Romance
August 2018
Recent Releases
The First Time at Firelight Falls: A Hellcat Canyon Novel
by Julie Anne Long

What it’s about: In Hellcat Canyon, California, elementary school principal and ex-Navy SEAL Gabe Caldera falls for single-mom Eden Harwood -- but Eden’s got a ten-year-old secret (the identity of her daughter’s father) and the past has just come knocking.

Is it for you? This 4th novel in the Hellcat Canyon series (after Dirty Dancing at Devil’s Leap) is for readers who enjoy fun, realistic, small-town contemporary romances.

You might also like: Susan Mallery’s Fool's Gold series; start with Chasing Perfect. 
The One You Can't Forget
by Roni Loren

Featuring: School-shooting survivor and Austin, Texas, divorce attorney Rebecca Lindt, who is traumatized again when she’s mugged; and Wes Garrett, a former chef -- and the ex-husband of one of Rebecca’s former divorce clients -- who comes to her rescue in more ways than one.

Why you might like it: This bittersweet contemporary romance deals sensitively and realistically with topics like trauma, addiction, and recovery.

Series alert: This is the 2nd in a new series, after The One Who Got Away.
How to Forget a Duke: Misadventures in Matchmaking
by Vivienne Lorret

What it’s about: Matchmaker Jacinda Bourne, part-owner of the Bourne Matrimonial Agency, has one simple rule: never fall in love with a client. But this axiom is put to the test when she develops amnesia after an accident en route to the home of her client, Crispin Montague, fifth Duke of Rydstrom.

Reviewers say: This Regency is bursting with "captivating characters, clever plotting, and copious amounts of sizzling sensuality" (Booklist).
When Katie Met Cassidy
by Camille Perri

What it's about: Corporate attorney Katie Daniels has just been dumped by her art-curator fiancé. But when she meets Cassidy Price, a charismatic lawyer who wears men’s suits, Katie begins to wonder if her newfound friend is everything she’s been looking for.

Is it for you? If you're looking for something new, you'll appreciate this refreshing take on female sexuality and gender identity in the Big Apple.

You might also like: Other recent LGBTQIA contemporary romances to check out are Blend by Georgia Beers and Room Service by Fiona Riley.
Rainy Day Friends
by Jill Shalvis

What it’s about: Newly widowed graphic designer Lanie Jacobs doesn’t think her life can get much worse -- but then she discovers that her deceased husband had several other wives while they were married. In need of healing, Lanie heads to a winery in California, never imagining that she might find real, lasting love there, too.

Why you might like it: Fans of Susan Mallery and Kristan Higgins will enjoy this warm-hearted, emotional contemporary romance. 

Reviewers say: "impossible to put down" (Publishers Weekly).
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
A Winter Wedding: A Love for All Seasons
by Amanda Forester

What it's about: James Lockton, Duke of Marchford, would sooner face an invading army than a gaggle of giggling debutantes. He would happily settle down with sensible young Miss Penelope Rose, but she has other ideas: she helps operate a matchmaking service and finding James a suitable bride would be a boon to business -- if only he'd stop flirting with her!

Series alert: A Winter Wedding is the 3rd Regency installment of the Marriage Mart series, after A Wedding in Springtime and A Midsummer Bride.
When the Marquess Met His Match: An American Heiress in London
by Laura Lee Guhrke

What it’s about: London matchmaker Lady Belinda Featherstone is infuriated when notorious rake Nicholas, the Marquess of Trubridge, asks for her help landing a rich and naive American wife -- so that he can be reunited with his trust fund. She’s determined to foil his plans, not expecting that she might find him a bit too tempting to cast aside. 

Why you might like it: This steamy historical romance is populated with memorable characters.

Reviewers say: "Pure reading bliss" (Booklist).
Christmas at Two Love Lane
by Kieran Kramer

Featuring: Sixth-generation Southern belle Macy Frost, co-owner of the matchmaking agency Two Love Lane in Charleston, South Carolina; and New Yorker Deacon Banks, whom she's promised a soulmate by New Year's Day.

Is it for you? Christmas at Two Love Lane will appeal to readers who like contemporary romances with dry wit, quirky characters, and Southern charm.

You might also like: Last Chance Christmas by Hope Ramsay, another South Carolina-set holiday romance.
'Til Death Do Us Part
by Amanda Quick

What it’s about: In Victorian England, Calista Langley is well into her 20s (diving headlong into spinster territory) and running an "introduction" matchmaking service. But things take an unexpected turn when author Trent Hastings arrives on the scene -- and a stalker begins leaving Calista mysterious memento mori. 

Why you might like it: This romantic suspense story has Gothic flare, moments of humor, complex characters and a clever plot.

You might also like: A Talent for Trickery by Alissa Johnson
Love at First Sight: A Cupid, Texas Novel
by Lori Wilde

What it's about: In Cupid, Texas, bed-and-breakfast owner Natalie McCleary is part of the Cupid Committee, which answers letters to Cupid that are left in a town mailbox. It’s all fun and games -- until Lori has to confront whether love at first sight (in the form of a naked, soaking wet ex-Navy SEAL) is possible.

Read it for:  humor, spice, and an intriguing mystery.

Series alert: Next up in the Cupid, Texas novels is All Out of Love.
Contact your librarian for more great books!
McHenry Public Library
809 Front St.
McHenry, Illinois 60050
815-385-0036

www.mchenrylibrary.org