Heat up Your Week with Thoughts of Beach Houses and Hot Romance

March is here and thankfully spring is soon to follow, but for now how about a new beach romance to cure the winter blues? In Christie Ridgway's sexy romance BUNGALOW NIGHTS (Beach House No. 9, Book #2-Harlequin) combat medic Vance Smith has a promise to keep and a wish to fulfill for his dying colonel: take the man's young daughter, Layla, on the family's dream vacation-a month at Beach House No. 9. Armed with a photo of the 10-year-old girl and a "helmet list" of activities to complete in the sun and surf of the California coast, recovering veteran Vance rents the beach house and hires a nanny, determined to honor the fallen soldier's wishes before he moves on with his life. Most likely for Vance, that will mean another tour in Afghanistan, despite his eligibility for medical discharge. But, when Vance reaches Crescent Cove the Layla he's expecting turns out to be beautiful 23-year-old Layla Parker, a full grown woman he can't help but find as sweet as her homemade cupcakes and as irresistible as she is forbidden. For those new to the series, Ridgway's Beach House No. 9 features a California beach house that just might have a touch of healing and magical power to bring about true love for its inhabitants. With one long month ahead of them, Vance sees Layla as a test of his honor and a temptation to his already wounded heart. Layla Parker sees Vance Smith as a hero who was injured trying to save her father's life. As a soldier's daughter, she's no stranger to emotional detachment, still she's even more determined to make the most of their time together having fun in the sun and sees it as her duty to provide Vance with some much needed TLC. But with each of them guarding their hearts will they ever overcome their fears to find what's right there waiting for them? Next up is a sizzling HOT story of love and second chances in Meg Benjamin's latest, culinary romance FEARLESS LOVE (Konigsburg #7-Samhain). After her grandfather's death and family responsibilities cause MG to let go of her musical aspirations the last thing she's looking for is love. In fact, what she thinks she needs is some peace and she's trying to find it at her grandfather's chicken farm. Instead, there's a huge mortgage hanging over her head, a ruthless Aunt opposing her at every turn, uncooperative, molting hens laying less eggs and a cantankerous rooster causing trouble, making MG's life begin to fall to pieces all around her once again. She needs a way to make money and keep the farm--fast, even if that means taking a second job as a prep cook at The Rose and finding herself fighting her serious attraction to its smoking hot chef.

When shy beauty MG Carmody joins his kitchen staff head chef Joe LeBlanc doesn't
need any more problems; he's got plenty of his own. Namely, an all-important
culinary competition to prepare for and win, a kitchen full of temperamental
cooks, and the icing on the cake? -A thief to catch among them. Joe’s worked
hard to get his life back on track and the last thing he needs is the sudden,
intense attraction he feels for his self-conscious new cook. With pressure
coming at them at from all sides, MG and Joe slowly learn to trust and begin to
find comfort in each others arms until life comes at them both yet again,
causing everything to boil over and making their chances at a happy ever after
look like they could go up in flames.

Finally, how about a little dare to keep the heat going...

In Christine Bell's latest ebook DOWN AND DIRTY (Dare Me #2-Entangled) Shane Decker has come back to town for a couple of reasons. The biggest one? He’s over living so far apart from the people he loves, and that includes the one woman he can't get off his mind and out of his heart-his best friend's sister. Shane's ready to fight for her and spend his life proving he's her man, if that's what it takes. And with Cat Thomas it just might.

For Cat, her brother's best friend has secretly always been the one man she
couldn't resist. Even with their shared attraction Shane and Cat let their high
school flame fizzle and went their separate ways. That is until Shane returns
home and Cat accepts a dare to rekindle that fire by jumping into bed with him.
Immediately she knows she's in trouble. Deep. Still, Cat's never been the kind
of girl to settle. A self-professed infatuation junkie, she's always made it a
habit to latch on to the newest, hottest guy in town and then made quick work of
dropping him flat. -Hers reason(s) why (real or imagined) being totally
unimportant. This time it’s more than just the new guy in town. It’s Shane.

After one night together Cat's spooked and willing to do anything, even fixing
Shane up with other women and subscribing him to an online dating service, to
sabotage their relationship before it can begin again. Shane wonders what it's
going to take to make Cat see that settling down with him doesn't mean settling
at all, but all Cat can think of is doing whatever it takes to resist the man
who's been her one true weakness all along.

Exciting romances for you to sink into this week. What are you reading?

Tina Peacock is a freelance writer, romance novelist, and long time educator. You can follow her adventures in authorhood on Twitter @book_crack and Facebook.