The best contemporary romance novels from Next Chapter [March 2023]
Contemporary romance books are a popular genre in modern literature. These books feature stories of romantic relationships set in contemporary times and often deal with issues that are relevant to readers today. Unlike historical romance, which is set in the past, contemporary romance books reflect the realities of modern life and are often relatable to readers.
Contemporary romance books can range from sweet and innocent to steamy and sensual, depending on the author's preference. They explore themes such as love, heartbreak, family, friendship, career, and personal growth. Readers can find contemporary romance books in various subgenres, including romantic comedy, romantic suspense, sports romance, and more.
The popularity of contemporary romance books can be attributed to their ability to capture the essence of modern relationships while providing readers with an escape from reality. These books offer readers a chance to live vicariously through the characters and experience the ups and downs of a romantic relationship without the real-life consequences. Overall, contemporary romance books provide readers with an enjoyable and engaging reading experience that can be both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Below, you’ll you’ll find some of the best contemporary romance novels from Next Chapter as of March 2023. All of our books are available in eBook and paperback, and most in audio as well. If you’re an eBook reader, you’ll be able to download some of these books for free!
If you enjoy one of the stories below, please don’t forget to leave the author a review! Don’t agree with our choices? Please leave a comment and let us know your favorite :)
Novels featured on this page
Call It Chemistry (Golden Grove Series Book 1) by D.J. Van Oss
Penniless Hearts (Lost Compass Love Book 1) by Eve Gaal
Finding Beautiful (The Beautifully Broken Book 1) by Amanda Kaitlyn
When The Music Ends (Hearts in Winter Book 1) by Simone Beaudelaire
The Sweet Spot (Appleton Vale Book 1) by Anneli Lort
Driving Miss Crazy (D.C. Diplomats Series Book 1) by D.J. Van Oss
Dammi Mille Baci (Vienna Calling Book 1) by Hyunah Kim
Call It Chemistry (Golden Grove Series Book 1) by D.J. Van Oss
The yellow VW Bug crunched to a stop on the gravel beside the sign perched at the entrance to the town. Kate shut the engine shut off.
A quaint wood and brick sign proclaimed “Welcome to Golden Grove, Home of the Griffins.”
She gazed through the windshield, down at the town, still familiar after all the years. The silver water tower peeking above the trees, the red roof of the fire station, the tops of the trees just beginning to turn various yellows and oranges in the fall Sunday sun. Not much seemed to have changed from this vantage point. Actually beautiful, if you were only visiting one of the picturesque shops and bakeries downtown, or looking down from the limestone bluffs at the slow-rolling Mississippi.
Maybe for some people, the Nitrovex workers, the shop owners, the Golden Grove “lifers,” it was fine. But not for her. The bigger city had always been her dream, her escape, even before high school had chewed her up and spit her out.
She gripped the steering wheel and blew out some air. Okay, just in and out of town, then back to Chicago. No one from high school needed to know she was even here. She could handle a few days. She’d be out at the chemical plant most of the time, anyway.
She turned the key in the ignition and the car purred back to life.
Fifteen minutes later, she parked the Bug on the brick-lined curb in front of the familiar yard. She turned it off, then waited a moment, hands in her lap, listening, gazing out the side window she’d rolled down on her way into town.
It was quiet, the usual small-town Sunday silence, with just a few birds chirping and a car passing and disappearing a block or so away. In the distance was the rush of the grain elevator, a sound she’d forgotten about but knew meant fall was in full swing.
She noticed the maple tree that used to shade the front curb by the driveway was gone, but the huge elm that showered bright green leaves onto the driveway each fall was still near the front door. The bushes there were larger but still well trimmed.
The house had been painted. It was no longer the familiar pale yellow she remembered but a mixture of light green with white and yellow trim. A variety of potted plants were placed neatly on either side of the front steps, which led to an expansive porch lined with wicker chairs and supported with round white Corinthian columns.
Penniless Hearts (Lost Compass Love Book 1) by Eve Gaal
Book excerpt
When she came into the world, the doctor, an avid golfer, called her eyes ‘fairway green.’ Her mother told her stories about the hospital staff admiring her elfish red hair, alabaster skin and perfect little nose. Her parents doted on her and named her Penny because their last name was Himmel or heaven in the German language. Thus, they thanked God for raining a Penny down from heaven.
