Love on the Line by Kirsten Fullmer

 

Andrea takes a job building a pipeline through the mountains of West Virginia. 

Cold, mud, family drama, and an all-male crew, are only a few of the problems she encounters.

Love On the Line 1

Women At Work Series Book 1

by Kirsten Fullmer

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Coming of Age, Small Town Romance

Her dad always said A little dirt never hurt anybody. He was wrong.

Andrea’s excitement about her first job engineering a pipeline through the mountains of West Virginia turns to disaster when she faces grueling work, harsh weather, and crushing homesickness. If she can’t pull herself together and keep up, she’ll be sent home.

When she dropped out of grad school to work on the line with Grandpa Buck, her parents were disappointed, widening a bitter family divide. If she goes home now, she’ll miss the opportunity to know Buck and lose his respect as well.

There's one worker, a foreman, who might offer comfort and support, but when Andrea finally trusts him, things get even more complicated.

Fans of In Five Years, Reminders of Him, and Regretting You, are devouring Kirsten Fullmer’s imaginative, gritty, coming-of-age romance.

One-Click Love on the Line to start the uniquely engaging journey today!

 

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 Nick and Rooster’s conversation lagged as they both paused to watch Andy and Buck approach. The afternoon had grown warm, the hottest so far, and the men waved at dust and bugs that crawled and bit, making them miserable.

            Buck stopped and bobbed a nod at the two foremen. “Men.”

            “Sir,” both mumbled in reply.

Buck grunted, then headed on past the men with Andy at his heels. As she hustled pass Rooster, her eyes met his and she couldn’t help but notice the intensity there.

She tripped over a rut and ran several steps ahead to regain her balance. Stopping to readjust the stake bag on her shoulder, she waved away a sweat bee. “Go ahead, Andy, trip and fall at his feet,” she muttered under her breath.

Two steps later she lurched to a halt and dropped the bag to clutch at her underarm where something, more than likely the sweat bee, stung her with a vengeance.

Shouting curses, she danced and twisted in a circle, yanking at her safety vest and shirt and grabbing at her sports bra in an attempt the stop the burning sting. Finally, she ripped one arm out of her shirt and vest. Shoving her fingers up under the tight sweaty bra, she scooped out the bee and jumped back as its body fell to the dirt.

She stomped on the bee and kinked her neck, trying to examine her armpit area, but then she remembered where she was. She froze with one hand still up the side of her bra. Her head came up, only to find every man on the right-of-way, numbering well over thirty, staring at her in amazement.

“Need a hand?” Nick called out with a grin.

“It was a bee—” she started, then with a snort of disgust, she yanked her hand from her bra. Hefting the heavy bag, she realized her shirt and safety vest were still bunched up around one side of her neck, leaving her arm and her stomach half exposed. Three more cuss words escaped as she dropped the bag and fumbled back into her clothing, with all eyes watching her every move.

The sting continued to burn as she grabbed the stake bag and stomped past Buck, with her cheeks red and hot.

“What was that all about?” the old man asked as she passed.

Ignoring him, Andy continued up the right-of-way.

***

            Rooster smoothed his fingers down his beard trying to hide a laugh as he watched Andy and Buck retreat. Nick hooted by his side, cackling with the other hands as they regaled Andy tearing off her shirt. Rooster’s hand dropped and he frowned, wondering how bad the sting was. He’d had a sweat bee trapped in his pants once, and it was a pain he still remembered.

Love on the Line 2

Women at Work Book 2

Andy could only stare, wide-eyed, at the keys in her hand. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think. Only foremen got a company truck.

Andy is pleased to work with Grandpa Buck again, even though the long hours limit her time with Rooster. But her contentment is cut short when a serious on-the-job accident tips the scale of leadership, throwing Rooster and Andy into conflict.

Rooster must prove he is unbiased toward Andy and her work, or lose his promotion. When her parents show up, Andy has to deal with Rooster, her mother’s interference, and her own insecurities to keep the job going. If she can’t cope she’ll lose her job, and worse yet, she’ll let down Buck.

If Andy and Rooster can’t find a way to work together and complete the pipeline, their relationship is over.

Fans of In Five Years, Reminders of Him, and Regretting You, are devouring Kirsten Fullmer’s imaginative, gritty, coming-of-age pipeline books.

