Recommendations based on "Life's Too Short: the most hilarious and heartbreaking read of 2021"

NEMESIS [n]1) A long-standing rival; an arch-enemy2) A person's undoing3) Joshua TemplemanLucy Hutton, baker-of-cakes, exemplary assistant and professional 'nice girl', is waging war. She's got the whole office on her side - except for tall, dark and charmless Joshua Templeman. He's been nothing but hostile since the moment they met and now it feels like nothing matters as much as taking him down.Trapped together under the fluorescent lights, they become entrenched in an addictive rivalry. There's the Staring Game, The Mirror Game, The HR Game. Lucy can't let Joshua beat her at anything, especially when a huge promotion comes up for grabs.Finally she's going to destroy the man she can't seem to get out of her office, the man she hates, the man who's taking up far too much space in her head. If Lucy wins, she'll be Joshua's boss. If she loses, she'll resign. The race is on - but the real games have only just begun . . .

He's my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé. We start out as a bet. He doesn't believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point. He gets a break from his concerned family's prying, and I get a chance to shed my family's reputation while I save up to ditch this small town

Couldn't get enough of The Fine Print?Fall in love with the next book in Lauren Asher's hot and sexy Dreamland Billionaires series . . .DeclanI'm destined to become the next CEO of my family's media empire.The only problem? My grandfather's inheritance clause.Fulfilling his dying wish of getting married and having an heir seemed impossible until my assistant volunteered for the job.Our marriage was supposed to be the perfect solution to my biggest problem.But the more we act in love for the public, the more unsure I feel about our contract.Caring about Iris was never part of the deal.Especially not when breaking her heart is inevitable.IrisMy plan to marry Declan was simple in theory.Move in together. Throw a wedding. Have a baby.We set rules to prevent any kind of issues.Ones that were never meant to be broken, no matter how much Declan tempts me.But what happens when our fake relationship bleeds into our real one?Falling in love was never an option.At least not for me.Terms and Conditions is the second book in a series of spicy standalone novels featuring three billionaire brothers.

Meet the Lakefront Billionaires . . .JulianIf I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile.So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer.At least until my meddling mother exploits my saviour complex.The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town.But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.What happens if I want her to stay?DahliaPeople say the devil has many faces, but I know only one.Julian Lopez - my childhood rival and family frenemy.I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer.Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits.Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years' worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions.Giving into our desire is inevitable . . . but falling in love?That isn't part of the plan.'Lauren Asher is an expert at giving readers everything they could ever want in a romance book. It's impossible to avoid becoming addicted to the world she builds' Hannah Grace

From the author of the Sunday Times bestseller and viral TikTok phenomenon, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, comes a brand new spicy romance set in Dream Harbor!When a secret message turns up hidden in a book in the Cinnamon Bun Bookstore, Hazel can't understand it. As more secret codes appear between the pages, she decides to follow the trail of clues… she just need someone to help her out.Gorgeous and outgoing fisherman, Noah, is always up for an adventure. And a scavenger hunt sounds like a lot of fun. Even better that the cute bookseller he's been crushing on for months is the one who wants his help!Hazel didn’t go looking for romance, but as the treasure hunt leads her and Noah around Dream Harbor, their undeniable chemistry might be just as hot as the fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon buns the bookstore sells…The Cinnamon Bun Book Store is a cozy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!Tropes: opposites attract small town forced proximity he falls firstReaders have fallen for Laurie Gilmore‘Wonderful story with tears, laughter, mysteries, uncertainty and happiness’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘Compelling, cozy and delightful narrative’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘A charming small town romance with sizzling chemistry and plenty of spice’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘I LOVED THIS SO BAD. The vibes of the small town were immaculate’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'This book makes my heart happy!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐‘The perfect kind of romance for me’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Laurie Gilmore's book 'The Pumpkin Spice Café' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-10-30.

From the author of the viral TikTok sensation, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, comes the only spicy grumpy x sunshine Christmas romcom you need this year!Kira North hates Christmas. Which is unfortunate since she just bought a Christmas tree farm in a town that’s too cute for its own good.Bennett Ellis is on vacation in Dream Harbor taking a break from his life in California. And most importantly, taking a break from his latest run of disastrous dates.After a run in with Kira in her fields, Ben has no intention of offering to help the grumpy owner set up her tree farm, despite the fact she’s clearly got no idea what she’s doing.Kira knows she should stop being so stubborn, but her farm is not all cute and cozy like people always show on social media, it’s borderline dangerous with no heating, and she’d rather no one saw it.But somehow fate finds Ben at Kira’s farm once more, and as Kira watches him swing an ax at the first tree, she finds herself appreciating his strength and questionning why she refused help in the first place..The Christmas Tree Farm is a spicy romantic mystery with a HEA guaranteed!Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine Small Town Forced Proximity One BedLaurie Gilmore's book 'The Pumpkin Spice Café' was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 2023-10-30.

CALLAHANI'm the Kane brother everyone gossips about behind closed doors.Trust fund brat. Washed-up athelete. High-functioning alcoholic.No one know the real me but her.Lana Castillo - my childhood best friend and the only woman I ever loved.When I broke her heart six years ago, I promised to never return to Lake Wisteria.I kept my word until my grandfather's will changed everything.To receive my inheritance, I was tasked with spending a summer at the family lake house before selling it.The request was simple in theory, until my entire my plan blew up on the very first day.Turns out Lana doesn't just live at the house, but she claims to own it too.ALANAFalling in love with Callahan Kane was a mistake.He told me so before destroying my heart and our friendship six summers ago.When he promised never to come back, I foolishly believed him.But then Cal showed up again, intending to sell his grandfather's lake house.The biggest flaw in his plan?My name is on the deed.

He’s the best man . . . and that’s the problem.Kristen Petersen is perfectly fine. She has friends she’d fight to the death for and the very best dog in the world: Stuntman Mike. In fact, everything’s calm in the world of Kristen, until she starts to plan her best friend’s wedding and meets the best man, Josh Copeland.Josh is funny, sexy, stands up to her sarcasm, and is always one snack ahead of her hangry. Even Stuntman Mike adores him. But he wants a big family, and Kristen knows children are probably not a part of her future.She’s sure he’d be better off with someone else, someone who can give him everything he wants, so Kristen keeps him at arm’s length: in the Friend Zone. But as their attraction grows, it’s harder and harder to resist falling for the man who seems to be everything she’s not allowed to have . . .The Friend Zone will have you laughing one moment and grabbing for tissues the next as it tackles the realities of infertility and loss with wit, heart, and a lot of sass.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Friend Zone comes an adorable and fresh romantic comedy about one trouble-making dog who brings together two perfect strangers.Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can’t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a ‘take me home’ look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker’s owner reaches out. He’s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: he wants Tucker back.Well, Sloan’s not about to give up her dog without a fight. But what if this Jason guy really loves Tucker? As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can’t deny a connection. Jason is hot and nice and funny. There’s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: with his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?

The first in a spicy and unforgettable rom-com duology from #1 New York Times bestseller and tik tok favorite Tessa Bailey, in which a Hollywood “It Girl” is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town... where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar... in Washington.Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.As seen on E!Online, PopSugar, CNN, EliteDaily, Vulture, Buzzfeed, Bustle, the Nerd Daily, PARADE, LA Magazine, Country Living, USA Today, and more!