January 17, 2025

Spotlight: Some Like It Hott by Serena Bell

January 17, 2025/ Michelle Bowles

(Hott Springs Eternal, #3)

Publication date: January 14th 2025

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

She’s nothing he wants. And everything he needs.

Preston: I’m Mr. Serious, the guy they call “all work and no play.” So of course my grandfather’s sadistic will has put me in charge of fun at the family’s wedding resort. I have just a few weeks to come up with an all-ages activities program for the resort’s guests—or lose my family’s land forever. Meanwhile, the clock’s ticking at my finance firm, where I’m up for a huge promotion—if I can prove I’m a team player.

Worse, I have to work with the reigning queen of fun, Natalie Archer. If there’s a party, Natalie’s there, and she’s the one dancing on the tables. She doesn’t think much of my suits, ties, cufflinks, and spreadsheets, and I don’t think much of her fun-first–safety-last attitude. But for some reason, I can’t stop thinking about her gorgeous curves, wild curly hair, or sparkling smile. I’m a man who values self-control—and I’m running low.

Natalie launches Operation Fun to help me loosen up and win the promotion I’ve been chasing. Now we’re spending days and nights together—and learning that some activities are a lot of fun for both of us. But as our deadline approaches and our collaboration heats up, Natalie and I find ourselves asking a big question: Opposites may attract, but can they live happily ever after?

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, fish-out-of-water, billionaire, opposites attract, workplace relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Excerpt

By the time I start my new job a week after my coffee-shop encounter with Lloyd and Susie, I’m starting to feel more optimistic about things. My new boss, Hanna, hooked me up with a swanky room in the Hott Springs Eternal lodge; I’ve deleted all Lloyd’s emails, texts, and photos; and I’ve pawned all the jewelry he gave me.

I’m not sleeping great, and I’m still a little weepy…but you can’t have it all.

I poke my head into Hanna’s office and say, “Hey!”

“Oh, hi, Natalie. Come in.”

I can tell right away that something’s off. She doesn’t sound as brimming with enthusiasm as she did when she called to let me know I had the job or when we talked about my lodging. But I tell myself it’s nothing to do with me—probably a bridezilla situation from earlier in the morning—and step inside.

“Good to see you.” She waves me into a chair across from her. “I have some paperwork for you to fill out, but first I wanted to have a word with you.”

She rearranges a stack of papers, and I realize she’s nervous. Which means the “something off” I observed when I first walked in? Probably does have to do with me.

Shit. “Everything okay?”

I don’t know what I’ll do if this job falls through. Things are over with Lloyd, and it’s a huge understatement to say my parents aren’t my first choice of roommates. Or maybe it’s more accurate to say that the idea of asking them for any kind of favor makes me feel like throwing up. Which is why I have to save the money to go back to school.

And even if my housing situation weren’t at stake, I want this job. Yeah, it’s not on the long-term Get Serious path, but it’s totally up my alley. I love people and I love, well, fun—and this is a job where I get to make sure people have fun. Nothing else I’ve applied for sounds like something I want to do.

“I have so many great ideas for how to make Hott Springs Eternal a true destination!” I blurt out, sounding like a bad cover letter—as if that’s going to keep her from delivering whatever bad news is on the tip of her tongue.

She winces, and…I do, too. She looks away, and shit. Shit shit shit.

“It’s complicated,” she says, still not making eye contact. “Nothing to panic about, but there’s a—twist.”

“A twist,” I repeat. That doesn’t sound good.

“I’m really sorry about this bait and switch, but my hands are totally tied. I know I hired you to be the sole person in this position, but, well…God, how do I explain this?”

She’s not making any sense, and apparently my face betrays my confusion and worry because she says, “Wait, let me start from the beginning.”

But just then, her eyes leave my face and fix on something behind me. “Oh, hey,” she says.

I turn to see a man standing in the office door, towing a rolling suitcase behind him. He’s tall and broad-chested, wearing a gorgeous gray linen suit whose expensive tailoring flaunts the strength in his shoulders and biceps. His brown-and-burgundy power tie is cinched up tight against his strong, tanned throat. A half day of dark stubble coats his iron jaw, his cheekbones were carved from stone, and he’s scowling like he just found out his bespoke-suit maker has gone out of business.

My mouth goes dry, and my thighs get hot.

I may have read a little too much “You liked Fifty Shades? Try this!” romance at a formative age.

My eyes go to his hands.

No ring.

Yes, I checked. The universe has spontaneously served me up a Hot Man in a Suit. I challenge any single, straight woman with a pulse not to try to figure out if this guy’s married.

