Vino & Veritas

When a bookworm on borrowed time meets a younger, free-spirited chicken farmer, sparks and feathers fly ... Harrison Phillip Fletcher III isn't supposed to be here. Not in Burlington, Vermont, not running Vino & Veritas, a quaint inclusive bookstore and wine bar, and definitely not still alive, at forty-two. Also not supposed to be here? An unexpected delivery of chickens. Finn Barnes knows chickens. The burly organic farmer knows all about rare breed poultry, but dealing with a hot, older bookseller is an entirely different matter. City slicker types like Harrison never end up staying in Vermont for the long-term. They should steer clear of each other. But the flare of attraction is mutual. And somehow amid book discussions and farm tours, they discover plenty in common. Now they're stealing kisses in Finn's barn, sneaking out like teens, and burning up the sheets. What starts as a fling brings very real feelings for two lonely souls, but a future together seems as unlikely as chickens in a bookstore. Feathers may be flying, but learning to trust takes time neither may have. Can they take a leap of faith together before it's too late? Contains mature themes.

I'm not the obvious choice to run Burlington's coolest wine bar-quiet, brooding, clueless about tannin content, and always one wrong turn away from another downward spiral. But no one seems to mind that I'm a wreck. Besides me. I just focus on getting through each shift until the night a beautiful stranger appears, looking as lost and damaged as I feel. When a mutual friend calls in a favor, the sexy newcomer winds up crashing on my couch. I don't know if it's his melodic Cornish accent, or his ocean blue eyes, or the rock-hard body with the mysterious scars, but I get the feeling whatever happened to him runs far deeper than those wounds. Having Jax in my home makes my chest warm. Makes me shiver. Makes me want more. But I've got a pile of baggage and I don't want to be a burden on anyone let alone a man who seems to have enough demons of his own. Our chemistry is off the charts. His arms feel like home. The last thing I want is to screw this up. Is it wrong to hope we can heal each other? Or will one of us die trying? Contains mature themes.

A straight guy gives gay hookup tips to a virgin. What could go wrong? When I first met Whit, I couldn't get away from him fast enough. He's a hockey player, and I hate everything to do with the sport that broke my heart. But I can't help feeling sorry for the guy. He's newly out and desperate to meet someone, but his eagerness seems to scare potential hook-ups away. Agreeing to be his wingman should've been simple. Watching him flirt with other guys made things complicated. Whit challenges me in every aspect of my life, from my hatred of hockey to the new questions I'm asking myself. Like why a straight man suddenly can't stop thinking about kissing another guy. I think the answer lies somewhere on Whit's lips ... Contains mature themes.

Gabe wants Alec between the sheets... too bad Alec's undercover already... Rich kid. Party boy. Gabe is tired of the labels. He's a smart guy, but ever since he got kicked out of grad school, people are only interested in his no-limit credit card and his pierced ears... and other places. Tall, dark, and scowling Alec hates Vermont, with its artisanal-freaking-everything and its irritating people. To be fair, most people irritate Alec, including the FBI director who sent him here to investigate a smuggling scheme involving yoga mats. When one of the cutest twinks Alec's ever seen takes an interest, Alec knows there's an ulterior motive. No one with multi-colored hair, piercings, and an ass like that would want boring, serious Alec. The kid must be up to no good. Either way, Alec can't blow his cover. If only he could keep his hands off of Gabe long enough to find out what he's up to... Can they ignore their explosive chemistry long enough to foil a smuggling ring? Or will their budding relationship sink faster than a yacht full of contraband? Contains mature themes.

Brent Weyland was the life of the party until an injury ended his hockey career. Now he's retreated alone to a lakefront house, trying to make sense of a life and body that doesn't feel like his anymore. Jon Norquist was happily married right up until he wasn't. Now a single father in his forties, he's trying to figure out what comes next. In the meantime, he pours his heartache and regret into the lyrics he sings for the wine bar crowd a couple of nights a week. When a friend coaxes Brent out for a night of wine and music, he puts Brent and Jon on a collision course. Their chemistry is instantaneous. Jon gives Brent's battered body a much-needed remedial lesson in pleasure. And Brent gives Jon a reason to smile again. Multiple reasons, actually. Neither man wants anything serious, but love has a habit of showing up whether it's welcome or not. No matter how hard they try, the two can't help having feelings for each other, even as life continues to throw them curveballs. But they've both got baggage to unpack and hurt to move past, and if they can't leave their pasts in the past, they might just miss out on an amazing future. Contains mature themes.

