She can't hit the snooze on her biological clock forever...

Love, career, kids-Brooklyn Monroe wants it all. Her beauty company? A triumph. Her love life? Total fail. At 42, that makes motherhood her top priority. With no man in her life, she's prepared to fly solo, but her plan is derailed when a mailing list mishap turns Brooklyn into a someone-get-me-pregnant internet meme. Making her PR nightmare go away entails a soul-baring interview on national TV. And the guy asking the questions? Her all-too sexy ex.

Talk show host Alec Trakas is the king of bad timing. Case in point, his heartbreaking romance with Brooklyn. Alec was all about commitment but Brooklyn was launching her start-up, and forever wasn't in the cards. Now a shot at his ultimate dream job depends on convincing Brooklyn to spill the secrets leading to her viral celebrity. It sets Alec's star rising, but puts Brooklyn in a sea of flirty men. Fate has thrown them back together. Sparks are flying. But is the timing finally right? Because having it all might not be worth the risk of losing each other again.

Brooklyn Monroe Wants It All will be released October 25, 2021. It's set in the beauty circles of Manhattan, just like Gray Hair Don't Care, and includes appearances from Lela and Donovan. Happy ending guaranteed!

"With this funny, surprising novel, Booth might just have written the definitive Gen-X romance." -Publishers Weekly starred review for Gray Hair Don't Care.

"For every woman who had a crush on a rockstar and still secretly wishes her fantasy would become reality. Smart, sexy and fun, with enough realism that it could be you." —USA Today bestselling author Louise Bay

Single mom Claire Abby is the glue that holds her dad and her college-bound daughter together, so when her journalism career takes a nosedive, she has to resuscitate it. Now the biggest interview of her life hinges on convincing a notoriously private man to spill his secrets. If only he wasn't one of the sexiest guys ever...

Tall, square-jawed Brit Christopher Penman was Claire's celebrity crush when she was a teen. In person, he's as she feared—unfairly handsome, utterly charming, and completely nerve wracking. Claire has no choice but to ask the tough questions, the ones he's avoided for a decade, but Chris isn't talking...he's flirting...

Before Claire can get her head straight, an improbable friendship forms. Then there's a kiss...and an invitation...and ultimately, nights Claire once only dreamed of. But as they grow closer, she learns that Chris's pain runs deep. When his heartbreaking history repeats itself, will Claire risk her future—and her heart—to save her love with the man she could never forget?

More Reviews:

“This had me gripped from the very first pages…I fell in love with all the characters in the book...This is an adult romance that I completely immersed myself in, and I highly recommend you do the same.” —Best Chick Lit (5 Stars)

“Karen Booth has crafted a compelling story about life, love, and second chances…Ms. Booth has hit a home run with this riveting story that's full of life, trials and tribulations, joy, but most of all, love." —Blackravens’ Reviews (5 Stars)

“Fast-paced, sexy and altogether irresistible, Bring Me Back is made all the more appealing by Karen Booth's inside knowledge of the music industry. A flat-out fabulous read!" —NYT bestselling author Celia Rivenbark

“ Bring Me Back is brilliant! It’s heart-wrenching, funny, sexy, and a dream come true for it’s heroine Claire and for the readers who get swept up into the romance and drama of this book. I loved it…If you are a fan of drama, humor and heart with a wonderful blend of bittersweet and delicious sensuality, then you need to read Bring Me Back. I've added it to my absolute favorites, the ones I curl up with when I'm down and need to remember to love and laugh and believe in magic." —The Book Tart (5 Stars)

"Bring Me Back is a story that will make you laugh, cry, blush and sigh...it is a story that will leave you wanting more." —Jersey Girl Book Reviews

"Hang on for an exciting, sexy, humorous and convincing dream-come-true read...It's one for my keeper shelf." —Manic Readers

"All I can do is gush over Bring Me Back.”  —Talk Supe

"Full of humor, love, acceptance, compromises and raw sensuality, Karen Booth delivers an amazing read that is sure to land on your favorites list!" —Hesperia Loves Books

"Bring Me Back is a story every woman who has ever had a teenage crush on a band member can relate to." —Read Your Writes Book Reviews (5 Stars)

"Excellent. Full of swoon!" —Scandalicious Book Reviews

Author Bio:
Karen Booth is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music, Judy Blume, and the films of John Hughes. A former music-industry exec, Karen writes smart, steamy contemporary romance—big city loves stories and rock star romances. When Karen isn't creating fictional musicians, she's listening to everything from Otis Redding to Duran Duran to Tokyo Police Club with her kids, honing her Southern cooking skills (she makes some mean collard greens), or sweet-talking her astoundingly supportive husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails.

When Ann Rutherford's husband dumps her for the bimbo in his office, unfairly leaving her without a home or a job, she reluctantly joins forces with Rhonda DelMonte to convert Rhonda's Florida seaside estate into the small upscale hotel it once was. Ann, quiet and reserved, is no match for brash, bossy Rhonda, who left the family's New Jersey butcher business after she won the lottery. Amid their struggles to succeed, The Sins of the Children, a soap opera, films a number of episodes at the hotel and things get complicated in unexpected ways when Ann falls for Vaughn Sanders, the star of the show.

