Showing results by author "Tara Sivec" in All Categories

Nothing good ever comes from drinking a box of wine alone. So when I decided to entertain my drunken self by setting up some hand-me-down podcasting equipment and reading the steamy parts from romance novels, I never thought anyone would actually listen. The fact that I admitted my huge crush on my sexy next door neighbor made the whole thing even more mortifying. But sometimes life surprises you, and that’s how my podcast, Heidi’s Discount Erotica, was born. Now I, Heidi Larsen, a sweet former kindergarten teacher in Waconia, Minnesota, lead a scandalous double life.

After spending my entire pro golfing career being known as the quiet, controlled, no-nonsense golfer, there's nothing more humiliating than throwing all of that down the drain on national television. Needing some place to hide, I can only think of one place I need to be. Summersweet Island, where they'll all be happy to have me home again. Well, except maybe one person. But I'm sure Birdie Bennett, my best friend since I was 15 and the clubhouse manager of my favorite golf course, has had plenty of time to forgive me for that tiny little misunderstanding.

A tale as old as time: she needs a place to stay, he's a grump with a secret and an extra room...can love find a way? Living in her overprotective dad’s basement, shy Belle lives her life through books. Being a part of the Naughty Princess Club is the first adventure she’s ever had, plus she desperately needs the money to save one of her favorite places - the local library. But when her new friends and new business gets her kicked out of her dad’s house, Belle is rescued by the surly Vincent “Beast” Adams who invites her to be his house guest until she gets back on her feet.

Ryan Hutton has spent his entire life being the shy, nerdy, rule-following nice guy on Summersweet Island. He's the high school bowling coach and algebra teacher, who's always predictable, and he's always been fine with that. At least until a sexy nutjob gives him the best kiss of his life in his favorite pizza place. Suddenly, he doesn't like being the quiet, obedient nice guy anymore.

‘Twas the week before Christmas and all through L.A., Allie Parker’s famous twin sisters/ were driving her cray. She fled to the mountains with a hostage in tow, hoping to sleep through the holidays, which were a sh*t-show. A crash in a blizzard, and a hot mountain man, definitely wasn’t part of her evacuation plan.

Brooklyn Manning thought her life was perfect in every way, until it crumbled down around her and turned into a dumpster fire. With her pride wounded and her tail tucked between her legs, she leaves New York and goes back to her tiny hometown of White Timber, Montana. No more 24-hour taco trucks, no more shopping at the best designer stores within walking distance, no more giving taxi drivers the finger when they angrily honk at her. She didn’t think it could get any worse. But then Clint Hastings walked into the room and insulted her.

After war veteran Kennedy O’Brien returned home from Afghanistan and caught her husband in bed with the nanny, she lost her faith in all things male. So she started Fool Me Once Investigations to stick it to the man — because there’s no better bounty hunter than a woman scorned. Her latest job is a wild dog-chase to slap cuffs on a bail jumper turned Chihuahua thief, but thanks to her meddling family, Kennedy will have to put up with a partner. And it’s about the last man she’d ever pick: Her cheating ex-husband’s best friend, Griffin Crawford.

For Lorelei Warner, being perfect isn't everything it's cracked up to be. She did what her straitlaced parents wanted: Became a lawyer, married her college boyfriend. But since her husband ran off with another man and her career became a nonstop bore-fest, Lorelei has turned to her best friends and Fool Me Once Investigations to find fulfillment and adventure.

Laura Bennett has spent her life taking care of other people and running the Dip and Twist. With an ever-growing family, she's a mother to them all. But her baby is getting married, and her oldest has her own life changes to deal with. Suddenly, being alone doesn't sound so appealing anymore. Dean Campbell has always been the black sheep. The only one he cares about is his nephew, Palmer. Deciding at the last minute to attend Palmer's nuptials, Dean knows he's going to need to try not to be his grouchy self. But the mother-of-the-bride has him wanting to check plus-one on his invite.

Two years ago, I was a pretty big deal. I thought I had it all, until a blast from my past popped up on my social media feed, keeping my ego in check and reminding me how basic I am. Except sassy Wren Bennett isn't just a blast from my past. She's the only woman I ever saw a future with. Even though my soul leaves my body every time she says she hates baseball and has never watched me play, a year's worth of messages filled with laughter and sarcasm only remind me how amazing my "pen pal" is.

