Tag: #smalltownromance

Posted in Cozy Mysteries

The Inn at Holiday Bay: Blizzard in the Bay

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A heartwarming cozy mystery series about losing everything, taking a chance, and starting again.

After suffering a personal tragedy Abby Sullivan buys a huge old seaside mansion she has never even seen, packs up her life in San Francisco, and moves to Holiday Bay Maine, where she is adopted, quite against her will, by a huge Maine Coon Cat named Rufus, a drifter with her own tragic past named Georgia, and a giant dog with an inferiority complex named Ramos. What Abby thought she needed was alone time to heal. What she ended up with was, an inn she never knew she wanted, a cat she couldn’t seem to convince to leave, and a new family she’d never be able to live without.

In book 8 in the series, Abby’s agent asks for help when the house she was going to rent to host a writers retreat becomes unavailable. After a bit of discussion, Abby agrees to have the retreat at the inn. The seven writers who will be staying at the inn for the week long event are new to publishing and Kate hopes the mentor she has hired to run things will be able to provide the valuable tips these new authors need. Of course what she doesn’t know is that Abby has a past with this particular mentor, and when all is said and done, fireworks of one sort or another are likely.

Meanwhile, Georgia has started taping her new cooking show, Abby is worried about the approaching blizzard, and Colt has a murder to solve, after six men get together for a friendly poker game but only five of the six men make it to the end of the night alive.

Posted in #BookTours

Weres and Witchery

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Magic happens and sparks fly when a sassy witch with curves for days crosses paths with an irresistible alpha shifter.


Weres and Witchery

by AK Nevermore

Genre: Spicy Small Town Paranormal Romance



Karma’s a witch.

When witch Jena Seymore returns home to Havers-by-the-Sea to care for her dying aunt, old town politics and prejudices are rekindled. Between the local Westside Pack’s vendetta against her family and the coven pressuring Jena to become guardian of the magical node outside of town, she has enough problems without adding Chase Montgomery to the mix. Especially after he broke her heart by starting the devastating rumor that sent Jena running from town in the first place.

But Chase has plenty of problems of his own, and how to make amends with Jena and win her heart is at the top of the list. Unbeknownst to his pack, Jena is his fated mate, and after her leaving town the first time almost killed him, he’s not letting her get away again—no matter what the backlash might be.

And meanwhile, the node is turning wild, jeopardizing Havers-by-the Sea’s existence as tensions threaten to tear it apart from within. Deep-seated small town secrets could hold the key to its future—but only if they’re discovered before Samhain, when the blue moon rises.

Magic happens and sparks fly when a sassy witch with curves for days crosses paths with an irresistible alpha shifter. WERES AND WITCHERY, a standalone spicy small town romance by AK Nevermore.

  

What readers are saying:

“I loved this story! It has everything I like in a good book, angst, anger, laughter, tears, fun, heat, love, loyal best friend, quirky side characters and an HEA. It doesn’t get any better than that. The storyline is solid, engaging, the world building is multi-dimensional and once you start you won’t want to put it down.” – @sunshinewhispers

 

“Wow, what a cracking book this is. Twists, turns and lots of magic so what’s not to like. I couldn’t put it down till I’d finished it, I was completely engrossed. I loved it.” – @sbanacek

 

“I started reading this book at 9pm and read straight through to 4am. … FOUR. A. M. Crazy, right?! Let me tell you, this book had me hooked from the start with its humor, drama, character chemistry, character personalities, drama, romance, banter, action, and spice. ‘Weres and Witchery’ is among one of the best escapes I’ve had in a while.” – @Morally_Gray_Nola

  

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AK Nevermore enjoys operating heavy machinery, freebases coffee, and gives up sarcasm for Lent every year. A Jane-of-all-trades, she’s a certified chef, restores antiques, and dabbles in beekeeping when she’s not reading voraciously or running down the dream in her beat-up camo Chucks.

Unable to ignore the voices in her head, and unwilling to become medicated, she writes Science Fiction and Fantasy full time.

She pays the bills editing, wielding a wicked hot pink pen and writing a column on SFF. She also belongs to the Authors Guild, is a chapter treasurer for the RWA, teaches creative writing, and on the rare occasion, sleeps.

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!


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Posted in Cozy Mysteries

The Inn at Holiday Bay: Note in the Nutcracker

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

A heartwarming cozy mystery series about starting over, finding family, and embracing the magic of the holidays.

After a personal tragedy, Abby Sullivan leaves San Francisco behind and buys a sprawling seaside mansion in Holiday Bay, Maine—a place she’s never even seen. What she thought she needed was solitude to heal. What she found instead was an inn she never knew she wanted, a Maine Coon cat named Rufus who refuses to leave her side, a gentle giant of a dog with an inferiority complex, and a drifter named Georgia, whose own tragic past soon intertwines with hers.

