I don’t know about you, but we entered 2020 with some very lofty reading goals, and then the world as we know it came to an end, and we embraced a new way of life. And with that, our TBR list kept growing, and our reading goals seemed to slip farther and farther away. Luckily, not every good book needs to be a 600-plus-paged doorstop to take our breath away. If you’re like us and still clinging to the hope that maybe you will read as many books in 2021 as you said you would last year, then you are going to love these short yet powerful books that really pack a punch.
King of Beasts (Beast Duet, #2 by Diana A. Hicks
From award-winning author, Diana A. Hicks comes the enthralling conclusion to the King of Beasts duet.
I have left it all on the line for Caterina Alfera. She holds the keys to everything I have ever wanted. But would she do the unthinkable for me—the right thing?
If you like dark, steamy romance with a heavy dose of suspense and intense twists, then you’ll love Diana A. Hicks’s King of Beasts
Authors Note: King of Beasts is book two in the Beast Duet as part of the Crime Society World. It contains explicit scenes and bondage.
Meet Cute (Love, Camera, Action Book 5) by Elise Faber
He’s a movie star. I’m just a girl from a small town. He lives in L.A when he’s not traveling the world. I live in Utah, and the furthest I’ve been is a few states away. He’s beautiful. I’m . . . just me.
Talbot Green is the man who has everything—fame, money, adoring fans—and I’m just a girl from a small town, childhood friends with his publicist, and looking forward to spending a few days in warm and sunny California.
Then I saved his life. In front of the paparazzi.
And suddenly, my face is everywhere—on social media, on TV, on magazine covers. Suddenly, I’m not just a girl from a small town, who’s living a small life. Suddenly . . . I belong to Talbot Green, at least in the eyes of the media. And also . . . perhaps in the eyes of Talbot himself. But maybe, just maybe, he belonged to me right back.
Marrying Mr. Wrong: A Hot Romantic Comedy by Claire Kingsley
I never should have gone commando in that dress. I'm almost positive the rest of it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been dangling off a hotel balcony with my lady parts in the breeze. And of course, the one person to witness my mortification had to be HIM. Camden Cox.
Sure, today he's gorgeous and wealthy, and fine, I can admit he has a great sense of humor. But once upon a time, he was the boy who loved to make my life miserable.
He no longer pulls my pigtails, but I know his type. He wants one thing, and one thing only. A chance to get in my pants. Nope. Not happening. Not even with that sexy Southern drawl.
But I'm Sophie Abbott, and if there's one thing I'm good at, it's making a mess. Only this isn't just a mess. It's a disaster. A Sophie disaster. Because after a wild night in Vegas, I wake up naked in his hotel room. And I'm pretty sure we got married.
Call Me Crazy (Bellamy Creek #3) by Melanie Harlow
It was the perfect plan. I needed a wife—temporarily—in order to inherit the family business. And she needed a favor—the kind that takes nine months to deliver.
We had it all worked out, from the no-touching policy on our wedding night (her rule) to the no-falling-in-love decree (mine). She’d marry me, I’d give her the means to have the baby she’d always wanted, and one year later we’d amicably part ways with no hassle, no demands, and certainly no regrets.
After all, Bianca DeRossi and I are experts at infuriating one another—we’ve been doing it since we were kids. Trouble is, she grew up gorgeous and feisty, and she still knows exactly how to get under my skin.
And that wedding night? Well, it doesn’t exactly go down hands-free.
Then she moves in with me, and I really start to lose my mind. From her sexy little pout to her wicked sense of humor to those meatball sandwiches she makes just because she knows they’re my favorite . . . I find myself wanting to break every rule we put in place.
Our story was never supposed to end with happily ever after. But call me crazy, I just might be in love with my wife.
Hot Stuff by Max Monroe
Have you ever seen a fireman who’s so insanely sexy you’d actually consider DIY-ing a little at-home arson just so he’d show up at your front door? Dramatic, I know, but hear me out.
Chiseled hot body, bright blue eyes, and the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen—the first time I saw Garrett Alexander in my exam room, it took everything inside me not to do something crazy like mount him during his yearly physical.
Not only is he a total babe, but he’s charming, hilarious, and the kind of single dad that would make your ovaries explode—the total freaking package.
I know you’re probably wondering, What in the heck are you waiting for, girl? Go get yourself a fireman! But, see, there’s one teeny-tiny (read: huge) problem—if we got together, we’d have to keep our relationship a secret.
I know. Who even am I? Some heroine in a freaking forbidden romance novel? Let me guess, now you’re probably thinking...Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Don’t do it, girl. Don’t fall for the sexy, off-limits man. It’s not worth it. Well, too late. I already went and did it. And I have a feeling this fire of ours is going to go up in a big, mushroom-cloud-worthy, ball of figurative smoke.
Fabulous Fried Cabbage Recipe
A favorite old Irish family recipe for fried cabbage and it's so easy.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons butter
1 (15 ounces) can of chicken broth
1 head cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Step 1 - Bring the butter and chicken broth to a boil in a large skillet. Reduce heat to low and add the cabbage. Cover and cook over low heat to steam the cabbage for about 45 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the cabbage is tender and sweet. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Nutrition Facts: Per Serving: 66 calories; protein 2.9g; carbohydrates 11.8g; fat 1.7g; cholesterol 5.4mg; sodium 384.4mg.
Prep: 5 mins Cook: 45 mins Total: 50 mins
Servings: 6 Yield: 6 servings