Download & Read Free Romance Books (ePub)

Romance is a popular genre of fiction that focuses on the romantic relationships between two or more people. It is a genre that has been around for centuries, and today, it is one of the most widely read genres of fiction. Romance books are generally written with a female audience in mind, although there are also many male romance authors and readers.

Romance books are characterized by their focus on the emotional and romantic relationships between the characters. They often feature a strong female protagonist who is searching for love and a happy ending. The plots of romance novels can vary widely, from historical romances set in the past to contemporary romances set in the present day. Many romance novels also feature sub-genres such as paranormal romance, erotic romance, and romantic suspense.

Despite their popularity, romance novels are often dismissed as being "fluffy" or lacking in substance. However, this is not always the case. Many romance novels tackle important social issues such as gender, sexuality, and consent, and they can provide a valuable escape for readers looking for a happy ending or a romantic adventure. Whether you are looking for a steamy read or a heartwarming love story, the romance genre has something for everyone.

On this page, we’ve collected all of our free romance books, available to download and read for free from Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Rakuten Kobo and Google Books. Some of the books on this page come with some steam as well, so please keep that in mind before delving in! If you’d like to download the book directly as an ePub, please click on the “Download ePub” button to get the book for free via our partner, ProlificWorks.

If you enjoy one of the books on this page, please take a moment to leave a review to the author in your favorite marketplace and/or Goodreads. We’d love to hear from you :)

Books featured on this page

 

When The Music Ends (Hearts in Winter Book 1) by Simone Beaudelaire

Book excerpt

“Sheridan, you know that boy in our political science class, the one with the crazy hair? I think he wants to ask you out.”

“What – Eric?” Sheridan rolled over on the purple lilac comforter covering her dorm bed and made a face. “No thanks. I'm not much interested in a boy who wears leather and chains.”

“Come on, step outside your comfort zone,” Erin urged, only half teasing her friend. “You never know. Maybe he's this closet poet who will write you sonnets and make your heart melt.”

Sheridan laughed. “Nice try, Erin. Sorry, but you know these boys don't do anything for me. Too young. We both like an older man, don't we?”

An image of Sean as she'd last seen him floated up in Erin's mind. She pushed it away. “Yeah, sure. I hope you're not still talking about Dr. Burke though. I really don't know what you see in that guy. He sure isn't hot.” The image of her lost love disappeared as a vision of Sheridan's scraggly-haired, big nosed crush appeared in her mind's eye. She shook her head to dispel the image.

“Who cares? I think we're soul mates.” Sheridan sighed at the thought of her favorite professor.

“Has he ever expressed even the slightest interest in you, apart from being your teacher?” Erin demanded, irritated by her friend's mooning.

Sheridan thought for a moment. “I'm not really sure. He's pretty subtle. Sometimes I think he likes me, but it's just hard to tell.”

“Sheridan, everyone likes you,” Erin reminded her. “It's impossible not to. That doesn't mean he's suddenly going to propose.”

“I know,” Sheridan replied, her cheerful expression drooping. Then she brightened and continued her gush. “But here. Let me show you something, and you tell me what you think.” She opened her backpack and pulled a messy binder out onto her dorm room bed. Flipping open the battered cover, she withdrew a sheaf of papers.

“What's this?” Erin asked, rising from her music-note-spangled bedspread and taking the two steps across the white tile floor to her friend. Grasping the stack, she began leafing through several sheets with short lines centered on the page.

“Some stuff he gave me in that poetry class I'm taking,” Sheridan explained, grabbing back the papers and shuffling them until she found one. She pointed. “Here. Read it. Am I imagining he likes me?”

Erin took the papers and scanned them. They consisted of some pretty passionate anonymous love poems clearly written for a girl who closely resembled Sheridan. “Sunshine woman? Glorious smile? These do sound like you, but if they were from class… that doesn't really mean much, does it?”

“Maybe not, but he didn't give them to everyone, only me. The others were reading Robert Browning.” Sheridan raised her eyebrows, as though willing Erin to connect the dots.

“What?” Erin's dark eyes widened.

“Yeah, he said I had already read those poems last semester in Brit Lit, and he wanted to give me something harder.” Sheridan couldn't suppress a hint of a smirk.

