Showing results by narrator "Lu Banks" in All Categories

College student Tara Staudenmaier will do anything for her family. When medical debt looms, she doesn’t hesitate to do whatever it takes. Even if it means putting herself - and her inexperience in love - up on the auction block. She only asks that nobody discovers her biggest secret. The reason she’s gone gray at 20 and now has something to offer a would-be suitor looking for a month-long affair.

When I sign with the Tennessee Thunderbolts, I have two goals: prove my injury hasn't benched my career and get back to New York. But then, I meet Mila, the enigmatic therapist tasked with rehabbing my shoulder. With her long ponytail, professional demeanor, and girl-next-door look, Mila is nothing like my usual type. She's better—a good girl with sad eyes and a tragic past our small town loves to dissect.

Wherever I am, I'm the biggest guy in the room. People don't just gawk when they see me. They keep their distance, which is fine by me. Why do you think I bought a fixer-upper in the country? I don't mind the manual labor, just like I don't mind the solitude. I've got my own business and projects, and no room for anything—or anyone—else. That is, until an angel shows up on my doorstep, clutching a month-old advert touting a room for rent in my house.

Attorney Maureen Gould has a dark secret and a hunger for justice. When a powerful movie producer attacks, and then fires, his young female assistant, Maureen sets out to make things right. Enter defense counsel and Maureen's estranged father, Frank Gould, a man more evil than his client. Inside and outside of the courtroom, Frank pulls every dirty trick known and makes up a few of his own.

Rose Wu’s ordinary life as a concierge clerk was only meant to be a means to a financial end. Yet there is one resident in her high-rise luxury building who makes coming to work worth it. Cindy Ling, the enigmatic businesswoman who always has a lady on her arm, also has a wink to spare the mild-mannered clerk looking her way. When chance brings Rose up to Cindy’s penthouse suite, her life isn’t simply changed forever. It’s transformed.

I made a promise long ago to protect her. As we grew up, I fell in love with her. I was ready to give her everything, to be anything she wanted. Then, instead of riding off into the sunset together, she left me broken and confused. Six years later, I thought I was over her. But when I found out she was in danger, I did the only thing I could to keep her safe. I dragged her back to Hallow Ranch.

I'm a man who knows what he wants and what I want is Birdie. It hurt like hell to watch her leave our small town to set off and chase her college dreams. I let her go once, I'm not letting it happen again. Now she's home for good, and I'll stop at nothing to keep her with me, always. Even if that means tying her to me in every way possible.

It isn't that hard to be a good maid of honor. Always support your bride-to-be, cohost a gorgeous bridal shower, and never ever sleep with the father of your bride.

For our son. That's the explanation my hockey-playing ex gave as to why we needed to spend time as a family at his lake house in the small town where it all began. What I didn't expect was to show up and discover our son is spending another week at camp, and we are all alone. Oh, and fake a relationship to fulfill an old lady's wish, too. I realize Ford is on the mission I always feared: win me back.

Conventional wisdom about running is passed down like folklore (and sometimes contradicts itself). In Running Smart, Mariska van Sprundel, a science journalist and recreational runner who has had her fair share of injuries, sets out to explore the science behind such claims.

It's not every day you get asked to be a bridesmaid for the wedding of your ex and your ex-best friend. Call me lucky? My grandmother thinks I'm crazy for agreeing, but I can't let those so-and-sos know they've pummeled my self-worth . . . even if it's true. Then my grandmother goes off the deep end and tells everyone that I have a boyfriend. A pediatric surgeon boyfriend. Worse, she's shown them his photograph. The guy in question? He's a hot piece of bad news. He may have befriended my grandmother, but he's far from being in my good graces.

What started out as a night of fun at a Vegas hotspot somehow turned into saying "I Do" by an Elvis impersonator. If you think that's bad, it gets worse. My new husband lied to me and told me he ran a not-for-profit. That couldn't be further from the truth. Imagine my surprise when I realized I married one of the best tight ends in the league. Did I mention my uncle owns the team?

Everyone thinks they know who I am. I'm the TV star who fell in love with her costar, Wesley Rich. But it wasn't real. It was a life designed to entertain millions of watchers each Monday night. A life I had no control over. Until my past came to visit. All it took was one night. One night to relive my past. One night to forget my future. With someone who'd been there all along.

Devastation and devotion are two sides to the same coin, and Brian Miller flips the coin to my heart without even trying. He thinks he's not good enough—that I deserve better than a damaged single father. But his demons can't be any worse than the one stalking my every move in our small town—the one no one can bring to justice. Despite the age difference between us, I'm not a little girl, and I know the truth. Brian will never forgive himself for not being there when I needed him most. But he's the only man who can rescue me now.

Trey Johnson's longing for his best friend's younger sister, Sienna, has always been a source of heartache. He let her go to chase her dreams and spent every waking moment regretting his decision. Now that Sienna is back, Trey is ready to make his move. Determined to win Sienna's heart and keep her by his side forever, Trey is prepared to risk it all. He's going to prove that his love is more than just words—it's a promise he intends to keep.

After living in Hell for a year, I might have to amend the saying "Hell is other people" to "Hell is other people's family." Specifically, my dear demon husband's family, AKA my infernal in-laws. Even more specifically, Lucifer, my grandfather-in-law.

I did a dumb thing. See, Teenage Me accidentally summoned Azazel and locked him into a marriage contract with Present-Day Me. I never thought he'd actually go through with it, though. Until he does. But because he doesn't want this supernatural marriage of inconvenience any more than I do, he dumps me at his estate and tries to ignore me. Joke's on him, because I hate being ignored.

Tory Baker presents Book 4 in the Rowdy Johnson Brothers series.

Publicly fighting with a man for an oversold airline seat—embarrassing! Realizing he was the quarterback for the Atlanta Arrows—awkward. Knowing he was your friend's older brother and teenage crush but didn't recognize you—humiliating. When I stormed out of the airport after throwing a temper tantrum, I never expected to cross paths with him again. All I wanted to do was put the night behind me and enjoy a martini. The last thing I expected was for him to waltz into the bar and offer me a night I couldn't refuse.

Daxton Ford tried to warn me. He never made promises. He swore a girl like me would only get hurt by a guy like him. Did I listen? He portrays dangerous, dark, and brooding. Or so he thinks. Daxton is trouble; anyone can see that. He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and keeps his circle of friends small.

But I'm the girl who believes in the good. I'm the girl that even when every fiber in my body is telling me to not go there. I head straight for it, even if I know I'll fall.