps at aphelps@newsandsentinel.com
