The Sweetest Charade

"A delightful opposites-attract fake-relationship romance with a decidedly modern flair." —Library Journal Delysia Daniels didn’t intend any of this. Accidentally tagging the wrong person in a slightly racy photo could have happened to anyone. But when the slipup gains her thousands of followers and a much-needed opportunity, she takes full advantage. Fake dating an uptight history professor complete with the proverbial stiff upper lip will raise both their profiles, if she can just get him to agree. Dr. Alexander Abbott-Hill isn’t delusional enough to believe his sudden popularity is due to his fascinating lectures. Agreeing to a high-profile, all-expenses-paid trip across the country isn’t exactly a hardship, although getting along with an online influencer might be. But he doesn’t plan on Delysia. She’s smart, beautiful, and far more…everything…than he’d imagined. Fake relationship aside, neither of them is very good at pretending. Add their instant attraction and undeniable chemistry, and it isn’t long before they realize this fictional relationship is going to change their lives—just not the way they thought.

Cassie is fed up with online dating, but just when she’s finally decided to give up, firefighter Jett Bentley takes her on an amazing first date. But when they both go home and find three children dropped in their laps—each—they independently decide to do the right and mature thing: hide the kids from each other while sorting it all out. What could go wrong? Cassie Everson is an expert at escaping bad first dates. And, after years of meeting, greeting, and running from the men who try to woo her, Cassie is almost ready to retire her hopes for a husband—and children—altogether. But fate has other plans, and Cassie’s online dating profile catches the eye of firefighter Jett Bentley. In Jett’s memory, Cassie Everson is the unreachable girl-of-legend from their high school days. Nervously, he messages her, setting off a chain of events that forces a reluctant Cassie back into the dating game. No one is more surprised than Cassie when her first date with Jett is a knockout—but when Cassie finds herself caring for three sisters in an emergency foster placement, she decides to hide them from Jett to avoid scaring him off. When Jett’s sister’s addiction issues land her three children at his home, he decides the last thing Cassie needs to know about is his family drama. Neither dares to tell the other about their unexpected and possibly permanent family members for fear of scaring away their potential soulmate, especially since they both listed "no kids” on their profiles! With six children between them and secrets mounting, can Cassie and Jett find a way forward? Melissa Ferguson’s warmhearted debut reminds us that love can come in very small packages—and that sometimes our best-laid plans aren’t nearly as rewarding and fun as the surprises that come our way. Praise for The Dating Charade: “Melissa Ferguson is a sparkling new voice in contemporary rom-com. Though her novel tackles meaningful struggles—social work, child abandonment, adoption—it’s also fresh, flirty, and laugh-out-loud funny. Ferguson is going to win fans with this one!”—Lauren Denton, bestselling author of The Hideaway and Glory Road “The Dating Charade will keep you smiling the entire read. Ferguson not only delights us with new love, with all its attendant mishaps and misunderstandings, but she takes us deeper in the hearts and minds of vulnerable children as Cassie and Jett work out their families—then their dating lives. An absolute treat!”—Katherine Reay, bestselling author of The Printed Letter Bookshop Stand-alone contemporary romance Full-length novel (76,000 words) Includes discussion questions for book clubs

A Temporary Betrothal Pregnant widow Ellie Jameson is hiding a secret: her betrothal is a sham to keep her safe from her interfering in-laws. It’s simple friendship that prompts her reclusive boss to pose as her fiancé. But can Ellie keep her feelings for Alexander Copeland from developing into something more? When he moved to Gatlinburg after losing his wife and child, Alexander had one rule: stay out of other people’s lives. Easier said than done with the café owner’s eternally optimistic cook interrupting his enforced solitude. He only intended to protect Ellie, not propose to her. But with a little trust, and a helping of forgiveness, this temporary arrangement could be a recipe for lasting happiness…

“An intoxicating blend of wholesome sweetness and tear-off-your-clothes steam…Ruby Barrett’s writing leaves me breathless.” —Rosie Danan, author of The Roommate "Sexy, smart, and fiercely feminist." —Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test A meet-cute gone wrong is the start of a surprising courtship in this fresh, modern take on the workplace romance from debut author Ruby Barrett Corrine Blunt knows what people think of her—she’s an icy, unapproachable executive. It’s the price she’s had to pay to get to the top. But there’s knowing you have a reputation in the office, and there’s hearing your new intern laugh when someone calls you “Blunt the C*nt” in the elevator on his first day. She’d hoped to finally find an ally in Wesley Chambers, but she’s not about to let him off the hook for joining the office boys’ club. Taking refuge in the professional boundaries between them, she relegates Wes to assistant work—which would do the trick, if he weren’t so eager to prove he’s a decent human being. Wes is sincerely apologetic, insisting it was a misunderstanding, and to her surprise, Corrine believes him. Being forced to work together was one thing, but long hours at the office with what turns out to be a kind, thoughtful man soon has their business relationship turning personal, and things get complicated—fast. Could this be something more serious than either of them dared to hope for? Or is their relationship just playing into the harmful power dynamics Corrine’s had to endure her entire career? Book 1: Hot Copy Book 2: The Romance Recipe

Divorce attorney Kayla Brooks knows more about broken marriages than is healthy for any woman’s heart. So, when her college-aged niece joyfully announces her engagement, Kayla is determined to derail the wedding plans. To her mind, saving Whitney from an early marriage is saving her from inevitable heartbreak. Football coach and single dad Zander Reed’s world is rocked when his twenty-two-year-old son announces he’s going to marry the woman of his dreams, a young lady Zander didn’t even know Matt was dating. Because he married far too young himself, Zander’s desperate to keep his son from repeating his mistake. United by their concern, Kayla and Zander join forces to convince the young lovebirds to postpone their wedding. But their carefully laid plans go awry as the lines between reality and ruse blur, leaving Kayla and Zander to wonder if they aren’t the ones who need to learn a lesson about true love.

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman in her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection. Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too. Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne's past isn't what she thought? Soon they're trading one charade for another - losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real. Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart for ever.

Abby Carpenter is in a tailspin knowing she is about to spend ten days in the company of her ex-girlfriend—who is now engaged to her brother—for a family holiday gathering in Red River, New Mexico. The same ex-girlfriend who last year at Christmas had lured her into bed. Abby’s solution? A pretend girlfriend for the holidays would surely keep her ex away and in her own room at night, right? Nic Bennett’s life has been far from ideal and Christmas is her most dreaded holiday of all as she relives horrors from the past. When an attractive stranger approaches her with the offer of a chance to get away for ten days, she agrees. But with a counteroffer that brings both anxiety and excitement to the desperate Abby. Among the holiday lights and snow-covered grandeur, the lines between pretend and reality blur as the two women have the time of their lives. Soon Abby learns it isn’t her ex she can’t resist. And Nic learns what it means to be part of a family for Christmas.

16-year-old Dusty Everhart breaks into houses late at night, but not because she's a criminal. No, she's a Nightmare. Literally. Dusty is a magical being who feeds on human dreams. Being the only Nightmare at Arkwell Academy, a boarding school for magickind, and living in the shadow of her mother's infamy is hard enough, not to mention the crazy events of the past year. Dusty may have saved the day, but there are many days left in the year, and with an old foe back to seek revenge, she'll need all her strength to defeat him and save her friends. Mindee Arnett thrills again in The Nightmare Charade, the stunning final installment in the Arkwell Academy series. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.