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This Monster of Mine
by Shalini Abeysekara
Eighteen-year-old Sarai doesn't know why someone tried to kill her four years ago, but she does know that her case was closed without justice. Hellbent on vengeance, she returns to the scene of the crime as a Petitor, a prosecutor who can magically detect lies, and is assigned to work with Tetrarch Kadra. Certain of his guilt, Sarai begins a double life: solving cases with Kadra by day and plotting his ruin by night. But Kadra is charming and there's something alluring about the wrath he wields against the city's corruption. A dazzling Ancient Rome-inspired romantasy debut, This Monster of Mine is a bloodbath of manipulation, deception, and forbidden love.
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Broken souls and bones
by L J. Andrews
"Together they'll restore a divided kingdom-or burn it down-in this new romantasy from USA Today bestselling author and TikTok sensation LJ Andrews. Lyra Bien intended to live a quiet life to avoid the attention of the magic-obsessed king in the fortressof Stonegate. Until Roark Ashwood-the prince's silent guard and rumored killer for the crown-invades her village and uncovers the truth behind the silver scars in her eyes. To save her best friend from death, she's forced to reveal her abilities, and is immediately claimed by the crown as the next melder. To be the King's melder is to be revered and feared in equal measures, but above all it is a slow death sentence. Lyra is determined to find a way to free herself and her friends from bondage. But firstshe must get more information from the silent, brooding sentry who first took her captive: Roark. As Lyra gets closer to Roark, she soon learns he's nothing like she assumed-and in fact everything she needs. The more they work as allies, the harder it becomes to ignore the growing passion between them. After a sinister truth is revealed, Roark and Lyra must choose to stand against all they know, or accept their dark destiny"
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Fortunate Harbor
by T. Davis Bunn
"It's a promise of better things to come . . . With its colorful history, and miles of sand, tide, and windswept oaks, North Carolina's Outer Banks is a paradise for locals and tourists alike. For Curtis Gage, returning after nineteen years to be the newassistant manager of a 5-star, ocean-front resort, it's a chance to start a new life--and come to terms with an old one. This is where his father, a revered police chief, died in the line of duty. Whisked away by his mother when he was just a child, Curtis always yearned to come back and reclaim this magnificent necklace of islands as home. But he never imagined the risks . . . This coastal haven is in attorney Rae Alden's blood, and the resort's expansion is encroaching on precious Fortunate Harbor. ForRae and the old-town families she represents, their generations-old heritage is not for sale for all the money in the world. Who'd have guessed that the ordeal would tie Rae to Curtis, a childhood sweetheart whose family tragedy once converged, fatefully, with her own past? The landgrab is reuniting them in more ways than one. Because the property is more valuable than even Rae believed. The proof is in a secret deed and a long-lost map to a bona fide buried treasure. If pirate legends, rekindled romance, and real-life adventure aren't enough to make the heart pound, Curtis and Rae discover they aren't the only ones hunting. In love and in danger, they have each other, and are finding a place to call home. That alone is a fortune worth fighting for"
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The duke and lady scandal
by Christy Carlyle
Aspiring adventurer Alexandra Prince teams up with the serious Detective Inspector Benedict Drake to prevent the theft of the Crown Jewels, as their unlikely partnership turns into a spirited battle of wits and hearts amid a high-stakes investigation. Original.
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A letter from the lonesome shore
by Sylvie Cathrall
Former correspondents E. and Henerey, accustomed to loving each other from afar, did not anticipate continuing their courtship in an enigmatic underwater city. When their journey through the Structure in E.'s garden strands them in a peculiar society preoccupied with the pleasures and perils of knowledge, E. and Henerey come to accept--and, more surprisingly still, embrace--the fact that they may never return home. A year and a half later, Sophy and Vyerin finally discover one of the elusive Entries that will help them seek their siblings. As the group's efforts bring them closer to E. and Henerey, an ancient, cosmic threat also draws near...
