Jody Holford

A Convenient Christmas

Science teacher and single mom, Hazel Bloom, isn’t the kiss a stranger on the bar dance floor kind of woman but at her goodbye party, she momentarily forgets this.

Tension between Hazel and her almost-teen daughter, Zoe, is already riding high when they show up to Sweets Middle School. Zoe isn’t thrilled about the move or attending seventh grade where her mom works. When they’re greeted by the gorgeous stranger from the bar, Hazel’s daughter wonders what has turned her mom’s cheeks cherry tomato red.

Carter Shaw finally got a Vice-Principal job after years of teaching and working toward this goal. He isn’t often at a loss for words but when the woman he shared one intoxicating kiss with shows up at his work, he’s speechless. More so when he realizes she’s not only a parent of one of his students but the newest teacher hire.

He’s her boss.

Isn't It Sweet #2

Lessons in Love

Owen Burnett planned on a quiet, easygoing Christmas, hanging out with his best friend and neighbor, Gabby Michaelson. So when his mom pressures him to come home, he tells a little white lie...that he’s spending the holidays with his new girlfriend. But after his family shows up unexpectedly, Owen pulls the best friend card and asks Gabby to play his fake girlfriend. Gabby’s been hopelessly in love with her best friend for what feels like forever, but playing Owen's "fake" girlfriend when the entire boisterous Burnett clan visits is easier said than done. The more she tries to deny the attraction between them, the more obvious their chemistry becomes. But even though she's not the only one feeling it, putting their friendship on the line is a risk she can’t take. Each book in the Kendrick Place series is a STANDALONE story that can be enjoyed out of order. * More than Friends * The Bad Boy Next Door * Hate to Love Him

More Than Friends

Deadly Ride

The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent...

When graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year, she’s convinced that even though the small town has ten coffee shops, nothing exciting will happen. But that’s before a seemingly feral cat gives birth in her garage, prompting a call to the very handsome, very single town vet. It’s a dream meet-cute, but just as their romance blooms, Annie discovers the bloody body of her grumpy neighbor. And despite the fact that she passes out at the sight of blood, the police suspect her.

To clear her name, Annie will need to put her years of watching police procedurals and reading mysteries to good use. She’ll also need to rely on her new friends who have welcomed her to Rainbow Falls, but is one of them the killer?

The Wannabe Sleuth #1

Home Is Where the Body Is

Declan James has been Brockton Point’s most ineligible bachelor—happy with his short-term relationships and focusing on his business. But now that his closest friends have found their happily-ever-afters, he can’t help but wonder what that might be like. And then Sophia Strombi shows up on his doorstep. Sophia’s life is—well there’s no other word for it—a mess. She’s grateful to have some work at her brother’s best friend’s bar and a place to stay. Since she’s working hard to get her life back on track, she’s desperately trying to ignore the fact her boss makes her heart pound in a good way. Wait—no. That’s not good at all. Besides, she has a huge secret she’s keeping from everyone—one that’s a life-changer. Each book in the Love Unexpected series is STANDALONE: * Let It Be Me * Never Expected You * Story of Us

Story of Us

When Zach Mason, former army sergeant turned veterinarian for war-wounded animals, returns home, the decision to stay is easy. But convincing the only other vet in town to hire him is a good deal harder. It doesn’t help that the beautiful, intelligent, and stubborn Stella Lane is determined to make his life hell. Stella doesn’t take outside help easily—she’s been let down in the past, most recently by her ex, just as she’d begun to plan their wedding. Trusting Zach with her animals is one thing, but trusting him with more is a hard pass. Too bad the handsome vet is nothing but temptation. And her new roommate... Each book in the Love Unexpected series is STANDALONE: * Let It Be Me * Never Expected You * Story of Us

Never Expected You

"A sweet tale of love, romance and understanding." Carly Phillips, NY Times Bestselling Author Shay Matthews moved to Boston for a fresh start...new apartment, new job, new routine. After too many years being coddled by her overbearing older brothers, Shay’s ready for some freedom and maybe a nice, easygoing guy. She wasn’t expecting to literally run into the scowling, brooding, (and unfairly smoking hot) guy next door. Fresh off a haunting undercover assignment, detective Wyatt Daniels is jaded about life, relationships, and especially happily-ever-after. But there’s something about the independent and beautiful Shay that makes him want to dig deeper. Or stay away, which is definitely the smarter option of the two. But the more Shay tries to convince herself that her sweet building manager, Brady, is the guy for her, the more Mr. Completely Wrong-for-Her Wyatt invades her mind and her heart. Each book in the Kendrick Place series is a STANDALONE story that can be enjoyed out of order. * More than Friends * The Bad Boy Next Door * Hate to Love Him

The Bad Boy Next Door

Figuring out how to move forward means she has to go back. Lucy Aarons never thought she'd tire of travelling the globe taking photographs but when she comes home to the small town of Angels Lake for a visit, she's, surprisingly, not eager to leave. Part of that might be due to the sexy, sweet Sheriff who lives next door to her parents. Alex Whitman has only ever wanted three things: to have roots, to be a cop, and to win Lucy's heart. He's managed two of the three and now that Lucy is home, he plans to pursue the third. After being gone for years, Lucy is trying to figure out where she belongs in her large family. What she discovers turns her world upside down. Alex is trying to live in the moment and enjoy whatever time he has with Lucy before the wanderlust kicks in again, but the more time they spend together, he wonders how he'll ever let her go.