Growing up, she became a mischievous art student with a great sense of humor and an angelic smile. A cherub-like innocent face covered up a wild side, a side that astonished her teachers, parents and all her friends. At first, she exasperated her mother by tattooing all her Barbie dolls, and piercing all the stuffed animals with safety pins. Later she dyed the family dog, a little white terrier emerald green for St. Patrick’s Day. Enjoying her creativity, her parents usually laughed-off her pranks. The teen years caused them mild consternation but she blossomed into an imaginative young lady who kept everyone on high alert. From making her own clothes out of kitchen towels or painting her dorm room chartreuse so her roommate would move out, she lived her life like a progressive work of art. In sculpture class she invited the nude model home to meet her parents for Thanksgiving, (fortunately he wore clothes), then, she brought the black leather-clad musician home for Christmas. The following year she had a photographer as her Valentine, a philosophy major, a biker and more experiences before she was twenty than most people had in a lifetime.
Black kohl eyeliner accented her almond shaped green eyes, matching her black Doc Marten boots. Pastel chiffon dresses from the Salvation Army store or green fatigues were her fashion statements. Her nails were short and clean, but she usually had various shades of ink on the tips of her fingers. Penny’s favorite sweater had multiple colors and various types of yarn, crocheted lovingly by her mother into stripes of varying widths. A sweater she had worn almost every day in college. She often thought about crocheting a replacement, identical to the frayed one sagging on the back of her office chair at work.
She missed her college years and all her wild, silly shenanigans. Slightly devious, she had fun helping her friends in college cheat, by coming up with ways to bring the answers to class. Her crafty invention consisted of using newsprint printed on white paper as book covers. When she needed to give someone answers, she merely taped a strategically typed piece of paper with various fonts onto the spine of their book and it blended into the design. Being good at typing and graphic art helped her create wonderful book covers full of hidden answers throughout the year. Frustrated teachers offered rewards, and consistently tried deciphering her ingenuity, which consisted of multiple choice answers sprinkled throughout the titles in different calligraphy styles and curlicues. Soon, her classmates were paying top dollar for the answers and her popularity soared. When color copies came out, she could design and bind the actual book cover with a whole semester of tests and quizzes built right into the flourishes of the regular looking text. The income supplemented her allowance, until the school implemented some rules, calling for all books to be left in the cubbyholes in the back of classes on examination day.
Ironically, her art teachers were so impressed with her talent at bookbinding, offset lithography, silk-screen printing, block printing and letterpress that she graduated with honors.
Finding Beautiful (The Beautifully Broken Book 1) by Amanda Kaitlyn
Book excerpt
“Did you hear?” I asked.
Kel smiled a proud smile that I’d only seen twice before as she nodded in answer.
She grabbed my shoulders, laughter ringing in my ears as she hugged me tightly. We basked in the moment.
“I knew you’d get it!” Kel squealed, squeezing me once more. She let me go, a wide grin still on her face. She was happy for me, like I knew she would be.
Swinging her arm around me, she whispered in my ear, “He’s here, you know. He’s talking with Lucas now.”
A blush rushed to my cheeks in anticipation. Joy in my news was quickly replaced by the excitement of seeing Gavin again.
“Do I look okay?” I nervously rubbed my hands down my lavender, mid-length dress, and bit my trembling lip. I didn’t want to mess up. Kel was right; it was time to live again, not just exist.
Kel’s hand reached out and squeezed mine.
“You’re perfect, Aria,” she said tucking my hair behind my ears before pushing me toward the door. I stepped inside, quickly grabbing another Blue Moon before veering towards some friends.
I greeted several of mine and Kel’s old friends, groaning inwardly at how little their superficial ways had changed in the years since high school. As I made the rounds, I grabbed the bowl of pretzels from Lucas, all the while glancing around inconspicuously for Gavin.
“He had to make a call, Aria.” Lucas stated with a knowing smile. I must not have been as discreet in my search as I had thought.
“Have you seen that man? The one who was looking for you earlier. You might have to stake your claim before one of us snatches him away!” Sasha squealed, nursing a cranberry martini, while smoothing her hands down her too-short, leather skirt.
Immediately, I imagined kissing him in front of all these people, ruining him for her and all these other girls. But I wasn’t not ready for that. For all I knew, he was taken. What was going on with me today? It wasn’t like he was the first hot guy I’d laid eyes on the past few years. A few handsome faces had caught my eye, but none had made me contemplate risking my heart again. But, Gavin with those eyes and the chiseled sculpt of his lean chest, and narrow hips . . . oh my, it put him in a league of his own.
