Tag Archives: stacey agdern

The Landmarks of a Relationship: The Javits Center and THE DATING CONTRACT

March 25, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

For years before I started pursuing writing professionally, I spent a period of time working at a bookstore in Grand Central Terminal. The store carried a bunch of things, one of which was a section of books dedicated to New York- history and photo books loved by tourists and locals alike. One of my favorite NYC photo books had a beautiful photo of a ceiling made of light,  window and glass.

It was the photo book I recommended to people who were searching for one, and every single time, I folded out the page and revealed the photo. It was, of course, beautiful. And every single time, there was surprise at the location of the photo – the Javits Center, the convention center filled most of the year by all sorts of conventions and exhibitions.

But this special photo was of things you could only see if you’re in the building looking up. And most of the time, our attention is focused on the things in front of us, the things we’re there to see, not the beautiful spaces, some of which happen to be just above us.   

The building, the spaces we see when we’re looking everywhere but up, shows up in The Dating Contract. Twice.  

First, the Javits Center shows up at the beginning of the book. The opening scene is filled with the anticipation and nerves of people excited to get into the building and the wedding expo it’s hosting, contrasting with the fmc Leah’s own misgivings, as well as the mmc Samuel’s concerns and thoughts as he sits in his booth and deals with the reactions of the crowd. The Javits center and Samuel’s booth is also the location of Leah and Samuel’s first meeting in years. 

The second time the Javits Center shows up is much later into the story ; Leah and Samuel have made their agreement, and Leah is now attending Comic Con as Samuel’s bodyguard/confidant as he signs posters he’s drawn for the first time. 

The location is generally the same; on the same upstairs floor. However, the booth on the right side, in an area filled with artists waiting to display their art to potential people in search of an autograph or Ketubah; the signing area is in the area designated by MoviePix for that purpose, and Samuel is signing only posters he lettered for a historical romance series. 

The equivalent of the beautiful view that happens when we look up is the emotional arc that sits in between the two different appearances of the landmark convention center. From the way Samuel and Leah react to each other, all the way to the mood of the entire convention, you can see the development of the relationship between the two characters from their first encounter.  In the space between the two scenes, you can see the evidence that Leah and Samuel are on their way to resolving their past and will end up together for real. 

 No matter what they think ☺ 

About the Author.

Stacey Agdern is an award-winning former bookseller who has reviewed romance novels in multiple formats and given talks about various aspects of the romance genre. She incorporates Jewish characters and traditions into her stories so that people who grew up like she did can see themselves take center stage on the page. She’s also a member of both LIRW and RWA NYC. She lives in New York, not far from her favorite hockey team’s practice facility.

Find Some Luck in our March Releases (PLUS enter a giveaway!)

March 1, 2024 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Read more about our new releases for March!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the March releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

Marrying the Nanny by Dani Collins
Release Date: March 5, 2024

When infant Storm is orphaned, nanny Emma Wright, on a work visa and still reeling from a painful divorce, yearns to adopt her but must relinquish Storm to her three adult half-brothers. They remind her of a pack of wolves—protective, but not prepared to care for a baby.  Alpha male Reid is especially aloof and intimidating.

Like his younger brothers, Reid Fraser left the Westcoast village of Raven’s Cove at eighteen and never looked back. Now a successful corporate consultant who rescues failing businesses—which is what this fly-in fishing resort has become, Reid must rally his brothers to save Storm’s inheritance, but he and his estranged brothers barely get along. They can’t deal with an infant, too. They need the nanny.

As Emma coaches Reid through midnight feedings and teething, they try to ignore the sexual pull between them. Then they learn Storm may have family who could take her from them. Reid proposes a marriage of convenience, but will it be enough to keep this fractured family together?

Sunset at Embthwaite Farm by Kate Hewitt
Release Date: March 7, 2024

When Anna Mowbray receives a curt message from one of her estranged daughters that her ex-husband–a silent and surly Yorkshire farmer –is dying, she realizes it’s time to return home. Twelve years ago when her daughters were mostly grown, Anna walked away from Embthwaite Farm with no plan except to preserve her sanity and to find a ray of light to cling to.

