An encounter with an autistic boy leads to a burgeoning romance in RaeAnne Thayne’s newest addition to the Haven Point series.

Katrina “Kat” Bailey is only in Haven Point for the month leading up to her sister’s wedding. She comes to the aid of new resident Bowie Callahan when Milo, his 6-year-old autistic brother, has a meltdown at the local grocery store. The seemingly self-absorbed yet handsome tech mogul is amazed at Kat’s ability to calm Milo and promptly offers to pay her $12,000 to babysit Milo for three weeks. She accepts, realizing that she can use the money to adopt a sweet little girl from a Colombian orphanage. Kat is excited to return to Colombia to rescue her soon-to-be daughter from her meager surroundings. But things get complicated when she falls in love with Bowie.

Fans of the Haven Point novels have much to look forward to in Serenity Harbor, the sixth installment in the series. Thayne weaves in romantic tension from the get-go, focusing much of her plot on developing the character traits of her young lovers. Kat and Bowie are no doubt attractive people outwardly. But inwardly, they are riddled with flaws—medically and emotionally. Thayne’s realistic characterization grounds the hope of falling in love with the trials and tribulations that so often come with it.

Serenity Harbor is riveting to the very end.

Susan Mann’s debut contemporary romance is packed with jet-setting adventure and sweet, nerdy chemistry as a knowledgeable librarian gets wrapped up with a charming spy.

Reference librarian Quinn Ellington tends to live her life vicariously through her favorite spy novels. Tight on cash and living in Southern California, she works herself to the bone trying to make ends meet. Any sort of globetrotting is strictly done in her imagination with her nose tucked in a book. But James Lockwood is about to change all of that.

The moment Lockwood steps through the doors of the library, Quinn appreciates his adorable taste in ties and his smooth British accent. He needs help establishing the history of a brooch for his “insurance job,” a cover for his real occupation—a spy. Though he hopes to use Quinn’s research skills temporarily, he quickly takes a liking to the brainy librarian and appeals to the library’s director in order to keep her on retainer.

But with spies come danger and soon, Quinn is caught in the whirlwind lifestyle James leads as a secret agent. James’ employer recognizes Quinn’s benefit to joining the team and her beloved spy novels become unbelievably real.

The Librarian and the Spy is incredibly fun wish fulfillment with books, swoony British blokes and travel across the pond. The danger is never dark or deadly, which makes it perfect for readers who prefer romance drama on the lighter side, and its rags-to-riches plot gives the book a fairy tale feel.

Quinn is smart and capable, spouting out obscure research facts at the drop of a hat. The baby of her family with five older brothers, she shares a love of spy thrillers with her grandfather and it’s quite delightful to see the entire Ellington clan together for an intense game of paintball. She’s also cool under pressure and adapts to the spy life with enthusiasm.

An air of uncertainty is almost required for a spy and, while dashing and just a bit dorky, James’ is more tight-lipped about Quinn regarding his origins. He plays the man of mystery well, though he isn’t ashamed to confess to Quinn how attracted he is to her intelligence. They’re an adorable couple—especially when pouring over old books, quoting Shakespeare or referencing Harry Potter.

The Librarian and the Spy is perfect for readers who prefer their romances light on melodrama and heavy on fast-paced adventure. You can just forget James Bond when Quinn Ellington is around! Mann’s follow-up novel, A Covert Affair, will continue the escapades of Quinn and James for those who can’t get enough.

Zero to Sixty is the third book in Marie Harte’s Body Shop Bad Boys series, and in this installment, a good girl and a bad boy fall in love, all because of a devastatingly cute puppy. It’s sweet, it’s sexy, and Cookie, the lovable pup in question, gives the hero and the heroine the push they need to stop being neighbors and start being something more.

Ivy Stephens is on her way to a fresh start following the disastrous end to her last relationship. The Seattle masseuse is focusing on her great career, instating a “no men” policy as she readjusts to being alone again. But she can’t help her attachment to an adorable neighborhood puppy she’s named Cookie. The stray has been hanging around her apartment, and Cookie always seems to brighten up Ivy’s day with her lolling grin and scruffy fur. When Cookie goes missing, Ivy’s search for the dog leads her right into the path of big, burly and bearded Sam Hamilton.