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Rooster forked a pork chop onto his plate and dug in, cutting off a big bite. He popped it in his mouth and watched Andy as he chewed.

She tried not to squirm, but he could see her discomfort. One of his brows quirked up.

Andy dished a helping of salad onto her plate, careful not to look up at him.

He cut another bite off his chop. Silence filled the room, tense and palpable, like the room was too small. Reaching for his glass, he caught her sneaking a peak at him.

After several gulps of water, he settled his glass back on the table, took his fork in one hand and his knife in the other, and waited. She was only demure when she knew she was in the wrong.

When she realized he wasn’t eating, her eyes met his. “What’s wrong?” she asked innocently. “Is the pork okay?”

“Why do you want to go to some gas station on the only night we don’t have to go to sleep at eight o-clock? You usually want to…” He intentionally let the sentence drop and waggled his eyebrows to make her blush. She was so cute when she was timid.

“We won’t need to stay late,” she backpedaled, “I was talking to Nick about it and—”

“Oh, here we go,” he interrupted. “This is about Nick isn’t it?”

She put her fork on the table. “What’s your problem with Nick?”

He shook his head. “You told him you’d invite that new coating girl, didn’t you?” He wasn’t asking, it was a statement.

Andy’s chin came up. “She happens to be the coating foreman.”

“Whatever,” he snorted, and went back to cutting his meat.

Andy grinned wickedly. “She could demand that you all address her as foreperson, you know.”

Rooster snorted at her dilutional comment.

Andy pursed her lips, knowing full well that the pipeline was still in the 1950s when it came to women’s rights. But she adjusted her train of thought and continued. “Why do you think this has anything to do with me talking to Nick?”

His chewing stopped and he gave her an oh please, look.

She cleared her throat and looked away, poking a bite of salad onto her fork. “Okay, her name may have come up.”

Rooster took another long drink of water.

“Would it kill us to be social?” Andy retorted. “We never go anywhere but work.”

 “We work eighty hours a week!”

“That’s beside the point,” she huffed, sticking the forkful of salad in her mouth.

“Is it?”

She chewed and swallowed. “You just don’t want to bother,” she said with a flounce.

“This is overcooked,” he muttered, sawing away at his pork chop. It was dry and chewy, he’d done a poor job of it.

Dinner continued in silence with both parties casting glances at the other, but neither one spoke. When they finished eating, they stood and carried their dishes to the sink. Rooster ran hot, soapy water as Andy scraped their scraps into the trash and returned to the table for the rest of the dishes.

Silence reigned, leaving only the sound of plates clinking and water running as Rooster washed and rinsed the dishes, and Andy dried. When the dishes were washed, he drained the water and watched as Andy put the last plate in the specially designed drawer. When she turned back to him, he took up the end of her dishtowel, pulling her to him. His hands circled her waist. “If you’d like me to take you out Saturday night, just say so.”

Andy didn’t meet his eye.

But Rooster knew her well, and still very much enjoyed her attitudes. He tilted her head up with an index finger under her chin. “You’re something else, you know that?”

Losing all track of thought, Andy fell under his spell. Her pupils dilated and her lips parted. She didn’t need to say anything, he knew he had her.

Leaning down, he teased kisses along her jaw, causing a moan to slip from her lips. Her arms came up to circle his neck and his kisses wandered to her cheek, then her mouth.

Eagerly, she kissed him back, deepening both the kiss and his desire. He scooped her up and carried her toward the bedroom.

Andy leaned into his shoulder, filled with anticipation. She nibbled at his neck, ran her fingers through his hair, and a dreamy smile settled over her face.

He placed her on the bed, certain that somewhere in that woman’s brain of hers, she was already wondering what she’d wear on their Saturday night date to the gas station.  

Kirsten is a writer with a love of art and design. She worked in the engineering field, taught college, and consulted free lance. Due to health problems, she retired in 2012 to travel with her husband. They live and work full time in a 40' travel trailer with their little dog Bingo. Besides writing romance novels, she enjoys selling art on Etsy and spoiling their four grandchildren.

As a writer, Kirsten's goal is to create strong female characters who face challenging, painful, and sometimes comical situations. She believes that the best way to deal with struggle, is through friendship and women helping women. She knows good stories are based on interesting and relatable characters.