An Angel's Lake Story

Falling for Home

He needs a nanny. She needs a job. Hoping to open a clothing boutique in her hometown, Kate Aarons is ready for the next phase of her life. Before she can set her dreams in motion, she needs a job to get her shop up and running. Tired of his ex's unpredictable and transient lifestyle, single father, Elliot Peters, wants to give his twin daughters a stable life. Going from sometime dad to full-time dad is harder than he expected. But sweet, sexy Kate could be the answer he needs. Working for Elliot proves to be the perfect situation. But when sparks fly between them, Kate worries about finding her place in a ready-made family. Can Elliott convince Kate that forever started the second he fell for her?

Falling for Kate

She doesn’t remember high school being so complicated…or as deadly. Rainbow Falls newcomer Annie Abbott is finally feeling settled in town with her veterinarian boyfriend and their two curious kittens. The local high school is raising money for their drama program and, eager to help, Annie volunteers for the carnival’s photo booth, using her graphic design skills to create fun backdrops and mentor a group of students. The only dark cloud is a run in with an unpleasant teacher who’s critical of her teenage neighbor, Tate, and his girlfriend. On the night of the carnival, Annie discovers the not-so-nice teacher dead. She and her motley crew of murder club sleuths leap into action to help clear her own name along with Tate’s. Luckily for both of them, there are plenty of suspects who had it out for the victim. Complicating Annie’s illicit investigation further? A mystery stalker with a vendetta against her. As Annie and her friends chase clues, it’s becoming increasingly clear that not everyone is happy with her decision to make Rainbow Falls her home.

Homecoming and Homicide

Georgia Meyers' business may be sweets but that's not what she's looking for in a man. In fact, she's not looking for any man. Running Sweet Georgia, her candy shop in the center of Angel's Lake, is her priority. Police officer, Cam Andrews is known for being a good cop and a shy man. Meeting Georgia, he's not only smitten but impressed. When a handsy Santa tries to grab more than her holiday suckers, Georgia quickly puts him in his place. With her knee. Cam and other officers arrive just in time to see she doesn't need to be rescued. Georgia's new life plan is all about staying focused on business. She has no intention of acting on her growing feelings for the charming police officer. Cam's not a casual kind of guy. Georgia insists she's not a forever kind of girl.Cam respects Georgia's wishes about not pursuing the attraction between them, but when her shop is vandalized, he closes the distance. In a professional capacity. As more incidents happen, Cam is convinced Georgia has made an enemy. She might want to deny their snowballing feelings but he won't ignore his sworn duty to protect. There's something she's not telling him that could put them in more danger than getting caught under the mistletoe.

Falling For Christmas

Talk about a wild day... As if being summoned to the deathbed of a grandfather she didn’t know existed wasn’t enough––Isla Bennett meets the man of her dreams. Spends an amazing day playing tourist around Nashville with him. And then finds out she’s inherited the Nashville Slammers major league baseball team. Oh, and her new dream man? He’s the Slammers’ star power hitter. Isla just went from amazing first date to holy heck I’m your boss in the span of a day. Liam Cruz can’t believe how refreshing it was to spend a day with someone who didn’t know his batting average, the size of his last contract, or heck, even that he’s a baseball player. Now Isla’s thrust into the spotlight, and though she’s more than capable of handling herself professionally, he takes it upon himself to teach her everything he can about the game that is his whole life. But they’ll have to keep it on the DL. Because doing what’s best for the team means they can never be together––and that might be the toughest play of all.

Covering All the Bases

Megan Carter’s spent the past five years nannying for a pint-size boss—the adorable Charlie—while also navigating her full-size boss, his somewhat grouchy, way-too-methodical dad, Adam. Now that she’s finally moving on, helping Adam find her replacement should be easy...except he doesn’t want another nanny. He wants a wife. Adam’s been burned by love in the past, so of course he believes finding someone who can be a partner in raising his son is all that matters. Too bad the woman helping him search is the biggest believer in love at first sight and happily-ever-after he’s ever met. Even as Adam’s funny, charming, and—who would have thought it?—super-hot side starts to come out, Megan knows that without love, a family would never be complete. But convincing Adam of that might be harder than she thought. Each book in the Love Unexpected series is STANDALONE: * Let It Be Me * Never Expected You * Story of Us

Let It Be Me

When a beautiful brunette driver meets Nashville Slammers catcher, Sawyer McBain, at the airport, he figures it's his lucky day. Sure, he's usually pretty guarded around people, especially after what happened with his ex, but he can definitely enjoy the car ride. Until she passes his apartment...and keeps driving. All of a sudden the woman seems a lot less like romance material and a lot more like a kidnapper. What gives? Slammers executive Addison Carlisle needs one little favor. Sure, she may have kinda maybe kidnapped one of her professional baseball players, but it’s for a really good cause. She desperately needs someone high-profile to auction off that night for the multiple sclerosis society she’s chairing, but he insists he wants a favor in return. Soon Addie and Sawyer are trading completely ridiculous I.O.U.s, like being his plus-one to his grandmother's poker game or keeping each other company at the driving range. But when their agreement goes from flirty to fiery, neither is ready to let their guard down for a shot at love. Each book in the For Love of the Game series is STANDALONE: * Covering All the Bases * Catching Her Heart