Although it’s pointless.

Because things never work out between men like him and women like me. They’re all business, and I’m a party. They take themselves and everything else seriously, and I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.

But it doesn’t stop me from having to wipe imaginary drool from both corners of my mouth.

It might be the stern look and the crease between his dark eyebrows. The set of his jaw or the harsh twist of his lush mouth.

Whatever it is, I have to force my eyes away from him and back to my boss’s face.

Which is pained.

Whatever the bad news is, it involves this man. And that makes sense because no matter what happens next, I already know he’s bad news for me.

“Preston,” Hanna says, “this is Natalie Archer. I’ve, er, hired her to be Hott Springs Eternal’s activities coordinator.”

His scowl deepens, making my heart beat faster, out of both fear and lust.

“That’s unfortunate,” he says.

Yikes.

Nice to meet you, too, Preston.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Bookshop.org

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

Connect:
https://serenabell.com/
https://www.facebook.com/serenabellbooks
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CornerSmartSexy/
https://twitter.com/serenabellbooks
https://www.instagram.com/serenabellbooks/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6600927.Serena_Bell
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April 16, 2024

Spotlight: Hott Take by Serena Bell

April 16, 2024/ Michelle Bowles

(Hott Springs Eternal, #2)
Publication date: April 16th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

The hard part isn’t acting like we’re falling for each other. It’s pretending we’re not.

Shane: My grandfather’s will has me between a rock and a Hott place. If I don’t score a celebrity wedding, my sister will lose her wedding planning business—and our family’s land. As a playboy movie star, I know Hollywood’s ins and outs. But finding two celebrities in love is tougher than it looks.

Enter Ivy Scofield—the beautiful star of one of TV’s most beloved failures. She’s hiding from her past in Rush Creek, running a community theater for troubled kids. She needs my family’s wedding barn to save her program. So we make a deal: I give her the barn—she gives me her hand in fake marriage. Lights, camera, action—and cut—right?

Not so fast. Planning our fake wedding is way more personal than I was expecting. I’m learning Ivy’s quirks, preferences, and pet peeves—and that’s before I walk in on her enjoying my most infamous on-camera scene. Plus she’s slowly peeling back my layers—the ones I’ve built up to protect myself. If someone doesn’t do something soon, we might discover that the only thing fake about this wedding is the way we keep pushing each other away.

A spicy, movie star, marriage of convenience, fake relationship standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Excerpt

You know how sometimes you torture yourself even though you know it’s a terrible idea?

The house is empty. The security guard who Tuck found for me is gone now that the initial buzz about the wedding has died down a bit and Shane’s assistant and publicist have taken control of the messaging. My security detail will rejoin me closer to the wedding and be at my side through all the pre-wedding festivities, but for now, it’s just me.

I saunter into the living room like it’s nothing. Like I’m not about to do what I’m about to do. This makes zero sense because there’s nobody to pretend for, but…

Well, all the world’s a stage, and I’m my own best audience.

I turn on my TV setup. I flip through my choices—I could rewatch Crash Landing on You (one of my comfort binges) or I could start Queen Charlotte…

Still pretending I’m not doing this.

Or I could watch the second Crown of Spires movie. Dark Skies. The one with the infamous spire sex scene.

It’s a terrible idea. What good could possibly come of it?

I hover my finger over the remote button.

You know how this ends.

I cue it up.

And wow.

All things being equal, I probably wouldn’t be the biggest fan of the Crown of Spires series. I don’t usually love fantasy. But this is a terrific story. The redemption arc for Lord Extyllior is killer…and Shane is playing it to the hilt. Wounded hero with a brutal past, trying his best to be a good person for the woman he loves. And it’s obvious he loves her with every cell of his very, very hard body (and generous soul).

Lord Extyllior’s one of those men who holds himself back, denies himself what he wants…and then falls really fucking hard.

And like a lot of women, I’m a sucker for that kind of man.

By the time their enemies track them down, by the time Lord Extyllior, exhausted near to death from his flight with the woman he won’t admit he loves, is forced to stop and find a safe spot to spend the night, I’m all in. Like, holding my breath, biting my lip, wringing my hands, sweating bullets all in.

He flies the two of them to the top of the world, to the highest spire in the kingdom. Because that’s the only place he knows they’re safe, and he will stop at nothing to protect her—even though he won’t tell her how he feels about her. (To protect her! Sigh!)

His plan is to lash them both to the spire, back to back, so they can get some sleep, regroup, marshal his forces, and fight.