But going home is harder than even Anna imagines. Her daughters are miles away from forgiveness and rebuff her every overture of help and communication, and her ex, who knows why she left, doesn’t even want to speak to her. But Anna’s determined to face her demons, make amends, and reconnect with her family.

What she doesn’t expect is kindness from her neighbors and understanding and warmth from the handsome widower James Adams, as well as his warm and welcoming daughter Jane. As Anna grieves her old life and tries to come to terms with the mistakes and hurts from the past, can she create a future where there’s room for a family around her… and the possibility of love?

Sworn to Lead by Charlee James
Release Date: March 12, 2024

She’s everything he never knew he needed – but off limits in every way.

Being a Navy SEAL gives Neo “Ransom” Godfrey purpose and escape from his cold, elitist upbringing. But when he learns his estranged mother’s dead, orphaning a medically fragile half-sibling he’s never met, Ransom rushes home. He’s committed to his brother, his team, and his career, but can he juggle everything? When he meets his brother’s protective, blue-eyed nurse with an Irish lilt, his solution is simple—she should move into his Virginia Beach home where they can care for Jacob together—strictly business.

Brynn Yarrow has been Jacob’s nurse for five years. She’s unimpressed and on-guard, when six-foot-six of solid muscle and bright green eyes swaggers in full of promises. Brynn’s slow to trust, and his proposal that she move halfway across the country sounds crazy, but impossible to refuse. She loves Jacob and could never abandon him, or hurt him, like her family did to her.

Ransom has never had anyone test his self-control like Brynn. She deserves his protection, but he longs to give her so much more.

Biography of a Friendship by Marie-Claude Arnott
Release Date: March 14, 2024

Their friendship was a defining constant in their lives…

When Marie-Claude (MC) met Juliette in an office in Switzerland, she was starting a new job. Juliette was already established, sophisticated, and refreshingly blunt. The younger MC was drawn to Juliette’s wit and zest for life, and they quickly became friends. Even when careers, marriages, motherhood, moves, and tragedy separated them across decades and continents, their friendship thrived.

Then came the day MC saw a shocking photo of Juliette looking exhausted and aged. She pleaded for her friend to visit a doctor, but neither was prepared for the devastating diagnosis: pancreatic cancer. Both women were crushed but determined to make the most of their remaining months together. MC visited Juliette in France and later Switzerland, where MC agreed to accompany Juliette on her final journey. As the two friends discussed their friendship, lives, and views on death, MC was consumed by doubt. Could she be the friend Juliette needed?

“Be a part of Juliette’s conversation” was her answer, and her final gift to Juliette is this beautiful story of their friendship.

My Favorite Mistake by Stella Holt
Release Date: March 19, 2024

Fake dating her client’s gorgeous son was a mistake—enjoying his touch will be her ruin.

Bad boy Ian Maguire is a lawyer with an image problem. But he doesn’t care if the media is obsessed with him or deemed him the most wanted bachelor. He’s also not interested in relationships, until he meets his dad’s political strategist. With her cool confidence, dark features, and quiet beauty, she is tempting enough to get him to pretend to settle down. And he can promise they will both enjoy it.

Simone Jax is trained in managing a crisis, and she has the perfect plan for Ian’s playboy status. He just needs to agree to only be seen with one woman until his father’s gubernatorial election is over, even if it’s fake. But when the press captures a picture of them kissing and blasts it everywhere, she has no choice but to play the part of girlfriend.

Just when their fake relationship starts to feel genuine, Simone discovers she’s pregnant. Is this a secret baby or the start of a real romance?

The Dating Contract by Stacey Agdern
Release Date: March 21, 2024

Sports Agent Leah Nachman is knee deep in her sister’s wedding drama and inches away from her biggest career goal when she runs into the high school boyfriend who broke her heart. The last thing she needs is another confrontation with the man too many people are convinced is her bashert.  But perhaps he can be of use. After all, she’s totally over him. Right?

Sofer and Comic Letterer Samuel Levine is at a professional crossroads when he runs into what he believes is a fated second chance. He hasn’t seen Leah in ages, but the guilt over how they broke up still eats at him. When Leah proposes a fake ‘dating contract’ to help her make partner at her agency, and thwart her sister’s matchmaking,  Samuel agrees. His goal is forgiveness, after all.

