• Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

    If faking love is this easy… how do you know when it’s real?

    When her partner of over a decade suddenly ends things, Laurie is left reeling—not only because they work at the same law firm and she has to see him every day. Her once perfect life is in shambles and the thought of dating again in the age of Tinder is nothing short of horrifying. When news of her ex’s pregnant girlfriend hits the office grapevine, taking the humiliation lying down is not an option. Then a chance encounter in a broken-down elevator with the office playboy opens up a new possibility.

    Jamie Carter doesn’t believe in love, but he needs a respectable, steady girlfriend to impress their bosses. Laurie wants a hot new man to give the rumor mill something else to talk about. It’s the perfect proposition: a fauxmance played out on social media, with strategically staged photographs and a specific end date in mind. With the plan hatched, Laurie and Jamie begin to flaunt their new couple status, to the astonishment—and jealousy—of their friends and colleagues. But there’s a fine line between pretending to be in love and actually falling for your charming, handsome fake boyfriend…

    The author on the genre of chick lit/romantic comedy novels:

    “I’m not sure I’m placed to say it’s evolving. I definitely want it to feel like feminism is a thing, but those two things shouldn’t be separate. I mean, you write about women’s lives, why isn’t feminism inherent? I hope Twilight and Fifty Shades are a blip and we get back to spirited, confident, intelligent women. The trouble with romantic comedy is obviously: how does the girl get the guy? That’s the plot, but you’ve got to be very careful that the girl doesn’t get defined by the bloke.”

    Mhairi McFarlane

  • Best Gothic Romance,  Best Historical Romance Books

    Seduced by a Stranger by Eve Silver

    When Catherine Weston journeys to Cairncroft Abbey, she meets Gabriel St. Aubyn and must decide if he is a monster or a man she dares to love.

    Destitute and desperate, Catherine Weston accepts the summons from her childhood friend Madeline St. Aubyn to attend her at Cairncroft Abbey, a place of secrets, lies, and murder. Madeline’s health is in a poor state and she is terrified of her cousin, Gabriel. But Gabriel has quite a different effect on Catherine, stirring longings and desires she believed long buried.

    Gabriel St. Aubyn is haunted by the horrors of both his past and his present, horrors he conceals behind a remote, unapproachable facade. He is drawn to Catherine but is determined to protect her from the tragedies that yet have claws sunk deep in his soul. 

    Then a young woman is found dead, and Madeline’s ravings point to a link between this horrific crime and Gabriel—and Catherine must decide if he is a man worthy of her love or a sinister stranger determined to make her his next victim.

    A review on Seduced by a Stranger:

    “Eve Silver’s talent for formulating a gripping story is in a class all its own…Her tales are going to have you at the edge of your seat in wonder, and her heroes will undoubtedly cause your heart to pound in more ways than one”

    Barbara, 123 Books

  • Paranormal Romance

    Fugitive Mate by Anastasia Wilde

    A fugitive mate, a desperate alpha, and one wild night.

    Emma Wilkes is on the run from her ex-boyfriend—with a stolen laptop containing evidence of his crimes. When she meets a hot guy in a truck stop bar, she pretends to be his date, hoping to throw her ex’s hit squad off her trail.

    Alpha wolf Jace Monroe has only weeks to find a true mate and bond with her, or he’ll lose his pack and his territory. To him, the stranger coming on to him is just a delectably curvy distraction from his troubles. But to his wolf, she’s the one. So when Emma steals Jace’s motorcycle and vanishes from his motel room in the middle of the night, Jace vows to track her down and find out who she really is—a conniving con woman, or the mate he’s been waiting for all his life. But can he find her—and persuade her to trust him—before time runs out for both of them?

  • Best Historical Romance Books

    The King’s Favorite by Tanya Anne Crosby

    Bartering a deal with their “witchy” mother, Stephen the Usurper intends to wed all five sisters to his “new men.”