Wrested back to Cabarita Beach by her grandmother's sudden death, Kate Summer discovers a mystery buried in the past that changes everything.

Kate returns home to the sleepy hamlet of Cabarita Beach and the run-down Waratah Inn for her grandmother's funeral. She spent many happy childhood years at the inn, but all she wants to do now is sell the dilapidated boutique inn and head back to the city and her busy, professional life. But she and her two estranged sisters discover they've inherited the inn together. To sell, they need all three sisters to agree to the sale.

Soon, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel and Kate decides to stay in Cabarita Beach to renovate the elegant, old building. Despite her misgivings about reviving the crumbling structure, she quickly becomes consumed with crown moulding, history and an attractive horse wrangler she can't seem to ignore.

When she discovers a clue to a mystery from the past in her grandmother's things, she'll be drawn down a path that raises more questions than answers. Piece-by-piece she and her sisters will uncover the secret former life of their beloved grandmother. A life of love, intrigue, and loss. A life they never knew she had.

An opportunity to sell the Inn pushes them to make a choice: commit to the Waratah Inn and family, or walk away from the Inn and each other, back to their separate and isolated lives.

*** Now a USA Today bestseller ***

Set against the backdrop of the golden sands and crystal clear waters of Cabarita Beach three sisters inherit an inn and discover a mystery about their grandmother's past that changes everything they thought they knew of their family...

Bindi Summer, the hard-working manager at The Waratah Inn is tired, feeling low, and wondering where her life is headed. Then, she is blind-sided by a shock revelation and the sudden arrival of her ex-boyfriend, who shows up at the inn, questioning his decision to leave her almost two years earlier.

When Josh Owens, an old high school crush, shows up out of the blue, all Bindi wants is to hunker down and ride out the storm, but Josh won't be put off so easily.

In the midst of her chaotic life, it's Bindi's turn to read the journals Nan wrote years earlier, discovered by her sister Kate in an old wooden box. The mystery of what happened to Charlie Jackson continues to unravel as his letters to Edie follow his journey from a teenager in love, to a pilot for the RAAF and beyond.

In this dramatic conclusion to the heartwarming saga, the three Summer sisters will finally learn the truth they've longed to uncover about their past, and why Nan kept so many secrets from them all these years.

A heartwarming journey from brokenness to wholeness for fans of Carolyn Brown, Lauren K. Denton, Rhys Bowen and Danielle Steele.

Reeda Summer is running from a troubled marriage and a truth she can't face.

When the Summer sisters discover their grandmother's journals after her death, they unlock a mystery that shakes their family to the core. Who is Charlie Jackson? Is he their grandfather? And if so, what happened to him?

Reeda leaves the Waratah Inn and returns to Sydney, her husband, and her thriving interior design business, only to find her marriage in tatters. She's lost sight of what she wants in life and can't recognise the person she's become.

Instead of facing her problems, Reeda embarks on a journey to discover more about the grandfather she never knew, leaving her troubles behind her.

Her search takes her to Italy, where a trail of clues leads her across the country with few answers to satisfy her burning curiosity about the past. And instead of helping her to forget, her pilgrimage reminds her of everything she loves and what she's left behind.

Under the Italian sky, Reeda discovers that the joy she was searching for was hidden inside her all along. And instead of running from her problems, she embraces the healing she needs to face them.

Readers who enjoy Inglath Cooper, Rhys Bowen, Lisa Wingate, Debbie Macomber, and Lauren K. Denton will love taking this healing journey through delightful Italy.

"Wickedly charming, flirty, and clever. This is the ultimate friends to lovers story. I loved it " Becky Monson, Number One Bestselling Author of the Spinster Series ★★★★★"You'll want to crawl between the covers of this book and never leave." - Whitney Dineen, Number One Bestselling Author of Relatively Normal ★★★★★Loveless is more than a name, it's a curse. I, Emma Loveless, have a destiny. It's not the greatest of destinies, but when you have a name like Loveless, what can you do? I'm cursed to always be the friend, never the girlfriend. Unless you count my love affair with Duncan Hines, Dr. Pepper, and the ever-lovable Pillsbury Doughboy. They've seen me through it all, but a girl needs more than refined sugar to curl up to every night. It doesn't help that I have a meddling, albeit wonderful, mother who can't help playing matchmaker. Thanks to her, I can say I've been on a date with a felon. Now she swears she's found the one for me, her new optometrist, Dr. Sawyer King. Meanwhile, I'm preparing for the inevitable restraining order. That is, until I meet the sexy doctor and have to admit my mother is right-love at first sight does exist. Unfortunately, my last name means business. Not only do I find myself in the friend zone, but also the twilight zone. Only in my world would Mr. Right turn into my stepbrother. To top it off, he brings with him a wicked stepmother who will do anything to keep us apart. Despite all this my heart-or is that my mom?-keeps telling me Sawyer is the one. But what if true love isn't strong enough to interfere with my destiny? It'll be me and the Doughboy...for eternity.

