Susan Hatler

An emotional homecoming that will tug at your heartstrings & inspire you to believe in happy endings. Wendy vowed never to return to the small coastal town where her parents abandoned her. But when she inherits the family inn at the beach, she must come home and face her past. Will handsome millionaire Max help her heal old wounds and open her heart? From a New York Times bestselling author, don't miss the chance to unite with friendships that endure and a love that will last forever in THE SECOND CHANCE INN.

A Sweet Small Town Romance

The Second Chance Inn

Maid of honor Sarah Carlton hasn't failed at anything since her high school science project was sabotaged by a relentless competitor. So, she'll do whatever it takes to make her best friend Jill's wedding absolutely perfect. That includes taking the next flight out of Sacramento to retrieve the panicked bride's cherished family wedding charm from her late grandmother's attic in Atlanta Georgia. Unfortunately, someone else has offered to come to the bride's rescue--best man Ben Atkins, the same man who destroyed Sarah's high school science project all those years ago. Now he wants to one-up her by retrieving the charm first? Sarah refuses to let that happen. The race is on. When Sarah and Ben arrive in Atlanta, instead of finding the wedding charm there's a letter from the bride's grandmother directing the bride and groom to complete a series of tasks in order to prove their commitment to each other. With the wedding only two days away, Sarah and Ben must join forces by pretending to be the bride and groom in order to earn the wedding charm. Should be a cinch. After all, how hard can it be to fake true love for forty-eight hours? "I couldn't help but smile and laugh at the antics that Ben and Sarah go through. There's something about weddings that really puts the feeling of love into the air and I'm so excited for this whole series!" -- 5-Star Review Katie's Clean Book Collection

The Wedding Charm

Career-driven attorney, Jill Parnell, has worked long and hard to become a partner at Corbett, Gray, & Shaw. When the coveted position is given to the boss’s nephew, she does what any intelligent employee would do—attends a colleague’s wedding and schmoozes a high-powered partner at another law firm. Her potential new boss has only one condition for her, that she demonstrate a personal life that will support a thriving career. Pretending to have a boyfriend is outside Jill’s comfort zone, but she invites the best man to act the part and Ryan is all-too eager to play her significant other. Sparks fly between them, but she reminds herself she’s only driven to date to get back on the partner track. When Jill discovers Ryan is the lawyer who stole her promotion, her charade threatens to implode. But breaking off their pretend relationship could cost her the job of her dreams. And the more she gets to know Ryan, the more she’s tempted to tame the bad boy, and make him her own.

Driven to Date

Gina Hall is done with men who won’t commit. Ten years waiting for her ex to propose wasted her time. Never again. When her friend Kristen starts a game of Truth or Dare, she dares Gina to go on a date with Ethan, who’s amazing and total marriage material. As Gina plans the going away party for office playboy Chris Bradley, she spontaneously initiates a game of Truth or Dare with him. When his turn comes around, he dares Gina to pose as his girlfriend to help get a flirty colleague off his back. Gina finds playing couple with Chris way too much fun. Even though Gina and Chris are pretending, their relationship begins to feel painfully real. Fearing she might be falling for another fly-by man, Gina must focus on Ethan so she doesn’t make the same dating mistakes all over again.

Truth or Date

Olivia Lane wants to become the premiere event planner for Blue Moon Bay's rich and famous. But first she has to impress Greta von Strand-millionaire and bestselling author of Men: Who Needs Them?-by pulling off a two-week luxury getaway for women. The retreat's all about getting women to embrace their independence by nurturing themselves and each other, and Olivia, who's never been lucky-in-love herself, is looking forward to it. The retreat and Olivia's goals hit a roadblock, however, when sweet-talking firefighter, Brody Mitchell, and his smoking hot friends take up residence at the mansion next door. Now, she must successfully keep Greta and the other women away from their male neighbors, fight her attraction to Brody, and pull off the retreat of a lifetime in one fell swoop. It's a battle of the sexes she's determined to win, otherwise she could lose everything-including her heart.

The Perfect Kiss

(Better Date than Never series, Book #6) After discovering her fianc� cheated on her, Kaitlin is focused on two things: remodeling her new home and avoiding men at all costs. But her friends insist she get back in the driver's seat and date again. They strike a hard bargain and agree to paint her house if she goes on five dates. Anxious to get the paint job started, Kaitlin schedules five dates in five days, but her plan falls to pieces when a sexy bartender at her venue-of-choice makes her swoon. Even though he observes each of the dates from afar, she can't help but want him to come a little closer. The last person she should fall for is a mysterious bartender with a sinful smile, but Paul makes her want to take risks again. Will the charming man with electric blue eyes break her heart or will he prove to her that a license to date is what makes life worth the drive?