But the more time they spend together as ‘plus ones,’ the more like fate the dates feel. Leah is convinced love and ambition can’t co-exist and Samuel’s convinced he’s losing her. Will they let their dating contract expire or give love another chance?

Second Chance at the Crossing by Fiona Marsden
Release Date: March 28, 2024

They never dreamed of forever until their lives began falling apart.

Connor O’Brien knew he didn’t deserve happiness. He had cost his family too much. When he fell into a relationship with Daisy Litton, he gave as much as he dared. Every day she was with him was a win, and as long as they had the same vision of the future, he believed he could hold on to her.

And then it all changed.

Daisy Litton fell for Connor the first time they met. He was everything she didn’t deserve, everything she needed. So long as she didn’t need too much. Starting a family was the last thing on her mind.

Until everything changed and she knew she had to leave.

Five years later, Connor still feels responsible for all they lost, so if he can help make Daisy’s return to The Crossing easier, he will. When they recklessly revisit how good they are together, the consequences could ruin everything they are building. Or will it give them a reason to put their hearts on the line, this time forever?

Tule Publishing October 2021 Releases

September 30, 2021 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Read more about our new releases for October!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the October releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

The Witch’s Reckoning by Leigh Ann Edwards (Muse)

Release Date: October 4, 2021

The Witches of Time, Book 4

They’ve prevailed against the greatest of odds, but will the ultimate battle lead to their reckoning?

The beautiful Irish witch Alainn O’Brien and her husband Killian, a handsome warrior chieftain, have been in love most of their lives. While danger has followed the gifted witch and her sovereign guardian ruthlessly and relentlessly, their love and commitment have always saved them. But now, finally returned to their castle, they and the other witches and guardians must face what may be their greatest challenge yet—the long-predicted battle between light and dark magic.

With death in the air, secrets revealed, others concealed and a spell of discontent placed upon the chiefdom, threatening even the strongest relationships, Alainn and Killian’s troubles grow exponentially. When they receive an ominous invitation to meet with the infamous Dark Lord Odhran, they must decide if it’s worth the risk.

To defeat Odhran, they’ll need to band together and combine their powers, crossing the realms of time and pushing the boundaries of magic. Who’ll live to see the battle and who’ll live through it?

Christmas Ever After by Clare Connelly (American Heart)

Release Date: October 6, 2021

Cape Hope, Book 2

He once chose her happiness over his. Can this Christmas be their second chance?

Cassidy Hanna never felt like she belonged in Cape Hope, so she fled town and heartbreak ten years ago for a new life in Manhattan and everything she ever dreamed of—a great job and the perfect boyfriend. Only she’s never felt emptier and more alone. When her beloved grandfather falls ill, she knows she must push aside the past and return home to help.

Letting Cassidy go without a fight was the hardest thing Cape Hope doctor Phoenix Walker had ever done. Even as his own life fell apart, he lied and encouraged her to fly far from home to live out her dreams. Now Cassidy’s back—just for Christmas—and Phoenix wonders if they can have a second chance at a happy ever after…even if it’s just for the holiday.

Ending on a Die Note by Nancy Robards Thompson (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 7, 2021

The Wedding Bell Mysteries, Book 3

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely killers…

Everybody’s talking about Hemlock’s annual fall festival’s headliner band, ShakesPierre. Everyone but Tess Harrison, whose breakup with Pierre, the lead singer, left them both singing the blues years ago. And now that Pierre is back, he’s publicly putting his feelings for Tess in the spotlight.

So when Pierre ends up stabbed in the alley outside Tess’s bakery, she’s the number one suspect—especially since she’s famously known for her quality kitchen knives. But the evidence strikes a false note with Maddie and Jenna Bell, who are determined to clear their friend’s name and make sure the real murderer plays…uh, pays for his crime.

The clues lead them out of Hemlock and into danger far outside of Sheriff Jackson Bradley’s jurisdiction. Can Maddie save everyone before the real killer strikes back and Tess goes down for a crime she didn’t commit?

