Embers

Readers who enjoy Barbara Freethy, Nora Roberts and the classics of Mary Stewart will savor this intensely emotional story of family, betrayal and redemption, set in a quaint town in New England.

KEEPSAKE. It's not a hand-made quilt, or an ivory pin, or a pretty small box for treasures ....

It's the name of a postcard-perfect town in Connecticut. From its quaint gazebo to its white-steepled church and village green, Keepsake is the kind of place most would love to call home. It's home to Olivia Bennett, the town princess who has a charming shop there. It was home once to Quinn Leary, the son of her family's gardener who fled as a teenager with his father, accused of a murder he didn't commit. It's home, still, to someone with mayhem on his mind. When Quinn returns after an absence of seventeen years, he has one desire: to prove his father's innocence. It's not until he sees his childhood school rival, now a grown woman, that he realizes he harbors another but equally passionate desire--and that the two are tragically at odds.

REVIEWS

"Gloriously alive with fresh writing and an intriguing story, KEEPSAKE goes straight to the heart with its tale of love lost and found and a seventeen-year-old murder that screams to be solved. When you've got it, flaunt it, and KEEPSAKE has it all: passion, mystery, suspense, and characters that instantly endear. A standing ovation for Antoinette Stockenberg."

--Under the Covers

"I highly recommend KEEPSAKE; this book will keep you reading well into the night, with a story line that moves along at a very entertaining warp speed. Antoinette Stockenberg has written some of the smartest, sassiest, and sexiest contemporary romances around."

--The Romance Reader

One of the top ten romances of the year.

--Amazon.com

"Antoinette Stockenberg's writing is fresh and memorable, a voice to be reckoned with. She pulls out all the stops with hot, sizzling love scenes as well as some real heartbreakers that make you reach for the hankie box. First rate!"

--Belles and Beaux of Romance

"Antoinette Stockenberg is one hell of a writer. KEEPSAKE lives up to its name: it's a keeper. The story is fast-paced and reflects a small New England town as few books do. Olivia is a warm, intelligent heroine, and everyone will jump for joy after reading about Quinn."

--Harriet Klausner

"Ms. Stockenberg does a stellar job in this absorbing story that probes deep into the painful heart of a small community. KEEPSAKE is a keeper." 4 1/2 stars

--Romantic Times

"A briskly paced, exhilarating story that's impossible to put down. Don't miss this book; it's her best one yet."

Old Book Barn Gazette

Emily Bowditch, investigative journalist, is a typical New Englander: proud, stubborn, tightfisted and skeptical. So she's determined to expose aristocratic Senator Lee Alden's fascination with psychic phenomena and his willingness to waste good taxpayer dollars to fund research in it.

Her plan is first to gain his confidence by convincing him that she has psychic powers. That plan flops. The tables are turned and somehow Emily finds herself at a seance as guest of the sexy, recently widowed young senator.

As seances go, not much happens, despite the disturbing, electrifying tension in the room. It's not until Emily is back in her tiny Boston condo that she realizes ... she hasn't come home alone. Fergus O'Malley, a handsome 19th century scoundrel hanged for a murder he swears he didn't commit, needs someone to clear him of the crime. Emily, apparently, is it.

And so begins a hair-raising odyssey full of twists and turns and danger on both sides of the veil as Emily tries to navigate between senator and ghost and her growing feelings for both.

"Emily's Ghost is great fun. A witty, entertaining romantic read that has everything -- a lively ghost, an old murder mystery and a charming romance. A fresh, engaging voice in romantic fiction, Antoinette Stockenberg is sure to find a wide audience."

--Jayne Ann Krentz (Jayne Castle)

WHEN A PARTY PLANNER MEETS A PARTY POOPER ...

things will probably not turn out the way either would like. Liz Coppersmith hopes to move beyond kids' parties at Chuck E. Cheese to planning premier events among the upper crust in Newport, Rhode Island. Her first upscale client is confirmed bachelor Jack Eastman, who's struggling to keep the family empire afloat and would be just fine with Chuck E. Cheese. More problematic for Jack are an untrained puppy, two illegitimate toddlers, a runaway mother and an aging Lothario father. Liz's problems are simpler: an historic mystery, an amnesiac friend, a thief on the loose and a recurring apparition that may or may not be her imagination.