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Caught Up : Into Darkness Trilogy
by Navessa Allen
Nico 'Junior' Trocci knows Lauren Marchetti is off limits. She is sweetness and laughter, whereas Junior exists in a world of violence and depravity. Men like him don't get to have women like her. It's why he pushed her away back in high school and has kept his distance ever since. But when Junior looks Lauren up online, he discovers the shy, bookish girl he remembers is gone. In her place is a strikingly beautiful woman whose social media is filled with scantily clad pictures of herself and a connection to a nearby play club. Junior's innocent curiosity quickly turns into a dark obsession. But watching Lauren from a distance isn't enough; he needs to make her his. Lauren is intrigued by the mystery man who keeps showing up at her club, who tempts her white-hot desires. But as their flirty online messages stir up a deeper form of connection, Lauren worries she's developing real feelings for this brooding stranger. As their combined desire ratchets up to a breaking point, who will seduce who? And will they survive the fall?
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Writing Mr. Wrong
by Kelley Armstrong
"Debut author Gemma Stanton knows romance readers love a bad boy-and she has the perfect prototype for her novel: Mason Moretti. High school hockey god-turned-pro player, Mason was Gemma's first crush, but she couldn't forget the sting of his very publicrejection. So, she cast him as a hot-headed Highlander in her spicy new historical romance. She never expected readers would find out on live TV-when a morning show host invites Mason for a surprise on-air reunion... As an aging hockey player with a rep for being ruthless on the ice-and roguish off of it-Mason has an image problem. So, when his meet-cute with Gemma goes viral, Mason proposed they build on the momentum with a few fake dates to boost her book sales...and his sagging profile. But when the fictional flirting gets a little too real, Mason realizes Gemma actually makes him want to become a better man-someone worthy of her trust and her love. Would Gemma ever give him a second chance? Mason knows it's a long shot, but taking shots is sorta his thing, and besides, who loves a redemption arc more than a romance author?"
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The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain
by Hannah Brown
After three failed engagements, free-spirited social media creator Sybil Rain has just about given up on love. When her besties force her to use the soon to expire vouchers to a Hawaiian getaway originally intended as her honeymoon with fiancé number three, Jamie, she’s expecting a restorative solo vacation full of spa treatments and poolside cocktails. Upon arriving at Halia Falls Resort, however, she comes face to face with Jamie, who’s there with a female companion who Sybil assumes is his new girlfriend. Not wanting to look like she hasn’t also moved on, Sybil lies and tells Jamie she has a boyfriend, assuming she’ll be able to avoid him after their initial interaction. Instead, the pair are repeatedly thrown together by fate. Unresolved feelings bubble up on both sides even as Sybil ’s lie spirals—especially after fiancé number two also shows up and gets sucked into her charade.
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Thus With a Kiss I Die
by Christina Dodd
Rosie Montague, a 20-year-old free spirit in Verona, finds her life upended when she's tasked by the ghost of Prince Escalus the Elder to solve his murder, all while navigating a love triangle, revolution, and a looming threat that may turn her into a tragic heroine.
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The guest cottage
by Lori Foster
Marlow Heddings rebuilds her life in small-town Kentucky, finding unexpected friendship with Pixie, the young woman tied to her husband's betrayal, and a chance at love with her landlord, Cort, as she forges new connections and a fulfilling future.
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Problematic summer romance
by Ali Hazelwood
Maya Killgore is 23 and still figuring out her life. Conor Harkness is 38, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him. It's such a cliché: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother's best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. Any relationship between them would be problematic, and he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life. When Maya's brother gets married in Italy, she and Conor end up stuck together in a Sicilian villa, and Maya realizes Conor might be hiding something from her. As the wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs - even if it's a problematic one.
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Riding the High
by Paisley Hope
When Cole Ashby is appointed Laurel Creek’s interim sheriff, he is determined to prove himself as the best man for the job. A devoted single dad, his goal is to lay steady roots for his young daughter. As the daughter of a Kentucky congressman, Ginger Danforth’s life has always been about neat appearances, but inside, she’s dying to break free. During a wild weekend in Las Vegas, Ginger and Cole play a game of truth or dare and, after a few too many drinks, find themselves hitched in a neon-lit chapel. With no quick way out, they strike a deal: stay secretly married until Ginger’s father is reelected and Cole lands the sheriff job permanently.