Two guys meet over a stack of romance novels. Soon they're turning pages late into the night ... Jamie Morin's college GPA drops every time a cow breaks through a fence, but he's determined to get his degree and keep his parents' Vermont dairy farm afloat. He'd rather be reading than milking, but he can't let his family down ... not the way his brother did. So the last thing he needs is distraction in the form of an irresistible bookseller with a mysterious backstory. Briar Nord has a lifetime of experience proving that happily-ever-afters only happen in his favorite books. But his luck might be changing. He's got a great job at a bookstore, and he lives in a city that puts maple syrup on everything. But Briar knows not to trust anything or anyone. And that includes a gorgeous farm boy with soulful eyes and too many obligations. When Jamie joins Briar's romance novel book club, they both feel an instant connection. Soon they're turning pages long into the night. But Briar's past was bound to catch up with him. Sometimes, though, it takes two heroes to write a new ending ... Contains mature themes.

Kim Hartfield presents a new standalone novel. Contains mature themes.

After becoming an inadvertent viral sensation-and losing her job and her girlfriend as a result-Phoebe Shaw retreats to Vermont. Renovating her late grandmother's cabin into a vacation rental seems like the perfect way to lie low for a while. But the last person she expects to encounter on the property is the woman whose kiss was her teenage sexual awakening... and whom she's never quite forgotten. Taylor Donovan has been hiking on the trails behind the Shaw family's cabin her whole life. As children, Taylor and Phoebe were best friends before sharing a secret summer romance when they were sixteen, which left Taylor brokenhearted when Phoebe fled at the end of the summer. Now the property has become Taylor's home away from home, and she wants nothing more than to convince the Shaws to sell it to her. But Phoebe's return puts a crimp in those plans-and brings back old feelings she thought she'd overcome. Of all the things Phoebe regrets, leaving Taylor is at the top of the list, but Taylor is determined to protect her heart. Yet the pull between them is stronger than ever. This time around, will love stay hidden... or finally see the light of day? Contains mature themes.

I don't have time for an unplanned visit home to help out in my father's struggling letterpress shop. My stint in Vermont will have to be short, for a couple of reasons: One, I'm a busy executive trying to climb the corporate ladder. Two, my ex is still my dad's right-hand man in the shop. And I am not over him. Nothing has changed at the Burlington shop. Auden still has his infuriatingly sexy Scottish accent. He's still hot, and still stubborn. Between operating the antique press with his shirtsleeves rolled up, and moonlighting at Burlington's hottest inclusive wine bar, he pushes every one of my attraction buttons. My falling-in-love-again buttons, too. Except I'm his polar opposite. I love change, and taking chances. Everything he avoids in life. So why am I trying to convince him to reach for more than we've ever dreamed of - the possibility of forever? Contains mature themes.

I fled Boston and my cheating jerk of an ex with three hundred dollars and a lip gloss in my pocket. Waking up the next day in Burlington, Vermont, with a crick in my back and a frozen ass wasn’t exactly in the plan. If there was one. Which there wasn’t. Story of my life. Three hours later and I’ve been hired as temporary help in the local veterinary and grooming clinic, which is kind of impressive since I know zip about animals and even less about grooming. But one thing I do know—I’m crushing hard on the sexy, absent-minded vet I work for. My life is a hot mess. The last thing I need is another relationship. Emmett pushes all my buttons, but he isn’t out. He's overwhelmed with a business to run and a son to look after and the kind of domestic life I never thought I wanted. I should walk away. But Emmett believes in me, and I might just be starting to believe in myself. As different as we are, is it possible we're exactly what the other needs? Contains mature themes.

It was just a bet . . . until feelings got involved. This job sucks but someone's got to do it. My readers expect me to chronicle my very real, very steamy encounters in my novels. I'd never want to disappoint my fans, but the creative well has run a bit dry. Burlington, Vermont, seems like a good place to fill it up. This town offers a tempting array of artists, craftsmen, farmers, lumbersexuals . . . and so many beards. But no one prepared me for Brody. He's young. He's hot. He's definitely a grump. And he's getting under my skin. Where I want him is under my bed sheets. When my friend bets I'll never be able to get Brody there, I make winning my mission. Turns out being with Brody is more than a plot device. He's so very wrong for my life . . . but is he right for my heart? Contains mature themes.

