New Releases: October 2018
1 October 2018
OCTOBER PUBLICATIONS
Paula Williams: Brought to Account
Crime/Romance
FA Thorpe (Publishing)
Large print paperback.
1st September 2018
When Lauren Chapman is ‘let go’ from her job at a greengrocer’s her boss encourages her to take a position with a local accountancy firm, Northcott and Company. She does so reluctantly – but when the owner of the company is attacked and left for dead Lauren is the first person to find him. How is her late mother involved in the mystery? And will a budding romance blossom between her and handsome co-worker Conor Maguire – or is he trying to hide his part in the crime. “Crime stories spiked with humour and sprinkled with romance.”
Catherine Curzon and Eleanor Harkstead: The Captain’s Ghostly Gamble
Paranormal romcom short story Prideebook
11th September 2018
When a ghostly dandy and his roguish companion try their hand at matchmaking, things definitely go bump in the night. For centuries, foppish Captain Cornelius Sheridan and brooding John Rookwood have haunted the mansion they duelled and died for. Now, these phantom foes must join forces to save both their home and their feuding descendants.
But when Captain Sheridan sacrifices his afterlife for the sake of true love, will Rookwood risk everything to keep his companion by his side, or is it too late to say “I love you”?
Rhoda Baxter: Belonging
Contemporary romance
Independently published
Ebook.
Buy link: www.books2read.com/u/bzPAZq
17 September
She’s grieving her lost love. He’s searching for his lost niece.
Can attraction overcome family loyalty in this, enemies to lovers romance?
Hiding away in a tiny Yorkshire village, Harriet is grieving for her lost love.
His family won’t talk to her and she can’t move on from his death. All this changes when his daughter, Niamh, turns up on her doorstep, needing a sympathetic ear. Tim thinks Harriet broke up his sister’s marriage all those years ago. His sister’s enemies are his enemies. When his niece runs away to Harriet’s house, he knows he has to get her back before his sister finds out.
But that means talking with Harriet. As they work together to console Niamh and get her home safely, Tim and Harriet become increasingly attracted to each other. But with attraction comes guilt. Can they overcome their respective loyalties and give in to love?
Hazel Robinson: Beaten Heart (book 2 The Forever Love Collection)
Contemporary Romance
Little Bird Publishing House
Ebook
23rd September
People say getting out is the hardest part, but they are wrong, they have no idea.
The hardest part is getting out and staying out, it’s adjusting your life to a whole new way,
it’s healing wounds that they can’t see, it’s learning to be strong. It’s learning to trust again. Scars run deeper than the surface. Mandy was forced to run for her survival. And although leaving her life and hiding out was never going to be easy, she wasn’t ready for the challenges it was going to present. The greatest challenge of them all is the fear of falling in love again, but when her fate entwines with Billy’s, she is forced to face her demons and make a choice that will either destroy or save them both. Another moving and page-turning addition of the Forever Love Series; a collection of novellas with heart, tears and laughter.
Chrissie Bradshaw: The Barn of Buried Dreams
Contemporary
Ebook and paperback
1st October 2018
When will they see daylight? Erin and Heather Douglas are struggling.
Their mother’s death has left a void in their family and everyday life has side-lined their dreams.
Erin has buried herself away in the family home and left her stage career. Heather is juggling babies, work, a rocky marriage and running on wine. Can the sisters help one another to face their sorrow, dust off and revive those dreams and find joy in life?
Sharon Booth: Christmas at the Country Practice
Contemporary Romance
Linford Romance Library
Large Print Paperback
1st October 2018
Christmas has arrived in Bramblewick, and the village is gearing up for the wedding of popular doctor, Connor, and receptionist Anna. When Anna’s bridesmaid, Nell, first sets eyes on the best man, Riley, she’s immediately convinced the new GP is ‘the one’. But Riley, having survived a humiliating broken engagement, is keeping well away from relationships, and from Nell – a decision that could cost her dearly. Can the two of them reach an understanding before their friends’ big day?