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Alice Chen's reality check
by Kara Loo
"When Alice's fiancâe and teammate on a reality show cheats on her, she decides to fake date her rival to have a chance at the show's prize, which she needs to pay off student loans and her mother's medical bills. But a murder on set throws her plan intochaos and puts her life in danger"
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Sounds like love
by Ashley Poston
"A hitmaking songwriter and a bitter musician share a startling and inexplicable connection that they'll do anything to shake, in the next sparkling, magical book from Ashley Poston. Joni Lark is living the dream. She's one of the most coveted songwriters in LA...and she can't seem to write. There's an emptiness inside her, and nothing seems to fill it. When she returns to her hometown of Vienna Shores, North Carolina, she hopes that the sand, the surf, and the concerts at The Revelry, her family's musicvenue, will spark her inspiration. But when she gets there, nothing is how she left it. Her best friend is avoiding her, her mother's memories are fading fast, and The Revelry is closing. How can she think about writing her next song when everything is changing without her? Until she hears it. A melody in her head, lyric-less and half-formed, and an alluring and addictive voice to go with it-belonging, apparently, to a wry musician with hangups of his own. Surely, he's a figment of her overworked imagination. But then the very real man attached to the voice shows up in Vienna Shores. He's aggravating and gruff on the outside-nothing like the sweet, funny voice in Joni's head-and he has a plan: They'll finish the song haunting them both, break their connection, and hope they don't risk their hearts in the process. Because that song stuck in their heads? Maybe it's there for a reason"
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Songs of summer
by Jane L. Rosen
"A young woman crashes the wedding of the summer on Fire Island in search of her birth mother-and gets a whole lot more than she bargained for-in this warm, heart-stopping getaway from Jane L. Rosen Maggie Mae Wheeler is content with her life. At 30, shehas grand plans for her vintage record shop in the charming Midwestern town where she grew up, and is soon to be engaged to her childhood best friend. But when she discovers a letter she wrote to herself at thirteen, being content doesn't feel like enough anymore-Maggie needs answers to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Since losing her parents, the only family she has ever known, Maggie decides that finding her birth mother is the best place to start. Her search leads her to Fire Island, an idyllic summer getaway where her birth mother is attending a wedding. As Maggie observes her biological family from a distance, she sees that they come with a lot of ... drama. Torn between diving deeper into their world or returning to her peaceful life and cozy relationship, her decision gets more complicated when a handsome local offers to take her to the wedding-if she will pose as his date. Is it the magic of the island, the rush of the music, the fun of jumping into the weekend's events with her fakebeau? Suddenly, playing the part of his girlfriend starts to feel way too real, and the words to every love song seem to be about them"
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All the Signs
by Jessie Rosen
Leah Lockhart is proudly science-minded and woo-woo averse. But the life she’s carefully curated is knocked suddenly off course, first by a case of vertigo, and then by an astrology reading that claims she’s living way out of line with what was written in her stars. Incensed, Leah sets off on a mission to prove that astrology is bogus by comparing her life to people born under her exact same map of the stars. But her even deeper guides on a journey through Venice, Istanbul, New Orleans and beyond turn out to be three people already in her orbit: the mother she thinks abandoned her, the father she thinks saved her, and the former boy next door whose love could be the path to her truest self.
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Crossing paths
by Katie Ruggle
"WHY DATE A MOUNTAIN MAN? Because he can bring you to your peak. Norah Pax loves working for her family's Rocky Mountain bounty-hunting business. But unlike her adrenaline-junkie sisters, she only enjoys chasing skips from the safety of her laptop. She has all the computer skills she could want, but her fighting technique is lacking-so when all hands are needed, she dredges up her courage to ask surly MMA expert Dashiell Porter to teach her everything she needs to know. Dash may be terrifying to most, but his unexpected gentleness makes her feel safe, and it isn't long before things begin heating up. Dash is used to people slowly backing away when he enters a room, but a certain beautiful bounty hunter's earnest trust throws him off guard...and catches his attention. Yet as the two exchange punches and endearingly awkward flirtations, vultures circle. Every criminal in town has turned against the Pax girls, and they're willing to hit them where they're (supposedly) weakest: Norah. To keep herself and herfamily safe, Norah will need every new skill that Dash can teach her. Good thing that Dash is ready to do whatever it takes to protect the gentle yet fierce bounty hunter who stole his heart. The Rocky Mountains get unBEARably hot in Katie Ruggle's brand-new series packed with adventure, action, tall dark & scruffy heroes, and a sense of quirky humor that will be your next perfect escape"
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The Love Fix
by Jill Shalvis
In a heartwarming enemies-to-lovers tale, found family, forgiveness and love may just be the key to finding oneself.
