Tag: #Comedy

Posted in Book Tours

Offside and Off-Limits

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Offside and Off-Limits
Kate O’Keeffe
(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 20th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

I survived chronic illness and a cheating ex. Surely I can resist one charming hockey player…right?

Clara
Working as the social media manager for a pro hockey team is all fun and games—until you trip into the arms of their biggest flirt during a livestream. Now the fans are shipping us, my boss is thrilled with the engagement, and I’m stuck dodging feelings for Cade Lennox, aka the certified charmer. The problem? My contract says he’s off-limits. My heart, unfortunately, didn’t get the memo.

Cade
I came to this small town to turn over a new leaf. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. All bets are off the second Clara Johnson literally stumbles into my arms and straight into my heart. She’s focused, loyal, and the most beautiful challenge I’ve ever met. All I have to do is prove I’m worth the risk.

Offside and Off-Limits is part of the Love in Maple Falls sweet hockey romcom multi-author series. It’s a forbidden love story between one flirty hockey player and the team’s social media manager in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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EXCERPT:

Clara falls into Cade’s arms on the ice

“Oh, man, this is awesome!” Joel declares, holding my phone in his hands. “You guys look sick! Even you, Clara.”

I let out a surprised laugh at Joel’s comment when Asher calls, “And now turn!” and as I do my legs fly from underneath me, and my breath wooshes out as I scrunch my eyes shut, bracing for the impact of cold, hard ice against my poor, under-protected butt.

But the ice-cold contact fails to happen, and when my eyes spring open I see Cade, his eyes wide with alarm as large, strong arms pull me against his firm body.

He grins down at me as my heart beats out of my chest.

I tell myself it’s because I almost fell, but being in Cade’s arms feels…well, it feels pretty dang amazing.

Not that I’m going to tell him that.

“Thanks,” I mumble, the heat rising in my cheeks as I gaze up at him, at total odds with the cold of the arena.

“My pleasure,” he replies, and the way he says those two words sends a flash of something hot through me that I’ve got to work hard at resisting.

But resist it I must, no matter how good this feels.

I haven’t been held by a man since Dwayne left me for my friend. And that was years ago.

I heave out a breath as I drag my gaze from his. I need to remember that this guy is a total player, and I don’t mean just on the ice. He probably catches falling women in his big, strong arms every day of the week—and I bet most of them don’t even bother to resist the heat this feeling elicits.

But I’m not one of those women, and I refuse to act on my physical attraction for this man. There are so many reasons, the non-fraternization clause in my employment contract being right at the top of that list.

Throwing away my new job because I’m attracted to one of the players? Not going to happen.

“You guys, I’m getting so many likes on this!” Joel calls out.

Wait. Likes?

I snap my attention to Joel, who’s still holding up my phone, pointing it straight at Cade and me. “Cade, would you mind putting me down? Like now.”

“I’ll do you one better,” he replies as he glides me smoothly back toward the bench, still holding me close in his arms. Holding me in one arm, he pulls open the door, and returns me to my feet—which I note are now trembling.

Author Bio:

Kate O’Keeffe is a USA Today bestselling author known for her fun, feel-good romantic comedies brimming with humor, heart, and happily ever afters. A native of New Zealand, Kate has crafted numerous popular series, garnering a devoted international readership.

With a flair for witty banter and irresistible heroines navigating the ups and downs of modern dating, Kate’s novels showcase strong friendships, comedic entanglements, and the of course sometimes bumpy but always hopeful road to love.

When she’s not writing, Kate can often be found reading romcoms, binging her favourite shows, or spending time with her friends and family in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram / Bookbub


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Posted in Book Tours

Fake-Off with Fate

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Fake-Off with Fate
Whitney Dineen
(Love in Maple Falls)
Publication date: August 13th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

She’s a closet designer for the rich and famous and he’s a broken-hearted captain of a pro-hockey team. Neither of them is looking for love.

Ashlyn
An unexpected trip home to Maple Falls gets even more surprising when I inadvertently become acting mayor.
Add a huge crisis and a smoking hot hockey player, and I’m in over my head before I know it.