Erin scanned the lines more closely. “Danny, these aren't hard.”

“I know.” Sheridan's signature smile seemed on the verge of bursting into full blossom, “but please don't call me Danny anymore, remember?”

“Yeah, sorry. Old habit.” Erin shrugged an off-handed apology. “You may be right that he likes you, but that still doesn't mean he's going to ask you out.”

“Someday he will. I'll make sure of it.” Sheridan's buoyancy faded, and a hint of tension creased the corners of her eyes. “Besides, I'm not ready yet.”

“It's been four years,” Erin reminded her gently.

“I know. I'm much better. I just don't know if I'm ready for that yet. It's still scary.” Sheridan quickly deflected the conversation away from herself. “Besides, it's not like you're dating either, and I know there are guys that would love to ask you out.”

Actually, I did go out with a boy last year, twice, a friend from the music department, Erin recalled. On the second date, I even let him kiss me. She shuddered at the memory. While the embrace itself had not been poorly executed, it had left her so unmoved she had immediately let him know there was no future for them and he should forget about her. Now he's practically engaged to a nice girl. I'm happy for them, and I've never felt a hint of regret or jealousy over that decision. “Yeah, right,” she snapped, an edge creeping into her voice. I know where this is headed. Please, don't talk about Sean anymore. It kills me to remember.

Sheridan regarded her, a considering look on her face.

Just. Don't. Do it. Erin urged silently.

“You know, if you're really over my brother…”

 

Ascension (Sabrina Strong Series Book 1) by Lorelei Bell

Book excerpt

I lounged back in my tub of bubbles and hot water. I couldn't help the flitting images of my night—what I remembered of it. I let my mind go with it, knowing good and well I'd only be haunted later tonight if I didn't allow them in the forefront now.

Nicolas would call me tonight. He expected me to sign up with Tremayne Towers. I had to find out more about this job before I dismissed it—he had said it paid “handsomely”. Admittedly, I was curious.

On one hand, I feared I would be making a mistake. On the other hand, my savings account had dwindled from the fifty-five hundred left to me from my father to about two thousand. The never-ending bills ate away at it. Of course, my not working was not helping things. This job was an opportunity that had practically fallen into my lap.

But work for vampires? In Chicago?

My mind conjured up the handsome man's image in the mirror that served as a monitor in Nicolas' bedroom. Was that Tremayne? I was certain of it. My heart thundered at the mere thought of that handsome vampire with the bluest eyes—they'd had a depth to them, like an ocean.

Emerging from the warm, lavender scented water, I grabbed my towel. That was when I thought of the darker thing. My other bite mark. The one I directly associated with my memory of the dark-haired stranger at my bedside when I was ten. I shivered all over suddenly. Nicolas had told me I'd been bitten by a master vampire. I didn't want to believe him. But what other explanation was there? The man who had come to me one night, long ago had been a vampire. He'd marked me for his own. Why?

I now examined both bites on my arm. Oddly enough, my older scar looked red, swollen—almost as if I'd been recently bitten. Shocked, I wondered what Nicolas had done to my old scar to make it look like that.

While dressing, I thought of the more pressing matters I needed to address. Like food. My refrigerator was so empty, it tempted me to clean it. My logic was that if I kept food in it, I wouldn't notice the grime. So, grocery shopping was high on my list, and either call or see my best friend, Jeanie Woodbine. The things I had to speak to her about were not something we could talk about openly. We could do lunch and I could fill her in. I had to get this off my chest and Jeanie was the only other human I could share this with.

I thought of Constance, my brother's wife, and my immediate need for money. I didn't want to take anything out of my savings, or the checking, which was low. Constance owned an antique and gift store, downtown Moonlight. My job was to help with the cash register, put out new items, clean, or whatever she needed, and she would pay me for my hours—minimum wage, of course. I was happy for the money, but it was part-time and it wasn't enough to pay all the bills. This was my normal day to come into the shop, so she would be looking for me. I could go to the grocery store after work with the cash she'd give me.

But I really needed to talk to Jeanie first. Jeanie worked at the only other bank in town—the one I didn't have an account in.