"If readers are looking for an author who is the perfect mix of Debbie Macomber and Nora Roberts, Lilly Mirren is it " - InD'tale Magazine

When a renowned book editor returns to her roots, she rediscovers her strength & her passion in this heartwarming novel from the author of The Waratah Inn.

Sarah Flannigan is moving home to the small, beachside hamlet of Emerald Cove. After years in the city building a career as an editor at one of the top publishing houses in the country, she's uprooting her life to help her mother run the family cafe after the divorce.

Cindy Flannigan never thought she'd find herself single and alone in her sixties, but when her husband runs off with a younger woman, she uncovers secret debts he's accumulated that will leave her in dire financial straits for the first time in her life. She calls on her eldest child to help and is delightfully surprised when her daughter moves home to the Cove. But concerns for her daughter's future happiness soon mar the reunion.

Take a trip to Emerald Cove, where no one's a stranger, in this heartwarming and uplifting tale for fans of Debbie Macomber, Danielle Steele, and Sheila Roberts.

Christmas is a time for second chances...and for love.

Elizabeth Cranwell's children left home, her husband divorced her and dissolved their shared business, and she's set to spend Christmas alone.

Without her husband or the thriving business she spent years of her life building, Elizabeth doesn't know who she is or what to do with her days. She's dreading spending her first Christmas alone when her friends convince her to book a holiday at the Waratah Inn.

Robert Patch thought things couldn't get any worse when his only daughter married a controlling and angry man. That was until his grandchildren arrived. When his son-in-law won't allow Robert to stay with them over the holidays Robert does the next best thing and books into a nearby inn so he can see the children. He is pleasantly surprised when he meets a woman who reminds him of the love he lost so many years ago, in a way that reawakens a heart he'd long thought dormant.

Filled with memorable characters, from a cheeky possum to a cook who moonlights as an amateur counsellor, this sweet, small-town Christmas story celebrates the camaraderie of a life lived in community and second chances at life and love.

A stand-alone, heartwarming Christmas romance for fans of Sheila Roberts, Debbie Macomber, and Debbie Mason.

The touching fourth instalment in the Emerald Cove saga from a USA Today Bestselling Author.

At forty-four years of age, Ben Silver thought he'd never find love. When he moves to Emerald Cove, he does it to support his birth mother, Diana, after her husband's sudden death. But then he meets Vicky.

Vicky Hawkins is younger than Ben, much younger. But there's something about his earnest brown eyes, the sadness behind them, the depth to them, that draws her in. He becomes her friend, but it isn't long before she realises there's more to their relationship than that.

It's time for Cindy to get on with the rest of her life. She'll have to decide if the cafe she's spent her life nurturing will be a part of her retirement or if it's time for her to let it go.

Sarah finally finishes the book she's been working so hard to write. But will she be able to rejoin the industry she left behind? Even as she steps forward, she and Mick are considering the next phase of their relationship.

If you haven't begun this uplifting ongoing series yet, be sure to start at the beginning. Enjoy these moving stories of love, hope, loss and heartache for fans of Debbie Macomber.

Please note: This book is the fourth instalment in the Emerald Cove saga.





Two generations from one family face heartbreak and injustice in this poignant and emotional novel inspired by true events.

Married to her dream man, and with a baby on the way, Dr Mia Sato's life is in perfect order.

When her beloved grandmother has a fall, the photograph clutched in her hand prompts Mia to ask questions her grandmother isn't willing to answer. Then she cries out a confession that rocks Mia to her core and leads her to make a shocking discovery of a past filled with lies, broken families and forced child migration.

Mary Roberts is a poor gutter child living in a council house in 1950's London. When she and her sister are given away to an orphanage by their mother, they could hardly imagine the turn their lives were about to take.

Harry Evans is an orphan who finds himself with Mary and her sister on a ship bound for Australia. To a farm for children, where abuse and neglect are rife. A journey that will change their lives forever, and from which they'll never return.

Based on one of Britain most secret and shameful real-life scandals in which over 100,000 British children were forcibly deported to Canada, South Africa, and Australia over several decades. Lilly Mirren's heartbreaking, captivating and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us that no matter where the journey leads us, our heart will always find its way home to those we love.

For readers of Before We Were Yours and Where the Crawdad Sings.

Author Bio:

Lilly Mirren is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in Brisbane, Australia with her husband and three children.

She always dreamed of being a writer​ and is now living that dream. When she's not writing, she's taxiing her children to various after school activities, visiting her parents at the beach, or drinking coffee with friends.

Her books combine heartwarming storylines with achingly realistic characters readers can't get enough of.

The USA Today Bestselling author of The Waratah Inn series, Lilly Mirren, proves there's no place like Emerald Cove for the holidays.

Adele Flannigan wants a fresh start. She's moved back to the Cove to escape a failed affair and to repair her broken heart. When a handsome new resident in the small beachside village helps load a Christmas tree into her car, she realises there may be a chance for a Merry Christmas, after all.

Cindy's hosting Christmas, but the Flannigan family has changed in recent years and she's nervous about how things will go. There's been a divorce, new members added, stray dogs adopted, heartbreak, romance and even a brand new bouncing baby. Christmas at Cindy's has the potential to be a delightful family feast, or to set off fireworks that could ruin the entire holiday.

