Disabled by a dog attack in her childhood, Beatrice Lockwood knows what it is like to become friends with loneliness. After years of hard work to cement herself into the small Yorkshire community of Impling, she has managed to create a meaningful, simple life with people who actually care about her. So when James Bancroft, an outsider, makes his disdain for her clear in front of everyone in town, she knows that keeping her distance is the only option. She cannot afford to lose the crucial support she has garnered. The only problem is that the damned man can't seem to stay away from her now. James Bancroft - stoic, chaste, and looking for nothing but peace - is not trying to make friends in Impling. Still, he had not intended to make enemies, either. After badmouthing a beloved pillar of the community at a dance, he knows he must make amends, and quickly. But the more he tries to make things right with the morbid Miss Lockwood, the more she pulls away. As his passion toward her grows, he finds himself unable to cope with his newfound feelings. After all, he knows quite well what it looks like when a man does not control himself. Vibes: Foggy moors, folklore, small rural community Tropes: *Overheard *Grovel *Cynical hero Trigger Warnings: Scenes of domestic violence, scenes of dog attacks, scenes of animal slaughtering/death *Though this book is set in the same universe as the Gentleman's Proposal series, it is largely unrelated to the other books. Therefore, I have chosen to list it as a standalone.*

GREY & IVY DUAL POV *A betrayal - Grovel - redemption novel * Grey plans the perfect proposal to the woman he almost lost, he believes he's finally earned redemption. But when an unexpected call from his childhood friend Celeste, drags him back into the chaos he swore he'd left behind, everything spirals. A lie told in desperation. A kiss caught on camera. And a single photo that destroys everything. Ivy is left humiliated under the glow of fairy lights meant for her engagement, she's forced to confront the painful truth: love isn't always enough to erase what's been done. Meanwhile, Grey fights to prove that what Ivy saw isn't the whole story, and that sometimes, the truth isn't captured in a frame. TW: body shaming

I allowed myself to look past my intuition and distrust of a certain someone and their interactions with my fiancé ... I mean ex-fiancé. I chose trust in him over distrust of her at every crossroads his choices created, and now I'm lost. Maybe breaking it down again, piece by piece will help me look at the big picture logically. Maybe then I can feel less illogical pain and find my way back to myself again. A story about a relationship breaking down because of broken boundaries and a breakdown in communication.

After her last serious relationship fizzled out and ended in a turned-down proposal, Emory Bishop decided to focus less on relationships and more on her work planning events for the family vineyard. Her very first large-scale event was a success and she decided to reward herself with a hot and sexy night with quite the silver fox. It was supposed to be a one-night stand. It was just a fling to scratch and itch and let go for a few hours. It was all fun and games until that pregnancy test came back positive and she had nobody to blame but herself. Now she's balancing life as a single mom, while still working full-time. If she wasn't already stretched too thin, her infant son is in need of special medical care. The last thing she needs when dealing with all stress is her son's father waltzing back into her life and causing more confusion than anything else.

Although born into wealth and privilege, Cecelia Brightman has never found the forever-after kind of happiness she seeks. She has devoted her life to helping others through charity work, but now she can no longer continue along the same path. Much to the chagrin of her parents and friends, she leaves the trappings of wealth to follow her heart to the small town of Paxtonville in Colorado to be near her brother and his large family. Connor MacKenzie is carrying baggage from a previous sorrow that almost destroyed him. However, Cecelia Brightman, the new owner of the local coffeehouse, is rocking his lonely world.

Falling out of love with someone is one thing. Falling out because of a midlife crisis where you discover he's cheating and has been for months? Months that he's been lying about where and who he's with, and leaving you to be a married single mother. That's a whole different thing! And EJ is done. She packs up her kids and moves home. When sparks fly in the initial meeting of her and the contactor, they both feel it. Until others who want them for themselves try to pull them apart. Follow along on this journey of self-discovery, friendship, and love.

In rain-soaked Dublin, Aoife begins to unravel the life she thought was hers, discovering that love, identity, and belonging are not given - they are claimed. *** Aoife Brennan planned the perfect night to celebrate the life she thought they were building together. But when the clock strikes midnight, she discovers that some truths don't come crashing down - they unravel, quietly. Set in the rainy corners of Dublin, The Placeholder is a story of love mistaken for fate, and the quiet ache of being someone's almost.

"Everything's fine, honey." That's what Steven has been telling her for months. But tonight, at their wedding anniversary party, Shirley can't shake the feeling that something's off. Her husband, once so present, now seems distant. His evasive glances, his forced smiles... and that text message he tried so hard to hide. "We can't keep going like this. You need to tell her the truth." The message flashes on his phone screen, and Shirley feels her world tilt. Seven years of marriage, a picture-perfect life: a flawless home, an adorable daughter, a loving husband... or so she thought. But behind the closed doors of their home, lies are piling up. And Shirley, the former NYU prodigy who sacrificed everything for her family, is about to confront a truth that could shatter it all. Betrayals, buried secrets, and impossible choices-Shirley is thrust into a maze of deception where every revelation brings her closer to a heart-wrenching decision: stay and forgive... or risk everything to reclaim herself. "Sometimes, the truth doesn't set you free. It tears you apart."