Check out one of these buzzy contemporary romance picks that you may have missed in October!
The Bribe by Willa Nash
Duke Evans didn’t expect to find a beautiful woman in a staring contest with a bison on his favorite hiking trail. He also didn’t expect to see her again after rescuing her from the surly beast. As the sheriff in Calamity, Montana, he’s had his fair share of surprises but none as pleasant as pulling over a shiny black car and finding his mysterious hiking companion behind the wheel.
Only she lied to Duke. She gave him a name as fake as her hair color. According to her driver’s license, her real name is Lucy Ross, the famous country music singer whose sudden disappearance has been a hot topic on the radio over the past two weeks.
He’s not sure why Lucy lied about her identity or why she’s in Calamity. And she’s not talking. Instead, she offers him a bribe to keep her secret.
Duke doesn’t want her money. He wants to know why this beautiful woman is on the run. And as long as the star shines on his badge, he’s going to find out.
Willa Nash is the alter ego of Devney Perry and The Bribe carries as much of a punch as her other series. It’s set in a new town in the middle of Montana and the attention to detail in the setting makes me want to go there (as soon as this pandemic is over). Our heroine, Lucy is hiding from some nefarious issues and moving to the middle of nowhere seemed like the best idea to combat the demons. Duke is the first person she meets out there and what a meeting! I really love the side characters and Lucy and Duke’s romance. It was a love at first sight kind of meeting but when there’s a crazy stalker in your path, who’s the better person to protect you than the local sheriff? I can’t wait to see what else is going to hit Calamity!
Snapped by Alexa Martin
Elliot Reed is living her best life—or pretending to. She owes it to her dad’s memory to be happy and make the most of her new job as Strategic Communications Manager for the Denver Mustangs. Things are going well until star quarterback Quinton Howard Jr. decides to use the field as his stage and takes a knee during the national anthem.
As the son of a former professional athlete, Quinton knows the good, the bad, and the ugly about football. He’s worked his entire life to gain recognition in the sport, and now that he has it, he’s not about to waste his chance to change the league for better. Not even the brilliant but infuriating Elliot, who the Mustangs assign to manage him, will get Quinton back in line.
A rocky initial meeting leads to more tension between Quinton and Elliot. But as her new job forces them to spend time together, Elliot realizes they may have more in common than she could’ve imagined. With her job and his integrity on the line, this is one coin toss that nobody can win.
I love how relevant this book is to present times. The romance genre has so many options and isn’t afraid to talk about divisive topics. This novel is the last of an interconnected series of standalone novels that delve into various sensitive topics. Each delivers a message with romance and funny moments. Snapped delivers a romance packed with flirty chemistry, laugh out loud moments and a great story.
Crazy Stupid Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams
Alexis Carlisle and her cat café, ToeBeans, have shot to fame after she came forward as a victim of a celebrity chef’s sexual harassment. When a new customer approaches to confide in her, the last thing Alexis expects is for the woman to claim they’re sisters. Unsure what to do, Alexis turns to the only man she trusts—her best friend, Noah Logan.
Computer genius Noah left his rebellious teenage hacker past behind to become a computer security expert. Now he only uses his old skills for the right cause. But Noah’s got a secret: He’s madly in love with Alexis. When she asks for his help, he wonders if the timing will ever be right to confess his crush.
Noah’s pals in The Bromance Book Club are more than willing to share their beloved “manuals” to help him go from bud to boyfriend. But he must decide if telling the truth is worth risking the best friendship he’s ever had.
I’ve been waiting for this story, each is a standalone story but we can see all these characters in each. So many crazy events happen when the The Bromance Book Club gets together and this is no exception. Just as the blurb states, Alexis was first introduced when she was facing a woman’s worst nightmare and was forced to keep quiet about the sexual harassment she faced at work. Noah has been a bit of a mystery in the book as no one knows exactly what he does. However, one thing is for certain and that is Noah’s love for Alexis. Trying to break the friend zone isn’t easy but, with the help of his bros, Noah just might beat it.
Meet Me in London by Georgia Toffolo
Aspiring clothes designer Victoria Scott spends her days working in a bar in Chelsea, and her evenings designing vintage clothes, dreaming of one day opening her own boutique. But these aspirations are under threat from the new department store opening at the end of her road. She needs a Christmas miracle, but one is not forthcoming.
Oliver Russell’s Christmas is not looking very festive right now. His family’s new London department store opening is behind schedule, and on top of that his interfering, if well meaning, mother is pressing him to introduce his girlfriend to her. A girlfriend who does not exist. He needs a diversion. Something to keep his mother from interfering while he focuses on the business.
When Oliver meets Victoria, he offers a proposition: pretend to be his girlfriend at the opening of his store and he will provide an opportunity for Victoria to showcase her designs. But what starts as a business arrangement soon becomes something more tempting, as the fake relationship starts to feel very real. But when secrets in Victoria’s past are exposed will Oliver walk away, or will they both follow their hearts and find what neither knew they were looking for…
Georgia Toffolo of Made in Chelsea fame (if you haven’t seen the show, you need to) dives into the romance genre with Meet Me in London. A fake relationship delves into too real territory when Oliver makes a deal with Victoria that should benefit all.Victoria is a fun character with plenty of friends to keep her entertained and uplift her when her dreams might be dashed. But it’s her burgeoning friendship/fromance with Oliver that really might propel her forward. I think this is a very sweet, fun story, perfect for the upcoming holiday season.
What are you diving into this month?