 

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Cherry Creek by Linda Griffin

Cherry Creek

by Linda Griffin

Buy Link

Book Blurb:

When her fiancé died, Eileen said, “Then I’m free,” words that her younger sister Molly didn’t understand and never forgot. In 1850s Ohio, a girl doesn’t have that many options, and marrying Andrew MacLeith may be the best she can hope for. He promises to cherish her, but they have to live with his parents, and he can’t even protect her from his mother’s sharp tongue. After a quarrel, Molly impulsively joins his gambler brother Hugh on a journey to the Pike’s Peak gold region. Perhaps the romance and freedom she longs for lie elsewhere. Or were they right under her nose all along? 

Excerpt:

 “When I get to Pike’s Peak,” he assured me, “I’ll send back more money than this to Ma and Pa and anybody I owe money to. But not to Andrew. He wouldn’t know how to spend it. You would, though, wouldn’t you, Molly?” he teased.  

“Yes,” I said wistfully. My prospects were even more dismal than before. If he ran off to  

Kansas, he wouldn’t return for a long time, if he ever did. I was on the verge of tears again.  

“Hey now, cheer up. Aren’t you glad of my good fortune?”  

“Yes,” I said, although I wasn’t. I was envious.  

“Do you mean to say it’s serious between you and Andrew?” he asked, frowning.  

“I hate living here,” I burst out, as I had to Andrew. Complaining to his brother was wrong, but I was too unhappy to contain myself.  

Hugh was briefly taken aback before he said, with his usual charming insouciance, “Come to Pike’s Peak with me, then.”  

I didn’t think he meant it, and I was only half serious when I said, “I wish I could.” Decamping to Kansas would be an adventure and an escape, and it would teach Andrew a thing or two.  

“Why can’t you?” he asked, making it sound almost logical “If you don’t like it here, what’s 

keeping you? Pike’s Peak is the future, the new Eldorado. Don’t you want a piece of it?”  

“I couldn’t dig for gold,” I said. “And I don’t have any money.”  

“I do,” he said. He fanned out his winnings. “Come on, Molly. It will be fun.”  

Author Bio:

Linda Griffin knew she wanted to be a “book maker” as soon as she learned to read, and she wrote her first story, “Judy and the Fairies,” at the age of six. Her passion for the printed word also led her to a career with the San Diego Public Library. She retired to spend more time on her writing and has had stories published in numerous literary journals. Cherry Creek is her eleventh novel, published by the Wild Rose Press. In addition to the three R’s—reading, writing, and research—she enjoys travel, movies, Scrabble, and visiting museums and art galleries. 

Three Perfect Entry-Point Western Romances by Caroline Clemmons

 A note from Stephanie, Caroline's daughter: 

My mother wrote more than 90 novels. She used to laugh and say she wasn't sure exactly how many there were at any given moment because she was always in the middle of the next one before she'd finished counting the last. 

She is gone now, and I find myself the keeper of her catalog, her website, and the readers she loved so much. One of the questions that comes in most often — and one that she answered cheerfully for years — is this one: Where do I start? 

I want to keep answering it, the way she would have. So this post is my attempt to do exactly that. These are three books that my mother recommended as entry points for new readers — each one opening a beloved series, each one a complete story, and each one a reliable introduction to the kind of Western romance she spent more than 25 years writing. 

She called it "writing love that lasts." I think these three books show you exactly what she meant by that. 

1. Josephine — Bride Brigade, Book 1 

The story: 

Josephine Nailor will do whatever it takes to protect herself and her best friend from the controlling fathers who have made their lives unbearable. When a newspaper advertisement offers the possibility of a new life, the two young women seize it — traveling to Tarnation, Texas, as part of the Bride Brigade, with the help of the warm-hearted Lydia Harrison. 

Josephine is wary of men in power. Her past has given her every reason to be. But in Tarnation she finds herself drawn to Michael Buchanan, the town's mayor and owner of the local mercantile — precisely the kind of man she has spent her life learning not to trust. The question at the heart of this story is whether Josephine can separate the man Michael actually is from the kind of man she fears he might become. 

Why it's a great starting point: 

My mother built the Bride Brigade series around friendship as much as romance, and Josephine establishes both from the very first chapter. You get the warmth of the Tarnation community, the bond between Josephine and her friend, and a romance that grows from genuine conflict rather than simple misunderstanding. The small-town Texas frontier setting is vivid and grounded. 