Or will it be the most awkward wedding in Bramblewick’s history?
Donna Ashcroft: The Little Christmas Teashop
Romantic comedy
Bookouture
Ebook and POD
2 October
Lily King is stuck in a rut. She’s been dumped by her boyfriend and her dream job is slipping through her fingers. When her best friend needs help organising her Christmas wedding, Lily realises it’s finally her moment to shine. But can she pull off the biggest celebration Castle Cove has ever seen or will something – or someone – make things more complicated than she imagined?
Josh Havellin-Scott has always felt like an outsider, especially next to his perfect older brother, who’s about to get married. Josh finds himself roped into plans for the Big Day, the very last thing he wants to get involved in… When Lily and Josh are thrown together, it’s clear they couldn’t be more different. But with some festive magic, will they manage to work together and save the day? And could they discover a winter romance of their very own along the way?
Kathryn Freeman: A Little Christmas Faith
contemporary romance
ChocLit
paperback
2nd October 2018
Is it time to love Christmas again?
Faith Watkins loves Christmas, which is why she’s thrilled that her new hotel in the Lake District will be open
in time for the festive season. And Faith has gone all out; huge Christmas tree, fairy lights, an entire family of decorative reindeer. Now all she needs are the guests … But what she didn’t bank on was her first paying customer being someone like Adam Hunter. Rugged, powerfully built and with a deep sadness in his eyes, Adam is a man that Faith is immediately drawn to – but unfortunately, he also has an intense hatred of all things Christmassy.
As the countdown to the big day begins, Faith can’t seem to keep away from her mysterious guest, but still finds herself with more questions than answers: just what happened to Adam Hunter? And why does he hate Christmas?
RomanceAria Fiction
2nd October 2018 Life in Little Leyton is never quiet, and when handsome developer Max and his bride-to-be Ellie, receive some sad news, he decides to whisk her away for a romantic break. The time away gives Ellie a new perspective, and she’s eager to get home to get on with planning their wedding. But a devastating incident at The Dog & Duck puts everything in jeopardy. And, at their home Braithwaite Manor, tensions are heightened when Ellie’s future mother-in-law turns up with all her worldly belongings, much to Max’s sister Katy’s despair. With Max preoccupied with problems at work, Ellie’s left literally holding the baby, while dealing with a seemingly endless list of dramas. And as Christmas approaches, Ellie begins to wonder if she’ll ever get her happily ever after…
Amanda James: The Cornish Retribution
Suspense
Bloodhound Books ebook and paperback
3rd October
After a tragic car accident, Samantha is left widowed and bereft. Her husband Adam was everything to her.
But at least the home they shared together in Cornwall provides her with some security. Or does it?
Upon returning from a school reunion in Sheffield, where Sam met her old friend, Penny,
and an old flame from her school days, Dan, she discovers that Adam had invested money unwisely and she is now penniless. When Penny and Dan, who are now married, arrive in Cornwall to visit Sam, Dan comes up with a way in which Sam can keep the house. He suggests she turns it into a writing retreat. And he is willing to invest.
Despite his wife’s reservations, Dan gets his way, but at what price? Why is Dan so keen to help? Has Sam put herself in harm’s way? Some relationships are built to last. Others are deadly.
Roland Moore: Land Girls – The Promise
Historical Saga / Second World War
Harper Impulse
Paperback
4th October 2018
The Land Girls are back in a brand new, standalone story from the creator of the popular, award-winning BBC drama series. Land Girl Iris Dawson seems to have a rosy future. She’s working with her friends at Pasture Farm in the warm, breezy days of summer. She’s learning to read and write in the evenings. She’s interested in hunky Martin Reeves and he seems interested in her. In fact, she seems to be getting her life back on track after the awful events at the hands of a man named Vernon Storey. But Vernon made a threat to come back for her – and Iris is convinced he’ll keep that promise…
Vivien Brown: Five Unforgivable Things
Women’s fiction /domestic drama
Harper Impulse
Paperback
4 October 2018
Almost thirty years ago, Kate’s dream came true.