What happens when your life goes to crap the week of Christmas? You invite a hot Marine you met in an airport bar to come home with you for the holidays, to distract your crazy family from the truth. With a handsy aunt, a meddling mother, and a father concerned for the wellbeing of his daughter's eggnog, there's no chance Sam and Noel will have time to fall in love...or will they?

Harvest Grove News: Favorite bar owner, Ford Prescott, is back in town for his yearly stay, making this his sixth October in Harvest Grove! Single ladies—try not to overwhelm the poor man with so many baked goods this year. Sidney Tanner wants residents to know her Severed Head Succulents will be buy one, get one free before the countdown to midnight begins on October Eve. Since it's likely she'll be in jail at some point that night, please text her your orders. Still seeking volunteers for various events around town: Someone to organize pumpkin carving night at the Gore House.

Once upon a time, Cynthia was the perfect housewife. Between being the president of the PTA and keeping her home spotless without a hair (or her pearls) out of place, her life was a dream come true. Her husband was once her knight in shining armor, but now he’s run off with all their money...and the babysitter.

'Twas the week before Christmas and all through Summersweet, Tess Powell was annoyed and wanted to retreat. With a BIC in her hand and a frown on her face, everyone knew she needed a break from this place. Wanting the holiday to be nothing but the best, Bodhi took his girlfriend to the mountains to rest. While visions of fire happily danced in Tess' head, soon she would see she had everything to dread. Crying kids, singing hippos, and a stalker with a van definitely weren't part of Bodhi's evacuation plan.

Claire is a 20-something, single mom who grudgingly helps her best friend sell sex toys while she attempts to make enough money to start her own business to give her foul-mouthed, but extremely loveable (when he's asleep) toddler a better life. When Carter, the one-night-stand from her past that changed her life forever, shows up in her hometown bar without any recollection of her besides her unique chocolate scent, Claire will make it a point that he remembers her this time. With Carter's undisguised shock at suddenly finding out he has a four-year-old son and Claire's panic that her stretch marks and slim-to-none bedroom experience will send the man of her dreams heading for the hills, the pair will do whatever they can to get their happily ever after.

It’s been a lot of years and another lifetime since Dax Trevino was a playboy detective for the Franklin Police Department. He’s been through hell and back, and now he just wants to be left alone so he can cuddle his otters. When two of his babies are kidnapped in the middle of the night and Claws and Effect Pet Detectives are called to the rescue, quiet, broody Dax never expects to be tackled and handcuffed by the only woman he ever regretted being a douchebag to all those years ago.

The happiest day of Payton Lambert's life was the day she graduated high school and watched Bald Knob, Kentucky, get smaller and smaller in her rearview mirror. She wanted more for her life than a tiny town where everyone knows your business and you can't find a decent cup of coffee for at least 40 miles. Twelve years later an unexpected phone call in the middle of the night has her packing up her life in Chicago and racing back home to the one person she ever regretted leaving behind.

While her friends have broken free of their insecurities, Ariel Waters is struggling to come out of her shell. Her ex-husband took away her voice and her self-confidence, and Ariel is drowning under a sea of debt to afford the alimony she has to pay him. She refuses to ever fall for a man’s charms again and is determined to make her own way. When her house and her beloved antiques are taken by the bank after too many missed payments, Ariel finds herself adrift until the infuriatingly charming Eric Sailor comes to her rescue.

Ember Hastings never thought she'd be dragged away from White Timber and everything she loved, thrust in the middle of a big city she hated, or have her husband of nine years say, "I can't do this anymore", all within the span of three months - yet here she is. She misses her family, she misses the farm, and she misses having a backbone and caring whether or not the stain on her shirt is chocolate or s--t. She works from home doing transcription. Does she really need to shower or leave the house?

Emily Flanagan has been living her dreams the last four years as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles Vipers, thousands of miles away from her tiny hometown of Summersweet Island, Virginia. She's got the world at the tips of her pom-poms...until she tells her boss to shove those pom-poms where the sun doesn't shine.