She’d been the star of the country’s most popular show, Summer Times High, for seven years, and even though she’d been off that show for just as long, that was how the country thought of her. The truth was her life felt like it had careened from one chaotic incident to another. She’d hoped the cooking show, now in its second season, would help break that cycle and maybe freshen her image up so people saw her as an adult and not an eternal teen, but right now it didn’t feel like that.
“Hey, was this the hot neighbor from upstairs who did this? The pilot we met at your place?” Melody asked.
“Yeah, that’s him. He was very sorry and maybe a little flirty. As much as a man whose house had just flooded can be, anyway.”
“You should totally ask him out,” Julie suggested.
“Julie, this is the No Brides Club. I’m not asking anyone out. I’m homeless, my TV show is rating well, but making it is making me crazy, so I do not have time for a hot pilot in my life.” She knew she was being short with her friend, but it was not as if she had time to date right now.
“Well, at least you acknowledge he’s hot; that’s progress for you,” her friend teased. She was right, Georgie made it a habit not to look and not to comment about men.
She drained the rest of the martini. “If I’m not going to touch, it’s easier not to look. I’ve sworn off men until my life is on track, and it’s anything but right now.”
Kate reached over and squeezed her hand. “It’ll be fine. New York has millions of kitchens. You’ll find the perfect one to film the rest of the season. You might even get some good publicity out of this.”
Kate was right, there were other kitchens, and the network PR team would lap this up, but she had just finished her renovations and her place had been perfect as Julie had said earlier. It was the first place that had felt like home since she left Dank Street at age fifteen, and now it was ruined. She let out a sigh.
“I’m going to need another drink and some wings if I’m going to talk myself out of this funk,” she said, and within minutes her friends had both arriving at the table, which made Georgie smile. Her life wasn’t a total disaster because she had amazing supportive friends to help her through. Still, as she sipped her drink and listened to them recap their own, far less disastrous week, she thought she might need more than her girlfriends to get her through this mess.
When she got back to the hotel, she took Tapioca downstairs to do her business, and then she went straight up and flopped on the bed. She had the overwhelming urge to call Liam Stone, her childhood best friend, and talk through her misery, but it was late and his live-in girlfriend had made it abundantly clear that she didn’t want Georgie calling him, and certainly not late at night. She missed Liam, but she was trying to be a good friend and give his relationship some time to get settled. Still, on a night like this, she really could have used the comfort of a friend. Instead, she curled up on the bed, her little white dog beside her, and hoped things would look better in the morning.
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Acknowledgments
First, I want to thank the lovely group of authors who wrote in the No Brides Club series. It has been so amazing getting to know all of you and getting to collaborate. I also want to thank Melissa Storm and Sweet Promise Press for showcasing sweet romance and for this amazing opportunity.
Thank you to my husband, Chad, who is always overly supportive of my writing ventures. You are my best friend and my favorite love story.
Thanks to my parents for teaching me to love reading and writing. Thank you for supporting my dreams.
Thank you to all of my family and friends who support my writing journey. A special thanks goes to my in-laws, Tom and Diane. I also want to thank Grandma Bonnie, Christie James, Kay Shuma, Alicia Schmouder, Ronice Scezski, Lynette Luke, Deborah Biter, Heather Jasinski, D.J. Sakata, Jamie Lynch, Kristin Mathias, Dr. Letcher, Kelly Rubritz, and all of my other amazing friends and family who go above and beyond to help me share my words.
Thank you to all of my readers who have followed me on this journey and to all of the lovely book bloggers I’ve met along the way.
And finally, thank you to my best friend, Henry, who shows me what unconditional love really looks like.
Six no marriage vows. Six Mr. Rights. Will a group of strong, independent women break their pledge to one another and choose love over a career?
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NO TIME FOR LOVE BY RAINE ENGLISH
Kinsley King loves her lavish lifestyle. As one of Manhattan’s top real estate brokers, she deals with power players, royalty, and the Hollywood elite. But when her favorite aunt bequests her a wildlife sanctuary in the middle of nowhere, she has a tough decision to make. Does she honor her aunt’s last wish and keep the sanctuary or does she put it on the market and maintain the life she adores?