License to Date

(Better Date than Never series, Book #1)Ellen may not believe in storybook love, but it's about to rewrite her life. . . .Ellen's figured out that finding the right guy is all about compatibility. That's why she signs up for Detailed Dating—the local online dating scene in Sacramento. They ask men the hard questions, compare their answers with hers, then she filters through the profiles of each provided “match.” After numerous email exchanges, she narrows it down to two promising candidates she's excited to meet in person. When Ellen's best friend asks her for a favor, dog-sitting leads to disaster and Ellen ends up at the local vet where she meets a man she can't get out of her mind. Henry isn't a logical choice, but she finds herself paying for dog obedience class to spend more time with him. Ellen knows that in order to have a lasting relationship, she should take the safe route and go for one of the pre-screened guys. But, how can she think with her head when her heart keeps begging her to give Henry a chance?

Love at First Date

(Better Date than Never series, Book #8)Ginger knows that practical choices guarantee a stable life, which is why she chose a career as an office manager. Her job provides a steady paycheck, but it also has her snoozing at her desk. She wishes she'd pursued her passion for interior decorating rather than business.She's also trying to forget Greg Shaffer-the gorgeous emergency room doctor she met at a dance club last month. Her dad was an emergency room doctor and the stress of the job turned him into a raging alcoholic, which didn't exactly create happy childhood memories.Ginger believes donating her decorating services to her friend's charity auction is the perfect fix for both her problems. She'll get a break from the daily grind, get her creative juices flowing, and stay so busy she'll finally forget about Greg.But then Greg ends up buying the condo right above her. Even worse, he deliberately wins the bid on her auction item. Greg seems determined to prove to Ginger that practicality has nothing on passion. And as Ginger brings beauty into Greg's world, how can she possibly resist the beauty he brings to hers?

Up to Date

High school junior, Kylie Bates, can suddenly read minds. When she touches people's hands, she's able to see their deepest thoughts. As if that's not freaky enough, her dad sends her to help hottie detective, Sam Williams, track down a missing girl. Way too much pressure, especially for a girl who can't watch Scream without getting nightmares. Then, finding the missing girl leads to much more than Kylie's prepared for. Like discovering that her dad has been lying to her. That she has a family she never knew about. That the girls have powers similar to hers. Oh yeah, and that someone is out to get her. When the detective's teenage wanna-be-cop cousin, Trip Williams, approaches Kylie at school insisting she help him solve the case, she discovers Trip might be the only one she can trust, and the only one to help her unravel the secrets behind her mysterious gift.

Shaken

When Wendy Watts left Blue Moon Bay, she vowed never to return to the small coastal town where her parents had abandoned her and her brother. Now she's a successful Realtor, and a workaholic who stays away from complicated emotions-until her grandmother dies, leaving Wendy the Inn at Blue Moon Bay and mandating that Wendy sell the inn, and put it on the market herself "in person." As soon as Wendy arrives in Blue Moon Bay, bad memories, the inn's poor condition, and her brother's pleas to save the inn overwhelm her. Then she meets a sexy laid-back stranger on the beach, and Wendy does something she never does . . . she opens up and confides her problems to him. Since Max Huntington's only in town for one night, Wendy spontaneously kisses him, hoping to be distracted from her troubles for just one evening. But when Wendy begins the painstaking process of fixing up the inn in order to sell it, Max tells her he's staying on longer. He's enchanted by the charming inn and even more with the kisses they shared on the beach. He wants to help her with the repairs, and she reluctantly accepts his offer. Although she's determined to remain detached from the allure of her inn, Blue Moon Bay and Max, every repair, every stroll on the beach, and every moment spent with Max, draws her in and reminds her of the local legend she'd believed as a child: that being kissed by the bay under a blue moon will lead to love that lasts forever.

Every Little Kiss

Morgan Reed is excited to return to her hometown of Christmas Falls and open her beauty salon, but when she arrives to her rented business space she’s shocked to find it already occupied by Dallas Parker—her brother’s best friend, the guy she had a childhood crush on, and the one her mom blames for their family’s greatest tragedy. With their landlord out of the country and unreachable, Morgan and Dallas must open their businesses together. But, no worries, all small towns need a combo furniture store/beauty salon, right? Ugh. As they work together, Morgan tries to keep her emotional distance but time and off-the-charts chemistry soon turn a childhood friendship into a blossoming romance. Unfortunately, just when their relationship develops into something deeper, an unexpected crisis re-opens her family’s old wounds and the blame is on Dallas once again. Will Morgan’s sadness and fear pull them apart, or make her realize Dallas has always been her heart’s true safe harbor? Seven fabulous authors bring you this holiday romance series about a group of special friends returning to their hometown at the request of their high school mentor. Each book is a standalone, but read them all to fully enjoy the journey of these remarkable women and their emotional reunion with their mentor, an incredible woman who changes their lives and helps save a small town community forever.

The Christmas Compromise

Romance Me

(Better Date than Never series, Book 4) Kristen knows men hide things. Case in point, her last boyfriend turned out to be married. Just like anyone else would be, Kristen is devastated. However, since Kristen evaluates people for a living, her ex’s duplicity has her searching for a new career as well as swearing off men. Touring history museums with her sexy friend Ethan doesn’t count, because he has a girlfriend, and has only shown friendly interest in Kristen. He even helps with her career counseling tasks. Although Kristen has a secret crush on Ethan, spending time with him is safe. Until she discovers he’s actually single. Gasp. And now he’s flirting with her, too. Suddenly, Ethan is way too dangerous. Not to mention tempting. Sure, he seems like sixty shades of perfect, but how’s a girl with bad judgment supposed to detect what skeletons he has in his closet?