But seeing her like that—bound to the spire, the leather straps he’s torn off his own clothes biting into the softness of her skin—snaps the last thread of his self-control. So when she says “Mav—”

It’s the first time she’s used his first name, Mavryx.

There’s pleading in her voice.

He can’t resist her, even though he knows he should. She’s so good, and he’s so bad for her.

It’s because he’s such a bad man that he kisses her.

And then—

It’s all over. All the self-denial, all the waiting, all the pushing her away. He’s kissing her and kissing her, and I have to admit, it’s one of the hottest on-screen kisses I’ve ever seen. Like, on fire hot—or maybe that’s me, peeling back the blanket I threw over myself and fanning my face as his hands roam her body, wrapping over the leather strap at her wrists.

I’m expecting a fade to black, but I should have known better. This is the famous spire sex scene after all, not the famous spire kiss scene.

Think Bridgerton but hundreds, thousands of feet in the air. Skirts shoved out of the way. Breeches unlaced. Mavryx’s back is aglow with effort, bunching and releasing, and that’s before the camera gives us his gloriously naked ass, demonstrating to the tepid thrusters of this world how it’s done. Every last muscle in his body is taut with effort, his hands gripping the spire over their heads, his wings spread, shoulder muscles carved from stone.

Holy. Shit.

And at the same time…

I hate the camera right now.

Because as much as I love all the tanned, ripped man on-screen, I’m not seeing what I most want to see. I want the camera on Shane’s face. I want to see his eyelids heavy with pleasure, his pupils blown, his lips swollen, mouth open—

“Oh, Christ, I’m sorry—”

Mavryx is on-screen and also in my living room, hands up in the universal symbol of I’m not going to hurt you. Not Mavryx. Shane. Shane is in my living room, and it’s like coming down from a thousand feet up. Rushing back into my body from a hundred yards away. It’s like a collision with the Mack Truck of reality.

He takes a step back, looking like he, too, has been hit with a truck. “Ive, I am so sorry— I could hear that you were watching something, and I rang and knocked and texted you, but you didn’t hear it—”

He’s backing away.

Because I’m sprawled back on the couch, hand tucked between my squeezed-together thighs.

My face flames. I rip my hand away from the soft, hot place between my legs and grab for the remote. But I’m too late.

“Is that…?” Shane has caught sight of the TV. His eyebrows go way up at the sight of himself in his full-on, reverse-side glory.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Bookshop.org

About the Author

September 20, 2023

Spotlight: Hott Shot by Serena Bell

September 20, 2023/ Michelle Bowles

Publication date: September 19th 2023

Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

Beauty salon… and the Beast

Quinn: Working at the family wedding resort wasn’t exactly on my Bingo card. But it’s the only way for my siblings and me to get our grandfather’s inheritance, so here I am, staffing the Hott Spot Spa and Salon front desk. It’s an absurd gig for a man who makes Oscar the Grouch look like a people-person.

Still, I’m a hard worker. I’ve made a fortune off my scientific discoveries, and if I can engineer groundbreaking drugs, I can do anything, right? Not according to Sonya Rossi, the spa’s smoking hot and relentlessly perky manager. My grumpy approach is testing even sunshine-y Sonya’s patience. Meanwhile, I’m not sure whether I want to rain on her parade—or kiss the smile off her face.

Then the universe throws another curveball, putting us under the same roof. The closer Sonya gets, the more I like it—and her. I want to get to know her better and let her see the side of me I never show people. Until now, I’ve only believed in what I can touch, sense, and prove. I definitely don’t believe in love… but Sonya’s making me wish I could.

A spicy, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, under-one-roof, forced proximity standalone romantic comedy set in the beloved small town of Rush Creek.

Excerpt

The person behind the desk is a stranger.

It’s a man with long, wild reddish-brown hair, a beard that hasn’t seen a trim in probably months, and thick, assertively male eyebrows with a whole zip code of their own. He’s sprawled out, wide legged, in the receptionist’s chair, dwarfing it.

He’s also vaguely familiar, which means he’s probably the groom Hanna said she’d send my way, a guy whose bride put her foot down at the eleventh hour and demanded he spend a day getting “the works.” Lily must have left the door open when she came in, and he helped himself to a warmer place to wait, even though it’s not yet ten.

“There are plenty of chairs in the waiting area if you need a place to sit!” I call out cheerily, gesturing at the comfy armchairs on one side of the room. “That one’s mine.” I approach the desk. “Let me block some time out for you. You’re in luck because we’ve got plenty of room for walk-ins this morning. I’ve got someone who can do the hair and beard, and I can do your eyebrows if you want that, too.”