Can this blended family learn to love one another during the Christmas season or will their family be torn apart?

A big family Christmas may be just what the doctor ordered for these residents of Emerald Cove.

This is the fifth book in the Emerald Cove series.

Nantucket's famous Christmas Stroll is always the first week of December and this year sisters Mandy and Emma and Paul, the executive chef want to do something extra special for Mimi's Place, the restaurant that they co-own. It will be Emma and Paul's first Christmas together as a couple and Mandy's first holiday as a newly single and divorced mother of two. Although Mandy does have a promising new relationship, though she wants to take things very slow. 

Their sister Jill and her new husband, Billy, are planning to spend the whole month of December on Nantucket too, juggling working remotely for the executive search firm they own together in Manhattan and relaxing and spending time with family and helping out at the restaurant too. And Gina, their awesome bartender is spending her first winter on Nantucket and it's a bit of an adjustment—winters on Nantucket are so much quieter than the city life she was used to. She's even more confused when someone she had a major crush on back in the city moves to Nantucket. Suddenly her boring winter is starting to look a lot more interesting.

Author Bio:

Pamela Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who mostly writes women's fiction and suspense. A book worm since before she can remember, she still reads often. She currently resides in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod.

 

Three New York Times Bestselling standalone novels in one special collection: Summer Secrets, Golden Lies and Don't Say A Word

Summer Secrets:

Eight years ago, the three McKenna sisters-Kate, Ashley, and Caroline-had their fifteen minutes of fame. Driven by their ambitious father, they won an around-the-world sailing race as teenagers. But something happened out on the turbulent sea during a fierce storm they could never forget.

Now Tyler Jamison has come to Castleton, a picturesque island off the coast of Washington State, asking questions about the famous McKennas. But even as the sisters close ranks against the tenacious reporter, the past threatens to drown them in its wake. It will take Caroline's willingness to right a wrong, Ashley's struggle to face her greatest fears, and Kate's attempt to embrace life-and love-again to finally calm the winds and stop the rain.

Golden Lies:

Every family has secrets -- some too intriguing to resist ... some too dangerous to ignore...

A novel about three remarkable families-the fifty-year-old promise that once bound them together, the fiery betrayal that tore them apart, and the ancient bronze dragon that could destroy their future.

Riley McAllister, Paige Hathaway, and Alyssa Chen come from very different worlds. Tough guy Riley has overcome the hard knocks of a working-class upbringing. Paige struggles to define her place as the heir to a famous antiques emporium. And Alyssa feels trapped by the restrictions of her family's old world attitudes. Now this unlikely trio of strangers must come together to follow an elusive trail through the streets of San Francisco-from glittering Pacific Heights to colorful Chinatown to trendy south of Market. Each will have to make the impossible choice between romantic love and family loyalty, between sheltering lies and revealing truth. Once the door to the past is opened, there's no turning back...

Don't Say A Word:

Everything she's been told about her past is a lie...

Julie De Marco is planning a perfect San Francisco wedding when she comes face-to-face with a famous photograph, the startling image of a little girl behind the iron gate of a foreign orphanage-a girl who looks exactly like her. But Julia isn't an orphan. She isn't adopted. And she's never been out of the country. She knows who she is-or does she?

Haunted by uncertainty, Julia sets off on a dangerous search for her true identity-her only clues a swan necklace and an old Russian doll, her only ally daring, sexy photographer Alex Manning. Suddenly nothing is as it seems. The people Julia loved and trusted become suspicious strangers. The relationships she believed in-with her mother, her sister, and her fianc -are shaken by new revelations. The only person she can trust is Alex, but he has secrets of his own. Each step brings her closer to a mysterious past that began a world away-a past that still has the power to threaten her life ... and change her future forever.

A #1 New York Times Bestseller

“Graced with sympathetic, well-defined characters and an intriguing multi-threaded plot, this is an emotionally involving story...sure to please Freethy's growing fan base, and like Kristin Hannah's novels, neatly bridges the gap between romance and traditional women's fiction." —Library Journal

Eight years ago, the three McKenna sisters—Kate, Ashley, and Caroline—had their fifteen minutes of fame. Driven by their ambitious father, they won an around-the-world sailing race as teenagers. But something happened out on the turbulent sea during a fierce storm they could never forget…

Now Tyler Jamison has come to Castleton, a picturesque island off the coast of Washington State, asking questions about the famous McKennas. But even as the sisters close ranks against the tenacious reporter, the past threatens to drown them in its wake. It will take Caroline's willingness to right a wrong, Ashley's struggle to face her greatest fears, and Kate's attempt to embrace life—and love—again to finally calm the winds and stop the rain.

