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The Penalty Box

by Rebecca Zorg

Tropes: slowburn, forcedproximity, firstperson

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He doesn't remember ruining her life. She's going to ensure he does. IVY Seven years ago, Gabriel Castellano took the best night of my life and turned it into a punchline, costing me the national team and the only future I'd planned. Now he's back. Traded to Whistler, parked in my booth with his new teammates, telling me to surprise him like he's never seen my face before. As far as he knows, he hasn't. So I did what any professional would do. I "accidentally" poured a pint of our worst IPA straight down his six-hundred-dollar shirt. Surprise. Here's the problem: his team just bought the sponsorship keeping my late father's bar alive—which makes the man I've spent seven years hating a fixture on the wrong side of my taps. And the longer he keeps showing up, the harder it gets to remember that I hate you was supposed to be the whole story. GABRIEL People have told me who to be since I was fifteen, and I've never once disappointed them. Golden boy. Franchise face. So I can't explain the bartender. She hates me—openly, specifically, like she's been waiting years to do it to my face. The worst part isn't that I don't know why. It's that I'm starting to think I should. The First Line, Book One. A slow-burn, high-angst, second chance, enemies-to-lovers hockey romance with a grovel that draws blood. [Read More]

Neighborly Chemistry

by Mary DCosta

Tropes: slowburn, firstperson, characterdriven

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She’s an overworked scientist. He’s a celebrity wellness guru. They share a wall—and an enemy. Victoria Darling has no patience for her infuriatingly serene neighbor. Determined to escape her parents' Beverly Hills dental empire, she's grinding through an MD-PhD program, working eighty-hour weeks in the lab of a Nobel Laureate. The last thing she needs is Stephen Souza. Stephen is Hollywood's favorite wellness guru, selling adaptogens, mindfulness, and immaculate vibes to A-listers who swear by him. Victoria sees him as everything wrong with modern health culture—until academic betrayal destroys the career she's spent her life building. Suddenly, the man she dismissed as a celebrity quack is the only person who can help—and the one person she never expected to fall for. Because Stephen Souza isn't who she thinks he is. And the man who ruined Victoria's future has a history with Stephen—one that could help her reclaim credit for a groundbreaking discovery and protect its future. A STEM romance for readers who want the STEM to actually matter. Expect real scientific detail, highly competent characters, enemies-to-lovers chemistry, humor, and a plot that depends on the science. [Read More]

Love Twists and Knots

by Jo-Anne Carriere

Tropes: firstperson, adventure, characterdriven

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An accidental proposal, a charming sailor, a Mediterranean Romance that changes everything… Genny needs a new beginning. She takes a break from the corporate world, and spontaneously decides to go to the South of France for a carefree holiday. Enjoying her wine at a harbor café in Antibes, she cannot believe that the man sitting across from her is… HIM—the one she’s always pictured herself with. After their eyes meet, and a light chitchat, and more wine, she accidentally proposes to the charming Nick. Nick laughs it off, but he doesn’t run. Intrigued, he invites her for a sail on the Mediterranean aboard his 83-foot classic sail yacht. What begins as a magical starlit night on his yacht soon becomes far more daring when Genny loses her job due to downsizing—she risks everything, and leaves Vancouver behind to follow the man who has captured her heart. Trouble rises when Heidi, an envious work colleague appears on the quay hoping to be part of Genny’s adventure. Genny shooed her away, but Heidi finds a way… Their romance gets twisted in a knot when Nick’s past resurfaces. Desperate to settle his divorce, Nick sells his beloved yacht to a shadowy buyer, an acquaintance of his ex. The buyer has two conditions—he pays for the yacht only after it is delivered to Puerto Rico—and he insists that Heidi stay onboard for the journey, causing spiraling tension. Fate did not work in Genny’s favor—unable to cross the Atlantic, she leaves Nick and the crew in Gibraltar and reunites with Nick in Barbados. The romantic trip Genny had in mind soon turns into a web of perilous secrets and lies when they discover the buyer had a different plan. Genny must decide what she truly believes. Is Nick her anchor, or is she caught in his wake? To keep her chance at love, will she take risks to choose the wild and beautiful life her heart whispers for? [Read More]

The Sniper and the Swan

by Halle Macpherson

Tropes: slowburn, firstperson, characterdriven

Five years ago, the mysterious masked musician known as Il Cigno vanished. Her disappearance has haunted him ever since. Matteo Rossi has two equally challenging roles: mercenary assassin and guardian to his boisterous thirteen-year-old niece, Alessandra. He knows how to track a target, take down a threat, and disappear without a trace. What he doesn't know how to handle is a teenager who has started breaking the rules—or the feisty music teacher who is encouraging her to do so. When Mia Mills built her new life as a music teacher in the Italian lakeside town of Lacustria, she had one rule: keep her head down and stay out of trouble. But Mia has never been the type to walk away from someone who needs her help. When her talented student Alessandra secretly applies for a prestigious music summer camp, Mia is determined to help her chase her dreams—even if it means going head-to-head with her overprotective guardian. Mia knows getting close to people only puts them in danger. But as she is drawn deeper into the Rossi household, she finds herself wrapped in the warmth of a family she never expected to become part of. With each day she spends there, she indulges in the most dangerous ideal of all: hope for the future. As Matteo and Mia try to resist the magnetic pull between them, the truths they are both hiding threaten to destroy everything they've built. Because some truths can set you free. And some can get you killed. [Read More]