After Josephine, there are six more Bride Brigade books — each one following a different woman who made the journey to Tarnation, all of them connected by the friendships and community my mother built so carefully in this first book. 

2. Gentry and the Mail Order Bride — Texas Hill Country Mail Order Bride Series, Book 1 

The story: 

Heidi travels to Texas Hill Country to marry the son of family friends, carrying hopes for a secure future and an escape from a troubled past. When she arrives to devastating news — her intended groom has died — she finds herself stranded with no money to return home and nowhere obvious to turn. 

Gentry McRae, her late fiancé's ranch partner, offers a solution: marry him instead. It is a practical arrangement born of tragedy. But practical arrangements have a way of becoming something else entirely when two people are forced to depend on each other. 

Why it's a great starting point: 

This series was set in the Texas Hill Country, a landscape my mother knew and loved. The marriage-of-convenience premise was one of her favorite story structures — she loved the way it created immediate intimacy between two characters who hadn't yet earned each other's trust, and watching that trust build was, for her, one of romance's great pleasures to write. 

The Texas Hill Country series grew to six books, and Gentry and Heidi's story is where it all begins. 

3. Brazos Bride — Men of Stone Mountain, Texas, Book 1 

The story: 

Hope Montoya is a determined heiress who believes someone is trying to poison her. To survive until she comes into her inheritance and escape her uncle's control, she proposes a marriage of convenience to Micah Stone — a rancher whose reputation has been ruined by accusations that he murdered her father. 

Micah has his own reasons to agree. What neither of them expects is that a marriage in name only, forged from mutual necessity, will ask them to face genuine danger, real desire, and a betrayal that threatens everything they're building — before they can find their way to the truth, and to each other. 

Why it's a great starting point: 

My mother loved this book. It has everything she loved about Western historical romance: a heroine who acts rather than waits, a hero working to reclaim a destroyed reputation, and a mystery that keeps the stakes high from the first chapter to the last. The Stone Mountain community is introduced here and deepens across seven books total. 

If you read Brazos Bride and want more, there are six more Men of Stone Mountain books ready and waiting for you. 

A Note From Me 

My mother's complete reading order is still available at carolineclemmons.com/reading-order/, and her books remain available on Amazon. Every single one of them ends with a happy ending — that was a promise she made to her readers from the very beginning, and she kept it across every one of those 90-plus books. 

She would be so glad to know her stories are still finding new readers. That was always the point, for her. Not the word counts or the series numbers or the awards — though she was proud of those too — but the readers. The people who picked up one of her books and felt, for a few hours, that they were somewhere beautiful, rooting for people worth rooting for. 

Slapshot Summer by G.K. Brady

 

A jilted bride.

A wrecked goalie.

An unexpected kiss that changes everything.

Slapshot Summer

A The Playmakers Series Novella

by G.K. Brady

Genre: Steamy Fake Dating Hockey Romance

A jilted bride. A wrecked goalie. An unexpected kiss that changes everything.

I came here to reset.

After a season that pushed me to my limits, I needed sun, quiet, and space—somewhere I could shut out the noise and get my head back under control.

Then Lexi Campbell sat beside me at the bar and asked for my help flirting with another guy.

I said yes because it was supposed to be fake. A distraction. Something with clear lines and no consequences. I’m good with pressure. I know how to stay focused, how to hold my ground when everything’s coming at me fast.

What I didn’t expect was how easy it felt to want her.

One kiss blows past every boundary I set. Suddenly, I’m not playing defense anymore—I’m all in, and I don’t know how to pull back. Lexi’s on a honeymoon she’s taking alone, guarding a broken heart she pretends doesn’t still hurt. I’m standing at my own crossroads, unsure where my future leads or if I’m ready to risk wanting something real again.

It was supposed to be a fling. But wanting her is the one thing I can’t seem to control.

For fans of fake dating, opposites attract, and swoony NHL players who actually like to dance, Slapshot Summer is a heartwarming romance with plenty of spice … and, of course, a guaranteed HEA.

**PLEASE NOTE: This story was originally published as Sunsets, Stick Saves, and a Honeymoon in the Love in Destiny Series. The content has not changed. If you’ve read that version, then you've read this one as well.**

 

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Since childhood, all sorts of stories and characters have lived in G.K. Brady’s imagination, elbowing one another for attention, so she’s finally giving them their voice on the written page.