More Reviews:

"In the tradition of LaVyrle Spencer, gifted author Barbara Freethy creates an irresistible tale of family secrets, riveting adventure and heart-touching romance." —New York Times bestselling author, Susan Wiggs

"Barbara Freethy writes with bright assurance, exploring the bonds of sisterhood and the excitement of blue-water sailing." —New York Times bestselling author, Luanne Rice

"Freethy skillfully keeps the reader on the hook, and her tantalizing and believable tale has it all—romance, adventure and mystery." —Booklist

"Freethy's zesty storytelling will keep readers hooked, and the sisters' loving but prickly interactions will make anyone with a sibling smile." —Publishers Weekly

Author Bio:

Barbara Freethy is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 41 novels ranging from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women's fiction. Traditionally published for many years, Barbara opened her own publishing company in 2011 and has since sold over 4.8 million copies of her books. Nineteen of her titles have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists. In July of 2014, Barbara was named the Amazon KDP bestselling author of ALL TIME! She was also the first indie author to sell over 1 million copies at both Barnes and Noble and Amazon. An author known for writing emotional stories about ordinary people caught up in extraordinary situations, Barbara has received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Library Journal and has also received six nominations for the RITA for Best Single Title Contemporary Romance from Romance Writers of America. She has won the honor twice for her novels Daniel's Gift and The Way Back Home. 

Shop all Barbara Freethy books

“Smart and funny, After Happily Ever After is an exciting debut.” —Laura Dave, international best-selling author of The Last Thing He Told Me

Maggie Dolin is forty-five and isn't dealing with getting older very well. Seventeen years ago, she gave up her job in publishing to raise her daughter, Gia—but now her only child is about to leave for college, and Maggie isn't sure what her new purpose will be. She's been the caretaker and nurturer for so long that she can't even remember the last time someone took care of her. She wishes Jim, her husband of nineteen years, would take that role on—but he's been distracted and disconnected, and she's convinced he's hiding something from her. Her self-involved, judgmental mother and resentful brother, meanwhile, are certainly no help, and her father—the only person in her life who's always been there for her and asked nothing in return—is dealing with increasingly serious health issues, leaving Maggie without her rock.

As all these stressors pile on, a chance meeting with a younger man causes Maggie to act in a way that is completely out of character for her. As she gets deeper in, she's forced to make some big decisions about what she wants and deserves—decisions that could change her life forever.

After Happily Ever After deals with love, marriage, family, the empty nest, aging parents and what happens when they all come crashing down at the same time.

Awards:

2022 Eric Hoffer Book Awards Honorable Mention in Commercial Fiction
2022 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Contemporary Novel
2022 Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Winner in General Fiction/Novel
2022 Reader Views Literary Awards Silver Award Winner in General Fiction/Novel
2022 Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite in Contemporary Novel
One of Popsugar's Best Books of 2021
2021 Top Shelf Awards Runner Up in Fiction (Women’s)
2021 Literary Titan Book Awards Silver Winner
2021 Firebird Award Winner in multiple categories, including Contemporary Novel and Marriage
2021 Book Excellence Awards Finalist in Marriage
2021 International Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Women's Fiction
2021 Readers' Favorite Book Awards Finalist in Fiction: Realistic
2021 Hollywood Book Awards Honorable Mention in General Fiction
2021 NYC Big Book Awards Winner in Marriage
2021 NYC Big Book Awards Distinguished Favorite in New Fiction (First-time published)
2021 IAN Book of the Year Awards Finalist in Fiction: Women’s Fiction

More Reviews:

"A soon-to-be empty nester learning to love herself one blunder at a time. After Happily Ever After is delightful..." —Foreword Reviews

“Rasmussen is a freelance journalist and former TV sitcom writer and the latter is evident in the novel’s sharp, funny dialogue and Maggie’s wry, observational narration.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Leslie A. Rasmussen has written a fiction story that most women can relate to in one way or another with compassion and love. After Happily Ever After is a wonderful read that will not disappoint. I highly recommend After Happily Ever After to women both young and old.” —Readers' Favorite

“Leslie A. Rasmussen’s After Happily Ever After gives voice to many women in the ‘sandwich generation’—and the voice is a funny one.” —Leslie Lehr, prize-winning author of A Boob’s Life and What a Mother Knows

“With warm tenderness, peppered with humor throughout, Leslie A. Rasmussen has written a novel of fresh, relatable characters, easy to root for and easy to know. Anyone juggling the lives of loved ones while navigating their own will recognize the protagonist as she struggles to find the missing parts of a so-called life that turns out to be…herself.” —Sande Boritz Berger, author of Split Level and The Sweetness

“After Happily Ever After is a road map for every empty nester whose marriage has lost its spark. You can’t help but see yourself on these pages.” —Adrienne Barbeau, actress and author of There are Worse Things I Could Do and the Vampyres of Hollywood series

“This book takes a very real look at the complex lives of forty-something women who are torn between their duties to all family members while still trying to fulfill their own desires. The characters ring true, and although there are heavy themes, the book manages to be very funny at times and also a fast, easy, read. Many women will see a lot of themselves in Maggie and will enjoy seeing how her circumstances and decisions will play out.” —Seattle Book Review

“Written with honesty and humor and grit, Leslie A. Rasmussen’s wonderful debut novel is filled with poignant and truth and so much clever. Yes, you will cry, and yes, you will laugh out loud and…fall in love with this book.” —Amy Ferris, best-selling author, screenwriter, and playwright 