After years of struggling, she was finally pregnant following pioneering IVF.
But the dream came at a cost. Neither Kate nor her husband Dan could have known the price they would have to pay
to fulfil their cherished wish of having their own family. Now, years later, their daughter Natalie is getting married and is fulfilling her own dream of marrying her childhood sweetheart. Natalie knows she won’t be like most brides as she travels down the aisle in her wheelchair, but it’s the fact her father won’t be there to walk beside her that breaks her heart. Her siblings, Ollie, Beth and Jenny, gather around Natalie, but it isn’t just their father who is missing from their lives… as the secrets that have fractured the family rise to the surface, can they learn to forgive each other before it’s too late?
Jo Thomas: A Winter Beneath the Stars
Romance
Headline
e-Book-paperback to follow
4th October
On a courier trip to Tallfors, deep in Swedish Lapland, everything is going to plan.
Halley has her bag, with two precious wedding rings inside for delivery… until she doesn’t.
The only way to save the wedding is to team up with mysterious reindeer herder Bjorn, the one person who can lead her across the snowy tundra to be reunited with her bag. On a journey of a lifetime beneath the stars, with only the reindeer and a bad-tempered stranger for company beside the fire, Halley realises that she will need to confront her past heartaches in order to let the warmth of love in once more…
Tracy Corbett: Starlight on the Palace Pier
Romantic comedy Avon
E-book/Paperback
4th October 2018
After an injury derails her dream of becoming a professional dancer, Becca Roberts heads home to Brighton in search of a fresh start. And, when a dance teacher position becomes available at The Starlight Playhouse, it seems like her stars are finally aligning. The crumbling old building might need a bit of TLC (and a lick of paint!), but Becca is more than up to the challenge. That is until her first love, and first heartbreak, waltzes into The Starlight Playhouse. With Tom around, Becca realises that life by the sea might not be as simple as she thought…
Margaret Mounsdon: Castle of Flowers
Mystery Romance
People’s Friend
Pocket Novel
04 October 2018
Evie Quinta knew her father had a history with the powerful Vicente family but the details were cloaked in mystery.
When the opportunity to catalogue Astra Dempsey’s 60’s fashion collection landed in her lap Evie didn’t hesitate to take up the offer.
Astra had been married to Mauricio Vicente. Hoping to find out exactly what had happened to her father Evie flew to Portugal but it didn’t take her long to realise that she had stumbled on a more powerful secret, one Felipe Pereira, Astra’s grandson seemed determined to protect at all costs.
Kitty Wilson: The Cornish Village School – Second Chances.
Romcom Canelo Escape 4 October 2018 Ex-ballerina and single mum Sylvie is in trouble. Juggling her ballet classes in the nearest town,
preparing shy Sam for his first day at Penmenna Village school, and trying to finally move out from the farm
she shares with her cantankerous Uncle Tom means life is anything but easy. Television Journalist Alex is facing challenges of his own. Seeking a calmer environment for his newly adopted daughter, Ellie, he’s swapped reporting in war zones for the school PTA in quiet Penmenna, where his best friend Chase has persuaded him to start laying some roots. Fireworks ignite when Sylvie and Alex meet but as Ellie and Sam become instant best friends, will they be able to keep things strictly platonic for the sake of the children? The second book in the feel-good and rib-tickling Cornish Village School series. Perfect for fans of Tilly Tennant, Holly Martin and Cathy Bramley.
Susan Roebuck: Joseph Barnaby 
Women’s fiction, romance/suspense
Crooked Cat Books
e-book, Paperback
5th October 2018 By standing up for his principles, horse farrier Joseph Barnaby lost everything.
Now, when a personal vendetta goes too deep to fight, he escapes to the Portuguese island of Madeira,
where he finds work on a small farm only accessible by boat. Not everyone is prepared to give up on life’s misfortunes. The local fishing village has its own surprises and the inhabitants of Quinta da Esperança have more grit in them than the pebbled beach that borders the property.