The Christmas Fix Up by Barbara Ankrum (American Heart)

Release Date: October 11, 2021

The Guardian Angel Chronicles, Book 2

Heaven made a mistake. Can one clumsy, rebellious angel right a wrong by Christmas Eve without losing her heart?

Angel Elspeth Aloysious is hidden in celestial clerical work to avoid painful memories when her mentor sends her on her first earthly mingle. Her task—open the closed heart of the handsome and busy Sam Wynter so his daughter can have a new mother before she drifts too far from her destiny. Elle has one week and one rule—don’t fall for Sam.

Sam Wynter has no intention of remarrying. Instead, he’s focused on raising his daughter Molly and building his career. But when he meets a captivating and beautiful stranger in town for the holidays, he rediscovers joy and a sense of fun with Elle through donating his time and skills to those in need. Both Sam and Molly quickly bond with the sparkling Elle, and Sam starts to dream of a different future.

The clock is ticking down on Elle’s time on Earth. Can these two mismatched soulmates, who are worlds apart, find their happy ever after?

Love and Latkes by Stacey Agdern (American Heart)

Release Date: October 12, 2021

Friendships and Festivals, Book 3

You can’t make a latke without breaking a few eggs…  

Batya Averman is ecstatic when a latke fry-off committee chooses her as its web designer—until she learns the event is in Rivertown, New York, the hometown she fled years ago. But she’s no longer the girl with an embarrassing history and an unrequited crush on Abe Neumann. This delicious competition is Batya’s chance to further her career, and this time she won’t run.

Abe Neumann can’t pass up the opportunity to enter the town’s latke contest. He dreams of throwing caution to the wind and leaving his accounting firm, opening a Jewish deli, and choosing his own happiness. The prize money would bring him closer to making his dream a reality, but when Batya comes back to town, Abe remembers that a deli isn’t the only thing he’s wished for.

When the fry-off’s celebrity host has to pull out of the competition, Batya is determined to step up to the challenge. This Hanukkah, can Abe fix the past and convince Batya that dreams, like latkes, are better when they’re shared?

A Ghostly Shadow by H L Marsay (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: October 14, 2021

Chief Inspector Shadow Mystery, Book 3

Sometimes the past comes back to haunt you…

This Halloween, the notorious rivalry between York’s iconic ghost walk tour guides spirals out of control when the body of one guide dressed as the infamous highwayman Dick Turpin is found hanging from a tree. A few days later, his partner, who plays Guy Fawkes, is killed by an explosion of gunpowder at their office.

Detective Chief Inspector John Shadow is a man of contradictions. A solitary figure who notices the smallest details about other people, but endeavours to avoid their company. A lover of good food, but whose fridge is almost always empty. Although he would prefer to work alone, he is assisted by his eager and easygoing partner Sergeant Jimmy Chang. Despite a sprained ankle, a stray cat and an impromptu trip to Oxford, the two men investigate the shocking murders that have York on edge. Are the murders the work of a madman or a business feud?

And then the killer strikes again.

Lighting Up Christmas by Sinclair Jayne (American Heart)

Release Date: October 18, 2021

It’s her first Christmas alone…

Spending her first holiday without her large, loud family allows electrician Riley Flanagan more time to find commercial clients for Flanagan & Sons, the third-generation family business she’s taking over. But when the town council nixes her Christmas-themed light garden, she approaches new-to-town entrepreneur and vintner Zhang Shi, hoping to land him and his not yet open winery as a client. He’s not interested, but Riley never gives up that easily.

It’s his first Christmas celebration…

Zhang Shi bought a mountainside property and planted a vineyard to escape his corporate life in the Bay Area and reconnect with his nature-loving grandfather. Fiercely independent and private, Zhang reluctantly calls Riley to rig an emergency electrical fix shortly before he entertains some colleagues. Zhang’s determined to avoid the town’s Christmas celebrations, but Riley is hard to refuse and impossible to ignore. And as she pulls him closer into the tight-knit community, he’s no longer sure he wants to.