Dylan Reese can’t imagine not working with animals, so when he takes over the running of an Upstate New York wildlife sanctuary, his life seems perfect. Until the owner dies and leaves the place to her spoiled niece. Will Dylan be able to take orders from a city girl who doesn’t know the first thing about animals or will he swallow his pride to keep his job?
Sparks fly in this “Opposites Attract” sweet romance as Kinsley falls for the swoon-worthy sanctuary manager, causing her to rethink the no marriage vow she made with her girlfriends, while Dylan wonders how he’s going to keep from losing his heart to the one woman who’s sure to break it.
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NO TIME FOR LULLABIES BY SYDNEY LOGAN
Melody Mitchell has no time for romance or, heaven forbid, marriage. As an award-winning songwriter, she loves her life in Manhattan—far from the family she disgraced and the love she left behind. When Melody’s cousin dies unexpectedly, she's determined to get through the funeral without having to confront her past. But Melody soon learns she has an even bigger problem: she’s been named the guardian of her cousin’s infant daughter.
Dr. Brody Myers spends his days healing the sick kids of his hometown while trying to forget Melody, the girl who broke his heart a lifetime ago. Sparks fly when the childhood sweethearts come face-to-face at her cousin's funeral. Then he learns that Melody is now the mother of one of his tiny patients—and they’re staying in town for the summer.
Will Melody reconsider her vow to never wed in hopes of finding her happily ever after? Or is Brody destined to have his heart broken all over again? Fans of second chance romance will savor this sweet tale of unexpected motherhood and everlasting love.
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NO TIME FOR PROMISES BY LINDSAY DETWILER
At twenty-nine, Rachel Winters is determined to chase her Broadway dreams. As a member of the chorus in a popular play, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to rise to fame and earn a lead role. Thus, when her director, Michael, asks her to teach a weekend acting workshop, Rachel says yes. When she falls for a charming special education teacher at the workshop, however, she’ll have an important choice to make. Will she take the risk and open herself up to love, or will her dedication to her dreams outweigh what her heart wants?
Zander Riley’s goal of being a professional actor died years ago when the woman of his dreams shattered his heart. At thirty-one, he’s living out a new goal as a special education teacher. He loves his job and his life in Manhattan, but he can’t help but feel like going home alone to his cat isn’t quite fulfilling. When he chaperones a weekend trip to an acting workshop, he meets the woman to reignite his passions in more ways than one. However, he’s been scorned on the road to love in major ways. Has his heart healed enough to trust another woman, or will he forever be marred by past mistakes?
As the passion intensifies in this “Love at First Sight” sweet romance, Rachel will reconsider the no marriage vow she made with her best friends in the No Brides Club, while Zander wi
ll struggle to protect his heart from a woman who has the power to break it. As they shine the spotlight on their budding relationship, the question surfaces: Will the two theater lovers set the stage for romance or tragedy, and will they cast each other in their scripts?
Get your copy at SweetPromisePress.com/NoBrides
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NO TIME FOR TEMPTATION BY MONIQUE MCDONELL
Georgie Price spent her teen years as America’s sweetheart - a pop princess and star of a high school-based TV romcom - but now she’s moved to New York to reinvent herself as the producer and star of a successful cooking show and a serious musician. She’s got no time for anything but work as she strives to prove to everyone, including herself, that she’s more than the ditsy blonde she played on TV. When her apartment is flooded her childhood best-friend Liam announces he’s moving to New York and he’ll find the perfect place for them to live together, as roommates. Georgie has spent years keeping her feelings for Liam in check, but will so much proximity make it impossible to resist temptation?
Liam Stone has loved Georgie for as long as he can remember. He took her to the audition that changed her life because he knew at least one of them needed to escape their rundown small rural town. Since that day he’s worked hard to make something of himself, so he can be worthy of Georgie. Now a successful advertising executive he’s moved to New York to finally make his move with Georgie, but she’s vowed to stay single, and as a member of the No Brides Club she takes that commitment very seriously.