 An award-winning writer of contemporary romance, she loves telling tales of the less-than-perfect hero or heroine who transforms with each turn of a page. She also writes historical fiction under the pen name Griffin Brady.

 G.K. is a wife and the proud mom of three grown sons. When she’s not writing, she might be reading, traveling, drinking wine, listening to music, or gardening—sometimes all at once! She currently resides in Colorado with her very patient husband.

  

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Flash Point by Libby Kay

 

 

A flash of attraction, the potential for more.

Flash Point

Pinegrove FD Book 4

by Libby Kay

Genre: Small-Town Firefighter Sweet Romance

A flash of attraction, the potential for more.

Best-selling author Libby Kay’s sweet fireman romance Flash Point is a bad boy redemption story perfect for fans of B.K. Borison’s Lovelight series.

Javier “Javi” Ortiz never has trouble finding a date. The confident fireman enjoys the perks of no-strings hook-ups and his bachelor lifestyle. Yet when a certain blonde moves to Pinegrove, the idea of casual dating fizzles out. Javi is finally ready to settle down, but will he be able to charm his way into her life? Or will his reputation ruin his chance at real love?

Lola Peabody has given up on love. She doesn’t have time for men and their empty promises, especially with her hands full being a single mom and running her own photography business. Her plans do not include finding a man, even a charismatic fireman who treats her and her daughter like queens.

But Pinegrove is a small town, and the pair can’t stay away from each other. From photoshoots and romance book club to quiet walks in the woods, Lola and Javi spend more and more time together.

Could this be happily ever after? Or will their romance burn out faster than a five-alarm fire?

 

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Never before had Javi held a woman in such regard, kept a woman at arm’s length as they got to know each other. While the notion would have chafed before, now it made perfect sense. He’d do whatever it took to make Lola comfortable, happy. 

Javi wasn’t certain, but the stars shone brighter as he looked up at the night sky. He liked to pretend his mamá was looking out for him, that the twinkling stars were her way of keeping in touch. 

“I love you, Mamá,” he said up into the ether as he leaned back against his deck railing. “And I think I’m falling for someone—you’d love her.”

Well, Javi really didn’t want to lie to his mamá. He wasn’t falling for Lola, he’d already fallen—hard. 

Check out the rest of the series for more smoldering sweet romance!

Find them on Amazon! 

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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Seasonal Reading: Summer Western Romances to Take on Vacation

 

There is something about summer that makes a reader reach for a Western romance. Maybe it's the wide-open sky. Maybe it's the heat—the kind that shimmers off a dirt road and makes everything feel a little more urgent, a little more alive. Maybe it's simply that a long afternoon on a porch or a beach or a hotel balcony calls for a book with sweep and heart and a satisfying ending. Whatever the reason, summer is one of my favorite times of year to read—and to recommend. If you're packing a bag for vacation, planning a long weekend, or simply looking for the right book to carry out to the hammock, I have some suggestions. All of them are mine, which means I can tell you honestly what's in them and why I think they'd travel well.

What Makes a Good Vacation Read?

Before I get to the list, let me share what I look for in a summer vacation book—because not every good novel is the right novel for a beach bag or a long car ride. A good vacation read pulls you in quickly. You don't want to spend the first fifty pages getting oriented while your family is waiting for you to come swimming. The story should be engaging from the first chapter. It should be satisfying to pick up and put down. Vacation reading happens in fragments—poolside, before dinner, in the car while someone else drives. A book that rewards short sessions as well as long ones travels well. And it should leave you feeling good. Vacation is not the time for relentlessly bleak fiction. I want a book that gives me something to look forward to every time I pick it up, and a happy ending I've genuinely earned by the last page. Western romance, as a genre, checks all of those boxes reliably. Strong characters, clear stakes, romantic tension that builds toward a resolution worth waiting for, and a setting that feels expansive even when you're reading in a very small hotel room. Here are some of mine that I think would travel particularly well this summer.

For the Reader Who Loves a Fresh Start

Amanda's Rancher (Loving a Rancher, Book 1)

Mara O'Sullivan is running from a difficult past and a promise she made to raise her late sister's child. Preston Kincaid is the rancher who agreed to a mail-order bride and got considerably more than he bargained for. This is a story about starting over in a new place with a new identity—which feels appropriate for a vacation read, when you're also, in a small way, stepping out of your ordinary life. The Montana setting is vivid and spacious, the romance builds steadily, and the stakes feel real without being overwhelming. It's the kind of book that's easy to start and hard to put down.