After his best friend’s engagement, Sam has thrown himself into his work at the garage. Sticking his head under the hood of a car lets him forget about his loneliness—well, the cars and the curious little mutt that’s been hanging around his workplace. Sam sees the stray as his, but when Ivy shows up at the garage in search of a pup called “Cookie,” he’s worried that the dog is about to be taken away from him.

At first, Ivy is intimated by Sam’s stature and the fact that he’s covered in dirt, grease and a heck of a lot of tattoos. However, she soon realizes that while Sam has a hard shell, inside there’s a gooey center. With both of them finding something precious with Cookie—Ivy finds levity and happiness; Sam finds softness and purpose—neither can bring themselves to lay full claim to the dog.

Physically, Sam and Ivy couldn’t be more different. She’s a prim and proper blonde, and he’s a tall, tatted mechanic, but they have something in common, and that’s pain. Sam has had a difficult past, growing up in a toxic and unhealthy household. Ivy felt isolated within her own family and is nursing a broken heart. The fact that a homeless stray could bring these two together is guaranteed to make readers smile until their cheeks start to ache. With a great mix of self-reflection, crazy puppy antics and steamy kisses, Zero to Sixty is a fast ride with a well-won, happily ever after payoff.

Hear that sucking sound? That’s New York Times bestseller Jennifer Probst pulling me into Any Time, Any Place, the second book in her Billionaire Builders series.

A tragic event in Raven Hawthorne’s life sent her spinning out of control for several long, miserable years. But she has since rebuilt her life and is feeling good about it—until the Pierce brothers stroll into her pub. As far as Raven’s concerned, the blame for her messy life can be laid directly at the Pierce family’s collective feet. But after initially throwing the brothers out of her bar, she sucks it up, allows them back in and treats them with cool professionalism. Then Dalton, the youngest of the three and a known player when it comes to the ladies, starts vying for her attention. She shuts him down over and over again. However, Raven is not a woman willing to lie to herself, and she can’t deny that they generate some serious chemistry.

Ordinarily, if a woman shuts him down, Dalton shrugs and moves along to the next. But there is something about Raven that keeps drawing him back for more of her entertaining verbal barbs. He doesn’t doubt for a moment that she feels the same sexual spark he does—but damned if the woman isn’t willing to ignore it. Dalton is looking for a reason to spend more time with her, and since he’s truly enamored with Raven’s battered antique bar, he offers to restore it.

As they spend more and more time in daily contact, those sparks begin to fly. But Raven has a secret that involves the Pierces. Only time will tell if it will kill the feelings growing between them—or restore her and Dalton’s broken pieces.

Any Time, Any Place is a warm, sexy, gritty blockbuster of a book. Probst composes characters and situations with a nimble dexterity and believability that left this reader eager to read more of her work.

Susan Andersen is a New York Times bestselling author of 24 romance and romantic suspense novels.

Johnny Alexander is the man of the hour at a party thrown for him by the Washington Bureau ATF office. He’s worked under cover for nearly two years, and he’s helped keep a huge number of illegal firearms off the street. But all he really cares about is getting home to his timid wife, Terri. He has wanted nothing but to protect her since he discovered her at 17, hiding out in his parents’ barn, shivering and crying. But his friend and boss, Brad, has bad news for Johnny. Terri has left him, and he also must undergo a month of re-entry therapy before getting back on the job.

Brad manages to track down Terri, and he finds a suitable therapy program for Johnny in the small community where Terri has taken refuge, the picturesque Sanctuary Island.

When Johnny spots his wife through the windows of a popular bakery, he can’t believe his eyes. Terri has cut and lightened her hair and appears outgoing and at ease. This is not the woman he married. But Johnny soon realizes that they were married in name only. His undercover work built a wall between them, and she was young and scared when they met. But she has evolved into a very different woman, a fierce and determined woman Johnny barely recognizes.