The crystal blue day was typical of mid-October northern Illinois weather. Leaves on trees ablaze in orange, gold, and crimson caught my eyes along my route, while golden corn fields blanketed my surroundings as far as my eye could see. Halloween was around the corner, announced by decorations in windows and carved pumpkins on doorsteps as I drove into town. My mood had become cheerful. That emotion had really been lacking in me for the past several months, since the funeral. I had to examine why I'd come away with this feeling after what had happened to me last night. I couldn't understand it—unless possibly, it was the job offer. The only good one I'd had—ever. A job that might end my worries about my future. I really shouldn't turn it down. I had been in turmoil, earlier, but now I was more inclined to take this job, no matter that it involved working for vampires.

Ten minutes later, while reliving last night in my mind, again—between my thoughts of bills, and money worries—I pulled up to the only stop light in Moonlight. It stopped traffic on Route 30 and Main. The First National Bank was a towering (for a rural town this size), four-story sandy-colored brick building—the only four-story building in all of Moonlight—on the same corner as the stop light. As the light changed, sure enough, someone vacated a diagonal parking spot right next to the bank, and I smoothly pulled into it. Since Constance's shop was across the street, I could leave my Jeep here all day. We didn't have meters here in Moonlight.

 

Call It Chemistry (Golden Grove Series Book 1) by D.J. Van Oss

Book excerpt

“Hi, neighbor.”

Peter turned. She wasn’t sure if that was a look of surprise or pleasure on his face.

He quickly wiped his hands on a towel and tossed it on a nearby chair. “Hey. Kate. Good to see you again.”

Good, he’s smiling. That part’s over. Kate walked around the gleaming Mustang, still dripping from its wash. “Well, I figured I’d be a bad neighbor if I never stopped over once while I was here. This is your car?” She ran her hand down the gleaming chrome on the side panel. “Wow.” She wasn’t an old-car geek, but this one was nice. Sleek and powerful-looking.

“Thanks.” He came over to her, rested his hand on the rear fender.

“Wait…didn’t your dad used to have a beat-up car like this?” She asked, peering inside the passenger window.

“Yup. Same one.”

“Oh.” It hit her. His dad, yes. Stupid, Kate. She looked down, then up. “Peter, I’m so sorry about your dad. I knew he had…gone.” She looked back at her old house. “Carol told me the rest. With you and your mom and all. That must have been really hard.”

He nodded. “Thanks.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” What else could she say? “Losing a parent…I can’t imagine.” As distant as hers seemed at times, picturing one of them gone, especially so soon...

And Peter’s dad had always been great, teasing her. He always called her Special K, his little joke.

“Yeah. He really started to deteriorate when I was in grad school. And Mom, she could only do so much caregiving.”

Kate nodded, not sure what else to say. He stood, blue eyes fixed on her, then folded his arms, shoulders wide and back. It was a strong stance, not sad or defeated. As if the process of grief had steeled him.

“How is your mom?” she asked.

“Good. Great, actually. Out in New Mexico, if you can believe it. Her sister lives out there as well. Mom does pastel painting for a hobby and works as a librarian. Lots of friends.”

 

High Plains Holiday (Love On The High Plains Book 1) by Simone Beaudelaire

Book excerpt

One evening, a few days later, the Heitschmidts and Cody gathered again in the parlor of the family homestead. As usual, Kristina and her suitor sat rather too close together on the rose-printed sofa, their hands interlaced.

Kristina has the most beautiful hands, Cody thought, his mind turning maudlin again. He grinned at himself. Besotted fool.

“How are the plans coming?” James asked them, drawing Cody back to the present.

“Well,” Kristina said, “on my end, I think everything is underway. I talked to Lydia about the menu for the reception, and it sounds delicious. She's keeping me in the dark about the cake, says it's her gift to us.” She smiled. “The lady's altar guild has ordered me a bouquet of roses to carry, and for the rest, the silk ones in the storage room will work. I have everything I'm planning to wear ready, except the skirt Becky is making. It's almost finished. She says I can try it on tomorrow.”

“As I see it,” Cody added, “we have two problems. The first is music. Who is going to play for the ceremony? The best musician in town is going to be… busy.”

“I mentioned it to Allison,” Kristina replied. “She said we shouldn't worry. She has a plan.”

Cody quirked one black eyebrow.