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When Javi dumped Mari : a novel
by Mia Sosa
"On the eve of their college graduation, best friends Javier Baez and Marisol Campos swore never to date someone the other doesn't approve of. Now, ten years later, Javi has a problem. Mari, the woman he's secretly pined for since sophomore year, is engaged, and Javi didn't even get the chance to vet the Pedro Pascal knockoff she plans to marry. Mari, a successful entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, is no longer seeking Javi's dating advice or waiting for him to declare his love for her. Instead, Mari'smade a different pact. With herself. And to succeed, she's vowing to build a future with someone else. With his life and theater career finally on track, Javi's ready to confess his feelings. Except Mari's changed the script and moved on without him. Javi has just eight weeks to convince Mari this marriage is a flop. If that means he needs to ruffle some feathers to help Mari avert a disaster, well, he's up for the challenge. After all, isn't that what best friends are for?"
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Worth Fighting for
by Jesse Q. Sutanto
Pretending to be her ailing father, Fa Mulan steps in for a critical whiskey company acquisition, but while navigating masculine traditions and wrangling cattle, she must also resist her growing attraction to Shang, the skeptical heir, all while proving she belongs in the business world.
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Focus on: LGBTQIA+ Romances
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| My Best Friend's Honeymoon by Meryl WilsnerWhen Elsie's fiancé Derrick surprises her with a nonrefundable tropical wedding and honeymoon, she realizes she can't marry him. After Derrick insists she goes on the trip anyway, Elsie invites her lifelong best friend Ginny to accompany her, forcing them both to confront the truth that all they've ever really wanted is each other. For fans of: The Pairing by Casey McQuiston. |
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He's to die for : a novel
by Erin Dunn
"Sweet and sexy and satisfying enough to make me almost forget there were actual lives at stake." - Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers Brooklyn 99 meets The Charm Offensive in this sparkling romantic murder mystery: it's murder cute in the first degree when a detective finds himself falling for the lead suspect in a career-making case. At 29, Detective Rav Trivedi is the youngest member of the NYPD's homicide squad, and his future looks bright. He may be abit of an outsider in the department-an ivy-league educated gay Brit with a weakness for designer suits-but his meteoric rise and solve rate prove he belongs. So when his CO assigns him lead on the high-profile murder of a record executive, Rav is ready for action. He won't be distracted by TV crews, tabloids, or what's trending on social media, nor by the ridiculously hot rock star with a clear motive and no alibi. This is it, his shot, and he is not going to screw it up-certainly not by falling in lovewith his number one suspect..."-- Provided by publisher
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Flirty dancing : a novel
by Jennifer Moffatt
"Sparks fly in this summer romp for fans of Casey McQuiston when dancers at a Catskills resort try to pull off the perfect show, and find happiness and a place where they belong on the way. Archer Read is 27 and desperate to find his place in life. Five months ago, he quit his soul-destroying accounting job in Ohio and moved to Manhattan with dreams of making it on Broadway. And now he has nothing to show for it but a string of rejections. Even for a ray-of-sunshine like Archer, hope can only go so far. A musical revue at Shady Queens, a queer-friendly resort in the Catskills, is his last chance to break into show biz-otherwise, it's back to Ohio, broke and hopeless. He arrives ready to dance his heart out, only to find he'll be working with his teenage celebrity crush, the Broadway star Mateo Dixon. What is Mateo doing working at Shady Queens? Besides barking orders and glaring at everyone...when he's not absolutely smoldering at Archer on the dancefloor. As Archer tries to forget his teen crush and getto know the real Mateo, he's caught up in a romance with his hot, temperamental bunkmate, Caleb. Between Mateo's baggage and the dance crew's drama-partying, flirting, breaking up, getting back together, then breaking up again-it's no surprise when the show starts to fall apart. Archer quickly discovers that when it comes to dance, sometimes you can't leave all your problems backstage. Filled with colorful side characters, about a million Broadway references, and enough drama for a high school summer camp, Flirty Dancing is a delightful romantic comedy that shows love, like art, is worth a little sacrifice"
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I think they love you
by Julian Winters
Denz Carter, vying for his father's CEO position, recruits his ex, Braylon, as a fake boyfriend to impress his family, only to find old feelings rekindling as business and matters of the heart collide. Original. 75,000 first printing.