My thoughts were interrupted by a hand on my shoulder, igniting a shock that lit up my skin. I knew he was behind me. I turned, meeting his crooked smile. My heart skipped a beat as I looked up into his eyes, feeling drawn to him. It was almost like gravity only somehow stronger.
“There you are! Do you want to dance?” Sasha chimed in, batting her lashes at him expectantly. Gavin gave me a wink, his stormy blue eyes never wavering from mine. Never had a guy shown interest in me over someone like Sasha. After what felt like a lifetime of gazing into his eyes, I noticed the song changed to a slow beat that I instantly recognized as ColdPlay.
“A dance, Aria?” his soft voice resonating through me in the best way. I placed my hand in his and nodded as he led me onto the floor. He turned to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. Linking his right hand with my left, he swept me to him, leading us in a graceful slow dance. I looked up at him with a smile on my lips.
“You showed up.”
Gavin’s face spread into a wide, dimple-bearing smile making me feel lighter somehow. Then I realized he dipped me in the circle of his arms, causing my heart to beat impossibly fast. I grabbed his biceps for balance and watched amusement blaze in his eyes. I could feel every line of his muscled body against every one of my soft curves. When his warm-hand pressed at the small of my back, my heart hammered in desire. God, how long had it been since I’d desired or truly wanted a man? Years. I hadn’t felt like this since my high school and early college. I couldn’t help but think how naive I was back then.
“Of course, I did, Aria.”
When The Music Ends (Hearts in Winter Book 1) by Simone Beaudelaire
Book excerpt
Later, the couple still lay nude and snuggled together. Erin rested her head on Sean's shoulder, tracing spirals in the hair on his chest with one fingertip. His hand rested on her back, stroking slowly so the callouses on his work-roughened palms scratched pleasantly over her skin.
Wow, she thought. I can't believe I just had sex, and with Sean no less. A glow of satisfaction and pride warmed her from the inside even as the touch of his body heated her skin.
Then the pleasure of their tender afterglow shattered as the phone in the pocket of Sean's pants began to ring.
“How odd,” he said, kissing her lips once and rolling away.
“What?” she asked.
He rose to his feet. “That phone is only for work. It never gets used at night. Must be some kind of emergency.”
He bent down, kissed Erin softly again and rummaged through the clothes on the floor to retrieve the device.
Erin leaned on one elbow on the turquoise sheet and admired Sean's muscular physique as he moved through her bedroom. His size made her feel even smaller, in a wonderful, protected sort of way. The way that body of his felt on top of me… inside me. It was like nothing I could have imagined. The memory caused new heat to coil in her belly. I wonder if we're done for the evening. I think I might want a little more.
She shifted and winced. Maybe I'm more done than I realized. Ouch. Of course, if he meant what he said, if we're a couple, waiting a day or two won't matter at all.
Sean winked at her as he lifted his slacks from the pool of scattered clothing and pulled his phone from his pocket, pressing a button. “Hello?”
Erin couldn't tell who was on the other end, but she could see that the person was doing a lot of talking, and what Sean was being told upset him.
“She's where? …What happened? … Oh my God, no! … Of course! … I'll get there right away.” He hung up and started pulling his clothes on. His sexy, playful air had vanished completely, replaced by an expression of sheer panic. “Erin, I'm really sorry, but I have to leave right now. That was my mom. There's an emergency. I swear I didn't plan to split like this, but I have to get to the hospital right away.” He babbled out the words in a nearly unintelligible gush.
Erin hopped out of bed and grabbed her panties, stepping into them. Moisture pooled in the cotton liner. She couldn't help blushing as she crossed to her dresser. Sex is messier than I realized. “What happened? Who's in the hospital?”
“Danny.”
Erin froze, drawing in a shuddering breath. “Oh no, did they wreck? Is she okay?” She yanked jeans and a sweater out of the drawer.
“No.” He turned to face her, his handsome features transformed into such a mask of fury, she took several steps back, until her legs touched the edge of her bed. His jaw clenched so tight, she could hear his teeth grinding as he gritted out the words. “That bastard Jake Morris raped her.”
Erin's clothes slipped through her fingers. “No.” Clamping her hand over her mouth, she sank to a seat on the mattress, her legs no longer willing to hold her upright.
“Yes.”
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.