In Book 7 of the series, new guests arrive at the inn, each with their own story to tell. Among them, Mylie discovers a long-forgotten letter to Santa tucked inside a life-sized nutcracker. The child’s Christmas wish isn’t for toys or games—it’s for time with her parents and simple holiday experiences like building a snowman or taking a sleigh ride. Determined to fulfill the list while waiting for her own Mr. Right, Mylie sets out to create holiday magic for someone else.

Meanwhile, Abby becomes intrigued by the mystery of the letter—who wrote it, and why has it been hidden all these years? Her search pulls her into an unsolved mystery that she is determined to solve before Christmas arrives. And as Georgia experiments in the kitchen, hunting for the perfect cookie to enter in a local contest, the inn is alive with warmth, laughter, and a little holiday magic.

The Inn at Holiday Bay Innis a story of healing, friendship, love, and the unexpected joys that come when we open our hearts to new beginnings.

Posted in #BookTours

Thanksgiving Overruled

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree


Cozy up this season with the newest Pinegrove FD Romance book!


Thanksgiving Overruled

A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 3

by Libby Kay

Genre: Contemporary Small-Town Firefighter Sapphic Romance



Everyone wants to hear those three little words during the holidays…

Where’s the casserole?!

Winnie Kerr wants to utter another three-word phrase to her girlfriend, but Thanksgiving has other plans. After spending far too much time on work, this legal eagle decides an impromptu road trip to visit her sister is the perfect time to tell her girlfriend she loves her. What could go wrong during a few days away from work, right?

Mari Balogh has a problem, she’s madly in love with her girlfriend and cannot get those three little words off her tongue. After being burned before from her unsupportive family and a string of bad breakups, this paralegal is guarded. She happily agrees on a road trip to Pinegrove, eager for the space to profess her affections. How hard can it be, right?

From a little trespassing and a kitchen nightmare to a surly cat and a series of misunderstandings, the road to I love you is rife with hiccups. Can these two find their way to happily ever after? Or will their relationship go up in a puff of sweet potato casserole scented smoke?

But Pinegrove has proven that love is never overruled!

Return to small-town Pinegrove, Georgia, the romantic setting of Libby Kay’s endearing novels, When Sparks Fly and Old Flames, as well as the 2026 novel about another of the hunky firemen in town. Don’t miss any of the action or romance!

 

**NEW RELEASE!**

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**Don’t miss the other books in the series!**

 

When Sparks Fly

A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 1

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Old Flames

A Pinegrove FD Novel Book 2

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Libby Kay lives in the city in the heart of the Midwest with her husband. When she’s not writing, Libby loves reading romance novels of any kind. Stories of people falling in love nourish her soul. Contemporary or Regency, sweet or hot, as long as there is a happily ever after—she’s in love!

When not surrounded by books, Libby can be found baking in her kitchen, binging true crime shows, or on the road with her husband, traveling as far as their bank account will allow.

Libby cohosts the Romance Roundup podcast with Liz Donatelli where they recommend romance books and interview authors, influencers, and publishers. Check it out for your weekly dose of romance!

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!


Enter the Thanksgiving Overruled Giveaway


Posted in #BookTours

The Morning Glory Christmas Series

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Three cowboys.

Three Christmases.

One small town where love always finds a home.


The Cowboy’s Christmas Blessing

Morning Glory Christmas Book 1

by Shirleen Davies

Genre: Sweet Contemporary Small-Town Western Romance



🎄A heartfelt cowboy Christmas romance about second chances, small-town healing, and the power of love.🎄

 

He left her behind once. This Christmas, will love bring him home for good?

 

After six long years, two military deployments, and a grueling recovery from an IED blast, Zachary Caldwell is finally home in Morning Glory, Wyoming, and the Flying D Ranch. He never thought he’d see the snow-covered streets of his hometown again… or the woman whose heart he broke with nothing more than a phone call.

 

Julia Grant has spent years rebuilding her life. She finds comfort in her job as a nurse at Mercy Clinic, the cozy routines of the Morning Glory Inn, and the stability of her small town. But when Zach walks through her door just weeks before Christmas, old memories and deeper feelings come rushing back.

 

She once dreamed of a future with him. Marriage. Family. A love that stays.

But dreams don’t always survive war, distance, and silence.

 

As Zach confronts the truth about his past, including the reason his parents abandoned him, Julia must decide if she’s willing to risk her heart a second time. Can she believe in him again when he’s still learning how to believe in himself?