“I don't know what she has in mind either,” Kristina replied to his unasked question, “but at this late date, there isn't much choice. We have to trust her. I'm so wrapped up in the cantata preparations, I can't even think about it until Sunday, and then it's less than a week.”

Cody squeezed Kristina's hand.

Now that he'd gotten over the idea of letting a woman be in charge of the choir, things at the church were falling into place beautifully. Yesterday, Thursday, they had spent their evening together talking about the sermon, the scriptures, and the main points of the outline for Sunday's service. Kristina, upon hearing his ideas, immediately came to light with three hymns he would never have considered, but somehow fit perfectly.

How foolish I was to try to take this away from her.

He'd seen God-given gifts before, and hers was too powerful to be denied. No wonder was angry when I tried to interfere. Casually, gently, he'd suggested a fourth hymn for Sunday. He'd watched her go through the range of emotions from irritation to understanding to agreement. He could almost see gears turning in her head as she considered how to turn his request into something special.

The process is still ragged. We need practice working together at this, but now that we're trying to be open to each other, we're seeing success. Already, this will be a smoother service than the ones I've led up to this point.

“All right, Cody,” James said, “out with it. What's the other problem?”

The question dragged him out of his contemplations. He raked his fingers through his hair. “The critical one. Who performs the ceremony? I can't marry myself.”

“Oh, is that all?” James's relief showed on his face. “I'll do it.

 

Knowledge Revealed (The Nememiah Chronicles Book 1) by D.S. Williams

Book excerpt

I stepped out of the bitter winter weather and carefully wiped my boots on the mat, before stepping onto the carpet. December had arrived, and with it, the first snowfalls of winter.

“Hiya, Charlotte. Getting mighty chilly out there, isn't it?” Hank greeted me genially, stepping out from behind the counter. “Wanna cup of coffee?”

I nodded, tugging at the scarf I'd wrapped around my head to keep out the bitter cold. “Thanks, Hank.”

“Did you get the snow chains?” Hank had paid me for another sold painting and he'd organized a deal with Denzel Stone, the proud owner of Puckhaber Falls one and only car dealership, to have snow chains fitted to my tires.

“Yep, thanks.”

“You'll need them, what with the roads so icy now. You should have had new tires too, I looked at yours a couple of days ago, and they're looking a little worn.” Hank handed me a mug of steaming hot coffee and pulled up a stool for me to sit beside the shop counter.

This had become a weekly routine, stopping into Hank's for coffee and a chat. Like it or not, I'd made friends in Puckhaber Falls – somehow my guard had been lowered by the sheer honest friendship these people offered. It hadn't changed my resolve, just… confused it. The whole situation had gotten messy when I'd met Lucas. It was his fault I'd delayed my plans, his fault I hadn't worked up the courage to follow through with my decision. Or at least, that's what I'd been telling myself, to explain my failure to fulfill the fate I'd chosen for myself.

After the waterfall fiasco, Lucas disappeared from my life, as completely as he'd done after the car accident. You would think I'd have gotten the message, but foolishly, I'd hung around, thinking he might contact me again. And was deeply disappointed when he didn't. Of course, the rational part of my brain explained it very clearly, even though I didn't want to hear it. He was out of my league, what would he find interesting in me? Hell, what did it matter, anyway? It wasn't as if I was going to be around for much longer.

The week after my brief stay at Lucas's, I decided some effort was required on my part. I'd spent some of my meager funds on getting a haircut. I'd had my hair styled and as a result, my hair sat in tight ringlets, framing my face in a halo of curls that fell just below my shoulders. I'd wasted even more money, buying new items of clothing; some jeans, which fitted my more slender shape and a couple of new sweaters. My old clothes were practically disintegrating before my eyes and I really did need the items, but I knew the real motivation and loathed myself for it. I wanted to look pretty for Lucas, hoped to see him again and have him appreciate the effort I'd made.

It was a shock when I did finally see him – a couple of weeks ago, I'd come into town for supplies and was standing in the Quikmart, making a decision over which cereal to purchase. I heard a deep growl and turned towards the sound, catching sight of Lucas at the end of the aisle and he'd positively glowered at me. His eyes glittered with unconcealed fury and he'd shaken his head, turning abruptly on his heels and stalking away. I'd lost nights of sleep over it, wondering why he'd acted that way and what I could possibly have done to cause such a hostile reaction.