“You must be our new neighbour.” he said cheerily. “I’m Tom Feltham. I own the pub with my wife, Susie. We were wondering when you were going to turn up.” Tall and lean, Tom had floppy, mouse-coloured hair that kept falling into his eyes. His face was soft and had kindness etched into it, along with a permanent but genuine smile.
Olivia paused before offering her hand to greet Tom. How much did the locals know about her already? She had heard village life could be intrusive. “Hi, I’m Olivia,” she smiled. “Pleased to meet you. The estate agent said you would have the keys for the cottage for me to pick up?”
“Indeed I do,” he smiled and nodded his head towards the pub. “Why don’t you come and meet Susie and have a drink while I get them? You must be parched after your journey.”
“That would be great,” said Olivia, but as she started to follow Tom into the pub, a muffled woof reminded her that Hector, her gorgeous, goofy golden retriever, was still wedged in the car, surrounded by various items of luggage and boxes that Olivia had brought from London.
Outwardly, Hector had the appearance of the perfectly-trained dog, with his lazily wagging tail, goofy smile and gentle nature. However, as Olivia opened the door he bounded out and made a beeline for Tom, jumping up and sending him flying, narrowly missing the open hatch of the pub’s cellar.
The Second Chance by Morgan Utley
Book excerpt
The ride home was quiet. Her mother didn’t say a word to her the whole time. When they arrived home, she took the bags out of the car and walked into the house, not bothering to wait for Peyton. Once Peyton entered the house, she was nowhere to be seen. She assumed that her mom went straight up to her room and locked herself in.
Peyton knew she had some apologizing to do. She felt sorry for telling her mom that she had embarrassed her, and that she was out of line. No matter how bad she felt, she knew all her mom wanted was to see her happy again, and that she was just excited that some guy came up to Peyton and asked her on a running date. Not only that, but she was there to witness it, and even if she got ahead of herself, she was over the moon and eager to get whatever ball rolling she could.
Before Peyton could go and face her mom, she went into her room to drop off her purse and take off her shoes. In her room, she found a shopping bag on her bed. The one her mom carried out of the running store in the mall. She took the clothes out of the bag and pulled out a new pair of dark grey running capris with a hot pink sports bra and a lightweight black zip-up jacket with pink accents on it to match her black shoes that happened to have pink laces on them. She had even gotten pink socks to complete the look. After seeing what her mom had bought, she felt really bad and started getting a stomachache. She had been completely unfair to her mom, and she had, in fact, saved Peyton’s carcass out there. Her mom was the perfect wingman, and Peyton had thrown her under the bus and told her that she did a horrible job.
Peyton pulled the tags off all her clothes and put the complete outfit on that her mom had thoughtfully picked for her. She even put the new shoes on and walked out of her room towards her mom’s.
She knocked on the door, but no one answered. “Mom?” Peyton called.
Again, no one answered.
“Mom, it's me, Peyton. Can I talk to you?” she asked.
No sound came from behind the door.
“Please, Mom! I’m sorry. I was out of line. Please, open the door,” Peyton pleaded.
She waited there for a minute, and when she still heard no sound coming from behind the door, she gave up and started walking back toward her room.
Halfway across the hall, she heard the sound of a lock clicking and the door open. She turned around and saw her mom standing in the doorway, with tears running down her face.
Peyton walked toward her mom and hugged her.
They stood in the doorway hugging for a couple of minutes, and then her mom pulled away to look at her.
“What do you think?” she asked.
“I really like it a lot. I like the subtle hints of pink, and the pants are easy to move around in and not too tight. My shoes are super comfortable too. I’m going to need to walk around in these today to break them in,” Peyton told her.
“I’m glad. I think you look cute and ready to run!”
Tokens Of My Confection by D.S. Williams
Book excerpt
It took about fifteen minutes for Cady to realize she might struggle to win this particular war.
The sound of voices reached her when she walked towards the kitchen and she brushed her hands over her Capris nervously, smoothing the white linen material. She hadn't changed, deciding if she was being forced into this, Meredith's friends would have to accept her exactly the way she was. Her personal style had developed long ago, and she wouldn't change to conform to Garrison's standards.