A Texas Christmas Miracle by Justine Davis (Texas Born)

Release Date: October 19, 2021

The Raffertys of Last Stand, Book 2

Two people who don’t believe in Christmas or miracles…

Retired from special forces and back on his family’s Texas ranch, Chance Rafferty’s finally found some peace through creating a foundation to rescue and retrain military K-9s thought to be beyond redemption. He prefers to be left alone with his dogs and his work, but when a woman arrives shortly before Christmas looking for the dog that saved her husband’s life, Chance is astonished at the dog’s—and his own—response to her.

Though it’s been years, Ariel Larson still dreads the Christmas season because it marks the anniversary of her deployed husband’s death. When she learns her husband’s K-9 partner survived combat, Ariel feels she’s been given a lifeline to escape her grief. She suddenly has a sense of purpose she’s been desperately missing. But she never expected the man determined to rehabilitate the traumatized animal would have such a stunning impact on her own life.

Can these two wounded hearts come together to create their own Christmas miracle?

Jingle Jammies by Robyn Neeley (American Heart)

Release Date: October 20, 2021

She’ll find her true love in a snowfall…

Or so Charlie Dobbs’s late mother always predicted. But surely that prophecy didn’t apply to towing a famous pajama designer out of a ditch. Besides, Charlie has no time for love—the season always has its share of wrecks, her schedule is packed with Elfcapade festivities, and she’s ditching her mechanic overalls and moving to New York City right after Christmas.

Spencer Carmichael would rather be in the Bahamas, but his famous holiday pajamas have failed for the second year in a row. He’ll need a fresh attitude to overcome this creative block, but the only thing he’s finding in his hometown is a fascination with the woman who saved him from a snowbank. In order to spend more time with Charlie, he offers to take on her never-ending to-do list in exchange for her designing his pajamas.

But partnerships that last beyond Christmas Day require trust. Can Charlie and Spencer put aside the fabric and bows and December trimmings long enough to discover what they really need this Christmas?

Christmas in Full Bloom by Denise N. Wheatley (American Heart)

Release Date: October 21, 2021

This Christmas, can they slow down long enough to smell the roses and fall in love?

When savvy, up-and-coming floral designer Lauren Beal returns home to Maple Valley, Michigan, for her sister’s holiday wedding, she’s determined to be the perfect maid of honor. She didn’t expect the best man to be the college crush she’d reluctantly left behind to pursue her Chicago-based dreams.

Family practice doctor Mel Jennings always knew he’d remain rooted in Maple Valley to work for his father’s clinic. He happily juggles his demanding practice with philanthropic endeavors that connect him to his tight-knit community. Sparks fly when he reunites with Lauren, the one who ran away. As they enjoy Maple Valley’s Christmas festivities, Mel remembers how close they once were. But can they ever have a future?

Lauren finds herself falling for Mel and suspects the feelings are mutual. Yet they’re both pulled in different directions by work and family. Will the pair find a moment alone during the hectic holiday season to figure things out, or will they miss their chance at love once again?

On Christmas Tree Cove by Sarah Vance-Tompkins (American Heart)

Release Date: October 27, 2021

The Adair Family, Book 1

This Christmas calls for a special touch of magic…

December was always a special time for seaplane pilot Morgan Adair, but after losing her parents six years ago, the holiday is a quiet affair. When her siblings announce plans to sell the family home, Morgan longs to experience her favorite, now-forgotten tradition one more time: a lighted tree that, for over a hundred years, has appeared floating on a boat in the harbor every Christmas Eve.

The Taylors were always rivals to the Adairs in the once-thriving fishing village of Christmas Tree Cove, but Jesse Taylor was much more. He wanted to be understanding when Morgan set aside their plans to escape to Chicago in order to hold her family together, but his future as a successful freelance photographer soared on without her.

As Morgan dives deeper into the history of the mysterious holiday appearance, she discovers that true love has always been at the heart of the annual tradition. Can the wonder of Christmas and a few surprises along the way rekindle that love for Morgan and Jesse too?

A Casterglass Christmas by Kate Hewitt (Holiday)

Release Date: October 28, 2021

Keeping Up with the Penryns, Book 1

To save Casterglass, all the Penryn children will need to return home, rebuild their lives among the ruins, and find love that has proved elusive…

The Penryn family have always been eccentric—living in a dilapidated castle in the wilds of Cumbria with an orchid-mad father and a classicist mother who likes to re-enact Greek myths, who wouldn’t be? Penniless and proud, patriarch Walter Penryn resists selling his birthright and family legacy until taxes, bills, and the need for a new roof force him to reconsider.

