Kraken Fans, Billionaire Bosses, and Christmas Mountain Arrive Early

by Penny Reid

Penny Reid's Totally Folked has over 10,000 ratings and sits at about 4.04, so plenty of people have already made up their minds. The setup is a one night stand that turned into 5.5 years of not forgetting, with a celebrity and a cinnamon roll hero in a small town. If you've read the series, the Kraken reference will mean something to you. If you haven't, it's still a good pick for readers who like their rom-coms warm and a little chaotic.

“★ NOW AVAILABLE! ★ The time has come! The Kraken has been released (If you know, you know). And I hope you love Jackson and Rae as much as I do. GAH! They are just swoony and romantic and so very unexpected. TOTALLY FOLKED is out in the wild, on all platforms! ** Grab Just Folking Around for FREE! *”

by Alix Vaughn

At His Service has one of the wilder openers this week: Jax strips to her underwear in Gray Jones's office and demands a job to save her brother. It's rated 4.35 by nearly 3,000 readers, which is the highest score on the list. One reviewer thinks Jax acts like a high school goth who wears black just to look edgy, so the heroine may not work for everyone. Still, if you want an over-the-top billionaire boss romance that doesn't pretend to be anything else, this is it.

“Get it here: Amazon US * Amazon UK”

by Layla Hagen

Breaking His Rules kicks off a new Layla Hagen series about three brothers who grew up in a group home and now run a major security company. Grant is the controlling one, and Ruby, his best friend's ask turned problem, throws him completely off balance. It's at 3.9 with over 2,200 ratings, and readers keep praising the contrast between his foster care background and hers. Pick it up if you like a protective hero who gets knocked off his axis.

“ꍏꋪꏳ ꋪꏂ꒦ꀤꏂꅐ Grant and Ruby are complete opposites not only personality but also upbringing. Growing up in foster care and also being homeless at times with his siblings wasn't easy. So being protective is second nature. He loves his rules and will never break them, until he meets Ruby. And not only d”

by Susan Hatler

A Sugar Plum Christmas is exactly what the cover promises, and one reviewer said it would make the perfect Christmas movie. Stressed city girl Lacey lands in Christmas Mountain to scout a location for her show, and innkeeper Jacob wants her gone. At 4.16 from over 1,000 readers, it's a cozy opposites-attract story that won't surprise you but will likely make you happy. The first book in a series, so there's more of Christmas Mountain to visit.

“This book would make the perfect Christmas rom-com movie. The small town of Christmas Mountain, all the quaint shops with the Christmas names, the town traditions like the Sharing Tree, an adorable, sometimes clumsy, somewhat overworked leading lady, and a handsome leading man who makes handmade woo”

by Kathleen Shoop

Cinder Bella was the one that surprised me most. It's set in December 1893, with Bella Darling living in a barn at Maple Grove and Bartholomew Baines picking up the pieces after his bank collapses. It's 4.27 across 846 ratings, and reviewers keep mentioning hope and Christmas magic. This is a good choice if you want a historical Cinderella story without too much sugar.

“I love stories with a festive Christmas setting! Cinder Bella (‘Tis the Season book 3) is such a touching tale that oozes with positivity and celebratory spirit. I enjoyed the historical 1893 Pennsylvania setting, and especially Bella’s infectious upbeat nature. It is effortless to connect with her ”

by Ivy Smoak

Bitten by Desire is the paranormal wildcard, with a lover from ten years ago who reappears and might be a vampire. It sits at 3.87 with about 1,400 ratings, so opinions are mixed. One reviewer is so tired of the phrase 'He lowered his eyebrows' that they begged the author never to use it again. Not for everyone, but if you want a hungry-eyed brooding vampire and can forgive some repeated phrases, it's free.

“The premise really pulled me in—a chance encounter ten years ago, a lover you can’t forget, and then the shock of running into him again only for him to deny everything. From there, the story unfolds with twists: another potential love interest, a massacre in a seemingly idyllic small town, and the ”