No Time for Love: No Brides Club, Book 1

by English, Raine

“You mean you can’t be in Meadow Creek that long.”

  “That, too.”

  “The office will survive without you, and I can move your meetings. Besides, your parents would love to see you. How long has it been since you’ve been home?”

  “I don’t know. Let me just check my calendar.”

  Disapproval flickered across Claire’s face. Melody could feel the lecture coming.

  “Very funny, Mel. Family is so important.”

  Melody raised her hands in surrender.

  “Okay, okay. Let’s . . . clear my schedule for next week.”

  “Great. I’ll book your flight and your rental car.”

  She shook her head. “I’m curious . . . did they teach motherly guilt in Lamaze class? Because you’re already a pro.”

  Claire smiled triumphantly and typed notes on her tablet. “Whatever. You’ll thank me for this.”

  I seriously doubt that.

  To ease the ball of anxiety that suddenly formed in the pit of her stomach, Melody checked her email while Claire worked her calendar magic. When she was finished, there was only one event listed for next week.

  Trish’s funeral.

  Melody didn’t know why she was expected to attend. She hadn’t spoken to Trish since high school, and honestly, they weren’t exactly friends back then.

  “I ordered flowers, just as you requested.” Claire sniffled quietly, and Melody braced herself for the wave of tears that were sure to come. “It’s just so sad, isn’t it? Wasn’t she young?”

  “Thirty, just like me.”

  “And she has a baby daughter. What will happen to her?”

  “I don’t know. Trish’s mom—my Aunt Hannah—passed away a few years ago. Her dad took off when we were kids. I’m pretty sure my parents and I are all the family she has left, and my folks certainly can’t take care of a baby.”

  Claire’s tears erupted then, and Melody hastily reached for a nearby box of tissues. With a sad smile, she leaned close to her friend and gently dabbed her cheeks.

  “You know what you need? You need to go home to your beautiful little girl and that handsome husband and have a nice, quiet weekend. Since I’m apparently on vacation next week, you will have very little to do and can work from home if you want.”

  That brought a smile to the new mommy’s face. “Really?”

  “Really. Just keep your phone charged. Pretty sure I’ll be the one who’ll need the moral support next week.”

  “You got it. Believe me, Mel. You won’t regret this. Family is everything.”

  She forced a smile. Claire had no way of knowing it, but spending the week with her family was the least of Melody’s worries.

  * * *

  With take-out Chinese in her hand, Melody curled up on her leather sofa and grabbed the remote. After finding something random to watch on Netflix, she dug into her first real meal of the day. When the songwriting juices were flowing, inconveniences like food were easily forgotten. Honestly, everything was easily forgotten when she was in the writing zone. If not for the weekly dinners with her best friends, she probably wouldn’t leave the studio at all.

  Melody’s music—and the ladies in the No Brides Club—were her only true passions in life.

  Best friends who were focused on their careers instead of their love lives might not sound like fun to a lot of women, but Melody and her friends couldn’t be happier. They met every Thursday for dinner and drinks at the Briarwood Tavern in Tribeca. The six women were smart, savvy professionals who loved their careers and adored the city. They dated—when they made time to date—but they’d all accepted the fact that marriage just wasn’t in the cards, and that was absolutely fine with them.

  If only it was fine with my parents.

  Despite her success, Melody knew she was a disappointment to her mom and dad. As their only child, Melody was her mother’s only chance to be a grandma, and her father’s only chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. So, to avoid the inevitable guilt trips, she only went home to visit when it was necessary.

  Like Christmas.

  And funerals.

  After devouring her teriyaki chicken, Melody headed toward the beautiful kitchen she never used. After living in ratholes for years, the spacious apartment overlooking the Hudson River was her real estate dream come true. She bought it for a steal, thanks to Kinsley King, hotshot real estate broker. Melody signed the mortgage papers, and Kinsley promptly dragged her to the Briarwood Tavern to celebrate. They’d been best friends ever since.

  “It’s really too bad,” Melody muttered to herself, surveying the stainless-steel appliances and breakfast nook. She didn’t deserve such a beautiful kitchen. With the exception of the dishwasher and coffee maker, most all the pretty appliances had never been touched.

  She barely had time to eat. When could she possibly cook?

  After throwing away her take-out carton, Melody sat down at the island and leafed through the pile of mail she’d avoided all week. It was mostly junk, and she was ready to toss it all when a long brown envelope suddenly caught her attention.

  Tucker & Associates

  There weren’t many lawyers back in her hometown, but Troy Tucker was one of them.

  Confused but curious, she ripped open the envelope and scanned the letter, which requested her presence at the reading of Trish’s will.

  Weird. Why would he want me there?

  With a tired sigh, Melody tossed the rest of the mail in the trash and took the letter with her to her bedroom. She grabbed her suitcase and placed the lawyer’s letter inside one of the zipped pockets before heading to her closet to pack what she’d need for the week. It was after midnight by the time she set the alarm and climbed into bed. Pulling the blanket close, Melody closed her eyes and prayed for sleep, but rest didn’t come easily. It never did when she was anxious.

  This is a big mistake.

  She would be spending an entire week with her parents—two people she never wanted to disappoint, and yet she did, time and time again. Funerals were never fun, but Trish’s would be particularly tough because she was so young and there was a baby involved. Now there was the situation with the lawyer, who for some reason requested her presence at the reading of the will.

  As if that wasn’t enough to keep her tossing and turning, there was one last, lingering thought that had settled in the back of her mind that she could no longer ignore.

  Will I see him?

  Melody had been lucky so far. Somehow, she’d managed to avoid him during her sporadic trips back to Meadow Creek. Running into Brody Myers would be a grim reminder of her past—one she’d desperately tried to forget. She’d put six hundred miles and more than ten years between them, hoping time and distance would cloud the memories.

  She had a feeling there would be no avoiding him this time.

  Want to keep reading? Head to sweetpromisepress.com/NoBrides to grab your copy now!

  Acknowledgments

  A very special thank you to Melissa Storm and her crew at Sweet Promise Press.

  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?

  * * *

  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 “Opposi
tes 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.

  Get your copy at SweetPromisePress.com/NoBrides

  * * *

  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.

  Get your copy at SweetPromisePress.com/NoBrides

  * * *

  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 will 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

  * * *

  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?

  Get your copy at SweetPromisePress.com/NoBrides

  * * *

  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?

  Get your copy at SweetPromisePress.com/NoBrides

  * * *

  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?

  Get your copy at SweetPromisePress.com/NoBrides

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