Well-heeled Londoner Althea Penryn doesn’t expect a divorce and job hunt over the Christmas holidays, but her husband claims he’s done and the prenup is solid. She packs up her reluctant teenage children and heads home to Casterglass Castle to confront the ghosts of her past—including the real one her mother claims lives in the old guard tower. And then there’s her unexpected romance with local sheep farmer, John Braithwaite, who is everything her adulterous, solicitor ex-husband isn’t.

This Christmas, amid the renovation and potential heartbreak of losing her family home, can Althea find a new purpose and the happiness that has so long eluded her?

HISTORY OF US: Release day blog post featuring Stacey Agdern

June 24, 2021 · Posted by Tule Publishing

History, Change and Memories

By Stacey Agdern

As the world changes  yet again, we’re starting to revisit places and people we haven’t seen in a while.  Each of these places have memories attached to them; some of the places have good memories and some have bad ones.  But they’re all formative in so many ways.  This is something that Anna, one of the two main characters in History of Us is dealing with.

For so  many reasons, Rockliffe Manor, one of the two locations in History of Us, was a formative place for Anna.  She spent childhood summers there with her grandparents from the time when she was 4 and a half. It was there where she built one of the most formative relationships of her life — the one with Jacob, the other main character in History of Us.

As an adult, because her relationship with Jacob is fractured, returning to Rockliffe Manor is hard despite how much she loves it.  Her reaction is to try and see the town as it is now, as opposed to the one that lives in her memory.  To make the best of the present, she dives into the social life of the town as it is.

As we return to places we haven’t been, I hope your journeys are full of good memories and new joys. And I hope that like Anna and Jacob, out of the darkness of the past you find light.

 

Stacey Agdern is an award-winning former bookseller who has reviewed romance novels in multiple formats and given talks about various aspects of the romance genre. She incorporates Jewish characters and traditions into her stories so that people who grew up like she did can see themselves take center stage on the page. She’s also a member of both LIRW and RWA NYC. She lives in New York, not far from her favorite hockey team’s practice facility.

Tule Publishing June 2021 Releases

June 1, 2021 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Read more about our new releases for June!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the June releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

 

 

The Wedding Planner Playbook by Shannon Stults (American Heart)

Release Date: June 1, 2021

May the best wedding planner win…

After spending years making a name for herself as one of Atlanta’s top wedding planners, Tori Schaefer moved to the small, coastal town of Bedland Shores, Georgia, to take over her mother’s wedding planning business. While attending a wedding to assess the local competition, Tori meets a charming, camera-wielding stranger with a smile that leaves her heart stuttering.

Wyatt Rhodes has always loved helping couples celebrate their special day and created Narrative Weddings to do just that. When he runs into a gorgeous woman at one of his weddings, he’s completely smitten until he learns she’s his competition for the most influential wedding the town has ever seen.

They have two weeks to find the perfect venue and pitch their ideas to the bride. Tori is willing to do whatever it takes to land the gig that’ll put her business on the map. Can she find the balance between attraction and rivalry, or will her determination to win lose her a chance at her own happy ever after?

Capturing the Texas Rancher’s Heart by Debra Holt (Texas Born)

Release Date: June 3, 2021

The Tremaynes of Texas, Book 1

She thought she’d protected her heart…

After a tumultuous childhood, nurse Jamie Westmoreland craves the comfort of predictability. She loves her quiet life in a small Texas ranching town and finally feels in control until a handsome rancher becomes her newest patient. He challenges her at every turn, but Jamie is too stubborn to admit she enjoys their sparring, and that he makes her heart race. But when his charming little cowboy son starts following her around, her long-neglected heart opens.

Thomas Tremayne, the eldest son of a well-respected local ranching family, is both mom and dad to his young son and has no plans to change. When a ranch injury requires an in-house expert, the nurse who called him out on his attitude is sent to help him heal. She’s even harder to resist on his ranch than she was at the hospital, but Thomas is determined to try—except he’s out-numbered. His son decided he wants a mom, and nurse Jamie is his choice.