I’m only here for a short time, so I will not fall for Mr. Tall, dark, and adorable. I don’t care how helpful and kind he is. Long-distance never works, so the answer is no.

Jamie
I’m sick of the press hounding me about my last relationship, so when the opportunity arose to captain a new hockey team in smalltown Washington, I jumped at it.

Too bad I didn’t ask more questions before moving here, like, “Are there bears, and will they be living in my backyard?”

Then there’s Ashlyn. The last thing I expected was to meet a funny, sassy, and good-hearted woman like her. I swore off love after my last heartbreak, but my heart is acting like it missed the memo.

There’s no way I’m going to pursue her. Unless of course, fate has intervened, and we were meant to be…

***
Fake-Off with Fate is a slow-burn, friends to love, fake-dating small town hockey romcom in the Love in Maple Falls series. Add a town conflict, missing mayor, and bear infestation and you will be laughing and cheering your way to a happy ending!

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

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EXCERPT:

The mayor is ten minutes late for our dinner meeting. I figure I’ll give him another five and then I’ll go ahead and order my food to go.

I’m about to signal to the waitress when a very pretty woman wearing jeans and an orange sweater approaches my booth. She’s average height but not at all average looking. Her hair is a touch lighter than classic auburn but it’s not what I’d call red. “Hi there,” she says while sitting down across from me. “I’m Ashlyn.”

Well, this is awkward. I wonder if she thinks I’m her blind date or something. “Jamie Hayes,” I say, expecting her to realize her mistake.

“I know. You’re the captain of the Ice Breakers, right?”

“I’m sorry, do I know you?”

“I doubt it, because I don’t know you.” She takes a sip of the water glass the waitress left for the mayor.

“If you don’t know me, then why are you sitting with me?”

The question seems to startle her because she looks up and stares at me like a deer in the headlights of oncoming traffic. “I forgot you didn’t know that I was meeting you instead of my father.”

“You’re Mayor Thompkins’ daughter?” Holy heck, is the mayor trying to set me up with his daughter? I don’t care how pretty she is, that’s not cool.

“My dad got stuck in a meeting and he asked me to come in his place,” she explains.

“So, you’ve been tasked with trying to talk me into co-chairing Maple Fest?” If I had to guess, I’d say this was intentional manipulation on the mayor’s part. Little does he know I have no problem saying no to an attractive woman.

“I couldn’t care less if you co-chaired Maple Fest,” she says. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t do it. My dad is a lunatic about that event.”

Now I’m super confused. “So, you’re here to tell me all about Maple Falls?”

“Nope,” she says, before turning her menu over to look at it.

“Why are you here then?”

Author Bio:

Whitney loves to laugh, play with her kids, bake, and eat french fries — not always in that order.

Whitney is a multi-award-winning author of romcoms, non-fiction humor, and middle reader fiction. Basically, she writes whatever the voices in her head tell her to.

She lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her husband, Jimmy, where they raise children, chickens, and organic vegetables.

Gold Medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2017.

Silver medal winner at the International Readers’ Favorite Awards, 2015, 2016.

Finalist RONE Awards, 2016.

Finalist at the IRFA 2016, 2017.

Finalist at the Book Excellence Awards, 2017

Finalist Top Shelf Indie Book Awards, 2017

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / X / Instagram


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Posted in Book Tours

Mr. Not Your Savior

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Mr. Not Your Savior!
Alina Jacobs
(The Seattle Svenssons, )
Publication date: August 5th 2025
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

When your mean boss asks you if you’re ready to admit defeat—and move out of his car…you wonder where you went wrong in life.
Two weeks ago, I was an optimistic office girl with a Pinterest vision board and a dream.
Now? I’m standing in a billionaire’s penthouse office, trying not to throw a donut at his smug, perfect face.
McCarthy Svensson is my new boss-slash-personal tormentor.
Though he thinks he’s my only protector.

He’s wrong. He’s way worse than the merry-go-round of ex fiancés who may or may not be stalking me, including ex-fiancé number one of three, who fakes his death then pops up out of a casket. Alive.
Yes, I have a messy dating life.
I like to think it makes me unique and quirky!
He doesn’t seem to think so.