REVIEWS:

"Master storyteller Antoinette Stockenberg surpasses herself with her newest tale, TIME AFTER TIME ... a richly rewarding novel filled with wrenching loss, timeless passion and eerie suspense. A novel to be savored."

--Romantic Times

"All of the elements of a rollicking great read have been expertly blended into this story, from precocious children to an old skirt-chasing lech. TIME AFTER TIME, as hilarious as it is poignant and heart-tugging, will command center stage on your keeper shelf. Once again, Antoinette Stockenberg has done a magnificent job."

--I'll Take Romance

"Antoinette Stockenberg is a superb contemporary writer, an author who creates an ambience that is as important as the character development. She also adds an invaluable sense of humor which appears at unexpected times, leaving readers loudly laughing. TIME AFTER TIME is that rarest of works -- a satisfying treasure for a vast variety of palates."

--Affaire de Coeur

"This book [is] a rewarding and gratifying reading experience. This exceptionally talented author has penned a unique story that spins a touching and sensitive story of love and trust. Throw in a cast of magnificent characters, and you'll be ready to hold on to this one for another read."

--Rendezvous

"A light and engaging tale of righting past wrongs in class-conscious Newport society."

--Gothic Journal

Havoc arrives on the island in the guise of stunningly beautiful Eden Walker, a gold-digging con woman who's already stolen the nest egg of an elderly couple and who promptly seduces Holly's sixty-something father while she's in hiding. Holly's mother is devastated, her sister won't deal with it, and Sam Steadman--son of the now impoverished couple and a man who has more than one reason to hunt Eden down -- is furious. After a bumpy start, Sam and Holly join forces to track down the elusive Eden and reclaim both treasure and father. But hearts and minds collide, and shipwrecked emotions are strewn along the way. Will Holly and Sam ever be able to trust one another after the not-so-merry chase?

REVIEWS

"Captivating contemporary romantic intrigue ... another triumph."

--Harriet Klausner

"Ms. Stockenberg is a master of relationships .... This book is fresh and exciting ... a fast-paced novel that will leave you feeling so darn good ... brava!"

--Belles and Beaux of Romance

"SAFE HARBOR is a most entertaining contemporary romance. It has great characters, a satisfying love story, and just enough suspense to keep the story moving. It also has a delightfully drawn setting as the author brings Martha's Vineyard to life .... This woman can write."

--The Romance Reader

"Romantic suspense à la Nora Roberts, mixed with a touch of humor à la Barbara Freethy ... a fast-paced rollercoaster ride of intrigue, family problems, deception and comical sleuthing ... incredible life in these characters ... amazing descriptions ... you won't want to miss this."

--Romance Communications

"Another notch in a collection of compelling dramas ... this author really knows how to tell a story!"

--Romantic Times

"A story about people, relationships, situations, loss of innocence and the good and evil that exist in each. Slashing dialogue ... characters who are so human and flawed that you know you've met them -- and known them -- somewhere before. A fabulous, fabulous read."

--Old Book Barn Gazette

"A perfect summer novel ... a hot read with all the right ingredients: passion, humor, suspense, murder, greed, and all of it set in Martha's Vineyard! What could be better?"

--Pam Johnson, online reviewer

When you're seriously unattached and recently unemployed, the inheritance of a cottage on Nantucket Island might seem like a really Good Thing. The fact that the house is ramshackle and possibly haunted? Mere details. Jane Drew never actually believed the neighbors' murmurs about her great-aunt being a psychic, or a witch, or a psychic witch. Still, a series of eerie events soon has her convinced that the spirit of a beautiful Quaker is roaming the place, and it seems clear that it will take more than a smile and a wave goodbye to make the spirit leave. If Jane is to move things along, she's going to have to think like an islander. But she's a Boston graphic designer with no experience of the island or its history, and she could use a little local knowledge in her quest.