Callie Langridge: Keep You By My Side
Modern history/ romance
Bombshell Books (an imprint of Bloodhound Books)
8 October 2018
Are family secrets the ties that bind or the lies that divide?
The secrets of one family live in the walls of a cottage perched high on a Dorset cliff. But secrets can only be kept for so long. Follow three generations of a family from war-torn London, to the permissive 60s and liberated 80s. Gertie, Rose and Abi live through joy, tragedy and heartache as they navigate complicated mother-daughter relationships and learn the importance of friends and finding love. When circumstances force them under the same roof, secrets begin to unravel and promises made in love threaten to tear them apart.
How far would you go to protect the people you love?
Georgina Troy: The Boardwalk by the Sea (Autumn Antics Book 2)
Contemporary Romance Series
Green Shutter Books
paperback
8 October 2018
Pull on your beanie, the fireworks are about to begin…
Being a part-time hand model can be tricky, especially when you have to deal with prima donnas like Megan Knight, a reality star whose meteoric rise has surprised everyone. Bella is happiest running her tiny antique business from the front room of her cottage on the boardwalk. To ensure she has enough income coming in, she also rents out two of her bedrooms and is hiding a secret crush on one of her lodgers. His name is Jack Collins and he also happens to be her best friend Sacha’s brother. If life wasn’t complicated enough, her world-travelling mother appears on her doorstep on the same evening that Jack’s ex-fiancée arrives on the boardwalk determined to win him back. Bella has a lot of thinking to do and soon discovers that not all gems sparkle.
Carrie Elks: By Virtue Fall
Contemporary Romance
Piatkus (Little Brown)
Ebook & Paperback
11th October 2018
Love blooms when you least expect it . . .
Juliet Shakespeare is done with love. With a growing floristry business and an adorable daughter to raise,
life after separating from her husband is complicated enough – the last thing she needs is a man.
But when a handsome single father, Ryan Sutherland, arrives in town, everything changes.
As much as she tries to distract herself, Juliet can’t help but be drawn to the easy-going Romeo next door and the way he makes her feel. Photographer Ryan is only back in his hometown for a few months so there’s no point falling for someone he’ll just have to say goodbye to. But he didn’t account for Juliet – the intriguing and beautiful, red-haired woman next door. And in her, he might just have found everything he ever wanted . . .
Jean Fullerton: A Ration Book Christmas
Saga
Atlantic
11th October.
Ration Book Christmas-Love is never in short supply. With Christmas 1940 approaching, the Brogan family of London’s East End are braving the horrors of the Blitz. With the men away fighting for King and Country and the ever-present dangers of the German Luftwaffe’s nightly reign of death and destruction, the family must do all they can to keep a stiff upper lip. For Jo, the youngest of the Brogan sisters, the perils of war also offer a new-found freedom. Jo falls in love with Tommy, a man known for his dangerous reputation as much as his charm. But as the falling bombs devastate their neighbourhood and rationing begins to bite, will the Brogans manage to pull together a traditional family Christmas? And will Jo find the love and security she seeks in a time of such grave peril?
Deborah Carr: The Poppy Field
Historical Romance
HarperImpulse
e-book
12th October 2018
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War. Young nurse, Gemma, is struggling with the traumas she has witnessed through her job in the NHS. Needing to escape from it all, Gemma agrees to help renovate a rundown farmhouse in Doullens, France, a town near the Somme. There, in a boarded-up cupboard, wrapped in old newspapers, is a tin that reveals the secret letters and heartache of Alice Le Breton, a young volunteer nurse who worked in a casualty clearing station near the front line. Set in the present day and during the horrifying years of the war, both women discover deep down the strength and courage to carry on in even the most difficult of times. Through Alice’s words and her unfailing love for her sweetheart at the front, Gemma learns to truly live again.