The Rancher's Perfect Bride (Loving a Rancher, Book 5)

Zenobia Stanton is fleeing her stepfather when she becomes a mail-order bride to rancher Callum McFadden. She's trying to adapt to ranch life when her past catches up to her—and Callum has to fight to protect everything they're building together. This one has action alongside the romance, which makes it a particularly good read for a long travel day when you need something that moves.

For the Reader Who Loves Second Chances

The Rancher and the Shepherdess (Loving a Rancher, Book 2)

Gormlaith McGowan arrives in Montana as a widow, expecting a new husband and a new start, only to find that her intended has died. What follows is a marriage of convenience with local rancher Garrett McDonald—a man who didn't plan on any of this either. Second chance romances work beautifully in the summer because there's something about the season that makes people feel open to possibility, and this one delivers on that feeling in full.

Stone Mountain Reunion (Men of Stone Mountain, Texas)

Schoolteacher Gwendolyn Jones reunites with her former sweetheart Mark Hardeman after he mysteriously disappeared years before. This short story is a perfect option if you want something you can finish in a single afternoon by the pool. Second chance, real stakes, and a resolution that satisfies.

For the Reader Who Loves Community and Small-Town Warmth

Brazos Bride (Men of Stone Mountain, Texas, Book 1)

Hope Montoya marries rancher Micah Stone to escape her uncle and clear her name after her father's murder. The Stone Mountain community is present throughout—neighbors, local characters, the texture of a frontier Texas town—and that warmth gives the story a richness that makes it particularly enjoyable when you're reading slowly and savoring.

Murdoch's Bride (Loving a Rancher, Book 3)

Charity Kelso and her companions are stranded by a blizzard and taken in by Logan Murdoch, turning his all-male household upside down. This one is warm and a little funny in places, which makes it ideal summer reading. The disruption of a bachelor household by people who need care and community is the kind of story that makes you smile even in the tense moments.

For the Reader Who Loves a Heroine with Grit

High Stakes Bride (Men of Stone Mountain, Texas, Book 2)

Mary Alice Price is fleeing her stepbrothers' deadly plans when rancher Zach Stone steps in. Mary Alice is a heroine who doesn't wait to be rescued—she makes decisions, takes risks, and earns her own happy ending. For readers who want a heroine they can root for from the first page, this is a strong choice.

Tabitha's Journey (Men of Stone Mountain, Texas, Book 5)

Tabitha Masterson flees her controlling brother after their father's death to become a mail-order bride. Her reluctant groom, Bear Baldwin, isn't exactly what she expected—and neither is the life she finds herself building. Tabitha is one of those heroines who surprises you, and sometimes herself, and that makes for very satisfying reading.

For the Reader Who Loves Holiday Warmth—Even in Summer

Stone Mountain Christmas (Men of Stone Mountain, Texas)

I know what you're thinking: Christmas in July? But hear me out. There is a long tradition of reading Christmas stories in the summer, and this one delivers exactly what a holiday story should—warmth, community, healing, and hope. Celia Dubois returns home to mend her broken heart and finds connection with rancher Eduardo Montoya. It's cozy and satisfying in a way that feels like a gift, whatever month you read it.

A Note on Packing Light

If you're traveling with an e-reader, you can take all of these with you without adding a single ounce to your bag. That is, in my opinion, one of the finest things about modern reading life—the ability to carry an entire summer's worth of books in something that fits in a jacket pocket. If you're a physical book reader, my recommendation is to choose two: one that matches your mood now, and one for when that mood shifts. A fresh-start story and a second-chance story, perhaps. A community novel and a gritty heroine. Pack for the reader you might be on day four of vacation, not just the reader you are today. Either way, I hope one of these finds its way into your bag this summer. Happy reading—and happy travels.

Waiting for You by Sharon C. Cooper

 

 

They say friends make the best lovers...

Waiting For You

Priestly Family Series Book 5

by Sharon C. Cooper

Genre: Contemporary Second Chance Romance

They say friends make the best lovers...

After a bitter divorce, Jackson Norwood never thought he’d fall in love again. Especially not with his best friend, Essence Priestly. His attraction to her is the most powerful thing he's felt in a long time, and he doesn't just want her as a lover. He wants her to be his wife. Yet she’s determined to keep their relationship strictly platonic.