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Backhanded compliments : a novel
by Katie Chandler
"A steamy sapphic romance with a fantastical twist about two bitter tennis rivals who realize they are reluctant soulmates-perfect for fans of Expiration Dates and Here We Go Again. Juliette Ricci dreams of only one thing: being the best women's tennis player in the world. She's worked nonstop with her strict father/coach to prepare for her big chance in the Australian Open. Unfortunately, she'll be playing Lucky Luca Kacic, an aloof player whose unorthodox style and reigning popularity deeply irritate Juliette. For months they've traded sly insults in their press conferences leading up to their showdown on the court, and their first ever match is the most anticipated of the season. But Juliette refuses to let her nerves-or Luca's annoyingly perfect abs-get the best of her. Meanwhile, Luca seemingly has everything Juliette desires but there's one thing missing from her life: love. When she shakes hands with Juliette after an agonizing match and sees her rival's name appear on her wrist, it feels like a cruel joke. Juliette is a spoiled, arrogant brat who wants absolutely nothing to do with Luca or a soulmate. But despite their personal and professional clashes, the two grow closer after late-night massages and one too many shots of limoncello. Their chemistry is tangible, but Luca's anxiety tells her that Juliette is just messing with her head to throw her off her game, and Juliette can't understand why Luca is so hot and cold. With the pressure of the world scrutinizing their every move, they will have to decide what's more important-being together or being number one"
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Pioneer Summer
by Katerina Sylvanova
The year is 1986, and Yurka Konev, 16, has been sent off for another summer at Pioneer Camp. Impulsive, forthright, and unfairly branded as a troublemaker, he anticipates the weeks ahead of him with boredom and dread. But when he's pushed into working on the camp's theater production, he meets serious, thoughtful troop leader Volodya. Yurka finds himself drawn to the slightly older boy, and, surprisingly, Volodya seems to like him, too. The two boys grow closer and closer, and though both fear the consequences of their illegal attraction, its gravity pulls them together. Now, 20 years later, Yury returns to the abandoned camp to reminisce on the relationship that changed his life forever-and discovers that not all history is destined to remain in the past.
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A Gentleman's Gentleman
by T. J. Alexander
Eccentric Lord Christopher Eden must navigate London's Season to secure a wife or risk losing his fortune, but his plans unravel when his handsome new valet, James, stirs a slow-burn romance that defies tradition and hides deeper secrets. Original.
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Single Player
by Tara Tai
When aspiring video game writer Cat Li lands her dream job writing romance storylines for Compass Hollow, she's paired with narrative director and romance-averse Andi Zhang, who's recovering from a recent doxxing after gamers discovered Andi was nonbinary and Asian American. Can the pair overcome their prickly dynamic to create a love story in-game...and in real-life? For fans of: TJ Alexander, Helen Hoang, and Sally Thorne.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Centerville Library
111 W. Spring Valley Rd
Centerville, OH 45458
(937) 433-8091
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Woodbourne Library
6060 Far Hills Ave Centerville, OH 45459
(937) 435-3700
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Creativity Commons
895 Miamisburg Centerville Rd
Centerville, OH 45459
(937) 610-4425
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