Cady had loved the fashions of the forties and fifties ever since she'd been old enough to take an interest in clothing. She's obsessed over information on the internet, borrowing books from the library to feed her passion and watching old movies until she was old enough to make her own clothes. She loved the femininity of the era, the swirling skirts, the petticoats, and the elegance of a time long since passed. It had caused nothing but trouble, first with her father deriding her choices, then Jameson belittling the differences he'd claimed to love when they'd first met. Despite it all, Cady's obsession had never weakened, her love for the era growing as time passed.
She was dressed casually tonight, the cotton Capris matched with a checked gingham shirt in red and white, the shirttails tied in a knot at her waist. She'd pulled her hair into a ponytail and wore a red scarf tied neatly around the band. Her feet were encased in soft leather saddle shoes in red and white, which she'd sourced and ordered online.
Meredith’s kitchen was one of Cady's favorite rooms, featuring warm honey-brown wooden cabinets, terracotta tiles, and walls painted in a rich pine green. The entire room was welcoming and relaxing, a place to enjoy a coffee or sit quietly and read the newspaper. At least, it normally was. Tonight it was a hubbub of activity, with Meredith and the two women Cady had spied earlier working together at the bench.
Meredith threw Cady a grateful smile when she walked in, and the pleasure in her eyes confirmed her approval. "Cady, come here and meet my friends." Cady stepped in, holding back a much more enthusiastic Churchill, who was interested in both greeting the new people and sniffing out the source of the smells emanating from the kitchen bench. "This is my good friend, Nancy Garrison and her daughter-in-law, Hallie. Girls, this is my granddaughter, Cady."
Nancy immediately stepped away from the bench and embraced Cady warmly. "Aren't you just the sweetest little thing? It's wonderful to meet you. We've heard such a lot about you from Sid and Harry, but they didn't tell us how pretty you were!"
"Mom, you'll embarrass her," Hallie said, putting down the knife she'd been using to slice tomatoes. "Hi, Cady, good to meet you."
Cady offered her a little half-wave and a smile.
"This must be Churchill. He's enormous, Meredith! How are you coping with this great big adorable dog in the house?"
Ullandale by Liz Martinson
Book excerpt
The frost lay cold and white on the fields and fells, but even though it was late December, the sun was shining brightly. Kate swung the car off the roundabout and accelerated down the slip road to join the motorway. A rare day for this time of the year. The views were unbelievably clear and the mountains of the Lakes reared up against the pale blue sky, their tops icing sugar white with snow.
She'd said her farewells to her parents about an hour ago.
‘Now take care, Kate, it’s a long drive,’ her mother had said as she hugged her, before stepping back and looking searchingly into her face. ‘You’re sure about this job? Even now, it’s not too late to change your mind.’
Kate smiled reassuringly at her parents. ‘Sure I'm sure,’ she said. ‘I know I'm prejudiced, which I better keep quiet about after nearly blowing the interview, and I'll probably never even see Lord Ullandale anyway. After all, David said the guests wouldn’t be able to meet him, so it looks as if he won’t be there. He’d hardly be working on the estate, now would he? It seems silly not to take such a brilliant job just in case I might bump into him. We know David Asterill deals with everything.’
Kate remembered her feelings of excitement when she’d opened the email to find the job offer, later followed up with the hard copy of a very legal-looking document. It may have come from David's office, but the blackly scrawled signature, Ullandale, had given her the first genuine doubts and had caused a shiver to run down her spine, despite realising she was being irrational. What did it matter if it was Lord Ullandale’s name on the contract? He was probably a very pleasant man. She couldn’t keep on comparing him to the Bevelhursts, her parents’ obnoxious neighbours.
‘Be careful, young Kate.’ Her father stepped forward and also hugged her. ‘If you're unhappy, if the setup is anything like the Bevelhurst place, then clear out. They treat their staff poorly, as we know. But I’m sure it won't be the same.’ He smiled, his eyes, so like Kate's, crinkling at the corners.
Both her parents had stepped back as Kate climbed into the car, fastening her seatbelt and then winding down her window. ‘Bye, Mum, bye, Dad. I'll ring as soon as I can.’
‘Bye, Kate, take care,’ they’d called, waving as she’d driven away down the farm track leading to the road.
The miles sped past, and the roads remained moderately clear. Kate decided she’d be able to reach Glen Marradale by late afternoon, have a break and take a quick look at the little town she’d visited several times in the past. Hopefully, she would then arrive at Ullandale in time for their evening meal. She’d rung the castle the previous day and spoken to Ian Macrieff, the manager. He’d assured her she’d be welcome and just to let them know if she wouldn't be able to make it after all.