His eyes widen. “What’s wrong with the hair, beard, and eyebrows?”

Yikes. I definitely got the wrong end of that one. “I’m so sorry! I was expecting a client with a beard this morning, and I totally assumed you were him. But you’re…obviously not. You must be here for something else. Massage? Or a dip in the springs?” Ugh—it’s never good to start the day off insulting a potential client, even if he’s sitting in my chair. “There’s a ten-percent-off coupon here with your name on it, an apology for my making assumptions about who you were—”

“No.” He scowls. “I’m not here for any of that. I’m here because due to circumstances beyond my control and yours and probably even God’s, I’m your new receptionist.”

I laugh, reflexively. And then I realize I’m the only one laughing and my laughter sort of…falls off a cliff.

“Yeah,” the bearded stranger says. “It’s not even remotely funny. Although I think my grandfather would have disagreed. I’m pretty sure he’s laughing all the way to hell.”

“Your grandfather,” I repeat. I’m so lost, I couldn’t find my best self with a compass and map.

He stands and holds out a hand. And I realize he actually wasn’t manspreading. He was taking up all that space in the chair because he’s legitimately huge—at least six-two and built like a warrior god. He wears worn jeans and a T-shirt that reads, I’m a chemist. To save time, let’s assume I’m never wrong.

“Quinn Hott,” he says. “Hanna’s brother, Fox Hott’s second-youngest grandkid. And your new receptionist.”

Buy on Amazon | Bookshop.org

About the Author

July 19, 2022

Spotlight: A Little Wilder by Serena Bell

July 19, 2022/ Michelle Bowles

(Wilder Adventures, #4)
Publication date: July 19th 2022
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Synopsis:

What happened in Vegas? Definitely didn’t stay in Vegas.

Gabe’s the oldest. Brody’s the bad boy. Clark’s the strong, silent warrior. Amanda’s the girl. And Easton—well, Easton’s the panty melter.

I’m Kane.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a bad job. But usually, I’m not the one people are talking about.

That’s about to change. Because the woman I had a smoking hot one-night stand with in Vegas? The one I should have stayed far, far away from, since women like her are my kryptonite?

She’s the same woman my brother just hired to redesign his fancy new glamping RVs.

I haven’t seen her since Vegas, but the instant I lay eyes on her, I can tell my quiet role as the boy-next-door brother is about to change.

She’s pregnant.

And it’s mine.

Excerpt

There’s a knock on Bernadette’s door.

It pulls me out of deep concentration on the trailer project and sends a small thrill of anticipation up my spine.

Kane.

It’s gotta be Kane. It’s not like I get visitors.

I haul myself off the couch—an increasingly challenging undertaking. Even though I know it has to be him, I peep out. One of the awesome mods on Bernadette, courtesy of her previous owner, is a peephole, which is super useful when you’re a single woman on the road alone.

And even though I know it has to be him, I still feel a surge of pleased surprise when I see his face.

“Delivery,” he says, holding out a big, round Tupperware… cake holder? “Boston cream pie.”

Holy shit, he found it.

I yank open the door and have to stop myself from snatching the cake out of his hands. Or throwing my arms around him and hugging the crap out of him. “Where did you find it?”

“I—”

He stops, appearing to think better of whatever he was about to say, but it’s too late. I know where that sentence was going.

“You made it?”

“Amanda helped,” he says, like that’s going to take anything away from a six-foot-something built-like-a-God man who bakes Boston cream pies.

“Aaaaahhhh!” I cry, overcome. “You are a saint and a genius.”

He tries to bite back a smile. “I think you’re overstating things a little.”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. I have been fantasizing about yellow custard, soft yellow cake, and chocolate ganache nonstop since before I knew Kane had planted this baby in me. “Come in. You have to have some, too.”

“It’s all for you,” he says. “I wouldn’t take any of your special treat. Your presentation was fantastic. You deserve all the cake.”

This guy. I swear. He was too much in Vegas, when all I knew about him was that he asked real questions and knew how to use his body for both good and evil. Now…

“Well, come in anyway.”

He hesitates again, then follows me in, setting the cake on the counter. I wash my hands and take two small plates down from the cabinets. I grab two forks from the utensil drawer and two mugs from the overhead hooks. “I don’t have coffee—” I gesture at my belly, “—but I have tea, milk, or water.”

Buy on Amazon

About the Author

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.