There is no one more local than the aloof, wary, and impossibly seductive Mac McKenzie. Descended from generations of hard-working islanders, Mac has very clear opinions of off-islanders, and he's not afraid to express them. He has little patience for New Age types, moneyed types, and those for whom "antiquing" is a verb. He regards spaghetti as noodles, not pasta, and he drinks water from a tap, not a bottle. He's suspicious of people who design graphics, whatever those are. And he doesn't believe in ghosts. Period. When he finds himself up against the insistent, persistent, infinitely irritating Jane Drew with her knack for complicating his life, he does what any self-respecting islander would and shrugs her off -- for a while, anyway. But Mac understands, as Jane does not, that not every force is benign -- and not every force is otherworldly.

REVIEWS

"BELOVED has charm, romance, and a delicious hint of the supernatural. If you loved the film 'Somewhere in Time,' don't miss this book."

--LaVyrle Spencer

" BELOVED is great ... a lively, engaging, thoroughly enchanting tale. Ms. Stockenberg is an exciting voice in the romance genre. Her writing is delicious; I savored every morsel of BELOVED."

--Jayne Ann Krentz

"Antoinette Stockenberg is pure magic! She does a wonderful job of evoking mood out of setting. The love story between the hero and heroine was complex and moving; what appealing characters!"

--Susan Elizabeth Phillips

"A delightfully different romance with a ghost story -- a great combination that was impossible to put down."

--Johanna Lindsey

"Antoinette Stockenberg continues to demonstrate her talent for delivering unique tales of romance and danger with tantalizing supernatural overtones."

--Romantic Times

"Antoinette Stockenberg's BELOVED will transport readers to a remote island world filled with humor, vivid life experiences, glimpses of the supernatural, and characters that sparkle ... [it] will inspire the reader to cheer and look forward to this author's next gem."

--Gothic Journal

WINNING A LOTTERY ... who hasn't dreamed of it?

Wendy Hodene, for one. She has always been one of those people for whom just enough is plenty. She's married to a charmer, has a young son she loves, and lives close to family in a small New England house that her great-grandfather built. True, she'd love to have room for a three-cushion couch (and of course more closet space), but all in all, she's happy with her life.

Happy, until her husband Jim goes and wins a lottery, upending every reassuring aspect of Wendy's existence. The man she thought she was married to for a decade turns out to be someone else entirely; the house she thought she wanted renovated turns into a stress-inducing pile of dust and demolition; the son who once desired nothing more than a new video game now wants a big new house on the beach; and the mysterious contractor who shows up among the crew on a fine June morning turns out to be a man who's both able and willing to destroy all that Wendy holds dear.

Zack Tompkins has better things to do than to knock down walls and put in floor joists, but his fragile and heartbroken sister Zina is convinced that the lottery winner whose photo she's seen in a newspaper is the man who once married and then abandoned her. It doesn't take long after he's signed on as crew in the Hodene renovation for Zack to see that Zina was right. His choice then becomes all too clear: wound his sister, or tear apart a family.

As dreams and schemes are washed away like sand castles from an incoming tide, one truth remains: some hearts, not fully broken, can mend and still be whole again.

Reviews

"Well-drawn, sympathetic characters, exceptional writing, and an intriguing premise that puts a new spin on a classic plot combine to produce a riveting story of selfishness, betrayal, and love that readers will find hard to put down. Stockenberg is a RITA Award-winning author and is noted for her compelling, emotionally involving stories."

--Library journal

"Moral dilemmas abound in this intriguing and compelling tale."

--Booklist

"A powerful suspense thriller ... the characters are a superb group, especially the key foursome. The plot is filled with twists and turns ... fans of taut thrillers with a romance will want to read this strong intrigue."