When he growls, “I’m not helping you until you admit you need me,” I slam a binder against his chest and smile sweetly.
“Pick your fake girlfriend, buddy. Deadline’s midnight.”
He smirks. “As long as she’s nothing like you.”
Cool.
Now all I have to do is convince this ice-cold bastard that I’m exactly what he needs…

No not like that! I’m trying to save his reputation and my job.
And I’m not saving either if I keep letting him finger me in the back seat of his limo…gulp.

Stalkers, hot but toxic bosses, a granny with a flamethrower… This full-length, stand-alone, enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy with all of the crazy laughs and of course the perfect happily ever after!

Goodreads / Amazon

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EXCERPT:

I lean over. I might not be pissing on Brock’s grave, but I am going to spit on him. Symbolically, mostly. I don’t want to go to jail for defiling a corpse. Bethany really would fire me then.

But as I lean over, there’s motion.

I’m literally losing it, I think.

His corpse hasn’t just smiled, has it?

“B-B—Brock?” I stammer, then I scream when a cold hand shoots up and grabs my neck.

“Vampire! Help! Zombie!” I slap at him.

Still screaming, I scramble back, tripping over chairs, falling and banging my knees. My dress hem rides up my stress-eating-enhanced thighs as I try to escape that unholy thing in the coffin.

It’s sitting up with cold, lifeless eyes.

“Call the police! Call the army! Help!” I look around wildly for someone with a flamethrower or a gun.

Except… I’m the only one upset. No one is freaked out that Brock has risen from the dead. No one is screaming from fear. Instead, they’re… laughing?

“Oh my god!” Brock is clutching his sides. “Oh my fucking god, your face!”

His friends from the YouTube channel are circling vultures with cameras as everyone howls at me.

“Did you get her falling?” One of the camera men motions to the other.

I grab my skirt. “What the hell? Are you kidding me? This was a prank?”

“I can’t believe you fell for it!” Brock’s laughing hysterically in the casket while I sob on the floor.

My ex leaps out of the coffin and swaggers over to me. “Surprise! I always knew you cared, baby.”

The cameras are in my face as he crouches down in front of me.

“Aww, you’re crying over me. Come here, give me a hug.”

I’m in shock; I don’t know what I’m doing as I let him wrap his arms around me.

My ex leans in to kiss me on the head.

“Hey, man, you’re ruining the shot,” one of the cameramen complains.

“I don’t give a fuck about your fucking bullshit YouTube channel.” A massive arm wraps around my waist, then I’m yanked upright and back.

I cling to McCarthy as he holds me, my legs jelly.

The room is spinning.

I’m going to puke.

I left Brock after he played one too many stupid jokes on me—and now this?

“Why would you do this?” I whimper. “Make me think you’re dead?”

“The content, man.”

“Don’t fucking talk to her.” McCarthy tucks me protectively to his side.

Author Bio:

I write the kind of books I love—romantic comedies featuring snarly guys with hearts of gold, kick-ass heroines, and a swoon-worthy happily ever after! Also wine. And cupcakes.

When I’m not writing I can be found drinking tea, surrounded by my massive to-be-read pile! So many books…

You can connect with me on social media or find information on my books at my website.

Sign up for my newsletter so that you can get information about new releases, giveaways, and more!

Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Bookbub / Instagram / Newsletter


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Posted in Guest Authors

The Best Book I Read This Year: 10 Editors Share

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

It won’t surprise you to learn that BookBub editors are huge readers — many of us read over 100 books this year! From sci-fi and fantasy to nonfiction to gripping dramas, we read it all. Ten of our team share their favorite book of the year — which ones do you plan to pick up?

Bookbub

Posted in My Likes and Dislikes

These Cozy Holiday Rom-Coms Will Warm Your Heart

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

The most wonderful time of year is upon us, and it’s time to get cozy with festive reads! We’ve gathered a collection of must-read 2023 rom-coms for when the holiday spirit strikes. Check out this list of new love stories that are perfect companions for curling up by the fire.

Bookbub