    Fearing her “gifts” will be used to defeat her sister Matilda, Elspeth Pendragon escapes the Black Mountain priory that has sheltered her and her four sisters since King Henry’s death, only to find herself indebted to, of all men, a Scotsman, whose loyalties are in question… 

    Left to face the wrath of a new sovereign, Malcom Scott is forced to swear fealty to Stephen of Blois to keep the castle he won by slaying his own grandfather. But having done that, he’s pitted himself against Scotland, and even his own father. But even as Malcom realizes there’s no turning back, the late King’s favorite illegitimate daughter may offer him more than he ever bargained for.

    The author on her best research methods:

    “I used to be a member of the Haskin’s Society, as well as the Society for Creative Anachronism. I have been to several festivals and always enjoy it. These days I rely either on travel or my research books, as well as oral accounts.”

    Tanya Anne Crosby

  • Best Christian Romance Books,  Best Historical Romance Books,  Best Romantic Suspense Books

    In the Shadow of Croft Towers by Abigail Wilson

    Croft Towers holds more than its share of secrets . . . and Sybil is determined to uncover them all.

    When Sybil Delafield’s coach to Croft Towers was robbed by highwaymen, she should have realized that her new position as companion to old Mrs. Chalcroft would be no ordinary job. Upon Sybil’s arrival, Mrs. Chalcroft sneaks into her room in the dark of night, imploring her to relay messages to town that are to stay hidden from the rest of the family. Who exactly is she working for and what do the messages contain?

    When fellow passengers of the robbed coach are later murdered, Sybil’s hunt for the truth takes on a new urgency. The only person she can rely on is Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Chalcroft’s godson, but under all his charms he too leads a double life. Sybil must decide if he is the one honest voice she can trust, or if he is simply using her for his own advances.

    A lesson God taught the author while writing the novel:

    “At the heart of my novel is the theme of trust. The heroine, Sybil, must make several difficult decisions where she learns to trust her inner voice, which is sometimes at odds with the seemingly obvious choice. God used this story line and character arc to remind me that answers in my own life may not always be easy or quick or tied up in pretty pink bows, but that I needed to trust him—with everything!”

    Abigail Wilson

  • Best Historical Romance Books

    Tamed and Unleashed by Bree Wolf

    A forgotten night. A stolen child. And a stranger who feels all too familiar…

    Waking up alone after a drunken night with a stranger in Gretna Green, Claudia Davenport, sister to Viscount Ashwood, finds herself still unmarried…and with child. In order to preserve her reputation, her brother sends her to a remote estate so she can give birth in secret and then return to society, unscathed…but heartbroken.
    However, when her child is kidnapped, Claudia can no longer deny the bond that connects her to her son. Alone, she sets out to discover his whereabouts…and her path crosses that of a stranger, who feels all too familiar.

    After marrying an English lass in Gretna Green, Garrett Macdrummond returns to their room at the inn the next morning only to find her gone. Duty-bound to return to his clan in the Scottish Highlands, he counts the days until he can travel to England to find her. However, when he finally does discover her, he is shocked to realise that she does not remember him.

    Determined to remind her of the fateful night they shared, Garrett refuses to leave her side, following her across England without knowing why. Will Claudia ever remember him? Will Garrett ever learn that he has a child? Will they recover their son or lose him without ever having had the chance to know him?

    The author on her writing inspiration:

    “It’s usually small things, a picture, a song or even a seemingly meaningless sound, a glimpse out the window, a line in a magazine that sets off a flood of ideas invading my mind, screaming at me to pay attention. Most of the time I am intrigued by these thoughts while sometimes I feel like a conquered country unable to keep hostile invaders from…well, invading.”

    Mimi Matthews

  • Best Historical Romance Books

    A Holiday by Gaslight by Mimi Matthews

    A courtship of convenience… A last chance for love

    Sophie Appersett is quite willing to marry outside of her class to ensure the survival of her family. But the darkly handsome Mr. Edward Sharpe is no run-of-the-mill London merchant. He’s grim and silent. A man of little emotion–or perhaps no emotion at all. After two months of courtship, she’s ready to put an end to things.