Zara Thorne: A Welcome at Cloud Cottage (Charnley Acre Book 3)
Women’s fiction
Independent, through Fabrian Books
e-book
mid-October
Twelve-year-old Ramona Donnelly finds herself home alone when Tilly, her beloved grandmother, collapses in the village shop and is rushed to hospital. As Tilly’s condition worsens, vascular dementia sets in and wipes Ramona completely from her memory. Fearing she’ll be taken away by ‘the social people’, Ramona soldiers on alone while pretending to the outside world that everything’s fine. When Ramona crosses paths with forty-something Emily, she sees in her a trustworthy adult who could be the anchor she needs. The two become friends, and Emily welcomes Ramona to her home, Cloud Cottage, whilst believing in the family Ramona has invented for herself. When the truth emerges, Emily takes on a greater role in Ramona’s life. But Emily has her own problems: her relationship with her boyfriend, Ethan, is faltering and she faces a difficult decision. This is a story about love, bravery and the healing power of friendship.
Fenella J Miller: The Spitfire Girl
Romance
Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus
eBook, POD
16th October 2018
It’s 1939 and the threat of war hangs over the country…
Flying instructor Ellie Simpson has grown up a tomboy. She’s never had an interest in the latest fashions or finding a husband, her only passion is flying her beloved Tiger Moth. But when war is declared, she is no longer be able to do what she loves most – fly. When Ellie is offered the opportunity to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, she jumps at the chance to help keep the brave boys in the RAF safe. But when tragedy strikes close to home, Ellie realises that this war could tear both the country she loves – and her heart – apart…
Kate Ryder: Cottage on a Cornish Cliff
Contemporary Romance/Women’s Fiction
Aria Fiction
Ebook and paperback
16th October 2018
Returning to the heart of her beloved Cornwall, Kate Ryder weaves another deliciously irresistible tale of desire,
jealousy and the search for understanding, set against the stunning backdrop of the glorious Lizard Peninsula.
Globally renowned actor Oliver Foxley has made the most difficult decision of all and set the love of his life free,
in order to try and bring his family back together. But there’s a magnetic pull back to both Cara and Cornwall that Oliver can neither deny nor resist… Heartbroken for a second time in her short life, single mother Cara knows she has no choice but to pick up the pieces yet again and carry on. Perhaps a complete change of scenery would help her, and her young family? Yet her mind, spirit and heart yearn for the windswept shores of her Cornish Cove… Cara and Oliver face the agonising choice between following expectations or following their hearts. How will their story end…? (sequel to Summer in a Cornish Cove)
Kathryn Freeman: A Little Christmas Charm
contemporary romance
ChocLit
e-book
16th October 2018
Would you swap sea and sunshine for tinsel and turkey?
Gabby Sanderson is used to being let down – even at Christmas.
Which is why she’s happy to skip the festive season completely in favour of a plane ticket and sunnier climes.
But this Christmas could be different because this time she might not be spending it alone. Can Owen Cooper charm Gabby into loving Christmas in the same way he’s charmed his way into her life, or is he just another person who’ll end up disappointing her?
Pernille Hughes: Sweatpants At Tiffanie’s
Romantic Comedy
HarperImpulse
Paperback
18th October
True Love Packs a Punch…
Tiffanie Trent is not having a great week. Gavin, her boyfriend, has dumped her unceremoniously on their tenth anniversary, leaving her heartbroken and homeless. Frank Black, the owner of Blackie’s boxing gym and where Tiff has been book-keeper for the last decade, has dropped dead. He’s not having a great week either. And if that wasn’t enough, Mike ‘The Assassin’ Fellner, boxer of international fame and Tiff’s first love, is back in town and more gorgeous than ever. Tiff can’t seem to go anywhere without bumping into his biceps. When she discovers Blackie has left her the gym, Tiff, with her saggy trackies and supermarket trainers, is certain she’ll fail. Can Tiff step up and roll with the punches, or will she be down and out at the first round?