Shocked to see Johnny again, Terri’s defenses go up in a hurry. Terri left because she believed Johnny would never love her the way she loves him, nor understand her. After she decided to free Johnny from their marriage, she made a life of her own. She moved and made friends, became independent and changed her name to Tessa. But Johnny still thinks of her as the old Terri—he can’t even get her new name right.

Johnny and Tessa agree to four weeks of couples therapy, which will count as Johnny’s “re-entry” counseling. Under the watchful eye of a good counselor, they make solid progress. But can these two damaged people really allow themselves to be open with each other? Johnny and Tessa both suffered devastating trauma in their childhoods, and they’ll have to resolve their difficult pasts in order to forge a new future together.

Seasoned romance novelist Lily Everett delivers what readers want in Close to Home, book five in her Sanctuary Island series. Her well-rounded, appealing characters and her lush imagery will captivate readers and keep the pages turning. Everett’s fast-paced plot strings along the suspense, and the surprisingly emotional ending is the cherry on top.

USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen returns to her Brooklyn Bruisers series with Hard Hitter, a sizzling, slow-burn romance between a hockey team captain striving to maintain his career under grueling physical demands and the team’s new massage therapist, who is looking for a fresh start.

Patrick O’Doul is a veteran hockey player, and at the age of 32, the hard hits on the ice have begun to take their toll. For years, he has kept his pain to himself, not wanting to express the emotional and physical impacts of the sport. But when a hip injury draws the attention of his trainers and coaches, Patrick is sent to the team’s massage therapist to help get him back on the ice. But there’s just one problem with Patrick’s new health regimen: he hates to be touched.

Ari Bettini is searching for a new lease on life. After ending her long-term relationship, she’s on her own for the first time in a long time. She has her own place and is eager to throw herself into her work, helping the Bruisers stay in shape in some rather unconventional ways. The fledgling team, though, will take whatever help it can get, even if that means going to yoga and using technology to track their exercise and appointments.

Patrick and Ari are opposites in personality, though both are going through changes in life. Ari is a strong and caring heroine, and it was heartwarming to see her patience with Patrick, doing whatever she can to get him to warm up to her. Patrick is the perfect broody hero, worried that any sign of weakness will jeopardize his career or his spot as captain. Plus, the moments of massage between Ari and Patrick are hot enough to melt ice.

Hard Hitter is a standout romance, with two people learning to trust each other while dealing with their own fears regarding their futures. A strong contender for one of the hottest romances this year, Patrick and Ari’s love story is full of everything readers love: tension that pops and crackles off the pages, heart-pounding action on the ice and plenty of humor to leave a smile on your face. 

Julie Anne Long brings us the second in her series set in a rural California community with Wild at Whiskey Creek, and brace yourself, because it will grab you and refuse to release its grip until you’ve turned the very last page.

Glory Greenleaf wants out of Hell Canyon in the worst way. She has her guitar and a voice that she expects will take her far—if she can ever get away. But if the Greenleafs didn’t have trouble, they’d have nothing at all. So things keep popping up to interfere with her ambitions. Then there’s Eli, whom she’s adored for years—right up to the moment he arrested his best friend, Glory’s brother Jonah.

Sheriff Eli Barlow has been in love with Glory since he was 12. However, before he could dredge up the words to tell her so as an adult, The Arrest happened, and Glory has been furious with him ever since.

But Glory and Eli have a hard time staying away from each other. Neither can forget the night passion exploded between them. It barely went farther than a hot-as-hell kiss, but put them in the same room, and they’ll gravitate together every time.

Wild at Whiskey Creek is a marvelous, nuanced journey of a man and a woman who have truly adored each other since they were children. But in order to be together, they must battle personal demons and try to rise above their ascribed places in the small town they’ve lived in their entire lives. Julie Anne Long has long been an auto-buy for me, because she entertains her readers, making us laugh and cry and fret along with her characters—heck, sometimes this reader does all three at the same time.

Susan Andersen is a New York Times bestselling author of 23 romance and romantic-suspense novels.