Catching Her Heart

"Former Army brat Molly Owens is happily settling into her new life in the seaside town of Britton Bay--and into new her job as editor-in-chief of the local paper. But as tourists discover the desirable spot, the tide along the Oregon Coast is turning . . . Britton Bay is buzzing with preparations for a wedding at the bed and breakfast where Molly rents a small carriage home. Molly is even helping out and plans to interview the rising star caterer--until the woman is found dead. And then the bride-to-be goes missing. To make matters worse, the venue is owned by Molly's new boyfriend's mother--and Molly was among the last people to see the victim alive. All of which makes solving the crime her top priority . . . With the nuptials indefinitely on hold, Molly will have to sift through a sticky mix of suspects, including a rival caterer with a short fuse, a groom with an illicit secret, and a wedding party riddled with personal drama. And if she doesn't discover the truth soon, Molly might be her own front-page news . . . "

Deadly Vows

The coastal Oregon town of Rainbow Falls might be sleepy, but it’s definitely not innocent... When graphic designer and true crime fan Annie Abbott agrees to house sit her parents’ home for a year, she’s convinced that even though the small town has ten coffee shops, nothing exciting will happen. But that’s before a seemingly feral cat gives birth in her garage, prompting a call to the very handsome, very single town vet. It’s a dream meet-cute, but just as their romance blooms, Annie discovers the bloody body of her grumpy neighbor. And despite the fact that she passes out at the sight of blood, the police suspect her. To clear her name, Annie will need to put her years of watching police procedurals and reading mysteries to good use. She’ll also need to rely on her new friends who have welcomed her to Rainbow Falls, but is one of them the killer?

Home is Where the Body Is

Sometimes loving enough means letting go... Major league baseball player, Ryan Walker, takes a mandatory leave of absence to escape the paparazzi and the false drug charges against him. All he wants is a little peace of mind out in the middle of nowhere. Eager to rid herself of the empty socialite life, Frankie Vaughn moves to a rundown home in Minnesota that she inherited from her aunt. But Frankie is shocked at what she discovers inside: three young boys. When Ryan discovers that Frankie, his new neighbor, has taken on the three homeless kids as her own, he has a new hope for humanity. Despite how easily and lovingly Ryan takes to Frankie and the boys, his past just might be the reason Frankie can't adopt the boys. Now, Ryan must choose between loving them or letting them go. Can he walk away from what he's been looking for all along?

Caught Looking

Newspaper editor and amateur sleuth Molly Owens takes center stage when it's curtains for a theater director . . . Living in the beautiful coastal town of Britton Bay, Oregon, seems like the perfect fit for Molly. She enjoys her work as editor-in-chief of the Britton Bay Bulletin, loves her boyfriend Sam, and feels at home in the adorable cottage in the back of his mother's bed and breakfast. This spring Britton Bay is staging its first-ever community theater production. The show—featuring local residents—is the talk of the town, but tongues are really wagging over the director. It turns out former soap opera actress Magnolia Sweet is anything but; nothing's worse than a has-been on a power trip, and steely Magnolia routinely chews out her amateur cast. Still, it's a shock to all when she's found murdered in the theater. Now it's open call for suspects, as Molly steps in to shine a spotlight on a killer waiting in the wings. But will this be her final act? Praise for Deadly News “The news is all good for this cozy mystery! Deadly News will make you want to pack up and move to the seaside town of Britton Bay, Oregon. The characters are vividly brought to life, there’s a perfect touch of romance, and the mystery has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. Don’t miss out on a charming new series—grab this cozy while it’s hot off the press!” —Sarah Fox, USA Today bestselling author

Deadly Drama

The new editor of a small-town newspaper gets a killer story in this cozy mystery series debut set on the Oregon coast. Newspaper editor Molly Owens is eager to bring the struggling Britton Bay Bulletin up to speed. But pushing one of her reporters to dig deeper into a story seems to backfire when he winds up murdered. And since the middling journalist had a talent for making enemies, finding his killer won’t be easy. The lists of suspects includes his ex-wife, his own son, and even Molly’s boss. As Molly searches for answers, she finds herself targeted by mysterious threats—and the trouble is only beginning. The one bright spot is Molly’s newfound flirtation with Sam Alderich. The sexy mechanic is used to taking things apart and piecing them back together, and between the two of them they just might be able to solve this deadly puzzle—if Molly can survive peaceful small-town life long enough . . . “Deadly News will make you want to pack up and move to the seaside town of Britton Bay, Oregon. The characters are vividly brought to life, there’s a perfect touch of romance, and the mystery has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.” —Sarah Fox, USA Today bestselling author

Jody Holford

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