Margaret Kaine: The Black Silk Purse 
Romantic Historical Allison & Busby
Paperback 18 October Sent to the workhouse as a child, all Ella Hathaway can remember is a voice whispering,
`Dearie, promise you will never forget what you saw. Your Ma was killed deliberate . . . and someone oughter pay for it.’ When young, wealthy spinster Letitia Fairchild witnesses Ella being ill-treated, she takes her in as a scullery maid. But as Ella grows up, she is determined to find the truth about her mother’s tragic death and appeals to Letitia for help, revealing to her the contents of her only personal possession, a black silk purse.
Intrigued, Letitia agrees to begin a quest to solve the mystery of Ella’s past. But neither could have imagined the astonishing and dramatic consequences. From the miseries of life in a London workhouse, to the splendour of a beautiful mansion, will Ella find the love and security she longs for?
Lynne Francis: Sarah’s Story
Historical Fiction
Avon Books UK
ebook (out now) and paperback
18th October
Sarah is lonely. Living in a small Yorkshire village with just her indomitable grandmother for company she longs to be reunited with her mother and sisters in Manchester. When she meets the mysterious Joe Bancroft, she feels her luck might be changing. And, before long, Sarah is married with a baby on the way. But Sarah’s hopes for a family home are dashed by Joe’s work, which takes him away from her for months at a time. And when tragedy strikes, Sarah is left more alone than ever. When all hope seems lost, can Sarah take charge and save her family? The prequel to Alice and Ella’s stories in the Mill Valley Girls series.
Paula Williams, Murder Served Cold
Crime/Romance
Crooked Cat Books
ebook, paperback.
19th October 2018
After her boyfriend runs out on her with the contents of her bank account, Kat Latcham has no choice
but to return to the tiny Somerset village of Much Winchmoor, where she grew up.
A place, she reckons, that’s not so much sleepy as comatose and she longs for something exciting to happen
to lessen the boredom of having to return to live with her parents. But when she and her childhood friend, Will Manning discover a body and Will’s father John is arrested for the murder, Kat suddenly realises she should have heeded the saying” Be careful what you wish for” as she sets out to prove John’s innocence. But before she can do so, there is a second murder and Kat finds herself in danger of becoming victim number three. The first in the Much Winchmoor Mysteries series, this cosy crime is spiked with humour and sprinkled with romance.
Zara Stoneley: No One Cancels Christmas
romcom
ebook and paperback
Harper Collins, HarperImpulse
19th October 2018
A holiday she’ll remember forever…
From the bestselling author of The Wedding Date.
It’s the most magical time of the year, and for travel agent Sarah it’s also the busiest!But this year one man threatens to ruin Christmas for Sarah’s customers – Mr Grinch, Will Armstrong. The Shooting Star Mountain resort is a magical place, and Sarah has fond memories of Christmas here as a little girl – visits to Father Christmas, husky rides in the snow and hot chocolate by a roaring fire. But the resorts new owner, Will refuses to play snowball or to deck the halls with anything remotely resembling tinsel! With customers complaining their Christmas is ruined, Sarah decides it’s up to her to convince Scroogey Will just how magical Christmas can be… But getting Will into the Christmas spirit is hopeless – he is Bah Humbug personified! As Sarah gets to know him better, she realises that underneath all the gloom is a man struggling with a pain of his own. With the big day approaching, Sarah realises that the magic and sparkle can wait. This year, she’s going to spend Christmas day with someone special, her very own Mr Scrooge…
Georgia Hill: The Little Book Cafe – Amy’s Story
rom-com/contemporary romance
Harper Impulse
e-pub
19th October 2018
It’s Hallowe’en at the Little Book Café and Amy wants to celebrate her first successful season by throwing an enormous party – but she’s not sure she can pull it off. Heartbroken Amy was jilted at the altar. A hopeless romantic, she lacks confidence and her size doesn’t help. Katrina, her interfering mother, just makes things worse. With the help of book club friends Emma, Millie and Tash, and the sexy but mysterious writer Patrick Carroll, Amy gradually gains the confidence she so desperately needs. But will she ever stand up to her mum, lose the three stone she’s targeted and admit to the crush she has on Patrick? Just as she’s getting her life back together, ex-fiancé Lee rocks up. He wants her back. October’s choice for Book Club is A Christmas Carol. Amy just needs to heed the lessons of the Ghost of Christmas Past!