As time went on, I folded in on myself, resembling a house of cards collapsing. I still spent time with the people in town, because it was hard to avoid when the population was so small. But my plans for my demise had accelerated back to being my top priority. December was a traditionally bad month, a time when my demons haunted me, even more than usual. This year was proving harder to cope with than the previous two.

 

Life Hack (A Migrant's Romance Series Book 1) by Ana Dantra

Book excerpt

“Alright, girly. Time to talk.” Marita was serious now, all determination and wild hair.

“Time to go back?” Yani sighed.

“Yes. At least we have to.”

The boat had weathered the storm with dignity, but it had suffered, so they had no other choice than to take it to the local shipyard for the basic repairs and head back south. This meant that Yani’s hideout was already gone. She would have to start moving, because someone could recognize her any minute.

Yani only wished she’d had time to say goodbye properly to the man who had changed her in the best possible way.

The day had stretched into the night, and they’d spent all the time in each other’s arms. It had been the most magical day of her life. And the most fleeting one. She entered that hut thinking of herself as a girl, and left feeling like a woman.

In the morning Marita and Enrique had arrived, and mayhem burst forth. They checked the boat. They made decisions. The anchor lifted and she saw his image becoming smaller in the distance, without even a goodbye kiss.

“The question is: what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know…”

“Not good enough, sister. You had plenty of time to think this past week. Tell me: what is that you want the most? Besides Hot Hunk, I mean…”

Yani smiled. Hut Hunk certainly suited him, a lot more than William. Back to reality.

“Hmm… I would like to be free from my father, and Marcos, and the drama. I would like to be normal.”

“Good luck with that,” Enrique interjected under his breath. He had followed Marita’s instructions about Yani to the letter, and in his world, that meant almost not talking to her. But this time, as captain of the ship, he was here.

“Enrique…” Marita warned him.

“You got it wrong, sweetheart. Relax. I just meant that normal people are not free either. But, if what you want is to get away from the dicks in your life, then cross the border and go visit Uncle Sam. Experiment with the life of normal people. Then you’ll have the tools to know what you want.”

 

Love's Magic (Love's Magic Book 1) by Betty McLain

Book excerpt

Mary and Herman Grey were in Daniel’s room. Herman had his arms around Mary in an awkward hug. He was trying to comfort her as she cried softly. They were not a demonstrative couple but he did the best he could to help her. His heart was heavy as he watched his youngest son lying so quietly.

“Katie and Brian will be here tomorrow.” Herman said. Katie was their daughter and she was two years older than Daniel. Her husband, Brian, was some kind of computer whiz. Herman did not understand much about Brian’s profession. He just knew Brian made a good living and he made Katie happy. Katie and Brian had a daughter, Sylvia. She was two years old and Brian’s mother was looking after her. They did not want her waiting around at the hospital. Herman and Mary’s older son, Matt, was serving in the Marines. They sent him a message, but there was no response as yet.

Mary pulled back as the door opened and the doctor came into the room. Mary and Herman both turned toward the doctor.

“Has there been any change?” Mary asked.

The doctor came to the bedside and looked at Daniel’s chart. He then looked at him closely and felt his skin.

“I don’t see any change, but his skin is warm to the touch and he has more color in his face. If I didn’t know better, I would say he has been out in the sun.”

The doctor put up the chart and turned to the anxious couple.

“We think the aneurysm was caused by a blood clot from his leg. It traveled up and blocked an artery. We are giving Daniel blood thinners to try and dissolve the clot. We will give the medicine a couple of days to work.”

“What if it doesn’t work?” Mary asked.

“Then we will have to operate and put in a stint to get the blood flowing again.”

“Will he be able to wake up? Will he be alright?” Herman asked.

“We don’t know. We have to wait and see how much damage was done by the clot. We won’t be able to tell until he wakes up. I’ll leave instructions for the nurse to start the blood thinner and I will check back tomorrow and see how he is doing.”

The doctor left. Herman and Mary were speechless. They hardly knew what to think.

“I wish we could get another doctor. I don’t like that doctor at all. He is too abrupt.” Mary declared.