The Raven & the Lake, Book 1: Hoarfrost

by Rowan Ravenheart

Tropes: slowburn, forcedproximity, paranormal

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THEY SAID FAERY NEEDED A KING. THEY LIED. For three years, Jesryn Hallows called survival peace. Hiding from a fractured past in the human world, she thought she had successfully severed the threads of a destiny meant to break her. But when Faery's ancient ley lines buckle, the deep places of the world remember her name—and the gods come calling. The Veil between worlds is failing, the ley lines are breaking and Faery is teetering on the edge of magical collapse. To save her world and her people, Jesryn must return to Arcadia and take up the mantle of the goddess she refused. But returning to Arcadia means facing the prince that nearly destroyed her. Owyn Corey, Regent Prince of the Lake, has spent three years searching for the woman who vanished without so much as a goodbye, spiraling into darkness and obsession. But Owyn is no longer the boy Jesryn loved. As old magic stirs and destiny closes its hand around them both, Jesryn must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice for a crown she never wanted—and a world that demands nothing less than her life. Perfect for readers who love: • Fated mates • Celtic-inspired fantasy • Gods and prophecy • Second-chance romance • Dark fae courts • Ancient magic and broken kingdoms • Slow-burn romantasy with epic stakes [Read More]

Javi: The Others

by Kari Wiethop

Tropes: slowburn, characterdriven, foundfamily

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Luxury, power, and intimacy. A voyeur discovers connection is the real risk. Javi Quintana didn’t come to the Mercer Estate to disappear into the shadows. He was hired to manage its memberships—the human side of an exclusive club conceived from discretion and desire. Trading his guest privileges for staff authority takes Javi inside the velvet-roped world where nothing is accidental. He doesn’t expect the sudden pull toward connection. It arrives in the form of Quinn, a brilliant and guarded administrator who belongs to this world in ways Javi never will. Built on restraint rather than impulse, their bond is a slow, magnetic draw neither of them anticipates. But it’s complicated by the powerful man who already holds a claim on her attention—their boss. As boundaries strain and feelings demand clarity, Javi learns that real intimacy requires more than patience. It requires risk. And in a world built on carefully negotiated control, choosing love may be the most dangerous act of all. A darkly intimate, slow-burn romance about confronting limits and risking heartbreak for something real. Perfect for readers who crave psychological depth as much as heat. [Read More]

The Roman Prince of Chaos: A Spicy Slow-Burn Italian Football Romance

by Mara J. Ova

Tropes: slowburn, firstperson, multipov

He’s every woman’s dream. I’m just scared of what happens when I wake up. Alessandro Moretti is the most dangerous striker in Italy, a Golden Ball winner, and the Sexiest Man Alive. Watching him on screen has been my guilty pleasure for more than ten years. Then he became the face of my Baroque restoration campaign, said some stupid things about Baroque that I couldn’t let stand, and I corrected him. In front of a hundred people. It became a meme on Instagram. Now he wants me to teach him history—officially, so he doesn’t make an idiot of himself again. But I know why he suddenly pretends to admire Roman architecture. He wants me. On the pitch, Alessandro is hungry, aggressive, and used to taking what he wants. Off it, he’s a master seducer who knows exactly how to make a woman feel like she’s the only person in the room. But I mean to resist him, no matter how my pulse quickens when I feel his warmth. Because Alessandro Moretti loves the chase, and I refuse to become just another conquest. Except he says this isn’t about conquering me. He says he wants me. All of me. And he wants to make me happy. How am I supposed to believe that a man who has had a roster of supermodels on his arm could truly want a curvy scholar with limited time in Rome? And even if he does, the whole world will be watching, ready to decide whether I’m worthy of him. I’ve spent years building my professional reputation. I will not risk it for one charming, adorable footballer. Even if the most wanted man in Italy seems determined to prove that, for once, he isn’t playing to win. He’s playing for keeps. The Roman Prince of Chaos is a slow-burn, spicy sports romance packed with hilarious banter, irresistible pursuit, and electric chemistry, all against the beauty and chaos of Rome. Because Rome has been messing with young lovers since the beginning of time. Take a look inside and discover what happens when a legendary striker finally meets the one woman he can’t simply win. [Read More]