Alison Morton: ROMA NOVA EXTRA – A Collection of Short Stories
Historical
Pulcheria Press (Independent Imprint)
19 October 2018
Suppose Roma Nova, the last remnant of the old Roman Empire, had struggled through to the 21st century –
a tough little country with tough, resourceful people?
Apulius, a young tribune sent to a backwater in 370 AD for having the wrong religion, encounters the fiery Julia.
What does his lonely descendant, Silvia, labouring in the 1980s to rebuild her country,
make of the Italian architect supervising the reconstruction? Can imperial councillor Galla stop the Norman invasion of England in 1066? And will her 21st-century Praetorian descendant floundering in love find her way to her own happy ending? Readers of INCEPTIO, PERFIDITAS, SUCCESSIO, AURELIA, INSURRECTIO, RETALIO and CARINA will be familiar with many of the characters in these short stories. But if you are new to Roma Nova, enjoy these eight ‘behind the scenes’ short stories and perhaps feel curious about exploring the longer novels…
Francine Beaton, Making the Right Call (Book 1 in the Kick-Off Trilogy)
Contemporary sports romance
Electronic and print (on demand)
20 October 2018
Book link: https://www.books2read.com/u/brG7RY
One chance. One choice. It’s his call.
As the billionaire owner and CEO of the Wild Dogs, a young and successful rugby club in world rugby,
Nicholas Carter had managed to keep his business life and his private life separate. That was until Emma Cole.
Why did it not work with his new accountant? The woman was clearly not his type, and she was off-limits.
Unfortunately, Emma had the uncanny ability to make Nicholas lose control. Geeks shouldn’t look like Nicholas Carter and neither should they kiss as he did. Emma got the shock of her life when she met Nicholas for the first time. No, make that the second time for Nicholas was the hot, sexy—and very sweaty man with the green eyes who had kissed her senseless on the stairs—and he is her new boss. Even a self-confessed geek and a self-confessed nerd couldn’t deny the attraction between them. Giving in to the undeniable chemistry could have repercussions—especially for Emma. During a business trip to Cape Town, they finally gave in to their mutual attraction, embarking on a secret affair that would change their lives forever. Life happens and the reality started to creep into their relationship, forcing Nicholas to make decisions to protect his business. He couldn’t blame the fallout resulting from his decision on anyone else. Nicholas knew—it was his call.
Fionnuala Kearney: The Book of Love
Women’s Fiction
HarperCollins
Trade Paperback (Ireland only) and general E-book release (UK paperback to follow Feb ’19)
25th October 2018
One love. Two people. Twenty Years.
From the moment they met, Erin and Dom loved each other too much, too quickly. Everyone said it wouldn’t last. But they knew differently. A wedding present, a notebook, brings them together through the good times and the bad.
On the blank pages of their love story, they write down everything they can’t always say – the secrets, the heartbreak, the highs and lows. It’s where they see the best and worst of each other. Falling in love is easy but staying in love is where the story begins… This is the Book of Love
Emma Davies, Christmas at the Little Cottage On The Hill
contemporary fiction
Bookouture
26th October
One twinkling winter’s night, Ruby wakes her sleeping children and escapes for a new life in the countryside.