“At-a-girl-mom,” thought Daniel. His mom was a great one for telling it the way it was.

“Let’s give the blood thinner time to work. If it doesn’t work, we might look into finding another doctor.” Herman reassured Mary. She gave him a grateful smile and hugged him tightly. Herman hugged her back. He was glad to be able to make her feel a little better.

 

The Handfasters (Lowland Romance Book 1) by Helen Susan Swift

Book excerpt

Willie Kemp stared at me over the intricate metal structure he was adding to his steam boat. “You want what?”

I repeated my words, stuttering when I realised the enormity of my request. “I want you to help me.”

Ushering me to the seat, he stood by the fire, sighing as if in deep thought. “Let me get this straight, Miss Lamont.” His voice was grave and deep, a schoolmaster lecturing his pupils rather than a man speaking to a woman who loved him. “Your aunt has ordered that you marry John Forres.”

“That is correct.” I heard the tremble in my voice.

“In doing so, your aunt is merely complying with your mother's request.”

I nodded. My mother had indeed sent me down to Edinburgh with a plea for Aunt Elspeth to find a husband.

“And as you are a minor you are obliged to obey both your mother and your aunt.”

Again, I nodded. I could not argue with Mr. Kemp's logic, and I began to hate him too. I felt completely alone in this city and wished desperately I was home amongst my own hills. I knew I did not belong in this grey place of regular streets and cold, mechanical people.

“So far then, Miss Lamont, you have no reason to complain,” said this man I had run to for comfort. “Now tell me, would this be a favourable marriage? Is Mr. Forres a wealthy man?”

“He is,” I said stiffly. I had not expected such an interrogation and felt my lip thrust out sulkily. Lord, but I could be a sulky puss when I wanted to, me that thought of myself as so refined.

“So, no complaints there either,” Mr. Kemp said. “So I fail to see why you are unhappy with this proposed match, Miss Lamont.” He gave a faint but infuriating smile. “Does he have two heads, perhaps? Or is he misshapen in some other way?”

I shook my head once more. “Indeed, he is a handsome enough fellow, and quite well favoured about his person as far as I can see.”

“So as Dr. Pangloss would say, 'all is for the best in this best of all possible lives'.”

I felt like stamping my foot in frustration if it would not have seemed so childlike. “But I don't like the man!”

“So, your only objection is that you are not in love with him.” Mr. Kemp eventually came to what was really the crux of the matter.

 

Penniless Hearts (Lost Compass Love Book 1) by Eve Gaal

Book excerpt

Driving home, John wondered if Tina just wanted to mess with his mind or if Penny had finally taken the initiative and dumped him for some guy in Hawaii. Fear coursed through his veins as he thought about losing the best thing that had ever happened to him in his life. Memories were triggering a sparkling replay that included kissing his emerald-eyed beauty under moonlight and reminding him how much he loved her. Emerald could not really describe her eyes he reasoned, thinking about her Pantone color chart. He recalled the day they argued about the exact colors, finally narrowing the colors down to 347, 349, with a sprinkling of 354. Maybe, he had stifled her with too much attention. Did he care too much? Banging his hand on the steering wheel, he thought about how she unintentionally made him dote. She had begged for attention, simply by being so cute. So adorable, so martyr-like, damn, she made smothering so hellishly easy.

Stopped at the light, he kept thinking about how three years had become a serious amount of time to put into any relationship, especially a relationship that completed him and made him feel so entwined with another person’s life. Some might call it destiny or fate, but John felt magic every time he thought of Penny.

When the light changed to his favorite color, he knew from the bottom of his aortic valve that she had changed his entire life for a reason. They need to be together forever, and they needed to grow adorable versions of themselves into amazing adults who end up changing the world for the better, all because of their love for each other. Love. A checkered flag popped up in his mind, stopping the race in his head, and causing a painful feeling to shoot from his brain to his heart. Of course, she loved him, he had no reason to doubt their mutual feelings for each other, but there--at that intersection, with a street sign warning drivers about a curve in the road--he faltered and thought maybe he was wrong about everything. Maybe her infectious kindness and fairytale aesthetics fascinated and affected everyone, and he had been the only one stupid enough to interpret her normal, flirtatious nature as love. He remembered telling her he loved her, but he couldn’t remember…. “GAWD,” he hollered as his truck ran forcibly into the curb.

