Small Town Romance

Katie's life was like a fast roller coaster ride, but she learned to cope, found love, kindness, life and a real family that loved her dearly. Katie had met a wonderful man, eloped, and was carrying his child all within a few short months. She was happy, and couldn't wait until Matt was back from overseas, so they could be a family together.Katie had grown up believing her mother could do no wrong until she was older, and understood what the kids were talking about when it came to her. It was hard for Katie to accept the fact she had an alcoholic mother that had preferred bars and drunken men to anything else in her life, including Katie.That was until her mother had brought some male bar friends of hers over for Katie to loosen up with one night that Katie knew she had to get away from her, and that town as soon as possible. The one guy that had tried to take it beyond that night Katie had kicked out of her aunt's house that she was house sitting for had broken in, and had been hiding in the basement for days without Katie knowing.He had wanted Katie even though he didn't know she was married, and pregnant. Things got ugly that night.Tragedy struck Katie shortly after her move where she was left on her own to raise her son. It was over four years before she was able to open her heart to another man. A man that completely understood her situation, and was willing to help Katie raise her son. Katie's life was finally getting the life she deserved, and had dreamed of having. Joann was born and raised in Ashtabula, Ohio, and liked writing short stories and numerous poems for others to read. Two hours after graduating from high school, she moved to Michigan to be with her husband, Bo, who was serving in the Air Force. Moving to Arizona in 1979 as a young mother of three, Joann went to work in the school district in the Special Education department while completing her Bachelor's Degree. She earned her Master's Degree from Northern Arizona University while teaching elementary education. After over twenty years working in the educational field and living over forty years in Arizona, she retired and now resides in Florida with her husband and two little dogs, Charlie Brown and Lucy. Joann has been married for over fifty years, has three grown children and is a grandmother to seven.

🌸 FIND COMFORT IN THE SMALL TOWN, LOSE YOUR HEART IN THE LOVE. 🌸★★★★★ "This book wrapped around me like a warm blanket. Eliza's journey is so relatable, and Ben made me believe in love again." – Reader ReviewI'm Eliza, a painfully shy baker who pours everything into my creations at The Sweet Escape, the bakery I inherited from my grandmother. My days are filled with sugar, flour, and the comfort of routine. Romance is only something I read about in novels. 🍰✨Then Ben walks in. A charismatic architect from the city, running from a life that looks perfect on the outside but feels empty inside. At first, he came for the pastries. But then… he kept coming back-for me. 💖With Ben, the world feels bigger. Brighter. He nudges me out of my safe corners, while I remind him of the peace he's been missing. But my insecurities, and the shadows of his past, threaten to unravel everything we're building together.Is our Sweet Escape strong enough to last? Or will the pull of old fears and old lives tear us apart before we've even begun? 🌸💕

❄️ SOMETIMES THE COLDEST WINTERS HIDE THE WARMEST HEARTS. ❄️★★★★★ "Clara's story broke me and healed me all at once. The writing is beautiful, and Leo is the quiet hero we all dream of." – Reader ReviewI'm Clara Moreau, Professional Ballerina-or at least, I used to be. That title was my anthem, my triumph. One wrong step during Swan Lake in Berlin, and everything shattered. My world blurred on stage, in front of everyone. Broken doll feels more accurate now.Now I'm stranded in Havenwood. Population: too small for my big-city tastes, and even smaller for my ballerina dreams. They call it peaceful, a retreat. To me, peace feels like a cruel joke when my ankle aches with every snowflake.Then there's Leo Bellini. He runs the local bookstore, quiet and withdrawn. Rumor is, he's a recluse after heartbreak turned his life upside down.This loft above his bookstore wasn't part of any plan. Yet surrounded by the snow, the silence, and shelves full of stories, it feels like the fragile start of something new.Leo's eyes don't just see the broken dancer. They see me. And maybe, just maybe, Havenwood isn't a detour at all.But one question lingers like a whisper in the winter air:Can a broken swan ever truly fly again? ❄️💕

🌄 SOMETIMES THE BEST LOVE STORIES ARE THE ONES OFF SCRIPT. 🌄★★★★★ "Mia's voice felt so real. I saw myself in her fears, and Jake was the kind of hero who makes you believe good men exist." – Reader ReviewI'm Mia Stewart, and for years, my life was planned out scene by scene. I always did what was expected. Then I ended up in Maple Ridge, Vermont. This pretty little town wasn't part of the original plan-it was supposed to be a side trip, a quiet reset. But suddenly, my life went completely Off Script. 🎬After my relationship fell apart, all I wanted was to hide. My mom's old cottage seemed safe. The plan was simple: paint, isolate, and piece myself back together. No changes. No surprises.Then Jake Harper showed up. My kind, grounded, and undeniably attractive next-door neighbor. He wasn't just nice-he had a steady presence that was both comforting and unnerving. He wasn't in the script.Love? After everything? It felt impossible. But with Jake, there's a spark I can't ignore. The way he looks at me makes me feel seen for the first time in years. And that smile of his… it's like a secret only we share.Maple Ridge is already starting to feel warmer, different. Maybe it's the town, or maybe it's just Jake. Because what I feel when I'm with him is real. Terrifying. Exhilarating.📖 Can a life built on expectations be rewritten? Can a guarded heart open again? I'm about to find out. All I have to do is stop running away-and maybe, just maybe, run toward him instead. ❤️