Liam Luckett is on an adventure. He's dropped out of his master's program without telling his overbearing parents and set off on a road trip across the country. Armed with little more than his guitar, he's looking for his best life. He never expected his car to break down in the middle of nowhere Vermont with a huge storm pending, leaving him stranded and at the mercy of a hunky local mechanic. Jasper Cunningham is in a holding pattern. Three years after the death of his husband, he still hasn't moved on. A hot, younger stranded tourist is exactly the sort of complication this mechanic has been avoiding. But he also can't leave him in the snow. He brings Liam home and lets him sleep on the couch. The air is heavy with more than snow, and when the power goes out, the two men become closer than either of them expects. Every silken note Liam sings on that guitar thaws Jasper's heart a little. Suddenly, Liam's itchy feet aren't so eager to move on. When their feelings get too big to ignore, the bond they've formed is tested. Will daybreak leave them going their separate ways? Contains mature themes.

"It just figures that the first guy I'm bringing back to my place is cute, single, and totally off-limits ... " Sean Anderson has spent his life waiting to get the hell out of West Virginia. His plans got derailed when his dad shipped him off to "pray the gay away," but he's over it, ready to prove that he's a grown-ass man who can take care of himself. Of course, he'd have a better chance convincing himself if he could stop lusting after his grumpy roommate. Army veteran Cooper Hill returned to Vermont minus one leg and one career, but determined to build a new life. When an army buddy asks Cooper to keep an eye on his nephew, a junior at the local college, Cooper can't say no. He's expecting a sheltered kid. What he gets is a gorgeous young man whose brilliant poetry gives voice to everything Cooper's been trying to express. He wants Sean more than he's ever wanted anything. And somehow, miraculously, Sean wants him too. But wanting each other isn't the same as being good for each other ... especially when past pain threatens to write its own verse in their song. Contains mature themes.

A second chance at love? Or a second chance to ruin everything? When Skyler spots the new bartender at Vino and Veritas, his body responds before the guy even turns around. But when he does, it takes only a heartbeat for recognition to set in and for sparks to fly. Judson's been gone for ten years, but he's the man Skyler never forgot. Or forgave. The last place Judson wants to be is back home in Burlington, living with family. Not so long ago he was a world-class chef with the lifestyle to prove it. Now he's serving drinks and flying under the radar until he can get the hell out again. But when his childhood best friend reenters his life, looking finer than any entree at a five-star restaurant, he wonders if it's time to update his menu of life choices. Working through past wounds with Skyler won't be easy, though, especially with family obligations - and the occasional dairy cow-interfering. When their loyalty is tested, will their newly built stronghold be sturdy enough to withstand the storm? Contains mature themes.

Save the bees, ride a rock star. Formerly famous... and planning to keep it that way. After my band kicked me out, I ran away to Vermont, changed my name, and kept my head down. So far, it's working and nobody knows who I am. Or who I was. Until I see geeky poet Caleb stumbling through his first open mic night and I can't help rescuing him. He's as sweet as the honey my bees make and sexy enough to make me rethink so many things. But I can't tell him my secret, or I'll lose the anonymous life I worked so hard to build. Everyone warns me he's too good to be true. I can't believe a gorgeous, successful winemaker like Tag is into shy, geeky little accountant me. But he helps me blossom and believe in my talent, and works his way into my heart and my bed... not necessarily in that order. I'm falling for a man for the first time, and now I know what the missing number in my equation has always been. When lies are revealed, though, someone's going to get stung... Contains mature themes.

One night with Reeve Hale wasn't enough. I knew it when I kissed him, I knew it when I slept with him, and I was certain of it when I walked out of his motel room the very next day. So, when the shy, gorgeous man is introduced as our newest employee at Vino and Veritas, I can't help but conjure up all the ridiculous ways to convince him to repeat that unforgettable night. Like asking him to be my fake boyfriend at my sister's upcoming wedding. Only, I didn't expect him to say yes. Playing pretend shouldn't feel this real. Especially when Reeve is planning on leaving Vermont after the summer. We agreed to one night. We negotiated a fake relationship. But I'm the one who broke our terms. I wasn't supposed to fall in love, and he was never supposed to be so unforgettable. Contains mature themes.

Contains mature themes.

My new roommate has the worst taste in men. I mean, Murph's special. He's funny and flamboyant and full of life. While I'm straight, even I can tell these guys aren't good enough for him. I had to yell at one date, toss another one out the door, and throw a beer in another's face. Kind of embarrassing, really. I don't know what's gotten into me. I ask my sister what's wrong with me and she says I'm jealous. Jealous? Please. Me? Come on. Only thing is, I hate the thought of Murph kissing any guy. Ever. Except, maybe . . . me? Contains mature themes.