A Kiss to Build a Grudge On


Book Description

Recipe for Love: Take one chance encounter between two strangers, add a near-perfect first kiss…and temper it with a long-simmering grudge. Preheat the oven… Talented baker Max Mitchell has never quite gotten over the woman he met, kissed, and promptly repelled, all in the space of one momentous V-J Day celebration. So he should be thrilled when fate brings her back into his life—the only problem? She can’t stand him, and now that she’s moved in next door, it’s impossible to resist provoking her…or pining for her. Add a pinch of salt… After years of making ends meet, widow Frannie Haynes finally has the career of her dreams, as head accountant at Phoenix Pictures, and is ready to give her young daughter the world. Her calculations certainly don’t include letting her handsome neighbor anywhere near her heart, even if his extraordinary kiss—and the humiliation that followed—are seared into her memory. Bake until golden… But the more they’re forced into each other’s company, the more their bickering gives way to friendship—and passion. With temperatures steadily rising, Frannie and Max forge a stronger bond than either of them expected. But old heartbreaks are slow to heal, and they’ll have to learn to trust the magic between them if they want to save their second chance… *Author’s Note: Content notes/warnings for this and all my books can be found on my website: www.briannegillen.com/books/content-notes




My Favorite Leopard


Book Description

When a movie star with a fierce secret meets an animal handler chasing his big break, sparks (and plenty of fur) fly… With a flourishing career as golden-era Hollywood’s leading femme fatale, Lina Leonard has never regretted leaving her place among a line of magical feline protectors—or suppressing her ability to shift into a leopard at will. But when her past comes calling, on the same day she runs into a handsome cat wrangler, she finds herself tempted to make more than just movie magic. Tony Benson only wants to land a prestigious gig as an animal trainer at Phoenix Pictures and secure the funding he needs to continue helping the critters under his care—especially Betty, the gentle leopard he rescued as a cub. The last thing he expects is for his favorite noir dame to soothe his rough edges and enflame his desires. Lina and Tony’s incendiary chemistry is nearly tamed by a herd of kittens, a pair of lovelorn leopards, and a dodgy circus owner. But with a little real magic, and a lot of trust in one another, they might just become a purrfect team.




Sea Creatures Prefer Redheads


Book Description

She creates fantastic monsters for a living. But her imagination is a lot closer to reality than she ever dreamed possible… In the golden age of movie-making, monster flicks are all the rage, and Opal Prince loves her job as a specialty makeup artist at Neptune Pictures—if only her boss would stop taking credit for her work. Her current creation, the titular creature in The Kelp-Dweller from Fathoms Below, might just be her favorite yet. And it doesn’t hurt that the handsome actor underneath is quickly swimming his way into her heart. Adrian Waterson has a secret, and his redheaded colleague’s uncanny design threatens to unmask him. It’s no accident the rising movie star keeps to himself; the last thing he needs is word getting out about the real reason aquatics come so naturally to him—and precisely how human he isn’t. The closer he gets to Opal, the greater that risk becomes…and the more he longs to be himself with her. When their newfound romance breaks a years-long curse, the pair must learn to navigate uncharted waters. Especially if they want to remain part of each other’s worlds… *Author’s Note: Content notes/warnings for this and all my books can be found on my website: www.briannegillen.com/books/content-notes




Single Indemnity


Book Description

Conspiring with your lover to do away with your husband should be a straightforward task—especially when said husband is entirely fictional… One Very Fake Husband… Natalie “Nate” Reynolds has it all—a thriving career as one of golden-era Hollywood’s top costume designers, fantastic (and famous) friends…and a husband she invented years ago in a misguided attempt to land a job. That is, until her new project throws her a curve in the shape of a bumbling Brit with the sexiest voice she’s ever heard, and her carefully woven charade starts to fray. One Very Real Lover… Rising screenwriting star Colin Canfield’s move to Tinseltown could be precisely what he needs to finally find his path again after the war. But his fresh start is about to get turned upside down by the wise-cracking dame of his dreams…who needs his help in keeping her whopper of a secret. One Hell of a Tangled Web… The plot heats up alongside their relationship, as Nate and Colin become embroiled in a real-life drama wilder than the movies they make. When Nate’s lie tap dances them straight into screwball-noir disaster, it threatens to unravel the tapestry around—and between—them. But it might just give them the boost they need to rewrite their wrongs together… *Author’s Note: Content notes/warnings for this and all my books can be found on my website: www.briannegillen.com/books/content-notes




Difficult


Book Description

“I suppose everyone expects a flop from us…But wouldn’t it be a lot more fun if we did something else?” The Biggest Gossip, Straight Out of 1947 Hollywood! A Diva Destined for Disaster… With a face made for the cinema and the acting chops to back it up, Lois Ashford should be one of Hollywood’s most powerful players. But for the last decade, her notorious reputation for being “difficult” has kept her dreams of true stardom at bay—and now it might even cost her the contract she needs to continue her career. A Heartthrob Heading toward Hazard… Golden-boy Nick Bradley has always been considered one of the screen’s most captivating leading men—devastatingly handsome, tremendously talented, and a real-life hero to boot. That is, until a scandalous brush with the law makes him tabloid fodder and lands him in hot water with his bosses. A Match Made for Motion Picture Magic… When their studio pairs them in a stinker of a film, the last thing anyone expects is for their punishment to lead to a dynamic partnership—least of all Lois and Nick. And after the big bosses push them to capitalize on the momentum with a phony publicity marriage, it isn’t long before the sparks get real and their wedded bliss becomes a lot less fake. But all that glitters is not so golden, and their newly-minted status as Hollywood Royalty might just come at the expense of their hearts. Unless they can find the courage to tell a new story... *Author’s Note: Content notes/warnings for this and all my books can be found on my website: www.briannegillen.com/books/content-notes