Liam is determined to show Georgie he’s not like the other guys, in all the best ways, while she tries to convince him that he’s so much more than the family he was born into. Can Georgie and Liam look beyond the past to build a future together in this sweet friend to lovers romance?
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NO TIME FOR APOLOGIES BY JEAN C. GORDON
Kate Lewis left the family dairy farm in Western New York for NYU and fell in love with living in New York City. Now a senior analyst for a mutual fund, she’s put everything but her career on hold until she’s grabbed the golden ring of portfolio manager. She’s been passed over twice already, so she’s not letting anything get in her way—not the pang of jealousy she feels when her much younger sister announces her engagement, nor the lingering feelings of inadequacy fostered by her brother’s childhood taunts of “you’re just a girl.” And certainly not any feelings stirred by her new assistant Jon— blast from her past, high school math nerd turned confident competitor for her dream job.
Growing up, Jon Smith felt like a square peg in a round hole. Coming from a family of physicians, he was expected to be a doctor, too. Shy, pudgy, and awkward, he rebelled and majored in mathematics in college, which he paid for himself. He also discovered competitive swimming, shed his extra weight, and grew into his features, but he still remembers being the ugly duckling Jon recently jumped off the career hamster wheel to help his grandfather manage a small beef cattle operation Upstate and teach financial planning at the local community college. He takes a job with the mutual fund company just for the summer for some extra cash to help out his grandfather. But working for Kate, his high school crush, is an added benefit.
Attraction ignites on both sides as the demands of work throw them together. A true No-Bride Club member would never fall for the man who may be here to steal her hard-earned promotion. Despite the long-buried feelings for Kate, Jon fears she may, like his parents, love her work more than she loves him. Is Kate willing to believe Jon and break her no-bride vow for the true joy their love could bring? Is Jon ready to trust his heart and embrace the love an ugly duckling never believed he’d find?
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NO TIME FOR SURPRISES BY KAREN MCCULLOUGH
Three years ago rising star programmer Julie Harrison was forced to leave her job in disgrace when code from a project she was working on leaked to a rival company and all signs pointed to her as the guilty party. Worse yet, her fiancée and co-worker, Daniel Foster, believed in her guilt, and their relationship imploded as a result. Heartbroken and devastated, Julie found support in a group of friends who all decided to swear off romance and throw themselves into their careers. Through hard work, taking some chances, and a bit of luck she has become a successful freelance software developer whose work commands high prices.
Dan Foster has wondered for some time if he made a mistake when he chose to trust the evidence that Julie had leaked code to a rival, instead of believing her denials. His own ambition to become chief operating of the company made him quick to take the company’s side, but reaching that goal didn’t bring the fulfillment he hoped. He fears he may have made the wrong choice and paid too high a price for his success.
Julie is shocked to learn that Dan’s company has bought out the group that represented her software. She isn’t happy that they’ll be forced to work together again. Dan recognizes that he has a second chance with her. Though the attraction is still there, Julie won’t risk her heart by trusting Dan. When disaster threatens to strike again, can Dan convince her he believes in her and she can trust him to have her back this time? Can these one-time enemies recapture the love they let slip away once before?
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About the Author
Lindsay Detwiler is the author of eleven sweet contemporary romance novels and a high school English Teacher. Her novel, Inked Hearts, was named a Romance Times Top Pick in 2017. Her romantic drama, Remember When, was named a Route One Reads Romance Pick in 2018. Lindsay has also written works for Harness Magazine, Chicken Soup For the Soul, Thought Catalog, and The Huffington Post.
Lindsay lives in her hometown of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Chad; their five cats; and their mastiff, Henry, who appears in all of Lindsay's novels. When she's not reading or writing, Lindsay loves shopping, Netflix, and chocolate.
No Time for Promises (The No Brides Club Book 3) Page 16