Instead of thinking about the upcoming curb, he thought about Penny. Instead of watching the road, his mind had traveled a million miles away and now his smashed up truck looked more like the distorted face of a pug. His own head swirled with stars after hitting the side of the window. A mangled road sign held onto the bottom of his vehicle, keeping it from moving anywhere. Though embarrassing, it seemed so stupid and trivial compared to the aching in his heart.

“Son of a bitch,” he yelled,--a drop of blood dripped down onto his pants. Shaking, he opened his glove box, to look for the cell phone he never used. He dialed Penny’s cell phone and kept redialing it, listening to the dial tone, over and over until finally aggravation made him give up. Furious, he punched in the only other number he knew by heart. “Carl, its John.”

 

The Sweet Spot (Appleton Vale Book 1) by Anneli Lort

Book excerpt

Boris! Heel!” shouted a panting Dee Dee Bains. It was too late. Boris the Jack Russell terrorist had taken off after the rabbit that was now running for its little life, and Dee Dee was struggling to catch up. Well, she was in her sixties, although she would never admit that to anyone. She had lived in Appleton Vale for the past twenty-five years with her partner, Jane Coombes, running the local tearooms, spreading gossip and hosting the weekly book club. Shunning the WI in nearby Fiddlebury - “too old” - Dee Dee and Jane lived for village life, their neighbours, long walks in the hills with their surrogate child, Boris, and of course, each other.

Dee Dee, pausing for breath, looked up to the brow of the hill where she spotted the lean, striking form of a young woman taking in the scenery next to a dark grey car. Could she be our new resident? she pondered, wondering what the girl’s story could be. Everyone who came to Appleton Vale had a tale to tell, and Dee Dee saw it as her neighbourly duty to root it out of each and every villager. She turned on her heel and started for the path back to the village, pausing to inform the missing Boris that he would be left to fend for himself unless he came back right now. Perhaps she would pop into the Riverside Inn later to see if anyone had met the new girl.

As ‘new girl’ Olivia turned left past the village green at the bidding of her satnav, Tom Feltham, owner of the Riverside Inn and Bistro, was overseeing a delivery from the local brewery. He and his wife Susie took pride in sourcing and serving as much local produce as possible, which attracted punters from far and wide. Tom, being a natural host, strode over to where Olivia had parked up and introduced himself.

 

Call of the Goddess (Stormflies Book 1) by Elizabeth N. Love

“Mother, may I go play in the garden?” asked the small child. Ileanne leaned her elbows on her mother's lap and looked up at the oval face and dark wavy hair.

Those strange violet eyes peered down at her with a smile. “Not right now. I need you to go with Corey and learn your lessons.”

“I'd rather go outside,” the girl replied matter-of-factly, testing her mother to see if she might change her mind.

“After your lesson. Go now,” her mother insisted, returning her attention to the pages being handed to her by a dark-suited woman who often worked at her mother's side.

Lips curled in disappointment, Ileanne dragged her feet to leave her mother's office.

“Please put your shoes on, darling,” said her mother, looking to the girl briefly.

“Yes, mother.”

“And I love you. Have a good day.”

“I love you, too, Mother.” Ileanne said it out of habit. She didn't feel it at the moment, but she said it anyway. She wanted to go outside, not into the stuffy library. And she hated her shoes. They were too sweaty in the summer and made her feel hot all over. She couldn't feel the grass in her shoes or the soft carpet or the cold stone floors.

She started toward the Library, walking slowly and dragging her fingers along the wall of the long corridor. As she walked, she avoided various pedestals holding urns and statues, pieces of art from places on this world and one faraway that she would never see. Why did they keep this old stuff? She wasn't allowed to touch it or play with it. The pieces meant nothing to her and most of it smelled dusty and old.

The suns beamed in through the western windows. High suns, just after lunch time. She felt sleepy from lunch. Going outside would keep her awake, not her lessons.

Corey waited for her outside the Library door.

“I'm glad to see you back, Ileanne,” he said with a gentle smile. “As a reward, I will forego the ritual of strapping on your shoes.”

She brightened a little.

“And we will make it a short lesson,” he said, gesturing her inside. “Just a little reading.”