Can two stubborn adults let down their guard long enough to let love in again?

An Acquired Taste by Kelly Cain (American Heart)

Release Date: June 8, 2021

The Everheart Brothers of Texas, Book 1

May the best chef win…

After four years at the country’s top culinary school and several years as head chef in her mother’s restaurant, Rowan Townsend has built a notable reputation. Her farm-to-table collard greens have long been bringing everyone to the yard, but limits on the restaurant’s size have led to long waits. Looking to expand the restaurant, she enters a televised chef competition. The problem? Her infuriatingly-talented nemesis from culinary school also enters.

To the culinary world, Knox Everheart is restaurant royalty. As much as Rowan wants to deny it, he’s a gifted chef. Rowan knows her arrogant arch-nemesis is confident he’ll win—he’s certainly given her a run for her money more times than she’d like to admit. But this time, she’s ready to show him who’s boss.

Their rivalry soon sparks fireworks in the kitchen and, as the competition heats up, so does Rowan’s attraction to Knox. And somewhere between pasta and gumbo, they both need to decide what’s worth fighting for.

Cowboy Honor by Michelle Beattie (Texas Born)

Release Date: June 10, 2021

Tangled Up in Texas, Book 5

This time he wants it all…

Hudson Granger’s family has been estranged since he was a boy. Sixteen years later, not much is different. Or so he thought. After an eighteen-month deployment, he arrives home to his family’s Texas ranch and is shocked by how much life has changed. His brothers are mending fences and have found love. Their father is slowly recovering from a massive heart attack. The kick to Hudson’s chest—learning he has an infant daughter.

Nurse Avery Collins never planned on telling Hudson their vacation fling had resulted in a child. He’d made it clear he wasn’t looking for anything serious, and after her dad ran out on her and her family, she didn’t want to rely on a man for anything. But when her daughter has a serious health scare, Avery’s hand is forced.

Despite their sizzling attraction, Avery is determined to keep Hudson at arm’s length, co-parenting only. But Hudson wants everything—a wife and a family. And he’s determined to get it.

A Case for the Cookie Baker by Candace Havens (Tule Mystery)

Release Date: June 15, 2021

Ainsley McGregor, Book 5

It’s all fun and games until the last cookie crumbles…

Ainsley McGregor and the entire town of Sweet River, Texas, are preparing for the annual summer celebration. And thanks to the extra tourist traffic, Ainsley’s shop, Bless Your Art, has never been busier. Good thing her new friend, Lizzie, has opened a bakery nearby and provides Ainsley and her staff with tasty treats and daily sugar rushes. It’s all cookies and fun, until someone ends up dead in the bakery and her new pal is the prime suspect.

Ainsley is convinced Lizzie is innocent. Unfortunately, her brother, the town sheriff, and her boyfriend, Jake, have some not-so-secret suspicions. With a town full of strangers who just might be suspects, Ainsley finds herself targeted by a killer. Even as her world crumbles faster than a cookie, she’s determined to prove her friend’s innocence—if she can stay alive long enough.

Price to Pay by M.A. Guglielmo (Muse)

Release Date: June 17, 2021

From Smokeless Fire, Book 3

She’s gone from party girl of the paranormal to the world’s best hope against a deadly fallen angel.

Zahara‘s tired of saving the world from imminent doom, and her enemy to almost-lover Harut’s “no hanky-panky before marriage” rule is driving her crazy. To take the fight to his evil brother Marut, Zahara returns to the land of the jinn to cobble together an alliance between the peoples of the Mountains of Qaf to defeat the fallen angel. Everything that can’t go wrong does anyway, and after dealing with a malfunctioning magic carpet and killer unicorns, Zahara has to steal back an enchanted feather from a feared necromancer and face down the father she’s never known.

As more of the jinn join Marut in his plan to destroy humanity, Zahara needs Harut’s help more than ever—to save the world and her heart. But when the final confrontation comes, defeating one brother may mean Zahara loses the other forever.

