Spring Reads from Lauren Dane, Ruthie Knox and Kelly Jamieson

This week in romance it feels like spring has finally sprung, doesn't it? Don't
know about you but we're feeling the spring fever itch already and that means
the time is right to load up with some great sexy-smart romance reads and enjoy
them in a favorite outdoorsy spot under the warm spring sun.

First up this week is just released LOST IN YOU (Petal, GA #2) by Lauren Dane; a forbidden older brother's best friend love story with a sure to please hero who's stood up to his share of life's demons only to find himself bested by one fast-talking Southern gal.

Joe Harris has had to work like the devil to make good and live down his
not-so-honorable past, but he knows his time in the military has made him a
better man. He's back in Petal, GA, making up for past mistakes, determined to
right his wrongs, and that includes coming home to care for his ailing father.

Things are going according to plan until his best friend's little sister barrels
into his life like a one-woman wrecking ball and Joe finds himself defenseless
in a way he's never felt before. She's quick-talkin, smart, sassy, funny and
gorgeous-a flat out temptation he tries to resist - and fails.

When Beth Murphy hears Joe Harris is back in town she makes it priority #1 to be
first on his welcoming committee. For all his gruffness and attempts to push her
away, Beth sees Joe for the man he really is -a man who is good to people,
spoils his dog and who rejects her out of fear that he is not worthy of her. Joe
can't fool her; when he touches her, he treats her like she is precious,
something to be cherished. But for all the barriers she's able to knock down,
there's still one wall that remains in tact, the one guarding the truth about
what's happening back at home.

Soon the nature of his father's illness becomes painfully, publicly apparent. As
a result Joe does what he must, the right thing, and that's to push Beth as far
away as possible. Fast. Good thing for both of them that Beth Murphy is made of
stearner stuff and if he thinks he can push her away that easily-he's got
another thing coming.

Dane fans may recognize the ladies in Petal, GA because it's a spin off from Dane's popular Chase Brothers' series, which starts with book 1 GIVING CHASE (Samhain) and consists of four sizzling southern romances each featuring one of four hot Chase brothers. In the Petal, GA series, the strong and sassy Murphy sisters take center stage in ONCE AND AGAIN (Petal, GA #1) and this new release. Can't get enough of sexy southern siblings? Be sure to check out Dane's other popular sibling series, starting with LAID BARE (Brown Siblings #1, Berkley), which consists of 6 red HOT reads. Up next is one of this week's Fresh Picks, ALONG CAME TROUBLE (Camelot #2)! Just like her full-length novels, author Ruthie Knox knocks our socks off with her latest set of smoking hot eBook novellas where headstrong souls prove that opposites attract and tend to bump more than heads when temptation and lust bring the possibility of love and the guarantee of delicious trouble. A sweet and sexy scorcher, ALONG CAME TROUBLE (Camelot #2) brings the heat and is sure to be a hit among fans of "The Bodyguard/Protector" hero with a soft side:

Ellen Callahan isn't looking for help, let alone love. Hardly. She's an
accomplished lawyer and driven single mother who's doing just fine on her
own-thank you very much. So it's no surprise when Ellen's brother, an
international pop star, hires a security guard to protect his sister from the
nosy, privacy-invading press that she's far from pleased. But when Mr. toned,
tanned and no nonsense Caleb Clark rings her bell, Ellen finds herself nearly
pleading the fifth.

Caleb, home after a deployment in Iraq and looking for work as a civilian,
agrees there is a need to protect single mom Ellen. After learning of the
intrusions and insane efforts of the paparazzi camping out in her bushes and he
quickly signs on to be her bodyguard. After all, compared to combat and life in
the hot desert this job's got to be a cake-walk and is a perfect fit for his new
security business. But with tempers flaring and the desire to mix business with
pleasure running high, Caleb finds guarding the smart, willful beauty an
unexpected challenge and a temptation he can't resist. When desire becomes
undeniable Ellen and Caleb share a night of steamy passion. But will they ever
by able to share more than just a one-night stand?

Like HOW TO MISBEHAVE (Camelot #1), ALONG CAME TROUBLE is a stand alone romance set in the same apartment complex in Camelot, Ohio and focuses on one of the Clark siblings. Both books feature the right blend of Knox's trademark sexy-smart and complex characters, complications and humor. The eBook includes excerpts from Knox's other Loveswept titles: HOW TO MISBEHAVE (Camelot #1), FLIRTING WITH DISASTER (Camelot #3) due June 2013, and ABOUT LAST NIGHT. And last but not least, also new this week is JILTED (The Promise Harbor Wedding #1) from Kelly Jamieson, Ellora's Cave and Samhain author of smoking hot and award winning menage romance RULE OF THREE and The Heller Brothers series. Jilted is the first eBook in what's sure to be a sizzling erotic contemporary series, PROMISE HARBOR WEDDING (Samhain, ebook). And you know temperatures will be rising when Jilted features a smoking hot fireman and the romance starts like this...

"Wedding's off but the honeymoon is on..."

Devon can do this. She can show up at her ex-boyfriend Josh's wedding, even
though he's marrying her ex-best-friend and prove to everyone that she's over
him. After all, she's happy with her fabulous life in Boston, her great career,
and her amazing Jimmy Choos, right?

Truth is, Devon's life is anything but fabulous. She's been downsized out of her job, designer clothes aren't paying the mortgage, and there's the fact that she's still heartbroken that her sexy, fire-fighting ex-Josh chose family over her. And then there's the fact that she's not really there to make a statement, in fact, the real reason she's enduring this wedding is that her next stop is nearby Greenbush Island, a place she thinks is her last hope of finding a new job.

Josh knows marrying long-time friend Allie will make everyone happy after the
rough time their families have been through. He's through looking for love,
especially after the woman he really wanted to marry chose her career and big
city life over him.

But what Josh thought would be the perfect pairing turns into a perfect disaster
when his bride Allie leaves him jilted at the alter for another man.

While Devon and Josh are both weary of getting burned-again, Devon finds herself
offering to help Josh look for his runaway bride on Greenbush Island where he'd
planned their honeymoon. But instead of focusing on finding Allie the reunited
couple soon find themselves in a honeymoon suite with no honeymoon, rekindling
old feelings that have them tempted to risk their hearts one more time...

Whether you're in the mood for a sizzling southern romance, a sexy mid-west
meeting of hearts and minds, or a healthy dose of temptation and healing on and
island get-away these hot new romances are sure to start your spring off right!

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.