--Harriet Klausner, Bookbrowser

"A beautiful story filled with imagination, complexity, and sweet love, SAND CASTLES had plot twists that had me tearing through the pages to find out what happened next. A keeper and a must-have for all lovers of romance."

--The Word on Romance

"Antoinette Stockenberg is a consummate storyteller, and SAND CASTLES is another example of how well she has mastered her craft. The author is in top-notch form. The characterizations are wonderfully drawn and believable in their actions and reactions. There are enough plot twists and turns to keep a reader highly interested. A sure-fire winner and highly recommended reading!"

--NewAndUsedBooks.com

"Antoinette Stockenberg continues to display an immense talent for creating powerful and gripping dramas that give readers the full range of human emotions."

--Romantic Times

"This book was wonderful! In fact, I was so caught up in the story, I forgot to analyze anything. Twists, good dialogue and a question to answer at the end .... Kudos ... an excellent read.

--Old Book Barn Gazette

From USA TODAY bestselling author Antoinette Stockenberg comes an original and wonderfully romantic story of star-crossed lovers who have been apart for twenty years and who rediscover one another in an idyllic coastal village on Cape Cod.

A SECOND CHANCE AT LOVE. It's a deep, aching need for anyone whose heart has ever been broken. Maddie Regan and Dan Hawke were college lovers who were compelled to go separate ways after a horrific event for which Dan was blamed. She settled down and raised a family; he roamed the planet as a war correspondent. But a near death experience brings Dan in search of the only woman he has ever loved. His plan to win Maddie is simple: take up residence in a lighthouse just a stone's throw from her family's summer home, and then make her fall back in love with him. He knows her family will object and suspects that her daughter might; but he refuses to believe that Maddie herself -- the woman who has haunted his dreams for two decades -- can be any less in love with him than he is with her.

It's not that simple for Maddie. She has a jealous ex-husband to deal with ... a feisty, resentful teenager ... a widowed mother unable to emerge from mourning ... and the ongoing heartbreak of her father's unsolved murder. Is it possible to throw all of that aside for the chance to be happy?

REVIEWS

"A superb story."

--Rendezvous Magazine

"This wonderful plot gives the reader a love story about two people who had lost each other for 20 years ... and embroiders the tale with a mystery. What fun to read! Totally different, exciting, and new. Colorful and extremely visual descriptions make this book come to life; I could see the ocean and smell the salty sea air ... the story flows and is hard to put down ... it's a keeper, readers!"

--Romance Communications online

(Winner, Romance Communications Reviewers Award)

(Nominated, Romance Communications Readers Award)

"Buy this book! A truly fantastic summer read!"

--Suzanne Barr, Gulf Coast Woman

"A CHARMED PLACE allows Stockenberg's considerable talents to truly shine ... almost perfect ... a well-rounded, believable, entertaining and moving romance [with] an intellectually challenging mystery... a real story about real people whom readers will care deeply about."

--Gothic Journal

"An absorbing, highly engaging read with dialogue [that is] clever and realistic. The Cape Cod setting is vividly evoked, and secondary characters add great color .... Ms. Stockenberg is a gifted prose stylist; she makes us care about the characters. The fairly explicit love scenes are not only passionate, but also tender. A truly charming contemporary romance with an uplifting theme that second chances at love are possible .... "

--Regency World

--"A CHARMED PLACE is a captivating mixture of mystery and romance with characters that seem so real they jump off the pages. Stockenberg is adept at capturing family relationships and conveying a real sense of the characters' feelings and motiviations. [This is] an intriguing and passionate tale that will have the reader longing to read her next novel."

--Writers Write Website

"A glorious novel ... Ms. Stockenberg takes her place alongside LaVyrle Spencer as a writer of depth and perception." Very Highly Recommended

--Under the Covers Reviews

"Pure Stockenberg. The author captures the flavor of New England life along with great family dynamics. The love story between Dan and Maddie gives hope to anyone who dreams of their first love."

