Cactus Creek Series by Violet Duke

(A Prequel Novella to LOVE, CHOCOLATE, AND BEER) Man, oh man, was he in trouble... If the girl-next-door-had an unpredictable, feisty twin sister, this woman would be her. Though she'd doused it quickly, a sizzling, ultra-feminine awareness had flared in her eyes in that brief moment they'd met his, along with a sweet blush she'd fought with adorably, stubborn defiance. Damn, she was cute. And intriguing... more(A Prequel Novella to LOVE, CHOCOLATE, AND BEER) Man, oh man, was he in trouble... If the girl-next-door-had an unpredictable, feisty twin sister, this woman would be her. Though she'd doused it quickly, a sizzling, ultra-feminine awareness had flared in her eyes in that brief moment they'd met his, along with a sweet blush she'd fought with adorably, stubborn defiance. Damn, she was cute. And intriguing. With that quiet, kitten gaze of hers still mulishly refusing to look his way again, she was drawing him in, hook, line, and sinker. Holy Hefeweizen... It was bad enough that the faint scent of one of her dark ales was lingering on his lips in that sexier-than-sin sort of way, but candying it atop steamy eyes and a gentlemanly sweet center to boot was just plain unfair. He was cowboy-in-the-city sexy with a laughing smile and all sorts of promised temptations radiating from him. And he always smelled like chocolate. With his scorching hot gaze, he was completely lethal to everything that kept her tame. The night Luke and Dani met, they really should have gotten each other's last names. More importantly? Each other's occupations. See how the chocolate vs. beer throwdown between chocolatier Luke Bradford and beer brewing beauty Dani Dobson gets started in this prequel novella to LOVE, CHOCOLATE, AND BEER. less

Romance has met its most unlikely match-up… Luke Bradford is a chocolatier on a mission. After moving his chocolate shop, and newly single life, to the quirky town of Cactus Creek, Luke wants nothing more than to devote all his energy into making his business a success—by taking the romance market by storm. But his grand plans get thrown for a loop when he locks horns with the feisty beer-brewing beauty next door who calls his ‘romantic idealism’ a load of fairytale bull... moreRomance has met its most unlikely match-up… Luke Bradford is a chocolatier on a mission. After moving his chocolate shop, and newly single life, to the quirky town of Cactus Creek, Luke wants nothing more than to devote all his energy into making his business a success—by taking the romance market by storm. But his grand plans get thrown for a loop when he locks horns with the feisty beer-brewing beauty next door who calls his ‘romantic idealism’ a load of fairytale bull. Soon, driving the woman sparking nuts becomes another wickedly fun priority he simply can’t get enough of. In his defense, she’s addictively easy to incite…and plain impossible to resist. Beloved local brewmaster Dani Dobson is beyond riled up. It’s bad enough the new shop owner in town comes locked and loaded with both a distractingly rugged charm and sexy flashing dimples, but the whole only-in-the-movies variety of romance he’s selling—the kind her world has been crushed by before—is really doing a number on her allergy to unrealistic clichés. What’s worse, he’s created an annoyingly clever ad campaign that dubs ‘beer joints’ like hers as the “cave where romance goes to hibernate.” The nerve of that man. Combustible chemistry or not, damn it, this means war. The stakes…very likely, her heart. THE CACTUS CREEK SERIES: BOOK 1: A Little Combustible Chemistry [Prequel Novella -- Luke & Dani] BOOK 2: Love, Chocolate, and Beer [Luke & Dani] BOOK 3: Love, Tussles, and Takedowns [Hudson & Lia] BOOK 4: Love, Exes, and Ohs [Isaac & Xoey] -- July 2014 BOOK 5: Love, Sidelines, and Endzones [Grady & Sienna] -- Sept 2014 BOOK 6: A Little Holiday Meddling [Holiday Novella -- Noah & Katelyn] -- Nov 2014 less

He’s a better fighter...but she has all the weapons. After his combat injuries retire him from the military career he wasn't ready to give up, battle-scarred Hudson Reyes now spends his new life as a movie industry fight scene and weapons specialist simply doing what he knows best: surviving. Until he meets her . The one woman who makes him want to live again... moreHe’s a better fighter...but she has all the weapons. After his combat injuries retire him from the military career he wasn't ready to give up, battle-scarred Hudson Reyes now spends his new life as a movie industry fight scene and weapons specialist simply doing what he knows best: surviving. Until he meets her . The one woman who makes him want to live again. Sweet, angel-faced Liana Lin is a scrappy little thing--an antique arms authenticator trained in martial arts who's made a living turning the unthinkable demons of her past into the passions that fuel, and fill, her life. He can't get her out of his head. Even though she's everything he's told himself he can't have, Hudson can't help but want her. She's a fiery, unpredictable paradox with hidden wounds as deep as his own, and a wicked roundhouse kick he's gotten mighty acquainted with. If one woman could sneak past the barbed wires he's wrapped around his heart, it'd be Lia. Now if only they could stop sparring long enough to find out... less