A Kiss for Lucy


Book Description

Could the wrong woman be the right love? Rescued from a life of hardship by her wealthy uncle, Lucy Garwood can't escape the shadow of her elitist relatives. She longs to be loved and respected in her own right, but it seems that as an orphan, her place amongst her bluebood family is unlikely to improve—that is until a case of mistaken identity leads to a kiss from a dashing stranger... Robert Renquist, Duke of Lindorough, is determined to win the heart of the lovely Maude. But in an attempt to sweep her off of her feet with a daring act of passion, it isn't Maude he kisses, but her half-niece instead. Though conscious of his standing in society, Robert can't deny his unmistakable attraction to Lucy, and he'll soon discover there is only one thing more powerful than his noble lineage—love.




Every Day Love


Book Description

A peek into love that comforts and thrives, Every Day Love is filled with stories and experiences that are often overlooked as insignificant. These small moments from the heart of a relationship are actually nothing less than the nuts and bolts of loving. Full of tiny tales of lovers’ quarrels, heartaches, and glorious triumphs, this book gives readers snapshots of the loving nuances that transform our differences into common bonds, the small yet noteworthy actions that keep love fresh, every day. In experiencing these small but lovely moments, readers learn from reading Every Day Love? how to avoid pitfalls and celebrate the differences between themselves and their love — after all, wasn’t it curiosity about those differences that piqued your interest in the first place? Proving that it’s the delicate pinch of difference that keeps lovers fascinating and fascinated, this book celebrates the effort and determination required to love an imperfect someone. Every Day Love proves that the best part about love is the resolve that keeps it lively.




Min-Maxing My TRPG Build in Another World: Volume 7


Book Description

After a road home full of new meetings, farewells, and all sorts of chaos, Erich has finally made his way back to Konigstuhl. His brothers may have grown up a bit, but his friends and family haven’t changed much at all. Although the warm welcome from his little canton is comforting...the show must go on! Finally ready to fulfill his promise to himself and his childhood companion, how will everyone’s favorite Level 1 Fighter fare as he sets off on his adventure?!




Reality Check


Book Description

Carmen Fuller is getting fed up with the baby mama drama, her medaling in-laws and her guilt-driven husband. Balancing her personal life and her job as a caseworker at the county’s Friend of the Court system is challenging. Stress levels run high for this thirty-two year old mother of two. Carmen keeps her family on a need-to-know status leaving her girlfriends- Tonya and Simone, who are dealing with their own family drama - as her only support. As she struggles with the feelings she experiences as a stepmother to nine-year old Junior, she discovers that she is not alone. Her situation intensifies when she suspects her husband, Tyrell, of unfaithfulness. Although she felt the separation from her husband far before her suspicions of infidelity, Carmen’s dream family life is at-risk of crumbling apart. But she refuses to hand her husband and family over on a silver platter. Meanwhile, her home and work life overlap when she receives “hate mail” from someone who obviously wants her husband. She keeps the letters a secret from Tyrell, but uses other tactics to feel him out. As she figures things out, she makes some astonishing discoveries about her stepson that have been happening all along. Tyrell shares with a marriage counselor that his feelings towards his wife changed when he noticed that she didn’t like his son anymore. Carmen is offended and shocked by his bogus accusations. After all of the drama she puts up with, this was the sorry excuse her husband had for treating her the way he did. While eluding their family members and Tyrell’s baby mama, the couple struggles with moving forward. As Carmen works on herself, she decides to choose her battles and accept things for what they are. She digs deep for some real soul searching to improve her roles as a wife, a mother, and a stepmother.




The Cubicle Diaries


Book Description

Set in a scandalous, cut-throat workplace, The Cubicle Diaries follows the lives of officemates who experience the repercussions of mixing business and pleasure. As the follow-up to There’s Something in the Coffee, this satirical drama details and mocks what most people go through without even knowing it and before it’s too late, it is too late. Headed as everyone’s muse and on occasional rival, Derek Johnston returns and leads the chaos into more tangled webs one could never imagine getting in to while on the clock. Friends Close, Coworkers Closer experiences what really happens to one when they get too close to their coworkers all while trying to climb up the corporate ladder and make a name for yourself. Flushed with LOL jaw-dropping moments, laced with over the top shenanigans, relatable and entertaining in almost any way possible, this installment of the series reminds us that anything can happen in our workplace, and anyone is collateral damage, especially if surviving in Los Angeles has to do with it. One thing is for sure, after reading and digesting this page turner, we will all know that it is better to keep your friends close and your coworkers closer.