“Author Leslie A. Rasmussen peppers the story with humor and sarcasm, making Maggie, the protagonist, likeable and easy to identify with. Her breezy writing style is entertaining, but there’s real meaning beneath her attitude. If you like women’s fiction, After Happily Ever After is worth your time.” —Story Circle Book Reviews 

Author Bio:

Leslie A. Rasmussen was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated with a bachelor's in communications from UCLA and went on to write television comedies for Gerald McRaney, Burt Reynolds, Roseanne Barr, Norm McDonald, Drew Carey, and Ralph Macchio, as well as The Wild Thornberrys and Sweet Valley High. Later, she earned a master's degree in nutrition and ran her own business for ten years. Most recently, Leslie has written personal essays for online magazines such as Huffington Post, Maria Shriver, and SheKnows. She loves dogs and besides having two adorable Labradors, she volunteers at the Burbank Animal Shelter in Burbank, California. Leslie lives in Los Angeles and has two sons, and a husband she's been with since college. This is her debut novel. She lives in Los Angeles.

 

Independently published with She Writes Press

Mike's ready to pop the question to Clara...

But, when news of a secret baby surfaces, will it ruin his plans for engagement?

Clara is happy in her relationship with Mike, but there's a major shift in focus when her sister shows up with bad news.

Solomons Island is a small and peaceful place, with lots of love to go around. At the café, Clara's best friend, Mackenzie, is running the business as if it were her own, while balancing the busy life of a single mother. Her daughter is happy and so are her customers at work. If only she could translate that same level of happiness in her relationship with Bill. They've been dating for a while, but she's ready to take things to the next level. As they discuss their future, will she discover that Bill's heart is in a different place?

Mike's business, Lighthouse Tours, wouldn't be the same without Ms. Mae and Jonathan. These two prove that it's possible to work together and be married, and they do it very well. But at home, Jonathan and Mae still bump heads every now and again as they learn to merge households as Mr. and Mrs. Middleton.

There's nothing everyone wants more than a happily ever after. Join the characters of Solomons Island as they aim to fulfill their desire for love in the third book of the series, Beachfront Embrace.

About the Author
Gilcrest, Michele: - Michele Gilcrest is an author of women's fiction and family sagas with a touch of sweet romance. She was born in the north but spent many years living in Georgia. Traveling the world and finally settling in a small town community has given her so many fun experiences to write about in her books. Her favorite settings, often displayed in her books, are beach towns and small-town communities. Michele's biggest inspiration is faith and family. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction. She's known for spending hours in the bookstore with a hot cup of coffee. There's nothing like reading a good book that takes you on an adventure. When she's not writing, she spends quality time with her husband and her little Yorkie.

Evelyn is thankful that Parker Cafe-oops, Sea Glass Cafe-is finally profitable and growing. The townsfolk love to come in for the sweet, mouthwatering delights she bakes... especially the old family recipe for peach pie.

But is it the peach pie that keeps bringing Rob Bentley back to the cafe, day after day?

Rob is in Moonbeam helping his sister, Violet, restore the very neglected Murphy's Resort. A resort she bought without consulting him and he thinks is a terrible idea. But when had Violet ever listened to his advice?

Heather and Jesse can't catch a break either. Their son gets into serious trouble at school. Trouble he swears he wasn't involved in, but all the evidence points toward him.

Read more about the lives of the Parker women. More secrets are revealed. And yet another town festival as Evelyn and Rob become friends... and maybe a bit more. Oh, and a wedding. But who's getting married?

Grace Parker's Peach Pie is book five in the Moonbeam Bay series.

MOONBEAM BAY - the series
The Parker Women - Book One
The Parker Cafe - Book Two
A Heather Parker Original - Book Three
The Parker Family Secret - Book Four
Grace Parker's Peach Pie - Book Five
The Perks of Being a Parker - Book Six

Heather Parker has stayed home in Moonbeam longer than she ever thought possible. Which makes it really hard to keep avoiding Jesse...

Eventually they come to a mutual truce.

... and then a bit more.

But a surprise from the past threatens everything. Secrets come tumbling out and everyone is shocked by what Heather has hidden from them. From Jesse. From her cousin. From her mother.

A secret that threatens to tear apart Heather's relationship with everyone she cares about.

Continue on in the Moonbeam Bay series and see what the Parker women are up to. And just how many more secrets does this family have?

MOONBEAM BAY - the series

The Parker Women - Book One

The Parker Cafe - Book Two

A Heather Parker Original - Book Three

The Parker Family Secret - Book Four

Grace Parker's Peach Pie - Book Five

The Perks of Being a Parker - Book Six

Olivia is determined to get the new cafe up and running. She just hopes she can prove to herself, her mother, and the town that she's capable of making it a successful venture.

When the charming Austin Woods comes to town and offers to help with promotion and social media, how can she refuse?

But someone returns to town and threatens to ruin everything...

Read more about the lives of the Parker Women in this delightful continuation of the Moonbeam Bay series.

Heather and Jesse are still at odds... and why is that?