    But severing ties with her taciturn suitor isn’t as straightforward as Sophie envisioned. Her parents are outraged. And then there’s Charles Darwin, Prince Albert, and that dratted gaslight. What’s a girl to do except invite Mr. Sharpe to Appersett House for Christmas and give him one last chance to win her? Only this time there’ll be no false formality. This time they’ll get to know each other for who they really are.

    The author on her writing inspiration:

    “Anything and everything. However, the biggest source of inspiration for me come from my research. It’s while researching for my non-fiction history projects that I discover interesting tidbits about things that happened in the Victoria era, many of which find their way into my stories.”

    Mimi Matthews

  • Best Romantic Suspense Books

    Make You Feel My Love by Kait Nolan

    Will danger catapult these lifelong friends to lovers?

    Autumn Buchanan has loved Judd all her life. Best friends since they were children, he’s been fulfilling her rescue fantasies for years. But years ago, her dreams of more ended in blood and a nightmare that nearly cost them both their lives.

    Now she’s ready to take the leap and profess all to the friend who’s stood by her through thick and thin. But before she can make her confession, their nightmare returns and secrets are revealed that threaten the very fabric of their lifelong friendship.

    The author on the greatest joy of writing:

    “The world is often a terrible, dark place. I get the glorious job of proving that that isn’t the ONLY thing the world is. I get to put out little beacons of light and hope, escape pods for readers to get an infusion of positive. I can’t think of a better job than that.”

    Kait Nolan

  • Best Contemporary Romance Novels

    Beautifully Broken Pieces (The Sutter Lake Series Book 1) by Catherine Cowles

    A woman who’s lost everything. A man battling the ghosts of his past.

    Taylor is looking for peace and quiet away from the memories of all she’s lost. A small mountain town where no one knows her seems like the perfect escape. Walker loves his life just the way it is. His town, his family, his brothers in blue. Everything simple and easy–until a chance encounter changes it all.

    When Taylor’s solitude is interrupted by the rugged cop, they find that the very thing they were avoiding might be just what they both need. As their iron wills clash and passion flares…a killer lurks. And you never know who might be caught in the crosshairs.

    The inspiration behind the novel:

    “Beautifully Broken Pieces was born out of the grief I felt when I lost my dad. I really wanted to explore the tougher parts of grief. Then I started to daydream about what might happen if my heroine fell in love while in the midst of that grief. My greatest hope is that I’ve written a book that will resonate with others who have lost a loved one.”

    Catherine Cowles

  • Best Historical Romance Books

    To Steal A Heart (Secrets & Spies Book 1) by K. C. Bateman

    A master spy and a beautiful thief find love and intrigue in each other’s arms…

    Forced to do the bidding of a corrupt government minister, Marianne de Bonnard agrees to plant incriminating evidence in the offices of France’s most notorious spymaster. Under cover of night, the tightrope-walking thief puts her skills to good use—until her aerial stunt is foiled when her target appears in the window and, with consummate poise, helps Marianne off the wire and into his lair. The tremors that run through her body are not just from fear; there’s an unwanted frisson of desire there, too. But is it because of her elegant, wickedly handsome host . . . or his proposition?

    Nicolas Valette has had plans for his graceful trespasser since he witnessed her unique skills at the Cirque Olympique. Sinuous as a cat, Marianne is perfect for his next mission, but she refuses his generous offer for fear of disobeying her family’s tormenter. When their mutual enemy auctions off her virginity to the highest bidder, Nicolas leaps at the chance to purchase her cooperation. Keeping her will be like trying to tame a wild animal, but what’s life without a little risk? Besides, Nicolas and Marianne both want the same thing: revenge—and, perhaps, something else that’s equally delicious.

    The inspiration behind the novel:

    “In the case of To Steal A Heart I drew particular inspiration from two tiny portrait miniatures that came in for valuation at my auction house – one of a Napoleonic–era British gentleman, and the other of a beautiful young woman. They were painted by the same artist, and in identical frames, but the seller had no idea who they were, – distant relations, perhaps? I thought that was a shame – so I made up my own story for them . Perhaps the man’s name was Nicolas Valette. And maybe the smiling woman was called Marianne de Beauvais . . .and I bet they had some amazing adventures . .”

    K. C. Bateman