It’s a choice that will change her life beyond all recognition… Arriving at the cosy little rental cottage as the first snow begins to fall, Ruby doesn’t regret leaving her bully of a husband for a moment, but she does feel guilty about uprooting her kids so close to Christmas. She can only wish that one day soon her son Jem will forgive her. It’s not long before the family are settled in and drinking hot chocolate by the fire, the flames kept roaring by a neighbouring woodsman called Angus. As big as a tree, but as gentle as a dormouse, all Ruby’s instincts tell her to be wary of letting this gorgeous stranger get too close. Is that the first tingle of festive magic Ruby can feel? Or might it even be hope? As Christmas day approaches and a blizzard sparks a power cut across the entire village,
Ruby must force herself to believe in Christmas miracles again. Was she right to put her trust in Angus? With only flickering candles to guide her through the darkness, will she ever find her way back to the light?
Lynn Forth: Love Lies and Café au Lait
Romantic Comedy
Crooked Cat
October 26th 2018
When Annie Roberts has the chance to escape rainy Accrington for the glamour of sunny Nice,
it seems like a dream come true, even if it does involve dog-sitting a pampered pooch for the winter.
But, once in France, despite trying to adopt a classy persona, Annie attracts the attention of all the wrong people:
from Jacques, an attractive waiter, to Reen, a perma-tanned expat from the Costa del Sol.
And just who is the charming Monsieur Xavier who is so keen to befriend her? Dare she enlist his help to solve the mystery left behind by her France-obsessed mother? Can Annie find her way through all the lies, intrigue and deception or is she just too nice for Nice?
Sharon Booth: A Merry Bramblewick Christmas
Contemporary Romance
Fabrian Books
E-book
29th October 2018
Switch on those Christmas tree lights and settle down with a hot chocolate. It’s time for another festive trip to beautiful Bramblewick. Christmas is approaching once again, but the residents of the little village on the North York Moors are almost too busy to notice. Receptionist Anna is on maternity leave, awaiting the arrival of her baby, while husband Connor and colleague Riley are busy interviewing candidates for the post of third GP at Bramblewick Surgery. Izzy, meanwhile, is recovering from a broken relationship by focusing her attention on the primary school Christmas play. But even with the help of fellow teacher, Ash Uttridge, she’s beginning to wonder if she’s taken on more than she can cope with. The weather’s not the only thing getting chilly, either. Having confided in Anna the real reason for her break-up with her ex-boyfriend, Izzy is hurt when her best friend seems suddenly cold towards her. Has she made a mistake trusting Anna, after all? As Christmas draws nearer and the snow begins to fall, Izzy and Ash develop a warm and growing attraction. But Ash has real concerns about their relationship and, with Anna judging her so harshly, dare Izzy really tell Ash the truth about herself and risk everything they have built so far?
Kate Johnson: Little Haunting by the Sea
Contemporary/Paranormal
Independent
Ebook and paperback
31 Oct
Everyone has that one friend who interferes in their love life.
Jen’s just happens to be a dead Victorian child. And that’s only the start of the secrets she’s keeping.
Quinn doesn’t believe in ghosts, but there’s more than one way to be haunted by the dead. When his twin died, Quinn lost a piece of himself—literally. They both came to Wirpness-on-Sea to escape, but the past has a nasty habit of chasing them. Quinn just wants the truth about why his brother died. Jen will do anything to hide it. In the small seaside town of Wirpness, the spirits are stirring…
Sophie Weston: Vertical Sex
romantic comedy
Sophie Weston Independent
October 31st 2018
Problem-solving Gabby Franklin can (just) deal with a manor house past its sell-by date, a failing village and too many ancestors. But she’s out of her depth with TV’s second sexiest boffin, especially when he’s hell-bent on making her admit she’s wrong. Tango anyone?
New Releases are brought to you each month by Sheila Riley.
Please send new releases to me care of releases@romanticnovelistsassociation.org on or before the 27th of each month for inclusion in the following month’s blog.
Sheila writes gritty, heartwarming family sagas set in the Mersey docklands. Previously her number one, bestselling novels were written under a pseudonym. However, she is now writing under her own name.
A member of the RNA since 2004, Sheila is also a member of the Society of Authors.
Happy reading!