A standalone companion novel to Love, Chocolate, and Beer: Rylan & Quinn’s story* Surprise! The flood of fan mail worked, you guys! LOL. I love that you all fell so hard for Rylan & Quinn in Love, Chocolate, and Beer (I did too). *grin* I hope you enjoy their by-rabid-request parallel story that I just adored writing for you all. Happy reading! She’s the Self-Proclaimed Wicked ‘Witch’ of the West Fiercely independent single mom Quinn Christiansen is used to flying solo... moreA standalone companion novel to Love, Chocolate, and Beer: Rylan & Quinn’s story* Surprise! The flood of fan mail worked, you guys! LOL. I love that you all fell so hard for Rylan & Quinn in Love, Chocolate, and Beer (I did too). *grin* I hope you enjoy their by-rabid-request parallel story that I just adored writing for you all. Happy reading! She’s the Self-Proclaimed Wicked ‘Witch’ of the West Fiercely independent single mom Quinn Christiansen is used to flying solo. She’s been raising her young son and figuring out how to pay his pediatric hospital bills on her own for years now. And truth is, Quinn loves the notorious reputation she’s already gained in town of having a heart too hard for any man to break. Because it is. Two carats too hard, to be exact. Courtesy of the two-carat heirloom she’d had to barter to cover her ex’s debts when he took off after she got pregnant. The day she’d promised herself never again. So color her pissed when the universe goes and decides to make the one man in Cactus Creek not afraid of her natural ball-busting charm another gambling musician. A ridiculously handsome, wickedly gruff and gritty, pushy one at that. He’s Everything She’s Sure She Can’t Possibly Want Rylan Grey isn’t used to getting a woman so worked up…well, not in a bad way, at least. But somehow, his mere existence seems to annoy the guarded and gorgeous Quinn to no end. Surprising, really. A dirt-and-jeans landscaper by day with a regular gig to perform for a packed house by night, Rylan considers himself a decent guy. Sure, he’s made some gambles to get to where he’s at, but they were all of the life variety, with risks as important as the rewards, fate betting as the house, and not a single dollar in play. While Rylan never wagers anything he’s not willing to lose—namely his heart—he’s more than ready to ante up once he sees past Quinn’s icy defenses. Quick as a firecracker, loyal to a fault, and sweet when no one’s looking, she could be his riskiest gamble yet. *This standalone companion novel can be read before or after Love, Chocolate, and Beer, but, it is recommended that it be read after. Happy reading! THE CACTUS CREEK SERIES Love, Chocolate, and Beer [Luke & Dani] Love, Diamonds, and Spades [Rylan & Quinn] ** Love, Tussles, and Takedowns [Hudson & Lia] -- Available Now Love, Exes, and Ohs [Isaac & Xoey] -- March 2015 Love, Sidelines, and Endzones [Grady & Sienna] -- April 2015 ** Special Fan-Requested Book, Coming to the Series Feb 2015 less

He may very well be the perfect ex. Isaac McKnight has had enough loss in his life to know never to take anything for granted. So when the perfectly-imperfect-woman-for-him puts an end to their relationship out of the blue, it's Isaac that makes sure they remain friends... moreHe may very well be the perfect ex. Isaac McKnight has had enough loss in his life to know never to take anything for granted. So when the perfectly-imperfect-woman-for-him puts an end to their relationship out of the blue, it's Isaac that makes sure they remain friends. Now a year later, whether it's at his gym or her brewpub, or the dog park they visit every weekend--though neither of them own a dog--he and Xoey are steadily getting sucked deeper into buddy-zone galaxy, with its dangerous proximity to watch-me-settle-down-with-someone-else abyss. It's a reality he's resigned himself to. That is...until one drunken confession changes everything. She's looking for the perfect oh. For Xoey Montenegro, history has taught her that sometimes, it's Prince Charming who vanishes without a trace. And fairytale love? Highly overrated. Heck, give her a real and perfect 'oh' over that fantasy any day. So as far as rock-solid tequila-fueled plans for her love life go, coming up with a match-finding formula based on the qualities of the men responsible for her three most epic ohs seems brilliant. Except for the fact that one-third of her genius little man-quation is all about her friend Isaac. Actually, more than a third if Xoey were being honest with herself--which she's not. Because full honesty would require thinking not just about how perfect Isaac really is, but also about how perfect the fourth epic oh she's kept buried deep in her past once was. An easy enough thing to keep ignoring...until her past isn't past tense anymore. less

Grady Richardson is used to folks questioning why he never went pro. Sharing genes with a family of NFL greats, it should've been the natural decision. But instead, he chose coaching. Back when he was getting hit with hard life lessons for all his wrong choices, it was the first one he'd made that had felt so right. Moving to the oddball town of Cactus Creek is now officially the second... moreGrady Richardson is used to folks questioning why he never went pro. Sharing genes with a family of NFL greats, it should've been the natural decision. But instead, he chose coaching. Back when he was getting hit with hard life lessons for all his wrong choices, it was the first one he'd made that had felt so right. Moving to the oddball town of Cactus Creek is now officially the second. Here, folks care less about his name and more what the local auto shop teacher--daughter of the coach he's replacing--thinks of him. It's refreshingly different. She's refreshingly different. An opinionated powder keg with mind-melting curves and a garage full of tools he's sure she'd like to hurl at him half the time, Sienna Whitman is the president and sole member of his non-fan club. And lately, it seems all their heated debates over his high-scoring offense dominating her old school defense is starting to mean something a whole lot different in his head... Sienna Whitman is used to being kept on the sidelines. Cactus Creek's town coaching legend--just plain 'Dad' to Sienna--could've recommended her as an assistant coach to his successor upon his retirement. But thanks to that pesky lack of a Y chromosome on her resume, here she is, back as overqualified team statistician, secretly feeding field plays to her coaching buddies through her phone yet again. Now, it wouldn't be half bad if not for the new head coach continuously pushing her buttons at every turn. Mr. All American good looks with that 'new school offense' of his is driving her crazy. And not just because he's under the very mistaken notion that she's a sex addict in rehab, thanks to the opposite-of-quick thinking by her partners in crime on the field--seriously, if only her Bluetooth had a kill function. No, it's the unprecedented realization that just being around Grady makes Sienna want that rehab center's number for real. On speed dial. Hell, it's going to be a long season. less