 

Set against a backdrop of twinkling lights, blizzards, and heartwarming holiday traditions, The Cowboy’s Christmas Blessing is a clean, wholesome contemporary western romance about healing, forgiveness, and finding your way back to the one who never left your heart.

 

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The Cowboy’s Christmas Gift

Morning Glory Christmas Book 2


🎄A heartfelt later in life cowboy Christmas romance about second chances, small-town healing, and the power of love.🎄

Clean and wholesome contemporary western romance.

The Snowstorm Was Just the Beginning

Victoria Palmer hadn’t expected to spend Christmas in a town so small it barely made her GPS. But after a painful divorce and the betrayal of a husband now living with someone half her age, her twin sons insisted she escape the glitz of Beverly Hills for the snowy calm of Morning Glory, Wyoming. One snowstorm, two missed turns, and a very arrogant cowboy later, Victoria settles herself at the Morning Glory Inn—cold, flustered, and anything but merry.

Gabe Dupree never expected a spoiled city woman to march into his family’s inn, insult his hospitality, and throw his quiet December into disarray. A widower devoted to his daughter and his ranch, Gabe made peace with solitude years ago. But Victoria’s arrival brings disruption—and a spark he never thought he’d feel again.

As snow blankets the Wyoming landscape and the town gears up for its Christmas festivities, Victoria and Gabe are forced into each other’s paths more often than either prefers. Between tense encounters and accidental heart-to-hearts, they begin to uncover the hurt and longing hidden beneath their defenses.

Sometimes love doesn’t come wrapped in ribbons. Sometimes, it rides in on a snowstorm.

Neither are in Morning Glory looking for love, but sometimes the best gifts come when you least expect them—wrapped not in ribbons, but in second chances.

The Cowboy’s Christmas Gift is Book 2 in the Morning Glory Christmas series—a sweet, later in life, contemporary western romance full of holiday charm, second chances, and heartfelt family moments. Perfect for readers who love small-town Christmas romance, slow-burn love stories, and strong, swoon-worthy cowboys. Guaranteed HEA.

 

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The Cowboy’s Christmas Surprise

Morning Glory Christmas Book 3



Clean and wholesome contemporary western romance.

🎄A heartfelt cowboy Christmas romance about small-town healing and the power of love.🎄

Snowstorms, Secrets… and an Unexpected Family Christmas

Ethan Webster thought he had everything figured out—thriving career in Denver, a sleek loft, and weekends on the ski slopes. But one phone call from Italy changes everything. His sister and brother-in-law are gone, and their three young children need him now more than ever. Leaving the city behind, Ethan returns to Morning Glory, Wyoming—a snowy, small-town haven tucked into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

Back in the hometown he never thought he’d live in again, Ethan leans on the one person he’s always trusted. Makayla Dupree. A dedicated veterinarian and lifelong friend, Makayla once taught him to ride horses and stood up for him when no one else would. This Christmas, she’s standing by him once again… this time to support him through his grief.

As the town sparkles with Christmas lights and the scent of pine fills the air, Ethan finds comfort in Makayla’s quiet strength, and sees her in a way he never did before. Their bond has always been strong, but grief, responsibility, and the magic of the season spark something deeper. Something that looks a lot like love.

But navigating newfound feelings and unexpected responsibilities isn’t easy. With the children still mourning, and Ethan unsure about his future, will the season of miracles bring them together—or pull them apart?

The Cowboy’s Christmas Surprise is a clean and wholesome Christmas romance filled with heartfelt family moments, small-town charm, slow-burning love, and the promise of a surprise love. Perfect for fans of cowboy heroes, emotional reunions, and uplifting holiday reads. It is book three in the Morning Glory Christmas series and features a guaranteed happy ending.

 

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Shirleen Davies believes love stories are best served with a dash of grit, a few stumbles, and a whole lot of heart.

She writes contemporary and historical romance about everyday folks who don’t always get it right the first time, but keep trying anyway. Raised near the sunny coast of Southern California, Shirleen spent her childhood bouncing between the beach and her grandparents’ farm, where she learned that nothing beats the smell of fresh hay or the quiet wisdom of a rocking chair on a porch.

Armed with degrees from San Diego State University and the University of Maryland (plus an unofficial PhD in people-watching and life experience), she crafts emotionally rich stories filled with flawed, stubborn, hopeful characters who discover love where they least expect it.

When she’s not writing about cowboys, deputies, or the women strong enough to tame them, Shirleen enjoys life in a picturesque northern Arizona town with her husband. She’s the proud mom of two grown sons, still believes in happy endings, and is convinced that redemption is just one good story away.

Subscribe to Shirleen’s newsletter here: https://geni.us/signupSDnwslttr

 

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Follow the tour HERE for special content and a $20 giveaway!


Enter The Morning Glory Christmas Series Giveaway