Save the Date

It’s Valentine’s Day and Rachel Price has a choice: Stay home and watch TV with her loveable doggy or let her best friend, Ellen, set her up on a blind date. What to do…. Ellen says the guy is a “10,” but the last guy she set her up with was a “–5.” Rachel’s been flirting with coworker Noah Peterson and she’s hoping he’s noticed. Then, she finds out Noah has big plans. Even worse, he advises Rachel to go on the blind date! Should she play it safe and spend the Hallmark holiday with her loyal pooch, Chester, or risk another dating disaster by trying yet again for love?

My Last Blind Date

Aspiring author Michelle Moss meets her Prince Charming at a Masquerade Ball only to discover the man behind the mask is Brooks Keller, the editor who just rejected her manuscript and the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart. It wasn't a glass slipper that Michelle Moss left behind at the Masquerade Ball, but a beat up laptop. Her driver remained human, her ride didn't turn into a pumpkin, and thank goodness she didn't see any mice waiting for her in her condo. But Michelle did spontaneously kiss her masked Prince Charming and was determined to find him. Tracking down her missing laptop using a locator app, she fully expected birds to sing, rice to fall from the sky, and the credits to roll when she found her potential true love. Instead, she found the editor, Brooks Keller, who rejected her modern fairytale manuscript. He told her the book was unrealistic, unimaginable, and unpublishable. Oh, and he's also the ex who dumped her in high school. Michelle urgently needs the book advance to bail her not-so-wicked but irresponsible stepbrother out of a financial mess. But she doesn't want to change her fairytale ending. So, Michelle and Brooks make a deal: they will retrace her character's steps from the book and if Brooks falls head over heels for Michelle then Brooks will publish the book Michelle's way. If not, then Michelle will make the requested changes. As Michelle tests out the life she always dreamed of, she discovers the chemistry with Brooks is still there after all these years. She knows Brooks is only playing the part of the hero, but everything feels so real. If she acts on her feelings, though, will he break her heart a second time?

Once Upon a Date

Teenage artist Amy Love feels someone in the room with her, even if she can’t see them—the goosebumps and hair prickles on her neck don’t lie. The most popular boy in school finally asks her out and now a ghost is following her on the date? So unfair. Finally unable to take it anymore, Amy confronts her invisible stalker only to have him jump into her body to communicate with her. He’s Jonathan Miller, the teenage son of a famous cartoonist, who was in a recent car crash. Jonathan has somehow lost touch with the corporeal world and needs Amy’s help. In order to get her privacy back, Amy teams up with Jonathan to find out what went wrong for him. She’s the only one he can count on and, as they search for answers, he turns out to be the one person she can trust. Before too long, their friendship deepens and so do other feelings. But how can she be falling for a boy she’s never really seen and maybe never will?

See Me

Harper Avery is a jaded divorce attorney who loves helping her clients move on to better things. After all, they've struggled enough being in an unhappy marriage. When one client's soon-to-be ex-husband suddenly says he wants a second chance with his wife, Harper's dubious, certain that her client is just going to get hurt again. Despite his career as a divorce attorney, Gabriel Hart still believes that love can work miracles. Sure, there are no guarantees, but he totally supports his client's efforts to reconcile with his wife-even if it means Gabriel has to go head-to-head with Harper to keep her from ruining the couple's chances. With the holidays approaching, husband and wife set out to see if they can work through their issues, while Harper decides to spend the long Christmas weekend at her friend's cabin in Lake Tahoe. Only when she gets there, someone is already occupying her last-minute rental-Gabriel Hart. Both refuse to give up their holiday retreat. Will their adversarial working relationship make for a stressful weekend? Or will the magic of Christmas sprinkle them with a love that can beat the odds?

A Christmas Kiss

Claire Davenport is a hopeless romantic who shared her first kiss with Alex Murphy during a game of Spin the Bottle. Only Alex never pursued her after their kissing session and Claire regrets not telling him about her crush. At twenty-seven, no boyfriends have captured her heart in the same way. Still, she hasn’t given up on finding the one. Unfortunately, Forever Designs, her boutique wedding dress business, is accumulating more bills than invoices so love has to take a backseat for now. When a famous model books Claire to design her wedding dress, she jumps at the opportunity only to find out the client is her childhood best friend and rival, Missy Peters. Claire and Missy’s friendship imploded when Missy stole Claire’s high school boyfriend. To save her business, Claire has no choice, but to work with Missy. To Claire’s surprise, the best man turns out to be Alex Murphy. Gone is the skinny boy with the awkward-but-endearing kisses. Alex is now a sexy scientist, who for some reason seems determined to stop the wedding, which Claire can’t let happen. Now, Claire must design the perfect dress for demanding Missy, while at the same time countering Alex’s attempts to break up the bride and groom. Can Claire convince Alex to give Missy and her fiancé a chance, and that true love is possible? And can she do it without him breaking her heart all over again?

Susan Hatler

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