--Interludes

"Passion, love, hatred and deceit all collide with unexpected force in the powerful and expressive A CHARMED PLACE."

--Romantic Times Magazine

"Very witty writing ... wonderfully drawn characters ... [get] to know them and the obstacles they overcome."

--Book Barn Gazette

He was her childhood knight in shining armor ... but she wasn't a fairytale princess.

Kendall Barclay III was a skinny, nerdy kid when he single-handedly took on a gang of bullies assaulting Laura Shore, a thirteen-year-old girl from the town's most notorious family. The childhood trauma became one more reason for Laura to flee the small Cape Cod town for the opposite coast and make a name for herself there. But now her tyrannical father is dead, her murderous uncle as well, and her beloved sister Corinne wants Laura and their black-sheep brother to come home and restore Shore Gardens, the family nursery fallen to rack and ruin, back to its former charm.

Reluctantly, they promise Corinne one month. One month, for Laura to face down past memories which are anything but fond and to come to terms with the wild range of feelings she has for the man who is no longer either skinny or nerdy. It's a daunting assignment -- made more so when a shocking discovery is made on the nursery grounds. Have knights in shining armor gone out of fashion? Laura will soon find out.

Reviews

"A MONTH AT THE SHORE is a most enjoyable contemporary romance. The book illuminates the power of childhood experiences in shaping lives. Rooted as it is in their past, the attraction that sparks to life between Laura and Ken makes eminent sense ... Ken is the perfect hero, clearly a gem. Stockenberg has created an interesting cast of characters, provides a most satisfactory romance, and integrates the suspense element seamlessly into her story. This is a perfect book for a summer day -- or any other day, for that matter."

--The Romance Reader

"A savvy, sexy novel with twists and turns. The dialogue is natural and witty, and the characters jump off the page. If you like a good mystery, with murder, revenge, and tantalizing sexual play, you'll enjoy this book."

--The Best Reviews

"An addictive novel that draws the reader in from the very first page. The characters are extremely sympathetic and believable .... An all-around excellent read, A MONTH AT THE SHORE is enthralling. To be placed on your must-read pile immediately. Don't miss out on this captivating story of love, family, and trust."

--Romance Reviews Today

"The writing and emotional pull [is] finely drawn out .... The plot has just the right amount of intrigue, suspense, and a wonderfully sensual romance as the inspired hero does his best to become [the heroine's] knight in shining armor. The villain is a surprise twist to the mystery of the murder. Set in a wonderful local ... you will truly enjoy A MONTH AT THE SHORE."

--Contemporary Romance Writers Reviews

"This is a must read. It will keep you guessing throughout and you will be shocked to find out just who is the murderer. Don't pass this one up!"

--About Romance Fiction

New York Times Bestselling Author

BARBARA DELINSKY

AMBER’S EMBRACE

From America’s beloved storyteller, Barbara Delinsky, comes the romantic story of two rival coaches—and one game of love where everybody wins…

Single mom Amber MacLaine coaches Little League for her son’s (losing) team, the Pirates. Single dad Zachary Wilder coaches Little League for his daughter’s (winning) team, the Cubs. A little friendly rivalry is all part of the game, of course. But when Zachary teases Amber for arguing with the ref, she can’t help but dish it right back. And when he suggests she join him in some rigorous physical activity—bicycling—she takes him up on the challenge. Sure, he’s her opponent on the playing field. But he’s also a doctor. And gorgeous. And available. Not only is Zachary all warmed up, he’s ready to play. But does he have what it takes to get this love-challenged mom back in the game?

Previously published as Amber Enchantment by Bonnie Drake

Since his divorce, Cameron hasn't been willing to trust his heart-or his daughter-with anyone else. For months he's pushed away all thoughts of taking Rina in his arms and kissing her, unwilling to risk their friendship for a single night of pleasure. But when a kiss under the mistletoe unlocks the simmering passion between them, Rina and Cameron may just find love for the holidays after all...