Evelyn's uses her cooking talents to plan out the menu for the cafe and hopes to finally have a career she can be proud of. Donna and Barry continue on with their romance despite some road bumps along the way.

Try this feel-good beach read

MOONBEAM BAY - the series

The Parker Women - Book One

The Parker Cafe - Book Two

A Heather Parker Original - Book Three

The Parker Family Secret - Book Four

Grace Parker's Peach Pie - Book Five

The Perks of Being a Parker - Book Six

Meet the Parker Women...

Donna and Evelyn, two fifty-something sisters who live in the small town of Moonbeam on the lovely Moonbeam Bay. Evelyn is known for her culinary skills and orchestrating every charity event that crosses her path. Donna runs the Parker General Store that has been in their family for generations, ever since Grace Parker and her husband opened it. The town of Moonbeam has always referred to all the women descended from Grace Parker as "the Parker women."

Their daughters, Olivia and Heather, are more than cousins, they are best friends and born on the same day.

Donna's daughter, Olivia, helps out at the store and has big plans for it-if Donna would ever give her a chance to implement any of them.

Evelyn's daughter, Heather, is a well-known illustrator who pops into town now and again-just what is she hiding from?

Then there is the matriarch of the family, Patricia. She's rather-difficult.

Read the heartwarming saga of The Parker Women, their friends, and family in the new Moonbeam Bay series.

And if you're familiar with Kay Correll's other books? Camille Montgomery is in book one of this series and just wait to see what happens with her

MOONBEAM BAY - the series

The Parker Women - Book One

The Parker Cafe - Book Two

A Heather Parker Original - Book Three

The Parker Family Secret - Book Four

Grace Parker's Peach Pie - Book Five

Sometimes everything seems to go wrong... but maybe, just maybe, it's for the best.

All Charlotte wants is a perfect holiday wedding. But nothing is working out how she planned. Absolutely nothing. Just how many things can go wrong with one wedding?

Will she get the perfect Christmas wedding she's dreamed of?

Join your favorite Lighthouse Point characters in this short heartwarming holiday novel.

This is book 7 in the Charming Inn Series (a spin-off from the Lighthouse Point series):

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

Charming Christmas - Book Seven

Or try the Lighthouse Point series. Either series can be read first, so jump right in.

The Lighthouse Point Series:

Wish Upon a Shell - Book One

Wedding on the Beach - Book Two

Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three

Cottage Near the Point - Book Four

Return to the Island - Book Five

Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six

Sometimes it takes a while to truly know how you feel...

Robin and Jay have been friends for a long time.

It's obvious to everyone except Robin and Jay that they are more than friends.

Just when they start to discover that fact for themselves, Jay's past comes back to haunt him. Their tenuous footing is swept away when Robin finds out the secrets he's hidden from her for Five Years or So.

Read the exciting and delightful continuation of the Charming Inn series.

This is book five in the Charming Inn series:

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

Charming Christmas - Book Seven

Sometimes unexpected events change everything... for better or worse.

Zoe decides to stay on Belle Island to help her uncle and the town prepare for an approaching tropical storm. She has no idea that one single decision could change her life forever.

A tropical storm, secrets revealed, and the unraveling of many of the island's mysteries. A delightful continuation of the stories of the lives and loves of the people of Belle Island. Try this heartwarming story in the Charming Inn series.

This is book 6 in the Charming Inn Series (a spin-off from the Lighthouse Point series):

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

Charming Christmas - Book Seven

Or try the Lighthouse Point series. Either series can be read first, so jump right in.

The Lighthouse Point Series:

Wish Upon a Shell - Book One

Wedding on the Beach - Book Two

Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three

Cottage Near the Point - Book Four

Return to the Island - Book Five

Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six

Sometimes four weeks is enough... and sometimes it's not...

Lillian Charm is content running Charming Inn. She has everything she wants or needs. Well, she kind of regrets her purchase of the house next to the inn. She wants to turn it into a guest house. But It has been nothing but problem after problem.

Gary Jones comes to Belle Island for a brief vacation... oh, let's be honest... he's hiding out from his past. He knows it and anyone who knows who he really is knows it. One other reason to make sure no one finds out his true identity.

Gary takes over the job of rehabbing the guest house for Lillian. At the very least it will keep him busy, and maybe it will help him hide from his memories and the overwhelming guilt.

But when an accident at the guest house makes it seem like history is repeating itself, Gary knows it's no longer possible to hide from his past.

Lillian and Gary have only known each other for four short weeks... and that may be all they have.

This is the delightful continuation of the Charming Inn series. Sara and Noah are making wedding plans and then there's Charlotte. What's up with Ben and Charlotte? Of course, we're still waiting to see what happens between Robin and Jay. Visit all of them along with your favorite Lighthouse Point characters.

This is book four in the Charming Inn series:

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

Or try the Lighthouse Point series. Either series can be read first, so jump right in.

The Lighthouse Point Series:

Wish Upon a Shell - Book One

Wedding on the Beach - Book Two

Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three

Cottage Near the Point - Book Four

Return to the Island - Book Five

Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six

Sometimes a wish is only heard by the heart...