Nothing But Cowboy by Justine Davis (Texas Born)

Release Date: June 22, 2021

The Raffertys of Last Stand, Book 1

He thought he was content, until she walked in the door…

Keller Rafferty abandoned his dreams long ago to help his mom raise his brothers after his father’s death. Duty, family and deep roots still guide him as he runs his family’s Texas cattle ranch and cares for his new, grieving foster son. They’re just beginning to find a balance when a beautiful and determined woman arrives on the ranch.

Sydney Brock spent her entire globe-trotting life thinking she had no family except her ne’er do well, nomadic, irresponsible parents. When she discovers her parents lied and she has a newly-orphaned cousin, Sydney rushes halfway around the world to provide the teen with something she never had—a home. She’s shocked to be thwarted by a protective—and sexy—cowboy.

Sydney’s determined to form a relationship with her cousin, but Keller doesn’t trust that the worldly woman will stay in small town Texas. It’s up to Sydney to prove him wrong, and the longer she spends time with Keller, his family and her cousin, the more she vows to do just that.

History of Us by Stacey Agdern (American Heart)

Release Date: June 24, 2021

Friendships and Festivals, Book 2

Do they have a future together, or is their relationship ancient history?

Anna Cohen, perpetual assistant at the Manhattan Museum of Jewish History, lands a golden chance to curate her own exhibit when her boss sends her to Rockliffe Manor, New York. She’s to assist an influential Jewish family as they organize an exhibit of their own in time for the town’s Summer Days Festival. While she’s there, Anna just needs to convince them to part with some of their archival history for an upcoming exhibition—something they’ve always refused—and not get involved with her ex, the family’s heir. Again.

Jacob Horowitz-Margareten wants to help save the world. Despite having no time to spend organizing his family’s archives, he’s always had a soft spot for Anna. The chance to spend more time with her intrigues him, but he doesn’t trust her boss or the museum she works for with the tangible bits of his family’s rich history.

As they work together, Anna and Jacob need to decide what’s more important: their history or the story their hearts are telling them.

Say I Do by Joan Kilby (Montana Born)

Release Date: June 29, 2021

Sweetheart, Montana, Book 2

She’s been over him for years, until he returns home…

In her new role as tourism director, Brianna Renton intends to put Sweetheart, Montana, on the map with the first annual Cherry Blossom festival. She’s also supervising the build of a new community hall by her father’s log cabin construction company. But the project is stalled and an unexpected visit from a former employee could be the answer to Brianna’s prayers. Except he’s her ex.

Angus Adams never forgot Brianna. When they were together, he put her on a pedestal and was determined to win her hand by proving himself and working hard to eventually buy into a partnership with her father’s company. He accepted a scholarship at a prestigious university to get his architecture degree, planning to return for Brianna, but she broke up with him the week before he left with no explanation.

Saying yes to helping her during his vacation is easy. Trying to win her heart while protecting his own is much harder.

MIRACLES AND MENORAHS: Blog post featuring Stacey Agdern!

December 7, 2020 · Posted by Tule Publishing

Possibilities, Fantasies and Miracles by Stacey Agdern

This year is different. No two ways about it. Some of us will be celebrating long distance, with computer monitors connecting us to friends and family across the country and across the world.  And others will be celebrating differently.

We will all, however, dream of being together in person, hoping that it will be next year.

It’s a theme that flits through different holidays, of music and of observance. The hope of the future, the dream of togetherness as a community and a family. I’ll be home for Christmas, White Christmas are two examples of songs that derive from a dream of togetherness.

Miracles and Menorahs is a book that I wrote before everything changed, but it also derived from a fantasy.  I’ve never been to a Hanukkah festival, because, quite frankly, they don’t exist, not the way I wrote about them. 

But they could.

And that’s the important thing.  People have gathered together for centuries, for more, celebrating together in the summer and in the winter. And they will again.

At the end of one of my favorite holidays, there is a wish that we all get together…next year. 

And so my wish to you is that may we all find ourselves together, next year. 

Wherever family is.

 

Stacey Agdern is an award-winning former bookseller who has reviewed romance novels in multiple formats and given talks about various aspects of the romance genre. She incorporates Jewish characters and traditions into her stories so that people who grew up like she did can see themselves take center stage on the page. She’s also a member of both LIRW and RWA NYC. She lives in New York, not far from her favorite hockey team’s practice facility.