Arriving on the twenty-eighth of December would give her time to settle in and get her bearings before the first guests arrived on the thirty-first of the month, in time for the Hogmanay Ceilidh. David Asterill had told her this first ceilidh wouldn’t be her responsibility, and to just enjoy it.
Sea Cliff by Mary Deal
Book excerpt
Occasional homes along Manila Road resembled the weathered way she remembered farm houses always looked. Farm equipment sat here and there on the properties. The shaded lawns beneath tall pin oak trees invited.
Rachael tapped the button to close the sunroof, dust being prevalent in the farmlands. Pulling into Brandon’s dirt and gravel driveway, she eased to the right edge, as her brother insisted. Parking closest to the side door was his spot. He didn’t appreciate having the space blocked. Brandon’s pickup was gone.
Tina leaned down to see out Rachael’s side window. “What a gorgeous old place.”
Rachael glanced around the property. The tractor and trailer rigs remained in the same spot where they stood idle for more than a month. Weeds grew tall under the beds and around the tires. Trucks not rolling out on a regular basis was a bad omen. Certainly, there was enough business in the Central Valley to keep each truck on the road.
A feeling of unrest came over her. Brandon would have to do something soon, if only listen to her or his financial advisor. Idle trucks meant bills would not get paid. Creditors might cut off the privileges they extended to Brandon on his father’s reputation.
Baylee Breaking by Simone Beaudelaire
Book excerpt
“Um, boss?” Shane said. They had just chased out the last customers and were tidying up The Wrangler Room, as the Country and Western wing of the club was called. Shane wiped down the old-fashioned wood bar with a damp cloth. Chase picked up the fragments of a broken beer mug from the corner.
“What's up?” Chase asked.
“Shelby wanted me to invite you to church with us tomorrow night.”
Chase picked up another shard of slivered glass, trying not to shove it into his palm. “Church? I don't know. I haven't been since I was a kid. Besides, I'm divorced. Don't they have issues with that?”
Shane chuckled. “Nah. It's a Methodist church. They're pretty open-minded. Besides, it's the new millennium. Churches that put restrictions on divorcées don't last long. You'll be fine.”
Chase made a face. “I don't have much faith, Shane. Life sucks. Where's God in that?”
“Still there, whether you believe or not.”
They had never talked about this before, and the conversation made Chase uncomfortable. “I don't know about that.”
Shane shrugged. “You don't have to know all the answers, boss. Sometimes it's enough just to acknowledge the questions. At any rate, Shelby wanted me to invite you. She thought you might enjoy it. If not, no big deal, but at least I can tell my wife I asked.”
Heritage And Honor by Pamela D. Hart
Book excerpt
After the stranger had ridden away, Charley stood on shaky legs, wiping the dirt off her backside and grabbing her clothes. As she dressed, she watched the path to ensure he didn’t return. Although given the way he’d stormed off, she didn’t think she had to worry.
Mounting Omega, Charley still had no idea what had made him so irate. He’d clearly found her attractive—that much she’d seen in his eyes. But what had made him angry enough to push her? Was it her name? Mason? She knew the Mason name was well-known in the region, but most people liked the Masons well enough, even though her father had made some political enemies lately. That cowboy didn’t look political, though. So why the hell had he shoved her away from him? She’d fallen in the dirt, for Christ’s sake. The bastard. If she ever laid eyes on him again...
Charley made it back to the ranch and tethered Omega. She ran inside, straight up the spiral staircase. She needed to get into some clean clothes and dry her hair. But she stopped when she heard Katherine’s voice.
Cocktails, Wedding Bells and Summer Madness by Julia Sutton
Book excerpt
“You’re going to organise a party?” Fran’s cerulean blue eyes were sceptical as they looked at her daughter.
“I think it’s a great idea.” Rose pulled another tray of cakes out of the oven.
“A surprise party sounds fab to me.” Faith was sitting at the kitchen table, smearing the cool cakes with pink icing and jelly tots.
“But love, Shelly’s coming home next week. How are you going to organise everything for then? You need a room, for a start.” Fran shook flour off her skirt.
“That was a problem,” Rose conceded. “I thought I might be able to hire the hall, but Mrs French told me they’re fully booked for the next two months.”
“There you go then,” Fran shook her head, “it’s too short notice.”
“Then I thought of asking at one of the local pubs.”
“The new wine bar?” Faith’s eyes lit up at the thought of the recently opened trendy establishment.