Jackson means everything to Essence and her son, and she’s torn between her love for him and the fear of ruining their years of friendship. But after an impulsive, passionate weekend together, she can’t deny their chemistry is off the charts. Jackson woke up the part of her she thought died years ago, and Essence is tempted to let him have what he wants—her.

But drama from his ex-wife is enough to challenge the strongest connection. Will Essence and Jackson’s reinvented relationship buckle under the pressure? Or will their bond grow stronger and lead them to their happily-ever-after?

 

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“Nyla asked if I’d be willing to share a room with you. I told her it was fine and assumed the two of you had already talked about it. She even had my overnight bag delivered there.”

“I’m going to kill my sisters. All of them,” Essence said through gritted teeth, attitude dangling from each word before she turned narrowed eyes on him. “You know what they’re trying to do, don’t you? You have to know.”

It took everything within Jackson not to smile because she was adorable when she was mad. Which he didn’t witness often. “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he lied, earning him a deeper glare.

Okay, maybe he knew now, but not at first. He hadn’t thought much of it when Nyla told him of the change because it wasn’t unusual for him and Essence to share a room. But now that he knew her sisters might be trying to push them together, Jackson was totally onboard with their scheming. They all knew how much he adored Essence and how close they were, but they also knew Essence was afraid to move out of the friend zone. It would be just like them to butt in.

He and Essence exited the elevator, and Jackson followed a few steps behind her as she practically stomped down the hallway to their room. She might’ve been pissed, and he probably should be thinking about how he was going to get her to lighten up, but damn her ass looked good in that dress. Watching her shapely hips sway back and forth rhythmically made his body stir in response. Hell, if he could get her to calm down, maybe they could have some fun tonight. It was a new year. A perfect time to start a new chapter in their story. And a little rendezvous in a luxury hotel would only add to the fun.

As if she could hear his thoughts, Essence glanced over her shoulder at him without missing a step. If eyes could shoot invisible daggers, she was definitely shooting them at him, and he felt them square in the chest.

So much for living out a few fantasies tonight. Clearly, the hotel room would be for sleeping only.

Normally, Essence was sweet, kind, and would do anything for anyone. She also had a good sense of humor and took her family’s antics in stride. She didn’t usually trip over stuff like this, especially since she and he often shared a hotel room. The two of them, and sometimes Tray, vacationed together more often than not. Staying in the same room was a norm. So, it was out of character to see her this pissed.

Essence already had her keycard out when she stopped in front of their hotel room door. Seconds later, she stormed inside the room. She didn’t seem to care if he followed her in or not.

Jackson sighed, catching the door before it slammed in his face. This was going to be a long night. He didn’t want to argue, and Essence had every right to be mad—just not at him. She was probably looking forward to relaxing in a beautiful hotel room after a long day. Hell, a couple of long weeks, and here he was crashing any solitude she thought she’d get.

Or maybe she was mad because she had planned to invite that punk ass Romero to the room after the reception.

That thought had Jackson wanting to question her about the guy. Had their relationship moved up from just casual dating? Instead of asking, he kept his mouth shut. She was angry at her sisters, and he didn’t need her to take it out on him. He didn’t have siblings, but he’d been around hers enough to know they all drove each other nuts sometimes.

“Oh, and if you think we’re sleeping in the same bed, think again,” Essence snapped, tossing his duffel bag, which had been on the edge of the king size bed, to the sofa.

Jackson yawned, then slid out of his tuxedo jacket and laid it across the arm of the sofa. Next went the bowtie. “Essence, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but I do know one thing. I’m not sleeping on the sofa.”

 

Copyright © 2026 Sharon. C. Cooper

USA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper loves anything involving romance with a happily-ever-after, whether in books, movies, or real life. She writes contemporary romance, romantic suspense, as well as romantic comedy. She enjoys rainy days, carpet picnics, and family game night. Her stories have won numerous awards, including The Rochelle Alers Best Series award for her Atlanta’s Finest Series (2022) and The Beverly Jenkins Author of the Year award (2021). When she isn’t writing, Sharon loves hanging out with her amazing husband, doing volunteer work, or reading a good book (a romance of course). To read more about Sharon and her novels, or to sign up to be notified of her latest releases, visit www.sharoncooper.net

  

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