It took just one teasing wink and a sexy Irish lilt from ‘bad boy’ Lorcan Byrne to turn Julie Barnes’s world upside down. After several dangerous years working as a soldier and a spy, Lorcan has stopped in Rockland City for some much-needed downtime. He’s only in town for six months, working for his extended family, and happily-ever-after isn’t in this world traveler’s vocabulary. Julie has worked hard to change her life. But this handsome Irish charmer is just as enticing as any of the decadent cakes she sells, and she can’t resist the temptation of him. She’s planning to enjoy every second of their explosive chemistry—for as long as it lasts. For his part, Lorcan didn’t count on meeting someone who could soothe his damaged heart and help heal his troubled soul. Never mind the searing attraction. But staying permanently in one place is not an option. However, Julie is determined to convince him that he has more to offer than just his ‘wicked Celtic kiss.’

Dark and brooding, Nick Crocetti was labeled a ‘bad boy’ from the moment he arrived in Rockland City. Now the owner of the bar, The Chief, whispers of criminal dealings and a murky past still swirl around him. Being alone suits Nick, until his high school fantasy enters his life once again. Veronica Barnes is leaving behind a disastrous marriage along with her high-paying consulting career. Returning home, she is determined to follow a lifelong dream of opening a bakery. Meeting her secret high school crush, ‘the wicked bad’ Nick, stirs up her emotions in ways she never imagined. Despite the mutual physical attraction—past and present—Nick and Veronica are wary, and, even though they would never admit it, —lonely. Breaking down the barriers of past heartbreak seems insurmountable, especially when the intimate bond moves toward something neither counted on—nor wanted. Acknowledging their feelings may be more than they bargained for.

Close to the breaking point after a difficult year in the classroom, elementary teacher Jessica Coleson is looking forward to summer vacation. While staying at the old family homestead, she meets an intriguing man who may be as burnt out as she is. Factor in his rough-hewn good looks, she finds him hard to resist. Just turned forty and weary beyond words, rock star Mercury Phalen’s world has unraveled, culminating in the bust-up of his group and the dissolution of his marriage. Even though he laments the loss of his guys more, he’s not looking for an entanglement with another woman. Though Mercury is attracted by Jessi’s nurturing personality and sensual response to his touch, denying what exists between them is the wise choice—especially considering the baggage he’s dragging behind him. Yet he wonders: could this be the love he has yearned for and written songs about all these years?

Candlelight dinners and sweet treats are the ingredients for love. These seven couples offer more than just a taste of romance to whet your appetite. It's a full plate of fun, a few food fights, and a satisfying menu to fill your cravings for passion. The Meatball Mistress: Ryan Garridy is a diehard commitment phobe, struggling to keep his Italian restaurant afloat. The last thing he needs is to hire Cara Manzoni, a woman who skipped out on paying for her meal. Unless, that is, this secretive stunner can save more than just his livelihood. A Sweet Deal: Richard Morgan's father will sell the family business to a rival candy company unless Richard marries to secure the business he loves. This deal is the only thing standing between mergers and acquisitions rep Yvette Cruz and the promotion she desperately wants. Will a growing attraction between them be enough to sweeten even this corporate rivalry? Company Ink: Violet Young fought hard to land her position with Wynne's Kitchen, New York City's world-renowned bakery at Rockefeller Center. Unfortunately, she's asked to train her new boss, sexy Ben Preston, who could cost her the next promotion she needs. Will Ben and Violet turn up the heat, or do their careers take the cake? His Wicked Celtic Kiss: It took just one teasing wink and a sexy Irish lilt from bad boy Lorcan Byrne to turn Julie Denison's world upside down faster than she could ice a cake in her bakery. The problem is, he's only in town for six months, and happily ever after isn't in this world traveler's vocabulary...unless Julie can help him learn a new language. Acute Reactions: The man with allergies never gets the girl, but that may change for restaurateur Ian Zamora when he makes an appointment with allergist Petra Lale. A little romance just might be chicken soup for his heart. Marrying the Wrong Man: Morgan Parrish's dad planned her marriage to a man destined to be president of the United States, but she fell in love with the town drunk's son, got pregnant, and fled. Now she's back and waitressing at the bistro Charlie Cramer manages. If they give in to the attraction and screw things up again, their daughter will deal with the fallout...or they just might get that American dream after all. Delicious Deception: Artist Emily Kate Boudreaux spends her days running a restaurant on a Texas bayou because it's what her family expects. Then sexy chef Connor Rikeland walks into her life and turns her business and her bed into one hot adventure. But Cajun cooking isn't his ticket to fame, and his story is a sham. Emily Kate must decide what's real, what's a lie, and what's worth risking her heart over. Sensuality Level: Sensual

His heart needs to heal. He sheltered her from the storm and nursed her back to health. But Tremain Hornsby is more than just a village vicar performing a chivalrous duty. He’s an ex-soldier ravaged by war, the second son of a duke living under another name, hiding his aristocratic heritage. Yet, despite his secrets, he cannot help but be drawn to the fallen beauty and asks her to stay and care for the orphan in his charge. And hers is lost. Society has deemed Eliza Winston a disgraced governess. Dismissed, robbed, and left to perish, she finds herself in Tremain’s home—and soon realizes her handsome rescuer is the one in need of healing. Though a daunting task, Eliza is determined to thaw the vicar’s frozen heart—but her own is in danger. Tremain is not only the man she dreamed of but a nobleman—making him an impossible match.

The fact that women couldn’t join the London Metropolitan Police was an injustice to Eleanora Galway. She found her way around such an obstacle: by forming a detective agency. When a note arrives from a duke concerning a mysterious and gruesome delivery, Eleanora agrees to investigate. Despite the pursuit of pleasures by The Rakes of St. Regent’s Park, weariness and boredom were setting in. Along with stark loneliness. No one felt this more than Christian Bamford, Duke of Allenby. Once the Galway Agency arrives, Christian is fascinated by Eleanora and her razor-sharp deductive mind and bold confidence. She attracts him as no other woman has done before. When Christian proposes assisting her with her inquiries, Eleanora initially balks. But the temptation of being in the darkly handsome duke’s company is hard to resist. Swept up into an adventure and a passion neither had counted on, the blending of unlikely lives, occupations, and societal standing seems insurmountable. But for the independent Eleanora and the progressive-minded Christian, nothing is impossible. Not even love.

A shivering young woman leans against a lamppost on London's most notorious street of ill repute. Chastity Armitage is on the run from her lecherous stepfather. Desperate for food and lodging for her siblings, she takes to the streets. She never expected a tall, handsome man to appear from the mist and change her life forever. A choice lies before her: continue down the path of never-ending poverty or become the baron’s mistress. Asher Colborne, Baron Wenlock, is shocked to discover the dressed-in-rags lady is Chastity Armitage, a young woman who had caught his attention at a ball three years past. Asher offers his assistance, but Chastity suggests a carnal contract. As a member of The Rakes of St. Regent’s Park, Asher is well aware of what such an agreement will portend. Despite the scorching attraction, they decide to keep an emotionless business arrangement in place. That pact soon falls apart, as they cannot deny their intense feelings. Many obstacles lay in Chastity and Asher’s path. For the baron and the mistress, embracing true love will be their most challenging impediment.