Song of the Chintāmani: A Steamy Fake-Marriage Romance in Ancient India

by M. P. Gupta

Tropes: forcedproximity, adventure, foundfamily

She is the only scholar who can decode a murdered woman’s secret. He is the warrior ordered to keep her alive. Gupta-era India, 400 CE. Vachana Devagupta has spent her life studying the scattered fragments her mother died protecting. When the imperial court sends her in search of the sacred relic concealed within them, she is placed under the protection of Commander Aryaman—a disciplined warrior who trusts duty far more than desire. Their search carries them across river roads, temple archives, gilded courts, and deadly ambushes. To move unseen, they must pose as husband and wife. One room. One bed. A marriage built on a lie. But the danger is real—and so is the desire growing between them. Song of the Chintāmani is a steamy, open-door historical romance featuring a brilliant scholar heroine, a protective warrior hero, fake marriage, forced proximity, political intrigue, found family, and an ancient mystery powerful men will kill to control. Perfect for readers who enjoy lush historical settings, high-stakes adventure, intense romantic tension, and a love story unlike anything they have read before. [Read More]

The Crash Course: A Short Steamy Sports Romance With A Golden Boy Star Skier (The Carve Series)

by Mara J. Ova

Tropes: firstperson, multipov, characterdriven

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A Steamy Origin Story Prequel to Carve My Heart (A Short Olympic Sports Romance) One‑night stand that won’t stay one‑night · Very steamy · Celebrity athlete · European alpine settings · High‑stakes sport · Binge in 90 minutes Katharina Berger has spent years fantasizing about Austria’s hottest ski champion from behind a screen. She never planned to crash into Thomas Kern on a glacier—let alone drag the Olympic god back to her hotel room and make every filthy daydream come true. On the Hintertux glacier, one “accidental” collision turns into drinks, teasing, and a night where Thomas worships her body like it’s the only finish line that’s ever mattered. He’s used to fangirls and casual hookups. She’s used to keeping her distance from athletes who eat girls like her for breakfast. But Katharina isn’t interested in being another anonymous conquest. She wants to own every hungry look, every groan, every wicked promise he makes against her skin—and walk away with her heart still intact. Thomas tells himself she’s just another distraction before the season starts. So why can’t he stop replaying the way she tasted on her fingers, the way she dropped to her knees like she’d been imagining it for years, the way one night with her feels more dangerous than any race? When dawn comes, and real life pulls them in opposite directions, neither of them knows they’re about to collide again—this time with careers, reputations, and Olympic dreams on the line. This steamy prequel novella to Carve My Heart is a slow-burn-igniting, no-fade-to-black sports romance packed with filthy fantasies finally fulfilled, an alpha ski god brought to his knees, and the bold heroine who refuses to be just another notch on his race skis. [Read More]

His Little Witness

by Kindra Cress

Tropes: slowburn, forcedproximity, firstperson

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He was sent to make me disappear. He wasn't supposed to want me for himself. I recorded a murder. One shake video, one VIP room I should never have served, one man who looked straight into my phone and smiled, and now the most powerful men in the city want me erased before sunrise. Then he found me first. Silas doesn't ask. He doesn't comfort. He shows up like a blade in a tailored shirt and tells me I have ten seconds to choose: walk away and die, or come with him and lose every piece of the life I used to have. Cold-blooded, ruthlessly efficient, and absolutely not allowed to touch me, he's the man Blackwater sends when there's nothing left to save. But he touches me anyway.. Every safehouse gets burned. Every alias gets cracked. Someone inside his own organization is feeding me to the wolves, and Silas just promised he'd torch Blackwater to the ground before he let them take me. God help me, because I want to watch him do it. A dark, possessive, slow-burn romantic suspense for readers who like their heroes lethal, their heroines sharp-tongued, and their tension thick enough to cut. Forced proximity. One bed (eventually). A man who was supposed to be untouchable until he met her. HIS LITTLE WITNESS is Book 1 in the Blackwater series. Reader note:Steamy, explicit, and intense. Contains on-page violence, themes of stalking and surveillance, and a hero whose protective instincts run very, very dark. [Read More]

Masks and Moonbeams

by Kanika Singhal

Tropes: magic, characterdriven, romantasy

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To be loved is to be known. Princess Lata moonlights as a vigilante and finds an ally worth dying for. But what does this man have to do with her good-for-nothing fiancé? Chakor captures the Moon God. Now she needs to let him go. Or watch him die. To keep her promise to her dying queen, General Ria lives her life under a mask. But an old friend returns, and now she has a choice – lose her heart or break her oath. Chitrani falls in love with a Snake prince as a child. Years later, why does her fiancé look so much like the boy she lost? And Kalindi – the village healer – tries to evict a long-healed warrior from her hut by making him do housework. She doesn’t know he is a prince. “... being truly seen beneath expectations, titles, and carefully guarded secrets.” – Amazon Reviewer, Canada “The romances are tender without being cheesy and the mix of mythology and folklore gives it personality.” – Amazon Reviewer, Spain In this collection of clean fantasy romance, five women find themselves seen — truly seen — by the last person they expected. Five stories. Five happy endings. No cliff-hangers. Masks and Moonbeams is the first book in the Of Queens and Rascals series — fantasy romance rooted in Indian mythology, folklore, and history — fierce heroines, heroes who earn their place, and love that sees through every mask. “... a shiny gate to escape from the reality of modern, fast-paced life.” – Amazon Reviewer, Germany [Read More]