“No, Gran.” Rose shook her head with amusement. “All super busy, too.”
Driving Miss Crazy (D.C. Diplomats Series Book 1) by D.J. Van Oss
Book excerpt
“So, you’re saying you’re letting me go?” Adrian was standing in the office of Marty Suskind, the main dispatcher.
Marty had been head dispatcher of Prestige Driving Services for almost twenty years and had always been good to Adrian.
Now, he avoided looking Adrian in the eyes. “No, it’s not like that. You know if it were my decision we’d work it out, but the company has new rules regarding hours.”
“And mine don’t work anymore.” Adrian felt his face flush. “I’ve told them I need the flexibility for Charlie. They didn’t have a problem with it before.”
“I know, but like I said, the policies have changed. HR and all that. I’m sorry. Look, I’ll keep my ears open, of course. We have connections with the other agencies around, and with your federal clearance and record, I think you’ll be able to pick something up real quick. Or if you can find someone to take care of Charlie—”
“Nope.” Adrian hardened his voice. “It’s hard enough leaving her at school for six hours every day. The other day someone let the iguana out of his cage in her class, and it bit the custodian.” He rubbed his eyes briefly. “The thing could have given him parasites or some tropical disease. I can’t let anything happen to her now.” He sighed. “I just can’t.”
Dammi Mille Baci (Vienna Calling Book 1) by Hyunah Kim
Book excerpt
“If I’m not at home, then I’m in the Hawelka. And if I’m not in the Hawelka, then I’m on my way to the Hawelka.”
I was reading what Alfred Schmeller (1920 - 1990), the art critic), once said about the Hawelka, an authentic old café where Axel took me after a long walk that evening.
We were barely two steps inside the café when the owner, who looked about a hundred and twenty years old but still alive and kicking, vigorously shook Axel’s hand and greeted us with a very warm, wholly genuine smile. It was Leopold Hawelka, the man who had opened the café in 1939 with his wife, Josefine.
The inner decor depicted authenticity. The undeniably worn upholstered seats in the corner, the partially battered wooden chairs cluttered around marble tables, and the threads of frazzled velvet curtains… they were the witnesses to the lapse of time and its history. The entire interior desperately needed refreshing, but they had left everything untouched on purpose.
Time seemed frozen inside the café. It was reminiscent of Vienna in the old days. Hardly anything had changed since its founding in 1939. I felt a kind of nostalgia for its stubborn resistance to modernisation. It was only natural that the Hawelka, with its long tradition of hospitality, had gained its reputation as the post-war haunt of young artists, writers, and intellectuals. Andy Warhol, Arthur Miller, and many others visited.
Posters advertising local art exhibitions covered one side of the café. Axel pointed to the original artwork dotting other walls, explaining that some were accepted in payment for debts gathered up by broke artists, a sign of generosity by the owner of the establishment, to support poor young artists. No wonder this place was Axel’s favourite hangout.
The Bakery Booking by Morgan Utley
Book excerpt
Thanks to my mom, I was able to get caught up on a lot of homework. It also helped that Lily wasn’t at the apartment when I came home, so I knocked out a bunch of assignments. I was all caught up and ready for the weekend, unless my teachers decided to throw something else at me in the next two days, which I prayed they didn’t.
Lily walked through the front door around ten o’clock, while I was sprawled on the couch, watching Netflix.
“Where have you been?” I asked, genuinely curious. Miss Social Butterfly always had to be hanging around someone doing something.
“Just at Kylee and Susie’s. They actually decided to help me through some math problems and then we had a few other friends over and we played games,” she told me and tried to walk quickly past.
“Wait, friends as in boys?” I called after her and she froze in place.
“Maybe,” she squeaked and turned to face me.
“Are these the boys Kylee and Susie are interested in, or you?” I inquired and realized I was smiling drolly.
“Both? I guess. I don’t know. We met them yesterday at the yogurt place, and they seemed like really nice guys and they went to our school… and they invited us to a party this Friday. Then Kylee, being Kylee, invited these boys over to kinda get to know them better before we actually decided to go to this party.” Lily’s voice had gotten smaller and smaller, to the point where I had to strain to hear the last word.
There you go - the best contemporary romance novels from Next Chapter in 03/2023. We hope you enjoy the stories - and if you do, please leave a comment below, or a review in Goodreads or your favorite store. It would mean a lot to us!
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