Widow, Ruby Hallet, has almost adjusted to living life on her own. She has her knitting friends in The Yarn Society-they call themselves The Yarnies. Her son, Ben, drops in often to see her-and he's dating that darling woman, Charlotte. And she has her beloved dog, Mischief. What more could she need?

David Quinn has not adjusted to his new life. He misses everything about his old life and he's come to Belle island to escape.

When Ruby and David meet on the beach and slowly become friends, they both begin to think they just might have a chance for a new life. Ben disagrees-loudly and often. The last thing his mother needs is a man in her life. Especially one who is just on the island for a short visit.

But when David finds out the one thing Ruby doesn't need might be exactly what he has to offer, their happiness is in jeopardy. Even the unwavering support of the Yarnies can't change the cold hard facts.

As The Yarnies work on the winter festival, a surprise visit and a wish made at Lighthouse Point might change everything. Because wishes really do come true when you toss a shell into the sea at Lighthouse Point and make a wish.

Don't they?

A feel-good read in this spin-off series from Lighthouse Point. Continue reading about best friends, Sara, Charlotte, and Robin as well as the familiar townspeople of Belle Island.

Either series can be read first, so jump right in

This is book three in the Charming Inn series:

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

The Lighthouse Point Series:

Wish Upon a Shell - Book One

Wedding on the Beach - Book Two

Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three

Cottage Near the Point - Book Four

Return to the Island - Book Five

Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six

Sometimes all you need is to believe in yourself...

Charlotte finds herself living back on Belle Island, struggling to make a living in her now floundering art career. She moves in with her life-long friend, Robin, and attempts to find her love of painting again and prove to her family that she's a successful artist. A bonus would be if she could make a bit of money from it so she could pay the bills...

Ben works nonstop running the marina he took over when his father suddenly passed away. That, along with keeping an eye on his mother and restoring his father's old boat keep him impossibly busy.

But then Charlotte comes back to town and he can't quite keep his mind on business...

Though Charlotte is convinced that Ben still has a crush on her beautiful, captivating sister. What man doesn't? Eva, the golden daughter, draws everyone's attention when she enters the room.

Charlotte has a chance to prove to everyone she can reinvent herself and have a successful art career-even if her family thinks her new style of nostalgic painting isn't really considered art. And Ben's push to make his mother a bit more independent backfires on him.

But wishes made at Lighthouse Point have a way of coming true-sometimes in surprisingly unexpected ways.

Continue on with the stories of Charlotte, Sara, Robin, and their friends and family in this spin-off series of Lighthouse Point.

This is book two in the Charming Inn series:

One Simple Wish - Book One

Two of a Kind - Book Two

Three Simple Things - Book Three

Four Short Weeks - Book Four

Five Years or So - Book Five

Six Hours Away - Book Six

The Lighthouse Point Series:

Wish Upon a Shell - Book One

Wedding on the Beach - Book Two

Love at the Lighthouse - Book Three

Cottage Near the Point - Book Four

Return to the Island - Book Five

Bungalow by the Bay - Book Six

Sometimes not everything is exactly as it seems...

When her aunt is injured, Sara hurries back to Belle Island to help out at Charming Inn. She's sure she can run the inn and work remotely for her job back in Boston. If only she can juggle all of it...

But what are the chances she'd run into Noah McNeil after all these years and what is he doing on her island? He disappeared from her life in Boston without a word over twenty years ago. And now he has a dog? He always swore he didn't have time for pets...

Sara and her two best friends, Robin and Charlotte, struggle to keep Charming Inn running while Sara struggles to ignore Noah completely.

But maybe, just maybe, Noah isn't quite the man she thought he was.

Join these three best friends and the familiar people of Belle Island in this delightful spin-off of the Lighthouse Point series.

This is book one in the Charming Inn series:

One Simple Wish - Book One
Two of a Kind - Book Two
Three Simple Things - Book Three
Four Short Weeks - Book Four
Five Years or So - Book Five

Maybe there's time for one last wish at Lighthouse Point...

Courtney Davis is perfectly content with the new life she's found for herself and her son on Belle Island. They are finally safe from her past.

AJ Hamilton can't shake his past. He finished trying to prove to his family, the media, or anyone else that he's anything more than the black sheep of the wealthy Hamilton family.

When AJ arrives to hide out at the island, the oh-so-responsible Courtney falls for the footloose playboy. And AJ might just have found the one woman he wants to convince he's not really the person everyone believes he is.

But when AJ's choices accidentally put Courtney's son in danger, there's no escaping the past for either AJ or Courtney.

Maybe everyone is right about AJ.

Maybe Courtney will never truly be safe.

Or maybe, just maybe, one last wish at Lighthouse Point will change everything...

Sometimes the universe takes everything away... Sometimes it gives back in unexpected ways.

Tally is perfectly content living her life on Belle Island and running Magic Cafe. She has all she'll ever need or want.

At least all she'll let herself need or want.

Eddie Williams returns to the island, searching for answers, determined to meet the son he never knew he had.

Neither will get what they want, but maybe, just maybe, they'll get more than they planned.